Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-06-16
FROM the London hunthly Magazine Of April last e
ceivea at the office of the Enquiries.
Varieties, literary and philosophical.


Varieties, literary and philosophical.
:. Attempts have been made to amuse the pub
Tic by tissue of quackery about an Increased
probability of approaching the North Pole or
OF efecting passage around the northern
coast OF America into the Pacific Ocean. As
we have not beard that any observatory in
Edrope has detected any novel variation, either
In the suns parallax or in the obiquity of the
ecliptc, we see no reason tor supposing that
che general mass of ice in the polar regions is
less than il always was, and ALWAYS must bc
Some changes in its local position, in lower
lattudes, may have taken place; the coasts of
the icy continent may have assumed new forms
but the icy. ccntinsntitselt, extending from ten
to fifteen degrees around both poles. is neces
sarily coeval with the earth itself, and an es
sential result of its globular form and fixeti
axis of rotation. Nor is there better founda-
ton for the empirical statements; that per
the climate of England or Europe, because
there have been two or three cold years
There are periodical returns of hot and cold
seasons, as we'll as cycles of planetary motion.
The same routine of causes will in course of
tine, produce the same succession of effects.
though the times will be in direct ratio of the
multiplicity Of the effects and hence il is
that the circulation OF the atmosphere, with ali
its accidents OF clouds, local he Is, mountains
Gus Interruptions. sc. &c. will of necessity,
proiace periods, longer or shorter. of increaS
Ell heat or cold, though the average of the So
100, or 1000 years, composing the cycle, is and
couinme unaitered. ihe disQ,fisitions and
seeculstions which have appeared therefore
with view to- make the world believe that un.
usual changes have recently taken place, are
srima tdrie 81 many frauds on the pnblic, grow
in acknowledgements OF design. Al the same time,
we a'c glad 10 hear OF expeditions of discovs.
~, because eva.y voyage of that k ind must add
10 the stock CT valuable kuowledge. We think
Cooks voyages and decisions are conclusive
in regard 70 The impraclics bilty of Il north.
west passage through Behring's Straits We,
many curions discoveries remain 10 be made
j the region of Ealiin's Bay, and our geogra.
ybIcaf knowledge of those seas aud coasts
opght TO be- improved. For the inteHded expe.-
clifton. government have hired four merchant
vessels which have been rendered. as stron. as
wood and iron can make them. Their names,
are,-the Isabella, the Alexander, the Dors.
thea, and the Trent. The first two, under the
s,psndnd of Captain Ross, being intended 10
proceed in q north west direction 10 Dayiss
straits, and search there for passage into the
Great Pacific Ocean, by the American CONT
nent The other two, proceeding 10 the east
ward Of reenlasd, Rtd6r Captain Buchan, will
take the route ofthe North Poe, and make the
bcs' OF their way towards Behring's Straits and
tie Great Pacific Ocean. The .Ne1dndsr aud
the Trent ar9 two brigs, the former command
cd bS Lieutenant Parry; The latter, by iieute.
nant Frankiyn, with junior lieutenant TO ca ch
OF the four vessels, and two mrishipmen, who
haye served tJeir time and passed their exami-
nations one assistant surgeon, and ii purseT.
j o each vessel have also been appointed n
master and mate, well experienc ed in the ma
V!satinn OF the Greenland seas aud Davis's
Straits, who are to act as pilots among the ice.
Captain Ross is an ac,iye and experienced of.
pcer aad lieutenant Parry who accompanies
han, is an excellent navigator. theoretical as
yell as PRACTICAL Captain Brchau is well &C
qndintrd with the navigation OF the cold
seas, in the neghbourhood Of Newfoundland;
and Lieutenant Franklyn, VINO is his second
was hEOuGht up under the late Captain Film
deiS and is well acquainted with nautical sur
Fha xx(s.
Tpents. The junior ientenants, Hoppner and
Beechy, are excellent dIapglitsInen HE lisa.
be la, Captain Rosss ship, is fine roorny YES
sci, OF $50 TO S7U tons. The strength Other hull
has been increased by the addition OF a new
ttis TO the outside, and lining TO the inside,
each of FIVE or six isches thicl., while many
beams, of large dimensions are placed or he
bow and Stern. Stanuctions are iGed on
hoard for the erection Of p roof over the deck
in the event oftheir being locked up in the ice.
The III, tbs, or bed piaces. are capable or ising
removed on shore ; and cauYasand larpduiins
OF large size, are provided 10 be fiNed over
t'eHi. Goals, 10 the amount If l50 ton4; and
Hour, for three years, viii be carried ont WITH
sour kTout, vinegar, and lime luce i'm album
dance. A new kind log is fixed to the IVA
cllinery. which runs from the cabin down the
side ofthe Tnddsr, nearly TO the keel, the par
Jose OF which is to show bya dat in the cabin,
the rate Of the vessel, sailing.
intelligence has bccu received from Sierra
Leone, that The scientific expedition for eXplo
IIli1 tEt interior pF AIflfd HAS DGeu tIIlSucCrSqs
fnl.--haying advanced ONLY about 10 miles in
10 the interior, from the rio Sunez. 1heir
progress was then stopped by a chief Of the
country; aud, after upayailing endeavonrs 10
proceed they we're obliged TO return. Near.
~ III the auim8ls persisted. Several officers
lied aud, what is remarkable. but one pri-
sate, besides one drowned, of abeut POO Cnp.
fain Campbell ed two days after his rciufn
70 Rio Sun"z, and was buricd in the same spot
where Major Poddic and one Of his officers
we're inferred on iheiI advance.
The number OtkuOwn vegetable SPECIES since
Tie year 1863, when LinneuS pnbh,hed his
Sossies PIabtDfun. and reckOuph them Only
1000, is remarkable 1884, Murray RAISED
them 10 5000 In 1906, NJ Person include,
~ 050 without koning cryptogainous plants
Whicb may be estimated ~ GOO more. NJ be
-andoiie las made assiduouS researches, End
hniis the nanrher increased IN "a most extraor-
aibaiy inaTucr 20 that, II appears, WE ghail be
perfectly CORRECT in asserting, the whole mum.
be- BoT eNcFeds 50,0)).