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FATAL DUEL IN BELGIUM.

The Union Commercial° of Antwerp, of the 28th
ult., contains the following :—" A fatal duel took
place yesterday in the entirons of St,'l3ernartl, be-
tween two officers of the Ist Regiiiient of the Line
belonging to a detachment at the :nelson Pcniten-
tiare. Subjoined are the details, which have been
furnished us by a person connected with the locality.
On the evening before the duel a warm discussion
arose between the two officers in question. Insult-
ing words having been exchanged, the captain of
the company ordered M. B—, one of the indi-
viduals in question, to withdraw. On the fol-
lowing day, the, quarrel becoming still more
bitter, the two officers agreed to meet accompanied
by a sous-ggicier and a soldier, in a neighbour-
ing wood, and to determine the matter by a
duel according to the American system, with the
fusil or musket. Arrived at a convenient spot, the
two adversaries placed themselves at a distance
from each other of, as one party said, 60 paces, but,
as another alleged, of only 40 paces. They took
the fusils from the hands of the witnesses, who,
having withdrawn to some distance, M. P—, one
of the principals, although the offended party, fired
his gun in the air. His adversary, however, it
appears, took deadly and deliberate aim, and lodged
his ball in the abdomen of the officer P—, caus-
ing a frightful wound, through which his liver and
intestines protruded. The unfortunate man, after
about twenty minutes of excruciating suffering,
expired in the arms of the sous-officier who had
accompanied him. He had previously uttered a few
words intimating that it had been his fixed deter-
mination to spare his adversary. The latter, how-
ever, as it unhappily appeared, declined to imitate
his generosity. M. B—, it is stated, left the
bloody scene to seek the services of the surgeon of
-the detachment. Being unable to find him, he fled
from the hands of justice. All the above details,
although furnished by a person deserving of every
credit, are given only under all reserve." The
Precurseur of Antwerp gives the following account
of the same event :—" On Saturday evening
(Christmas-day) a party of officers were engaged
at St. Bernard playing a game of whist. Sub-
Lieutenant Pierard, of the Ist Regiment of the
Line, forming part of the detachment in the gar-
rison at= the House of Correction, was one of the
party, and while, holding the cards in his hand ob-
served Sub-Lieutenant de Brouwere, of the same re-
giment and of the same detachment, stationed behind
him, and watching attentively his mode of playing
the game. -On several occasions M. de Brouwere
expressed his opinion as to the manner in which
M. de Pierard handled his cards. His comments
becoming offensive, a. warm altercation ensued
between the two officers. The dispute waxing
serious, insulting expressions were uttered towards
each other, M. de Brouwere going the length of
attacking the memory of the father of M. Pierard,
who had been an officer in the Artillery, but who
was some time dead. Those attacks having greatly
irritated the son, it was finally arranged that a duel
with pistols should takeplace on the following day.
The next day, being Sunday, the two persons met
at about noon to arrange preliminaries, when find-
ing it impossible to procure piitols without ex-
posing their intentions, and thereby running the
risk of being prevented carrying out their project,
it was ultimately agreed upon that the duel should
take place by means of two fusils. Such are the
details which we believe it our duty, under reserve,
to communicate. The following are the facts which
subsequently occurred, which may be thoroughly
relied upon :—On Sunday, at a little after 4 o'clock
in the afternoon, the two officers left St. Bernard
and proceeded towards the o,pen country. They
were accompanied by a sergeant and a soldier, the
latter, under the orders of Lieut. Pierard, carried
the two fusils. According to the version of the
sergeant and the soldier, the two officers had in-
formed them that they were going to shoot spar-
rows ; tkey had never said a word to them about a
duel. Arrivedat a level field, the two officers gave
orders to their inferiors (still following the ver-
sion of the latter) to withdraw to some distance.
This having been done, each of the officers took
a fusil or gun in his hands, and walked in opposite
directions until they reached a distance of about 40
or 50 paces from each other. Two shots were then
fired in an imperceptible interval. The Sub-Lieu
tenant Pierard received in the centre of his abdo-
men his adversary's ball, and fell immediately on
his back. The officer de Brouwere having hastened
up to him, Pierard uttered some incomprehensible
words, and then expired. His death appeared to
be almost instantaneous. The body of the unfor-
tunate deceased was in a few minutes afterwards
transported to the barrack of the House of Correc-
tion of St. Bernard. The sergeant and the soldier
who had accompanied the officers to the fatal ren-
contre have been placed under arrest The Sub-
Lieutenant de Brouwere for a time disappeared. It
was reported that he had fled from justice, but in
the course of yesterday he voluntarily presented
himself before his superior officers, by whonfhe was
handed over to the military magistracy of our pro-
vince. Since-yesterday evening de Brouwere is an
inmate of the cellular prison of our city. An in-
vesti<ration into -this bloody drama and somewhat
mysterious affair is now being actively pursued.
The military auditor of the province of Antwerp
has just been to St. Bernard to organise an inquiry
of the most minute character. The Sub-Lieutenants
de Brouwere and Pierard were both in the list of
promotions published in August last."

A _History of the Knights of Malta. By Major
Whitworth Porter, Royal Engineers. 2 Vols.
Longman,
The history of the Knights of the Cross has
alaltlys been one of the most vivid and stirring
pages in the rewards of chivalry. In every
romance, whose scene is laid in the middle ages,
the Templar or the Knight of St. John figures con-
spicuously. No reader of Ivanhoe can forget Bois
Guilbert, and it was not only in prose that their
achievements were celebrated. The ballad, the
war song, the lay of thu troubadour, have all ren-
dered a tribute .to their valour, if they have less faith-
fully painted the darker sides of their characters.
Sir Walter Scott, in his spirited ballad of " The
Fire King," tells how, in charging the infidels—
" The Knights of the Temple and Knights of St. John,
With Salem's King Baldwin against them, came on."
Even in the sober pages of history, however,
the narrative of their exploits reads like a
romance. The Orders themselves were intended as
the very incorporation of piety and chivalry, and if
in the enthusiasm of the founders, the weakness of
human nature and the inevitable recoil from exces-
sive severity were lost sight of, 'still in the hour of
trial the nobility of purpose which had originally
animated the knights reappeared in full vigour. If
the pride, and avarice, and luxury of the Templars
was sufficient to authorise the witty rejoinder of
King Richard, and there is too much reason to
presume from contemporary records that the
Knights Hospitallers were by no means more per-
fect, still beneath the rack of the executioner, and
before the hordes of the infidel, they displayed un-
rivalled courage. The suppression of the Templars
by Philip the Fair is well known to' all readers of
history, and also the striking episode of the recan-
tation of Jaques de Molay and Guy, his companion,
of the confessions forced from them by the fear-
ful tortures to which they had 'been subjected.
The old tradition, too, is familiar to many, which
tells how the murdered Grand -Master, perishing
at the stake, summoned the King of France and
tfic Pope to appear before the judgment-seat
within a year and a day. By a curious coincidence,
Philip the Fourth and Clement the Fifth both died
within that period. The extermination of the
Templars did not affect their more fortunate
brethren of the White Cross, whose greatest
achievements were yet to come. They received
some of the enormous wealth of the Tcmplars,
though a considerable portion was appropriated by
King Philip, under the plea of reimbursing the
expenses of the trial. After the loss of Jerusalem
and Acre, the Knights of St. John, under Fulk de
Villaret, established themselves at Rhodes, which
position they gallantly maintained for two centuries.
Their triumphant repulse of the army of Sultan
Mahomet excited the greatest enthusiasm through-
out Europe, and its effect on the mind of their
imperial enemy may be gathered from the epitaph
which he ordered to be inscribed upon his tomb.
Dying very soon after this Tailure, he turned from
the catalogue of the provinces he had subdued, and
the victories he had achieved, and directed that
they should write upon his grave "My intention
was to have captured Rhodes, and subjugated
Italy." One would have thought that this declara-
tion told plainly enough to the European potentates
the folly and danger of allowing the advance of
the Turkish hordes upon Rhodes. Yet we find
that in the second siege no aid was sent, and the
Knights were again left to their own unassisted
efforts. The result was not surprising. After
maintaining the struggle .for six months against
overwhelming odds, the Knights were forced to
capitulate, and, thanks to the magnanimity of
Solyman the Magnificent, obtained favourable terms.
They were compelled to abandon the strong-
hold they had so valiantly maintained, with
diminished numbers and clouded prospects, cheered
only by the sense of having nobly fulfilled their
duty, and by the general enthusiasm which
their gallantry had excited throughout the
civilised world. Charles the Fifth, himself
no mean soldier, on hearing of the termination of
the siege, turned to his courtiers, and said, " There
has been nothing so well lost in the world as
Rhodes." There remained, however, yet another
struggle against the Turks which should avenge
this disaster, and add yet brighter laurels to the
wreath of the Knights of the White Cross. The
triumphant defence of Malta must over remain one
of the most striking proofs of the superiority of
noble enthusiasm and undaunted courage over mere
numbers. The readers of Prescott's " Philip the
Second" will remember how much of his second
volume he has devoted to the record of this event-
ful siege. The tardy relief from Sicily, which had
been so long promised and so ardently desired, was
at length scarcely wished for, since the besiegers
were wavering in their attacks, and the scanty
'remnant bf the Knights could almost have wished
to have won the triumph alone. They arrived, how-
ever, and the besieged had the well-earned delight
and satisfaction of witnessing the departure of that
proud fleet which had threatened their annihilation,
leaving the White Cross of St. John still fluttering
on the battlements of Malta. It is mournful, after
the record of such glorious achievements as the
defences of Rhodes and of Malta, to follow the
gradual decay and deterioration of the Order to its
ignominious expulsion from the island it had so
gallantly preserved, by the forces of the Republic
under General Buonaparte. At the present
moment Count Colloredo holds the nomi-
nal office of Grand Master, but its glory
has indeed departed since the days of Peter
D'Aubusson, L'lsle Adam, and La Valette.
Major Porter was surprised at finding the difficulty
which existed in obtaining information concerning
the Order of St. John, and thinking, from the
striking interest of their story, and the historical
value-of the narrative, that a clear and complete
account of their origin, achievements, and fortunes
would be generally interesting, he has set to work
to supply a deficiency. He has searched through the
ponderous volumes of the public library of Malta,
and the papers of its Record-office, as well as study-
ing the few works extant on the subject, being there-
by enabled, in addition to the particulars of sieges,
and battles, which are the common property of his-
tery, to introduce some details of the habits and
organisation of the order, which have never before
been made public. He has fulfilled his arduous task
with fidelity and success. The style is clear and
lucid, the information copious, and the writer is
evidently animated by a correspondinenthusiasm
when he tells of the victories of the White Cross,
or how a mere handful of knights and men bid defi-
ance to the valour of the Turkish hordes. He has
full opportunity, in the recital of sieges, to display
his powers as a narrator; and in tracing the line of
Grand Masters, he shows some skill in depicting
and analysing character. The three Chief ornaments
of the Grand Masters were Peter D'Aubusson, who
defended Rhodes against the first attack; L'lsle
Adam, who covered defeat with the honour of a
victory ; and La Valette, whose stern defence of
Malta gave thename to its chief city. The unflinch-
ing resolution of his character, unyielding either to
fear or pity, was well suited to the terrible crisis
through which he had led his order. His sacrifice
of the noble defenders of St. Eleno, however ne-
cessary in warfare, appears almost heartless, but it
shows to what a pitch the heroism of the defenders
had been raised when men could be found volun-
teering for such a post. St. Elmo was port at
the point of the promontory, that, running out into
the sea, divides the harbour of Malta, and it com-
manded both sides of it. The Turks attacked it
first, feeling 'the necessity of gaining such a posi-
tion. La Valette perceived the importance of
its retention and owing to the negligence of
the Turks who left the communication
with the opposite forts open, he sent fresh
reinforcements nightly, and removed the avounded.
As the defences gradually gave way beneath the
tremendous engines of the Turks, the besieged per-
ceived that their destruction was inevitable, and
sent a message to La Valette explaining the state
of the fort, and begging permission to leave it..
This he refused, but sent them fresh aid. The
enemy, however, saw their mistake, and cut off the
communication. 'When the brave defenders saw
themselves invested on every side they perceived.
that they were to be sacrificed for the sake of the
others. Many angrily complained, but La Valette
sent a scornful message, saying he would send
others for the post of honour, and they should be
recalled to safety. The bold Knights of St. John.
could not suffer 'such a taunt ; if the post was to
be held till the last, none but themselves should
hold it. Feeling themselves doomed, they deter-
mined to keep the place as long as human valour
and endurance could maintain it. Gradually the
devoted band gave way, gradually their numbers
diminished and the enemy advanced. The author
draws an effective picture of their meeting together
in the little chapel of the fort the last night
tliatthey felt it possible to hold out.
anticipa-
tions were correct—that solemn gathering was
t heirfeebleat war-
riorsinid
,laVhen they
day the Turkish forces retire
last--yetpuls thetho those
attacksixt once Ivornndi ando
e n
of St. Elmo fell one by one at
renewed their onslaught, however, thtehebirarN'e
posts.
de-
fendersA
few of the Maltese soldiers, proverbially expert
in swimming, escaped by plunging into the water,
and nine prisoners were saved by being captured
by the corsairs who formed part of the Turkish
army, to be sold for slaves. Every other defender
perished sword in hand, having maintained the
shattered bulwark more than a month aainst the
whole power of Sap:lmA arraY, Thee noble

We yesterday gave a telegraph announcement
hat a deputation had waited on the Lord Lieute-
nant of Ireland, for the purpose of laying before his
Excellency the resolutions on the subject of postal
communication between -Ireland and America,
adopted on a recent occasion: The following is a
more detailed report of the proceedings :
The deputation consisted of the following noble-
men and gentlemen, .viz.:--The Right Hon. the
Lord Mayor, the Earl of Howth, Lord Talbot de
Malahisle, the Hon. George Handcock, Sir James
Power, Laurence Waldron, M.P. ; John Vance,
M.P. ; Francis Codd, T.C. ; Benjamin L. Guinness,
William Long, T. C. ; Alderman G. Roe, Dr.
Gray, T.C. ; Alderman. Lambert
.(Lord Mayor
.elect), Jonathan Pim; Henry Grattan, and Charles
Granby Burke, Esqrs. Having arrived at the Vice-
regal Lodge, the deputation were ushered by one
of the Aides-de-camp into an apartment where the
Lord Lieutenant, attended by Lord Naas, Chief
Secretary, was waiting to receive their.
The LORD MAYOR,' having thanked his Excel-
lency for the promptness with which he had
acceded to the request of the deputation to grant
them an interview, and having stated the object of
the meeting recently held at the Mansion-house,
read the resolutions which were adopted on that
occasion. His lordship observed that great interest
existed in commercial circles in Dublin on the
subject of postal communication between Ireland.
and America and that the deputation were con-
vinced that his Excellency would do everything in
his power to advance that project.
His EXCELLENCY replied as follows:—You can-
not feel a greater anxiety than I do myself on this
subject. There are many things which are sup-
posed to require official reserve ; but it would be
quite ridiculous to affect any official reserve when
my opinions on the subject are so well known in
so many different quarters. I have no hesitation
in saying that I am as much interested in the suc-
cess of this great enterprise as any citizen of Dublin
or inhabitant of Ireland ; and I have never on any
occasion hesitated to express the interest which I
take in it, and, what is of still more importance,
I have never hesitated to urge on the Govern-
ment my views vti the subject. I have no
sort of hesitation in saying that I individually •
am most anxious to promote the welfare• of the
enterprise, which I thinkis-for the benefit of the
country; and I will not cease urging upon the
government at home the propriety—and I might
almost say the necessity—of giving it their assist-
ance. You must see that there are always consi-
derable difficulties in the way of government giving
assistance upon so large a scale as would be required
here and in this case particularly so. There are
three departments of government which have to
be considered in this matter—the` Treasury, Post-
office, and the Admiralty ; and I may say there is
another department of gover.nment of still more im-
portance, which is that very important body—the
House of Commons. Therefore, it is not only what
I think best, or what I think expedient, but what
-the Treasury, the Post-office, and the Admiralty
think best, and what it is likely the House of
Commons will consent to. It is quite evident that
the feeling of the present day is against bolstering
up any commercial enterprise. Therefore, it would
be contrary, of course, to all the principles of the
present day that this company should receive the
assistance of Government for its own sake--that it
should be brought into existence by assistance of
Government. We can only look to it with a view
to assist in the public service. Already some little
assistance has been given to it—that is to say, so
far as the public service is concerned—by the colo-
nial mails being given to it. I cannot conceive
that the Post-office could by any possibility refuse to
give the company the conveyance of the" Irish mails
—the Irish letters. It seems to me quite impossible
that if the thing were properly laid before the
Post-office that it would insist on the Irish letters
going to England—and thereby taking an extra
time in their transit to America. Therefore, I think
there can be no doubt that if it were properly laid
before the Post-office, the payment for the Irish
letters, which I understand is between £20,000 and
£30,090 a-year, would not be refused. Then, I think
that if a proper representation were made, it is im-
possible that the letters of the new colony of British
Columbia could be refused. It is very evident that
the feeling of the present day is against bolstering
up commercial enterprises by
.government, and in
that light probably this one might find a difficulty
in dealing with the question ; but if it can be proved
that the public service is benefited, then I presume
the government has a right to render its assist-
ance. If letters can be conveyed to St. John's in five
days, and telegrams from London to Washington in
six, as I think it has been proved that they can be
conveyed, it-appears to me that a subsidy Ibr postal
purposes must eventually be granted. In the mean-
time I understand that a subsidy has been given
for our
.North American colonies. I cannot con-
ceive that the Post-office can .refuse to give the
£30,000 a year which the letters between Ireland
and America yield to the revenue ; and I think we
have every right to expect that postal communica-
tion with British Columbia should go by this route.
I cannot but hope, too, that if this enterprise is
carried out as it has been, begun, the superior ad-
vantages of the route between this country and the
United States must obtain a subsidy. I shall have
great pleasure in forwarding to the Treasury the
memorial you have presented to me, with the
strongest recommendation that anything that is in
reason requested should be acceded to.
The LORD MAYOR thanked his Excellency fur
the favourable answer which lie had given ;
and
said he was sure every member of the deputation
felt that the matter could not be in better hands.
The LORD-LIEUTENANT said that nothing would
be left undone on his part to obtain for the enter-
prise the favourable consideration of. Gol:e.rnm_ ent.
Mr. HENRY GRATTAN observed that r. Lever,
and the company with which he
was
did not expect any money from Government for
building ships, or bolstering up their enterprise.
Their object was to get public money for phblie
services. He thought that, considering the more
rapid conveyance of letters to America by the Gal-
way line, the new company was entitled, with
reference to the conveyance the mails, to be
placed on equality with, if not to obtain a pre-
ference over, other companies which were situated
at a greater distance from the coaf.4 of America. In
asking for the conveyance of the mails they did so
on the .ground that the public service would, be
benefitted. thereby.
His Excellency had mentioned
that three departments of the Government were to
be consulted, and he wished to know whether the
deputation ought to make the application or throw
the burden of ddi'r so on his Excellency's
shoulders. He thought it would be better iu the
first instance that the applications to the Treasury
and the Post-office should be made by the deputa-
tion.

The LORD-LIEUTENANT—I can see no harm in

anybody making an application to the Treasury,
and particularly such an influential deputation as I
have the honour to see before me. Their support
will be most valuable in backing up my represen-
tation.
The deputation then withdrew.