Caleb Atwater, Esq. of Circleville, Ohio, is engaged in writing Notes on the State of Ohio, a work which is intended to embrace the most important features and interests of this new and rising State. To this laudable effort, and to that of the Western Museum Society, whose address is published above, we cordially wish success. From the zeal, talent, and industry of the gentlemen concerned, we have every reason to expect a happy result. We view, with much satisfaction, the efforts which have been already made, and are rapidly increasing, to bring to light the resources, and to develope the history, of the western States; and it will always give us pleasure, if through the medium of this Journal, or in any other manner, we can contribute to promote them. ART. XXIV. _Extract of a Letter from Colonel Gibbs to the Editor._ SUNSWICK, June, 1818. DEAR SIR, Since I saw you, I have made only one experiment on magnetism. I determined the power of my magnet, as it had been shut up in the dark for a long time, and lying down. I then exposed it to the rays of the sun, also lying down, and remote from the iron support, and I found that it had gained 12 oz. power in 40 minutes, and 14 oz. power only in five hours. ART. XXV. _A New Lamp, without Flame._ From the Annals of Philosophy for March, 1818. Communicated by Mr. THOMAS GILL. This lamp is one of the results of the new discoveries in chemistry. It has been found, by Sir H. Davy, that a fine platina wire, heated red hot, and held in the vapour of ether, would continue ignited for some time; but, I believe, no practical use has been made of this fact. If a cylindrical coil of thin platina wire be placed, part of it round the cotton wick of a spirit lamp, and part of it above the wick, and the lamp be lighted, so as to heat the wire to redness; on the flame being blown out, the vapour of the alcohol will keep the upper part of the wire _red hot_, for any length of time, according to the supply of alcohol, and with little expenditure thereof; so as to be in constant readiness to kindle German fungus, or paper prepared with nitre, and, by this means, to light a sulphur match at pleasure. This lamp affords sufficient light to show the hour of the night by a watch, and to perform many other useful services; but does not hinder the repose of persons unaccustomed to keep a light burning in their bed-room, nor does it require to be snuffed.