OBSERVANDA INTERNA.

London, Feb. 23.

Melancholy Disaster.

It is many years since this city has been thrown into such anxiety, as agitates it this day. That kind of inexplicable spirit of curiosity which possesses a certain class of people, and those of the youthful period of life, principally, and impels them to witness the execution of the law upon criminals, was excited in the highest degree; by the knowledge that two malefactors, condemned for the robbery and murder of Mr. Steele in 1802, and a woman, condemned for the murder of a man in a fit of jealousy, would suffer, according to their sentence, at the door of Newgate. Some persons took their stations very early in the morning, in order to witness this execution: and the throng of people proceeding to the fatal spot was observed by the residents in the streets leading to it, to be uncommonly great. This observation was repeatedly made in Holborn, about half an hour before eight o'clock in the morning. As the criminals were to be executed at eight o'clock, the pressure of the crowd became more violent, and about that time the influx from Skinner Street (the avenue from Holborn) was so overpowering as to bear a number of these spectators off their feet. Some of them falling, soon afterwards, a scene of confusion ensued, in which many others also fell, and those who were down, being trampled on by the immense waves of people, a number were killed; and a much greater number have sustained injuries of which they will feel the effects all their lives.

The proximity of St. Bartholomew's Hospital to the scene of calamity, was favourable to the immediate assistance of those to whom medical aid could be of any avail. The report from thence is twenty nine men dead; somewhat more than half that number dreadfully bruised and wounded; hopes of recovery, various, of course: three women dead, several others injured. [On these deaths, the coroner's inquest has reported, accidental death.] What other instances of suffering may have occurred, we cannot tell; as sundry individuals were removed by friends: but we have reason to believe, from cases that have come to our knowledge, that many persons have received injuries externally, or internally, (the most to be dreaded of the two) the effect of which they may feel, when little suspected, in future years.

The Court of Common Council has ordered an enquiry to be made into the causes and circumstances of this melancholy event and we hope those who have the charge of inves tigating it, will also direct their attention to

the prevention of similar misfortunes in fu ture. The last public fireworks that were exhibited on Tower-hill, according to then annual custom, now nearly forty years ago, were the occasion of a calamity of the like nature, by means of a bar, which giving way, all who had trusted to it for safety, were thrown down, and killed, or maimed. Something of the same nature proved fatal to eleven persons in the entrance to the Haymarket Theatre, on the evening when the Duchess of York, then lately arrived in England, was expected to be present.

These events should induce caution-on individuals, who, in a crowd, ever risque their persons and lives:-and they call imperiously on magistrates to foresee incidents which may happen; and by their foresight to prevent them. It ought to be recollected that on various occasions, when great crowds have been expected, precautionary orders have actually been issued by government, and sometimes served on individuals; whereby many lives have unquestionably been saved, which otherwise must have been lost, by the failure of weak scaffolding, old houses, dangerous situations, and other hazards which curiosity will run, though danger stares it, evidently, full in the face.

Astronomy.

It has been suspected by several astronomers that the sun is not absolutely fixed as to the station which he occupies in general space. M. Lalande after the rotatory motion of the sun was demonstrated, suspected another motion, viz. a change of place. Herschell undertook to determine this question by observation; he even thought it might be ascertained toward what point in the heavens this motion of the sun, with all his planetary train, was directed. M. Prevost, Academician at Petersburgh, was led to the same result. But, M. du Sejour having examined this question analytically, considers it as incapable of solution, when viewed on more extensive and general principles. Herschell has resumed his enquiries into this subject in the Philoso phical Transactions for 1806. If the motions which have been observed in certain stars are only apparent, being produced by a real motion of the sun, which advances toward some, but, consequently, recedes from those in the opposite part of the heavens, then all these apparent motions will be parallel among themselves, and the motion of the sun also. These motions are very slow, and what por tion of them has hitherto been observed, forms very small arcs: but if these are prolonged by supposition, they would form great circles, all of which would cut each other in the same point of the heavens, and this point would be that toward which the whole solar system was advancing. The

well ascertained motions of two stars, are sufficient to determine this point, if the observations are exact, and if the principle be true. The same examination of two other stars should lead to the same conclusion as the two first, and the same result would be established by the other stars also, any two of which may be combined in the calculation. This investigation Mr. Herschell undertook in reference to some of the brighter stars. But it still remains dubious whether the sun alone moves, while the stars are perfectly at rest, or whether the stars also move, and if the whole visible heaven moves, then the problem is pronounced by M. du Sejour to be incapable of solution. Notwithstanding this opinion M. Burckhardt has lately renewed the analytical examination of this question. His forms are more convenient, and facile of application than those of M. du Sejour; and much less laborious than the trigonometrical calculations of Herschell. He has very dextrously approximated the distances of the stars which we behold, and which form one of the necessary elements of this calculation, but which probably we shall never be accurately acquainted with. If the sun only moves, we may attain in time, and after careful observations, to the knowledge of this fact, and to some information as to the quantity of his motion; but if the stars possess their motion, also, the separation of the unknown elements of the calculation will be impossible. Hence would result a degree of embarrassment to future astronomers, if similar observations should be interrupted during several ages, and if after a period of unlearned ages, when science should again revive, the astronomers should endeavour to calculate anew the celestial motions, by comparing their own observations with those now made. Nevertheless, if such an event should happen, though the observations of the eighteenth century might in that case, be thought rather inaccurate, yet they would furnish much superior assistance to what science in these later ages derived from the few and rude observations which have been transmitted to us from the Greeks and Romans.

Medical Notices.

The London Medical Society proposes to confer the Fothergelian gold medal upon the authors of the best essays on the following subjects:

For the year 1807. The best account of the epidemic diseases which have prevailed at several times in North America, Spain, and Gibraltar, since the year 1793, and whether they are the same, or different diseases.

For the year 1808. What are the best methods of preventing and of curing epidemic dysentery.

For the year 1809. What are the criteria by which epidemic disorders that are not in

The average prices of navigable Canal shares, and Dock stock for January 1807, were: The Coventry Canal £420 to £433 per share; the last half-yearly dividend was £12 per share nett. Ashton and Oldham £100 per share. Grand Junction £86 to £87 ex dividend. Rochdale £451 including the last call of £5 per share. Worcester and Birmingham at £39 per share all calls paid. Lancaster £191. Monmouthshire Navigation at £97 ex dividend. West India Dock Stock £144 ex dividend of £5 per cent. for the half year to Christmas. East India Dock £120 to £122 per cent. London Dock £100 to £105 ex dividend of £2. 15. per cent. nett half yearly dividend to Christmas. Globe Insurance £102 per cent. ex dividend of 31. 10s. per cent. half yearly to Christ

mas.

HEREFORDSHIRE.

Cider. The result of a course of experiments was laid before the Hereford Agricultu ral Society a few days since, by T. A. Knight, Esq. by which it appeared that the strength of the juice of any cider apple was in exact proportion to its weight. Thus, the juices of the inferior apples were light when compared with the juices of the old and approved sorts. The forest Styre outweighed every other until it was put in competition with the new variety produced by Mr. Knight, from the Siberian crab and the Lulham pearmain; nor could any other juice be found equal in weight to

the latter.

LANCASHIRE.

Natural Curiosity.-On Monday the 9th Feb. as the men belonging to Messrs. Bradshaws, of Lancaster, were sawing an Ametican Maple Log in two, they were much surprized at finding a cavity in the centre of it containing about five, or six, quarts of wheat, which must have remained there for many years, as there was no hole on the outside of the log, which was about 25 feet in length, and 13 inches square. The cavity was about the centre of the log, 6 feet in length and about 3 inches in diameter.

NORFOLK.

Improvements of Norwich.-His Majesty having granted the castle of Norwich, with the gaol, hill, and land adjacent thereto, and vested the same by an Act of Parliament in the Justices of the Peace for the said county, it has been by them ordered, that the same should be improved on an extensive scale. In the first place, both courts in the Shire-hall are to be inmediately altered

LITERARY RETROSPECT.

AMERICA.

Philology.

Noah Webster, Esq. author of several valuable works, has lately published a compendious Dictionary of the English Language, in which five thousand words are added to the number found in the best English compends; the orthography is, in some instances, corrected, the pronunciation marked by an accent, or other suitable direction, and the definitions of many words amended and improved. For the benefit of the merchant, the student, and the traveller, the following Tables are added:-1. Tables of the monies of most of the commercial nations in the world, with the value expressed in sterling and cents. 2. Tables of weights and measures, ancient and modern, with the proportion between the several weights used in the principal cities of Europe. 3. Divisions of time among the Jews, Greeks, and Romans, with a table exhibiting the Roman manner of dating. 4. An official list of the post-offices in the United States, the counties in which they are situated, and the distance of each from the seat of government. 5. The number of inhabitants in the United States, with the amount of exports. 6. New and interesting chronological tables of remarkable events and discoveries.

Mr. N. G. Dufief, of Philadelphia, has published a work entitled Nature Displayed in her Mode of teaching Language to Man; or a new and infallible method of acquiring a language in the shortest time possible, deduced from the analysis of the human mind, and consequently suited to every capacity: it is adapted to the French language. Mr. Dufief adopts as a principle, that languages are nost readily acquired by the ear, by memory, and practice; or, as it is usually termed, by rote. Several instructors in different parts of the United States now teach the French language on Mr. Dufief's principles,

Theology.

The Rev. Abel Flint, pastor of a church in Hartford, has translated a volume of Sermons selected from Massillon and Bourdaloue: the work also comprises a spiritual paraphrase of some of the Psalms, in the form of devout meditations and prayers.

Topography.

Mr. R. Munro has published at New York a Description of the Genessee Country in that State: it notices its situation, extent, civil divisions, soil, minerals, productions, lakes and rivers, curiosities, climate, navigation, trade, and manufactures, population, and other interesting information relative to that Country: an appendix contains a description of the military lands.

FRANCE,

M. Azuné has published a Dissertation on

the origin of the compass, in order to prove that the French were the first who made use of it: it was known in France so early as the twelfth century, under the name of marinière; it was used under the reign of Lewis IX. Givia d'Amflai, who is said to be the inve..tor, lived not earlier than about the year 1300. The flower-de-lis has been adopted in all countries for the compass. The saine au thor, in his Navigation, observes, that "Father Ximenes, a celebrated Italian astronomer, proved the priority of the French, in his work entitled, Del Gnomone Fiorentino; p. 59."

GERMANY.

Chemistry.

M. Fröhlich, in Berlin, has published a German translation, by F. Wolff, of T. Thomson's (of Edinburgh) System of Chemistry, in four volumes, from the second English edition.

The translator of this work has proved throughout that he possesses not only a competent knowledge of the English language, but an intimate acquaintance with the subject of the work. The sense of the original is strictly kept to. The remarks are appropriate, in part complete later discoveries, and in part elucidate some passages of the original. Miscellanies.

M. Geisler, artist, and travelling compa nion of the celebrated Pallas, assisted by M. J. Richter, who published, two years ago, Miscellanies relating to Russia, has published a work entitled (Spiele und Belustigungen der Russen) The Sports and Pastimes of the lower classes of the Russians: it is printed in folio, on vellum paper, and embellished with twelve coloured plates. This may be regard ed as a continuation of the works published at the same place, entitled, Picturesque Travels in Russia; and, the Manners, Customs, and Dresses of the Russian People,

History.

At Pest, in Hungary, M. Martin George Kovachich has published the first part of a collection of small unpublished Pieces of Hungarian History. This first part contains six pieces: these M, Kovachich proposes to continue, as he says there are more than one thousand of them well worth publishing. This work is a kind of supplement to Mr. Kovachieh's former work in two volumes, Scriptores Rerum Hung. minores. It is pub lished in the German language.

Mathematics.

M. von Muhr, of Nurenburg, has sent to his Majesty the Emperor of Russia three manuscripts of the great mathematician Johannes Regiomontanus, together with some rare printed works of the same author; these have been placed in the Imperial library, and M. von Muhr, has been honoured by his Majesty with a present of a superb brilliant ring.