About the year 1796 Mr. Chapman became a member of the Society of Civil Engineers, which at that time numbered amongst its members Watt, Jessop, and Rennie, and amongst its honorary associates Sir Joseph Banks, and other leading men of the day. In conjunction with Mr. Rennie, Chapman was then occupied in designing the London Docks, and subsequently the southern dock and basin at Hull. He was also engaged as engineer for the construction of Leith, Scarborough, and Seaham Harbours, the last named work being undertaken for the Marquis of Londonderry. In addition to his regular professional occupations, Mr. Chapman devoted a portion of his time to the publication of works bearing on engineering. Amongst the most important of these were the following: 'A Treatise on the various inventions for effecting ascents in rivers;' 'Hints on the necessity of Legislative interference for registering the extent of workings in the Coal Seams, and preventing such accidents as arise from want of that knowledge;' 'An Essay on Cordage;' and 'A Treatise on the preservation of Timber from premature decay.' Mr. Chapman also took out a patent for an improvement upon Captain Huddart's system of manufacturing ropes. This method was successfully carried into effect in all the rope grounds on the river Tyne, and in some of those on the Wear and Tweed. His next invention was for an expeditious and easily practicable method of lowering coal waggons, with their contents, immediately over the hatchways of ships, so as to prevent the great breakage of coals which attended the usual method of shooting them through long spouts; this system, after the expiration of the patent became universal upon the Tyne. Mr. Chapman possessed a robust constitution, and practised through life the most temperate habits; he was thus enabled to retain the full enjoyment of his faculties, and to continue employed upon various public works, in drainages, canals, and harbours, up till within a very short period of his decease, which occurred in 1832, in the eighty-third year of his age.--_Life of Chapman._ London, John Weale. SIR WILLIAM CONGREVE, BART., F.R.S. Born in Middlesex, May 20, 1772. Died May 3, 1828.