The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-01 00:00:00

BENTLEY'S MIst,CELLANY.

Albert Smith's romance, " The Marchioness de 13rin-
villiers," increases in intensity of interest as it draws
near to a conclusion. The guilty Marchioness, at the
instigation of her paramour, Saint Croix, poisons both
her hi., thers. Saint Croix, who has endeavoured to
cheat the physician from whom they obtained the
poison, is himself poisoned by the Italian, and it is not
until after the death of St. Croix that the wretched
physician discovers that he has killed his own son.
On the death of St. Croix his effects are seized by the
authoritis s, and among the rest a cabinet which is
claimed by the Marchioness as her prop, rty. It is
opened, and found to contain various preparations of
poison. She bast; ns to her own residence, knowing that
the police have possession of the cabinet, and at this
interesting summit the story breaks off for the
present number. Mrs. Mathews continues her
sketches of ennobled actresses, and gives us the
short but entertaining biography of the Countess of
Craven (Miss Brunton) and Lady Thusio:v (Miss Bol-
ton). The outpourings of D. Canter consist of a series
of amusing reminiscences of poor Power. and the subject
of the literary retrospect of the delta: tad great is -John
Galt. The Gaol Chaplain continues This dark pages from
"Life's Volume." We must confess, however, that we
prefer the story of the bright pages of life, and there-
fore are under infinite obligations to Alfred Crowquill
for introducing us to his aunt, " a good-natured wo-
man," one of the most simple minded and kindest-
hearted of creatures. It is a sketch not unworthy of
Goldsmith. Paul Prendergast introduces us to a dan-
gerous character, Mr. Thwailes. Ima4ine a man
aping in decent society, at the present day, the intoler-
able and disgusting brutalities of old Sam. Johnson, and
imagine Paul Prendergast she:ening adventures of such
a man, and, good reader, you may form some idea
of the treat that is in store for you. BeLeey
eschews politics ; nevertheless, in the pressnt
Number, there is a short address to the gentlemen of
England, which is more worthy the attention of those to
whose care the destinies of this great nation are con-
fided, than all the political articles which have appeared
in all the magazines for the last twelve months. It cc-
curs
at the conclusion of an interesting narrative, en-
titled, " A Press-gang Hero," a narrative founded in
fact, by Robert Postans. Thus dues Mr. Postans ad-
dress the gentlemen of England :
" A word to the ' Gentlemen of England who live at home
at ease.' You cannot he ignorant that powerful rivals are
striving to overmatch you on that element you fondly call
your own. Think you nut that there are many more old sea-
men along your coast who have similar tales of neglect and
wrong to recount to younger mariners? Know you not there
are thousands, and their warning voices perchance has influ-
enced them to adopt a service in every respect opposed to yours,
and may affect the manning of your ships at the present hour.
Let the truth be told. Seamen will not enter the navy—they
shirk it—it takes months in these times of peace, with a luxury
of sailors, to man a ship of war. They prefer the American to
the British marine ; and why ? because the pay is better, and
the service made more palatable. This is not a flattering ex-
ponent of the spirit which your mariners bear towards the
navy. Be wise in time ; and remember that one decisive vic-
tory over a British fleet would be more destructive to you than
t h e loss of a score of Waterloos ; nay, your seamen have been so
used to victory, that a drawn battle, ship for ship, and gun for
gun, would be a triumph to your foe, and a defeat to you. You
cannot afford to lower the prestige of your flag ; if your seamen
are not invincible, the world must not know it. There is po-
licy in making the fox's skin piece out the lion's hide.
" You have lieutenants sufficient to man a stout fleet of line-
of-battle ships on your half-pay list, and admirals and captains
enough to officer all the navies in the world. Ships—noble
ships you have in profusion; but seamen—the muscles and
bones to put all these vast resources in motion—are not to be
found. The inference is plain. Jack feels himself neglected,
and seeks employment where he is better treated. Be assured
the seaman of the last war is an altered man—he is changed with
the times—the thoughtless beings who fought so valiantly for
you in the last war will not readily be found again. The days
of frying watches and eating bank-notes between slices of bread
and butter are gone, and are only remembered now as so much
yarn.

" Endeavour to make the service popular by increased pay,
and comfort to the seamen ; let him feel he is protected, and
he will protect you ; he will b 3, as he always has been, the van
of your vanguard. Be wise in time then, gentlemen of Eng-
land, or peradventure the hazards of some future war may
make it a difficult matter for you to live at home at ease."
Now, we know, from our own personal knowledge,
that every wot d here stated is true. Seamen will not
enter the British navy so long as the Americans offer
them better pay, better treatment, and better chance of
promotion. The price of labour is regulated like that of
every other commodity, by the demand. In callings in,
which the supply exceeds the deman,l, our Legislators
(who are at the same time all employers) are willing
enough to admit and act upon the truth of this doctrine.
Let them also acknowledge its truth in the case of the
navy—there the demand for able-bodied seamen exceeds
the supply, and to obtain that supply the employers
must pay the price. Let then the Government look to
it in time, that should a war come it may not find us
unprepared. Awful will be the reckoning to which the
country will bring those who by their want of precaution
and by their pinny-wise and pound-foolish economy shad
destroy the prestige of invincibility which has hitherto
always attached to the British navy.