and paid. The only reason for refusing this, was a suspi cion or belief, that it had been drawn after the complainant had notice of the revocation of his appointment, and, of course, after his right to draw had ceased. This was altogether a mistake. The letter of revocation was dated April, 1839, and did not come to the knowledge of the complainant, until the October following, several weeks after the date of the bill, which was therefore rightfully drawn. When the truth of the transaction was known, the bill was paid, but the damages which were paid by the complainant in consequence of the protest, by the mistake of the government, and for no fault of the complainant, have been withheld, and the loss thrown upon him. I cannot see on what principle of law this has been done. In such a case, between a factor and his principal, can it be doubted, the factor would be entitled to a full reimbursement of such payment. This credit must be given to the complainant. The two next items will be considered together. They are so manifestly unsupported by the facts and reason of the case, that it is a subject of regret as well as surprise, that the complainant should have introduced them in his account. The first is a charge of $1609 87 for his board during his detention in Lima, owing to the protest of his bills, say from the day he ceased to be an agent, the 1st of October, 1830, to the 20th of January, 1832, at $3 37 per diem. The second is a charge of $3,229 15 for his compensation for the above time, at the rate of 2500 per annum, while his labour in taking care of the stores and distributing them, would be very great and unrewarded. By turning to the 3d section of the act, which creates this office, the duties of the officer in the view of the legislature, and to which the stipulated compensation may be supposed to refer, is as follows the "making of contracts, the purchase of supplies, and the disbursement of monies for the use of the navy.' No stores or supplies seem to have been contemplated by this law, but such as were purchased by the agent, and for which, in course, he has received his commission on the dis. bursements in making the purchase. But the distribution of stores, or supplies not purchased by him, and for which service he has, in no shape, received any compensation, seems not to have been considered, or distinctly provided for, in the description of duties to be performed by the agent, or in fixing his compensation for his services. Is the credit now claimed be such a one as the head of the department was authorized to allow, in the exercise of his equitable discretion, in the settlement of the accounts of a public officer? or is it so clearly prohibited by the act of 1809, that to allow it would be a violotion of the law? In the latter case, neither the Secretary nor the Court,have any power over it. In the former, the Court may do whatever the Secretary might have done. We may give the credit, if we are justified in considering the service for which it is claimed, to be a casus omissus in the law, not provided for by it, and not within the restriction of compensation there imposed. In such a case we may consider the equity of the claim arising from the performance of a service, for which no remuneration has been made, and its allowance or disallowance would be subject to the discretion of the court, under all circumstances of the case. It is not a credit of positive right, for it is not promised by the act of Congress, or by any contract with the government; and its allowance as an equitable charge will always depend upon the fact upon which the equity is founded. Such an equity may be founded in one case and not in another, and each will be governed by its own circumstances. In this item, I have concluded, not without much doubting, to allow a commission of one per cent. on the value of stores or supplies distributed by the complainant, and not purchased by him, but furnished by the United States. The credit claimed in his account is 5 per cent. or $1043 99, the allowance will be one fifth of that sum, or $208 80. As connected with this part of the case, I will dispose of the charge of $183 24, commissions on stores and provisions delivered over by the complainant to his succes-ance. sor, Philo White. This charge is wholly inadmissible. It has none of the considerations in its favour that have influenced my decision on the two last items. Its whole service was probably the delivery of a key to Mr. White. It was his duty to put his successor in possession of the public stores, and can afford no ground for a commission, on any principle of the most liberal equity. A charge for clerk hire is deemed at the treasury to be a proper credit to the complainant, and one thousand dollars have been allowed for that object. The balance of $268 75 was rejected as an excess of what was thought to be a necessary or reasonable expenditure on that account. The complainant has exhibited receipts showing that the whole amount claimed by him has been actually paid to his clerks. He asks only for reimbursements. It must be allowed as there is no evidence of any bad faith or wanton extravagance in the expenditure. 1 As to the detention at Lima, owing to the protest of his bills, if we could agree that the protest of these bills, drawn by him as an officer of the United States, and for the payment of which he was not responsible, could afford a reason for remaining at Lima, at the charge of the United States, it is not to be doubted, on the clear evidence of the case, that he did not remain there for any such reason, but for his own purpose, or at least, at his own pleasure. He remained at Lima, after the notice of his removal from office, eight months before he knew of the protest of his bill, and during which time he had not any suspicion that it would be protested, yet these eight months are a part of the period during which he alleges that he was detained at Lima, "owing to the protest of his bills." Again he was informed of the payment of his bills in October, 1831, but his charge for detention runs to the 20th of January, 1832, and did not actually sail for the United States until March, 1832, either because he was attending to business of his own, or it may be he was waiting for a suitable conveyIn the face of such facts I cannot admit that the protest of these bill had any thing to do with his remaining at Lima, and if they had, I do not see that their protest made such a necessity for his detention as to raise a claim against the United States for it. The claim for compensation amounting to $3229 15 for services as Navy Agent, after the revocation of his appointment, and during the alleged detention at Lima is still more unreasonable. The claim is made for the time between the 1st of October, 1830, and the 20th of January, 1832. Now it is not questioned that Philo White, the official successor of the complainant arrived at Lima, and took possession of the stores, and assumed the duties of the appointment in May, 1831. And yet in the face of this fact, the complainant has made a charge as an acting Navy Agent, until Jan., 1852, full eight months after he had ceased to have any connection with the office, its duties or services. It is true that when in October, 1830, the revocation of the comThe sum of $863 33 is claimed for damages and in-plainants appointment came to Lima, he was requested terests paid to Alsop & Co., on a bill drawn by the complainant on the Secretary of the Treasury, on the 16th August 1830, which was protested for non acceptance and non payment. The protest of this bill was permitted by the government under a mistake of the fact concerning it. The complainant while legally acting as Navy Agent, had unquestionably a right to draw bills on the government; and many had been drawn by Commodore Thompson to continue to act as agent, his commission on the monies disbursed for the purchases and on the stores distributed by him. I cannot but observe that in the same account in which he has charged a commission of 5 per cent. for these services, he has also claimed a compensation for them in the shape of a salary, at the rate of $2500. he alleges, for the United States; a part of this tobacco was distributed or delivered by the complainant, before his removal from office, to certain ships of the United States, and the residue remaining in the stores of the United States, was handed over with the other stores, to Mr. White, the successor of the complainant, having I have felt a strong disposition to allow the credit of been first surveyed by order of Commodore Thompson. three hundred and fifty dollars paid by the complainant From that day to this, not a pound of it has been in the for his passage home. He left his country and his busi- possession, or under the control of the complainant, but ness and prospects here, whatever they were, under that which has not been consumed in the ships of the an appointment by the government, which purported United States, has continued in the possession of their by the terms of his commission, to continue for four agent. Why need we enquire whether by the regula years, and as much longer as the office and his services tions of the navy tobacco is to be furnished to our crews might be thought useful and acceptable. It is true he by a Navy Agent or Pursor? If such be the regulation had no legal right to this period of enjoyment, but he undoubtedly it would have been a good and sufficient had a reasonable expectation of it, provided he gave no reason for refusing to receive this tobacco, either on cause for a disappointment by his own conduct. No board the ships or as part of the stores of the United complaint seems to have been made of his ability or States, and for leaving it in hands of the complainant, fidelity, but he had been but about fifteen months in for profit or loss, as might happen but it can never afthe enjoyment of the place, when his appointment was ford a justification for receiving the article, for actually revoked. Under such circumstances we can see and consuming a part of it, and for retaining the residue, feel that a strong moral equity arises to bring him and refusing to pay for it. As for that part which has back to the place he was taken from. Between in- been delivered to the ships, a credit has been allowed, dividuals, a just and conscientious man, would, I think and thus far at least a purchase and sale have been rehave done so. But no instance has been shown, under cognized and adopted by the department, notwithstandany such circumstances, of the recognition of a right ing the alleged navy regulation. In what respect, on what legal, or legally equitable, in an officer who has been principle of justice or equity, does the part of the toremoved, or whose office has been vacated, to chargebacco for which the complainant has been allowed a crethe government with his return home. I am afraid to set a dit differ from that for which he has been refused. precedent contrary to all usage and must disallow this The first was delivered to the pursers of their ships, and credit or charge. So with the complainants travelling has been consumed by their crews; the other has been expenses in going to Washington to settle his accounts. delivered to their agent authorized to procure supplies The only remaining item or charge in the complain- for the navy, and has been by him distributed to the ants account is for the purchase of tobacco sold or fur- ships, or is still retained by him as the property nished by him to the United States, amounting to $4277 of the United States. If he was not authorized to 68. I can have no hesitation in allowing it. In the let-receive it, let him answer for it. It is enough for the ter of the Secretary of the Navy, to the fourth Auditor complainant that he did receive it, and has receipted of the 25th June, 1832, he says: the tobacco must de- for it, as the agent of the United States, and on their pend on whether the authority to purchase was revoked behalf. Suppose we should consider that the comgenerally; and whether the revocation reached the pa- plainant was not warranted as a Navy Agent to make cific station before the purchase was made. If not, it the purchase from Mr. McCulloch, for the United should be allowed. Otherwise, it should not. This is States. The consequence is that it was his own provery partial and imperfect view of the question, and it is perty, and by him, sold and delivered to Mr. White, probable that all the facts of the case were not known who was the agent of the government. Is it any an to the Secretary-we have them now in evidence. The swer to the seller of an article to such an agent, to tell answer of the United States to the bill of the complain-him that by the navy regulations, the pursers and not ant does not deny or admit, that a report of the tobacco was made by the complainant in his account to the Department, nor that it was surveyed by order of Captain Thompson, as part of the public stores of the United States, and, as such delivered over by the complainant to his successor in office, and regularly receipted for by him, on behalf of the United States. But it is insisted, that if all these things are true, they do not authorize the charge. And why? because it is denied that tobacco was purchased on public account, or by the authority or instructions of any officer of the government; and it is avered that tobacco is not an article which a Navy Agent is authorized to purchase on public account, and that it is to be furnished to our ships by the Pursors, as a part of their stores. That the tobacco in question was the private property of the complainant has never been accepted or legally transferred to the United States. That the Navy Department has never received any part of it, or interfered with it, or done any thing to recognize the validity of any transfer or purchase The evidence is not sufficiently explicit on this point to thereof; that no officer of the department or the navy enable me to take this ground, and the objection has not had any authority to do so. In answer to all these de- been made at the Treasury, from which, I presume they nials and averments, what are the plain and uncontra- were satisfied in relation to it. I have therefore allow dicted facts of the transaction. This tobacco was ori-ed the sum claimed in the complainants accounts. ginally purchased in Virginia, as the United States al- The complainant then has been allowed one lege, as the private property of the complainant. After per cent. commission on stores distribut its arrival at Lima, it was sold by him to a Mr. McCulloch, ed, and was afterwards repurchased by the complainant, as *Shipped to him from Norfolk on his own account and still remains his private property. the Navy Agents are to furnish tobacco to our ships. And therefore the United States may keep and use the article, and are not bound to pay for it. This cannot be. If the tobacco was received from complainant as public stores, then he has a right to charge for it at the price he gave for it; if it was a sale by him to the public agent, then he has a right to receive its fair price or value for it; and we have no better way of ascertaining it, than by taking the actual cost of it to him. I cannot deny that a suspicion hangs upon my mind, that the sale to Mr. McCulloch was not a real transaction, but a contrivance to enable Mr. Armstrong, to sell his tobacco to the United States, at an advance or profit on its cost, which as a public agent he was not authorized to do. If this were clearly shown, it could have no other effect on the case, other than to deprive him of the profit, a few cents a pound, and compel him to pass it to the United States, at its first cost in Virginia, and the charges of taking it to Lima. Clerk hire, $208 80 268 75 863 33 Damages on protested bills, Ile has not been allowed commissions reject this them mant hef f the la Stores of ed at last settlement, His board while detained at Lima, Compensation for the same time, The two items for (5 per cent.) commissions nant, on distributions of stores, Thes been Hlaingen His passage home, Travelling to Washington, Ships of White, ion of Commission on $80 paid Mr. Henderson, Commission on stores handed over to P. 5,755 86 1,043 99 183 24 "Another extension of the Susquehanna and Dela- EXTENSION OF THE ELIZABETHTOWN AND tion would be extended from thence by the Cayuga LUZERNE, Co., 10th May, 1833. "I proceed to answer your inquiries, and give such information as I possess upon the several subjects to which you have directed my attention-as to bituminous coal. Formations of this coal are known to exist in Bradford county and Tioga county, but neither the extent nor the depth of the strata is yet ascertained. Wood abounding, the inhabitants of Bradford county have not sought this coal for fuel, and there being little demand for it, either domestic or foreign interest, the prime mover of most things, was wanting to induce the investigation. No bed has, I believe, been regularly opened in Bradford county. In the north-east angle of Tioga county, some bituminous coal has been raised, under the influence of the wants of a part of Western New York, and towards which part of the public works of that state are now progressing. The nearest bituminous coal to Pittston is distant about 70 miles, almost directly upon the waters of the Susquehanna, on the waters of the Towanda creek, and at the northern base of Burnet's mountain. lake, to an intersection with the Erie Canal, forming a splendid line of works, penetrating the very centre and the most beautiful part of the state of New York-a connection of itself of sufficient importance to command the admiration of every friend to the improvement of our common country. Proceeding still farther up the north-east branch of the Susquehanna, a Rail Road may be graded with nearly equal facility to Binghamton, at the entrance of Chenango canal-forming, an available connection with that improvement, in case the shorter route by the Legget's Gap Rail Road should be delayed or fail in its execution. "Returning to Tioga Point, we find the same facilities for a more western extension. Ascending the Chemung or Tioga river, (the north-west branch of the Susquehanna,) with a little higher grade, but on the finest ground for Rail Road, at about 20 miles from the Tioga Point, we reach Newtown. Here we meet with the Newtown or Elmira canal, and also with the Seneca lake, and come in connection for the third time with the Erie Canal. "From Newtown, a canal is about being extended still father up the Tioga river, intended, as I understand, to facilitate the transportation of bituminous coal, from the deposites south of the Pennsylvania line to the western state of New York. "As to the communication extending still farther to the north and west, calculated to increase the amount of transportation or travel, upon the Susquehanna and Delaware Rail Road, there are several authorized public "From Pittston to Tioga Point, from Tioga Point to works, extending from the line of the Susquehanna Owego and Binghamton, and from Tioga Point to Newand Delaware Rail Road at Pittstown, and above it, ne- town, the grade is so easy, that on a well-constructed cessarily tending to produce that effect; one is the Leg-Rail Road, with locomotive power, a few hours travel get's Gap Rail Road, a law for which passed at the ses sion of our legislature previous to the last; the line of this road unites with the Susquehanna and Delaware Rail Road in the valley of the Lackawana, near Centreville, about 12 miles north-east of Pittston. From thence the proposed route of this road runs to the Great Bend of the Susquehanna, above Binghamton, about 50 miles. This would bring the Susquehanna at the Great Bend within 108 miles of the Delaware, at the Water Gap. I forward you a report made on this line in 1832, by Mr. Seymour, a competent engineer. From the point whence this strikes the Susquehanna at the Great Bend, a line of Rail Road may be run, at an easy grade of about three feet descent in a mile, to Binghamton. Here we meet with the Chenango canal, now authorized to be constructed at the expense of the state of New York, a work of great magnitude and extent, penetrating into the heart of the empire state, and forming a connection with the Erie Canal. Our interest continues much higher up the north-east branch, which will be evident on an examination of the map of New York; but I confine myself in this to the authorized or com pleted public works with which we are at once connected. would connect these points. Tioga Point I have always looked upon as the key of nearly all western New York. And I have ever believed the natural, as well as artificial communications connected with this point, destined in the progress of events to bring into and lead through Pennsylvania a great part of the rich products of their most fertile region. "An early connection of the Susquehanna and Delaware Rail Road with Tioga Point, by means of the Legget's Gap or river Rail Road, would enable it to take charge of a great portion of the Susquehanna trade, to the Delaware at least, and a great portion of it would pass on through New Jersey to the city of New York. This trade will probably treble in amount on the completion of these communications. In passing the eye over the map of western New York, from Tioga Point, no intelligent observer can, I think, fail to be convinced, that to that point all the products of a wide range of fertile and populous territory must surely come, and that if all or any of these are ever to find their way to their own great commercial capital, they must do so by the Pittston, Water Gap, Belvidere, and Elizabethtown Rail Roads. "Little has yet been said of the public travel, and of VISIT TO THE RAIL ROAD. walk along the Rail Road up to the village of Nesque honing, and for the first time visited the Room Run mines at that place. We were highly gratified with the appearance of this little village which is springing up as it were in the midst of the forest. We had before seen the neat cluster of white buildings from a distance, in ascending and descending the Broad Mountain on the Berwick turnpike, on the opposite side of the Nesquehoning valley, but were not till this time aware of the extent of the improvements here. Several new dwel ling houses and shops have recently been commenced and are progressing briskly, and the place bids fair to become a pleasant as well as flourishing little town. The buildings are nearly all painted or white washed, which gives it a very neat appearance from a distance. the revenue to be derived from passengers. This item, under present prospects, ought surely to be taken into view. Will not this line of communication, by the Having one day last week taken a walk with a friend Elizabethtown and Somerville, and Susquehanna and to visit the new Rail Road, and witness the operation of Delaware Rail Roads, if extended, as it is now pretty ascending and descending the Inclined Plane, discharg evident it will be extended, by a continued line of Railing the coal into the boats, &c. we finally extended our Road into western New York, surpass all other routes for the accommodation of travel, and become the most desirable line for passengers, from the city of New York and the New England sea-board, to the Falls of Niagara, to Lake Erie, and to the whole western region? "On this subject we may, I think, with confidence appeal to facts, unchangeable in their nature, and ask those who would consider this line of Rail Roads, with a view to test its merits, to examine the maps, and particularly a map of western New York, as a map more particularly showing the whole line, the large map of N. Jersey, &c. &c. This, with the facts made known by the Pennsylvania engineers, relative to the north branch of the Susquehanna river, the plan and facilities of the authorized improvements, the report of Captain Beach on the Susquehanna and Delaware Rail Road, the accompanying statements of the Commissioners and the report of the engineers upon the line from Belvidere, via Clinton, Somerville, and Elizabethtowon, to New York, will afford a view of the outline of this interesting project, from which I think its merits cannot fail to be duly appreciated. H. W. D. From the United States Gazette. TIOGA COAL MINES, AT BLOSSBURG, PA. The abundance of stone coal and iron ore, which the discoveries of a few years have brought to light, as the product of the mountainous districts of Pennsylvania, have given an immense value to sections of the state which ten years since were considered as burdensome to their owners. The promise of the future is as cheering as the prospect before us, for every year brings new discoveries of mineral wealth, and unseated lands are now becoming objects of deep interest and value to their owners, who have so long held them without remunerating for the expenses to which they have been subjected. One of the Contractors at these mines very politely escorted us up into those parts of the mines which are now worked. A number of drifts or tunnels have been penetrated several hundred feet into the banks, on each side of Room Run, nearly horizontally, in veins of the most beautiful anthracite, from 20 to 40 feet in thickness, exhibiting as at the old mines, an inexhaustible supply of the first quality of coal. The loaded cars are let down two short Inclined Planes-drawing up the empty ones as they descend. From the foot of the lower Plane at Nesquehoning, the Rail Road descends to the head of the Plane near the new landing, on a grade so inclined as to let the loaded cars descend by their gravity. This Rail Road may challenge a comparison with almost any other in the United States, both in its materials and manner of construction. Its bed is laid of earth and stone, and the rails are firmly set it cast iron knees, bolted to stone blocks which gives them a solid and permanent situation. It is now in successful operation, and capable of allowing a much greater amount of business than is yet done upon it for the want of a sufficient number of The Company are, however, increasing the number of new ones as fast as they can be made, and the quantity of coal brought from these mines, is consequently fast increasing. The great extent and central position which Penn-Cars. sylvania holds on the map of the Union, with abundance of coal in almost every direction, shows to what amount her sister states may be benefitted by her mineral resources; and that to New York and the eastern states, who are less fortunate in possessing the same natural advantages, those resources are becoming objects of deep interest, is no less evident than gratifying to her citizens. The mines at Blossburg in Tioga county, which are the immediate subject of this notice, produce the finest quality of bituminous coal. The same veins, extending south and south-west, have been opened in Lycoming county, and prove to be of similar quality. A recent accurate, geological survey and exploration have been made of the Blossburg mines, by a scientific engineer and geologist from England, Richard C. Taylor, Esq. whose report in a pamphlet form, accompanied by a lithographic engraving of the coal sections, was published last spring. Mr. Taylor's high reputation in England, and in this country, as a geologist, must entitle his report to the fullest confidence; and he proves incontestibly the inexhaustible quantity, and superior quality, of this coal. Although from his survey, there appears at this point to be 20,000 acres coming under the denomination of coal land, he estimates the supply only upon one fourth that amount; and from the thickness of the veins at their crop only, which have been explored, he shows that one hundred thousand tons may be annually sent to market for the space of 500 years, from 5000 acres of this body of mineral wealth. TIOGA. Mauch Chunk Courier. From the Easton Argus. REMARKABLE CIRCUMSTANCE. The following may be relied on as a fact, and persons are now in this borough who were present when the occurrence took place. There is no doubt but that during the prevalence of the cholera, numbers were interred prematurely. Albert T. Whelden left Easton on the 27th of June, 1832, and arrived on the line of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, near Shepherdstown, Maryland, on the 3d of July. On the 15th of August, at 3 o'clock, P. M. he was attacked by the cholera, which was then raging in that neighborhood, and which in almost every case proved fatal. Whelden sent for a physician, who at tended, and prescribed the usual remedies. At 6 o'clock he was pronounced in the collapsed stage of the disease, and at 7 was to all appearance dead. At 8 o'clock he was placed by a few friends in a coffin, and taken in a light wagon to the place of interment, about half a mile distant. When arrived at the grave, a groaning was heard proceeding from the coffin, and on opening it, poor Whelden exhibited signs of life, and was liberated from his disagreeable confinement. He is now alive and well, and resides in our borough. REGISTER OF PENNSYLVANIA. DEVOTED TO THE PRESERVATION OF EVERY KIND OP UŠEFUL INFORMATION RESPECTING THE STATE. VOL. XII.-NO. 6. PHILADELPHIA, AUGUST 10, 1833. NO. 293. AURORA BOREALIS. Note of the effect upon the Magnetic Needle, of the Aurora To the Committee on Publications. "On the 17th May, 1833, the temperature of the air I had witnessed was but a part of the disturbance which had actually taken place, and which seems to have affected the horizontal needle especially. The needles to which I have referred are three in number, two long horizontal needles, of which one is within-doors, and the other* is under cover in the yard with a knife edge suspension, contained in a small obattached to my residence, and a long dipping needle servatory, constructed for the purpose, and also in the yard of my dwelling house. The observations of the horizontal needle, within doors, were made very regu larly, and also of the dipping needle out of doors, but the observer not being aware of the appearance of the tion of the horizontal needle out of doors, throughout aurora, did not take the corresponding hourly observathe whole of the evening. In order to convey a better idea of the variation on "I first saw it a few minutes after nine o'clock, when the evening in question, I precede the observations it was brighter than it appeared afterwards. Stream- the changes of variation and dip were nearly the reguby those made on the following day and night, on which ers, not in motion, were distinctly visible, rising from a lar mean diurnal changes at this time of the year. The dense light below, which seemed to rest on dark clouds variation is referred to the mean variation for the day, underneath, reaching the horizon. All the rest of the sky or to a point nearly corresponding to this, the sign was clear, and had been so all the afternoon. In a few minutes the streamers disappeared, clouds, which suddenly being prefixed to the positions west of this line of mean variation, and the sign formed, seemed to take their places, the northern The height of the thermometers contained in the boxes lights still appearing nearly the same, only interrupted with the needles is given. in part by a greater number of clouds. I continued to observe the aurora with intervals of but few minutes, and at nearly ten o'clock, I discovered that a very brilliant arch had been formed, passing through the zenith, and terminated by the horizon, about twenty degrees south of east, and the same number north of west. to those east of the same line. Time of observation. Diurnal changes of Attached Thermo "The arch was much denser, brighter, and narrower, near the horizon than in the zenith. It passed gradually towards the south, and disappeared, at twenty minutes past ten, about eleven degrees south of Lyra. The clouds, at the time of the disappearance, were ra pidly forming north of the arch, all the south being yet clear: in fifteen minutes afterwards the whole heaven was overcast, and the light in the north was hardly visible through the clouds. The air had been coming A.M from the north in the morning, and had changed round by the west, and at the time of the occurrence of the arch it is believed was nearly south-west; below, the direction of the clouds was not observed. "The dew point had risen, since the preceding day, twelve degrees Fah. It is highly probable that an upper current (not the uppermost) of air, was moving in the direction in which the arch moved, as the air had been moving in that direction a few hours before, and I have frequently observed, when the wind changes, the lower strata next the earth, change first. From the 10th until the afternoon of the 15th of May, the wind had constantly been, by night and day, almost exactly south, with a high dew point, carrying an immense quantity of vapour to the north; on the evening of the 15th, until the night of the 16th, the wind was N. E. with rain, and on the morning of the 17th the wind was north." P.M Weather. 81 101 11 12 4.5 823.0 75" 30 82 1 75 182.6|S.out, C. 76 "4282.6 Do. "48 81.5 Do. "51 79.3 Do. 4575.9 L.fle's 74" 48 74.8 212.5 2345678 10 On returning home at eleven o'clock, on the evening just referred to, and observing the different magnetic needles which I have arranged for observations on the diurnal variation, a considerable disturbance was indi. cated. The journal of the hourly observations, kept during my absence in the evening, confirmed that what in November last. VOL XII. 11 76" 42183.8 Clear. 42 74.0 Clear. * A complete description of this needle is given in a paper read before the American Philosophical Society, |