1754. Experiments and Obfervations on the Torpedo. Some, and especially the ancients, have related it with exaggerations that could gain no reasonable credit; others, on the contrary, who have feen and handled this fish in certain circumstances, without feeling any numbness, have spoken of it as afabulous fact. There is, however, no longer any room to doubt of it, fince fuch philofophers as Redi and Borelli have attested to the publick, that they have experienced it. But though the fact hath been established as certain, the caufe is yet unknown; which is not an uncommon thing in natural philofophy. 217 I thought fhould be concluded from this first experiment, was, that my torpedos were weakened, and by being weak had loft their virtue. The most certain 'method I thought was to examine them in the fea itself. But it feemed as if the torpedos had a mind to make me doubt of their virtue: The first that I touched A in the sea, though large and vigorous (for it had never been out of the fea-water) fuffered me to handle it at different times, without making me feel any thing extraordinary. I wanted nothing but a little vivacity in forming a judgment, to treat as fabulous all that had been related of it. The torpedo at length fatigued with my repeated touchings, thewed me what she was able to do; I felt a kind of numbnefs that fuddenly feized my whole arm, from the hand quite to the fhoulder, and which even stunned my head: It was very different from a common numbness, it was attended with a confiderable, though ftupifying pain. I was unable to move my hand and arm, and in such a fituation as the Latins exprefs by the word When I was upon the coaft of Poitou, in the feafon when they catch this fort of fish very commonly, I proposed to my- B felf the task of examining it, not with regard to its ftructure, for we have on that fubject a little treatife of Mr. Lorenzini, printed at Florence in 1678, which is almost as complete as one can defire; but what I propofed to myfelf to examine,was the caufe on which depends the numbness that it produces in those who touch it, wherein confifts precifely that numbness, and what are the circumftances that accompany it: For the authors that agree in the fact, vary much in its circumftances; fome have reprefented the numbnefs much greater, and others much less; one maintains that the fish doth not operate, unless you touch it immediately; another pretends that its virtue is even to D be feared at a distance. I fhall only relate what I have experienced myfelf, I fhall even fcrupulously mention all the circumftances; they, perhaps, will contribute to difcover the true caufe of this effect. It may be fufficient, in order to give a grofs idea of the figure of the torpedo to thofe who do not know it at all, to say that it is a flat fish which refembles very much a thorn-back. They are of different fizes, but most commonly on the coafts of this kingdom a foot and half long; fometimes there are caught much greater. E F I ordered fome fishermen to preferve for me alive the torpedos they should catch. I was at a houfe a league diftant from the fea, when they brought me two alive, and in appearance extremely vigorous; yet, though I touched them in different places and in different circumftances, I felt not the leaft numbness. In order to revive their vigour, I put thera into veffels full of fea water; they swam there and gave themselves all the motions which fith ufually have in water, but G Atill they made me feel nothing extraordinary. The power, however, of this fish to occafion numbness appeared to me too well attested even to dare to doubt of it. All that May, 1754 attonitus. Our feelings can scarce be made known by comparison, yet this had fone faint refemblance to the painful fenfation one perceives when the elbow is ftruck violently by fome hard body. I own ingenuously, that the kind of pain which accompanied it was fuch, that it leffened my eagerness of making experiments on the torpedo. The pain, however, is not of long duration, by degrees it diminishes, and in a few inftants intirely vanishes. As soon as my arm was restored, the defire of making new experiments did not fail to revive. The acquifition of knowledge is the wealth of a philofopher, and it hath not a lefs influence to make him venture on the hazardous fea of experiment, than the hope of gain which urgest the merchant. The numbness, however, that it occafioned afterward was much lefs than at the first, and the pain lefs violent; perhaps the torpedo was grown weaker. A learned English anatomift affured the great duke of Tufcany, that the touch of a torpedo had caused in his arm a pain that lafted for two days. Borelli fufpects that the imagination might have augmented the diforder; but might one not fufpect likewife, that the increase of the mifchief depended on the habit of body in him who made trial of the force of the fish? For Borell himself tells us, that the anatomift we fpeak of was attacked with a paralytick trembling. But 218 Of the FIGURE of SNOW. But how doth the fish operate this numbnefs? They have hitherto undertaken to give a folution of it in two different manners. The first pretends, that the effect produced by the torpedo depends on an infinite number of corpufcles, which iffue continually from this fifh, but which are emitted more abundantly A under certain circumstances; this is the opinion the most generally received. Meffieurs Rodi, Perrault, and Lorenzini have efpoufed this opinion: They think that as fire emits abundance of corpufcles proper to heat us, (this is the manner in which they explain their fentiment) fo the torpedo throws out abundance of little bodies proper to numb the part into which they infinuate themfelves; whether it be because they enter in too great a quantity, or because they find paffages not well proportioned to their figures. B The fecond explication is from Borelli; upon the bare recital of it, it will be more to the taste of the mechanical gen- C tlemen. He confiders the emiffion of all thefe corpufcles as imaginary: And fays, that at the time you touch this fith, he is agitated himself with fo violent a trembling, that he caufes in the hand which touches him a painful numbness: Hæc torpedo digitis compreffa tremore adeo webementi consutitur, ut manum contreclantis molefto corpore dolorifico afficiat. I do not D know whether the idea which the words of Borelli have excited in me, is fuch as he defigned to convey; but they have made me imagine, that you perceive a very fenfible agitation in the torpedo, ready to produce its effect, which is perhaps fomething like the undulation that there is in chords stretched horizontally, when E you draw them out of that position; tremore adeo vebementi concutitur. He makes ufe a little afterwards of the fame expreffion again; fi tangatur pifcis co ipfo tempore quo concutitur. And to mark still better, that there is a vifible difference at the time when he is agitated, he fays, fi tangatur tempore quo quiefcit. I have confidered attentively the tor- F pedo, in order to determine which of the two opinions I should inlift myself of; but in vain have I obferved, in vain have I examined this fish; I could never perceive, that he was agitated himself with a trembling, at the time he was prepared to give the numbnefs: Perhaps the fish that Borciti made his experiments avG being more difturbed than mine, gave himself motions, to which this celebrated author thought he might attribute all the efficacy. After having well obferved the torpedo, I got to know precifely the inftant when May he was ready to produce the numbness, I foretold it infallibly to thofe who touched him; and I thought at the same time, that I had divined the whole mystery on which his virtue depends. The torpedo, like all the other flat fish, is not however abfolutely flat; his back, or rather all the upper part of his body, is a little convex, I observed, that when he did not, or would not, produce any numbaefs in those who touched him, his back preferved the convexity which is natural to it: But if he was difpofed to act, by imperceptible degrees he diminished the convexity of thofe parts of his body, which are towards his back, and oppofite to his breaft; from convex which they were, he made them fometimes even concave. Then the inftant was come when the numbnefs was going to feize the arm; the blow was ready to be difcharged; the arm dropped dead, the fingers which preffed the fith quitted their hold; and inftantly all that part of the body of the animal which had been flattened became convex again : But whereas it grew flatter by degrees, it became convex again fo fuddenly, that one could not perceive the paffage from one ftate to the other; perhaps the motion of a musket-ball is not more fudden than that of the flesh, which refumed its former fituation. When the blow hath been given, and a little before it is given, you not only perceive not the torpedo to be agitated by any violent trembling, as Borelli would have it, but you do not fo much as fee the leaft motion on the whole furface of his body. It is the fuddennefs alone of the blow,which produces the numbness. From the fame Volume we shall give the fol lowing Obfervation of the Figure of SNOW; which we have also added to the PLATE. T hath been long known, that fnow IT is hexagonal; but it hath not perhaps yet been obferved, that the fix radii of which each flake is compofed, are often, as it were, fo many little branches garnithed with leaves, and that fome flakes form a kind of flower: This Mr. Caffini hath remarked by obferving with a microfcope the fnow which fell on Feb. 1, 1692. Our readers will fufficiently comprehend this by FIG. 1, 2, in the PLATE. A Summary of the most important Affairs in the laft Sefiion of Parliament. TH HE feventh and laft feffion of laft parliament affembled at Westminfter Nov. 15, 1753, and was opened with a most gracious speech from the throne, which our readers may fee in our last year's Magazine, p. 492: This speech was, 1754. Summary of the last Seffion of Parliament. was, as ufual, anfwered by a most loyal addrefs from each houfe: That of the lords was moved for by the lord Delawar, and feconded by the lord Cathcart; and that of the commons was moved for by William Lyttleton, Efq; and feconded by James Edward Colleton, Efq; both which, with A his majesty's moft gracious answer to each, our readers may fee in our faid Ma Nov. 21. gazine, p. 493, 494. 219 And both were agreed to without any oppofition. Nov. 19. The house of commons refolved itfelf into a committee of the whole house to confider of the fupply to be granted to his majesty, which committee was continued to Feb. 25, and in that time they granted the following fums, all which were agreed to by the house, viz. For 10,000 men for fea fervice for the year 1754 1. For 18,850 men of land-forces in Great Britain, Guernsey and Jerfey 2. For the land forces and garifons in the plantations, Minorca, and Gibraltar, and for provifions for the garifons in Nova-Scotia, Newfoundland, Gibraltar, and Providence 3. For the office of ordnance for land-fervice 4. For the extraordinary expence of faid office not provided for by parliament Nov. 28. £. 520,000 s. d. 628,315 7 11 236,420 18 6 18,347 12 4 5,218 988,302 3 5 1. For the ordinary of the navy, including half-pay to fea-officers 278,747 12 9 2. For Greenwich-hospital 10,000 - 288,747 12 100,000 For his majesty's mints, &c. Dec. 19. Jan. 18, 1754. 1. For the reduced officers of the land-forces and marines Feb. 6. 1. For extraordinary expences of the land-forces incurred and not provided for 2. To replace to the finking-fund the like fum paid out of the same, to make good the deficiency of the duty of es. a barrel on fweets, on Oct. 10. 1753 3. To make good the deficiency of the half subsidies of tonnage and poundage, to Jan. 5, 1754 4. For the civil establishment of the colony of Georgia to Midsummer, 1754 5. For the forts and fettlements on the coaft of Africa 6. For the road from Carlile to Newcastle Feb. 20. 1. For difcharging Exchequer bills made out in the 10th year of his majefty's reign, and charged on the duty on fweers 2. For charges incurred in Nova-Scotia not provided for Eez 220 Summary of the laft Seffion of Parliament. 3. For fupporting the faid fettlement for 1754 4. For Weftminster-bridge 5. For bills drawn from America for fervices in Georgia to Mid Feb. 25 For paying for 1754, a.bounty to 40 navy chaplains who had ferved for 5 years during the late war May 47,054 15 3 2,000 Total 2,797,916 10 2 This was the total of the fupply granted last feffion, and in order to provide for this fupply, the house, on the 28th of Nov. refolved itself into a committee of the whole house to confider of ways and means for raising the fupply granted to his majefty, which committee was continued until the 27th day of Feb. 1754, and refolved on the following ways and means, which were all approved of by the house, viz. Nov. 28. 1. That a land tax of 2 s. in the pound be raif d for one year, from Lady-day 1754, for which purpofe a bill was brought in and paffed, and it was computed to amount to 2 That the alt-tax be further.continued to Midfummer 1755, for which purpose a bill was brought in and paffed, and it is ufually computed to amount to Jan. 16, 1754. That the duties of 10 s. per ton on all wines, vinegar, cyder, and beer imported, be further continued for seven years, from March 1, 1753, and until the end of the next feffion of parliament then next enfuing. For this purpose a bill was brought in and paffed, and the tax is to be made good per annum Feb. 27. 1. That out of the finking-fund there fhould be iffued and applied towards railing the fupply, the fum of 2. That out of the overplus of the grants for 1753, there be iffued and applied the tum of 3. That out of the furplus of the duties on coals fince Ladyday 1719, there be iilued and applied the fum of 4. That out of the furplus of the duties on licences for retailing fpirituous liquors, there be iffued and applied the fum of 5. That out of the furplus of the funds for lottery 1714, there be iffued and applied the fum of 6. That towards difcharging Exchequer bills made out in the oth year of his majesty's reign, and charged on the duty on fweets, there be iffued out of the finking-fund and applied the fum of 7. That after April 5, 1754, the faid duty on fweets be carried to and made part of the finking fund. 8. That provifion be made for removing all doubts concerning the continuance of the duty of 205. per ton of brandy, wines, er ftrong waters imported. 9. That the act of the 12th of Q. Anne for encouraging the manufacture of fail-cloth fhould be further continued to the first of June, 1754, and from thence to the end of the then next feffion of parliament. In pursuance of the firft 7 of these resolutions a bill was brought in and paffed; and the 8th was provided for by a claufe in the coinage-hill abovementioned, and the 9th by a clause in the expiring laws bill. 1,018,949 14 7 750,000 1,768,949 14 7 15,000 700,000 7,937 14 2 23,562 7-94 32,652 15 7 30,195 3 6 499,600 3,077,897 15 8 Thus 1754. Various Kinds of MANURE for LAND. Thus we find, that the fupplies granted by last feffion amounted in the whole to And that the ways and means provided for raising these supplies amounted by computation in the whole to So that the provifions made exceeded the grants in the fum of But then out of this excefs must be deducted the interest to be paid upon what was, or may be borrowed upon the credit of the land and malt tax, there being a claufe of credit in each of these acts; and also the deficiency, if any should happen, in the two fums thefe taxes were computed to produce. And that the reader may have a diftinct view of the feveral forts of fupplies granted by laft feffion, we shall divide them into such as were granted, ift. For the fervice of the enfuing year. 2dly. For fervices incurred and not provided for. 3dly. For making good deficiencies. And 4thly. For paying off debts. Of the first fort are the grant of Nov. 21, the first three grants of Nov. 23, thofe of the 28th, of Dec. 17th and 19th, of Jan. 18. the 4th, 5th and 6th of Feb. 6. the 3d, 4th, 6th and 7th of Feb. 20. and that of Feb. 25, amounting in the whole to Of the fecond fort are the 4th of Nov. 23, the 1st of Feb. 6, and the 2d and 5th of Feb. 20. amounting in the whole to Of the third fort are the 2d and 3d of Feb. 6, amounting to 221 2,797,916 10 2 3,077,897 15 8 279,981 5 6 2,166,009 8 10 64,008 6 6 63,298 14 92 499,600 Total 2,797,916 10 2 All these refolutions, both of the committee of fupply, and that of ways and means, were more unanimously agreed to than usual; for none of them met with any oppofition but that relating to the standiug army, and even that was agreed to by a great majority, [This SUMMARY to be continued in our next.] Of the different Kinds of Manure for making Land fruitful, particularly Fatteners. (Continued from p. 126.) EASE, vetches, lupins and beans. Pothing is more useful in fattening the ground, than to fow these forts of grain, and before they come to maturity, A cut them down, till and overturn them in the earth, without minding the small profit that might be expected from the crop, in cafe they are left to ripen; for as these kinds of pulse very much exhauft the earth, it is easy to comprehend, that the nourishing juices are more abundant and perfect in the fruit than in the stalks and leaves; and that if the fruit is carried B away, we cannot by overturning the reft restore to the earth all that he has given. We ought not, therefore, to diminish in any shape the produce of the ground, nor even stay till the fruits are ripe, in order to bury them; because then the talks have loft a certain vigour and violatile fpirit, which on account of their activity ought to be preserved and shut up in the earth, where being retained, they are rendered more fit to fructify the feed which thall be afterwards fown: Besides, we ought to confider, that what is fuppoied to be loft, in omitting to gather the fruits, will be retrieved by the faving of dung, which will not be wanted for the land, as well as of carriage and workmen to spread it. Nevertheless, for a fupply of grain we may referve a piece of ground to be dunged as ufual, on which pulfe may be left to ripen for a crop. This kind of fattening is moft proper for high grounds, to which it would be troublefome and expensive to carry dung. Pond mud. Under this name we understand not only the mud of ponds, but likewife the flime that rivers depofite when they retire, after having overflowed their banks, and that which gathers on the declivity or at the foot of high places, in pits that are either natural, or prepared by the industrious farmer. This foil is excellent, because it is new. It must not, however, be employed immediately, especially the mud of ponds, because being extremely moift it would chill the earth, and produce an effect quite contrary to the farmer's expectation: It must therefore be left unemployed one year at least, unless it has been qualified with a mixture of chalk; but care must be taken not to let 1 1 |