It is matter of regret, that at a time when experimental Chemistry feems to be cultivated with great diligence and attention, the Society have not, this year, received any Papers under the class of Chemistry that have been judged proper for publication.

In the clafs of Polite Arts is inferted a description of a commodious Memorandum Book for the use of perfons deprived of Sight. This, with the Papers and Prints inferted in the foregoing Volumes, will form as complete a Collection of ingenious Inventions as can well be hoped for, to alleviate the misfortune with which the Blind are afflicted.

In the clafs of Manufactures fome Improvements appear to be made, and others more effential pointed out, towards perfecting the making of Paper from Raw Vegetables; and if hereafter those refuse materials fhall be found to produce a better kind of Pafte-board, or Mill-board,

for the Covers of Books than is now manufactured here, the intention of the Society in offering the Premiums for afcertaining the uses of Raw Vegetables in making Paper, of which the confumption is daily increasing, will be fully answered.

That fort of Paper alfo, called Marbled Paper, which was formerly wholly imported from abroad, is daily improving here; and, for elegance of Pattern and variety of Colours, now equals at least any of foreign manufacture.

Under the head of Manufactures are inferted, two Letters from the Rev. Mr. Swayne, whofe Papers, in the Fifth Volume of these Transactions, have been fo well approved; together with a Plate of an Apparatus, ingeniously contrived, for breeding and rearing Silk-Worms: and it now seems evident, that if Mulberry-Trees were planted, and by that means a fufficient stock of Food provided for the Worms, Silk might

be

be produced in England, equal in quality to any imported from Italy or the Eaft-Indies.

As the Spinning of Cotton to the great degree of fineness that has been lately practifed, has introduced into this Country the Art of manufacturing Muflins, and other fine goods formerly unattempted in these kingdoms, there is reafon to believe, that the Improvement of the art of Spinning Wool, so as to produce a finer thread than has hitherto been obtained, may tend to perfect fome effential branches of the Woolen Manufacture. The Letters inferted in this Volume will show what attention and perfeverance have already done, and what may be expected when these Papers fhall be carefully attended to by the perfons concerned in the Woollen Manufacture, and the present improved state of Mechanical knowledge in this Country, applied to the perfecting the method of Spinning practifed by Miss Ives.

In the clafs of Mechanicks it will be proved, by authentic Certificates and Letters, that feveral large and valuable Fish have lately been taken by means of the Gun Harpoon which otherwife would have been unvoidably loft, and that the use of that instrument is increasing in the Whale Fishery.

Under this head will alfo be found, an account of an Engine or Machine for twitching Wool (an operation very disagreable and detrimental); an attention to which, and to the Plate annexed, may be the means of remedying many inconveniencies to the Workmen, and improving the manufacture of that staple commodity.

A more eafy, efficacious, and at the fame time lefs expenfive manner than that commonly used, of mending Roads, and already practifed to confiderable advantage, is pointed out, and a Print of a plain fimple Machine for the purpofe inferted, under the head of Mechanicks. And here

too

too is fhown, the conftruction of a Subftitute for a Rudder, whofe merit is authenticated by fuch evidence as cannot be controverted. It is with fingular pleasure the Society reflect on having it in their power to communicate to the world an Invention of fuch high utility.-Every Maritime Nation must be happy in poffeffing so easy and commodious a method of alleviating the distresses of their useful subjects, in one of the most alarming fituations it is poffible for human beings to be expofed to.

Under the clafs of Colonies and Trade, are inferted fome Letters on the Growth and flourishing State of the Cinnamon Tree in the Island of Jamaica. The circumftance which led to the introduction of the Cinnamon Tree into that Ifland, has already been mentioned in the Preface to the Fourth Volume of these Transactions; and the several specimens produced this year to the Society, leave no doubt of the Tree being that species from which the true Cinnamon

1