The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-05 00:00:00

THURSDAY EVENING,

LITERATURE.

REMLIVISENCES of
,a IVAVAL OFFICER,
during the late War, with Sketches and Anecdotes
of Distinguished Commanders._; By Captain
Cranford,
Much as hes been said and published upon the mighty
;events which will one day make the history of the wars
in Europe, at the end of the last and the commencement
of the present century, one of unsurpassed interest, not
,only by the many heroic deeds which crowded upon one
another in a comparatively short period of time, but also
by the number of truly great men whose talents were
then brought into play, and whose. efforts :achieved for
them a noble and imperishable fame,—we must needs
admit that there are innumerable instances of deeds"
worth recording and unrecorded, of men almost un-
Acnown, however deserving of a statue in the temple of
immortality, and how could it be- otherwise, when so
many rush on in the same course, performing in mag-
nanimous emulation acts which, if taken singly
would be deemed sublime, but which must yield
in the aggregate to those of the fortunate
winner of the race, which, in such oases is
not 'merely to the swift, but 'to the first among the
swift! It behoves us, then, not to be un-
mindful of the noble efforts of those who, but for one
smile the less from the fickle goddess, Fortune, might
have been in the proud situation that all aim at, while
one alone carries off the palm. -
It is with such rt fleetions, and with a feeling ranging.
-between admiration for the noble and daring spirit of
the actors in the drama before us, and the strange yet
natural satisfaction of knowing that we were dealing
with mortals somewhat less elevated above our ordinary
sphere, that we read the above work by Captain Craw-
, ford, and from the dignified yet unassuming tone which
pervades its pages, we are inclined to think he will side
with us in the view we take of the subject. The inci-
dents, he narrates, though inseparable tram the most me-
morable events of the last great European war, are,
though full of interest, subordinate to the main action.
The men to whom, we are introduced, are for the most
part second in command to those More fortunate
leaders, who have deservedly and universally been pro-
nounced the heroes of their times, and we fully parti- '
cipate in what we deem the writer's feeling that some-
thing, nay much, is due to those who . by a zealous dis-
charge of the duties intrusted to them, have so mainly
contributed to the successful issue of the contest, and he
invites our sympathy, our gratitude for their often un-
requited, at least as regards renown, noble deeds.
Let us then for a moment follow the writer of, these
'volumes, we had well nigh said the hero, from his ad-
mission into the service, to that portion of his life in
which he closes his narrative. First, we find him a mid-
shipman in his Majesty's service; exchanging the,scenes
of a quiet peaceful home for the hardships-of life at sea,
passing through the long and painful ordeal of that un-
enviable station, with: patient endurance and nntired
energy, and right pleased we are in time to find him
capering with joy (a not very heroio process, but
a very natural one) at receiving from my Lords of
the Admiralty the glad tidings of his promotion to'
the rank and station of a lieutenant and .a gentleman.
With him we cruise, fight, explore, land where and
when we can (an amphibious animal is the sailor), and
after a variety of adventures of all kinds, a glance at
some of the great actors in the mighty struggle which
placed this country in her present proud position at land
and sea, we at last congratulate him on his promotion
to the rank of commander, and can but praise the noble
feeling which induced him to record the fact, that' to the
spirited advocacy of his claims by a supexior, he was in-
debted for that reward of his exertions, a circumstance
equally honourable to both parties. Thus, then, we
consider this work a fair tribute paid in many instances
to unknown merit, and we rejoice to AO.* it anecdotes
and particulars highly interesting from their illustrating
or revealing many peculiarities of the service, to which
public attention should be directid, and finally we re-
commend it as an amusing, compeniOnable book, and
whose least merit is not that it is well written. Indeed
we cannot but admire the talent displayed in this re-
spect, by men whose whole time and best energies have
so long and exclusively been devoted to a career which
could hardly be supposed to foSter and,eneourage. a taste
for literature.

JUNE-

COURT OF. COMMON COUNCIL.
HER MAJESTY'S EXPECTED VISIT TO .THE

CITY.

Yesterday a special court was held for the purpose of
receiving from the committee in relation to. the Great
Exhibition "a report, with a plan and estimate for fitting
up the. Guildhall, and for a grand ball, upon the occasion
of the Exhibition, at an expense not exceeding 5,2501."
The court was crowded with members. • •
All strangers were excluded, in accordance with the
practice adopted upon occasions when matters connected
with the Sovereign are taken into consideration.
We are given to understand that Mr. Dakin, the chair-
man of the committee, brought up the following report,
which was received most enthusiastically
".TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD MAYOR,
ALDERMEN, AND COMMONS, OF THE CITY OF LON-
DON, IN COMMON COUNCIL ASSEMBLED..

" We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, your com-
mittee in relation to the Exhibition of the Works of Indus-
try of all Nations, to whom, on the 26th day of May last, our
report then presented-was referred back, for the purpose
of affording the Court further information more in detail,
and also empowering us• to ascertain, in the usual official
manner, if her Majesty will honour this corporation with
her Royal presence at an evening entertainment in the
Guildhall of this city, and to report thereon, do certify
that, in unison with accustomed practice and the above-
mentioned, resolution of this honourable Court, we re-
quested the Right lion. the Lord Mayor, the Recorder,
and the Sheriffs, attended by the Remembrancer, to wait
upon her Majesty, and, in the name of the Court, humbly.
to request that her Majesty would vouchsafe to honour
them with her presence at en evening entertainment in
the Guildhall of this city, on such day and at such time
as her Majesty might be graciously pleased to appoint,
in consequence of which an appointment has been ob-
tained for an interview with her Majesty on Saturday
next, the 7th instant, to receive the official answer, her
Majesty. having been pleased to expr,ss her intention of
visiting this city, and of appointing Wednesday, the 2d
July next, for the purpose.
" That upon receiving this.information of her Majesty's
intention from the 'Right Honourable the Lord Mayor,
in order that no time might be lost for proceeding with
the arrangements for a due and suitable reception of her
Majesty, we referred it to the architect to consider the
same, and to report to us the particulars, in detail as far
as the shortness of the time would permit his so doing,
and we have since received a report from him, which is
as follows:

6 TO THE WORSHIPFUL EXHIBITION ENTERTAINMENT

COMMITTEE."

" • Gentlemen—ln conformity with your instructions,
I beg to lay before you the detail of the estimate I sub-
mitted on the 23d of last month:— _ _

To laying down the temporary flooring joists,
&c., Cu the pavement of the Guildhall entrance,
lobbied, and crypt, and afterwards removing

and stowing away the same, consisting of about
16,000 superficial feet ... £2OO
To the formation and cost of ute and waste of

about 10,600 superficial feet of flooring and
joists to fit up as refreshment rooms, the kitchen,
passages, and court yard at the north end of
Guildhall ••• ••. ••• •• •••
To the decorating of 50,090 equare feet of wall-
ing in the temporary entrances, porch, Guild-

hall kitchen - ... ... ... ... ... 625
Roofing of area, and temporary erections ... 100
To the formation of a music gallery in the hall,
ditto in the Council Chamber, and one in the
Exchequer Court ... .•• ... ... 70
To decorating conservatories adjoining the alder-
men's room, providing tables for the refresh-

ments, &c. ... 60
To providing throne and other decorations ... 180
To covering floor of hall with drugget and cloth
for dancing ••• ••• ••• •.• ••• 200
Ditto other parts of the flooring with matting or
drugget, as the case may be ... 80
Upholderfor chairs and furniture, fitting up re-
ception rooms for her Majesty, and conveniences
for the retiring rooms ... ... 500
Gas 120
Gas ittings, hire of chandeliers, lamps, &e. ... 250
Looking glasses and flowers ... ... 200
Hire sad removal of sculpture and articles of
vertu ••• .•• ..• ..• •.. ..• 100

£2,900
..• ••• 500