The Press.
London, England, 1853-08-13 00:00:00

I CAN assure

news. What news ? say you. Lord Jolt's RUSSELL has forwarded to
the Commander-in-Chief a code of signals for the use of the squadron

—of which we all expect him, by the way, to take command imme
mediately. He has no regular office; and, indeed, has no employment
except editing Fox and Moore ;—and from the way he achieves that it
seems pretty clear it can't cost him much time. Add a couple of days'
work per week at St. Bartholomew's, besides the time it takes him to
make the personal acquaintance of his new friends (no pleasant ,job
this, I should say !), and you will see that he has plenty of time to
spare for naval employment. Accordingly wo expect him down here
to hoist his flag soon : there will be friends enough to receive him,
unless the service is altered. I remember, when I was in the West
Indies, that we had three commanders in the squadron who bore the
following names :

H.M.S. Faction, Captain Et.uorr GREY RtssEt.t..
H.M.S. Spleen, Captain RUSSELL Et.uorr GREY.
H.M.S. Supporter, Captain GREY RUSSELL ELuoTT.

This was in the good old days. But, hillo ! belay there ! (I put this
in to please the public, who seem to suppose that we always talk in
this style.) 1 sun wandering from the point.
Well, you know, it is customary to alter the signals now and
then; in fact, when we fear that they are getting too well known
abroad, we do so. Also, we keep the signal-book in a wooden case,
bottomed with lead. Both facts Lord JonN considers symbolic—the
first, of changes of opinion ; the second, of the constitution of Cabi-
nets. Hence, perhaps, he derived the notion, now acted upon, of
furnishing us with a new code. I am enabled to forward you some
hints from this work, to which I have obtained access through the
kindness of Captain

Lord JOHN retains the use of letters and numerals, and his prin-
cipal innovation consists in the artfulness with which he has devised
short ways of expressing such new orders as the changed state of feel-
ing in English Governments may be expected to bring into demand
1. Instead of a tedious use of half-a-dozen flags run up and down
to express "Russian Fleet to windward," which, of course, would have
to be answered, and a long interchange made—Lord Tons proposes
to hoist C. 3.—a combination as expressive as Burleigh's nod in The
Critic; for it is to signify—" Russian Fleet to windward ; truly auful
incident ; squadron to retreat in confusion inside the Wight." Here
you have no absurd delay or botheration, but the policy of the Govern-
ment is tersely expressed in a single order.
2. Supposing that the Meditemnean Fleet, again, should get
news at Besika Bay that the Russians have anchored in the Golden
Horn, and that the French Fleet are being towed up the Dardanelles,
B. 2. will signify—" Negotiate, Write home on sodded."
3. In the same way-4. 2. is to stand henceforth as the signal for
"American frigate passing. Gire tray, and (lip ensign." (By-the-bye, it
would be as well to be careful in such matters ; for I remember, in
Malta, a Yankee bumping up against our quarter, instead of going out
of the harbour straight, like a rational vessel.)
4. Under the head of boat-signals Lord JOHN comprehends a
curious set of minor instructions, by which we are instructed to tele-
graph orders to our boats, how to pay attention to foreigners. Our
barges and gigs are to be sent about harbours in which they may
happen to be, at the disposal of the French, Yankee, Austrian, and
Russian people. The object, here, is to make our Navy (Preface, p. 3)
" the bum-boats of such Foreign Powers as the Coalition may think it
necessary to truckle to." Thus, 3. 4. 5. will signify—" Send train-oil
to Russian Flag-ship."

5. Alen of-war to strike their colours for the future on meeting
merchant-ships, in homage to the Commercial Interest. (Formerly
we used to make the traders lower their top-gallant sails when we
passed, or bring 'em to if they didn't ; but all that is gone by.)
P.S.—Should Lord Jolts take any active steps in the conduct of
the Fleet, to-morrow, I will communicate with you further.

• However, a good deal mast depend on the Second Edition of the Code ; for let no
man judge of Lord JOHN'S works till he gets a second edition. We have been favoured
with a revised " History of England," by Lord JonN, and from a paragraph the reader
will see what we mean by our caution :

" In 1050 the powerful William fitted ont an expedition against Ireland. and de•
tested, on the shores of that kingdom, the army of Edward the Confessor, with great
slaughter.'•—llialory of England. F'iral Edition.

Note to Second Edition.—" It was nut against the Irish, but the Saxon•Englisb, that
this expedition was directed; nor was Edward, but liarold, the 'king attacked. I fear,
also, that the date is wrong."—J. R.

ESS.

THE MAIN.
In the youth of the world, ere the pitiless Sun,'
Melting Icarus' wings, brought him down by the run,
Content with a crook, man held on to the plain,
And Neptune went free on his empire the Main.
First Athens, deeiph'ring the Delphiean stave.
Built her walls of ship timber, and dwelt on the ways ;
And she laek'd not,—why should she ?—place, honour. and gain!
For the sai,,rs of Athens were Lords of the Main.
To Dido's fair city the sea belong'd next ;
Her faith, over false, gave her sword a pretext;
Till the Sons of A:fleas perceiv'd with disdain
That Rome must be nowhere, or Queen of the Main.

The Vikingir, nurs'd in the Fiords of the North,
At Rollo's hoarse summons like whirlwinds burst forth ;
And with daughter, and lands, was the French Monarch fain
To purchase his homage whose fleets swept the Main.
Then Wilke arose with her lion and book,
His paw in the teeth of the Moslem he shook ;
And CoLumars, presenting a new world to Spain.
Gave her treasure, and empire, ►aid rule on the Main.
But the Sailors of England had heard of that same,
With a roving eommission they presently came ,
Say's DRAKE to JOHN SPANIARD-" My hearty! 'tis plain
El Dorado's not safe while Queen BEss keeps the Main."
We've had NELSON and .11Envis, nowt:, DeNcAN, and 131.AKE,
And our oak is still sound—give its branches a shake!
And the voiee of oppression shall threaten in vain,
While a thousand brave ships wear our flog on the Main.

Never doubt it, true friends, that with ardour unite
In defiance of wrong, and protection of right !
For we'll sink, with our isle, ere dishonour shall stain
The greatest flag yet that has waved o'er the Main.