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RE VIE IV. Htsctir chrs obont .HimoitftheT t-cal PhenomeTiQ* - liy Thomas Furster, F. L. S. Many ut the ivost common appearan ces and events of nature have attracted -but little ol the attemion ? an4 research of scientific men. Phenomena which rarely happen, and which afford only Jew oppor- . trinities for abservation, are madtv+he sub jects of much curious speculation, and nulny ingenious hypothesis ; while opera tions. which are contiifually going on within our view, are apt to be overlooked -.end neglected. Hence wc may account for the little knowledge we yet possess On a variety of subjects, connected with me teorohgy. There is, perhaps, no branch of physics, unless we except magnetism, which has been cultivated with less zeal, and the labors in which have been reward ed with less success. This fact is not a - hrttc remnrk.tbte, when it is considered, ^ that the changts in the medium in which we live, must have an important influence in the 'condition ol the body itself, and on the animals and vegetables by which it is supported. Yet, not withstartding the mul titude ot observations which have bjen made by all classes of men, and the deduc tions, ttv the form of pmxetbs*. that have been derived fioin them, it is certain, that " the immediate, as well as the more remote causes ot meteorological phenomena, are still, in a great measure, unexplained. 1 his truth may be made to appear, by glancing at what remains to be known of one of the mpst common processes con nected with meteorology, the rise of the water into the atmosphere and its return to tlie earth in the vai ions forms of dew, rain, hail, and snow. It is not yet decided how ~thts liquid tiig nir ? whether it be raised in vapour by the operation of heat alone, and in that state, rise between the particles of the air, without being sub jected to their pressure, or by subsequent combination with them / or whether it be ? by a sort of attraction or affinity,- between the air and water, analogous to saline sol lution, the atmosphere being regaided as a solvent, and dissolving a quantit y of liquid", proportional to its temperature, Ihotion, and dryness. We are ignorant in what form it exists after it gets into the atmos phere ; whether it remain 1 water or va pour, or is decomposed andTesolved it) its constituent principles .* we are not well instructed respecting the causes of its pre cipitation ; of the constitution of filling mist or vapour ;of the formation of rain, hail and snow ; of the production and dis appearance of clouds ; or the quality of vapour actually contained in a given por **on air at a determinate temperature. Of other atmospherical phenomena our knowledge is not more certain, and the na ture and causes of meteors, the sources of aerolites, the epidemical constitution of the air at different times, and the influ ence of electricity in preventing, promo ting or modifying these events, are still involved in profound obscurity* In ma king these remarks, it is not intended to deny that the researches of De Luc, Sans sure,' Mutton, Uerthollet, Van Mons, Hum ford, Leslie, Dalton; and of manv otheis, have been of essential service. The ob servations of these philosophers have un folded a multitude of fact* which must I* useful to succeeding meteorologists, and may serve as the ground work, for a sys tem of meteorological knowledge. At the same time.it must be conceded that this department of science is encumbered witji many loose opinions, and sotae fanciful and inadequate hypothesis, which rather retard than assist the enquirer in his investigations. A work prolesstdly de voted to the subjects of meteorology, is comparatively a r;>re sight. We shall, therefore, endeavor rather to analire than to review or critrcise it. presuming, that after the reader has been informed of the nature of its ? ontents, he w ill be able u> judge without our fvssistance, whether ? any thing has been added to his previous stock of knowledge on atmospheric phen omena. 1 he contents of this book are divided into ten chapters. The first is devoted to the illustration of Mr. Howaid's nomen clature and theory of the clouds; a theory" which was published some years since in the London philosophical journals, hut which has not, until lately, received the attention its ingenuity and plausibility have merited. "Clouds" says Mr, Forsier, " are distinguished by seven different mo difications, the peculiarities of which seems to-be caused hy the agency of electticity ; for example, three primary modifications, the Cirrus, the Cumulus, and the Stratus ; two which may be considered as interme diate ,u their nature, the Cirrocumulus find the Cirrostratus ; one which appear to bt- a compound, ilu* Cumulostratus ; and lastly, the Cnmulcrirrostritus or Nimbus, a state winch immediately nreredes the 1 resolution of clouds into rain. " I. ( irrus Del. N ubes cirrata tenuis sirna qua*- undique crest at. This.modificatton is frequently seen fciif i thr lorm ?f vl,,,. >.i. libit, , increasing h. number and ,iie : j these fibrt* or pencils, being arranged, ei ther parellel or diverging, sometimes tr.u - verse, interlaced, piltform ?4>moul^ 1 u*i sometimes change their forms rapidly ; at others, they are seen for hours, and even days, without much alteration. Of the u se* and nature of this species of clouds, Mr. For&ter remarks ; 44 The observations of Mr. Howard, as well as those which 1 have made, have in duced me to believe; that, under whatever form the cirrus may appear, it must alt. ways be regarded as a conuuclor ot the e leciric fluid. lis very texture seems indi cative of its particular office. The long parallel anil elevated lines, are probably tquaiizittg the electricity of masses of air, very remote from each other ; the detach ed comoid cirri equalizing their own elec tricity with t hat of the surrounding air, while oblique or depending tufts, appear to be conducting from an upper to a low er stratum. The cirrus too, is sometimes interposed, and conducting between two other clouds at some distance from each other," ? "and it is probaple, that acinus ceasing to conduct, ceases to be a cirrus, and that it cither evapo a'ps or passt-s into some of the the other modifications.." 2. Cumulus. Def. Nubes Cunmlata rU-n 5 ui'S u m crescens. This species of clnnd appears at fi?st, like a small irregular spot, and as it moves along in the lower aimoHphtre. increases in size, becomes more dense, preserves a llat horizontal base, and assumes more or less of a corneal figure. Tht^^forms oi cumuli are various ; they ureVren imi tative, and present to the eye ot the spec tator aerial towers, rocks, and mountains of ?ieat magnitude and grandeur. u He fore rain, they increase very rapidly, And descend lower in the atmosphere, and be come Heecy and irregular in their appear ance, with their yuriaces fud of protuber ances." In fair whether, 4kthey form soon after sunrise, arrive at their maxi-. % ? I mum in the middle of the day, and btcome very convenient skreens to intercept the evening." In accounting for the lormation of the cumulus, Mr. Forster supposes, that, by the action of solar heat on the surface of the earth, water is evaporated, the vapour ascends, it presses on that portion of va pour which has escaped precipitation, and causes its rise higher, hy which it changes its climate and is condensed into visible vapour. As the sun dechnen, the cause ceasing to act, the cumuli disappear. 3. Stratus. Def. Nubes strata aqua: mo do expms;*, dcorsum crescens. The stratus is the lowest of clouds ; its under surface usually rests on the earth, or on the water. 4lIt may properly be calltd the cloi.d of night." It compre hends fogs arid mists, which ascend in the summer season, in sheets from vallies, lakes and fields, and in the autumn and winter continue throughout the day as dense fogs. The formation- of the stra Jusis .supposed to be owin^ to the dimin ished temperature of evening, the nir de positing a portion of its water, and the cu muli of the day sinking info the stratus of the night. "The stratus is found to be electrified positively, and to be highly changed." To br con'trwcd. Columbia, March 25. Pursuant to the Proclamation of his excellency the Governor, the Legislature of thi^ state met in this City yesterday. The Senate form ed a quorum, read the journals of the 19th of December last/ and proceeded to business. The House of Representatives also formed a quorum, read the journals of the 1.9th December last, and appointed Messrs. Huger, Wm. D. Martin and Jeter, a committee to wait on his excellency the Governor, and to inform him that they had formed a quorum, and were ready to receive any communications his excellency might have to make ? to whicbthis excellency was pleased to return for answer, that they should hear from him in the course of the day ; and soon after accordingly made to each house the following commnnication, viz. To thr Senate and Uoitme of Representative** Fbl low Citizens, I regreat much, that it has, so soon, become necessary to call you from your domestie retreats, at a time when your attention to agncul-" tttral and civil pursuits is so interest" ing and important ro the state and to yourselves. I have no doubt, however, that you will cheerfully ( submit to personal inconvenience, if your attendance can be made conducive to the public good. Ac the last session of the I_c?^isla ture, i6 a bill to alter the third section of the tenth article of the Constitu tion, of the state of South-Carolina," was passed agreeably to t!ie consti tution, and ratified on the l 9th of J3ec, liu 6. 'J here was also an act entitled lCan act to provide a more expiditious mode for disposing of the cases on the dockets of the con stitutional courts at Charleston and Columbia," passed and ratified on the same day viz. on the 19th of December, 1 8 1 6 . This act mak ing provision for tha sittings of the constitutional court at Cluiiestort and Columoia, a majority of the judges of the courts of sessions and common pleas, has adjudged to be unconstitutional and that therefore they have no power to hold that court. 1 '1 his being the only court, here- ] tofore provided by our constitution 1 or laws, before which motions for new trial, or in arrest of judgment, could be brought up from our courts j of sessions or common pleas, we are by this decision of the judges, I deprived of a court indispuLsible in ! the steady administration of justice. To restore this link in the system of our jurisprudence, there is no : power adequate but-thatof the le- j gisiature. Jt is therefore that I have thought proper to convene the I e- | gislatuie, that there may be neither delay nor denial of justices To j this subject, which is of .great im portance, your early - attention, is invited, at this time. I 1 wiil further ask your indulgence*,* in submitting, for your considera tion, one other subject, which, if neglected until the constitutional mtreting^f-^rc LcgtfJatttte, will be too late, for your interposition. At your last session, an act was passed to confirm the treaty between the ; state of South- Carolina and the Cherokee Indians, and providing for the survey of the lands, ceded tyy the Cherokees, to this state, This acc require* that all the lands, so ceded shall be surveyed and pla te d_offjn|o^tractsjiot less than 100 nor more than 500 acres. I would beg leave to submit whether the law should not be so alcercred as to require the commissioners to survey into tracts; only such parts of the ceded territory, as will be fit for, cultivation, and which alone, will indemnify the state lor the sur vey. It is well known, that a very great proportion of this accession, consists of barren, rugged and al most inaccessible mountains, which will only attract the attention of the Wandering herdsman or shepherd The survey of these mountains, will require , much time ancT cost" much money to the state, which will never be refunded from the sale of them. If the whole territory be laid out into tracts according to the provision of the existing law, it is probable the sums arising from the sales will not reimburse the expendi ture. At the time when it was thought q?pedient to convene the legisla ture, it was believed that it would be necessary to recommend an ap propriation, authorising the comp* trollcr to pay into the treasury of the General government, our quota of the direct tax which had been' imposed by congress for the lutr year, and which it was believed would be again imposed for * this year. The national legislature has uilQSfever, not thought proper to re-enact the law imposing the direct tax. Although our civil and religious privileges, as a people, dem and [ our most devout acknowledgements to the author or all good, rf t ? wf should be iiuiTiwlcd bv his cha^ten itig hand, which is in the uii usual scarcity which pravails in most parrs of our country. Thi* scar city pioceeds not only from unpro puious seasons of the last \car, but from our greater attention to the productions of %our country which procures us wealth than to these which are im^insicaliy valuable.- VV^ should prohr by our experience, and devote ourselves more those fJUisuitswhich will promote our pre sent comforts and future weir are, looking unto him, who is the author of every good and perfect gift, for Ins blesiiinfr. ? - ? ? o Ail which is most respectfully submitted. ANDREW PICKENS, Jun. Mr. Pinckney j lute Negcciaticn . Rv an arrival from Naples, the following account of the tenor and result of Mr. Pinckney's negocia tion has been re c< ived. Mr. Pinck ney made a peremptory demand of the restitution of several oT the vessels seized by Murat or a com plete , indea^pification for them and thejr cargoes. With regard to the resr, he offered to wave all claim on tiie part of his government, on condition that the United Siates should have an establishment in some convenient port in the Nea* poll can- territories. He* particular^ ized Messina as the most eligible, and stated, that the required esta blishment would comprise an hos pital, a depot for naval stores, and some telegraph stations. The Nea politan Government, affecting not to peiceive the drift of the demand couched in these terms, thought it was impossible to misapprehend it, requested of*Mr. Pinckney to in form whether the establishment was to be considered as an avow ed government concern, or whe ther it was to be on the footing the establishments of private in dividuals. Mr. Pinckney, with~ out hesitation, intimated, that it must be regarded as a goveinment establishment. T he Neapolitan government, on receiving this * ex planation, rejected the demand in toto ; intimating, at the same time, there would be no objection to the agents of the United States government keeping naval stores in the Neapolitan dominions, on the footing of the ordinary mercantile depots. The neogciations, uitlt regard to the confiscated vessels terminated in a manner equally un* satisfactory to Mr. Pinckney. FOREIGN NEWS* The great press of domestic matter excludes much foreign ^hicji has been lately received, none of it, hdwevd*, is of much consequence. "The disturbances in England had subsided. Parlia ment was called, to begin sitting on the 29th of January. Sixteen or eighteen regiments were to be ? disbanded, and all supernumerary officers to be discharged. France had negotiated a loan with Eng land to fill the budget. for 1817. Spain is. making great exertions to fit out marine* armaments to sail with troops ; for South-America Forty transports with . 2500 men sailed from Cadiz on the 4th, Janu-r ary for Vera 8000 were rca~ dy to .sail from St Marie for Hue nos Ayres. Along with these will be sent twelve commissioners, six destined for Mexico, and a like nurn* ber for Buenos, to^ propose te/ms of reconciliation .between Spain and I the Patriots. The latest accounts from the Patriots do not present very cheering details. The Royal ists have gained Some advantages, owing it appears, to the great wane