No award could therefore be made; and the Council can only conclude upon this matter, that the differences of opinion prevailing among the members render it impossible for them, as a body, to offer any statement upon the controverted points of the question.

"Perhaps it would not be improper to add, that in a question in which a French and English claim are mixed, in a manner which requires a perfect absence of national feeling rightly to settle, it is not to be regretted that this Society should thus have been compelled, by the action of its own laws, to refer the decision to the astronomers who are of neither of the nations thus placed in opposition."

"The Report having been read, it was Proposed by Mr. R. Taylor,— Seconded by Captain Sir John Ross: "That the Report of the Council now read be received and adopted, and that it be printed and circulated in the usual manner.'

"Proposed in amendment by Mr. Babbage,-Seconded by Dr. Fitton: "That this Meeting express their deep regret that the Council have not awarded the Society's medal to M. Le Verrier, for his publication of the greatest astronomical discovery of modern times.'

"This amendment was negatived.

"A second amendment was Proposed by Lieut. Raper, R.N.,-Seconded by Capt. Bethune, R.N.: That it is the opinion of the Meeting that the unprecedented discovery of a new planet by theoretical researches, and the acknowledged title of M. Le Verrier to the honour of that discovery, demand for him some special mark of the approbation of this Society: that it be recommended to the new Council to convene a Special General Meeting of the Society, on as early a day as may be convenient, for the purpose of suspending Articles 2, 3, and 4, of Section 16 of the Bye-laws; and that the printing of the Report be deferred till the subject shall have been brought under the consideration of such Special General Meeting.'

"This amendment was also negatived.

"A third amendment was Proposed by the Rev. R. Sheepshanks,Seconded by Mr. Drach: That a Special General Meeting be called to consider the propriety of granting a medal to M. Le Verrier, for his researches respecting the planet exterior to Uranus; a medal to Mr. Adams for his researches on the same subject.'

"This amendment was also negatived.

"A fourth amendment was Proposed by the Astronomer-Royal,-Seconded by Dr. Lee: That a Special General Meeting be called after the ordinary Meeting on March 12, to consider the following resolutions:

-

"That so much of the bye-law as relates to the number of medals which may be adjudged in any one year, the time of giving notice of the proposal for a medal, the time of adjudging the medal, and the time of presenting the medal, be suspended pro hac vice;

"That the Council be authorised to award two (or more) medals, if they shall deem it expedient to do so;

"That the award of the Council be communicated to the Society, and that the medal or medals be presented at the ordinary Meeting of April 9.’ "This amendment was carried.

ઃઃ

Proposed by Mr. De Morgan,-Seconded by the Rev. R. Sheepshanks: That this Meeting be adjourned to Saturday, Feb. 13th, at 2 o'clock.'”

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1847.

"The Society met at 2 o'clock, according to adjournment, Captain W. H. Smyth, R.N., President, in the Chair.

"Proposed by Mr. De Morgan,-Seconded by Sir J. Ross: "That the Report of the Council read yesterday be received and adopted, and that it be printed and circulated in the usual manner, with an account of the proceedings of the Meeting annexed.'

"Proposed in amendment by Mr. Babbage: That this Meeting do adjourn to a day to be named at the next General Meeting.'

"This amendment was not seconded. The original Motion was then put and carried.

"Proposed by Lieut. Raper,-Seconded by G. B. Airy, Esq.: That the thanks of the Meeting be given to the President for his conduct and temper in the Chair, during the continuance of this Meeting.'

"Carried unanimously."

The whole of these proceedings were conducted with sense and good feeling, although the combatants were at times rather warmly engaged; the chief interlocutors being severally under the full conviction of a righteous cause. During the contest, all comparison between the respective merits of Adams and Le Verrier were so discouraged, that the few remarks which were uttered of the kind, fell dead. The bone of contention was, therefore, as to whether the bye-laws should be tampered with, or any interference be made in the Council's decision; that body having, as judges, acted to the best of their abilities, which is the only obligation they are morally placed under. When the Special General Meeting assembled to bring Mr. Airy's propositions under discussion, on March 12th, an amendment was proposed by Mr. De Morgan, "That on taking all the circumstances into consideration, and particularly the existing differences of opinion on the subject, it is not expedient to propose to the Council to reconsider the subject of the medal." This amendment was carried; and the Meeting broke up with the highest respect for the rival candidates. All hands were fully persuaded that the orbit of a planet exterior to Uranus had been defined, and its locus predicted, by Adams, with sufficient correctness for picking it up, in November, 1845, had it been duly looked after; but that Le Verrier, on quite independent grounds, stepped in and triumphantly bore it off in September, 1846. This is altogether a far more praiseworthy and gratifying specimen of competition between France and England, than some which might be cited.

We were about to close our lucubration, when we suddenly recollected that the style and title to be assigned to the new planet, have excited almost as much fermentation as its discovery had evulgated. Shakspeare, it is true, somewhat temerariously demands "What's in a name?" but astronomers think, with Pythagoras, that "it requires much wisdom to give right names to things." Hence the mighty turmoil which still disturbs the atmosphere of science; while some wish the discoverer's name to be attached to any newly-detected celestial body, a still larger class are clamorous for retreating upon classical mythology, as neutral ground in unison with the existing order. Ophion, Gallia, Atlas, Chronos, Gravea, and Oceanus, were severally proposed and rejected. Janus was rather favourably received, on account, it is insinuated, of one face of the bifrons Deus representing the mathematical, and the other the physical discoverer. A friend of elegant mind thought Minerva would be appropriate, despite of a little Pallas being already in the way and Hyperion, the offspring of Uranus and Terra, presented himself, not as the Sun or the Sun's father, but in capacity of 'Yeрiv, the Transcender, or more literally above us going. An Oriental scholar suggests a higher flight into antiquity, and there picking up Sanchoniatho's Elioun, the Hypsistus of Philo-Byblius, because he was the reputed parent of

Uranus but in quoting these gentlemen, we trust we are not poaching on Ephraim Jenkinson's ground, or otherwise disturbing the shade of Goldsmith. Le Verrier himself sanctioned Neptune, the designation conferred by the Bureau des Longitudes at Paris; and the sea-deity instantly gained the largest number of votes, especially as the symbol was a trident made from a monogram of the initials of the French geometer. So the symbol of Uranus identifies Herschel; and by such course the discoverer of a planet will ever be held in honour and remembrance, whatever may be the appellation of the discovery.

But though most of the e merito astronomers signified their adhesion to Neptune, he was not allowed to walk the course. A terse northern Professor, overlooking the marine deity's alliance with us in ruling the waves, thus perorates:-"The god is degraded, in the eyes of a Briton at least, by the disturbing influence of low and vulgar associations. For who can hear of Neptune as the name of the new planet, without being reminded either of the wooden sea-god that he has seen, trident in hand, in the poop of many a vessel, or of his living representative in the person of a sailor at the ceremony of Crossing the Line, or in some pantomime at Sadler's Wells; or, it may be, of some Newfoundland dog who rejoices in the name of Neptune ?" And this is all which a British Professor knows of Neptune! The unkindest cut of all, however, was given by our gifted friend M. Arago, who publicly pledged himself (je prends l'engagement), whatever might happen, not to call the stranger by any name except that of Le Verrier: a decision at which Le Verrier, who was present at the sitting of the Academy, says he was somewhat startled (j'ai été un peu confus). United Service readers to a man will, we expect, stick to Neptune and the Trident.

Thus endeth our story of the new Planet. To be sure Mrs. Borron, of Croydon, has publicly stepped forth and insisted that Neptune is not the body sought for by Le Verrier's investigation, but a planet which happened accidentally to be in the field of the telescope when Dr. Galle made his scrutiny. Since this assertion was publicly made, our brethren on the other side of the Atlantic have arrived at the same conclusion, and have supported Mrs. Borron's paradox by x + y − z. There are certainly perturbations still to account for; and the mean distance of Neptune proving to be much less than the limits assumed, may indicate a change in their very character. Professor Peirce communicated to the American Academy of Sciences, 16th March, 1846, the computations of Mr. Sears C. Walker, who had detected a missing star in the Histoire Céleste Française, observed by Lalande, on the 10th of May, 1795, near the path of the planet Neptune, at that date, which may have possibly been the planet in question. Mr. G. P. Bond joined in the scrutiny of all the data; and the conclusion which these gentlemen have arrived at is, that the planet Neptune is not the planet to which geometrical analysis had directed the telescope.

Let the whole corps of Geometers look well to this, and unveil the happy accident to which the discovery of Galle is owing; let them tell how queerly Lalande allowed Neptune to slip through his fingers, after catching him on the 8th and 10th of May; and let them revise the nowfaulty elements of the complicated motions before them.

MILITARY EDUCATION.

BY ARTILLERO VIEJO.

"Indocti discant et ament meminisse periti."

(Continued from No. 220, page 359.)

HAVING SO far endeavoured to shew the political necessity of fortifications, it now becomes necessary to give some idea of the practical construction of works.

The first thing to re-establish the equilibrium of power between two parties sensibly unequal in numbers, is to procure to the smallest number a position, which renders it inaccessible to all the efforts that the most numerous can direct against it.

This inaccessibility ought to be taken in the widest acceptance of the word, but, as it cannot preserve this high degree of perfection against the efforts of industry, not less scientific, it must be considered under its different heads; that is to say, as an obstacle against a quick and sudden attack, or one slow and progressive.

This inaccessibility, so necessary in every case, is composed of the position, the natural and artificial obstacles, and the combination of both.

1st. The height of the escarpe opposed to the escalade; this being correct, the enemy cannot obtain an entrance to the place but by the breach.

2nd. It is necessary that the escarpe, by the quality and adherence of its constituent parts, by the art of its construction, or by the means it takes to withstand the destructive effects of the attack, opposes a resistance to the forming of a breach, that, if not impossible to open, it is at least difficult to render practicable.

3rd. It ought also to prepare the means of retarding the moment of an assault, by opposing the greatest difficulties to the descent into, and passage of the ditch.

However important may be the advantage of an escarped position against the attack of a coup-de-main, or of corps after corps, it will not suffice if fortification, as a defensive arm, does not become an impenetrable buckler to the force of projectiles sent against it.

The arms, employed in profusion by the assailants, throwing balls of different calibres, either horizontally or vertically, should be opposed by solid masses of resistance.

These are the parapets which keep off the horizontal shots, and the vaults or casemates against the vertical ones.

In order now to bring the theory of fortification to a practical view, the first system of Vauban has been selected, as it may be conceived to be the standard upon which all other systems have been formed; it is like a proposition in Euclid, which may be demonstrated by different methods, yet the great principle cannot be changed.

In laying out a fortification some figure or polygon is determined upon as nearly regular as circumstances, arising from unevenness of ground, rivers, &c., will permit.

Fortresses generally cover commercial marts, dockyards, harbours, &c. Some sides are easy of access, others have natural objects which render the approach difficult, such as rivers, marshes, &c.

Previous to commencing a fortification an accurate survey of the ground must be made, and a figure or polygon determined upon as nearly regular as possible; let us suppose the figure quite regular, of some polygon, a hexagon for instance.

It has been found that the best length of the side of the polygon, or exterior side, AB, is 360 yards, or from 240 to 370 yards, which is commonly called the mean.

Vauban divided these sides into three-the little, the mean, and the great. The little was from 200 to 240 yards, this was only used for citadels, horn, or crown works; the medium was 240 to 270 yards, used for towns in general; and the great only for long sides, near a river, a marsh, or the sea; 360 yards, being considered the best length,