Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-22
THE BRUSSELS CONVENTION.

Wereceived yesterday from Europe quarto volume
containing an account of the proceedings of the Ma
rhine Convention recently held at Brussels at the
instance of Lieut.. MAURY, of the United States
Navy, for the purpose of determining, with the con-
currence of all maritime nations the adoption of a
uniform system of nautical observations for the ad-
vancement of scientific navigation. This new work
is written in French and English. 1t contains the
minutes of the Convention, with summary report
drawn up by Lieut.. MAURY, and form or model
for the journal which desired to keep in
prosecution Of the objects of the Convention As
our Paris Correspondent mentioned in late letter,
the Convention opened in of the hotel of the
Belgian Minister of the Interior at Brussels, and
was composed of delegates representing the fol-
lowing countries: United States, England, France,
Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Bel
GUM, and Portugal nj. QUETELET, the learned
director of the Observatory of Brussels was chosen
| President of the Convention. Lieut.. MAURY open
ed the labors Of the body with an expose of the
wants of nautical science in its present state, of his
own past labors for the supply of those wants, and
of his plan for efectiag completely the reforms
needed by the cooperation of the Marines merchant
and military, of all civilized nations Having heard
the expose Of Lieut.. Maury, the Convention first
bestowed its attention upon the instruments in gen.
| eral use among seamen for making their observa-
tons and it was resolved that efforts should be
made to ameliorate several Of them. The marine
barometer especially was recognised to be very de-
fcient So faulty is it, said Lieut. NJ, that metco-
roogists in their Investigations into the laws of at
mospheric pressure find themselves almost constant
ly unable to give any value to barometrical obser
vations made at sea- The Conference then prepared
model journal for the of sea-capains in record
! ing their observations. The first column of this
journal, says the report, indicates the number and
kind Of observations which the United States Gov
eminent requires Of sea-captans in order to entitle
them to gratuitous participation in the advantages
anticipated as the result of the system. They are
required to record once day the position of the
ship the direction and force of currents the height
of the barometer, and the temperature of the air
and water. The force and direction of the winds
must be given three times day. and the variations
of the needle mast be noted whenever observed.
The succeeding columns of the journal are intended
particularly for the of vessels of war; and to
contain complementary observations, the making
and record of which require more time, care, and
| skill. When the observations shall have been made
and recorded in the manner prescribed they to be
forwarded to bureau organized al hoe, where they
will be examined and the information they contain
made to concur for the discovery of the general
facts and laws the knowledge of which is necessary
for the advancement of the science of navigation
The King of Sweden caused to be announced to the
Convention that he had already given orders that
the journals kept by Swedish naval officers should
be transmitted to the Royal Academy of Sciences
at Stockholm. The Governments of Holland, of
Belgium, and Of Portugal have taken similar mea-
sures and the Admiralty of Great Britain viii order
meteorological observations to be made in the royal
navy. Mr.. NJ announced that the merchant ma
rnes of other nations would be placed in the prose
cuton of this work upon the footing with that
of the United States that is to say, every seacap-
tain who would keep during his voyages journal
upon the plan prescribed by the Convention, and
forward copy of the same to the American
Government, should be entitled gratis to copy of
the Navigators Guide, and of the charts of winds
and currents which it was intended to publish.
| Having settled these various matters, the Conven-
ton adjourned sine die on the 9Th of September,
after voting thanks to the Belgian Government for
the liberal spirit with which it had concurred in the
views of the delegates and furnished all needful ia
cilities for the prosecution of their labors
Thus" adds the Independence of Brussels, at the
article upon the Convention and its results
Thus thanks to the initiative taken by Leuten
of the American Navy the principal maritime nations
of the earth have become engaged in of the most vast
and useful scientific enterprises that have been
ceiyed Thus have those nations concurred in
efforts to explore for the good air and ocean,
which belong in to the human The results
of this grand enterprise will without doubt reach beyond
the limits which Lieut. Naury first proposed
himself But whatever those results may be- has not the
Convention Of Brussels already presented, Lieut. NJ
eoquenty remarked, fine spectacle to the world 1t
has united in the noble end Of benefting humanity
Convention Of Naval officers whom heretofore have
assembled except deliberate at the lannon's
mouth upon the most efficient for the wholesale
destruction of the human species. Is not this moral
result upon which may well congratulate ourselves
while awaiting those Of scientific nature which
sonaby expect? Let also congratulate ourselves upon
the fact that Belgium has been chosen for the preparation
Of this work Of civilization end Of peace. Long has
country been the battle upon which the Governments
of Europe have debated their quarrels Tits the pa
cic rendezvous of addressing themselves to the
ganzaon, by the cooperation of all civilized nations, of
enterprises for the good Of mankind Our counry
traity, established by policy, is daily becoming
Grated by science Here is Power ranging itself
on our side, and it is Power whose aid is not to be
| despised."
The New York National Democrat comments
with much severity upon the demonstration made
in behalf of John s. Austin, who was tried for
murderous assault upon Augustus Schell, in Tam
many Hall, convicted and sentenced to ninety days