The villages on the Richelieu-the hot-beds of the revolt-were thus in a few days cleared of the enemy and reduced to subjection; and it must be owned that the rebels showed but little of that spirit and resolution in the fight which might have been expected from the insolence and audacity of their previous conduct. But it was now evident that the great mass of the habitans were tainted with disaffection, and a large proportion of them corrupted to the core; and it became the duty of a wise and prudent general to call for every disposable soldier within his reach. The Government had shut its eyes to the impending dangerthe navigation of the St. Lawrence was now closed for the winter from the sea and the three weak battalions stationed in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were the only succour he could hope for until spring. These corps were promptly placed at his disposal; and, leaving the Lower Provinces to the protection of a loyal people, performed-in succession, during the depth of a Polar winter, and with the loss of a single man, from a cause unconnected with the march-one of the most remarkable movements upon record. The distance from Halifax to Quebec is little short of 700 miles, and a considerable part of the line passes through a desert wilderness where there is not the vestige of a path. Why these two sections of our North American dominions have so long remained disjointed, let those who can explain! The movement was thus necessarily suspended until the rivers and lakes had frozen, and sufficient snow had fallen to form a sleigh road, when the troops were put in motion upon sleighs, furnished and conducted by the bold and hardy teamsters of New Brunswick, and, traversing the inhospitable and desolate region that lies between Medeweska and the "Rivière de Loup," they descended into the valley of the St. Lawrence, with a rapidity that excited surprise, if not consternation, in the Canadian villages below Quebec. The moral influence of this movement was immense : it struck to the heart the disaffected-crushed every hope they had entertained from the "sympathy" of their sister provinces-and convinced the world that there is no season at which Britain cannot reinforce her colony, while she possesses soldiers whose dauntless spirits never quailed before a foe, or recoiled from any trial or exertion, however rigorous or severe. During the march the thermometer ranged from zero to 20° below it.

This timely addition to his force enabled Sir John Colborne to act with renewed vigour and success. He knew the importance of incurring no undue risk-he saw that any success over the troops might produce a general rising, and peril the existence of the colony; he had, therefore, waited until his reinforcements were at hand before he ventured to order up one of the two corps left to garrison Quebec. Providence seemed to second all his plans, for the river remaining open to an unusually late period enabled him on (we think) the 9th or 10th December to bring up the 83rd from Quebec to Montreal by steam.

No time was now lost in adopting measures against the Grand Brulé insurgents, who were reported to be in great strength under a wretch named Gerod, and whose cruelties and outrages had driven from their homes all the peaceful and loyal inhabitants of this section of the province.

66

Accordingly, on the 13th December, three British regimentsRoyals, 32nd, and 83rd-a squadron of volunteer cavalry, and a corps of infantry, with six guns, forming a force of 1600 men, marched out

of Montreal amidst loud and long-continued cheering. Two short marches brought them to the bank opposite St. Eustache, the principal position of the rebels. Before crossing the river some harmless shots were fired from the church at St. Eustache, which had been barricaded and strongly garrisoned. Several other buildings were also found occupied in force; and 1000 of the rebels had been mustered that morning, although, on the approach of the troops, it was computed that 300 or 400 of them had fled. It was thus a melancholy spectacle to witness so hopeless a struggle. As soon as the artillery had crossed, the church was attacked, and the infantry were posted under cover. The church was a strong stone building, with very thick walls, and, consequently, stood a good deal of battering from the light guns. At length the sacristy adjoining the church, and the church itself, were set on fire, and stormed by the Royal Regiment, with scarcely any loss. The insurgents then attempted to escape; but about 100 of them, including Dr. Chenier, their leader, were killed, and 120 taken prisoners.

"The insurrection in this neighbourhood having been thus effectually crushed, Colonel Maitland, with the 32nd Regiment, was despatched to St. Scholastique and St. Theresa to collect arms and receive the submission of the peasantry; and the Commander of the Forces, with the troops from Montreal, returned home.”*

This, so far as the Lower Canadians are concerned, may be considered as the termination of internal opposition to the Queen's authority; and but for that treacherous and hostile interference of a neighbouring country in our domestic quarrel, which must reflect indelible disgrace upon the American character and institutions, there is not the smallest reason to doubt that peace and submission to the laws would have been immediately restored to the distracted colony.

We do not deem it necessary to allude to the contemptible outbreak in the Upper Province. But for the new field which this event afforded for the exercise of American hatred and hostility, it could have had no influence upon the state of affairs in Lower Canada; and we must, therefore, view the contest from this time forward in the novel and formidable light of an attack by a foreign power upon a friendly government, and upon the dearest rights and liberties of an unoffending kindred people.

We have dwelt at little length upon the military operations of the Canadian conflict, because, in truth, however honourable to the troops and their Commander, their details would not afford much matter of general interest. It is not in a warfare with a wretched and misguided peasantry that the patriot soldier seeks to gather laurels-he performs his bitterest, although most sacred, duty when internal tumult calls him to the field, and none rejoice more sincerely than himself when the restoration of the civil power enables him to sheath his sword. Let it be, however, said, that never were the sterling qualities of the British soldier shown more conspicuously than on this occasion-never did his fortitude, endurance, and deep devotion to his Sovereign and his duty, shine forth more brightly. One example may suffice: in peaceful times the besetting sin of North American stations is desertion-since the commencement of the contest one case only has occurred!

*Narrative published in the New York Albion.

It grieves us to be obliged to notice, in terms of reprobation and disgust, the conduct of the American citizens and authorities since the commencement of our troubles. It is a delicate subject, and we shall, therefore, touch upon it lightly, feeling as we do the full importance of maintaining amicable relations with the States, if this may yet be done with safety and with honour. The frontiers of the Union are peopled by as lawless and restless a race of miscreants as any in the world, Living beyond the wholesome influence of vigorous laws, and contemning all authority, they hold both their State and General Government in contempt, and mock at all interference with their views and wishes. How uncontrolled and uncontrollable, their late conduct, and the confessions of their subservient government, sufficiently attest. These men have for the last four months kept our extended frontiers, from Nickigau to Maine, in constant apprehension of insult and aggression. They have fostered and encouraged the expiring embers of rebellion-they have received and armed the traitors, who fled into their country-organised expeditions against us-and have actually invaded our territories, and waged war against us. Their most recent exploit took place near Amherstburgh, where a large body of Americans took possession of a British island, and were prepared to carry the war into our country. The result is contained in the already published dispatch of Colonel Maitland, commanding on that part of the frontier, giving an account of the forcible expulsion of these ruffians from our soil, with a loss on our side of thirty brave men, and on theirs of a much larger number.

We

It was our intention when we sat down to draw up this narrative, to have entered on an examination of the consequences which might have been expected to flow from this rebellion. We intended to have shown that, far from weakening, it must, under wise and constitutional government, have strengthened and consolidated our empire in the West. anticipated the happiest results from the impulse which late events had given to the public mind in regard to the affairs of Canada. We intended to have shown the objections to the re-union of the Canadas, and the impolicy of the projected centralisation scheme under the auspices of Lord Durham, whose supercession of the able and experienced officer who now administers the Government will not, we fear, hasten the millenium. We might have proved also that the reduction of an army to the lowest scale is not always a measure of economy; and we might have hinted, for Lord Howick's edification, the propriety of instituting a comparison between the relative expense incurred in the maintenance of Regulars and Militia. But all these considerations are for the present swallowed up in the engrossing question that has now arisen in reference to the continuance of hostilities on the part of our faithless and perfidious neighbours. Things have been carried too far upon our frontier to be easily arrested or passed over lightly; and the "baneful domination of the mob" is too complete beyond that line to afford much hope of that atonement from the American Government which national honour now demands. The day of retribution must come-would that we could think it may arrive without the intervention of the sword!

THE ROYAL NAVY: MANNING THE FLEET.*

In this the sequel to our observations upon this important subject, the original title is adhered to, although the strict adaptation of it throughout the paper may appear doubtful: it is excused, however, on the ground that all the apparent digressions really bear collateral relations to the main subject, though more immediately contemplating the commercial Navy, the condition of which is materially connected with that of the Royal Navy. These grand divisions of maritime employment are connected by ties of reciprocal dependence, for, if the commercial Navy be not in a healthy state as a nursery for seamen, its impotence will be reflected upon the royal Navy in war, and when so involved, if the latter be not powerful, the former will be confined in port, or, venturing unprotected to sea, will sail under very high insurances, a mean and inefficient substitute, burdensome to the people, discreditable to the national character, and eventually destructive of commercial prosperity. We consider the maritime concerns of this country in the comprehensive light of a vast whole, for the more effectual and cheaper protection of which, it has been found expedient to arm and invest a part of the Navy with military functions. We should rejoice if a tolerably extensive intercourse with the other part had enabled us to bear testimony to the existence of a corresponding sentiment among them; but it does not appear that they often consider the alternative offered above, or at least only transiently, when impressment is named, which unanimously they agree to be a horrid practice, not to be endured in this enlightened age. No, no, an Englishman is a freeman, and besides, our shipping must not be left bare of hands." Sometimes the conversation makes a board upon the opposite tack-the destruction of convoys and foreign prisons may be discussed, "Oh, the Navy, you know, must protect trade; it is what it is paid for doing." Very good, gentlemen, only do not call out when the pinch shall be felt, unless you have assisted to ward it off. The shipping interest naturally looks up to Government for this kind of protection; but if intelligent merchants and shipowners will take the trouble to examine the subject, probably they would be brought to acknowledge that, however convenient in an interested point of view alone, the abolition of impressment would prove, that means of manning the Navy in war, on which sufficient confidence may be reposed, have not yet been, or probably ever will be, developed in voluntary enlistment: and further, that it is not possible to devise any system of train. ing seamen expressly for the Navy, that will render it independent of the commercial marine. Such an investigation might induce them to instruct their parliamentary representatives not to tease Government by urging the abolition of impressment, as some of them have done on more than one occasion of voting Navy estimates, but rather to offer support to measures which shall combine all possible encouragement to volunteers (though really, increase of pay excepted, this would be a puzzle) with a legal right to supply deficiencies by force, properly regulated. With all deference, we cannot in this matter acquit that interest of neglect of duty, both to seamen and to their country. Under

• Concluded from page 462, No. 113.

any system, however promotive of voluntary naval service, apprenticeship in the commercial marine is the best nursery of seamen.

If any doubts of the truth of this opinion be entertained, similar ones were not felt by the Statesmen who enacted the maritime laws, even down to one of the most recent additions to such legislation. Despite a glowing attachment to the Navy, we are unable to advocate its virtue for such a purpose. If brought to the stake for an opinion, which in some quarters may be deemed rank heresy, we may not be at hand to vindicate it, and therefore will briefly assign a few reasons for it here. Within our observation, mostly exercised when that service was better adapted than it is at present to be a school, very few good, perhaps no prime seamen were formed in it. In the quick and exact handling and management of sails it is unexcelled, but in mechanical or riggingloft seamanship, anchor duty, and the helm and lead, also in manoeuvring under sail, so far as working men are concerned, we humbly conceive its pretensions to be less prominent. Commonly, in ships of the line, and in some large frigates, only forecastle-men are called to the weatherwheel or lead; a constant practice at one, and occasional use of the other, keeps them well up to their work, and insures an élite for both purposes. The monopoly, however, in many ships excludes other good seamen from practice for years, nor are young ones taught these duties. In some ships, obediently to a standing order, men are instructed in these and other points, but this course, although useful, seldom imparts the expertness acquired by earnest use. We are fond of adapting "wise saws" to "modern instances," and must again indulge in this penchant for terse and expressive phrases, though couched in homely terms, and grating, perhaps, on "ears polite." Merchantmen cannot afford to employ 66 more cats than can catch mice,”—an economy in which consists their superiority in rearing men of all work -men who, on the same day, may be required to stow the jib, reef the spanker, or hand a top-gallant sail; to take the helm or lead, to repair a sail, to clear away or stow an anchor, to work a kedge in a tide-way, or stow cargo in the hold or in boats.

Apprentice a lad for five years in a merchantman, and place another in a smart frigate (the most favourable mean of naval employment), who, during the same term, shall pass from the mizen to the fore-top, and for part of it shall have belonged to a boat. He may be an active bow or strokesman, may run out upon a topsail-yard, and haul out a weather earing, cross a small sail-yard, or reave studding-gear, much more smartly than the other man, but he will not have gained so comprehensive a knowledge of a seaman's duty, and of course will not be so useful. Should they exchange services, the former would be the least embarrassed: perhaps he might be rather slack until the rust had been shaken from his limbs, but the activity possessed by the other would not redeem palpable deficiencies. Diverse employments frequently repeated by few hands constitute the excellence of the merchant-service as a school. In the Navy an abundance of labour is minutely divided in the application of it: hence everything is more quickly and better done than is possible elsewhere; but the consequent confinement of individuals to stated duties, many of them of mere form, for long periods, has a tendency to deaden their general experience, if it do not cramp their energies, and render them almost machines. Besides much