The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-03-20 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY DEFALCATION.

At the close of last week it became generally known, that
there was, as is called in sporting language, a screw loose in the
establishment of Messrs. J. H. Stanway and Brother, public
accountants, Manchester, and who have not only transacted a
most extensive business, but who have also enjoyed the public
confidence to ad unlimited extent. The immediate cause of
bringing to light the delinquencies, as it at present appears, of
Mr. Samuel Stanway only, was a meeting of commissioners of
bankrupts on Saturday last, in order to declare a dividend on
an estate to which Messrs Stanway were accountants—of course
whose presence could not be dispensed with. Mr. J. H. Stan-
way, however, only was in attendance, although Mr. Samuel
Stanway had bad the entire management of the estate; and, on
being asked the amount of assets in hand, informed the commis-
sioners that lie had neither any fond,: nor documents belonging
to the estate. This declaration, as may be supposed, utterly
confounded the commissioners, they, having reason to know that
something like £4O(X) had come into the accountant** bands.
This disclosnre was quickly heralded through town, and, as
before noticed, the business of this office being well known to
have been extensive, caused many parties interested to set about
ascertaining how their individual interests were likely to be
affected, who upon this discovered that Mr. Samuel Stanway
(on whom had for some time devolved the principal manage-
ment of the concern) had become non est inventus, and it is at
this moment unascertained the extent or number of documents
and amount of money he took with him. Officers, however, are
in hot pursuit ; but with what success time only can show.
There are several estates, and public bodies, and committees,
who, it is understood, will be considerable sufferers, among.
whom we have heard— _ . .

The Conservative Committee for the late South
Lancashire Election, report says • ...£3OOO
The Committee of the Operative Conservatives.. 300
Botanical Gardens.. '
The estate of C. Evans, Banker .. 3000
of Philip Gans
91
, of Taylor, Herdle, and Co., the amount
stated in all is said to be £ll,OOO to. 14,000
The former sum appears to be most correct.
It is reported that the trustee to an estate under inspection,
had deposited cheques signed but not filled up, to enable Messrs.
Stanway to meet any sudden demand; and, that these cheques
have been made use of by Mr. Samuel Stanway—uf course filled
up to suit himself. This, if true to any great extent, may in—
volve innocent parties to a large amount.

EXTRAORDINARY PLATES ON GLASS.—There are now de-
posited
at the warehouse of the Thames Plate Glass Com-
pany, Savoy-street, Strand, two of the largest plates of glass
ever made in this country. Their dimensions are 12i feet by
71 feet, being within a few inches as high, and much wider thaw
the mirrors of the ball-room at Windsor Castle, each of which,
however, is formed of two plates.

THE Be LLOT.—Tbe ballot would necessarily destroy and
abuse the character of the voter, and make a hypocrite of bins
throughout his whole existence. It would slake his life one
continued lie. If he secured secrecy at all, it would make him
who had voted contrary to his promise true in hypocrisy. He
who could conceal the side on which he voted—he who could
keep the secret from his friend, from his wife, could never be
true in any relation of life, our would any one believe hint to be
so.—Lord Brougham, in 1830.

THE MAGNETIC POI.E.—In the year 1819, Sir Edwd. Parry,
in his voyage to discover the north-west passage round America,
sailed near the magnetic pole ; and in 1824, Captain Lyon, on
an expedition for the same purpose, found that the magnetic
pole was then situated in 63 deg. 26 min. 51 sec. north latitude,
and in 80 deg. 51 min. '25 sec. west longitude. It appears. from
latter researches, that the law of terrestrial magnetism is of con-
siderable complexity, and the existence of more than one mag-
netic pole in either hemisphere has been rendered highly pro-
pable ; that there is one in Siberia seems to be decided by the
recent observations of M. Hansteen, —it is in longitude 102 deg.
east of Greenwich, and a little to the north of the 60th deg. of
of latitude : so that, by these data, the two magnetic poles in
the northern hemisphere are about 180 deg. distant from each
other ; but Captain Ross, who is just returned from a voyage
in the Polar seas, has ascertained that the American magnetic
pole is in 70 deg. 14 min. north latitude, and 96 deg. 40 rain.
west longitude. The magnetic equator does not exactly coin-
cide with the terrestrial equator; it appears to be an irregular
curve, inclined to the earth's equator to an angle of about 12
deg. and crossing it in at least three points, in longitude 113 deg.
14 west, and 66 deg. 46 min. east of the meridian of Greenwich,
and again somewhere between 156 deg. 30 min. of west longi-
tude, and 116 min east.—Mrs. Somerville's Connection of the
Sciences.

DISCOVERY OF ANCIENT SCLAVONTAN MANUSCRIPTS.—
Accotints from Servia announce, that a monk of the order of
St Basil has just discovered a collection of historical menu-
setipts in the monastery of Monte-Negro. Being ordered to
inspect the vaults which extend in different directions under the
church of the convent, be found that the numerous coffins depo-
sited there, were all decayed or broken to pieces, except one,
which remained entire. When this report was received by the
superior, he consulted with his brethren, and it was resolved to
open the coffin. This was done with due solemnity, and their
astonishment may be imagined, when it .was found that this
coffin, which was of lead, was filled with bundles of papers, in
a very good state of preservation, each wrapped up in oiled cloth.
On a general examination, they were discovered to be chronicles,
written in different Sclavonian languages, and to extend from
the first invasion by the Sclavoniaus, of the countries watered
by the Danube, to the year 1721. These chronicles contain
the history of Wallachia, Moldavia, Servia, ate Bulgaria, and
numerous details relative to the crusades, tKe empire of the
East, the wars of Poland and Hungary against the Ottomans;
the whole written and composed by eye-witnesses. Prince
Milosch has purchased this precious collection of manuscripts
for 5,000 ducats, and has commissioned his private secretary,
Mr. Wouk Woukanowitch, and twenty-four learned Servians.
immediately to exa►uine, and to class them according to their
dates; and these documents will be forthwith published at the
expense of the prince.—Athenaute.

13ortrp.

BECAUSE!

" Why ?—Because.--.---.7ILINDLEY MC RR A Y.

Sweet Neal for your lovely sate,
I weave those rambling numbers,
Because I've lain an hour awake,
And can't compose my slumbers;
.Because your beauty's gentle light
14 round my pillow beaming,
lAnd flings, I know not why, to-night,
Some witchery o'er my dreaming!
Z7Because we've passed some joyous days,
And danced some merry dances ; •
Because you love old Beaumont's plays,
And old Froissart's romances!
Because, whene'er I hear your words,
Some pleasant feeling lingers;
Because I think your heart has chords
That vibrate to my fingers !

Because you've got those long, soft curls
I've voiv'd should deck my goddess;
Because you're not, like other girls,
All bustle, blush, and boddice I
Because your eyes are deep and blue,
Your fingers long and rosy;
Because a little child and you
Would make one's home so cozy!

Because'your little tiny nose
Turns up so pert and funny;
Because I know you choose your beaux
More for their mirth than money :
Because I think you'd rather twirl
A waltz, with me to guide you,
Than talk some nonsense with an Earl,
And a Coronet beside you!

Because you don't object to walk,
And are not given to fainting;
Because you have not learned to talk
Of flowers and Poonah-painting ;
Because, I think, you'd scarce refuse
To sew one on a button;
Because I know you'd sometimes choose
To dine on simple mutton !
Because, I think, I'm just so weak
As some of these fine morrows,
To ask you, if you'll let me speak,
My story and my sorrows;
Because the rest's a simple thing,
A matter quickly over,
A Church—a Prie,t —a sigh—a ring—
And a chaise and four to Dover I

CONTEMPORARY PRESS.

THg BRITISH LEGION AND ITS GENERAL._

( From :he Manchester Courier.)

In the House Of Commons, on Tuesday evening, Sir
G. De Lacy Evans brought on one of those melancholy
exhibitions of himself, which, •if induced by any one
else, would be considered an act of loathsome malice
and, hatred, proceeding from a depraved and vicious
heart. In mercy to himself, he ought to have'waited
until some opponent had brought the matter before the
house. It is perfectly true that he has brought upon
himself a greater weight of public censure than most .
!nen could bear, and it is quite reasonable that he should
feel some anxiety to get rid of at least a portion of it ;
but if the climate of Spain has not dried up the energies
of his mind, and closed it against conviction, he must
have seen that the course which he adopted on Tuesday
night was not one either to improve his reputation, or
to lessen the blame which a discriminating people have
cast upon him. The only apology which he can advance
for the length and folly of his speech, is that it concerned
hinself. It was the effort of a conscience sitting in
judgment on itself, and as such, it could only inflict pain
on, and excite pity towards its owner. When a man
claims for himself great skill and judgment, a suspicion
must necessarily arise that he is performing an office
which has never occurred to his friends as being neces-
sary, or, on the other hand, one from which they have
instinctively shrunk. In just such a position stood Sir
G. Evans when he introduced the subject Of his Spanish
campaign on Tuesday. It is true, some friends followed
102, but their approbation is 'merely the echo of such
vain; glorious expressions as the following :—" As to the
attacks upon himself, on the ground of want of skill or
defects of judgment, he felt that every man occupying a .
public station must abide by the general opinion, and
take his chance of what might be the decision upon his
merits. In some cases a small measure of justice might
be dealt out, while in others a greater share of approba- -
lion might be awarded than was justly due." It would
be most spiteful to demand from Sir George the meaning
of the last sentence, for the explanation would directly.
involve a personal application, and then, if his querist
happened to be a man whose love of truth was superior;
to his spirit of civility and conciliation, he might stop
the -personal application of the sentence midway, by in-
qUiring how it fell out that 250 officers left his legion in
disgust ;—how it happened that his sick soldiers were
allowed -to die through filth and famine ;—aud lastly lie
Might inquire how it happened that he permitted his of-
ficers summarily to condemn his men to severe, and in
ninny cases undeserved floggings. If Sir George Evans
hail been a man of any none, his speeches might have
been the subject of criticism of this complexion. If his
achievements on the hustings of 'Westminster had been
rendered insignificant -by the lustre of his exploits in
Spain, his friends might have granted him the favour of
remaining Silent on Tuesday night; but unfortunately,:
nature played the niggard towards him at his'birth,•and
the only course now left open to him is to cheat better
men of their laurels, and place them on his own brow.
Lord Palmerston's defence of the conduct of General
Evans, was as unfortunate for his friend as it was weak
in argument; and if his lordship's future efforts are ex-
clusively devoted to the care of his own reputation, he
will only do an act of common justice to his friends at'
large. In short, every, circumstance connected with the.
war in Spin, must of necessity bring disgrace upon the
goVerriment, and they ought to know that the only -way
to esCape censure is to preserve silence.

MR. COLLIER'S LECTURES ON THE EDUCATION
OF THE DEAF AND DUMB, AND .111 E BLIND.

•
On Thursday evening Mr. Collier, who is generally known for
his,exertions on behalf of the deaf and dumb, and the blind, in
endeavouring to excite a feeling, by his lectures in various parts
of the country, to raise establishments for the proper tuition of
these. objects of our compassionate sympathy, delivered the.
first of a course of two lectures, on the tuition of the deaf and
iluinkk,.at. the Medical Institution, Hope-street. The lecture
waarespectably attended. in commencing his lecture, Mr. Collier
went into the statistics of the deaf and dumb, whom be stated
to-form a 1500th part of the population of the world. In some
countries this proportion was less and in others more. In Switz-
erland deaf persons ..e,xisted in the great proportion of 1 to S(X).
In Pelgium the proportion was Ito 3000. In the United States
of America the proportion was Ito 2000. In England, France,
and Germany the proportion was as low as 1 in 30(10: but taking
the whole world it was.l in 1500. Surely, then, with so great
a proportion of deaf and dumb persons, they would not he suf-
fered to live neglected. It had been ascertained that at the pre-
sent moment there were 8000 little children deaf and dumb in.
England ready to be placed under instruction; and the whole
ofour noble institutions raised for the purpose of teaching them
would not contain so many hundreds. It reflected dishonour on
an age distinguished by the progress of intellect that these be-
reft mortals should be so much neglected. Liverpool, Manches-
ter, and a few other towns had made efforts on their behalf, and
were exempt from this censure. Had other towns taken up the
subject in the same manner, his appeal would not then have been
needed. This neglect was not for the want of any charitable
feelings towards the deaf and dumb; it was because of the mul-
titude of other benevolent institutions that the poor little mutes
were forgotten. He could not but mention the readiness of the
gentlemen in the different towns in which he had lectured, to re-
medy this evil when brought before their notice. One reason
why the deaf were not more thought of was because parents
were very, loth to believe that their children were iu this bereaved
state, and their unwillingness to part with them. Each mother
wiiinlied herself up in the idea that the deafness would pais away,
acid flfatit was perhaps but the result of some cold in infancy.
When a deaf boy went first to school be saw others joyous
Around him, and when lie attempted to enter into their ganaliols
he found he could not make himself understood, nor understand
them, andjm consequently became irritable and suspicious. If
others laughed or looked grave in his company he fancied they
laughed at him or that he had offended them. But proper in-
struction did away with this, and enabled him to communicate
with his fellows; and it did more, it prepared him fn. that eter-
nity which awaited him. Mr. Collier then introduced a young
man of very intelligent appearance, whom he said he had acci-
dently heard of, and whose name it afterwards appeared was
James Carlene, and who is employed as a moulder in Messrs.
Fawcett and Preston's foundry. in answer to questions put to
him with the fingers by Mr. Collier, he wrote on the slate that
he was born at a village in Perthshire, iu Scotland, that he was
twenty-five years of age, and came to England two years ago.
A number of questions were put to him in this way. theanswers
to which he wrote with the greatest readiness, and in a good
hand, with chalk, on the slate. We were much struck with his
immediate answer to one question, " What is God ?" "God is
a spirit, unchangeable, and eternal ; infinite in his holiness,
goodness, and truth." He stated that he had been educated
in the deaf and dumb school at Glasgow. When a child was
first introduced into a deaf and dumb institution hewas allowed
a few days to become acquainted with the pupils, and with their
signs and ;node of intercourse. His attention was then directed
to some picture, and he was made to understand that there was
a resemblance between it and the object which it was made
to represent ; between a hat, for instance, and the painting of
one. This he was soon taught to know. The next thing
was to represent objects by written words, the instructor writ-
ing the word "hat" upon a hoard, and pointing alternately to
the bat and to the word. The pupil felt at first rather puzzled
to know what resemblance there could be between a hat and
these signs on the board, and it required sometime to reconcile
him to these words as the proper representatives of things.
The. signs made by the mutes were in the first instance fre-
quently very laughable, and one of the first objects of an insti-
tution was to refine those gestures. For instance if a person
had a sore lip or finger, these imperfections would be the sign
for the individual ever afterwards. Or if a person was
distinguished by some p-ominent feature, as" a large nose, a
mute would ever after notice this when describing him.
Mr. Collier then by means of the young man before al-
leried to exhibited the way in which education was begun, by
writing on the board "ass. horse. row, dog, goose, tiger, &e.,
and then asking the mute to describe what they were, and be
immediately described by gesture something characteristic and
definite to each animal. When they were perfect in this lesson
and able to write the names of the animals on the board at the

dictation of the teacher, the pupil was next taught the qualities
of objects, or adjectives. He was taught first such adjectives
as " 10n,." "short," "broad," " narrow ;" anibbjects brought
before them having these respective qualities to teach them.
After practising in this wav for some time, the pupil was taught
to connect adjective. 4 and substantives together, as " good
horse," Ezc. It would he well if some of the systems of tho-
roughir grounding in teaching adopted in the deaf and dumb

schools were adopted in other schools. It was true it was a very
circuitous mode, but the foundation was sure. The most irra-
tional systems were pursued in some schools. He had seen
little children who could repeat whole pages by rote, without
knowing anything about the meaning; the reason of this was,
because the mode by which they were taught was not sufficiently
circuitous: their young minds were hurried through books, too
rapidly. Slow and gradual means were taken with the
deaf and dumb pupils; they had to build ou a sure foua-
dation, otherwise their future teaching would he valueless.
When a pupil had acquired the names of objects, he bad
proceeded very far. The attainment of this knowledge was
a very slow process, as they frequently forgot the words and
their characters, having nothing but the eye, unassisted by
sound by which to remember. We were accustomed to
remember things by sound, depending on the ear, but
not on the eve. If we read " Liverpool is a fine town," it was
easily remembeied because the sound of the words was
associated with them; but if we struck out the vowels in
those words and endeavoured to remember their• character
from the eye, we should then perceive the difficulty.—
The next point was to teach the pupils the prepositions, in which
there was some difficulty; this was taught them by showing
them the relation of albjects and their connection. Mr. Collier.
then read several productions of deaf and dumb children, to
show the simple and unconnected style in which they wrote.
These productions. betrayed generally much simplicity of
thought. The deaf and dumb could not only be taught to cor-
respond by signs, but could be 'taught to articulate; this was a
great triumph of education, and had first been attempted at the
institution in London. The very intelligent mute present was
made to understand by signs several questions put to him, and
gave articulate and correct answers; and when we consider that
he had no ear to direct the sounds whish he uttered, this was truly
extraordinary. He gave his name, said be was truly grate-
ful to Mr. Watson for teaching him this, as he could make
himself understood by speaking. He then being requested,
by signs, repeated the Lord's prayer with great correctness,
the audience being capable of understanding easily every word
he said. There was no deaf mute but could make a noise, he could
stout and laugh and mutter some unnaeanine. words. On these
sounds articulation was to be raised. Laughing and shouting
embodied the sounds of vowels, and by much patient teaching
they were taught to repeat these sounds; and attach them to
signs. They were then taught to pronounce the consonants,
which was a work of great difficulty, the pupil frequently.havirtg
' to feel the teacher's throat as he was learning. to be assisted by
the vibration and by the touch in the attainment of the proper
sound. They were then taught to combine the vowels and the
consonants. They were also taught several of the sciences by
a greatly simplified method.

Mr. Collier delivered his second lecture on Friday evening.
The subject was the tangible modes of teaching persons born
blind. The inventions divlay much ingenuity, and excited
great curiosity. Some very amusing anecdotes connected with
the instruction of blind children were related, which tended to
prove the great benefits of affording them a literary and religi-
ous education. Our space does not enable us to give any full
report of this interesting lecture, but as Mr. Collier announced
his intention of giving a concluding lecture on Tuesday, (this
evening,) we may advert to the subject again.

LIVERPOOL MECHANICS' INSTITUTION.

LECTURES ON GEOLOGY.

On Saturday evening, John &order, Esq., M.D., Pru:essor
of Geology to the Royal Dublin Society, commenced a course
of lectures upon this mysterious science. Judging from the
first lecture, it promises to be the most profound course which
has yet been delivered upon the subject in this town. The spe-
eitnenkof minerals, fossils, &c. were abundant and valuable, so
that the student in geology is readily enabled to store up, from
actual observation, such knowledge as will be important to him
in his pursuit of the science, and render him much assistance in
his investigations of nature.

The natural history of the earth may be considered in a two-
fold point of view, as forming an object of study fur the astro-
nomer and geologist. The astronomer studies its configuration,
diameter, specific gravity, position with respect to the other
heavenly bodies, anti its distance from the sun and planets. In
short, he considers the earth as a body existing in space, and
not susceptible of renovation and decay. On the other hand,
we may investigate the interior structure of our planet, and,
from the remains of extinct animals and plants, which we find
included in the solid rock, as well as from the order of superpo-
sition of the different stony masses, which comprise the crust of
our globe, we learn, that the earth has passed through numer-
ous phases of change. To explain the nature of these changes,
and to consider them as successive, is the business of the geolo-
gist, who considers the earth as existing in time, and hence his
science may be considered as the physical chronology of the
globe.
The revolutions which have affected the surface of our globe
have produced two series of phenomena which, although they
have existed contemporaneously, have acted and reacted on
each other, and are so intimately related, that the one !nay be
considered as the measure of the other, are exceedingly differ-
ent in their nature, and belong to such widely remote sciences,
that, until geology had brought them into contact, they were
supposed to have no common bond of union. The one series of
changes are entirely chemical and mechanical, and relate to
the mutations of the inorganic world, which have repeatedl%
transferred the materials of the loftiest mountains to the chan-
nel of the ocean, and again elevated the bottom of the sea, and
all its marine productions to the lofty regions of the Andes or
Himalaya. The other series of changes are of a purely physio-
logical nature, and consist of the repeated destructions and re-
newals of animal and vegetable life, so that the secondary strata
of our globe may be considered as the catacombs of former crea-
tions of whose existence the fossil skeletons are the only evi-
dences which remain.
If we examine the most superficial parts of the earth's surface,
we shall find that even at the present moment it is undergoing
a silent change, which, though interceptible, when viewed from
day to day, will attain a vast amount when measured by centu-
ries. We find that the loftiest mountains are subject.to inces-
sant decay,—rain enters into their pores, which in winter being
converted. into ice, expands and tears them asunder. These dis-
integrated portions are washed down by the heavy rains of the
spring into rivers, and by this means carried to the ocean. The
amount of these changes can be ascertained with very great
ease with respect to those ancient countries, of which we have
historical records. Thus the Po and other rivers which flow
into the Adriatic have, during the last twenty centuries, pro-
duced an extent of new land amounting to 100 miles in length,
and from 2 to 20 miles in breadth. by depositions of the earthy.
tnaterials which they have brought down from the Appenines
and otber Italian rocks. We have additional evidence of the
?nest distinct and clear nature afforded us of these depositions
in the instance of the town of Ravenna, which, during the time
of Augustus. was one of the havens of the Roman fleet, but now
is an inland town, far from the sea. Spina, which was formerly
on the coast of the Adriatic, is now 20 miles from it. If we ex-
tend our observations, we find iu various quarters of the world
great masses of level country which owes their existence to this
process of disintegration, and which is at present as active an
aeent of change as it has been since ,it has been observed by
man. In this manner the extensive alluvial plaids of Bengal
have been formed by the detritus of the Himalayas, and the
deltas of the Nile, and various other large rivers trace their
existence to the same originating cause.
~
If we now examine the older strata we shall find that they
abound throughout in marine shells, which show that they were
likewise formed under water. We find still more striking evi•
deuce of their marine formation in the rounded pebbles which
exist in these rocks. These are commonly met with in con
glOmerete, which is composed of a number of' different descrip_
tions of pebbles worn round by the attrition caused in the water.
which are agglutinated together. Therefore these , rocks
although met with thousands of miles from the sea, and thou
sands of feet above it, were obviously formed under water; for
nothing but the action of the water could have produeM the
rounded forms of the pepples which we fiad in them. These
strata have, of course, been regUlatly deposited in horizontal
layers in the Water, but the peaceful changes which produced
them have been interrupted by convulsions of a very different•
nature, by whict they have been elevated and turned upon
their edges, or upheaved tit -gtreat'aneles. The elevation of the
different rocks has taken place at different petiods.
But not only have the 'solid portions of the globe. been trans-
ported into the sea, and the sea been converted into dry land.
More astonishing changes than these have taken place; no less
than that of the living inhabitants of our, globe. We find that
different species of animals and plants have successively ap-
peared and disappeared from the globe, leaving duly their
fossil remains to mark' their existence. We cannot examine
the most superficial deposits without meeting with the remains
of 'species of the Irish elk, elephant, and mastodon, which are
no longer to be met with in the world. There is no doubt that
if they-did still exist, their magnitude would have revealed them
to travellers. Beyond the newest deposits these animals disap-
pear, but in their place we find the patent herium and other ani-
mals, equally extinct at the present period. Passing through
the various formations, we in this manner find in fossil chrono-
logy the same evidence of successive change.
neology is a science which is interesting from the beauty of
its established principles, 'and from the splendour of its specu-
lative inquiries. It is not, howeyer, a mere idle amusement,
offering only occupation for ingenious and fanciful minds; it is
also a science of great and increasing practical importance. In
agriculture the excellence of the soil depends greatly upon the
proper mixture of the earths,. which,- in their unmixed state;
would be unable to support vegetation. Thus the clayey soils
of Essex have very much improved by being mixed with chalk;
which by loosening its tenacity renders it less damp and cold.
In like manner the sandy soils of Norfolk and Suffolk have been
so improved by the admixture with the clays of Essex as
to bear good crops of wheat, barley and turnips. Now in these
cases it is obvious that a knowledge of stratification is of great
use, as we find at a small depth beneath our ceo land the clay
or sand which we should ptherwise have to travel many miles
in quest of. In road-making, mere hardness is not 'the only
quality required in the materials; elasticity is also an essential
requisite. Flints have no elasticity, and, in consequence, soon
become worn to a powder. Lime stone is soft and soon be-
comes converted into mud. Green stone is the best material
we know of for that purpose, and it is better to bring it from a
distance than to use inferior matters which are more accessible:
In a county in Ireland, the material used in road making was
lime stone, wnich required eontinual renovation. Now along
the whole line of the roads there were masses of green stone in
every direction, and yet it was only within the last ten years
that this material has been employed upon these roads. Geo-
logy is also -Useful in enabling us to-select those stones most
suitable for building purposes. Some sand stones are exceed-
ingly porous, in consequence of which they absrirb water.
When winter comes the water frekzes, and the stone is
speedily decayed If, on the otherband, sandstones are
ferruginous, they are equally objectionable, because by ex-
posure to the atmosphere the iron rusts and causes portions of
the stone to chip off in the form of scales. Even granites are of
different qualities, some being exceedingly liable to decomposi-
tion. Whilst others are almost perennial, as they never decay.
Nothing is easier than to choose between a good and a bad
granite. Those granites which contain a great portion of mica
soon decay, whilst those containing hornblende are less liable
to decay. The science of geology is of infinite use to miners.
For want of its knowledge, the important mineral, maneanese,
Was formerly employed in Derbyshire in road-making, as well as
a valuable ore of zinc. In Cornwall nprofit of many thousands
of pounds has been obtained within a short period, by extract-
ing silver from the refuse matter which had accumulated during
a long series of years.

The thickness of the crust of the globe with which we are ac-
quainted bears but a small proportion to its diameter. The
greatest depth to which we have penetrated from the surface of
the earth does not exceed 3000 feet. Thus our knowledge of
the crust of the earth is very limited indeed. Still, however, as
rocks are not disposed in horizontal beds, but are inclined at
angles, we can obtain a considerable insight into the construc-
tion of the earth. The total thickness of the British strata ma.y
be considered to exceed 6,,,,000 feet. According, to PlaYfair,
we have the composition of the earth revealed to us for sixty
one miles in depth, or one sixty-fifth of the radius of the globe.
This is probably an extreme case, hot our knowledge is still
More complete than is generally imagined,
Now, if we examine the nature of t'ne materials Ilf which these
rocks are composed, we shall find that all the rocks consist of
a very small number of minerals, in which respect geology
affords a very great contrast to zoology and botany, the specr-
inens of which differ materially in different quarters of the globe.
Rocks are, however, combined in nearly the same proportions,

and exhibit also the same forms wherever they are met with.
Thus the granite of the North Pule differs very little from that
of the Cape of Good Hope or South America. The reason of
this is very plain. Chemists have made known upwards of 50
different elementary substances which they cannot further de-
compose. In general, however, only eight of these substances
enter into the composition of the vast amount of rocks compos-
ing the crust of the globe, and these are magnesium, iron, cal-
cium, carbon, silica, sulphur, oxygen- and hydrogen. Very few
substances occur in nature in a pure state, being in general
highly combined with oxygen. Oxygen forms 50 per cent of
the matter of the globe. Some geologists believe that the crust
of the earth was oxydized by combination with oxygen when the
mass of matter composing it was in a molten state.
At this stage of our proceedings, it will be well to notice the
most common of the minerals of which the earth is composed.
The first and most important of these is silica. Quartz is
chiefly composed of it. Silica- is universally diffused through
nature, and exists in two conditions, either in the state of au
acid to form silicates, or as a simple mineral to form compound
rocks or entire strata. The reason why lime forms so durable
and hard; when mixed with sand, is, because the silica of the
sand combines with the lime to form silicate of lime. When
silica occurs in the simple state it is called quartz. Quartz
possesses a vitreous lustre, and is harder than most miuerals.
It gives out sparks when struck with steel, and is infusible with
the blow pipe. Its must curious form is that of a six sided
prism, although it is met with of a great variety of forms.
Sometimes it occurs covered over with the rust of iron, and at
others mixed with carboniferous matters, and of a black hue.
In this state it occurs very abundantly in nature, forming one-
third part of granite and the same of gneiss. The sand stones
which we meet with are nothing else than grains of quartz or
silica agglutinated together. Opal is a compound of quartz
and water. If subjected to the blow pipe, opal gives out its
water. Flint is also a mass of silica. Some very curious dis-
coveries have been recently made with respect to this sub-
stance. We find that a great portion of siliceous matters have
been the production of animals. If a piece of animal matter
be left to macerate in water, a number of little animalcule will
make their appearance, and move through the water with
great rapidity. A celebrated German naturalist,. found that
these animalculm, many of them only 1-300th of an inch in
length, possessed little skeletons. By colouring the wather with
indigo and vermillion, he was able to discover their internal
structure. The skeletons of these animalcule© are not like
those of muscles, formed of carbonate of lime, but of silica.
There are in Hungary three strata of silica, composed entirely
of the skeletons of these animalcule). This silica is used by
the soldiers of the Prussian army, for the purpose of polishiug
their arms. What is equally remarkable is the fact, that gun
flints are composed of the skeletons of such little creatures.
The second mineral of extreme frequency is the substance
called felspar. it is distinguished from quartz by being softer,
and it can be melted by the blow-pipe into glass or enamel. It
is a silicate of alumina and potash. It enters largely into basalt,
granite, and trap rocks in general. It presents a great variety
of forms and colours, the predominant of which are green and
white. It is exposed to a great variety of changes, and decom-
poses on exposure to the atmospheric air, and leaves a substance
which is used as potter's clay. In the neighbourhood of volca-
noes it often happens that the silica is washed away, and that
sulphur combines with the alumina and potassium. Another va-
riety of felspar, called albitc is a composition of alumina and
soda. The vitreous felspar found in the nighbourhood of volca-
noes is a compound of lime and alumina. The Labrador, a
beautiful black mineral, is often confounded with felspar, from
which it, however, differs in composition. It occurs iu many
green stones, and in the lavas of volcanoes.
Pyroxeue and hornblende are silicates of iron. They occur
in the lavas of Etna and Vesuvius, in the Giant's Causeway,
and St affa. They are composed of lime, magnesium, silica, and
iron. The first can be formed artificially. It is found in the slag
of furnaces. If we take the materials of which it is composed,
it can be formed by
.exposing it to a great heat in a crucible.
This experiment is interesting, inasmuch as these minerals
being only produced in lavas, we are able to produce in our la-
b, •atories what nature produces in her great furnaces. The
hornblende we cannot form by any process of art; on the con-
trary, if we put it into a crucible we find that pyroxene is formed
Hence we find that pyroxene is formed in lavas which have
cooled with great rapidity, but that hornblende was funned from
the process of cooling having been slow and under great Ares-
' sure.

Hypersthene occurs in Cumberland and Greenland. It is a
silicate of iron and magnesium.
Mica occurs very frequently in nature in pieces of great size.
It is distinguished from talc by being elast►c. In Russia it is
used in the cabin windows of ships instead of glass, as it is not
so liable to be broken. It occurs of different colours. It is an
almost essentially component part of granite. It is easily distin-
guished by its elasticity, besides which, it is easily scratched
with a needle.
Talc, which resembles mica in its general characters, differs
from it in total want of elasticity. It is soft, unctuous to the ~
touch, and infusible. It is a silicate of magnesium.
Iron pyrites are composed of sulphur and iron. They are
found in the form of a cube, but they exist in crystals of other
forms. In some cases, a portion of the pyrites is converted into
oxide of iron, and we get copperas or sulphate of iron from the
remaining portion. There are caves in an Irish county which
arc exciting some attention, in consequence of the variety of
curious metamorphoses which the iron pyrites undergo in them.
In some cases, the cave is covered with gypsum or sulphate of
lime, which is no doubt owing to the decomposition of the sul-
phate of iron, and the combination of its sulphuric acid with
the lime.
Carbonate of lime is a substance which is easily recognisable.
Calcareous spar is easily recognised by scratching it with the
knife, or by pouring a drop of any acid upon it, when efferves-
cence takes place. Next to silica, carbonate of lime is by far
the most abundant mineral iu nature, and forms the greater
portion of the secondary rocks of Englaud. It has been men-
tioned, that silica is formed by animalculm, but what takes
place in an extremely limited degree, with respect to silica,
takes place to a very great extent with cabonaceous minerals;
and if we trace them through every portion of the globe we may,
invariably attribute them to animal origin. Even when the
skeletons of the animals composing it are not visible, we can
easily detect their detritus, or the wearing down of their
skeletons.
The forms of the d►fferent rocks are very remarkable, and
give to certain countries highly picturesque appearances. Thus
for instance if we look at what are called the primary moun-
tains, composed of granite, we find them to present spiral
ridges intersected with very deep !avines. with exceedingly
sharp angles and peaks. The rocks called Quartz, which occur
very commonly in nature, exercise a very remarkable effect
upon the scenery of countries. If they occur upon their edges
as they sometimes doi and there are frequently beds of clay oc-
curring between their strata, the clay, in process of time, is
washed away, whilst the Quartz remains. Thus in some por-
tions of central India there are lines of mountain chains com-
posed entirely of Quartz. The Quartz does not exist in perpen-
d►cular but ►n horizontal strata, presenting a conical outline,
so that a person acquainted with geology could tell at,2o miles
distance the formation of the rocks. Any one who has entered
the bay of Dublin must have noticed the two mountains which
go by the name of the greater and lesser sugar loaf. These are
Quartz. rocks. The Jura mountains in Scotland are •instances
of the same kind. Not only is the picturesque character of a
country thus constituted, but in some measure the vegetation
of a country is modified by the nature of the rocks of which it
is composed. There are a variety of plants which may be con-
sidered geological plants, because they only occur upon particu-
lar rocks or minerals. Thus the lichens afford a very striking
instance of this fact. Numerous other examples were cited in
support of this fact, which is of great importance to the agricul-
turiSt, because it shows that every kind of mineral soil has its
own kind of plants adapted to it.
To-morrow evening Mr. Scouler delivers his second lecture,
in which he will enter upon a detail of the structure of rocks.

51)ippinq Intatiqtticz.

FRIDAY, Meech 16.—Wind S.W.

SAILHD.—Aurora, Le Bas, for Cape Breton—Dampier. Nowland3,
for Jamaica—lsaac Newton, Rice; Norman. Wood, and Maryland,
Berrey, for New Orleans—and Tamerlane, Albree, for Savannah

Marys. Croshie • Cuba, Kessock, hence, at Barbados
Pandora, Hutchins, hence, at ditto
Gilbert llenderson, from Hamburgh at Jamaica
Calista, Bradley, hence, at Honduras
Hermes, Oliphant, hence, at Lima
Arica, Forrester, was to sail from ditto for this port 28th November
Captain Ross, Morton, hence, at New York, 28ta February
Walter Scott, Rae, hence for ditto, at Cove, leaky : must discharge
and he docked • •
Crusader. Smith, from Honduras, at ditto
Elizabeth and Mary, from Bristol for Honduras, was lost 20th Jan.
on Southern Reef Keys
Mary Ann, Atherton, hence, at Calais
Hannah, Burrell, from Buenos Ayres at ilelvoet
Pearl, Marryatt, hence for Mexico, off St Kitts 9th February
Wellington, from New York, off Dartmouth__

Sir Johcii TC)bin,Oriffiths, friim Demeraia, off Holyhead
Robert James Haynes, from Llanelly for Jamaica, was spoken on
the 21st January, in lat 32, long 32, with loss of boats, caboose, and
everything off deck, in a gale on the2(ith Dec.
Duke of Lancaster, Hargreaves, from Calcutta at this port, sailed
from the Sand Heads on the 3d December. On the 4th Feb. in lat.
12 8. long. 10 W, spoke the Parland. from Mauritius for Cork. On
the 15th March, 40 miles S. W. of Tuakar, spoke the Wm. Ackers,
for St. Thomas, Robert Burns, for Cadiz, and. Emerald, for St. John,
N.B. all from Liverpool
Queen Mal), Ireland, from Calcutta, at this port; sailed from St.
Helena 27th Jan.
Hinds, --, from Manilla for London, was spoken 28th Jan. off
St. Helena; Phoebe, from Liverpool for Savannah, 24th Feb. in lat.
25, long. 42 ; Olpsey, from Calcutta for Liverpool, 4th March, in lat.
35, lung. 34; Colchls, from Liverpool for Savannah, 15th March. off
Cork

SATURDAY, MARCH 17.—Wind N. W.—Fresh.
ARRlVRD.—Mandarin, Donald, from Calcutta—Sir John Tobin,
Griffith, from Demerara—Elizabeth Bruee, Russell, from Savannah—
United States, iloldredge, from New York; sailed 24th Feb.—Tom
Tough, Pennin,,,ham, and Arrow, Williams, from Charente—and
C. Columbus, Newland, from Messina and Dublin

Formiaable, Stagg, from Manllln, Etc. at this port ; sailed from Ma-
nilla 6th Nov. ; Sineapore 23rd Nov. ; and Cape of Good Hope 18th
Jan. in company with the Elizabeth, for Demerara On the 6th Feb.
in let. 8 15 S, long. 14 8 W, spoke the Orient, from Bombay for
Liverpool
Traveller, Cothay, from St. Domingo, at this port; lost blAwarks,
sails, &e. and bowsprit damaged in a gale 21st Feb.
Nlinerva, M'l'hexson,from Liverpool for Demerara, off Tuskar 14th
March
Margaret, Gammon, from Sierra Leone for Liverpool, at Antigua,
leaky
Lin tin, -, from Barhadoes, at Mobile
Princess Victoria, Paul, hence at New Orleans
Nimrod, Alan One, hence at Charleston
John Anderson, hence off Charleston
Algonquin', -, hence at Philadelphia
Idea, Scribner, hence for New York, at the Cove : out seven weeks,
very leaky, lost topmasts, sails, Sze. and part of the cargo thrown
overboard
Sportsman, Hutchinson, from Aux Cayes, at Falmouth
Amelia. Hannah, Williams, hence at Loire
Andre, De Grave, hence at Ostend

SUNDAY, MAncir 18.—Wind
SAlLED.—Harriet S'..ott, Arnold, and Victoria, Candler, for Charles-
ton—Charles Carroll, Crosier. and Bazarr, Homans, for New Orleans
—James Perkins, Barry, and Susanna Cumming, Salter, for Savannah
—Lexinctun, Hill. for Mobile—Columbus, De Peyster, and Sheridan,
Pierce, for New York—and Dash, Huntress. fur Gibraltar

TTona, Gill, hence at Mauritius
Wm. Lockerby, hence for Mauritius, was spoken sth Feb. in lat. 2
N, long. 19 \V
Abbotsford, from Liverpool for Bombay, was spoken 89 days out,
to the eastward of the Cape. The captain was lost overboard in Dec.
off the Cape •
Spencer, Spencer, hence at Rio Janeiro
Chatham, Graham, from Savannah, at this port
Orient, from Bombay; Laurel, from Savauilla, and Montezuma,
from Charleston, off Liverpool

MONDAY, MAnon 19.
Amandus Coroline. from Valparaiso, at Swansea ; sailed 13th Dec.
The Bee, and Eliza Radcliffe, were to sail for Liverpool 15th Dec.
Cigar. Smith, sailed from Lima, for Guayaquil 3rd Nov.
Montezuma, Smith, from Charleston for this port, off Tuskar ;
sailed 2Dth Feb.