The National Register. — London, England, 1816-01-21 00:00:00

888 takes upon herself the al.(' it will lididty sap out of her hands. Corfu is indeed a sterile rock, but in streugth it held ly yields to the impregnable Malta ; and Cephalonia and Zante yield in abundance the finest fruits of the South. Besides this, the opposite coast, the native country of PYRUCTS and CASTIUOT, is in- . Whited by the boldest and most warlike people of the East (of Europe). There England will recruit ber armies, if the market in Germany should become too limited. " From this point she van act with energy, if, at some future time, a peighbour should have a mind to transplant into Greece the-be nefits of our civilization, our financial systems, our conscriptions. In a kw-days' sail froW Corfu an English fleet may be before the Dirdanel:es, and a co-operating army requires at most 14 days to dress Mount llwnins. Considerations of this kind have probably induced Austria to recognize the new Republic ; for it certainly has not escaped her counsellors that the sovereignty of the Adria tic is transferred from Venice to Corfu, and that a few armed boats will suffice to ruin the whole commerce of the Littorale. These seven islands lie on the coast of Albania, Lavadia, and the Morea, about 13 (German) square miles, and contain 200,000 inhabitants. They art-1. Corfu, by far the largest ; 2. Pero ; S. Santa Maura ; 4, Cephalonia; 5. Theali (the ancient Ithaca) ; 6. Zante ; 7. Cercigo. From the end of the 14th century to the Treaty of Campo Formic) (17th October, 1797), they belonged to the Republic of Venice, treated liko a cruel step-mother these countries, formerly a part of Greece. In the year 1799, they were conquereu by the Russians and the Turks, and formed into an Independent State, under the title of Republic of the Seven Islands. But they soon tell into the hands of the French, in which they remained till the tall of 13( ONAPARTE, when the Treaty of Paris has at last deter mined their fate. For the future happiness, for the natural im provement of the Islands, extraordinary advantages may be expec ted, and encourage the unhappy brethren sighing under the Turkish yoke at length to rise to the dignity of men. It almost seems as if the Mich A dies had expressly contrived this arrangement to bring about the Resurrection of Greece." BUONAPARTE. From a private correspondent, we have received the following particulnrs of Napoleon Buonparte, which may be relied upon : " He did not play at chess on board the ship dining his passage ; the general game was Lon, and at it no one lost more than 2 or 3 guineas at a sitting. He often lost, but was very much struck that on his birth.day he won every thinLr, and often reverted to it for days after. He says that when he attacked in the last campaign, he expected from the Duke of Wellington some able and skilful movements in retreat. All he wanted was a battle, and was sur prised to be indulged in his wish. He says he had decidedly gained the victory at Waterloo, and had anticipated, and completely pro vide.' for the advance of the Prussians; but flaying been obliged to advance in haste, he had no time to weed his army of the Royal istv, who were in it, and who took occasion of the moment of the last arlyance of the E:iglish to cry out sauce qui peut, "the Devil take the hindmost," and spread a panick. "He sUould otherwise have annihilated our army the next morning. He positively denies that he knew any thing about Capt. Wright, *r ever heard his Dame till Lortl Ebrington mentioned it at Elba. A letter from an Officer just returned from St. Helena says, that &lON AP A ItTE iS occupied during the day in writing the history of his life, and the evening Is devoted to walking in the arden with his Generals, and his society at Mr. BA LCOL nes. The only chance strangers have of conversing with him, is bv getting an introduction to Mr. BALCOLM, and stepping in as if by chance, in the evening. Our Captain, and several of our _passengers, by this means, have had long conversation with him; he talks upon every subject but those relating to politics, which he seems very desirous to avoid. He behaved with great politeness to the Ladies, who have been echoing his raises ever since lie is very strictly watched by the Ad iral ; two sloops of war are constantly cruising off the island, he one the windward, and the other on the leeward sides, besides several guard boats; they are fortifying it in every pos bible direction. Ile however, entertains the idea of being' , Vps n+. JAN. 21. a , no distant period the Emperor Of FR AN C E he thinks it im possible that the French people can long sutler the Buutt soxs. The subjoined letter from St. Helena, describes the be haviour of Buonaparte since his arrival there, with a minute ut and accuracy whi h renders this communication unques tionably the hest which we have seen on this inte:esting sub- .Act. lie has at length began to feel a small portion of those pri‘ations and suberinns which, in the course of his famous and wicked life, he has wantonly heaped upon millions ! " St. Helena, Nov. '2O, 1815. 48 My last letter apprised you of our arrival here with Napo leon—his being safely housed on shore, amongst a race of peo ple whose surprise and consternation at the arrival ot such a visitor, could only be equalled by their desire to see him. " The topography of St. Helena must be pretty well known in England by this time. I have only to remark, that the imagination of man could not picture a more hideous aspect. than its external front.• It is inaccessible towaids the south from a perpendicular face and an eternal trade-Wind, which nine months of the year would deny shelter to a skiff in the only rocky little bay in that direction. On the north side, where ships anchor, there are several ravines or cliffs, with the ina.ginat rocks rising perpendicularly Woo feet, with the exception ot a ripping rill of water, and a few water-cresses, (the only inhabitants ot the-e dreary defiles); the surface is mouldering lavas. One of these ravines, in consequence of its having become the habitation of men, has assumed the name Of James's Valley. From the beach onwards, as far as the (UL L Y %vat admit, a row of tolera ble houses have been built, principally lot accomodation of the passengers on their way to India. The rocks which form the inlet are equally stupendous as the others. The labour ot ages has accomplished a path on each side to reach the summit. " The interest excited on aporoachin, this frightful island may be beyter imagined than described. I watched with eager curiosity the look of each individual whose days were consigned to dwindle here.—Madame Bei trand, with streanimge) me to look at it and pity her; she cast her eyes, on her hus band, then on her children, who were innocently playng on the quarter deck, seeming to say, am I at last destined to this? Napoleon even it with fortitude ; his looks, h's manners spoke it a place more damnable than he bargained for. Anxious as he was to get on shore, he did not quit us fora couple of days, and when he did I positively saw ►egret pictured in his face. The last word he uttered happened (from my being near him) to be addressed to me; the Admiral and Captain were at the gangway—barge in waiting, Buonaparte hurried along the quar ter-deck from the cabin, wrapped up in a white great coat: as he passed, he bowed. My eye, Ido think, spoke pity, for it met - his, and he hastily asked if I continued on board ? It was night before he reached his house in the village; still there were many spectators whom he wag particularly anxious to avoid. " At dawn, the following day, he rode out with Sir George Cockburn to examine the situation of his future residence. Longwood is distant five miles front the village, and elevated above it , iOOO feet—exactly ten degrees difference of tempera ture front that at the surface of the ocean. The interior of the Island is certainly less offensive to the eye than what its exterior would promise. Perhaps if one would draw a ,compai icon between what the Island promises on approaching from the sea, and what is found on taking a ride through the country, one would be tempted tosay many spots are beautiful. Itbas been in this way that the people who have written of St. Helena judged of it. Napoleon, on his first day's ride,(for he has not taken a second.) spoke in very unfavourable terms of the places, and said, every description we had given him to read of this Island was exaggerated. On descending the mountain, on his return to the village, he stopped at a small house called the Briars. situated on a projecting rock, midway from the summit. Here he requested permisSion to stop, and from which he has not strayed one hundred yards since the hour he took possession. Nature and art have done something for this spot. The.lava has become soil, and the eye is relieved by a spot of verdure exceeding two acres. There is there a garden, with fruit trees —a rill of water ;uggling by; and Buonaparte with his friend Las Ca:isas, here contrive to pass their time. He is perfectly excluded from the gaze of the public, which was perhaps a THE NATIONAL REGISTER. .1 1 .t a