44

MANUFACTURES.

^Manu find, except in the process of heading, if time alone is considered, that the human hand v Sec * -is more rapid. Three thousand six hundred pins are pointed by the Machine in onehour, whilst a man can point fifteen thousand six hundred in the same time. But in theprocess of heading the rapidity of the Machine is two and a half times that of thehuman hand.

It must, however, be observed, that the process of grinding does not require the appli-cation of force to the Machine equal to that of one man, for all the processes we havedescribed are executed at once by the Machine , and one labourer can easily work it.

Such an One of the first advantages which suggests itself as likely to arise from a correctpoint's out analysis of the expense of the several processes of any Manufacture, is the indicationthrechTof which it furnishes of the course in which improvement should be directed. If any!S? ve " method should be contrived of diminishing by one-fourth the time required for fixing onthe heads of the pins, the expense of making them would be reduced about thirteen percent., whilst a reduction of one-half the time employed in spinning the coil of wire out ofwhich the heads are cut, would scarcely make any sensible difference in the cost of theManufacture of the whole article. It is therefore obvious, that the attention would bemuch more advantageously directed to shortening the former than the latter process.

We have already alluded to a circumstance which may to some of our readers appear,perhaps, paradoxical, that the division of labour can be applied with equal success tomental operations, and that it ensures, by its adoption, the same economy o.f time.Perhaps a short account of its practical application, in the most extensive series of calcu-lations ever executed, will offer an interesting illustration of this fact, whilst it at the sameDivision of time affords an occasion for showing that the arrangements which ought to regulate theliedToMmd. interior economy of a Manufactory, are founded on principles of deeper root than hadbeen anticipated, and are capable of being usefully employed in paving the road tosome of the sublimest speculations of the Human Mind .

In the midst of that excitement which accompanied the Revolution of France and thesucceeding wars, the ambition of the Nation, unexhausted by a too fatal passion formilitary renown, was at the same time directed to the nobler and more permanenttriumphs which mark the era of a People’s greatness; which receive the applause of agrateful posterity long after their conquests have been wrested from them; and whichperpetuate it to times when their existence as a Nation is told only by the page of History

Amongst their enterprises of Science , the French Government was desirous of produ-cing a series of Mathematical Tables of general use, which should facilitate the extensionof the decimal system they had so recently adopted. They directed, therefore, theirMathematicians to construct “ le monument de Calcul, le plus vaste et le plus imposant“ qui etit jamais ete execute ou meme con^u.”

Their most distinguished Philosophers , responding fully to their Country’s call, creatednew methods for the laborious task, and a Work, completely answering the large demandsof the Government, was produced in a remarkably short period of time.

M. Prony, to whom the superintendence of the whole was confided, in speaking of itscommencement, observes : “ Jem’y livrai avec toute Fardeur dontj'etois capable, et je moc-