s of two kinds; *à beneficio, et ab officio.*

Deprivation *à beneficio* is, when for some great crime a minister is wholly and forever deprived of his living or preferment; which differs from suspension, in that the latter is only temporary.

Deprivation *ab officio* is, when a minister is forever deprived of his order; which is the same, in reality, with what we otherwise call deposition and degradation; and is usually for some heinous crime deserving death, and is performed by the bishop in a solemn manner. See DEGRADATION.

**DEPTFORD,** a town of Kent in England, considerable for its fine docks, and for the king's yard and storehouses. It was anciently called Welf Greenwich. It is divided into Upper and Lower Deptford, and has two parish churches. Here is an hospital, incorporated by Henry VIII. called Trinity house of Deptford Strand. The brethren of the Trinity House hold their corporation by this hospital, and are obliged, at certain times, to meet here for business. It contains 21 houses; a more modern structure, and a finer one, called Trinity Hospital, contains 38. Both these are for decayed pilots, or masters of ships, or their widows, who have a handsome monthly allowance. Deptford is four miles east of London. E. Lon. o. 4. N. Lat. 51. 30.

**DEPTH,** the measure of any thing from the surface downwards.

**Measuring of Depths by the Barometer,** depends on the same principles on which heights are measured by the same instrument. The mensuration of depths being chiefly applied to mines, is still more precarious than the mensuration of heights, on account of the various kinds of vapours with which these subterraneous regions are filled. But for a particular account of these difficulties, with the best methods of obviating them, see BAROMETER and MINES.

**Depth of a Squadron, or Battalion,** is the number of men in a file; which in a squadron is three, and in a battalion generally six. See SQUADRON, FILE, &c.

We say, the battalion was drawn up fix deep; the enemy's horse was drawn up five deep.

**DEPURATION,** is the freeing of any fluid from its heterogeneous matter or feculence. It is of three kinds: 1. Decantation; which is performed by letting the liquor to be depurated stand for sometime in a pretty deep vessel, till the grols sediment has fallen to the bottom; after which the clear fluid is poured off. 2. Delfumation; which is performed by means of the whites of eggs, or other viscid matter, and is also called CLARIFICATION. 3. Filtration; which is effected by passing the fluid through cloth or porous paper.

**DEPURATORY FEVER,** a name given by Sydenham to a fever which prevailed much in the years 1661, 1662, 1663, and 1664. He called it depuratory, because he supposed that nature regulated all the symptoms in such a manner, as to fit the febrile matter, prepared by proper concoction, for expulsion in a certain time, either by a copious sweat or a freer perspiration.

**DEPUTATION,** a mission of select persons, out of a company or body, to a prince or assembly, to treat of matters in their name.

**DEPUTY,** a person sent upon some business by some community.

Deputy is also one that exercises an office in another's right; and the forfeiture or misdemeanor of such deputy shall cause the person whom he represents to lose his office.

**DEPUTATUS,** among the ancients, a name applied to persons employed in making armour; and likewise to brisk active people, whose business was to take care of the wounded in engagements, and carry them off the field.

**DER,** a syllable frequently prefixed to the names of places in England. It is said to signify that such were formerly places where wild beasts herded together, so called from the Saxon, *deop, fera,* unless the situation was near some river.

**DERBEND,** a strong town of Asia, in Persia, said to have been founded by Alexander the Great. The walls are built with stones as hard as marble; and near it are the remains of a wall which reached from the Caspian to the Black sea. It is seated near the Caspian sea, at the foot of Mount Caucasus. E. Long. 50. o. N. Lat. 42. 8.

**DERBY,** the capital of a county of the same name in England. It is thought to have received its name for being formerly a park or shelter for deer; and what makes this supposition more probable is, that the arms of the town consist of a buck couchant in a park. It is very ancient, having been a royal borough in the time of Edward the Confessor. At present it is a neat town, very populous, and sends two members to parliament. Derbyshire liament. In digging for foundations of houses, human bones of a monstrous size have sometimes been found. The trade consists in wool, corn, malt, and ale, of which considerable quantities are sent to London. Here also is that curious machine for throwing silk, the model of which Sir Thomas Lombe, at the hazard of his life, brought from Italy. Before that time, the English merchants used to purchase thrown silks of the Italians for ready money. But by the help of this wonderful machine, one hand mill will twist as much silk as 50 people could do without it. It works 73,726 yards of silk every time the water-wheel goes round, which is thrice in a minute. The house in which it is contained is five or six stories high, and half a quarter of a mile in length. When Sir Thomas's patent expired in 1732, the parliament were so sensible of the value and importance of the machine, that they granted him a farther recompense of 14,000l. for the hazard and expense he had incurred in introducing and erecting it, upon condition he should allow an exact model of it to be taken. This model is deposited in the Tower of London, in order to prevent so curious and important an art from being lost. The town of Derby is watered by a river and a brook; the latter of which has nine bridges over it, the former only one. Derby gives title of earl to the noble family of Stanley, being the second earldom in England. W. Long. i. 45. N. Lat. 52. 57.