The Sun. — London, England, 1845-03-22 00:00:00

7 ice .061 /16 es e n d 1 ,4 ger Yj o ir e And' adieu sp d, i Louse°oi t i _F r id ss i Hon. epbanie4 iing 1° ' II Eler 11 0 Y °f l ioness ght-P l° st Bs ° he Clor the S e b an d the e ' selloff, T 1 get irrop-„t t ain° PB- ,e Por e ::4 arch, est e ,fly ian husb aP o r Y. ° . W h bc ic Sh a w , of Ina hem of ow • 0 40— ;luding y, moth er : 'ftY's eve the open fob Do w the from op t 5 . 4 , 0 6 this off,es bar s 10 5 " _b a t v, %nor THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 22 1845. LITERATURE. "" VELA. TIoNS OF SPAIN IN 1845. By an knglish Were Spain a country more worthy of public notice or of any great importance in the balance of P, \y err in Europe, th e revo l u ti ons w hi c h h ave t a k en ace there within the last forty years would form i r 7 of the m os t i n t eres ti ng fe a t ures i n mo d ern t t ° 1- Y. Even in her fallen state, however, Spain *annot fail to excite interest. She has played a great d P L ar t on the stage of nations; she had the glory of to._Foveritig the new world ; she in consequence trued undivided dominion over the whole of South America' and in her wars with the ancient inhabitants attracted the eves of all civilized nations, while in the old world, both for the extent of her territory, the eovv of t er her arms, and the ability of her kings and T a ` e arnen, she justly occupied tile very first rank To w she is the least among the nations. Her vast l e ssession s h ave one a f ter anot h er b een wreste d f rom ner by foreig ners , or th e revo l t o f h er c hild ren , an d o f l i irnmense colonies scarcely now a speck remains. alexico, Peru, New Granada, Florida, Louisiana, and Na n y other districts large enough for independent dates, have slipped away, and her colonial empire has I,windled to the Canary Islands, two of the Antilles, , ° rto Rico, and Cuba, and a spot or two on the 480,..r!,11,ern coast of Africa. The Low Countries, , e "'3, nay the one half of civilized Europe owned r s way —her navy, even so late as 1782, corn fPn'ritsed seventy sail of the line and frigates, besides '3' smaller war vessels, is now reduced to one ship : 51 the line, a few frigates, corvettes, and brigs, if ;! &11 these can be said to exist, for during the last ,„ 4 " 6 years no uniforms have been made for the .sra* , l ee, and to every member of it, without exception, months' pay is due. " In the crumbling s t e ,,Y and prevalent ruin of Spain," says the writer, "ere are no more melancholy fragments than those t h may be seen, or scarcely seen for their rarity, th he glorious ancient ports, from whence went forth e ° nquistadores in one century, and the Armada "Trie dinvincible• th r in the next ; and into which for f r z ee hundred years flowed in lordly galleons the haelghted wealth of both the Indies. The Armada Ish B i s le , f t no remnant behind. The merchant service, C n once extended through the world, has sunk into ti ar rlful of generally inferior vessels, and a great to tb °l the passenger and carsying trade is transferred rsi,;;!, *hips of England and America. ' flow are the s s r,'Y' fallen !' Is there here a requital for the s li - I ,:'ties of Mexico and Peru ?" Never was the e ll Pronounced against a wicked nation so visibly warrled into effect. The mighty man and the man of til e r ' t he judge and the prophet, and the prudent and trip ancient ; t h e capta i n o f fift y , an d th e h onoura bl e s t ,„' l, and th e counse ll or are gone , an d th e t err ibl e 44 ,Vleiatio n "I w ill g i ve c hild ren t o b e th e i r pr i nces , 44 babes s h a ll ru l e over them," is literally ful- Iti n ed ,,* Such is the melanCholy condition of the at it tgaln on whose dominions the sun never set. The fat °'• of these "Revelations of Spain" begins his Q tip c i a bout the time when a babe began to rule over it, ts 4tent i gves the following concise outline of its Ito; l 'he events of the year 1843, in Spain, have been of l'ep t e 27 extraordinary a character, and the principle of Its4tentative government in the Peninsula has been atici by such severe and unusual tests, that the social ts ) Political state of that remaikable country seems at l et teviou s per i od to h ave c l a i me d a more a tt ent i ve in tliejBrt; The springs of society have been stirred from lisk. 4 ePths ; the pillars of the Commonwealth rudely Chi e fs; orders s u b v erted, and laws defied; the executive hk a Vi s the State has been exiled and deposed; a child Ik k i""en raised to the exercise of sovereignty before the i t r recognised by the Constitution; a Minister, after tiaaYs' tenure of power, has been expelled from office 4 tl - P al ace plot, and like the Regent, five months before, %tt obliged to fly for his life ; Parliament has been P„ t rilY closed, its scrutiny contemptuously evaded, Pok. il etions audaciously usurped ; the heads of the *tir i .„ - ` l. Party have been thrown into dungeons without ""ant; the lives of numerous citizens forfeited without 11.4; t he Sovereign has been brought forward in an in -14, 1.4 attitude, an a military government, or the law -11 Ol e of dishonest civilians, established." s ktk e draws, apparen tly w ith grea t t r uth, the dm kito of the leading personages, including Espartero, ti: t e r , Lopez, Olozaga, the Marchioness of Santa Christina, and her two daughters, and tat e Tea historical details of the intrigues, plots, and fore.:,' the principal actors, as well as the schemes of I ° tt r ,e,rs, among whom the ' French Ministers and bitt O chateau" perform a conspicuous part. The ip f a r Y, Of the royal conspiracy is interesting. It was conspiracy to ruin Olozaga, to bring back }he ili a, and to destroy the Constitution, got up in mo st bar e f ace d manne r by the Camarilla, at the 4 o s: 4 which was the clever and notorious Marqueza Pers,,, -4 ta Cruz, who he says is a very fascinating hl l , of most elegant and distinguished manners, s a ith intellectual attainments. Of Queen Chris- Ftthlie he speaks on the whole favourably. "In her thoeaPacity she has always been remarkable for 'lualities, two of them virtues, and two of them ats ti everse ;—courage , resolution, insincerity, and ',tra,? ; e • Olozaga was cruelly betrayed, and his de l% - ,„" °4 was resolved on and effected because he had oughts patriotism and virtue to yield to the Ni;, eB of the Camarilla. The poor child bad been ° to4l` her lesson well, she recited it before the as '46M councillors to perfection ; but of the falsehood rottig st atements not a doubt can remain, judging !;t tb. tit e original document signed by the Queen ctrl " same regular, unshaken, and school- PIoY - A sa dwriting, which she had invariably ern- I hi e b - Since her majority was declared," and t h a - ti Olozaga refused at first to give up till Ned shown it to a hundred senators—from the S erni, with a signature shaky and scarcely f ed es- and what was known to the patriarch her Qis or• These, 1, • and other manifest proofs, cleared ttac e t i s ,racter of Olozaga, and hushed up this dis kat:4 transaction. The "Revelations" altogether much interest, and though given in a loose, 24, t • j a cted style, abounding with many Spanish • 1 ,, 5, Produced often for display rather than use, IT4 - r n i ' e s e,e . ssarily introducing the characters of some Otte, this country—among others that of Lord j e jou rid a m's-not in the most favourable light, they will 6 '44 of service in estimating the remarkable revo r.4 '.e ro ught about by Louis Philippe, Christina, h 44 a„ ltiv aez. We give the following extract as a 'all ( i i t raen of the work, premising that the Queen a t easi i ` o be in bad health, and that the King of the ' bi ttr - a ° n.ee contemplated , a . marriage between her 'll, 4 " , lthe Duke D Aumale a Ppearance of Queen Isabel Maria to the eye of P o N • m a g li e ,r is that of a precocious but somewhat care t, sickly girl—exceedingly pale, and with i li ke z eith er expressive or interesting in her coun- Ori od . But that her brow is circled with a crown, at tt i N - , of unparalleled youth to emerge from . legal .o ~stit,!,tnere is little there to arrest your attention ',,rtitieber forbidden nor attracted ; you deem her attention; you 11 t e n d than her age, but this precocity, as compared Ilp,try n g ia ,nd, is universal in the Peninsula. li t ' as more closely, you will see a shade pass tb2, aws over her brow and features, indicative of lit of disposition, and . of a character somewhat ltd rs 'Y destiny ; and you will not be far mistaken if tp d he this concl face ion. But your eye is soon arrested 1 .41 mg us e h besider, all radiant with vivacity kgh I gPoce ; younger, yet less frivolous ; more hejt r„ E zld joyous, yet with more of sentiment. e ;"e Infanta' Luisa, her sister—a charming child h'llty% ) ",tenance radiant with the highest beauty the th e mind. In the sitting of the Cor e tes, where l'loe' r ity of her royal sister was declared, this darling tllh. q a ti e l ised all the admiration. d uel er Isabel is said to be of a rather wilful nature, t i sa i°,l3et tish fits; at times not a little obstinate, and I nintelligence as well as in temper. These Vh.bes- are inherited in part from both father and she has thrown her whole soul into her ha,Sl it was likewise a maternal failing, for 11.{e.n -,N fi e to his official interviews with Queen Christina ela llle ntly to lock out the listening Camarilla: the q t : r ge laid at 016zaga's door. Qt% c e n Isabel's Camarera Mayor, the Marquess de f sst r . ll2 , now so notorious throughout Europe,. is d a t, v ,as pa i nating person, of most elegant and distinguished l b ' es. tul d high intellectual attainments—one of the 1t to es of the Court of Spain—and to these f a ls r the is indebted for her influence over the Q . ueen_. to add that she wears one of the proudest and tr ht `lriou3 amongst the historical names of Spain. tt 4 ar a ,, ; 0 a moo's of Santa Cruz, in the time of Philip 11., taetetla-ott illustrious admiral, who defeated on nu- As 4 alles c t 'ee s a sions the Moors of Africa, and completed the O ff Portugal by destroying Don Antonio's ex li: bat "„_'. 6 0 vessels fitted out by France. It was not 4r e ,." 46 Duke of Medina Sidonia, who commanded I Armada.tleen ti ci ,Y e c l at , Isabel has been very imperfectly and irregt!- It h ,,•sur b ,.. ; -ft , t ed• That she should be little enlightened is ; that she should be deficient in ordinary lose Iv Eta " e is a mere corollary of her inadequate tutoring. , ign, n t altogether three months in the hands of q l eati an w hose instruction was confined to her political sb.; and under the guidance of Arguelles, to th a t % ari - d was previously entrusted, she was rather in ort is ea „ r efractory. About the court, they say that %It 4'Peious, wilful, disimulada ; and fibbing, an ged t nar acteristic of her age in young girls, is w ed by b be • very much the contrary of being dis er )t. t h e 11,,asp orn last three ye ars she has been in constant at de nte with h er mot h er , an d i nev it a bly th us ne tt a . rty with a strong dislike for the Progresistas, as a i s, r a p ain ndivi dually. It was they who drove Cristina 1:a:a 4 ,_,, and who h ave a l ways th warte d th a t p rin - A nei ii;:rlutist t en d enc i es. Never, there f ore, cou ld kt .s e glisli es "'n with aff ect i onate respect to the lessons o f tsistas or of 016zaga, both of them eminent Pro lsitant w i ln a nd in Esp ar t ero s h e cou ld on ly see th e t), h erself. dep r i ved her mother of the regency, and leari tileen an orphan. Still, b e ing obliged to keep up fedtfvli„ and the enti re p ower o f t h e St a t e being b b flEspartero, she was taught to be false and i tt ) ts t g , ?__ne . force of circumstances, and trained by Q e e e ritied h:fe i lt• An intimate friend of the master who tr a t raaa ,_"ongest, wrote things concerning her in a aserib_,orrespondence which I should be sorry to a Tliers oef " i .and which I prefer imputing rather to the gYthi,,:,'Ormation of character at her age, than to Ti 6 Inherently bad in her disposition." I 'ol "e extract us ge s are taken principally from the first ' jut they furnish an imperfect view of the work. The second volume is chiefly dedicated to a description of " men and manners" in Spain, and the women are not forgotten. We have also graphic accounts of the state of agriculture, smuggling, the price of getting up a pronunciamento, and many other peculiarities of that primitive and singular people. Altogether it contains the best modern de scription of the country that we have seen, not even " Inglis's Spain" excepted. The author sums up his remarks with the following conclusions, which we trust are well-founded "In the midst of all these broils and dissensions, and in defiance of the turbulence of her sons, Spain is de cidedly and visibly advancing. The progress, to be sure, is slow and feeble, but may be traced in every direction. Material improvement develops itself in despite of Poli tical obstacles, comfort begins to be comprehended, and faction cannot cheek the tendencies of the age. New communications ace opened, new roads constructed, old ones repaired and made more available to the commu nity ; minerals are explored, and foundries established for the melting el ores, with the aid of British skill and capital ; the public vehicles are multiplied ; inns with passable accommodations start up here ai d there for the first time in the lapse of centuries ; opposition on the bustling road gives its spur to speculative enterprise. The shipwriJit's cheerful sounds begin once more to be heard, and the Guadalquivir is about to be made navigable to COrdova. Happily, these arematters in which governments have 110 concern, and the local Ayunta rnie.atos and Provincial Deputations in not a few quar ters make an honest and successful application of the local taxes. New companies spring up for the working of profitable mines, and fostering of manufacturing in dustry. An association has been formed for the deve lopment of the colonial wealth of the Filippines ; im proved agricultural processes are likewise at intervals introduced ; a system of telegraphs is about to be esta blished ; even a railway is more than spoken of. No roseate tints of fancy are added to this picture, but facts are stated which prove what a mighty thing is national vitality. The incumbent weight on the acanthus makes it sprout into more Pantastic shapes, but still the growth is incessant ; and if scoundrels were not at the top of the tree, the plant would wax tall and beautiful." HISTORY OF THE CONSULATE AND EM PIRE OF FRANCE UADER NAPOLEON. By M. A. niers, late Prime Minister of France, 6.c., translated by D. Forbes Campbell, Esq., with the sanc tion and approval of the Author. This work, which is a continuation of the history of the French Revolution, has been looked forward to with much interest; and, as far as can be judged from the two volumes which have just appeared, simulta neously in Paris and London, will not disappoint public expectation. The work embraces the most important period in the history of France, next to the great convulsion of the preceding century, when the French throne was overturned, the nobility and clergy expelled from the country, war declared against not only the ancient institutions of France, but against monarchy in every shape ; and the golden age of pure republicanism, upright govern ment, and stern patriotism, was proclaimed to ad miring nations. About the period when these delu sions had nearly passed away, when France was saturated with blood, and anarchy was triumphant, the " man of the age" became at once the most pro minent character among generals and orators and statesmen ; some of them rendered illustrious by great deeds and many of them detested, execrated and held up to public indignation as the most ruth less of mankind. The scene is full of the stirring event, and embraces a period of fifteen years from 1800 to 1815, when the fatal battle of Waterloo ter minated Bonaparte's career of glory, banished him from France, and established a general peace which has now lasted for thirty years. In compiling a history abounding in so many great and glorious events for his native country, M. Thiers has advantages which no writer of the age possesses to the same extent. He is a man of the first-rate abili ties, of great energy, tact, per severance , an d compre hensive views—he has for more than twenty years taken an active part in the political affairs of the country, either as a writer in the leading journals, a Member of Parliament, or a Minister of State ; and, at the great revolution of 1830, was one of the most active agents,in rousing the whole of France against the imbecile, tyrannical, a7..d ,vorn-out dynasty of the Bourbons. Since th a t ti me h e h as 'filled almost every important office in the State. He has been Mi nister of Finance, Minister of the Interior, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and, finally, Prime Minister. He has therefore enjoyed facilities of no ordinary kind for procuring from original documents materials for his work. In addition to these appointments, he was also at ene time Keeper of the Archives of the State, and had access to diplomatic papers and documents not only relating to late events, hut to those embraced in the work. It is said he also possesses many diaries, letters, and memoirs hitherto unpublished, while the principal men who had served under Napoleon have supplied him with a great deal of information on striking events; some of them still very doubtful as to their origin. He has devoted, too, many years to the undertaking. He has travelled to witness the scenes of French glory, perhaps, too, placed his future fame on his history, knowing well that a Secretary of State, a Prime Minister, nay a Sovereign in distant ages is generally a very ob scure and ignoble character when placed by the side of a powerful writer, and, above all, of an impartial, spirited, and eloquent historian. That fame he ap pears to keep in view, for, though partial to his own country (and that is no blame), though enthusiasti cally worshipping the hero of his story, and proud of deeds which surprised the world, he rarely diverges from the truth; he blames Bonaparte for his despotism, and praises Sieyes for his skill in manufacturing con stitutions. In reference to the Constitution of the year VIII., he says : " The plan of M. Sieyes contained two forcible and admirable ideas, both of which have been retained in our administrative organization ; the division of the country into arrondissements and the Council of State. " Thus M. Sieye, was the author of all the adminis trative circumscriptions of France. He had already conceived the division into departments and induced its adoption ; he wished on this occasion that the cantonal administrations, which existed to the number of five thousand, should he superseded by administrations of arrondissement, which, much less numerous, were a more convenient intermediate between the commune and the department. The principle only was laid down in the Constitution ; but it was agreed that a law should ere long reform, upon this principle, the administrative system in France, and put an end to the communal anarchy, a melancholy picture of which has been given above. There was to be a tribunal of first instance for each arrondissement, and a tribunal of appeal for several united departments. " The second of the creations of M. Sieye;, which be longs exclusively to himself, is the Council of State, a deliberative body attached to the executive porter, pre • paring the laws, supporting them before the legislative power, adding to them the regulations which ought to accompany the laws, and rendering the laws adminis- trative. This is the most practical of his conceptions, and, with the preceding, it must outlive the present and subsist in future times. To the honour of this legis lator, be it said, Time has swept away all the ephemeral Constitutions of the Revolution, but the only parts of these Constitutions which have survived have been his work." Nearly his whole Constitution was adopted and without an absolute power like that of Solon, Lycur gus, or Mahomet, and " such as it was," adds M. Thiers, blaming Bonaparte, "if the conqueror of Marengo had not afterwards made two considerable changes in it—the addition of the imperial succes sion and the retrenchment of the Tribunate—this Con stitution might have furnished a career which would not have been the triumph of absolute power." We give as specimens of the work two extracts, one de scribing the passage over the Alps, and the other the close of the decisive battle of Marengo, and it is worthy of observation that both these important events would have been entirely frustrated had the Austrian officers done their duty. The French army was allowed to debouchi3 on the plains of Lombardy, entirely owing to the negligence and stupidity of the officer who com manded the impregnable fortress of Bard, and Gene ral Melas, who had gained the battle of Marengo, gave up the victory for a dinner. The following is M. Thiers' description of the descent of the French army from St. Bernard, and the manner in which it escaped destruction : _ " the First Consul halted for a short time with the monks, thanked them for their attentions to his army, and made them a magnificent present, for the relief of the poor and of travellers. " He descended rapidly, suffering himself, according to the. custom of the country, to glide down upon the snow, and arrived the same evening at Etroubles. Next day, after paying some attention to the park of artillery and to the provisions, he set out for Aosta and Bard. Having ascertained that all he had been told was true, he resolved to send the infantry, the cavalry, and the four-pounders by the path of Albaredo, which would be possible, if the path were repaired. All the troops were to go and take possession of the debouch 6 of the moun tains in advance of Ivrea, and the First Consul designed, meanwhile, to make some attempt on the fort, or at least find means to turn this obstacle, by making his artillery cross one of the neighbouring Cob:. He ordered Ge neral Lecchi, at the head of the Italians, to ascend on the left, to penetrate by the Grassoney road into the valley of the Sesia, which terminates near the Simplon and Lake Maggiore. The object of this movement was to keep the Simplon road open, to give the hand to a detachment that was descending by it, and to reconnoitre, in short, all the roads passable for wheel carriages. " The First Consul, at the same time, directed his attention to the fort of Bard. The French were in pos session of the only street composing the town, but could only pass through it under such a shower of balls that it would be scarcely possible to get through with artillery, though the distance was but two or three hundred fathoms. The commandant was summoned, but he re plied with firmness, like a man fully sensible of the im portance of the post entrusted to his courage. Force alone, then, could make us masters of the pass. The artillery which had been planted on the mountain of Albaredo produced no great effect; an escalade was attempted on the outer inclosure of the fort; but some brave grenadiers, and Dufour, an excellent officer, were uselessly wounded or killed. All the while, the troops were proceeding along the path of Albaredo. Fifteen hundred labourers had done the most urgent repairs re quired by that path. In places where it was narrow, it bad been widened by the removal of gravel from the sides; too rapid slopes had been diminished by cutting steps to prevent the felt from slipping; in other places, trunks of trees were thrown over ravines, which it would otherwise have been too difficult to cross, and used as bridges. The army advanced successively, man by man, the cavalry leading their horses by the bridle. The Austrian officer commanding the fort of Bard, seeing our troops filing in this manner, and mortified at not having it in his power to stop their march, sent word to M. de Melas, that he had witnessed the passage of a whole army, infantry and cavalry, without possessing the moans of obstructing it, but he pledged his life that it would arrive without a single piece of cannon. " Meanwhile, our artillery made a remarkably bold attempt ; this was, to pass with a piece beneath the very guns of the fort, under favour of the night. The enemy, unluckily warned by the noise, threw pot-grenadoes, which lighted the road as though it had been broad day, and enabled them to pour upon it a shower of projectiles. Out of thirteen artillerymen who had volunteered to draw that piece of cannon, seven were killed or wounded. This was sufficient to dishearten the bravest men ; when an ingenious method, though, withal, a very dangerous one, was thought of. The street was covered with straw and dung ; tow was fastened about the pieces, so as to prevent the slightest sound from the jar of those ataionitnwbhmecyeeyt tt army. im mense masses of metal upon their carriages ; the horses were unharnessed, bold artillerymen, dragging them by main strength, ventured to pass under the batteries of the fort, along the street of Bard. This contrivance suc ceeded completely. The enemy, who fired from time to time, by way of precaution, hit some of our gunners ; but very soon, in spite of this fire, all the heavy artillery was removed beyond the defile, and this formidable ob stacle, which bad given the First Consul more concern than the St. Barnard itself, was overcome. The artil lery horses had taken the path of Albaredo." The following extract describes the change which took place when Desaix came to the relief of the con queror of Marengo : "Half the day was spent. M. de Aisles fancied him self sure of the victory, which he had so dearly purchased. This old warrior, who, for courage at least, proved him self worthy of his adversary on that memorable day, re • turned to Alexandria, worn out with fatigue. He left the command to M. de Zach, the chief of his staff, and sent off couriers to all Europe, to proclaim his victory and the defeat of General Bonaparte at Marengo. This chief of the staff, invested with the command, then formed the d French, IKHrhbini highe t raraa l e, a l ettvni l asp; in tervened, ai f eorlcy, df efforts, aid h doddnusrt e r Henfnhet nGrrs A gi, easoo:ei that isN t rnagni v i bsld s naeraei t tAedtrte r tnhfitak i htrl a atelasei e n hryodgeoeemnohi anefocrsri grenadiers, r m ogaecishoeunilli oe: infantry, ft could, yti or i ht toootoeorhonanlw:tpnr considered followed tnatdGfaaanhhnoerhsbeat.edcedihndyi Piacenza, ecel ma i eztent: n nprahvAhfood g e, toeer:tcdein c rti sasrho o byaaavettl l weani erhsoui t tu:e:na m i lgrnocpcsnweahsootudg objects t, Generalsel to o aom notghf theta h si o train.gain k. e e troops shifted from the Tessina and the Adda to the Po, r w e i t t r h ie ß ve ou t d h e e e m s is w f , o h r a t l u e ne d o i s f is t io h n e , da2 a • would he arrive in time? On this circumstance depended the issue of the battle. The aides-de-camp of the First Consul had been galloping in quest of him ever since morning. But, long before they reached him, Desaix, on the first cannon-shot fired on the plain of Marengo, had instantly wheeled about. Hearing this distant re port, he had concluded that the enemy, whom he had been sent in search of to Novi, on the Genoa road, was at Marengo itself. He had immediately dispatched Savary, with a few hundred horse, to Novi, to see what was going forward, and had waited with his division, listening intently to the cannon of the Austrians tied the French, which never ceased thundering in the direction of the Bormida. From Savary having discovered no trace of the enemy in the environs of Novi, Desaix was confirmed in his happy conjecture, and, without further delay, marched for Marengo, send ing before him several aides-de-camp to apprise the First Consul that he was coming. He had marched the whole day, and, at three o'clock, his heads of columns at length appeared at the entrance into the plain, in the vicinity of San Giuliano. He himself, preceding them at a gallop, rode up to the First Consul. Happy inspiration of a lieutenant equally intelligent and attached! happy fortune of youth ! If, fifteen years later, the First Consul, now so well seconded by his generals, had found a Desaix on the field of Waterloo, he would have pre served the empire, and France her preponderant posis tion among the powers of Europe. " The presence of Desaix changed the aspect of things. He was surrounded; he was made acquainted with the occurrences of the day. The generals formed a circle: about him and the First Consul, and discussed with warmth the critical position of the army. Most of them advised retreat. The First Consul was not of this opinion, and he earnestly pressed Desaix for his. Desaix, surveying the devastated field of battle, then drawing out his watch and looking at the hour, replied to General Bonaparte in these simple and noble terms:— " Yes, the battle is lost; but it is only three o'clock; there is time to gain another." General Bonaparte, de lighted with the opinion of Desaix, prepared to avail himself of the succour brought him by that general, and of the advantages ensured to him by the position taken ever since morning. He was, in fact, in the plain, on the right, while the enemy was on the left, in marching column, on the high road, advancing towards San Giuliano. Desaix, arriving from San Giuliano, with 6,000 fresh troops, and facing the Austrians, might stop them short, while the bulk of the rallied army should fall upon their flank. Orders were forthwith issued in accordance with this plan. " The three demi-brigades of Desaix were formed in advance of San Giuliano, a little to the right of the hig h road; the 30th deployed in line; the 9th and 59th in close columns on the wings of the former. A slight un dulation of the ground concealed them from the enemy. On their left were the rallied and somewhat recovered wrecks of Chambarlhac's and Gardanne's troops under General Victor; on their right, in the plain, Lannes, whose retreating movement was suspended, then the consular guard, then Carra St. Cyr, who had kept as near as possible to Castel Ceriolo. The army then formed a long oblique line from San Giuliano to Castel Ceriolo, and between Desaix and Lannes, and a little in rear, was placed Kellermann's cavalry in the interval. A battery of twelve pieces, the sole remnant of the whole artillery of the army, was spread upon the front of the corps of Desaix. " These dispositions made, . the First Consul rode through the ranks of his soldiers, and addressed the dif ferent corps. My friends,' said he, we have fallen back far enough: recollect that I am accustomed to lie on the field of battle.' Having reanimated the troops, who, inspirited by the arrival of the reserves, burned with impatience to resume the fight, he gave the signal for attack. A charge was beaten along the whole line. " The Austrians, in order of march rather than in order of battle, were proceeding along the high road. The column urder the command of M. de Zach came first. A little in rear, came the centre, half deployed in the plain, and making front to Lannes. pieces G eoeferaclanAnloanrm. o A n t t a h l i l e k a s t e c r e o u f n mg grape-shot pe ed -s o ttwelvefell upon the head of the surprised Austrian column, which expectedthe Fen no further were decidedlyartherresistance; for the enemy i Scarcely that had it recovered from this sudden shock, when Desaix set the 9th light in motion. Go and inform the First Consul,' said he to Savary, his aides de-camp, that I am charging, and that I am in want of cavalry to support me.' Desaix, on horseback, led on this demi-brigade. He ascended with it the slight rise of the ground which hid it from the view of the Austrians, and abruptly re vealed himself to them by a fire of musketry discharged within a few paces of them. The Austrians re turned it, and Desaix fell, pierced by a ball in the chest. 'Conceal my death; said he, to General Boudet, his chief of division ; it might dishearten the troops.' Useless precaution of that hero ! His fall had been ob served, and his soldiers, like those of Turenne, insisted, with loud shouts, on avenging their leader. The 9th light, which on that day earned the title of incomparable, which it bore till the termination of our wars—the 9th light, having poured forth its fire, formed in column, and fell upon the dense mass of the Austrians. At sight of it, the first two regiments which opened the marcb, taken by surprise, fell back in disorder en the second line, and disappeared in its ranks. The column of Letterman's grenadiers was then alone at the head, and received this shock like crack troops. It stood firm. The conflict extended on both sides of the high road. The 9th light was supported on the right by Victor's rallied troops, on the left by the 30th and 59th demi-brigades of Boudet's division, which had followed the movement. Latter raan's grenadiers were defending themselves with diffi culty, when an unforeseen storm suddenly burst over their heads. General Kellermann, who, on the applica tion of Desaix, had received orders to harge, set off at a gallop, and, passingbetween Lannes and Desaix, placed part of his squadron en potence, to make head against the Austrian cavalry, which he saw before him ; then, with the rest, he fell upon the flank of the column of the grenadiers, already attacked in front by Boudet's in fantry. This charge, executed with extraordinary vigour, cut the column in two. Kellermann's dragoons slaughtered to the right and to the left, till pressed on all sides, the unfortunate grenadiers laid down their arms. Two thousand of them surrendered. At their head, Gen. Zach himself was obliged to deliver up his sword. The Austrians were thus deprived of their commander during the conclusion of the battle ; for M. de Melas, as we have seen, thinking himself sure of the victory, had retired to Alexandria. Kellermann did not stop there ; dashing upon the Lichtenstein dragoons, he put them to flight. The latter fell back upon the centre of d to t ds‘gGb3wlh h af, ee6raoeci e ee, csinonainioeneaot.m,arenod Austriansadvanced, aa cae nd whichantthrew r bT wounded,ht e a n t Austriansarsbane Generals cruelly number or va:Gbrnr nofeeodtoodragodirt k m taoeemoeelbel l fssnoiho l ham re e ouei etieosntffiargi lost about a : OF, 1 officers. a a c s h d e e d p deploying in the plain, in face e a w it into some disorder. Lannes " tt, ' Austrians with vigour ; while the grenadiers g g s r h e a n k a e d n i e c r e s n o t centre e t h o e f c a the n - sular guard and Carra St. Cyr again moved towards Castel Ceriolo, from which they were not far distant. Along the whole line from San Giuliano to Castel Ceriolo, the French had resumed the offensive.; they marched forward, intoxicated with joy and enthusiasm, on perceiving victory returning to them. Surprise and discouragement had passed to the side of the Austrians." The loss on both sides is thus given : " The losses, considering the number of the com batants, ao. gwLetr. ba a :nseah n ooicaita d , rGthesod4ti f o Teiwr, :t u t antBhfotoi t ei luuaostoreonehsnaigfypendlot generally he their Hdhesmße, e aeyirarreen t i dadmelai nel s iednl:r u tysy6igasa a ct: ai l onicswrefoi p adnwnToiii r ettkd o aphh, mkwi p srel L o tiil aietlsoek r rhlsnaode t i fnem i lhdshl o rameteaao n onardovrrm s sffdaesri; which again exhibits a loss of one-fourth, out of 28,000 soldiers present at the battle. Their staff suffered as severely as the Austrian staff. Generals Mainony, Rivaud, Mather, Champeaux, were wounded, the last mortally. The greatest loss was that of Desaix. France had not sustained one more to be regretted during a ten years' warfare. In the estimation of the First Consul, this loss was great enough to diminish the joy that he felt for the victory. His secretary, M. de Bourrienne, hastening to congratulate him on this miraculous triumph, said to him, What a glorious day ! " Yes,' re plied the First Consul, It would have been glorious indeed, could I but have embraced Desaix this evening on the field of battle. I was going,' added he, to make him Minister of War ; I would have made him a prince if I could.' The conqueror of Marengo had as yet no notion that he should, at no distant day, have it in his power to bestow crowns on those who served him. The body of the unfortunate Desaix was lying near San Gin liano, amidst that vast field of carnage. His aide-de camp, Savary, who had been long attached to him, sought out his body from among the dead, and, recognising it by his profusion of hair, had it removed, and wrapped in an hussar cloak ; then placing it on his horse, he con veyed it to the head quarters at Torre di Garofalo." NAVAL AND MILITARY SKETCH BOOK. Par.4lL This interesting periodical goes on with increased spirit. The translation of Eugene Sue's interesting rautical romance of " Atar Gull" is continued in the present number, and is beautifully illustrated. It is to be regretted that the names of the artists are not given. The sketch of Atar Gull and the Pirate is one of the most spirited things we have ever seen. The whole of the illustrations of this part are worthy of the highest praise. Many of the nautical sketches are not inferior to the happiest effects of old Pocock, that prince of marine painters, who painted not mere fancy pictures of ships, hut Actual portraits of actual crafts which had " braved the battle and the breeze," and carried "the meteor flag of England" in triumph over every sea. The other service will in this Part find also many of their gallant deeds illustrated by the pencil of the artist. The sketch of the siege of Cuidad Rodrigo would, if elaborated, become a fine his , orical picture. The time chosen is the march of the forlorn hope to the attack of the breach ; the subject is handled in a thoroughly artist-like manner, and the varied expression of the countenances of the soldiers in the foreground is beautifully given. The effect of the whole is admirable. The literary contents of this part are of a very varied character. I'Ve have biographical sketches of officers of both services, tales of " moving accidents by flood and field," humorous anecdotes, &c. ; in short, there is something to suit every taste; and if the Naval and Military Sketch Book goes on as it has begun, we augur for it a long and prosperous career. IRELAND. DISMISSAL OF A MAGISTRATE. DUBLIN, 111Aacn 19.—The Tipperary Vindicator states that Captain IVeatherall has been dismissed from the commission of the peace for the King's County, in consequence of a memorial to the Lord- Lieutenant from a poor man named Dunn. The same journal states that " Dunn also complained of another magistrate, Sir Edward Synge, Bart., about whose case there has been as yet no decision." No particulars are given as to the nature of the charges or the memorial. The Tipperary Vindicator adds— " The Lord-Lieutenant has exercised a wise and an admirable discretion, and has given unbounded satis faction to the inhabitants of Birr, who delight in recognising this wholesome exercise of his power." PROVINCIAL COLLEGES IN IRELAND. A meeting took place in the Corporation-hall, Londonderry, on Saturday last, to adopt a memorial to the Government, praying that one of the new colleges may be e stablished in that city. The principal inhabitants of the district, without distinc tion of party, were present, including the Lord Bishop of Derry, Sir Robert Ferguson, M.P., Mr. T. Bateson, M.P., Dr. Boyd, M.P., Mr. Acheson Lyle, Chief Remembrancer, &c. The Mayor presided. All the gentlemen named offered their most earnest co operation in carrying out the object of "the meeting. Mr. A. LYLE, Chief Remembrancer, whilst advo cating the claim of Londonderry for one of the new colleges, stated his views fo . r . enlarging the usefulness of the University of Dublin, by founding a large number, say one hundred scholarships for Roman Catholics, and the like number for Presbyterians. The Rev. W. M'CLURE, wbo formed one of the re cent deputation to London from the General Assem bly of the Presbyterian Church, stated, from his re collection of conversations with some members of the Government, that the new Colleges are to be endowed by Government ; the Professors to be appointed with out reference to religion, and subject to removal by Government. The Colleges not to have the power of conferring degrees, but to be associated with some other College, or affiliated to a University, for the purpose of granting degrees in law and medicine, but having no power to grant degrees in theology. A memorial and resolutions were adopted, and the meeting separated. before the high God of the high heavens." He was then removed. TIC Derry Journal says there is a strong desire in its locality that the life of Dogherty may be spared, as he showed no premeditation. DEPLORABLE STATE OF MAYO. (From the Castlebar Constitution.) In passing sentence, on Monday morning, on the persons convicted at the assizes, Baron Richards made some very feeling and suitable observations. He regretted to find that there was so much crime in the county of Mayo. It was true the lives of none of the magistrates had been attempted; nor were there such crimes as were perpetrated in some other counties ; but the cause of regret was not the less. Though the people did not take the lives of magistrates, or persons in the upper walks, they at tacked, dreadfully beat, and murdered one another. This was not less heinous than if they attacked and killed those above them; for the life of a poor man ' and his person should be held as sacred as that of the rich man, and should be protected. He regretted, also, to find that the people were not improved by the lessons they got in the house of God. But that was not the case. In many instances, at this and other as sizes here, he found that the course of proceeding was for the people to come hot from the house of worship to the house of whiskey near it, and from that begin to fight on the public highway, and with sticks and stones attack their fellow-creatures who knelt with them in the same chapel a few minutes before, and to pursue that system until they deprived each other of life. On a former occasion he hal alluded to this unfortunate custom, and was sorry to find that it still continued. He did not know what to attribute it to, unless to the unfortunate propensity which distinguished this county from all others—a propensity to indulge in the use of ardent spirits. Every other county had, to a great extent, given up that abominable practice. It seemed that in Mayo this reformation had made little way, if any. There were here the same drunken habits that existed in Ireland half a century before, and the high and glorious examples given in other parts of the country had no weight here. He was extremely sorry for it, when he saw what it brought so many men to. There ' was scarcely one of those murderous cases that did not originate in it. But he hoped in God that the day would soon come when the people would be as free from those abominable habits as they were now unfortunately addicted to them. He could not but also regret the great difficulty he felt in arriving at the facts of the cases, or at the truth, owing to the unfortunate want of education among the peasantry of the country. There was scarcely a case in which he was not obliged to examine the witnesses through the medium of an interpreter. He did not find this to anything like the same extent in other counties in Ireland. The interpreter here was quite competent to discharge his duty, was a good Irish scholar, and well able to interpret the language ; yet from the ig norance of the people, he (the Learned Judge) felt it almost impossible to understand the cases, or get at the truth. That was a misfortune which he hoped would some day or other cease, and that the people in this county would be as well able to communicate their ideas in English as the people of other counties. It would be for their own benefit to learn the English language and receive education, for when they left the country, and went to England and elsewhere, they would find themselves in great difficulty from their not knowing that language, and from not being able to transact their business in it. His LORDSHIP then proceeded to pass sentence on the prisoners. It will be seen that thirteen have been sentenced to transportation for various periods. This is a sad picture of a county which is to all intents and purposes under the entire spiritual con trol of the lion of the fold of Judah. And let it be borne in mind that Barcn Richards is a Whig, and something more. FOUR CHILDREN BURNT TO DEATH. SKIBBEREEN 7 MARCH 16.--A melancholy occur rence, and one attended with awful loss of lives, took place in this neighbourhood last night. A family living on the lands of Lahenagh, after re tiring to bed, were awoke with the fumes of burning straw ; the father made his way to the place where the smoke proceeded from, and found the kitchen, which he left a few moments previous, en veloped in flames, so much so, that he was not able to effect an entrance into the sleeping apartment of his wife and children, and, horrible to relate, four of his children were consumed in the flames. One and his wife succeeded in escaping the conflagration by jumping through the window in the sleeping apart ment, and by this means saved their lives. The house has been burned to the foundation, and the remains of the children, when witnessed by the medical gen tlemen who attended there (Mr. Crowly, of Skib bereen), cannot be described. INSTITUTION OF CIVIL EN GINEERS, MARCH 18. The President, Sir JOIN RENNIE, in the Chair. A paper on the drainage of the Ancholme Level, Lincolnshire, by Sir John Rernie, President, was read. It commenced by describing the position of the Ancholme Level, which consists of a low tract of land, of about 200,000 acres in extent, situated on the south side of the river Humber, about ten miles below its junction with the river Trent. The river Ancholme runs through the centre of this level, and, with its tributary streams, empties itself into the Humber at the village of Ferraby. The alluvial matter brought down by these streams: formed a bar at the junction of the Ancholme with the Humber, which, by preventing the discharge of the drainage waters, caused the level to be inundated with water, rendering this tract of land totally unfit for tillage. The paper then, after entering into great historical detail as to the works which were executed at various periods, from the time of the Romans, to render this tract of land available for agricultural purposes, stated that in the year 1801, the late Mr. Rennie being applied to for his opinion as to the best plan for improving and completing the drainage and navi gation of the level, reported that he attributed its defective drainage to the deficient capacity of the Ancholme and the subsidiary drains to carry off the floods; to the cill of the old Ferraby sluice having been laid too high, and to there not being any catch water drains to prevent the floods from the adjacent high lands from descending into the level. As a remedy for these evils, he recommended that the river Ancholme should be still further improved, by straightening, deepening, and enlarging its channel, and that two new locks should be placed upon ; also, with a view to preventing the floods from the high lands inundating the level, two catchwater drains should be made—one on the east side and the other on the west side of the river Ancholme, with separate and independent sluices at their junction with the Humber, by which means all the highland and lowland waters would be separated, and each body of water would thus be effectually discharged into the Humber without interfering with the other. The catchwater drains involved an important and novel principle, for in his opinion by the old Dutch method of simply cutting a series of straight drains to some convenient point, for discharg ing their water, the highland and lowland waters were mixed together, and the highland waters coming from a higher level with a greater velocity down upon the lowlands, forced their way first to the outfall. The less rapid waters of the lowlands were thus kept back, and were left to stagnate, the sluices being unable to discharge the whole body of water during the time when the tide with the Humber per mitted the sluice doors to be opened, and it was thus impossible that the level could be drained; but by separating the highland from the lowland waters, each body of water could be effectually discharged by an independent sluice. These catchwater drains would answer also the important purposes of irriga tion during dry seasons, and for navigation. The plans which were also at the same period being beneficially carried into effect by Mr. Rennie, and on a more extensive scale in the east and west and Wildmore fens, near Boston, and also on the Witham, near Lincoln, were partially executed ; but the works not being completed, and for want of funds not being subsequently kept in repair, the drainage was found very insufficient, and at length Sir John Rennie was called in to complete the system. He proposed that the plans of his father should be carried out; that the Ancholme should be further im proved, and a new sluice made at Ferraby, with a cill placed at a lower level, and new bridges made throughout the lines ; also that an overfall and weir should be constructed, with a large reservoir to catch the sand which was brought by floods from the sur rounding hills, and had previously blocked up the main and lateral drains. Minor weirs and reservoirs were also recommended for the smaller drains and brooks where they united with the level. These works having been executed, the effect was that the drainage was rendered complete and effective, and the district was converted into a tract of fine arable land. Subsequently another sluice was constructed below Ferraby, with its cill two feet below the low water mark of extra spring tides in the Humber. This sluice, which had three openings of eighteen feet each in width, with draw-doors and self-acting gates, was perfect in its effect, discharging about four times the quantity of water in the same time that had been previously accomplished. The whole of these works were completed by Sir John Rennie, forty three years after Mr. Rennie's report, and 55G years after a regular system of drainage had commenced, and the district was freed from water without the aid of mechanical power, thus establishing what was contended to be the surest principle of drainage, the separating of the highland from the lowland waters by catch-water drains, and discharg ing them independently of each other by their several outfalls. In an interesting discussion which ensued, the cor rectness of the principle was fully admitted, and it was shown that by selecting proper localities for the out falls, and by placing the tills of the sluices below low water mark of spring tides, there were not any fen districts in the kingdom that could not be drained without mechanical aid. It was announced that there would not be any meeting on Easter _Tuesday, and the meeting was ad journed until Tuesday, April the Ist, when the monthly ballot for members would take place, and the following papErs would be read:— No. 7b6. ‘An Account of the new Cast-Iron Pier at Gravesend." By J. B. Redman, Grad. Inst. C.E. No. 711. "On Gas Meters." By A. A. Crule, Assoc. Inst. C. E. NECESSITY OF ASCERTAINING THE AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITIES OF THE COUNTRY. (From the Journal of Commerce.) It is very discreditable that in such a country as Great Britain, so little should be known of its agri cultural statistics; and that, in fact, nothing should be officitilly known on a subject of so much interest and importance to the national welfare. Every ses sion of Parliament we hear the most contradictory assertions advanced as to the agricultural capa bilities of the country—the one party stoutly maintaining, as an argument for the repeal of the corn-laws, • that England, in the most favourable seasons, does not grow a sufficiency of food for its inhabitants; the protectionists as firmly maintaining that in ordinary years it does grow sufficient, and in good years more than sufficient, for its entire population. Where a subject of this kind is left to vague conjecture, where there are no official means for accurate information, it might naturally be expected that each party would adopt the views that best accorded with the political object it wished to achieve. Our own observations would incline us to think, that when there is what may be called a good average crop, Great Britain does produce, within herself, an ample supply of bread corn for all her wants ; but that when there is a bare average, this supply is stinted, particularly if other branches of trade are flourish ing, and the demand consequently brisk. We fur ther think that by an improved management of the land, emanating prom the proprietors themselves, the present supply might be considerably increased, so as to keep pace, for a time at least, with the wants of our growing population. In 1843, the preceding harvest having been a good one, though we believe not more than a fair average, the total quantity of foreign and ' colonial wheat and flour entered for home consumption was 990,523 quarters, about one-fifteenth of the entire consumption of the country, and the average price for the year was 50s. ld.; and during this year the de mand for bread stuffs from the manufacturing dis tricts was tolerably good, from the improvement in trade which was then beginning to be Mt. We must also observe, that however productive the harvest at home may turn out, some Baltic corn is always re quired during the early part of the winter, and in damp weather, to enable the millers to work up the newer wheats. Last year the harvestproduce was by no means so good as the year preceding, and there were entered for home consumption, of foreign and colonial wheat and flour, 1,026,976 quarters; while we ima gine the trade and manufactures of the country were never in a more flourishing condition, producing a considerable demand. Mr. M'Culloch: says that in 1812 and 1813 Great Britain raised sufficient wheat for its own consumption ; and though the population has considerably increased since those years, great improvements Lave taken place in the cultivation of the soil, by which its productiveness has been aug mented. All this, however, is vague conjecture, and must continue so until there be some certain and official guide in agricultural statistics; until this be obtained, legislating on the corn-laws is really legis lating in the dark. We consider it would be of the utmost importance to ascertain, annually, the capabilities of the country to supply the people with food, not merely farinaceeus, but animal. The population of Great Britain is rapidly increasing, and agricultural improvements are, at least, in a state of progression ; the desideratum to be known is the relative proportion between the one and the other. It appears extraordinary to us that the Government of the country should have been so long carried on, indeed could have been so long carried on, without some attempt to acquire accurate information on so important a subject as the means the country possessed to feed its inhabitants. In no country in Europe is such in formation so absolutely required—where the popula lion is continually pressing on the means of support and supply. Through the medium of our custom houses we have accurate returns of our foreign trade ; through the medium of the excise offices it may be known what quantity of hops has been grown, what quantity of barley has been malted, how much spirits has been distilled, how much soap made ; but upon the all-important question of bread and beef we are left in utter ignorance. We have given much attention to this subject, and we consider the information we deem so necessary to be perfectly attainable. We need not enter into minute particulars, but we shall give a general out line of what we think would be required. We would have every person possessing ground for farming pur poses, whether as proprietor or tenant, to give in to the clerk of the peace for the county, or to some other official appointed for the purpose, in counties, dis tricts of counties, or market towns, as might seem best, an annual return, some time in January of each year, which would embrace the following de tails :—Size of farm, number of acres during the pre ceding year under tillage, pasture, hay crop, fallow unavailable from plantations or other causes ; number of acres sowed under the several crops of wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, turnips, &c. ; amount of harvest pro duce, including hay and straw ; quantity of each kind sent to market and sold from the preceding January ; quantity retained for domestic food and other purposes ; quantity remaining over for market at the end of the year ; dairy produce ; number of cows ' • weight of butter and cheese produced ; meal produce ; num ber of cattle, sheep, and pigs on the farm ; in crease of each during the season; number sold, and whether fattened or otherwise. With such re turns the Government and the Legislature would have a complete and distinct knowledge of the condi tion of the couutry in its most essential ingredient ; —the means it possessed for feeding its people—and it could then deal with the corn-laws and cattle-trade accordingly. It would be further seen, whether the country was advancing or retrograding in agricul tural prosperity, and in what ratio ; and above all, it would show what probability there was of keeping the supply of food of home production answerable to the demand for it. We imagine it would be no great trouble to agri culturists to furnish the returns we have described ; they can generally come to a tolerably correct esti mate of the produce of the farm before their grain is thrashed out, or their turnips or potatoes, &c. weighed ; any inaccuracy arising in this way would be of little comparative importance. Again, every farmer keeps books ; he knows what he sells and what he buys ; those who do not, very imperfectly understand their business. Nor are we requiring anything that can be deemed inquisitorial. We require not to know what are the outlays, or the receipts, or the profits of the farm; we merely wish to ascertain what is the actual annual production of the kingdom arising from the land, and we believe England is almost the only European country where this could not be obtained from official documents. This, cf course, would be a subject for Government legislation, and it is one to which we would earnestly solicit the attention of Ministers, not only for their own information and instruction, but because it is a matter in which the country must have a deep and lasting interest. ROYAL POLY TECHNIC INSTITU TION. THE ARTIFICIAL HAND. Several accounts have recently appeared in the French journals, and from them they have been co pied into those of our English contemporaries, de scribing the invention of a con t r i vance b y w hi c h per sons deprived of their ha n d s , or o f th e l owe r portions of their arms by amputation, and persons born with out hands, are furnished with an artificial hand or hands which, by means of straps and steel springs bound to the joints above that amputated, and ope rated upon, by the muscles of the other joints , and in some instances by the pectoral muscles, is made to act as a natural hand. Without for a mo ment depreciating this most useful invention, and awarding to our French neighbours the highest praise for their ingenuity, we cannot de prive one of our own countrymen of the claim to applause which he has as good , or, in fact, a better right to claim. During the lecture which Professor Ryan delivered in the theatre of the I cly technic Institution on mechanical power, and on its adaptation to the relief of human beings, he availed himself of the opportunity of introducing, as an illus tration of the subject, a man whose hand and the large portion of whose fore-arm had been amputated. To the stump of the limb, just below the elbow, was fastened an apparatus, composed of bands or straps and small steel springs, which were lengthened so as to lay hold upon the muscles, whilst at the other end of the apparatus was a hand, made of wood, with joints, fingers, &c., worked by the motion of th e muscles upon the connecting springs, and by means of which the man could hold a stick, a wine glass, write his name, tie and untie shoes, &c., and use as a natural hand. This inventi on i s pr i or t o that of the French mechanics, and was made by Sir George Cayley, Bart., Chairman of the Royal Poly technic Institution. The person mentioned above, whose name is George D own l an d , h as b een h onoure d by Prince Albert shaking him by his artificial hand, and also received the notice of the Duke of Welling ton. This invention will be of great service to those of our countrymen serving in our navy and army, as their profession renders them so much more exposed to a loss of this kind. JERSEY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE RUN. Ste,—As our island has lately made some stir in the world, and, notwithstanding the high and varied talent employed in the public press, but little is known in England respecting it, ,you will perhaps be glad if I now begin to fulfil my long neglected promise of giving you some account of its anomalous laws. You must, however, perfectly word, that in all un derstand I distinctly pledge you my I write 1 state nothing but naked facts 5 for so start ling, are many of them, that without such a niedge I should almost fear your implicit reliance in my vera city, and scarcely prevent a flashing thought th,.:t I was hoaxing you. I know not whether von( are aware that our jurats are chosen - for life by the people, without any reference to their rank, property, or education, fitting them for the office. Thus, a potato-merchant, who can scarcely write his name, becomes, by the votes of men as ig norant as himself, instantly capable of sitting in judg ment on, and deciding in all civil and criminal cases (high treason excepted). This is the Jersey " royal" road to learning. How think you these so learned personages are bound by their oath of office to ad minister justice ? Think you it is according to law and the evidence before them ? No such thing— but only " according to the uprightness of their conscience." A person who does not own any land, houses, or mortgages thereon, can be arrested here, even for a few shillings; no oath being made as to the validity of the claim affords full scope for false arrests. But, whether the claim be valid or other wise, if not immediately satisfied, the person is com mitted to prison, unless he can obtain the bail of a known proprietor of land in the island, and this a stranger can seldom do. We have a just and humane law here, whereby debtors are released from imprison meat, and freed from liability, upon obtaining per mission of the Court to make a general cession of all their real and personal estates, for the benefit of their creditors. 'This law is often subservient to the perpetration of the grossest fraud and in justice ; but, for the present, I will confine myself to showing you how, by the practice of our Court, it is rendered almost of none effect to the debtor. Let us assume that I have arrested a person, and he is, after weeks of confinement, before the Court upon his petition to avail himself of this law, after having gone through all the requisite for malities—that, moreover, he is really entitled to the benefit of it, and I have a vindictive feeling towards him—the practice of our Court of Justice is such, that were I the devil upon earth it would afford me ample means of gratifying my malignity. I instruct my ad vocate to plead fraud, but am not obliged to specify the nature of that fraud, nor the time when, or place where it occurred—as this plea is denied by my victim's advocate, the case is sent to proof, and he is re manded to prison, where he may lie for weeks before the case is again before the Court. When it is, my advocate can obtain, as a matter of course, some months delay, for the production of a witness whom . he states is in Australia or Newfoundland (any where will do,) and as no affidavit is made that his evidence is material, nor whether there is any likeli hood of his return, he may be a fictitious witness for what is known to the contrary. The prisoner is consequently once more remanded. I am not obliged to prove my allegation of fraud at the expiration of the time, and if proved, the Court has no power to punish it by any definite sentence. When next he ap pears, after lying all these months in prison, my victim may be again sent back to it, because myadvocate is not present to oppose him, having occasion to leave the Island, perhaps the very morning of hearing; at another time he may be remanded because his own advocate has also found occasion to take a trip for a few days. 'Were Ito detail all the various methods of causing the delay of justice, I could fill a quire, but these, however, will suffice ; let us, then, now as sume the time is at last arrived (it may be after years delay), when, through my advocate, I have ex hausted all the means which legal ingenuity or inventive malice can furnish, and therefore cannot longer prevent my poor victim's freedom. Think you the law will furnish me with further means of torturing him ? Yes, indeed, for the very morning of final hearing I can release him, and thus, when his advo cate once more asks permission for his client to avail himself of the privileges of this law, he is told by the Court that he cannot make cession, as there is no de taining creditor ; now, mark well, I have by means of the law not only left him in prison for years upon. the miserable pittance of 2-.0. per diem, without any sentence of the Court, but have by legal trickery pre vented him from obtaining the benefit of it, and, as my victim has not satisfied my claim, I can arrest him again for it, and add thereto the expenses of his former caption and prison-keep can go through the same farms as before, again and again ! !—Think you not that such practice is more fitted for a court of demons than of men ?—Between debtor and credi tor, no fraud is too gross to receive the sanction of our royal court according to law; by it, a creditor can fleece all other creditors, himself obtaining 40s. or 60s. in the pound (I know not that there is any limit to the amount he may obtain)—by it, both creditor and debtor may be victimised—by it, a landlord can arrest for rent not due, nay more, he can not only arrest for the rent of the whole term of years a tenant may have taken a house for, but, if not paid, can seize the tenant's furniture, lock it up in a room, and leave him with nothing but bare walls, and the tenant can be imprisoned for theft, if he abstracts anything from the room wherein it is locked This is not the worst evil a tenant is subject to : he may take a house for a term of years, pay the rent in advance for the whole term, and receive a receipt fa the same, but nevertheless he can be turned out of possession for a year and a day by another party, and although he compounds with him by paying the rent for that year again, he can still be bona ,fide turned out of possession by other rarties for ever. Remember I am not telling you what can be, but is not done, but what cm be and is done. The laws whereby such'startling in;ustice is in flicted, I must leave for another letter. March 3, 1845. B. L. DUBLIN STOCK AND SHARE MARKET. The following were the closing prices at the Stock Exchange this day :—Three-and-a-Quarter per Cent. Stock, 1023.; Bank Stock, 211 ; Grand Canal De bentures, Four per Cent., 71fr ; Four per Cent. City Debentures, 971.—Railways : Dublin and Drogheda, 90/ ; Great Southern and Western, Extension, 74 ; Dublin and Belfast Junction, 6/ *; Irish Great Western, Dublin to Mullingar and Athlone, 2* 4 ; Belfast and Ballymena, 3i ; Dundalk and Ennes killen, 21, 3,2 i; Waterford and Limerick, 4; Wex ford and Carlow, 2-a ; Kingstown and Bray, 9,8 j ; Dieppe and Paris, 2i. THE ASSIZES. In the absence of that agitation to which we were so much accustomed up to a late period, we must be content with every exciteable event that turns up, even at the other side of the Channel. Hence it is that the trial of Tawell—his bearing before and since conviction, have furnished us with a topic of very general conversation. Indeed, our own assizes, although light, with the exception of two or three districts, have created a very unusual degree of interest in Dublin. A capital conviction being happily a circumstance of rarer occurrence than here tofore, when such an event takes place it becomes a leading subject of conversation. This day's post brings an account of the conviction of a man for murder at Deny, on Friday, and the fol lowing is a sketch of the trial:— MURDER IN FANNET. Michael Dogherty was indicted for the wilful murder of James Friel, at Tullinadal, on the 27th February last, and pleaded not guilty. John Friel, brother of deceased, examined by Mr. Schoales, Q.C.—The deceased, witness, and their brother Michael, held ground jointly under the Earl of Leitrim. Last year, or some time before, there was a division of farms in that part of the estate, accord ing to which witness and his brothers got thirty perches more or less of the ground held by prisoner's father, who got some in lieu of it. Witness and his brothers cropped those perches last year. Before breakfast, on the 27th of February, witness and his brothers were turning a lea rig beside an old ditch on the acquired ground. Michael had a crow bar—the others spades. The prisoner came down to them with a gun in his hand, and a bayonet tied on its muzzle. He was holding his gun in both hands. Witness was then four or five yards from de ceased. Prisoner swore by the five crosses that he would stick or skiver some of them. Michael was nearest to prisoner, and James next. Prisoner made an attempt to stab Michael, but he escape d the blow. He then stabbed James, who cried, " 0, John, I am done!" Witness got hold of him, and, opening his shirt, saw a wound on the left breast, and blood rushing from it. Saw several persons at a distance, and called to them, and laid deceased on the ground, still having him in his arms. He may have lived about twelve minutes, but not more. He and his brothers did or said nothing to provoke prisoner, but tried to keep him off with their spades. Cross-examined by Counsellor Doherty.—They had been neighbours of the Doghertys for 12 or 13 years. The Doghertys had been longest on the land. Mr. Law, the agent, had been making new arrange ments and division lines. There were trees, some of them pretty old, on the ditch he has spoken of, and witness and his brothers were going to uproot them. They had a hatchet with them. The trees were got, and th ey go t it ash and sycamore—some , perhaps , twenty years old. The Doghertys never came to them to say that the trees were theirs. They were on the piece of They, the F r i e l s, were working up ground without h which anyat. they, v en exception. t t h h e e F p r o i selns They , er came down, he did were all friendly not say, "Don't touch the trees till the landlord decides the desabo d u i t teh, them."bu not near th e t rees; they had taken away three of the trees the day before, at which time he cannot say whether old Dogherty was taken from home. Was not then warned by prisoner a They might be worth a againstthat k shilling t da ytaa. piece. n r Prisoner itshoe They e t hr r e e y e n s T rienvteen hd mentioned Mr. Law's e e d to take m or e of them name. Witness and his brothers had also got some of 1' s land.eersaw marks Did mks of vi o l ence on his arm, but has heard there were. not see prisoner pushed or e s l S truc he k i . Never Is sure that he (witness) did not cause them. Had not h ear d th a t licha old Dogherty was to go that very day to Mr. Law about the trees, but next day heard it. Several other witnesses were examined. After some time spent in deliberation, the jury re turned with a verdict of guilty, to which was added a recommendation to mercy. The Judge inquired the ground of their recommendation, and was answered by the foreman that it was the youth of the prisoner ; on which his Lordship shook his head doubtingly, and the prisoner was removed from the bar. On Saturday the unfortunate culprit was sen tenced to be executed. When the Judge had con cluded, the prisoner fell on his knees, and with hands uplifted and pressed together, implored that he might be transported for twenty years or be imprisoned for five - years. The witnesses against him, he said, could say what they pleased ; but, if wronged by them, he knew "he would not be wronged when he came MALTA. Malta, in its soil and climate, belongs to Africa—in its population, perhaps, to Italy—in its garrison and commerce, to Europe—Lnd in its manners and habits, to the East. It is a medley of the three quarters of the Old World ; and, for the time, a medley of the most curious description. The native carriages, peasant dresses, shops, furniture of the houses, and even the houses themselves, are wholly unlike anything that has before met the English eye. Malta, in point of religious observances, is like what St. Paul said of Athens—it is overwhelmingly pious. The church-bells tolling are all day long. W herever it is possible, the cultivatioti of the ground exhibits the industry of the people. Every spot where earth can be found, is covered with some species of produce. Large tracts are era-. pleyed in the cultivation of the cotton plant—fruit trees fill the soil—the fig tree is luxuriant—pomegra nate, peach, apple, and plum, are singularly produc tive. Tines cover the walls, and the Maltese orange* have a European reputation. The British possession of Malta originated in one of those singular events by which short-sightedness and rapine are often made. their own punishers. The importance of Malta, as a naval situation, had long been obvious to England, and when, in the revolutionary war, the chief hostili ties of the war were transferred to the Mediterranean, its value as a harbour for the English fleets because incalculable. Yet it was still in the pos• session of the knights ; and, so far as England was concerned, it might have remained in their hands for ever. A national sense of justice would have prevented the seizure of the island, however inadequate to defend itself against the navy of Eng land. But Napoleon had no such scruples. In his expedition to Egypt, he threw a body of troops on shore at Malta; and having either frightened or bribed its masters, or perhaps both, plundered the churches of their plate, turned out the knights, and left the island in possession of a French garrison. Nothing could be less sagacious and less statesman. like than this act; for, by extinguishing the neutrality of the island, he exposed it to an immediate blockade by the English. The result was exactly what he ought to have foreseen. An English squadron was immediately despatched to summon the island ; it eventually fell into the hands of the English, and now seems destined to remain in English hands so long as we have a ship in the Mediterranean.—Ths Overland Passage. SALE OF VAN AMBURGII'S STUD, &C.—A sale by auction, of a rather novel description, took place in the arena of the Roman Amphitheatre, Cooper-street, Man chester, on Monday, when the whole of the well-known stud of Van Amburgh, an elephant, giraffe, several lions, harness, vans, &c., were disposed of by Messrs. Lucas, of Liverpool. The attendance (admission to the theatre being obtained by the purchase of a catalogue) was very numerous. The sale commenced with the dis posal of the harness, the greater part of which was beautifully mounted with silver, and which brought pretty fair prices ; and we understand that the vans, Sec. sold tolerably well. There seemed to be no disposition to bid high for the trained animals—a fine black-maned African lion, said to be unequalled in England, having sold for 350/. Mr. Cobbold, of the Edinburgh Zoologi cal Gardens, purchased a male lion cub, about eight months old, for 121 10s. ; and a female cub of the same age was sold for 35/ Another lion, about six years old, went for 3101. The elephant Bolivar went for "501.; and a very fine giraffd for 4001. The horses was g forrai generally sold at fair prices. The competit ion greatest. Doctor,ddown fo which,r o after a gorfebyidgdeilndgin,g; named was Guardian: THE GAME NUISANCE. At the Nottingham County Hall Petty Sessions, on the Ist inst., all the penal cases, in number four, were under the game•lawa, and in each case the accused were unable to pay the penalty and costs, consequently sent to prison ; and thus becoming a charge upon the county purse, and probably one or more of a family thrown upon the parochial rates. Does not this tell another " great fact" a ga i ns t the game-preserving system awl the game-laws ?