Several parts of Wales, especially in the neighbourhood of the Severn, have suffered much from the inundations at the early part of the month.

The upper arch of the celebrated Devil's Bridge, near Hafod, Cardiganshire, is broken down, and impassable by heavy vehicles a safe and temporary platform has been placed for travellers. The lower arch, and indeed the foundation of this picturesque and extraordinary structure (which is supposed to have been built seven centuries ago by the monks of Strata Florida Abbey), is still secure. The second arch, which overspans the other, was erected in 1753 at the expense of the county; and, in the year 1814, the patriotic Mr. Johnes of Hafod removed the lower parapets of crumbling stonework, and placed in their stead iron hand-rails and ornaments.

FOR PRODUCING A DRAUGHT OF AIR, out of the hold of a ship, or out of a mine shaft, or the top of a chimney, liable to smoke, it has been recommended by Capt. Warren, instead of a wind-sail, wind-trunk, or cowl, having a close and rounded back presented to the wind, to insert there a wide mouthed trumpet-shaped open tube, which shall, instead of excluding the wind from the top, conduct a condensed and brisk stream of air over the top of the pipe, shaft, or chimney, whose draught it is necessary to increase.

MINERAL TALLOW.

This rare substance, which was discover ed in Finland in 1736, has lately been found in a bog on the borders of Loch-Fye, in Scotland. It has the colour and feel of tallow, and is tasteless. It melts at 118 degrees, and boils at 280 degrees; when melted, it is transparent and colourless; on cooling, becomes spongy and white, though not so much so as at first. It is insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol, oil of tur pentine, olive oil, and naptha, while these liquids are hot; but it is precipitated again when they cool. Its specific gravity in its natural stale, is 0-6076, but the tallow is full of air bubbles; and after fusion, which disengages the air, the specific gravity is 0.983 which is rather higher than tallow. It does not combine with alkalies,

nor form soap. Thus it differs from every class of bodies known-from the fixed oils in not forming soap, and from the volatile oils and bitumens in being tasteless and destitute of smell. Its volatility and combustibility are equal to those of any volatile oil or naptha.

RADISH.

The boiled roots of this vegetable form an excellent dish when served up as aspa

ragus.

SURGERY.

Dr. Barnes, of Carlisle, has published in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal for October 1824, a detailed account of the case of William Dempster, the unfortunate man whose death was occasioned by swalwhile performing some juggling tricks in lowing a table-knife, nine inches long, that city. We find in this statement no material addition to what we have already published Dr. Barnes describes several propositions made by the Carlisle surgeons for discharging the knife; but he have been performed. He says, “It is himself thinks that an operation should much to be regretted that Dempster could neither be prevailed upon to submit to an operation, nor to remain in Carlisle. As an operation succeeded nearly two centuries ago, when surgery was in a very imperfect state, it is highly probable that, under the present improved state of surgery, a similar operation would have been attended with success The many valuable improvements that have been introduced into surgery, both in the operative part and in the subsequent mode of treatment, must give the moderns a decided advantage over the ancients in the success of their operations Had he remained in Carlisle even though no operation had been performed, it is very probable his life would have been spared much longer than it actually was. He became weak and emaciated; but, as has been before stated, was able to walk about the town; and the stomach had, in some degree, become accustomed to the presence of the knife. The handle, and perhaps the blade also, would be dissolving, so that the bulk would be diminished; and if the knife had not been altogether removed in this way, it would have produced less irritation, and he might have lived a considerable time. There is even some probability that the knife might, in the course of time, have made its way through the stomach and parietes of the abdomen, by inflammation, abscess, and ulceration, as extraneous bodies have been frequently brought from various internal parts to the external surface by these processes, or by what some surgeons have termed progressive absorption."