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  Places Fortes, et Retranchements, 1789, in 8vo. 7. De la Force Militaire Considerée dans ces Rapports Conservateurs, 1790, in 8vo. 8. Considerations Militaires et Politiques sur les Fortifications, 1795, in 8vo. This work was published at the expence of the Government, and contains a sort of digest of all his observations and opinions on military subjects.—See Biographie Moderne, Tom. I. and Biographie Universelle, Tom. II. ARCY, Member of the Academy of Sciences of Paris, a general officer in the French army, Chevalier of the order of St Louis, &c. was born in Ireland in 1725. His parents, in consequence of their attachment to the House of Stuart, left Ireland, and settled in France. He studied Mathematics with distinguished success under Clairaut the elder, and had tor his fellow-student the celebrated Clairaut the son. He obtained a commission in the French army; and, in 1746, was embarked in the expedition which was intended to make a descent in Scotland. He was made prisoner, and was treated like other prisoners of war, no notice being taken of his having been born a British subject. He continued attached to the House of Stuart during the whole of his life.

In 1760, he published his Essay on Artillery. To estimate the force of the explosion of gun-powder, he employed a cannon suspended, so that the arc of vibration described by it on its being fired, was a measure of the force of explosion. To measure the initial velocity of a projectile, he used Robins’s machine. Robins showed, that when the velocity of a projectile is great, the resistance opposed by the air is not in proportion to the square of the velocity, as is the case when the velocity is small. D’Arcy made experiments with a view of ascertaining this law, but without success. His work contains an account of experiments made by him to determine the most advantageous length of cannon. He published a paper on hydraulic machines in 1754, where he treats of the maximum of effect of water-wheels. He also published a paper concerning the duration of the impression of light on the retina. He found that the revolution of a luminous point must be rapid, so as to be performed in $8⁄60$ of a second at the least, in order to produce the appearance of a continued luminous circle.

He was of a handsome figure, and passed much of his time in the gay world. A short time before his death he married a young lady his niece, and took the title of Count. Although attached to the House of Stuart, and therefore inimical to the English Government, yet he admired the national character of the English, and was attentive to English travellers. He died in 1779, and was succeeded at the Academy by the Abbé Bossut.

 ARGYLESHIRE, or, an extensive County in the west of Scotland, is usually described under two great divisions,—the mainland, and such of the Western Islands as are politically attached to it. It is of the former only, that we propose to give some account at present, referring to the article for the Islands noted below, which form a part of this County.

The mainland of Argyleshire, situate between 55° 21′ and 57° north latitude, and between 1° 22′ and 3° 25′ of longitude west from Edinburgh, is bounded by Inverness-shire on the north, by the Shires of Perth and Dumbarton on the east, by the Irish Sea on the south, and by the Atlantic Ocean on the west; the Firth of Clyde, which separates it from the Shire of Renfrew, forming its boundary on the southeast. Its greatest length, from the Mull of Kintyre on the south, to the point of Ardnamurchan on the north, is 115 miles; its breadth above 68; and from the windings of the numerous bays and creeks with which the land is everywhere indented, it is supposed to have more than 600 miles of sea-coast. Of 27 parishes into which the mainland of Argyleshire is divided, two of which belong in part to Inverness-shire, only one is altogether inland. The extent of this part of the County, of which the land comprehends 2200 square miles, and the lakes 60, is equal to about one-thirteenth part of the whole af Scotland.—Having pointed out the principal divisions, and given a general view of the surface in the article in the body of the work, we shall here confine our notices to the industry and condition of its inhabitants.

The only crops cultivated to any extent on the mainland of Argyleshire, are bear or bigg, oats, and potatoes. A little wheat is raised near Campbelltown, and in other parts of Kintyre; and a few patches of turnips are occasionally seen, but chiefly on the farms of proprietors. Clovers also, though more frequent, have not yet come into extensive culture, notwithstanding these, and other green crops, are better adapted, both to the climate and the leading branches of the husbandry of the country, than grain. The principal object in the culture of bigg is the supply of the distilleries. The great body of the inhabitants live almost exclusively on oatmeal and potatoes; of the former of which they have been in the practice of importing about 20,000 bolls (of 140 lbs.) annually. Considerable progress, indeed, has been made of late in the improvement of agriculture, but this is necessarily limited by the small proportion of land fit for profitable cultivation; there being only 125,000 acres arable out of 1,408,000 which this part of Argyleshire contains; as well as by the mode in which, till very lately, farms were held—without leases—and for performance of many vexatious services. Even, at this time, we cam recognise in Argyleshire the prominent features of the feudal ages,—a few great proprietors, and a numerous tenantry, indolent and poor. Of the valued rent, taken in 1751, of the mainland, with four small Islands, amounting to L. 9924, 8s. 1d., almost a fourth belongs to two