The Press. — London, England, 1857-02-28 00:00:00

FEBRUARY 28, 1857. politician he was integer ecelerieque punts, which is saying a great deal, considering that he lived at a time when detection and treason were common ; but it does not attempt to make him the centre of events in which he figured ; nay, it does not, as it is almost allowable for biographies to do, exaggerate the part he played on any occa sion. At the same time, it is studded with anecdotes of historical interest, all of which there is reason to believe true, and most of which aro decidedly new ; and it gives, with out quitting the fair limits of biography, a vivid and brilliant, yet perfectly correct, pic ture of the epoch of the Restoration, in which the general played a leading part, and which is one of not the least remarkable periods in the annals of France. In style the work is simple, unaffected, and elegant. Here, as a specimen of our author's manner, is an account of an interview which Coutard had with Napoleon, after he had, as colonel of the Oth Regiment, been obliged to capitulate at Ratisbonne to much inferior forces : When he entered the Emperor's cabinet. Napoleon raised his eyes from maps whioh were spread out before him, and fixed on him eyes which flashed like lightning. " Where is your regiment ?" he cried. " What have you lone with my soldiers ?" Strong in his conscience, and in the knowledge of his bravery, Coutard said, " Sire, I had half of them slain !" " And the remainder ?" " The re mainder are prisoners, and I also." " Why are you not with them ?" " Because it pleased Prince John of Lich• tenstein to discharge me on parole with all my officers and the non•combatants !" " I cannot allow such things as that!" " Sire, hitherto such things have been considered a mark of esteem on the part of the enemy ; but if your Majesty forbids them they will become a fault." "And my eagle?' cried the Emperor, with impetuosity. " What have you done with my eagle?" " I have saved it, Sire! I received it from your Majesty in the Champ de Mars, and swore to defend it. You would never have seen me if I bad had the misfortune to lose it I" At these words, which were spoken with pride full of emotion, the Em peror became softened. " Ali!" cried he, " that alters the case—that alters the case ! How did you manage?" " buried it, Sire, but the damp earth has not stained it, for it was enveloped in two flags taken from the enemy !" And, without asking permission, Coutard rushed from the room and took from a soldier, who was in waiting, the two flags in which the eagle was wrapped up. Ile then unrolled the flags before Napoleon, and showed him the eagle. The Emperor smiled, and several times exclaimed, " That alters the case !" A strange tale is told of the late Sir R. Peel, but it seems to us to repose on some error of persons:— In his perilous station before Lisbon Coutard had a singular adventure with a man belonging to a family which has obtained great celebrity in our times. Occasionally some hours of truce were accorded between the English army and the French. The soldiers of both armies took advantage of them to walk in the plain, in which were nu- merous lig-trees, and those trees were spared neither by French nor English. When once the hours of the armis• Lice had expired, each man resumed his post, and woe to stragglers, for they were unceremoniously captured. One day the soldiers of the 65th brought to the colonel a young Englishman who had allowed himself to be caught beneath one of the fig trees. He declared that he did not form part of the army, but that he had come in a pleasure yacht to witness the manceuvres and to form a correct idea of military operations. He was the son of a rich manufac turer of London, and earnestly prayed to be released. This young man displayed remarkable intelligence; his conver• sation was full of charm, and, in spite of British reserve, lie displayed correct knowledge and elevated views. The colonel, pleased with his prisoner, showed him the most exquisite courtesy, bnt he could not take on himself to set him at liberty. He therefore took him to the marshal, and the latter, on his prayer, consented to release him. The prisoner gave his name :—he wis of the Peel family, perh.tpa the one who became First Minister of Great Britain. In a note to this passage the author adds : The English Government felt at that time the greatest anxiety with regard to the fate of Lord Wellington. It is post;ible that Sir Robert Peel, though quite young, but already Under-Secretary of State of Marine, was anxious to ascertain for himself the state of the army. In spite of the praise we have given the book, we must not omit to mention that it contains several little errors that ought to have been avoided, and that it gives numerous instances of that naive French vanity which, though impertinent to foreigners, only makes them laugh. As a specimen of the errors, it may be stated that the birth of Byron is re presented to have taken place in 1769, the " natal era of Chateaubriand and Napoleon ;" and, as a specimen of the vanity, it will suffice to quote three lines : Even in the excursions into the woods (of Portugal) to seek for provisions, the generous character of our soldiers shelved its pre-eminence over that of the English! THE PRESS. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.—Fan. 26. BOOXB. The American Catalogue of Bouke ; or, English Guide to American Literature Sampson and Son Isabel. A Poem. Crez. Saunders and Otley Christianity and Infidelity. Hall and Virtue Going Abroad; or, Glimpses of Art and Character in France and Italy. Skeet Campbell's Lives of the Chancellors. John Lord Campbell, LL.D., F.R.S.E. Murray Remarks on the Late War with Russia. Stanford Withers's Poems. Vol. I. and IL Macintosh Report of the Condition and Progress of the Queen's Univer• sity in Ireland. Thom and Sons Of Nature and .lrt in the cure of Disease. Sir John Forbes, M A. Churchill Three Years in California. J. D. Borthwick. Blackwoods Mernoire by the Right lion. Sir Robert Peel, Burt., M.P. M urray Married for Love. By the Author of " Cousin Geoffrey,' &c. 3 vols. Hurst and Blaekett PAMPHLETS. The Second Congress,anilihekussian Claim to the Isle of Serpents and Bolgrad. J. Ridgway--Education Difficulties, How they are to be Met. Hatt:hard—Metropolitan Comma. nications and Thames Bridges. Stanford—A Letter to Viscount Palmerston, E.G., from Lady Franklin. Ridgway —Fashion's Forte; or, the Conventional World. J. E. Adlard—Nults on the Geology, Mineralogy, and Springs of England and Wales. Longmans—A Review of the Judy went of the Right Hon. Sir John Dodson, Kist., D.C.L. Charles Francis Trower, Esq., M.A. J. T. Hayes—lie marks on the Proposed ',iteration of the Law of Naval Prizes. J. W. Parker and Son—Composition and Elocution. Samuel Neil. Houlston and Wright—Hine's Patent Self Breaking Perambulator. Dodd and Company—The Marcy Convention. Thacker and Co.—Hardwicke's Shilling Baronetage fur 1857. Hardwicke—Revised English Version of the Holy Scriptures. American Bible Union. Triitrner —The Sergeant Philosopher. Longmans—.4n Inquiry into the Origin of the Liverpool Town Dues. Richardson—The Hudson's Bay Company, Canada West, and the Indian Tribes. Richardson—A Few Words on the Question, Whether there is by Law any Effective Control over the Public Expenditure Ridgway—The Late War. A Christian. Booth—Proceed. ings the Royal Geographical Society of London. Stan- Crd Third Letter to J. A. Roebuck, Esq , M.P. Maynooth. A Dialogue. S. li. Aldham Educa. tional Difficulties. Hatehard—Suggestions on the Treat ment and Disposal of Criminals. Hatchard-7'urkey and the Crimea. Hatchard—The Oude Question. Smith and Co. Algeria in 18.50. Viscount Cranborne. J. Mitchell —Physic and the Phases. Simpkin and Marshall—The Euphrates Valley Route to India. Sampson Low and Co. —.4 Letter to the Right lion. Robed Vernon Smith, M.P. Benning—London Sewerage. E. Wilson—Lord Brougham's Speech on the Property of Married Women. Ridgway— Culvertvell r. Sidebuttom. Wilson—Proceedings of Vie Students' Literary and Scientific Society, Bombay.— The Report of the President of the Queen's College, Gal way, IKSII. Thom and Sons—What is to be Dune with our Criminals. Hall and Virtue—A Letter to the Right Hon. Lord Panmure—Financial Reform. Longmans—The New Palaces of Administration. Macmillan and Co.—Econo. mics I Causes of Slavery in the United States. Hardwicke —Opium Revenue of India. Seeley and Jackson—The Bombardment of Canton. Effingham Wilson. AN INTERESTING PAPER by General Monteith was read at a recent meeting of the Geogra phical Society. General Monteith described the position of Bushire and the surrounding country. Bushire itself is scantily supplied with water, nor can a good supply be obtained at a less distance than two miles. Along the shore, at a distance varying from ten to thirty miles, there is a tract of low arid land at the foot of the mountains, which rise imme diately from it. Those mountains present a formid able appearance ; but General Monteith is of opinion they are not so impracticable for an army as they appear to be, as there are several passes through which artillery might be transported without much difficulty. The height of the highest passes is com puted to be about 5,000 feet. General Monteith stated that the mountain tribes are warlike, and friendly to the English ; and, being in a great degree independent of Persia, he believes that they would join our standard. Sir H. Rawlinson spoke at considerable length in illustration of the ancient history, the physical geography, and the productive ness of the country. After sketching the history of the country to the present time, Sir H. Rawlinson described its general appearance. All along the western shore the land is exceedingly arid, but on the north of the Gulf there is a large extent of the most. fertile country in the world, extending to Schuza, near the foot of the mountains. If the war should continue, this portion of the country would in all probability be taken possession of by our armies, as it is very accessible, and capable of being occupied with advantage. It was a mistaken notion to suppose that the English intended to enter Persia by crossing the mountain range to the east of Bushire, which Sir H. Rawlinson considered more impracticable than General Monteith appeared to do, and would, he said, present a must formidable barrier if held by a warlike enemy. Mr. Layard described the people in the country on the north o the Gulf as a superior class of men, though some what given to thieving, and in his long intercourse with them they manifested great friendship for the English nation. Before the close of the proceedings 211 Sir Henry Rawlinson was called upon to explain the position of Herat, which be did very graphically, and observed that it would be impossible to reach Herat by the Persian Gulf; but there would not be much difficulty in taking it by a British force march ing from India. It would be impossible, however, for a British force to hold it withont deporting all the present inhabitants of the country. Sir Henry Itawlinson stated that Herat never belonged to Persia; and it might, in fact, be more correctly stated that Persia belonged to Herat. The country around it is one of the most fruitful in Asia, and could maintain a large army for many months. gloneg 41arhet nab 6itg '►tttUigcitce. FRIDAY EVRNINO. Tint return of the Bank of England for the week ending the 21st inst., shows the following cuauges compared with that for the week preceding : Decrease in Circulation Increase in Public Deposits _ 367,683 Decrease in Other Deposits .. Decrease in Government Securities 14,796 Decrease in Other Securities Increase in Bullion Decrease iu Rest Increase in Reserve Bullion in Both Departments .. 10,404,693 Circulation, including Bank Punt Bills The present return, as shown by this comparison, is one of a favourable character. The Bullion shows a con siderable increase, part of which is owing to the purchases made out of the Australian arrivals last week, and part to the return of coin from Ireland. The aggregate stock new exceeds 10,400,0001. The Reserve also allows a great Merrier, and it is obvious that the Batik is gaining strength in this respect, notwithstanding the demand for money out of doors. The public balances continue to enlarge. But, on. the other hand, the Private Deposits show a falling off, and a small amount of stock has been sold. On the whole, however, this comparison suggests an opinion that unless circumstances secure to arrest improvement, the current rates of discount may possibly be modified. The improved aspect of the Money Market noticed last week has continued in the present, hut without pro ducing a reduction in the rates. There is a greater expectation, however, of ease in the supplies, of which the open market will probably derive the full benefit imme diately after the commercial bills at maturity in the early part of next week have been provided for. As to the Bank reducing its rate, that, notwithstanding the character of the week's returns, will depend upon the arrivals of the precious metals. If large amounts conic in from Australis, the Directors will probably accept lower terms at once. But at present, notwithstanding the state of the exchanges, the competition of the Bank of France absorbs all that comes. The market, too, has been kept in an unsettled state by the policy of the Government with respect to the public establishments capable of reduction, and by the anxieties that have arisen out of the unfortunate business at Canton. No one can tell NI hat will happen. Capitalists, under these circumstances, act with extreme reserve at one time, and with something like extreme confidence at another. The consequence is very considerable irregularity, though upon the whole a better feeling has certainly prevailed. In some eases during the earlier part of the week the best bills were done at five and a half per cent, and even yesterday one or two houses were discounting below the thank minimum. But these rates are exceptional. The general run is six per cent. At the same time the demand has been heavy. This indeed was but natural considering the near approat h of the 4th, and that while the railway and foreign settle • ments in the Stock Exchange have but just terminated, that in Consols takes place next week. On the Stock Exchange to-day the current rates were seven per cent. The commotion in the tea and sugar trades, caused by the Government proposing to increase the duties on those articles, instead of economising charge in the more costly public departments, is unabated ; and their cause is to be taken up by Lord John Russell, who has undertaken the office perfunctorily, in order to preserve the remaining shreds of his popularity in the City. The noble lord is to move that the duly on tea be fixed at Is. 4d. per lb. fur three years, and then fall to Is. This effectually raises the question between l)owning•street and Mincing•lane. Mr. Gladstone will previously move a resolution to the effect that the house will not grant any additional duties upon tea and sugar. It is quite likely that the oppositinu so threatened will compel a reconsideration of the entire budget; but in the City it is expected that Lord Miners ton and Sir C. Lewis will first refuse, and then yield, throwing all the responsibility of their weakness upon the house. They will, in other words, do anything rather than economise in the first instance ; and, in the next, do anything rather than yield their places to men who have I,ot:tier sense or the necessity for maintaining faith with the. public in the matter of taxation, and for restraining the disposition of the public departments to unnecessary expenditure. Remaining in their places, and tinkering up the budget so as to make it passable, the Government, it is stated, will propose a reduction in the number of men in each of the line regiments until the army is brought down to about 15,000 men less than the number originally proposed to be voted. This report confirms the opinion expressed in our last that fear makes the Government squeezable, and that, in taking such a part, they are only Acting consistently with the traditions of the Whig party. With regard to the Canton business, though the Govern ment had a majority in the House of Lords last night, it is considered very doubtful whether they will be equally successful in the Commons.