The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-13 00:00:00

COLBURN'S UNITED SERVICE.

The present number contains many pleasing nar-
ratives of stirring adventures by flood and field, and
also some able professional papers. Of' the latter,
" Observations on the Amendments in the Naval
Articles of War," by Tristram ; "Remarks on
Kafirland," "The Russian War in the Caucasus,"
"On Military colonies," by Lieutenant Colonel
Wilkie, and "Captain Johnson and the Mariner's
Compass," are well worthy of attention. The " Cruise
in the West Indies" is concluded.' " The Happiest
Hour" is a pleasingly written poetical sketch of a
well-known incident in the life of the celebrated
Lord Exmouth, strongly illustrative of the
character of a British sailor. We have
also the fourth and last ,number of the
" Recollections of Waterloo." " The Shots from an
Old Six-pounder" will be cordially welcomed. The
same agreeable gossiping style is maintained. The
observations on gambling should be carefully trea-
sured by every officer. How many youths of high
promise, with every prospect of a fortunate career,
have sacrificed everything, and fallen victims to an
indulgence in that fascinating vice. There is great
truth in the following remarks:—
" A word on gambling and the turf, at the risk of
being thought slow. I consider playing even for the
smallest stake a departure from right principle. Ido
not mean to say there is any actual harm in playing for
a small stake, or the stakes usually played for in gene-
ral society. I merely speak as to the principle of the
thing. Don't tell me that the risk is equal, or of such
humbug as playing on the square. The risk never is
equal. The value of money to every individual varies.
It depends on this or that individual's position and cir-
cumstances; and as a parity of circumstances and posi-
tions is next to impossible, or, at all events, can but very
rarely occur, it follows that the risk must necessarily, as
a general rule, be unequal. The loss which beggars
Captain B— causes no inconvenience to the Duke of
D--. The latter gives his cheque—the Captain shoots
himself. Besides, when is there a parity in temper,
skill, experience, to say nothing of principle and fair
dealing? Playing upon the square, indeed! Bah!
" Recollections of a Voyage to India," " A Remi-
niscence" and " Reminiscences of the late War of
Succession in Portugal" will also well repay a
perusal. The number also contains general corre-
spondence and editorial remarks of the usual cha-
racter.

UP-

THE BANKER'S MAGAZINE AND S
PLEMEIV7'.
This excellent periodical continues its able articles
on monetary affairs. The number opens with a
" Review on the Currency
.Debate," in which the
unsound arguments and specious fallacies put forward
in the course of the discussion are well exposed.
Amongst-others, the assertion that the crisis had been
produced by the conduct of our merchants and manu-
facturers. 'ln answer to this, no less than fifty-six
large failures are referred to, in which number there
are scarcely half a dozen that can be considered bad
ones, while there are at least double that number who
will pay twenty shillings in the pound, and have a
surplus even after the sacrifice of their property by
forced sales at panic prices, and a still larger number
who, even under present circumstances, will pay more
than fifteen shillings in the pound, and who would
have satisfied every liability, and had a balance left,
if not obliged to throw their stock upon the raarke'c,
to sell for whatever it would bring. The Bank
Charter Act is proved not only to have materially
aggravated, but to have, to a great extent, occasioned
the cote aercial disasters of the past autumn. There