tion in any state of wind or weather. Greater advantages than these, we conceive, it would be literally impossible for any invention to possess: and as to the end to be attained by it-the preservation of all the lives and property now every year sacrificed by ships foundering at sea-there can be but one opinion among the disinterested part of the community as to the importance of its accomplishment. Supposing, however, a ship to be literally torn to pieces, and separated beam from beam, and plank from plank, till not a single part of her whole hull remained together, the very disseveration of her frame would at once set loose a life-buoy for every man on board; and any portion of the deck that still hung together, even in fragments, would make the safest and most buoyant raft that could be constructed for those who might take refuge on it. Here, in the river Thames, are to be seen, every day, ship's buoys made of copper, floating simply by being filled with air, and continuing tight against leaks, though bearing the weight of heavy buoy-ropes, and the pressure of a tide running often with great violence. Any one of such buoys would support two or three men from sinking; and every one of Mr. Watson's air-filled copper cylinders, in the event of a total separation of the wreck -which, however, can never happen in case of mere foundering-would serve the same purpose.

Another vast advantage arising from the possession of this certain security against sinking, would be this: that, in the event of fire, another awful calamity at sea, the most unsparing usc might be made of water from alongside, which cannot often now be done without danger of the opposite fate of sinking. In an Indiaman, or line-ofbattle ship, for instance, in case of fire, a ship might be hauled close to the wind under a heavy press of sail, and her lee-ports and scuttles opened purposely to admit her to fill, and thus overpower the flames, When confidence is felt that beyond a certain point she could not sink, the sinking her to that point would be boldly undertaken, and thus every danger averted.

When it is remembered that, according to the most accurate reports collected for a series of years, nearly two British ships are lost by wreck, fire, and foundering, every day in the year, --and that this appalling calamity can

be almost made to disappear entirely from the catalogue of human ills, at so small an expense as five per cent, on the actual value of any ship that can be named,-while this security can be applied to vessels of any form or con. struction, without detriment to their strength, their speed, or their capacity for burthen, we may calculate on its immediate and universal adoption, We may add that Mr. Watson seeks for no patent or exclusive privilege for his plan offering it to the world at large, desiring that every nation, and his own especially, should enter at once on the free and full enjoyment of its advantages.

A PENSIONER.-There is at present residing in Stirling, a pensioner of the name of Daniel Ritchie, from the 15th Light Dragoons, and who served during the late Spanish campaign, that can boast of a degree of good fortune which must have fallen to the lot of few of his companions. He had been engaged in the battles of Sahagun, Corunna, Salamanca, Talavera, Pampeluna, Rodrigo, Badajos, Vittoria, Fuentes, Orthes, Pyrenees, Toulouse, and Waterloo, in all thirteen general engagements, besides fifty skirmishes, without receiving the slightest wound, although he has had his horse shot repeatedly beneath him.

THE NAVAL FORCE OF EUROPE.— Capt. Geo. Matthew Jones' (R. N.) Travels in Norway, Sweeden, Finland, Russia, and Turkey, were, he says, undertaken with a view to the acquisition of professional knowledge; and he has certainly collected a great deal of very interesting, and, apparently, accurate information, on the amount and condition of the naval force of most of the European powers. He states, that, previous to the commencement of the present travels, he had already inspected all the naval arsenals and ports of France and Holland; and he now relates the result of his examination of those of Russia, Sweden, and Denmark. He has, he says, carefully ascertained the number of vessels of war possessed by all these nations, as well as the resources and efficiency of their marine establishments, both in the personnel and materiel of war; and the conclusion to be deduced from his report, is highly satisfactory, and demonstrates how little this country would have to dread against the united naval strength of all Europe. Even in numerical strength, our navy

is more than equal to the aggregate of all the others. Capt. Jones is enabled to give us "a correct statement of the whole naval force of Europe, as counted by himself;" and he is sure that his list is exact to a ship, with the exception of France, which may have a few more, because the northern ports, and those in the Mediterranean, were visited at different periods; but he does not think the inaccuracy can extend to more than two or three lineof-battle ships, and half-a-dozen frigates and sloops. According to his statement, the French have 52 sail of the line, 32 frigates, and as many more corvettes and brigs. Russia, whose navy is next in numbers, has, between the Baltic and the Black Seas, 42 sail of the line, 18 frigates, and a score of smaller. Of the northern powers, Sweden has only 12 sail of the line, 6 frigates, and ten corvettes and brigs. The once powerful navy of Denmark, first broken by Nelson's victory, and afterwards annihilated by our seizure of her fleet in 1807, has dwindled to 4 line-of-battle ships, 6 frigates, and a few sloops. Holland has no greater force, having, almost to a ship, the same number as Denmark;

and

Austria has only 10 sail of all rates. The naval force of Spain and Portugal is so completely a nullity, that it has found no place in Capt Jones's calculations. The summary is, that the whole marine of continental Europe is composed of 116 sail of the line, 74 frigates, and 92 corvettes and brigs: while that of Great Britain alone amounts to 138 sail of the line, 146 frigates, and 214 corvettes and brigs!

If we proceed to compare the resources of the continental and British arsenals, and still more, the quality and number of the seamen which are to be found for each fleet, the gigantic superiority of this country appears still greater. France, it is well known, has, ever since the restoration of the Bourbons, spared no effort to augment the force and improve the quality of her marine, and she will, doubtless, still increase her exertions: but the French navy, which is infinitely the most formidable of the continental fleets, and would, perhaps, be in itself a match for all the rest, is, in Capt. Jones's opinion, capable of being but very inefficiently manned :

"In France every seaman is enrolled, and under the controul of the Minister of Marine, through his Intendants at

the King's ports. The requisite number of men are drawn, and ordered to march to a given rendezvous, which they do, knapsack at back, with more order and regularity than land conscripts, as their chance of escape is not so great; for at no port could they find employment, without producing proof that they had been permitted to quit the original, or last place of register. These restrictions upon the free will of French seamen, are found to have the most injurious effects when they are contrasted with English seamen, who are, of all the sons of freedom, the most free, except in one instance, to which I shall hereafter allude. Another bad effect of the conscription is, that, in order to render it less odious, certain exemptions are allowed, viz, age, supporting parents, a specified number of children, &c. All these were disregarded by Buonaparte, but are now kept inviolate. It results, that when a certain number are required for the service, more regard will be paid to selecting young and unincumbered, than mature, thorough-bred seamen, who are rarely found without children. But these are absolutely necessary to train the young men, who always compose part of a crew, even in our own service, and who ultimately become themselves hardy and able. The greater part of the levy are frequently fishermen or coasters, who know nothing of square-rigged vessels, or of being out of sight of land, or, perhaps, of passing a night at sea in winter; so different are the coasters of France from those of England. Consequently, when a French ship is completely mauned, to any other person than the commanding officer, she will present, in appearance, as fine a crew as it is possible to conceive-young, healthy, and active; perhaps they may perform all harbour service, from the rigging and sails, to the guns, as well as an English crew, because it is all A, B, C work, and may be taught à la Lancaster. But let them be suddenly caught in a gale of wind, perhaps in the night, on a lee-shore, and what a figure they will cut!-no confidence, because no one has experience; no sea legs, because in harbour the ship was always steady, and in their coasters and fishing-boats, they never had occasion to move without having something to hold by, or to go aloft, the chief part being rigged so that the yards lower down on deck.

"It must be acknowledged, that there is the utmost difference to a seaman between reefing a top-sail in a gale at sea, and in harbour. With respect to fighting a gun on board of ship, in a heavy swell, and in port, the difference is still more striking. A deficiency, then, must end in defeat; whereas, although the top-sail may not be properly reefed, the ship may not be driven on shore, nor the masts carried away.

"The artillery of the marine is trained expressly for directing the guns on board of all French men-ofwar, and, perhaps, no men are more expert at hitting a mark when all is steady, and degrees and distances are accurately ascertained: but, in a sea fight, every one of these varies between the discharge and reloading of a gun, so that what on shore gives the greatest confidence, becomes the source of difficulty and irresolution. The very principle upon which they are exercised, is fatal to their ever becoming good directors, or captains of guns in a sea fight. I allude to that uprightness, that immobility, except for the precise duty which each is to perform, which renders their land practice so steady, accurate, and beautiful. Their guns are worked with the precision and regularity of mechanism. But a ship being constantly in motion, renders the moment of discharge, as well as the recoil of the gun, extremely uncertain, so that every man, particularly the captain of the gun, must be constantly on the alert, to take advantage of, or to counteract the movement of the ship. Seamen, always maintaining an equilibrium and counterpoise, are firm, though they appear, like swinging tables in a gale, to be always in motion. In the course of some experience, I have invariably found the best seamen to make the best captains of guns, and one able seaman to be worth two ordinary seamen, or three landsmen, at working a gun in action in any swell. Nothing but sea practice can make a good sea gunner. The able seaman knows himself very superior to the artilleryman in all points connected with the ship, he therefore feels humbled in obeying the orders of one, who, in the management of the gun, he thinks, is acting the part of only a land lubber.A French ship, for these reasons, can never compete with an English vessel; and I must again allude to the fatal restraint on the active spirits of the French seamen, in being obliged to

obtain permission for every voyage, aud, when near their time of couscription, not being allowed at all to embark in a foreign one."—Vol. ii. pp.569–572.

YEOMANRY CORPS.-Out of 170 Corps of Yeomanry which did exist in England, previous to the late Circular from the Home Office, about 150 were disbanded on the 24th December. The remaining Corps are those situated in the manufacturing and mining districts, which having been called into active operation in quelling disturb ances, within the last ten years, are of course not meant to be included in that circular. It is understood, that the saving to the country by the reduction of these Corps, will be at least 200,0007, annually.

BUONAPARTE.--The following ancedotes of this extraordinary man were related to a gentleman, some twelve or thirteen years since, by a French officer of the name of Follope, who asserted that he had been an eye-witness of some of them. Dates, times, and places, which were stated at the same time, have been forgotten by the gentleman to whom they were mentioned :

It was customory with Buonaparte, when thinking intensely of any project in contemplation, to take snuff with a degree of immoderate and inconsiderate rapidity, which he usually did from a box carried in his waistcoat pocket. On one occasion, just before a great battle, when deeply immersed in thought, and standing in a room alone before a fire plying his box as usual, he suddenly went out to make some inquiries, leaving his box on the chimney-piece. Returning a few minutes afterwards, he resumed his box, but on putting in his fingers to take a pinch, he fancied the snuff felt somewhat different. He looked at it, but could perceive no difference in its colour or appearance. There was apparently the same quantity; the box was found in the same place; he had been absent but a very short time, and there was no one in the room when he went out, nor when he returned. A dog coming in at the door at the moment, he called him, and gave him a pinch. Violent convulsions immediately ensued, and the animal died almost directly afterwards. Hereupon Buonaparte rang the bell, and inquired if any one had been seen entering or leaving the room; but not being able to ascertain that any person had, he simply ordered the dog to be taken

out and buried, wisely thinking that the eve of a battle was not the most proper time to have it circulated that his life had been attempted. However, he took care afterwards to make his waistcoat pocket his snuff-box.

Many silly attempts have been made to impugn the personal courage and military qualifications of Buonaparte, by certain weak individuals, who obstinately exclude with the term enemy the possession of every good and commendable quality, no matter of what kind soever it may be. Not satisfied with depriving as great a captain, perhaps, as ever lived, of a quality they would concede to the meanest soldier, they have even accused him of timidity and cowardice. The following anecdote does not certainly afford any proof of that heedless daring which is more allied to military insanity than true soldierly courage, but it is one among thousands of instances in the same character, of that coolness and contempt of surrounding dangers, which are never found unconnected with the highest orders of military bravery and enterprise. In the midst of a dreadful cannonading, Buonaparte stood leaning, nearly exhausted with several days' hard fatigue, against the carriage-wheel of a cannon, and was in the act of taking a pinch of his favourite stimulant from the box of an officer, when a cannon-shot came and killed the latter on the spot. Without moving a limb or a muscle of his countenance, except in pity to his fallen friend, Buonaparte turned to another and asked if he had a box; "for," said he, "our poor friend, I suppose, has taken his with him."

Buonaparte, it is well known, was an excellent horseman, and affected to imitate Alexander the Great in his horsemanship and courage in bestriding whatever was brought him. On a particular occasion a fine high-spirited horse, richly caparisoned, was brought to him, said to be a present from a certain prince. Buonaparte, after admiring the beauty, &c. of the animal, was just on the point of mounting him, when, contrary to his invariable custom, he ordered a menial to mount and try him. He did, but before he had gone far, a violent explosion took place in the saddle, and either killed or much maimed the hapless domestic.

FIRE ENGINES FOR SHIPPING.It has often struck us with surprise,

that, considering the great liability to fire, and the dreadful alternative of the crew with a ship on fire, that any wellfound ship should be sent to sea without a fire-engine on board. Had this been the case, the ship that was recently burnt to the water's edge near Hastings, might have been saved. An ingenious correspondent in the Mechanics' Magazine recommends what we think ought to be immediately adopted in every steam-packet, as being peculiarly liable to fire-that a forcing pump should be fitted up, so as to be worked by the crank of the steam-engine (when necessary), with a pipe or hose to communicate with all parts of the vessel.

MILITARY UNIFORMS." It is said (observes a contemporary) that the present state of the military uniforms is about to undergo some revision, and that already the revision has produced, as military matters may be fairly entitled to do, some very belligerent conversation in very high quarters. The Lord High Admiral has begun with his department, and the navy are in future to invest their lower man in blue trowsers, seamed with gold, for dress, instead of close white pantaloons, which must have been, of all possible investments, the most inconvenient for tars. The naval uniform in all other points is, however, the most rational of that of all our services, because the practical life of the navy compels a man to rationality. The cocked hat may be an exception, for no more inconvenient contrivance for covering or comfort was ever adopted for the human head. But it is seldom used on board, its chief display is on gala days, and in the streets of the dockyards; and if the navy are fond of it, they may be allowed to have their whim. But the dress of the army is the true object of censure.

"Of the two purposes of uniform,-to give the soldier a convenient clothing, and to distinguish him from the enemy, -neither is attained by the present system, and the failure in the latter point is striking and unaccountable. The entire service, which is most likely to be confounded with the enemy, from the nature of its operations, and whose confounding is, of course, most hazardous to the general force, is actually made as like as possible to the same description of troops in the foreign armies. If we have lancers to raise, instead of making them so obviously British as to leave no liability to mis

take in the field, we dress them on the very model of the French; who, notwithstanding all their experience, are so afflicted with melo-dramatic taste, that they make every thing on the model of a stage-tailor. We load the horseman with a cap of sickening weight, good for nothing as a defence, and so high, that in the commonest breeze half his time is taken up with keeping it from flying off, with himself in it. We cover the English face, not merely with the dandyism of the mustache, a military-looking appendage enough when worn by a foreigner, but inevitably incongruous and coxcombish when pasted on an English countenance. But the Lancer goes farther, and buries his physiognomy in a huge bush of beard-which would do honour to a Turk, and leaves scarcely any other evidence of the human face than the nose and eyes. At three inches off, no man could distinguish between this bearded burlesque and any savage from Scythia. The rest of the uniform is exactly of the cut, the colour, and the frippery of the Frenchman. The accumulation of all this foolery, which costs a prodigious deal to the country in the case of the privates, as may be judged from the expense of the officers' uniform, which amounts to about five hundred pounds, actually unfits the British soldier for anything but a dandy. Our light cavalry are, of all others, the most inefficient in the field. The outpost duty is entrusted to our German allies, and the charges are given up to the heavy dragoons. Yet these lancers are, of course, individually as brave as other men. But the evil does not stop here. From their studied similitude to French cavalry, the enemy have frequently contrived to get in upon our infantry; the firing that might have repelled them was restrained, under the idea that they were our own troops, and the mistake was discovered only when they began sabreing away in our very lines.

"All our light cavalry are upon the same principle, as close as possible in their resemblance to the foreigners, and no officer alive could tell, at a quarter of a mile's distance, whether the column of light cavalry advancing upon him were English or foreign. To what hesitation this doubt might give rise, in circumstances where hesitation may be ruin, is easily conceivable. Yet all this hazard, which

may be the utter destruction of an army or of a kingdom, is incurred from our taste for the fashions of men, to whom the British troops, undebased by foreign frippery, have been in every age superior. The whole of our light cavalry wear blue, for no other earthly reason than that the French and German cavalry wear blue. To say that this absurd imitation is for the sake of tricking the French in the field, is to know but little of the French, who are our masters in trickery of every kind, and who in the field, are sure to turn our clumsy tricks against us. To say that blue is necessary for concealment in the ope rations of light cavalry, is absurd, to those who know that cavalry of any kind have little or nothing to do in woods or ditches; that to conceal the horse is next to impossible; and that to sit as a vidette and gallop off with intelligence, is the most that can be expected of any light-horseman; or, at all events, of the British trooper. But if concealment were to be ensured, its fullest advantages are not to be put in competition with a tenth of the disadvantages felt in every campaign by the Infantry Officer's utter impossibility of discovering, a few hundred yards off, whether the regiment riding down upon him is coming to reinforce or to charge.

"The arming of the light-horseman is equally cumbrous. He is loaded with a carbine, which, in the line, he never uses, and which in skirmishing he uses to no effect. The German mounted marksman is a valuable soldier, for his shots tell from practice. Not one shot out of five hundred of the British is calculated to do anything better than frighten the crows. His horse is unruly under fire, his hand is unpractised, and he only wastes powder, and exposes himself to be taken down by the enemy's rifles. A dozen carbineers to a regiment, trained to the use of the weapon, would be enough for the purpose of protecting the outposts of the camp, or concealing the movements of the lines, and would save the general incumbrance and expense of a weighty and an expensive