It appeared therefore to the Committee, upon full consideration of the evidence, that certain regulations might be adopted which would secure the artificer from all the danger which he apprehends, without subjecting the tanner to the vexatious inquisition of a needy and interested informer; to the loss of credit and immediate remittances, by the seizure and detention of his goods; and to a penalty so enormous as total confiscation: and, with a view to the repeal of the existing law, they have laboured to frame such regulations as they conceive will prove effective, without being open to the same objections.

They have farther considered, that the clauses which direct in what manner leather shall be curried, and in what manner wares shall be wrought of leather, are vexatious and absurd. The consumer is not liable to imposition in that respect, and the interest of the artificer, who must understand the mystery of his own craft better than the legislature, is the best security to the public. They, however, conceive it adviseable, for the purpose of upholding the reputation of our Export Trade, to continue a penalty upon leather insufficiently tanned, and perhaps upon boots and shoes made of sheep-skin, which are deceitful articles, and not easily distinguishable by the purchaser; but a periodical search of the premises of the currier and cordwainer, for the purpose of seizure and confiscation, as enjoined by the Act of James, must be either nugatory, or extremely irksome and oppressive.

The Committee having stated their observations as far as they deemed necessary, and having fully considered the Act, and the petitions referred to them, concurred in the following Resolutions.

1. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the said Act ought to be repealed, and that other regulations ought to be adopted, which will effectually secure the purchasers of leather, without being oppres

sive to the manufacturers; and they have annexed to their report the substance of such regulations as they have thought it their duty to suggest.

2. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the fourth section of the 13th and 14th Charles II. ch. 7, which directs that all leather shall be brought to market to be searched and sealed, ought to be repealed.

3. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the 13th section of the same Act, which directs that every artificer buying red tanned leather in or near London, shall give notice thereof to one or more of the Company of Curriers, and deliver up the same within a eertain time, to be curried according to the directions of the Act of James, ought to be repealed.

4. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the fourteenth section of the same Act, which directs that the Master and Wardens of the Company of Curriers, or persons appointed by them, shall search the premises of the cordwainers, ought to be repealed.

5. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the tenth section of the 9th Anne, ch. 11, which reenacts the greater part of the said Act of James, ought to be repealed.

6. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the 24th Geo. III. Session 2, ch. 19, which declares that so much of the Act of James which is recited in the 9th of Anne, extends to every part of Great Britain, and specially declares that no tanner fhall exercise the trade of a currier, shoemaker, butcher, or other artificer occupying the cutting or working of leather, ought to be repealed; excepting so much thereof as forbids a tanner from exercising the trade of a shoemaker, or other artificer occupying the cutting or working of leather; which the Committee recommend the House to refer to the consideration of the Board of Excise.

7. Re

7. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the Chairman be directed to move the House, that leave be given to bring in a bill concerning tanners, curriers, shoe-makers, and other artificers occupying the cutting of leather; for the removal of certain penalties and restrictions, and for the better regulations of the sale of leather.

The Regulations suggested by the Committee as the basis of future Laws respecting the Leather Trade will be inserted in our next Number.

Jo

List of Patents for Inventions, &c.

(Continued from Vol. XI. Page 464.)

ohn Dickinson, of the parish of St. Martin Ludgate, in the city of London, Stationer; for making common cartridge paper, manufactured on an improved principle. Dated Nov 12, 1807.

JOSEPH JEWELL, of Stratford, in the county of Essex, Chemist; for a method of preparing or reducing to an impalpable powder, for medicinal use, the substance commonly called or known by the name of Colomel, whereby the process usually employed of levigating the same is rendered unnecessary. Dated Nov. 17, 1807.

WILLIAM LESTER, of Paddington Green, in the parish of Paddington, in the county of Middlesex, Engineer; for various farther improvements on an engine or machine for separating corn, seeds, and pulse from the straw and chaff, and for which said engine or machine the said William Lester obtained his Majesty's letters patent, dated January 16, 1805. Dated Nov. 21, 1807.

SAMUEL ROBERTS, of Sheffield, in the county of York, Silver Plater; for a toast-tray, capable of being contracted or expanded at pleasure. Dated Nov. 28, 1807.

Specification of the Patent granted to WILLIAM CHAPMAN, of the Town and County of the Town of Newcastle-uponTyne, Civil Engineer, and EDWARD WALTON CHAPMAN, of the same Place, Rope-maker; for a Method or Methods of making a Belt or flat Band for the Purpose of drawing Coals or other Minerals up the Pits or Shafts of Mines, and for raising of heavy Articles in any Situation whatever. Dated October 30, 1807.

With a Plate.

To all to whom these presents shall come, &c. Now KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we the said William Chapman and Edward Walton Chapman do hereby describe and ascertain the nature of our said invention to be as follows; namely: First, in the combination of two or any greater number of strands of shroud-laid rope laid side by side, so as to form any determinate breadth of belt or flat band; and secondly in the peculiar machinery for facilitating its formation. A strand of a shroud-laid rope is the first combination of the VOL. XII.-SECOND SERIES.

M

yarns

yarns, which are twisted together round one common axis, so as to form a compact cylindric mass; and the common shroud-laid rope is formed of three of these strands twisted together the contrary way to the twist of the strand; which for common purposes is necessary, although the loss of strength is so considerable, that exclusive of the reduction of length from being made into a rope, the strength of two strands made in such a way as to make all the yarns bear an equal tension, or nearly so, will, when laid side by side, be nearly equal to that of three such strands combined in a rope; from which circumstance the chief advantage arises in forming the strands into belts, instead of making them into ropes.

Having explained the advantage the public may derive from the use of these belts, we now proceed to shew what appears to be the best method of putting them together, and then to describe the machinery we have invented for that purpose. The belts will be best composed of an equal number of strands, each alternate one twisted the contrary way to the other, so as to counteract the tendency they would otherwise have to twist round one another. It is also eligible that the yarns for the differently twisted strands should be twisted contrary ways. Four, six, or eight strands will form the most convenient belt, but each extreme verges towards its respective disadvantage: viz. if liable to be chafed, the broad belt will be soonest injured; but, on the other hand, the narrow belts, from the necessarily increased thickness of the strands, will sooner destroy themselves by bending over the pulleys.

In forming the flat belts, attention should be paid to the strands being all brought to an equal tension before they are combined together, which combination may be done in any manner at the pleasure of the manufacturer.

They