The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-04 00:00:00

THE SUN,
_LONDON, TIIUIISDAV EVENING, JUNE "41, 1846.

THE SQUADRON OF EVOLUTION.

(From the Times.)
By the Gladiator, which had been dispatched to Cork
from the squadron of evolution, we have received reports
of all the trials of sailing which hal taken place up to
her departure. Since leaving Portsmouth the rendezvous
of the squadron had never been made known by signal,
but each captain or commander had it in a sealed letter,
which letter was not to be opened except in the event of
parting company. If we say, however, that the cruising
groucd was between the latitude of 48 deg. and 49 deg.
north, and longitude 9 deg. and 10 df,g. west, we
shall be near enough for reference. It was proposed
at the time our advices left that the whole of
the squadron shall be at Cork on Friday next, and
that their stay there should only be to get answers
to the letters which the Gladiator was to take in.
During their stay there, which was expected to be
at most only threw days, the whole of the marines of
the squadron, and the field pieces manned with seamen,
were to be landed on Spike I-land. The number of the
men would probably be 2,000, the field-pieces twenty.
After sailing from Cork, the next landing was proposed
to be at Bantry Bay, where access to the shore is more
difficult on account of the serf. Whiddy Island, at the
bottom of the bay, was the place spoken of, though it
was considered too small. As to what had already been
done, " but little," says one of our correspondents, "can
be said; the commodore keeps the squadron at it,
though, I lament to say, that in him, as well as in his
predecessors in command, long residence on shore as not
improved the nerves. As yet we have had no casualties,
or, at least, none have been reported."
A letter of subsequent date says :—" As. Raleigh
joined to-day, and Belleisle, with the new captain (John
Shepperd) of St. Vincent, is cruising in search of us,
our going into Cork is delayed until the 9th of June."
We subjoin a detailed account of each trial:—
The first table, that which contains the angle sub-
tended by the mast-beads of the respective ships, as also
their particular bearings at the commencement and at
the conclusion of each trial, furnishes elements suffi-
cient for those among our professional readers who may
have leisure to construct their own diagrams ; while the
table of results affords to the uninitiated at one view
the advantages that each ship had over the others. Fur
instance, in trial No. 1 the Vanguard stands first ; it'
the eye be carried along the line horizontally, it will he
found that the name of the Superb follows, marked 352;
that is, the Vanguard had the advantage of the Superb
by 352 fathoms. Again, the Vanguard beats the Albion
by 521 fathoms, the Queen by 729, and so on. The next
ship is the Superb, and it will be seen that she beats
the St. Vincent by 997 fathoms.
The mile is made up of 1,010 of these fathoms; 101
fathoms are taken as a cable's length; and 10 cables are I
considered a mile.

No. I.
MAY 15.
TRIAL OF SAILING WITH THE WIND ABAFT.

At 11h. 30m., wind E. by S.; force of wind from 3 to 2,
with a slight swell from the eastward; the signal was made
to try rate of sailing, and the course to be steered was W.
half N. The sail carried beside all plain sail was port lower,
topmast, and topgallant studding sails, and starboard top-
gallant studding sails with staysails. At 1 P.m., the wind
veered to due east, when the staysails and spankers were
taken in, the wind having fallen to 2 and 1%. The rate of
sailing at starting was not more than from VA to 4 knots.
RESULT.

0 •-• 0 0 •
T 3 : 0
10 cl. t;
` ':' cr6 _ ,_,,
Ships' Names. F • 0
'.' el cPT
CD P
r .
.---... .........,
........
............
......
____
1 Vanguard ... ... 352 2F.A, 729 1025'1349 2715
2 Superb... ... , 169 377 673 997 2363
3 Albion ... ... ••• ' 208 504 828 2194
4 Queen ... ... .... —! 296 621 1986
5 Rodney ••• ... —l I 324 1690
6 St. Vincent ... — ' —I 1366
7 _ Trafalgar (lest)
... ! j

REMARKS.
Before the trial of sailing took place, the line-of-battle
ships or the squadron (except St. Vincent) exercised firing
their cabin, ward-room, and gun-room guns from their stern
ports with a view of ascertaining the effects of the concus-
sion on the frame-work of the stern, as also the time re-
quired for clearing away the bulk-heads, &c. The effect
produced by the concussion was in no instance material, al-
-though it was greater than if fired from broadside guns.
The time taken varied from thirty minutes to an hour. The
Weather was fine, the swell very trifling, and therefore
afforded no good opportunity of judging which of the ship.
could have fought them best in heavier weather. The tri 1
et sailing was very uninteresting, except that the Rattler
was decidedly the best of the steam-vessels. No firing took
place on board them.

No. 11.
MAY 16.
TRIAL or SAILING ON A WIND.
At two P.M. the lee division—namely. Queen, Rodney, and
Superb—started under single-reefed topsails, royals, jibs, and
spankers, the wind S. by W., the course ordered west, force
of wind 4 and freshening, with a little swell from the south-
ward, St. Vincent jogging along under easy sail. At four
P.M. the signal was made to tack, but the division being at
least seven miles ahead, the masthead angles could not be
depended on. At 4h. 30m., Rodney being apparently the
t ship, was ordered to tack, with a view of ascertaining
could cross Queen's bows, Superb being unquestionably
71‘0 the time the windward ship ; Rodney, however, failed to
and the recall was then made.
ships t starting were as under, viz.:—

EL ti
0-i aq o h.:
=. g,:-.:. so ','..',.
Ships'Names. 2 o"- a. - Bearing. 2 g
Fr '6 c(-1
1g P' c. cr 4' 5-
g
D. M. S.
Superb
Rodney
Queen 176 7 332 45 N.3032W. 475

D. M. s.
Superb
Rodney
Queen 176 7 332 45 N. 3032 W.
From this it may be found that Superb at starting was
191 fathoms to leeward of St. Vincent, Rodney 324 fathoms,
and Queen 354 fathoms, thus showing that on the present
occasion there could have been no great difference in favour
of either ship.
All the steamers except Rattler were found missing to-day,
as was also the Brilliant.
Lat. in at noon, 49 30 N.; lon. 7 31 N.

No. 111.
MAY 17.
RZMARKS.
To-d'ANT being Sunday the squadron was ordered to keep
static /a, and make and shorten sail as necessary to do so.
Th:is proved an excellent mode of ascertaining what ore ship
could spare another. The wind was N.W., force good 7.
The St. Vincent lead the weather line, followed by Vanguard,
Albion, and Trafalgar. The Vanguard occasionally, and
Albion constantly, spared the St. Vincent a mainsail. The
Trafalgar was run nearly out of sight. The Queen led the
lee line, followed by Rodney and Superb, the two latter
sparing Queen their mainsails. At 2h. 30m. P.M. a general
signal was made by the Commodore," Has St. Vincent to-
day beaten Queen ?" and each ship, including Queen,
answered in the affirmative, the answers returned being,
" most decidedly," " decidedly," " certainly," &c. ; not that
there was the least doubt in any one's mind as to the result
between Queen and St. Vincent, but that the opinions of
the respective captains might be eatered in the signal log as
to the fact. The sail carried was single reefed topsails, but
there was a cross sail from the southward, and whenever
such is the case, or a head sea, Queen-will be beaten by every
ship, as occurred last year, when Trafalgar beat her under
similar circumstances. Rattler did remarkably well under
sail. The other steamers in company—namely, Gladiator,
Retribution, arra Scourge (the latter three having rejoined)—
did but and if they had been under steam would have
done less, for the screws of the one, and the paddle-wheels of
the otter, would have been half the time out of water. In
sholt, with the exception of Rattler, whose sailing qualities
appear to have been much improved, the steamers have done
nothing under sail, and have retarded the progress of the
squadron considerably since leaving Portsmouth. If bound
to an enemy's coast, the sailing ships, in weather like to-day,
would have bad to wait for them, and if they had been under
steam .on their arrival there they would have been useless
for want of coals. Terrible, Cyclops, and Brilliant still keep
out of sight, so their sailing qualities as yet remain untried.
Lat. in at noon, 48 deg. 32 min. N. ; long, 8 deg. 25 min.W.

NO. IV.
MAY 18.
REMARKS.
To-day the hind has been from West to W. by N., blow-
ing 7 and 8. At 11h. the weather division bore up, and
formed line of battle in open order, on the lee column—an
evolution well performed, the squadron generally under
treble reefed topsails. At a little before noon, the lee
division (now the leading one) wore in succession, and came
to the wind on the port tack. At noon, the port or lee di-
vision again wore, as did also the weather division, and
formed the prescribed order of sailing on the starboard tack.
This closed the manoeuvring fur the thy. Towards evening
the wial freshened, and the squadron jogged along under
CitYse reefed topsails.
Lat. in, 48 deg. 44 min. N.; long., 8 deg. 44 min. W.

No. V.
MAY 19.
Timm or SAILING ON A WIND.
At loh. 30m. Rodney, Vanguard, Superb, and Albion,
leaving previously run down to leeward between six and seven
too 4:.eartLed to the wind, per signal, but the distance was
by„, W. thermast-head angles. The wind steady from S.W.
sv . ; the lore:. Vincent under easy sail heading N.W. by
the mainaied°falvind was full 7, with a short head sea, and
wad topganatinstarting was single-reefed topsails, fore
which on no other sails, jib, and spanker—a press f sail
they started when Arisoon has been carried. Scarcely had
afterwards Superb's 44'inn split her maintopsail ; shortly
tacki went, followed quickly by
• her maintopsail sheets and
thus left to Rodney and Vai/1 b and spanker. The race was
one has never taken place
gart, and a more interesting
excessive; and lastly,
matched; next, the sail carried i st, the ships were well
both ships were handled beautifulli: About the finish there
tacked, Vanguard tean be no doubt ; for, after having
eseznlees' length distant,
across St. Vincent's bows about two passed
St. Vincent's
and when directly to windward was "
Rod-
ney stood on until within her own .lengthtinli;'glesi ;
like her
lee team, and would have passed through her:T.
pass
so to speak,
when she was obliged to bear up a little and
stern. It was just at the moment of putting her
time, and% on
that she looked most nobly—topgallant sails had been helm up
in, for the wind had considerably freshened, but thestai "
the lee yardarm baffled her people for a long
to be seen bagging away to leeward; it was a momentval
intense anxiet, , for a spoke of the wheel the wrong way, °-
- the carrying away of a tiller rope, would have caused irroer-
.lee,. caught
irre-
parable damage to both, and when her sails, which momen-
tarily flapped while passing under St. Vincent's
the breeze again as she drew clear, her yaids quivered like
willow rods, and then resumed their arch-like form. The
distance between the two ships in a direct line was now
about 3 cables' length, Vanguard being that to windward.
At starting from a mean of two or three mast-bead angles
that were taken on board St. Vincent by different observers,
Rodney was found to be 10 cables' length to leeward of
Vanguard ; but, as before mentioned, the distance was too
great to admit of certainty. Vanguard makes Rodney 65.0
yards to leeward at starting, and claims a victory, but this
cannot be from their positions at the finish. My own im-
pression is that Rodney bad the best of it ; one thing, how-
ever, is very certain, that Vanguard pitched more heavily
than Rodney, and that both ships must have had enough of
that particularly agreeable motion. Shortly after the trial
was over the wind increased to 9, and the ships took it
everything but their doe-reefed maintomilf, set fare and
•

main staysails, main and mizen trysails, housed topgallant
masts, and made all snug, Rattler, was the only one of the
steamers in company, and she keeping her station admirably,
and otherwise doing well.
Lat. in, 47 deg. 52 min. N. ; long., 8 deg. 48 min. W.

No. VI.
MAY 20.
REMARKS.
This day has been passed under a close-reefed maintop-
fore and main staysails, main and mizen trysails ; the
wind W„ blowing from Bto 9, with a heavy sea on. Some
observations were made to day on the motion of the different
ships in heavy weather. The remit is that Albion rolled
five times to Trafalgar's once, and rolled her main channels
under, taking the sea in on her quarter-deck ; in short, it
was frightful to look at her. Superb rolled her main-deck
ports in, and filled her ward-room from the officers' cabins.
Vanguard rolled heavily, but not so much as Albion or Rod-
ney. Queen was best of the Symonites. St. Vincent rolled
27 deg. to starboard and 20 min. to port ; was very easy,
but shipped a good deal of water on her lower deck, from the
new fangled way of securing the ports with screws, instead
of the old port-bar and forelock. Rodney behaved well,
and, take her in every respect, is the best two-deck ship
among us. Queen was obliged occasionally to set her reefed
foresail, to prevent her falling off so much to leeward.
Rattler, was the only one of the steamers with us, and
making very good weather.
Lat. in,4B deg. 46 min. N. ; long., 8 deg. 52 min. W.

No. VII.
MAY 21.
REMA R KS.

The wind to-day has been blowing hari from the N:W.,
and the Superb was early ordered to look out to leeward,
and the Trafalgar to windward, the utmost sail they could
carry being doubie-reefed topsails, whole courses, fore and
main top-gallant sails, jib and spanker; the remainder of
the squadron under the same sail as yesterday, with a good
deal of motion for the want of more (sail). The Brilliant
was brought back among us to-day, and repo.•ted having
seen two of the steamers on Tuesday, Rattler being the only
one with us ; the other Live, viz., Terrible, Cyclops, Gla-
diator, Scourge, and Retribution, havuig come out to have
their sailing qualities tested, are to be yet found ere they
undergo that operation.
Lat. in, 48 deg. N. ; long., 9 deg. 48 min. W.

No. VIII.
MAY 22.
REMARKS

The wind and sea had considerably abated during the past
night, so much so that St. Vincent in the forenoon exercised
firing her middle and lower deck guns from her stern ports ;
the reason why she did not exercise before being owing to
the dangerous illness of one of the men, who is now conva-
lescent. It occupied one hour to remove bulkheads, &c., and
10 rounds from each of the four guns—namely, 2 in ward-
room, and 2 in gun-room—making in all 40 discharges, were
fired in 15 minutes. The effects of the concussion were mere
serious than those produced in the other ships, but it may in
some degree be attributed to the loosening of the fastenings
of some of the ornamental fittings of the stern, from the
working of the ship during the last fear days, and not alto-
gether from the firing. At it was, however, she lost a great
part of her stern ornaments during the exercise, and her
stern galleries were loosened and suffered proportionally.
Carpenters and joiners were called in to assist in putting mat-
ters in place again, from the other ships of the squadron,
though many articles of Mass and coarser material were found
to be beyond repair. in short, this cruise will be a most ex-
pensive one to the r'AJovernment, and an almost ruinous one
to the officers'
Gladiator messes, by reason of the many breakages.
r.nd Scourge rejoined the squadron this evening,
Retribution, and Terrible being still missing. Too
mu:.:„^praise cannot be given to Rattler for the way in which she
ass kept her station. The weather we have experienced has
been just such as was wanted to test the steamers' sailing and
other qualities, but their separation from the rest of the
squadron has prevented most effecrually the compari-ou from
taking place, and it may be a long time now before such
another opportunity offers.
Lat. in, 48 deg. 8 min. N. ; long., 9 deg. 8 min. W.

No. IX.
MAY 23.
REMARKS.

The weather to-day has been tolerably fair: no evolutions,
and nothing doing, save that Gladiator took eight hours to
unship her floats, and the ships of the squadron had per-
mission to communicate wiali each other.
MAY 24.
REMARKS.

To-day there has been a nice breeze from the N.E., blowing
3to 31. In the morning Trafalgar was ordered to look out
to leeward, and Brilliant and Rattler to windward ; the rest
of the squadron in the prescribed order of sailing, in close
order. St. Vincent and Queen equal; Superb better than
Rodney ; and Vanguard and Albion on a par, as far as sailing
went; but the great feat of the day was Rattler beating
Brilliant 2 miles to windward in 4 hours It really was
painful to see so noble-looking a corvette do so badly. Query
—would either of the other steamers have done half as
much ? Every day proves more and more their inutility
under sail alone.

May 23—Lat. in, 47 deg. 48 min. N. ; long. 9 deg. 38 min.W.
May 24—Lat. in,47 deg. 47 min. N.; long., 8 deg. 53 min.W.

No. X.
MAY 25.
REMARKS.

To-day the weather has been fine, the water smooth, the
wind from the N.E., blowing about 3. At 9h. 30m. the
squadron exercised at general quarters, firing blank cart-
ridge. As this was done principally to give the newly-
raised men an opportunity of reducing to real practice what
they have been regularly drilled at without firing since
leaving Portsmouth, there is no room to say a great deal
about it. Better kept-up firing will of course be attained as
soon as the men know more of the drill ; and perhaps real
tiring more frequently with a few number of rounds would
give them more confidence than going through the mere
motions, and at last expend all the powder allowed for
exercise At one great battue. To-day three rounds from
each ship was the prescribed allowance. "Terrible" and
"Cyclops" are still missing.
Lat. in, 40 deg. 10 min. N. ; long., 9 deg. 30 min. W.

No. XI.
AlAy 26.
TRIAL OF SAILING ON A WIND.

At 1111. 35m. A. 31 Brilliant, Superb, and Rattler started
on port tack, the wind N.E. Sail carried, single reefed top-
sails, royals, and flying jib ; with a slight swell from the
northward, and the force of the wind from 4 to 4%.

Ships' Names
Brilliant
Superb
Rattler

RESULT.

Superb.
103

Rattler.
199
196

REMARKS.

This trial terminated very differently from what had been
expected, and every tine is at a loss in what way to account
for it. Brilliant appeared :o move without life, even her sails
required to be set by signal from the Commodore, and yet by
diagram and by eye she held the first place ; Rattler, Scourge,
and Gladiator, the only steamers in company; the rest of the
-quadron in the prescribed order of sailing under double-
reefed topsails and topgallantsails, St. Vincent maintaining a
slight advantage over Queen.
Lat. in, 48 deg. 30 min. N. ; long. 10 deg. 13 min. T.

No. XII.
MAY 27.

Last night, at 11 o'clock, the unusual sound of " Lash up
hammocks," followed by beating to quarters, was heard, and
the night signal to engage was hoisted at the mizen. Ham-
mocks were up and stowed ; stools, tables, &c., cleared away,
and the first gun fired in ten minutes The time which
elapsed between making the signal and firing the first gun
was nearly as follows :—Number of rt)unds fired—three.
Time signal was made being at 11 P.M.
h. m. see. h. m. sec.
Queen, Ist gun at ... 11 5 00 ceased firing 11 20 00
Vanguard, ditto ... 11 5 30 ditto ... 11 17 30
Rattler, ditto ... 11 6 20 ditto ...
Superb, ditto ... 11 6 30 ditto ...
Rodney, ditto ... 11 6 40 ditto
Brilliant, ditto ... 11 6 50 ditto
Albion, ditto ... 11 7. 00 ditto

at about
h. m.
11 29

Trafalgar, ditto ... 11 7 30 ditto
St. Vincent, ditto ... 11 10 00 ditto
Gladiator, ditto ... 11 10 30 ditto
Scourge, ditto ... 11 12 00 ditto

REMARKS

It is difficult to state precisely the time of finishing, but
the above will be found not very wide of the truth. The
particulars relative to St. Vincent were as follows :—At Ilh.
han mocks were piged up; in six minutes they were stowed,
and the men at the upper deck quarters covering them. At
llh. 10m. the firing became general on the main and middle
decks; at llh. 17m. the guns on all the decks, except those
in the cabins, ward-room, and gun-room) were in full play.
At 11h. 27m. firing ceased, three rounds having been ex
pended. At llh. 50m. lower deck tables and stools having
been replaced, the magazines secured, and decks swept,
hammocks were piped down, and at 12 the watch was called.
The effect was very pretty, the night fine, a little swell from
the northward, and force f wind 3. The squadron was in
the prescribed order of sailing, under double reefed-topsail.,
foresail, maintrysail, and spanker. No accident is reported,
and, token altogether, it must be considered a very creditable
performance. The anguard's firing was the best sustained.
Trafalgar fired a running broadside admirably. Brilliant
fired a broadside which told well, and the heavy guns of the
steamers produced an involuntary shudder, as their deep re-
port came booming along.
To-day has been passed very pleasantly ; two of the squa-
dron were sent to look out, the one to windward, the ether
to leeward, but have not succeeded in picking up the stray
sheep. We are crossing and re-crossing the spot fixed on
for our rendezvous, but Cyclops, Retribution, and Terrible
are no where to be found.

Lat. in, 48 deg. 24 min. N. ; long. 9 deg. 18 min. W.

No. XIII.
MAY 28.
TRIAL Or SAILING ON A WIND.

At Bh. 30m. A.m., Queen and Albion started on port tack.
Sail carried, whole topsails, royals, and flying jib. Force of
wind 3, from E.N.E. to E. by N. N., with a slight confused
swell. St. Vincent and rest of squadron under single reefed
topsails and topgallantsails, with jib and spanker. The
steamers under the same sail.

RESULT.
Albion beat Queen 1,783 fathoms, or 1 mile.
REMARKS.

The trial excited but little interest in those who had wit-
nessed the performances of these two ships on former occa-
sions. Albion, with a deck less than Queen, and conse-
quently with less top hamper, and having a greater spread
of canvass, ought at least to prove herself the better sailer.
Rodney and Superb had a sort of trial on a S. by E course,
in which Rodney had an apparent advantage, for it can be
only apparent when judged of at a distance of 6 or 7 miles.
The object was more as a look-out than anything else. yet,
after all the exertions made by the Commodore to find Re-
tribution, Cyclops, and Terrible, they will not appear.
Lat. at noon, 48 deg. 34 min. N.; long., 9 deg. 36 min. W.

herel
Theth
iGs Ia
m doi
ra
nt
nr g s
at et adma COVE;flri ghat t ef
r, °oCaptainsi odbi:b101,:ao rf3r arrived
hero this morning at daylight from the squadron of evo-
lution, which she left on the evening of the 29th, abort
230 miles to the S.W. of this place. The squadron had
experienced all the effects of the late gale, in which the
Retribution parted company. The only steam-frigate
that remained with the squadron was the Gladiator, and
the Rattler and Scourge steam-sloops. On the night of
the 15th, the Cyclops, Terrible, and Brilliant parted
company with the squadron, and the Retribution
on the night of the 17th, in the gale of wind. The
Scourge and Gladiator also parted company, but,
on the same night, with the Brilliant, rejoined and kept
company with the squadron wh.n the Gladiator left.
The larger part of the steam squadron having parted
company, there were few steam evolutions; indeed,
when the Gladiator joined, she had the signal made to
take off her paddle-floats, as she is unable to disconnPct
her engine, and being obliged to drag the floats through
the water, not only strains the engine a great deal, but
requires a greater quantity of sail to be carried, Both

Gladiator and Scourge appeared to have suffered a great
, deal duri.ig the gale, as they looked as if they had
shipped some heavy seas, and their berthing and spon-
sons appeared to have started; one of the Gladiator's
quarter-boats appeared to have been •tot'e, bill in other
respects she appeared to have behaved very well, and
joined the fleet in good order; and after having taken
off her paddle-floats, sailed and kept company with the
squadron under all sail, and certainly appeared by
far the finest looking steam-frigate in the squadron;
in proof of which it may be stated that with her paddle,
floats shipped, and her engine connected, she kept com-
pany with the sailing ships of the squadron, when the
Terrible, Retribution, and Cyclops were obliged to part
company, and take shelter in the gale from stress of
weather. In making her passage to this place the Gla-
diator broke one of the brasses of the connecting red of
one of her air pumps, and was obliged to stop her en-
gines, to discover the defective one, for four hours, but
proceeded on her course, and came here with one engine
only. She is a noble-looking frigate, and is farligMkr on
the water than any we have seen here. The squadron
may be expected here on the 2d or 3'i inst.

-
Extract of another letter, dated Chops of the Channel,
May 29 :—"I have only a moment to tell you that the
squadron are all well' in the Chops of the Channel, this
29th of May.

, -
" St. Vincent-s-tails well.
" Queen---hot so well as when Sir Baldwin Walker corn-
mancle:,", her.
" Trafalgai—very badly,
" Superb—best.
" Rodney—not so well.
" Albion—better than Rodney.
" Vanguard—next to Superb.
" The Rattler, propelling steamer, is the only one that has
been able to keep company with the sailing ships, all the
others or most of thvin have been damaged. The Terrible
lost her rudder, Retribution a paddle-box, Cyclops severely
damaged t and you may confidently state that except Rattler
not one of our steamers are fit for ' ocean work,' and they
may retire to the Likes, or into smooth water, as soon as
they please. The Rattler has been on the weather bow of
the Commodore, her station, every morning at daybreak
without a miss. We have had many trials of sailing, in
which the false keel and the skill of Captain Corry have made
Superb the fleetest of the fleet, and in every evolution, by
day or by night, the superior officers of the Supfib have
proved their superiority.
" The squadron go to Cork, land the marines, and astonish
the natives. Then on a cruise—then to Bantry-bay—then
to cruise—then to Spithead—then to cruise—and then to
Plymouth—another cruise—and lay up on the Ist of Novem-
ber, unless we should be wanted upon foreign service.
" I could have wished to have beer: more particular, but
the signals for Letters to England' immediate, leaves me no
more time."

MAGAZINES—(CONTINUED.)
UP/ON MA GA ZLVE.
The present number of the Union, which completes
the first volume, commences with an article, entitled
" Revelations of Many Years' Sojourn in Rome," which,
although written in a light and mirthful vein, yet fur-
nishes frequently matter worthy of serious reflection.
Take, for instance; the opening paragraph:—
" Patriotittna generagy considered to be an instinctive
attachment to the soil on which we are born. I must con-
fess myself a stranger to such a feeling, and can only ima-
gine it to exist in the breasts of those who are not only born
on the soil, but possess a portion thereof. In this case the
attachment is a mutual one; and, in return for the benefits
derived from a long rent-rdll the POss6sor has every in-
ducement to stand np in defence of, and protect, the charac-
ter of the friead to whom he is so much indebted."
Here we have developed to us the true cause of the in-
tense nationality of the French people, and of the cosmo-
politan carelessness of the bulk of the English. In France,
thanks to the aboltion of the laws of primogeniture and
entail, every individual almost is possessed of some
portion of the land, while no single indiv:dual possesses
an overwhelming influence. Our territorial constitution, on
the contrary, backed up as it is by the laws of primogeni-
ture and entail, conduces to the formation of great estates.
into which all lesser estates beootne absorbed. The
yeoman is destroyed, and is forced either to seek in other
i
countries that property in the soil which is denied him
his own, or to sink into a mere day labourer. In the
first case he becomes a patriot of the land which has re-
ceived and fostered him, in opposition to that land which
cast him forth—in the second place, sullen and discon-
tented, he cannot be supposed to have any very great
feeling of attachment to institutions which have worked
his ruin; and in the day of peril to those institutions,
whether that peril arise from invasion from abroad, or
from insuria ction at home, it cannot be imagined that
he would exert himself very energetically in their defence.
The feelings of this writer on the subject of patriotism are
more generally diffused throughout the country than our
rulers probably imagine, and it would ba well that before
the hour of danger arrives they should seriously con-
sider this subject, and by a modification of the laws of
inheritance and entail, encourage the large landed pro-
prietors to sell portions of their estates, so as to enable
men of moderate means to invest their savings in
land, and thus largely to increase the number of those
who have every inducement to stand up in defence of
their country, for they may rely upon it that the greater
portion of mankind will agree with this writer, who in the
next sentence says " For my own part I prefer that country
which is productive of the greatest enjoyment to me?'
The following observations should be written by every
traveller in the first page of his note-book before he
sets off on his journey, and conned over every time he
sits down to journalise his day's adventures. They
apply equally to the denizens of every nation:—
" It is very unfair to judge the present Romans by our
own standard,—we are a commercial, enterprising nation,
with a popular Government ;—they, a dispirited, enervated,
race. Every effort they make to shake off the stagnant do-
minion of the priesthood is crushed by the Austrian Govern-
ment;—any attempt at improvement in the internal re-
sources of the country, for facilitating intercourse with other
nations, discouraged, or immediately suppressed. The
priests, drawn from, and so judiciously mixed with, all
classes of the community, so as to render the greater part
dependent on their good graces for subsistence, hold the reins
of government in all departments of the state, every chan-
nel of which is diseased with bribery and corruption. They
are the victims of might over right, and deserve commise-
ration rather than scorn. I have mingled in all ranks of
society, and found the spirit of freedom universal ; but they
cannot alone shake off the yoke. Let those who contrast
them with their mighty ancestors and hold them up to deri-
sion, rather lend them a helping hand to file the chain
that galls still many a noble Roman,' and ' the very stones
of Rome would rise and mutiny.'"
The author's account of his sojourn in Rome is written
in a lively and animated strain. According to him,
Rome, for a lounger of moderate means, must be the
pleasantest residence in the world--save and except in
the time of the cholera for then it appears the
priests and Jesuits, having promised the people that a
pilgrimage to the Madonna of Santa Maria Mag-
giore, which had been transferred to the church of
the Jesuits, would defend them against the plague, and
finding that the Virgin refused her miraculous inter-
position, had recourse, in order to stop the progress of
the spirit of unbelief, so dangerous to their dominion, to
the wicked expedient of persuading the people that the
foreigners resident in Rome were, in order to gratify
their religious animosity, administering poison in va-
rious shapes to the inhabitants, and that its effects were
in every respect similar to those of cholera. The con-
sequence was that a poor Englishman, named Houseal,
was torn to pieces in the street by an infuriated mob,
and that his funeral procession was obliged to be ac-
companied by an escort of (dragoons, to prevent the mob
from attacking those who attended his mutilated
remains to the grave. To this paper succeeds the second
of the " Quarantine Tales," a stirring story of American
India adventure, entitled " Ontario Leathershins." In
the paper on the rise and progress of Liberty in England
and France, the writer discovers an evident leaning
towards Charles 1., whose faults are all either kept in
the back ground or turned into] virtues, while those of
his adversaries are exaggerated. The other papers of
this number are all of more than average merit.

hess,.cause a suffusion of blood in the head as surely as at-
temptiit to breathe jri the rare atmosphere of the Alpine
summits, or in the exhausted rectivtr of tin air-yunip.
" High Art, dressed out according to the last German
fashion, is little better than an abstraction, and next cousin
to nothing. It is passionless, colourless, formless. It is in-
tolerant of all those mere human passions which Elysium
knows net, Erebus disdains according to its latest ex-
pounder, the Oxford Graduate, the object of art is to express
infinite space by the medium of absolute repose. Colour, we
are told, distracts the attention, and weakens the sentiment.
Painters are forbidden to use any but the pale, meagre
colours of fresco painting: There is licentiousness in the
efforts of later artists to imitate the minute details of the
hUman form : the conventional straight lines of Gothic or
Etrustan sculpture are the only trite medium for the expres-
sion of the sublime. A figure, stiff and rectangular, as one
sees on old heraldic scutcheons ; colours which have been
subjected to the detergent influence of chlorine gas; the only
approach to expression compressed lips or a faint sickly
smile ;—this is the ideal abstractrd by German lubberliness
from study of the works of cloistered
artists who flourished
before men had learned to draw. The kind of drawing which
most closely corresponds to the definition of High Art
theorists, is that of a Rothschild, where a few stiff lines
may express a golden million. This High Art would be ex-
clusively characterised by negatives, but for the lath and
plaster, which is the most indispensable part of it. Fresco
is the sine gad non of the school : the painter must study
under the plasterer, to learn the art of compounding lime
and sand, or plaster of Paris; and under the chemist, to
know how wet greens turn into dry blues: accomplished in
these recondite branches of learning, he needs no more
schooling, but may set up at once for an artist."
We are glad that Cruikahank has taken the " high art"
humbug in hand, and administered to it a lashing which
was richly deserved, and has been well laid on.

ROYAL GEMS FROM THE GALLERIES
OF EUROPE. Part I.

Worthy of this sounding title is the magnificent pub-
li3ation above announced. It is composed of engravings
from " National Pictures of the Great Masters, with
notices, biographical, historical and descriptive, by S. C.
Hall." So declares the title,page, and the contents of
part one fully corroborate the declaration, The en-
gravings are masterpieces in that art by Greatbach,
Sharpe, and Cousen ; from masterpieces also by Wilkie,
Crowley and Gainsborougb. Firstly, there is the famous
" Rent Day," as familiar to us all as any piece of Ho-
garth; secondly, there is " Cup Tossing, an admirable
combination of expression, form, and humour ; thirdly,
there is " The Cottage Door," embossomed in an um
brageous greenery of leaves even in black-and-white.
The sketch illustrative of the second plate, written by
Mrs. S. C. Hall, is a charming delineation of Irish life,
worthy of that popular authoress, in whose wisdom we
always recognise the deep pulsations of her heart. The
works, which is dedicated to H. R. H. Albert Edward,
Prince of Wales, is a splendid specimen of the pictorial
art. It is an honour to all engaged in its production: in
its way, it is an achievement.

HEATH'S GALLERY OF BRITISH ENGRAV-
11VGS. Parts VIII. and IX.

This beautiful series evinces the same brilliancy as
heretofore ; portrait, landscape, and domestic scene,
each is excellent in its way as a production of art, and as
an imitation of nature, the highest aim of art. An
agreeable sensation of coolness pervades us on looking
at the representation of the " Fountains at Versailles,"
a sensation by-the-way doubly agreeable in the sultry
atmosphere of June. And who will not enjoy that
sparkling product of Mr. Redgrave's easle, " %Waking
Dreams ?" Beholding the broken eggs upon the cottage
floor, one cannot for a moment mistake that their owner
has " counted her chickens before they were hatched ;"
and looking into her expressive eyes, one can nearly
fathom the emotions of her dream. Mr. Heath proves
for the hundredth time his taste in selection.