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NEW PATENTS

Enrolled in the Months of October and November.

STEEDMAN'S THRESHING MACHINE. ON N the 31st of October, letter: patent were granted to Mr. JOHN STEEDMAN, of Toft-farm, in the parish of Trentham, in the county of Stafford, for his invention of a machine for threfhing corn, which promifes to fave much manual labour, and more effectually feparate the grain from the straw.

The machine may be worked either by horfes, wind, water, or fteam. That conftruction of it, defcribed by the patentee in the fpecification, is intended to be worked by horfes.

It confifts of a horfe wheel of 120 cogs, worked by two levers in a circumference of 18 feet. Connected with the horfe wheel is a tumbling shaft, which is worked by 20 cogs, affixed to that end of it which adjoins the horfe wheel. At the *other extremity of the tumbling fhaft, is a fpur wheel of 72 cogs. Connected with the fpur wheel, and turned by it, is a horizontal fhaft called the flal barret. At one end of the flail barrel are affixed 20 cogs, which work in the fpur wheel, and along and upon the furface of the barrel itfelf are morticed 10 or 12 flails. The flails are made of wood with iron joints, or the friking parts may be wholly of iron.

In order to apply the ftraw, that it may meet with the ftrokes of the flail, produced by the turning of the flail barrel, it is placed on a circular and moving floor, which is fituated about two feet and a half above the level of the ground floor. This floor is put into circular motion by a band, which is connected, by means of two pullies, with the tumbling fhaft, and thereby turns the floor one revolution in about 30 feconds. The floor is compofed of planks, which, not being clofely united, permit the corn to run between them upon the ground floor.

The motion is not fo great but that the ftraw is easily changed, as foon as the grain is feparated, without ftopping the machine. To prevent the ftraw from falling off the floor by the action of the flails, a femi-cylindrical cap is applied, at a convenient diftance, round the flail barrel.

By this machine, which promifes to be a great acquifition to the agricultural art, two horfes, one boy, and two men, may perform bufinefs equal to what is

performed by 12, 14, or 16 men, in the prefent mode of threshing. The quantity of bufinefs performed varies with the fpecies of grain. The machine has hitherto been ufed to the greatest advantage upon oats. Its price will be about 451.

PEPPER'S OVENS, OR KILNS. Letters patent have been granted to Mr. JOHN PEPPER, architect, of Newcaftle-under-Line, for his invention of an oven for the burning or firing of china, porcelain, earthen-ware, bricks, tiles, &c. and for the fufion of ores, &c. By this invention, the patentee afferts, that there will be confiderable faving of fuel, and a more regular, equable, and proportionate degree of heat applied in every fituation of the atmosphere, and in every circumftance required, than can be ob tained in ovens or kilns made in the ufual way.

The principle of the invention confifts in fuch a compound or circuitous courfe of the flues or fire bags, as to occafion the courfe of the flame, or combuftible matter, to pafs three times through the interior of the oven. This is effected by turning the flue, after it has afcended to the upper part of the oven, down again nearly to the level of the fire, where it enters the central flue, which communicates with the atmosphere. So that the flame, or courfe of heat, firft afcends, then defcends, and afterwards afcends again; it confequently paffes three times through the oven.

Thefe ovens may be made in any form, round, fquare, or octagonal; and the number of fire places, in their circumference, may be varied at pleasure. Regifters are provided for the admiffion of air into the flues, and others for regulating the efcape of the heat from the central flues. As the courfe of the flame paffes through fo long a circuit, the heat is almoft wholly exhaufted within the oven, and little of it efcapes from the central fluc, as there does in ovens or kilus conftructed with fingle, ftraight, and perpendicular flues.

The fpecification, as filed in the Petty Bag Office, is accompanied by fix drawings, which completely illuftrate every part of the above defcription; and also, fome other particulars which cannot be perfpicuoufly defcribed without their aid. JORDAN'S

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1796.]

New Patents, &c.-Original Anecd tes.

JORDAN'S SUSPENDED BRIDGES. The year 1794 having proved very deftructive to bridges, many ingenious men have fince brought forward plans, with a view to prevent the effects of fevere frofts, fucceeded by rapid thaws. Letters patent have been granted to Mr. JAMES JORDAN, of Oakhill, near Shepton Mallet, for his invention of a mode of conftructing bridges, which unites fimplicity, cheapnets, durability, and an eafy mode of erection, in fituations where, to build other bridges might be found difficult, if not impracticable.

The great caufe of damage having hitherto arifen from piers which are continually weakened and impaired by the action of the water, and of theets of ice, floods, &c. the prefent patentee, to avoid thefe, in fome cafes entirely, and in others partially, propofes to derive his fupport from above, and not from below as in the ufual way. His plan is, to place two parallel elliptic curves across the intended fite, formed of caft or wrought iron, or wood, and fpringing from fufficient abutments. He then propofes to attach the bridge to thefe curves, by means of wrought iron fufpending bars, at any height from the water that may be required.

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The patentee conceives, that many rivers be fpanned at once. In cafes, however, wherein, from the great breadth of the river, one fpan would be hazardous, he propofes, that a continuity of curves, or arches, may be erected upon intermediate piers. On navigable rivers, a draw-bridge may be made in the centre of the fufpended one.

The bridge of one fpan, and that of feveral fpans, have, in the drawing, an appearance beautifully picturefque. The road over them, as fufpended by the caft iron curves, forms a fort of chord to the curve line, and they poffefs this very peculiar utility, that they are perfectly ftraight and flat, and have no rife or crown, as in bridges of the prefent conftruction.

COOPER'S MASHING MACHINE.
On the 9th of September, letters pa-
tent were obtained by Mr. THOMAS
COOPER, Engineer, Old-ftreet, London,

883

for his invention of a machine for mash. ing or mixing of malt, &c. by means of horfes, wind, fteam, or water, instead of manual labour.

The machine is put in motion, in the mafh tun, by an horizontal fhaft, which communicates with the horfe wheel, or other power.

It confifts, 1, of an upright shaft fixed in the centre of the mafh tun, which is turned on its axis by cogs that work in the horizontal shaft above-mentioned.

2, Of two horizontal shafts within the tun, which extend from the central or upright fhaft towards the periphery of the tun. One of thefe fhafts is fituated near to the bottom of the tun, and the other is fituated level with the top of the tun. Thefe two horizontal fhafts are turned on their axes by cog wheels, which are affixed on the central upright shaft, and on that extremity of them which adjoins the central fhaft.

3, Over the two horizontal shafts work endless ropes or chains in any requir ed numbers, which are regulated in their motion by arms or croffes affixed to the fhafts.

4, To the endless ropes or chains are affixed, horizontally, any number of rakes, or combs, made of iron or wood; which rakes neceffarily afcend or defcend by the working of the chains over the fhafts. By the alternate afcent and defcent of these rakes or combs, the intef tine operation or mixture is performed.

5, To give to the whole the circuitous motion round the math tun which is neceffary, there is affixed to the extremity of the upper fhaft, a cog wheel, which works within a frame, that moves and is fupported on the edge of the mash tun.

6, In this frame is alfo affixed a small upright fhaft. On the upper end of this fhaft is a contrate wheel of various fized cogs, which is turned by the cog. wheel (art. 5.) On its lower end is a cog wheel, which works in cogs that extend entirely round the edge of the mash tun. This laft motion effects the revolution of the whole machine through all the parts of the malt and liquor.

ORIGINAL ANECDOTES AND REMAINS

O F

EMINENT PERSONS.

GENERAL DAMPIERRE,

A FRIEND to equality, though in poffeffion of a large fortune; and a deter mined republican, though the title of count MONTHLY MAG. No. XI.

had been handed down to him by a long feries of ancestors. He prayed for the revolution, while the old government was yet in the plenitude of its power; and hail5 U ed

There was fomething uncommon in the compofition of Dampierre's body and mind. His complexion was faturnine; his difpofition fanguine in the extreme: he was corpulent and heavy in his perfon; in his manner and converfation he was more lively even than Frenchmen generally are, though fubject at the fame time to mental abfences, which, even in a thoughtful Englishman, would have appeared ridiculous and firange.

ed it when it came and fwept away the privileges and the diftinctions he enjoyed. Two or three years before the convocation of the States General, he was captain in the regiment of Chartres, of which M. de Valence was major. At that time the mouth of the Baftille was always open to receive the perfons of rank who opened their's too freely; but, in fpite of its terrors, and of the remonftrances of their brother officers, both Dampierre and the Major were loud in the praife of freedom, and liberal of invective against the abufes of government, not only at the regimental mefs, but in companies more public

ftill.

The emigration that took place at an early part of the revolution, enfured a rapid promotion to every friend of freedom, and to every man of talent, who ftood fat by his colours. Dampierre, accordingly, foon rofe to the rank of major-general (maréchal de camp) and in that quality commanded the vanguard of Dumourier's army, at the battle of Gemappe. The attack of the village of that name fell to his fhare; and there it was that the action was the most defperate and destructive. By the boldnefs of his attack, and by the coolnefs with which he formed his battalions of national guards, under a moft furious and fteady fire from the veteran legions of Auftria, he acquired the praife of courage, and of military fkill-a praife he lays claim to, in his printed Relation of the Conduct of the Vanguard, with a franknefs, which would be vanity in any one but a Frenchman. "How much I wifhed you there," fays he, apoftrophifing Sirven, his master of tactics," to witness the regularity and precifion with which I reduced my columns, and formed my line, in the prefence of the enemy."

Unfeduced by the example of his old comrade, Valence, who joined Dumourier in his attempt to march to Paris, and in his fubfeqnent flight, Dampierre adhered firmly to the principles he profeffed; did not defpair of the republic; and exerted himfelf in reftoring order and confidence to the army, with a zeal and diligence that deferved, and obtained the chief command. He did not enjoy it long. At the battle, or rather at the retreat of Famars, he adventured fo near to the enemy, for the purpose of reconnoitring, that he was marked out as a diftinguished perfonage by the English gunners, and was ftruck with a cannon fhot, which carried away his thigh. He furvived it but a few hours, and breathed his laft figh in withes for the fafety of the republic. 5

His principles of liberty he drew from England, and English books; and fpcke and wrote our language with tolerab.e eafe.

Dampierre's fate ought to excite no regret in the bofcms of his friends. He died the death of a foldier. Had he lived to fee the reign of Robespierre, the first reverfe of fortune he might have met with, added to the original fin of noble birth, would, no doubt, have conveyed him, like a felon, to the fcaffold.

BOISSY D'ANGLAS.

The reprefentative, Boissy D'ANGLAS, was of the order of the ci-devant nobleffe, and voted uniformly with that patriotic minority of the nobles, which acted in union and concert with the tiers-état. His reputation began to rife confiderably, about the time when the first national affembly was verging to its clofe, in confequence of his eloquent and fpirited obfertions on CALONNE's work, "On the prefent and future State of France,' and his mafterly Reply to a Publication of the celebrated RAYNAL.

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Under the government of Robespierre and Danton, BOISSY D'ANGLAS made no very prominent figure, being thrown, as it were, into the back-ground of the tableau. Ever fince the 9th of Thermidor, however, he has had occafion to act grand and important parts. His political and economical Reports, prefented, at intervals to the Convention, in the name of the Committee of Public Safety, difplay unusual vigour and boldness of conception, combined with a fuperior elegance of manner: his fentiments on the expediency or inexpediency of reftoring the Belgic Provinces to the Houfe of Auftria, unfold the deepest political views.

He is generally reputed to be the prime mover and author of the exifting conftitution of 1795, infomuch that the Jacobins, who are bigotedly attached to the conftitution of 1793, do not fcruple to ftyle that of 1795-the Patrician Conflitution of d'ANGLAS.

For fome time, a report was very current at Paris, that Boissy, in the Com

mittee

* 796.] Original Anecdotes.-Boifly d'Anglas ... Lefebvre, &c. 88

·

mittee of Legislation, had expreffed an opinion favourable to the appointment of a perpetual Prefident of the Executive Directory: This circumftance rendered him for a time unpopular, drew on him the fufpicion of being a fecret Royalift, and even occafioned his being denounced in a general committee.

In 1794, BOISSY published a work, greatly admired for its beauty and energy, under the modeft title of Certain Ideas on the Arts." The following paffage may ferve, in fome degree, to throw light on the philofophical fyftem planned and adopt ed in his mind:"We fhould be enlightened with regard to the extent of our duties, our power, our means; let us calculate the quantum of our ftrength and riches, and then confider the end which we ought to have in view. Let us ftill keep in mind, that it is not a new people that we are called to organize-that it is not a few tribes difperfed here and there over uncultivated regions, without opulence, induftry, luxury, great cities, and great eftablishments-but that is an oid nation, whofe regeneration we are ambitious to operate. It is a mafs of active and enlightened individuals, to whom induftry has become a want, luxury a natural paffion, and knowledge a neceffity.--It is a people prompted by their fublime and ardent genius, to maintain the first rank among polifhed focieties; a people living on the most fertile territory in Europe, poffeffing extenfive colonies and commercial establishments in Afia, Africa, and America.

"It is our duty, therefore, to organize for fuch a people, not the means of poverty, but plenty-not to inftruct them in the things they ought to part with, but to fhow them what, and in what manner, they are ΤΟ ENJOY.”

BOISSY D'ANGLAS is in the 36th year

of his age.

GENERAL LEFEBVRE Is reprefented by his enemies, with the crime of having been born in a cottage. God knows that this must have been in voluntary, at least, on his part! But, in imitation of Marius, when the Roman nobility boafted of the ftatues of their anceftors, he too may open his bofom, and exhibit his honeft fcars, by way of a reply. Destined for the army, Lefebvre rote to a balbert, and would have ftopped for ever, at this point in the mufter-roli, under the ancient order of things: without either patronage, friends, family, or title; without any thing but talents to back his pretenfions, he would have been worn out in

the fervice, and pined away the latter part of a milerable exiftence (had death, famine, and fatigue fpared him fo long) in a jail or an hofpital.

In confequence of a revolution, wonderful in all its parts, the quondam drill-ferjeant has diftinguished himself confiderably, more especially on the late paffage of the Rhine. The man, who made himself a general, was oppofed by a prince, who was born one! His Highnefs had learned to dance, and, unfortunately for him, is faid to have been actually practising a pas de deux, at a ball, the very moment that Lefebvre was beating up his quarters 1

The Aulic council of war would have

inftantly broken an untitled fubaltern, and chained him, perhaps, like poor Trenck, in a dungeon, 10 feet by 6; but exalted rank, and high blood, must be dealt differently with his ferenity, therefore, has a jocular kind of punishment affigned him; for being known to be attached to the Pyrrick measure of the ancients, he has been ordered, if we are to credit the foreign journals, to dance all the way to Vienna !

TREILLARD

Was bred to the bar, and practised with fome degree of reputation, in the ancient courts. He foon found, however, that the

"VERA LEX, RECTA RATIO, NATURÆ CONGRUENS,"

of Cicero, was not known' there. Money, patronage, beautiful women, the protection of Verfailles, were all played off before the parliament of Paris, and those of the provinces, against a good caufe, when accompanied by poverty. Procrastination, in the firft inftance, and too frequently injuftice in the laft, enfued; and thefe confequences inevitably led to another, in the fhape of difaffection, which, when arrived difpofing caufes to produce in that, as it at a certain height, became one of the prewill finally in all countries, a revolution.

Treillard, like many others, fuffered himself to be carried away with the ftream, and on the last anniversary of the execution of Louis XVI, administered, as prefident of the legislative body, the oath, for the perpetual exclufion of royalty from France, and its utter abhorrence there.

The following stanza has been loudly cenfured, both by the emigrants, and the zealots of kingly power:

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De vivre & d'eféprer pour elle, & pour nos lating to the abolition of tythes, however, droits, he conftantly voted with the minority, as confidering the inftitution to be of divine original.

De venger l'univers opprimé par les rois."

On their try'd fwords, a conqu'ring people fwear,

The rights of equal order to revere;
T'enjoy, and hope the bleffings freedom brings,
And vindicate mankind, opprefs'd by kings.

The fame thing was actually faid and done in this country, during the laft century, when, after the execution of Charles 1, his ftatues were pulled down, and the following infcription placed on the pe

deftal:

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The conftitutional bifhop of Blois, is celebrated for his various and profound literature, and the urbanity of his manners: he is, in brief, allowed to be one of the most accomplished men that fit in the circle of French legiflators.

The first notices of him are traced to a village, near Nanci, in Lorrain, in which he was the curé; and where, in fpite of the obfcurity of his station, the fame of his learning and probity had already procured him an uncommon refpect, and extenfive publicity of character.

At the time of the convocation of the Etats Généraux, in 1789, GREGOIRE could not remain longer in retirement ;his talents and the public favour obtained for him a place in that auguft and honourable affembly. Since his debut on the ftage of public life, he has ever difplayed the greatest moderation and uniformity of character-ever deported himself as an ornament of his order-ever been confidered as an honour to his country. His rare talents, incorruptible integrity, difinterested patriotifm, and found piety, have ever fhone in the full blaze of meridian glory.

He alfo concurred with those virtuous clergymen in the fitting of the Etats Généraux, who united themfelves with the Thers Etat, in oppofition to the defign of allotting feparate chambers for the two fuperior orders.

In the first National Affembly he appeared as a champion for the rights of the people, against the exceffive authority exercifed by the church; and is thought to have contributed more than any other man to the reformation of clerical abuses which afterwards took place in the article re.

His philanthropy was diftinguished by his fervid and eloquent fpeeches and motions in favour of the emancipation of the African flaves, and, generally, by the active part which he took in all the ftruggles of the legislative body on that head.

His talents alfo appeared to advantage, on another extraordinary occafion. The reform introduced into the civil conftitution of the French church, being difrelished by many of the clergy, thefe refraciories began to folicit the church of Rome to dispatch a monitory, prohibiting all attempts on their order;-then it was that M. GREGOIRE publifhed his elegant and beautiful brochure, entitled, "A Prefervative against Schifm." Whatever fuccefs this work met with among his own countrymen, its reception was not fo favourable in fome of the ftates of Italy: at Naples, where an everlasting jarring of interefts fubfifts between the civil and prieftly authorities, and at Rome, where the flightest appearance of innovation, in matters pertaining to ecclefiaftical discipline, is looked upon as Atheism.

The tranflation of his work at Rome, gave rife to the publication of another curious and pleafant tract, entitled, "A Queftion, Whether a Jansenist be not a facobin ?"

In the first fitting of the National Convention, Sept. 21ft, 1792, GREGOIRE concurred in the vote (on the motion of COLLOT D'HERBOIS) for the abolition of royalty in France. At a fubfequent fitting, Nov. 6th, 1793, when GOBET, conftitutional bishop of Paris, attended by his vicar general, renounced his clerical function at the bar of the convention (under the notion of appealing to the worthip of reafon alone) GREGOIRE, in a declamation full of zeal, afferted his Chriftianity, and fcrupulous adherence to the faith of his forefathers.

The reprefentatives fent on miffion to the armies and departments of France, have (it is well known) been generally guilty of great outrages, and have incurred, in confequence, a great degree of popular odium. GREGOIRE, however, in every department which he has vifited, has conducted himfelf in fuch a manner, as to carry back with him the highest gratulations of his fellow citizens.

The inhabitants of Savoy, and of all the districts conquered from the KING of SARDINIA, were remarkably averse to an

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