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his nurse's arms, destiny marked him out for the Bath. For him, there was "no five-bar gate" to stop the way to advancement, but every difficulty was smoothed down, so that the lame hero might always clear the stile. Thus, when the gallant General, then a Colonel in command of a brigade, got into the ravine at Sobraon, how "elegantly" he was hoisted up in a despatch, and brought within the statutes of the Most Honourable Order. It was exactly the situation of the Crimean Generals at the fall of Sebastopol, all down in a ravine, which— and not the imminent deadly breach-is now the high-road to glory. General ASHBURNHAM has been selected for the command in China expressly to qualify for the G.C.B. The object of the expedition to that country, which will cost the lives of so many brave soldiers, victims of climate and disease, is not to uphold the national interests, but to obtain pretexts for showering honours on a few official favourites. Can it be that Parliament will pass over this wicked job in silence? Let it at least be ascertained who is responsible for the appointment. The inquiry, if not made in St. Stephens, will, we trust, be urged out of doors, and, from Mr. COBDEN's lips, will command as much attention at a public meeting as on the floor of the House.

How differently we treat our new Brummagem Generals from our Sergeants. General ASHBURNHAM is made a Commander-in-Chief for keeping his regiment safe in a ravine, while Sergeant MORLEY, charging at Balaklava, cuts his way through the Russian cavalry, and performs half-a-dozen other heroic deeds, and, at the close of the war, is cheated out of his decoration. Wherever we turn the same audacious scandalous jobbery presents itself. No patriotism, no justice, no honour! But here is Sergeant MORLEY's case, and surely it is one that deserves to be put on record:

"After being at the Alma I was present with my regiment in every engagement that took place. I charged at Balaklava with my squadron until it was nearly annihilated, my own lance being shot away. Drawing my sword I galloped on to the Russian guns and assisted in cutting down the gunners. On the right of our forming line I observed one particular gun going away as fast as the horses could take it. I went after it with Captain Jervis, of the 13th Light Dragoons, who shot one of the horses and delayed its progress. On this I engaged two of the gunners, who both fell. It now became a struggle for our lives, as a large body of Cossacks surrounded us. I succeeded in working my way through them, and galloped in the direction of what I judged to be our own Hussars. I found they were Russians reforming. I forced my way on full speed through them, unhurt. A regiment of Polish Lancers, 800 strong, had formed across the valley. I halted a moment to look around. Perceiving several of our cavalry in the same dilemma, I called to them, and being then a corporal I used what authority I had to form them as well as I could. We gathered 12, and charged their centre; most of us got through. I believe three fell. These men were 4th and 13th Light Dragoons and 17th Lancers; one was of the 8th Hussars. I received the point of a lance in the right hand; the wound was slight. The Russian infantry now opened a heavy fire upon us, and, after galloping through the guns of the enemy in advance of us, each man separated, trusting to fate. Private James Cope and Private James Wightman, now corporals of the 17th Lancers, were of the number. Wightman was severely wounded, and taken prisoner for 12 months.

"On the 5th of November, 1854, I was at the battle of Inkermann, and

under fire. Cornet Cleveland was shot; and when our regiment was ordered to retire I asked Captain Morgan to allow me to fall out of the ranks to assist in carrying Mr. Cleveland off the field. Troop Sergeant-Major O'Hara and Private James O'Hara, of the same regiment, also fell out for that purpose. In performing that act James O'Hara and myself had both our dress caps shot off our heads by a cannon ball. We still pursued our duty till out of range, where the cornet wished to be laid down till a stretcher was procured. The officer died. While stationed at Balaklava I was one of the detachment ordered for the Baidar Valley. On one occasion I was engaged in the reconnoitring party in advance of the party that took possession of General Chateloof's house, near the Woronzoff-road. Two of the Land Transport Corps and several mules were wounded and one killed, when the corps deserted the wagon, and I was the sergeant who led a detachment of my regiment to the spot, when the Russians, on our approach, fled into the wood, and I placed my men on vidette which the main body had to retire upon. I may further add that I embarked with the regiment at the first commencement of the war. I served under Lord Cardigan at Devno YeniBazar at the time when disease greatly prevailed. At this time I had the honour to be selected as corporal of a letter party stationed at Varna. The whole of the army despatches were conveyed by our party, and I was often compelled, in consequence of the sickness of the men, to ride day and night without rest.

"I was present in every skirmish in which my regiment was engaged, and I returned home when the campaign ended. When in Ireland with my regiment I inquired of my troop officer why I did not get a medal for distinguished conduct. He told me he was sorry I did not, but it lay to the commanding officer's discretion. So it appears they are not distinguished conduct medals,' but 'discretion medals! There are several men in the 17th Lancers who wear medals for distinguished conduct in the field of battle who never crossed swords with a Russian."

ENGLAND WITHOUT A NAVY.-At the moment when most foreign nations, the United States included, are making great efforts to augment their naval powers, England is scattering to the winds those mighty armadas which she lately equipped with so much difficulty and so much cost. Should Sir CHARLES NAPIER be required to go next year to the Baltic, he would have to set out once more with half-manned ships, and crews unpractised in seamanship; nor is it easy to say where, in case of need, we could organise another naval brigade. The hour of trial is past, and England sends her brave tars adrift, without a care for the future. Our naval reductions are indeed more alarming than those of the sister service; for they touch us in a more vital part, and nearer home. We are throwing away our anchor, because the sea happens for the moment to be calm, and there is a promise of smooth sailing. But in the present constitution of Europe, ruled by despotic monarchies, all depending for existence on brute force, with a monetary panic and a cattle plague adding their quota to the prevailing disaffection, society rests on but rotten foundations, and, consequently, affords no guarantee for peace. On the first explosion, Sardinia and Austria in Italy, Austria and Russia in central Europe, may come to blows; and we shall find that there are other sick men than the Turk whom it will be our duty, if not our interest, to bolster up. These complications are always rising and always engendering disquietude. At the present time, the government of the

United States is only awaiting hostilities between Spain and Mexico, to make a dash at Cuba; and this is so notorious, that the Spanish ministry, after equipping a powerful expedition, are obliged to submit to almost any terms, from fear of precipitating a catastrophe. There never was a period when it more behoved us to be ready to maintain our ascendancy on the waves, and Sir CHARLES WOOD is incurring a heavy responsibility in breaking up the finest navy England ever possessed, or the world ever saw.

I feel

COLONEL JACOB'S RIFLE.-Amongst our correspondence will be found a letter referring to an article in our last number on Colonel JACOB'S rifle, which, having been submitted to the gallant writer of the article, has elicited the following reply:-" As you have been kind enough to submit these remarks to me, and as time does not permit of my going into it more fully, I beg you will allow me to state that I had no intention whatever to 'ridicule' Colonel JACOB's improvements, and I did hope I had guarded myself against the imputation of any such intention. I consider his rifle, and, above all, the necessity for the careful instruction of the soldier, which he attaches to it, as of very great importance-of the utmost importance as regards skirmishers and light infantry; but I do not anticipate the extraordinary practical results from it in actual warfare which he and the writer of these 'remarks' seem to expect. I am satisfied there will be the greatest disappointment on this head, and I hope no British army will be induced to take the field without artillery; or think it of secondary consideration upon arguments so entirely theoretical as those so frequently adduced in the present day about improved small arms. myself open to the imputation of some feeling for my own arm of the service, but this feeling would hardly help me to support my views of the subject, if they were not borne out by some practical experience and a close observation of what the soldier, however instructed, can do, and what may fairly be expected from him in the hour of conflict. On selfish motives I cannot be much influenced, for whatever may be the improvements in small arms, the present generation of artillery officers will hardly find their services dispensed with; and it would not be wise to feel troubled at what may happen a hundred years hence, when even rifled small arms may be repudiated. I shall, perhaps, be still further condemned by the writer of the letter, when I say that I see nothing but sound wisdom and good sense in arguments of the old writers he has quoted. I consider that men with a hand-to-hand weapon superior to the musket, and brave and determined enough to come to close quarters, not minding the small intermediate loss, would make sad havoc against the latter as the fire of musketry is usually delivered. It is only because that fire would be reserved if not opposed by firearms, and only given at destructively close range, that the latter weapon must become common to all armies. The weakness of human nature places all men on a par, the weak on a level with the strong, with the musket. Considering the superior physical qualities of the English soldier, the principle of closing with his adversary, while the latter is depending on the trifling loss of long range rifles to deter his

advance, should be inveterately drilled into him. The mass of a good infantry must reserve its fire. The skirmishers may do the rest.'

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THE CHARGE AGAINST GENERAL WALLACE.-It is with great pain we have observed in the public journals the report of a case at one of the police courts, compromising the good name of Lieut.-General WALLACE, of the Royal Artillery. Of this officer personally we know nothing; but, by repute, he bears a high character; and, as the charge preferred against him is of a nature so incredible that it ought, in every case, only to be entertained on the clearest evidence, and the facts in this instance are at total variance with probability, we must record our conviction that he is an innocent man. Let anyone imagine, if he can, an old gentleman bordering on four-score, entering a shop in Oxfordstreet at noon-day, and deliberately committing an act of this description towards a respectable woman, though five or six other women and a man were present, and escape was, of course, impossible. Putting every other consideration aside, can we suppose that an officer of high rank and venerable age would sacrifice every human ambition, position, character, the whole harvest of a long and honourable career, by such a proceeding, when he must feel that this was the penalty it would involve? But it is not to be conceived that he could perpetrate the offence, under the circumstances described, without being seen by some one of the seven other persons present. None, however, are adduced as witnesses; all were astonished at the accusation, and not one so much as the unfortunate accused himself. It is hardly credible that the magistrate did not summarily dismiss the case. If such charges are to be entertained-if the unsupported testimony of a nervous, excited woman is to bear down all probability and rational inference, no one will be safe; and it will be dangerous to enter the most public shops. General WALLACE has asserted his innocence on oath, and we have no hesitation in saying he will be believed.

CRITICAL NOTICES.

THE ROSE OF ASHURST. By the Author of " Emilia Windham." 3 vols.

A story of humble life is something of a novelty. Writers of fiction seem not yet to be sensible of the incident and interest which may be drawn from the short and simple annals of the poor. It is the humbler walks of life, indeed, that are most fruitful of vicissitudes, and, consequently, of the materials best suited for the novelist. Fashion can give us nothing but folly, in one shape or another, the gaudy colouring only relieved by vice. But among the industrious, the diligent, the struggling, amidst scenes of poverty and adversity, we find virtue, patience, genius, steadily pursuing the narrow path, and battling with more obstacles than were encountered by Christian in Bunyan's "Progress." The author of " Emilia Windham" has brought her muse into this ample field, and the result is a story which will rank among the best of her works. The Rose of Ashurst, who gives a title to the tale, is a simple village gil, brought up in an humble way, and in due time sent forth as a governess. In this capacity she enters a noble family, where she attracts the notice of Lord

Raymond, who, however, considerately cautions her not to mistake his atten tions, as he has no object in view but to amuse himself. But we all know that it is a dangerous thing to play with edged tools, and our young lord, from being the governess's admirer, becomes her suitor, proposes for her hand, and is refused. To let out a secret, the young lady is indeed at this very time engaged to a certain Fabian Watkins, the son of an apothecary in her native village; and the offer of a coronet cannot tempt her to give him up. But adversity overtakes the family of her lover, and steps in between her and happiness. The battle of life has to be fought, and many a hard trial sustained, before fortune, conquered by their efforts, rewards her cons ancy with prosperity and marriage. The whole story is written with great ingenuity and tact. The characters are drawn with the author's usual success; and incidents in themselves simple, and taken from the stores of every-day life, are worked up with remarkable effect. The moral of the tale is, that we should always be actuated by a sense of duty, and take this as our guiding principle in the world, however it may appear to tell against our interests; and certainly the fair author has proved that, in the long run, honesty may always be pronounced the best policy.

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Of all the barbarians who overrun Europe on the fall of the Roman empire, none committed such barbarities as the Normans; and it is a great satisfaction to reflect that the pedigrees of our nobility, which trace their descent from those miscreants, are all fabulous, as we should consider such a connexion an indehible disgrace. The outrages committed by the Normans in various parts of Europe were a scandal to human nature. The invasion of England was itself a violation of the most sacred rights, and we may now look back calmly at the calamities endured by our forefathers, in the wars of the Roses and the great rebellion, since they extirpated the Norman stock from the land. The present work is a story of the Norman rule in Sicily. The scene is laid at the court of William the Bad, a monster worthy of the soubriquet affixed to him; and the plot refers principally to the conspiracy of the Lord Admiral Majone, to deprive him of his crown. Mr. Beste, the author, possesses the advantage of being familiar with the region in which the action occurs, and perhaps the story was suggested to him by moving amidst its scenes. This will account for the vraisemblance of some of the passages, and the felicity of his descriptions. The foreground, however, is occupied by creations of his own, and his fictitious characters are etched with much skill. The interest centres chiefly on the hero, Baron Taverna, and the duke's illegitimate sister, Countess Clemence, who, after some manoeuvring on both sides, unite their destinies in marriage. But considerable prominence is given to the pretty daughter of Majone, who represents the romantic spirit of the century, and engages in several desperate adventures, which give great animation to the story. William the Bad and his family are the historic group round which the action radiates. The author adheres very faithfully to history, and the chain of events is skilfully followed up, gradually opening the terrible dénouement. As a picture of the dark ages, the tale is well executed, and will be found extremely interesting. It takes us out of the beaten track, dragging to light, from a secluded niche of the past, a stirring and almost forgotten drama, which exercises a sort of fascination over our sympathies, and is not without a lesson for the heart.

The Life of SIR PETER CAREW, KT., with a Historical Introduction and Elucidatory Notes. By JOHN MACLEAN, Esq., F.S.A., Member of the Archæological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Keeper of the Records of Her Majesty's Ordnance.

This work is taken from a valuable ancient manuscript, disinterred by Mr. Maclean from the archives of Lambeth Palace. It is a most important addi

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