Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-12-13

tnty
Our next anecdote shall be- one OF another
poet. who like Bloomfield, had to climb the
stern of fame from the level OF the sea. we
al,nde 10 the celebrated Robert Burns. 1t has
been observed, by Sir Walter Scots; thai Burns
had none Of that chiyalrous sensibllity oil hon>
or which places reason on the swords point.
He was moreover somewh t heref,cdl IN MS o.
nipions about The French Revolution. But
Burns was nevertheless, brave man ana
GOOD citizen. When the Threatened INVASION
of the French Republic ans menaoed our shores
he enrolled himself memoer OF a corps OF vol
un,eers, established a, Dumirifs, am. was, du'
ring the short remainder Of his lite, dlstln-
puished for his zeal in the cause OF rational
liberty. Previous to one Of the public meetings
of his regiment, it was hin,eG 10 The poet, thai
something in the shape OF song or speech
would be expected from him - some etfusion on
the glory of Britain and the patriotic ardour OF
OLD Scotland. Burns said nothing, and as ST.
lepce gives consent, il was generally expected
that the lvre Of the poet would br strung Tor
the OCCASION The day al length arrived, and
the room was crowded with civic soldiers, and
their loyal lownsmen. After the cloth was
withdrawn, and the customary ioasis pledged
in bumpers, the poet was called upon. ne
stood up, the company rising simultaneously
with him, aud slowly lifting his glass, he Sa'u'
with an arch indescrhabe smile, "Gentlemeh,
may we never see the French, or the wrench
see u.s." It is impossible to describe the dis
appointment which was painted on the coun'
,enances Of the expec,ant volunteers. ihey
dropt down to their seats, to use the words OF
our informant, like SO many old wives at ne'o
preaching, though they afterwards confessed,
that there was as much good sense and right
3 rnttII hp
the mos, splendid of his poems.
STEAM observation-disclosures TO INDIA We
take pleasure in recording facts connected
with this interesting art, and therefore again
call attention to the s,eam-vessel plying be-
tween Dublin and Bordeaux, for the purpose
of marking the capabilities oil this species OF
navigation. We find from the Liverpool pa
Ders that she has made three trips, and in each
his accomplished the voyage from one town to
the other in IS or 70 hours AS the distance
is full 700 miles, this exhibits rae OF sailing
day and nigh, Of no less than ten or eleven
miles an hour, The vessel waits seven days
at Bordeaux, TO allow the passengers time TO
yisi, the Pyrenees il they choose. They gene
rally bring fresh grapes and other fruits home
with themjand they might in fact, almost rival
the celebrated feat of the men OF Zurith, who
went from that town To Strasburg on foot III
day, and ate to the latter city, pies still warm,
viii Ii had been baked in their houses in he
morning. Apropos Of pleasure voyages. We
wonder some Of the enterprisins na'igators OF
the Clyde never hink of sending one Of their
numerous steamboats, to mske a pleasure, trip
from Keith to Christina, .Gottenbrrgh and Co
penhagen. The voyage is about as short as
thai from Dublin 10 Bordeaux, and the scenery
at these foreign towns, especially the first, Is
! Blu, the subject merits notice in a more TX
tensive point of view; and The following short
calculation will show The marvellous change
! which would be made in the commercial in
,ercourse between ha'ions, if this velocity could
be permanently commanded. Taking Ports
mouth as the point Of departure, the voyage
10 the principal ports in the south Of Europe
and in Asia would be complished in the fol-
lowing times: From Portsmouth to Lisbon 4
days; Gibrater S, Leghorn 9, Morra II, Con-
s,antinople Is, Alexandria ID. From Alrxan-
dria to Suez, across tie desert days; from
Suez and % Bombay, IA days, making the voy
age from Portsmouth TO Bombay so.
The use of steam would thus have the aston
ishing eff CT Of bringing each ot,he places with
in fourth part CONNIE ciaIly speaking) Of
Us present distance 10 England. The voyage
from Portsmouth TO CoLs,aniiDople or Alexsr-
dria would be nearly as short as that between
london and Leith wasSa few years ago, 1t
nigh, even happen, tina, if one man started for
India by the new route, aud another by the old,
rhe former might be al the end of his journey
before the latter, if the wind was westerly, had
cleared the chops of the Channel; and in ordi
nary cases the could go to India, remain
Two months there transacting business, and re-
turn home TO England, before the other had
completed his voyage out! Considering the
magnitude aud valLe Of our InGian empire, il is
singular that no attempt is made 10 establish
a communication with it by steam through, the
channel we have mentioned. Admitting that
1000 persons pass by sea between India and
England IN year, and that they pay 1901 each,
we have 100000. per annum expended in pas
sage money. Now, as there are few 10 whom
confinement In a ship is a luxury, we take for
granted that these persons would pay as much
for a passage in month, as for passage in
four. Here then is loo,oool, which an India
Steam Navigation Company might immediate
ly pocket, and this is certainly but part of the
pecuniary benefit they would reap. Experience