The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-10 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Military Opinions of General Sir John Fox
Burgoyne, G.U.B. Collected and Edited by
Captain the Hon. G. Wrottesley, RE, Bentley.
At the present period, when the national de-
fences and the general system of our military
management are attracting so much of public at-
tention, the opinions of one who is in any degree
an authority on such matters is well worthy of
notice. The publication of Sir John Burgoyne's
opinions and recommendations is especially suit-
able, since he was strongly impressed with the
deficiency of our national defences, and wrote much
and forcibly upon the subject. When Sir John
Burgoyne was appointed to the office of Inspector.
General of Fortifications in 1845 he was immedi-
diately struck with the defective state of our mili-
tary establishments, and the want of preparation
to resist an invasion in case of a war with our
neighbours. He wrote in consequence the emphatic
and vigorous letter which will be found in the early
pages of this work, and in reply to which the
Duke of Wellington wrote his celebrated letter on
the subject. The editor observes, in his preface,
that although the circumstances are changed and
our defences are no longer in the very defective
state then alluded to, yet the general reasoning holds
good to the present time, and may tend to prevent
our defences from again falling into such a condi-
tion. Sir John Burgoyne argues forcibly against
the different objections brought against any im-
provements by many persons at that time. Some
critics having said that the military endeavoured
to raise an alarm for their peculiar advantage, he
answers them by saying, that if a builder or brick-
layer told you your house was in danger of falling
you would scarcely neglect the warning because he
was an interested person, but you would immediately
examine into the truth of the statement. Although
times and circumstances are changed since Sir J.
Burgoyne made his survey, it may not be uninte-
resting to peruse his recommendations :
It is miserable for a country like England to be reduced
to such a condition.

A remedy is easily to be applied, and though at a large
cost, it is not one that can be put in the slightest degree in
comparison with the importance of the object.
1. A large increase of our regular army.
2. The immediate preparation and constant maintenance
of ample military equipments of the best description.
3. The organisation of the militia during peace, in a state

for boing rapidly assembled and equipped whenever neces-
sary.
4. The protection of some leading points by fortifications,
particularly on the coasts, with some such defence at every
xrt in proportion to its importance, from a small battery to
defend the entrance of those of minor consequence, to the
surrounding in strength of our great arsenals. It is not for
me, in this place, to enter into details ; but, subject to
higher! authority, I would say, that our regular army should
never in peace consist of less than 30,000 men, cavalry and
infantry, in Great Britain, that could be collected as an
available reserve independent of what is reviredat different
stations, including Ireland : that is (allowing for wants in
the colonies), an absolute increase of at least that amount

to our present army.
That such force should be so formed by regiments or
battalions of a small peace strength, so as to become a ready
nucleus for doubling it quickly on the breaking out of war,
or necessity for arming ; as it ought not to be less than
60,000 at such an emergency.
This, with the militia, would make us feel secure—would
enable us to reinforce any threatened colonies, to trust our
fleets away occasionally for important objects; and would
even instil into foreign powers some little dread of what
might happen to them at their own homes, by an offensive
movement on our part—would tend to check their pugna-
cious dispositions, and afford us a powerful support in nego-
tiation.
With regard to the expenditure, he says, very sen-
sibly, that while deprecating any unnecessary ex-
travagance, that the expenditure should be with
reference to the real wants of the service, and not
to a given sum which, right or wrong, it must be
made to fit. "It is very well to talk of abuses,
and very right to lop them off without mercy, to
reduce such an allowance or establishment, and to
correct such and such bad arrangement; but it is
most impolitic to make these amendments (which,
in the aggregate, only amount to a few thousands
of pounds), the plea for abstracting necessary hun-
dreds of thousands from the efficient wants of the
service." With regard to an excessive economy in
this respect in time of peace, on the plea of an
accumulation of wealth being the best provision
for war, he:observes that it is as if, for a security
against fire, you laid by your money at interest, to
be expended on making engines and organising
a proper fire brigade, as soon as the conflagration
commenced. The second portion of the work re-
fers to the war in the Baltic and the Crimea. The
third, which is perhaps the most important, treats of
general military subjects, and conveys the results
of Sir John Burgoyne's valuable experience. Of
this part of the work the Editor says :—" Several
of the notes in the third part of the work were
written during the Peninsular war ; but as those
which I have selected for publication are general
in their character, they are applicable to all periods.
They consist, in fact, of principles, and not of rules,
and may therefore be considered as immutable. I
should mention, as regards these Peninsular notes,
that they were consulted by Sir John Jones and
Sir Charles Pooley before the publication of their
respective, and that this will account for any coin-
cidence in language or treatment of subjects which
may be found with those writers." Authenticated,
as they are; by the consent which General Sir
John Burgoyne has given to their publication, and
treating of subjects in which, at the present time,
even non-professional men are interested, the
opinions
securebefore a lausarge
relickirecllye of readerstocomman.d attention,
and will

Six Years' Travel in Central America. By Julius
Froebel. Bentley.
The wild and unsettled regions of Central
America have recently been visited by many curious
travellers, who have given us records of their im-
pressions and experiences. Wanderers from the
Fatherland have been conspicuous among these
adventurers, and the author of the work before us
has added another to the list. The plans and pro-
jects which men of science have contemplasteadcheard-
rying into effect in those regions haved despatched
the
numerous expeditions to
explore
ra country,
eks. In
and to study
1850, the project of its natural a tural a
constructing
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Aw aeso
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etdh it toh pe rr
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car
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rr
yh
which
grandhthesec h p
rm
ise be the scene
ga outc ou u
to visit
f so momentous an undertaking. He travelled
of
the States of Nicaragua, Upper Mosquitia,
and the shores of the Gulf of Honduras, in his first
expedition. Of San Juan del Norte, otherwise
known as Greytown, he gives a favourable account.
The population he represents as very respectable,
and far superior in character to that of its neigh-
bour, Chagres. " The most perfect order and
security prevailed at the time of my visit, though
hundreds of Californians who had come through
the interior of Nicaragua from Realejo filled the
taverns. The English protectors of the King of
Mosquito kept up excellent police here. A consi-
derable portion of the inhabitants were coloured
people from the interior, as well as from the West
Indies ; but the better class was almost entirely
composed of foreigners—Americans, English,
Frenchmen, Spaniards, Germans, and Italians ; and
such the population has remained up to the present
time, representing a type of what the population of
Central America in general will, no doubt, in due
course become." In the environs of Granada
the Indian element predominates. M. Froebel
asserts that it is an erroneous opinion that
this' people is naturally lazy. " Whatever may be
said of the descendants of the Spainards in this, or
any other American country, and however unwill-
ing the free negro may be to work, the Central-
American Indian is naturally industrious, and is,
without any doubt, the most useful and the most
respectable component in the Central-American
population." The ethnologist will be interested by
a curious fact which the author mentions in tracing
the races which inhabit the towns of Leon and
Granada—that the old animosities of different Indian
nations are still at the root of the civil wars of Cen-
tral America. With regard to the project of the
canal, M. Froebel does not express himself very
hopefully. He does not profess to give a decided
opinion, but fears that the insufficiency of water
would be a difficulty. A canal deep and wide
enough for all the vessels which would avail them-
selves of the passage would, he thinks, require
more water than the Lake of 'Managua could supply,
supposing that line to be chosen. In another
chapter, speaking of the Honduras Railway, he
observes that the ship canal through Nicaragua, if
it were feasible, would be a work of a higher order
than any railway through Central America, but
that we must remain in doubt whether any of the
existing generation will live to see ocean vessels
pass through Nicragua. He takes a rapid survey
of Central-American history, and remarks on its
general position, its geographical advantages, and
its future prospects. Two years after this expedi-
tion M. Froebel was invited to accompany the
transport of a firm from Missouri to Chihuahua,
and he gladly availed himself of the opportunity to
visit those back wilds of the Nortb American con-
tinent, which are still unsafe and inhospitable to
the solitary traveller. In this part of the work we
are introduced to the wandering Indian tribes and
to the wild and desolate regions which they inhabit.
M. Froebel remarks, in speaking of the Red men.
" It is very erroneous to imagine that the Indians
have a natural and instinctive hatred of the
white race. A white man, otherwise qualified,
who has a taste to be naturalised among
the Indians, is always received by them with wel-
come, and may attain to high honour in the tribe.
But what the Indian hates is civilisation, as much

in his own race as among the whites. He makes
no distinction of race in this respect, as is evident
from the fact that there exists no less hostility be-
tween the settled and civilised Indians of Mexico,
and the savage tribes of the wilderness, than be-
tween the latter and the civilised whites. Even the
Pimas, who dwell on the Gila, and form a valiant
vanguard of old Mexican civilisation against the
Apaches, and other plundering tribes of the north
and east, speak of the latter in the same terms as
civilised people speak of barbarians. " They are
savages who do not pursue agriculture." The an-
tagonism, consequently, is not one of race, but of
mode of life. On another occasion the indefatiga-
ble M. Frcebel accompanied, another trading expe-
dition of the same firm, when his journey led him
from the coast of Texas, through the district of the
Gila and Colorado to San Francisco, thus traversing
varied regions, and forming a thorough acquaint-
ance with the different features of Central Ameri-
can life. Speaking of the San Francisco, the author
graphically describes the mixture of races, charac-
ters, trades, and countries, their varied and con-
flicting objects, pursuits, and means of existence,
and then asks if it can be " a cause for surprise and
indignation that in such a mixed society, extend-
ing through the whole State, even to regions where
public authority exists only in name, crimes should
be constantly perpetrated—that offences should be
committed by the community as well as against it--
that quarrels should sometimes occur between the
different races ? " He thinks, on the contrary,
that
life should be considered as encouraging
in its aspects, since he believes that the most en-
lightened European community could not exist upon
" a foundation so absolutely democratic, with so
little public authority," without far greater evils;
The author intersperses his work with accounts and
anecdotes of the natural history of the localities he
visited, and the numerous coloured illustrations
which are given enhance the attractions of
teresting volume.

which
Instructions to Young Sportsmen in all
relates to Guns and Shooting. By Lieut.-Colonel
P. Hawker. Longman.
The fact of this book having now reached its
eleventh edition is of itself sufficient testimony t°
its merits. A more appropriate period than the
present could not have been chosen for its repro"
dnction, when the subject of which it treats engages
the general attention, and is of such paramount
importance to the interests of the cemmunity•
is very satisfactory to meet with a work which .re;
cords the experiences and contains the opinions_ °'
an eminent authority. This edition is edited .by
his son, Major Hawker, and it possesses the °,l
vantage of explanatory plates and woodcuts, whie
are of essential service to those desirous of studyinF,
the work. The amount of information which
contained in these pages is very considerable, a°'
the book is throughout written in the most careful
manner ; at the same time the style is animated'
and likely to prove attractive as well as instructive:
The general intentions of the author will be bete
understood by referring to the preface to the nio;f,
edition, which was the last he supervised hitnae"
not having lived to fulfil his intention of bringing
out the tenth, which task has, however, been mese
ably performed by his son, who has made use 0."
numerous memoranda and notes left by his father'
The following passage will serve, to some extent, t°
point out the purport of this interesting volume'".
"Every thing here asserted has been the result of 1011
years' trial and experience; and, therefore, all referenc!,
to other publications has been as much declined, as
statements from report ; and it has been attempted
dilate most on what has been the least explained by ()the,
au"
So thors.
much, indeed, has been published by more abl°,
writers, on field sports of every description, that little re.,
mains to be said on the subject. The pursuit of garc`rreie
already too well known to require much instruction. .1-4,
author has, therefore, thought it far better, instead of
ing too copiously on that head, to give particular directiovi;
for (what gentlemen least understand) getting access
wild birds of every description.
" With regard also to guns, and the various other
l
jects that form the remainder of the book, he has takeiViit.
his pen with the determination of neither borrowing, dpi
out proper acknowledgment, from other works, nor trusting
to any thing from the experiments of other persons.
" From having thus declined all assistance, and wii°
confined himself to the limits of his own humble experierZ
he will have to apologise perhaps for some errors, anu
doubt for many deficiencies. But even this, it is 110P`its
will make the work less objectionable than swellin eats
dimensions to an unreasonable size, by relating inciof
that possibly never occurred, or commencing a systerc '''-L,
piracy on other authors, which nothing would induce ner
to do, after the very flattering manner in which his foie..
editions have been received by the public and the
viewers.
" He now offers to their notice the ninth edition of this
work, which has of late been in many parts materla7o
altered and enlarged. The improvements here added ttre,
been the result of still further experience ; and, thereo
to
may be considered, in some degree, as finishing lesson the
those young sportsmen who have before done him
honour to attend to his earlier instructions."

..........,...,, ....._ _ ..._...,.......,
HEALTH- OF LONDON_ TO DURING -

WEEK.

(From the Registrar-General's Report.)
gh
The last report showed a decrease on the hls,
mortality of the third week of July, and it is sat"o,
factory to find that the present returns exhibithe
further reduction. In the two previous weeks ,be
deaths in London were 1,605 and 1,419;
week ending last Saturday they were I°",,
Within the last four weeks the mean weekly te,.l
dpeegr a.ttuore63hBasdfeagll.en by continuous decrease froth
In the ten years 1849-58 the average number
deaths in the weeks corresponding with last W_
was 1,188 ; but, as the deaths contained in the pt,
sent return occurred in a population that has 111
tcoomthpearienderweaisthe_tnhave
3ajiee;
craregaeserdaie
with 1,306. The rate of mortality has therelob,
raised
yin can
proportion only b e
so nearly returned to its ordinary limits, wiliew
however, are capable of great and permanent 130
traction, that the deaths exceeded by only 31 fthe
number obtained from former experience in "
first week of August. is
The births of last week exceeded the deaths
the same period by 381. is
The deaths caused by diarrhoea, which rose, 0,
the third week of July to 415. fell in the folloWnica
week to 382, and last week to 312. The eorrto
average of ten weeks (in 1849-58) correspenulai.
with last week is 170. In five metropolitan the
visions, the East districts, though nev'eelts
cest
most populous, contribute as in former .
the largest proportion of deaths by diarr,h is
-
7
In Shoreditch 19 deaths from it occurre'St.
Bethnal-green 10, in Whitechapel 8, ill' old
George-in-the-East 16, in Stepney and Mile-en. of
Town 19, and in Poplar 12. On the south ,Slater'„t
the river 13 occurred in the sub-district of St. -11;000
Walworth. Among northern districts MarYle,tee.
returned 22, Pancras 21 deaths from diarr,ocho,
Ti here are also 24 deaths recorded as due to 'were
era ' and "choleraic diarrhoea," 14 of which toes,
among children. Small-pox was fatal in 20 c
diphtheria also in 20, scarlatina in 63, syphilislior
Three infants and an adult died by murder or nltile
slaughter. Five nonagenarians are returned' gof
three oldest of whom died at the respective age-
-94, 95, and 97 years. it. of
A girl, aged 14 months, died on the 29th tiovit
coup de soleil, and on the day following a w7forn
aged 83 years, died of "cerebral congestion
.-
0
exposure to intense sunlight." • V
Last week the births of 860 boys and 858 goti
in all 1,718 children—were registered in 11156
In the 10 corresponding weeks of the years I°'
the average number was 1,530. files°
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the -f iris
height of the barometer in the week was 29.80; to
The barometer rose from 29.51 in. on Sundaitte
29.96 on Saturday, these being respectiveb'
lowest and highest points in the week. The,7leg../
temperature of the air in the week was 53"°
which is 1.5 deg. above the average of the,s-er),
week in 43 years (as determined Mr. Glass hest
The thermometer in the shade rose to its hig,ett
point, 80 deg., on Wednesday, and fell to its 1° taro
4.8 9 deg. on Saturday. The range of temPerfn3 tea
in the week was therefore 311 deg. The "ilia'
daily range was 22.2 deg. On Wednesday the ;epee
mometer in the sun rose to 100.3 deg. The dine'd
air
between the mean dew-point temperature as eaa
temperature_ was as much as 11.7 deg. The.:oleto
degree of humidity of the air was 64, c,,,euciloes"
saturation being represented by 100; on vv.,e,i,--erty
day the humidity was only 55. The mean te',1144
ture of the water of the Thames was 70. L,
which is higher by 6.4 deg. than that of trscesP
_The wind blew on every day from the sout''-n.tieg
There was rain on the last three days, aln°l-/-
to 013 inch, which fell chiefly on ThursdaY.