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Strathfieldsaye, Jan. 9th, 1847. "My dear General,-Some days have elapsed-indeed, a fortnight has since I received your note, with a copy of your observations on the possible results of a war with France, under our present system of military preparation.

"You are aware that I have for years been sensible of the alteration produced in maritime warfare and operations by the application of steam to the propelling of ships at sea.

"This discovery immediately exposed all parts of the coasts of these islands, which a vessel could approach at all, to be approached, at all times of the tide, and in all seasons, by vessels so propelled, from all quarters. We are, in fact, assailable, and at least liable to insult, and to have contributions levied upon us on all parts of our coast; that is, the coast of these, including the Channel Islands, which to this time, from the period of the Norman Conquest, have never been successfully invaded.

"I have in vain endeavoured to awaken the attention of different Administrations to this state of things, as well known to our neighbours (rivals in power, at

least former adversaries and enemies) as it is to ourselves. .

"I have above, in few words, represented our danger. We have no defence, or hope of defence, excepting in our fleet.

"It is perfectly true that, as we stand at present, with our naval arsenals and dockyards not half garrisoned, 5000 men of all arms could not be put under arms, if required, for any service whatever, without leaving standing without relief all employed on any duty, not excepting even the guards over the palaces and the person of the Sovereign.

"I calculate that a declaration of war should probably find our own garrisons of the strength as follows, particularly considering that one of the most common accusations against this country is, that the practice has been to commence reprisals at sea simultaneously with a declaration of war, the order for the first of which must have been issued before the last can have been published.

supplied from the half of the whole force at home stationed in Great Britain.

"The whole force employed at home in Great Britain and Ireland would not afford a sufficient number of men for the mere defence and occupation, on the breaking out of war, of the works constructed for the defence of the dockyards and naval arsenals, without leaving a single man disposable.

The measure upon which I have earnestly entreated different Administrations to decide, which is constitutional, and has been in variably adopted in time of peace for the last eighty years, is to raise, embody, organize, and dis. cipline the militia of the same numbers for each of the three kingdoms united as during the late war. This would give a mass of organized force amounting to about 150,000 men, which we might immediately set to work to discipline. This alone would enable us to establish the strength of our army. This, with an augmentation of the force of the regular army, which would not cost 400,000l., would put the country on its legs in respect to personal force, and I would engage for its defence, old as I am.

"But, as we stand now, and if it be true that the exertions of the fleet alone are not sufficient to provide for our defence, we are not safe for a week after the declaration of

war.

"I am accustomed to the consideration of these questions, and have examined and reconnoitred, over and over again, the whole coast from the North Foreland, by Dover, Folkestone, Beachy Head, Brighton, Arundel, to Selsey Bill, near Portsmouth, and I say that,

excepting immediately under the fire of Dover Castle, there is not a spot on the coast on which infantry might not be thrown on shore, at any time of tide, with any wind and in any weather, and from which such body of infantry, so thrown on shore, would not find, within the distance of five miles, a road into the interior of the country through the cliffs practicable for the march of a body of troops.

"That in that space of coast (that is, between the North Foreland and Selsey Bill) there are not less than seven small harbours or mouths of rivers, each without defence, of which an enemy, having landed his infantry on the coast, might take possession, and therein land his cavalry and artillery of all calibre, and establish himself and his communication with France.

"The nearest part of the coast to the metropolis is undoubtedly the coast of Sussex, from the east and west side of Beachy Head and to Selsey Bill. There are not less than twelve great roads leading from Brighton upon London, and the French army must be much altered indeed since the time at which I was better acquainted with it, if there are not now belonging to it forty chefs d'état Major-Generals capable of sitting down and ordering the march to the coast of 40,000 men, their embarkation, with their horses and artillery, at the several French ports on the coast; their disembarkation at named points on the English coast, that of the artillery and cavalry in named ports or mouths of rivers, and the assembly at named points of the several columns; and the march of each of these from stage to stage to London.

"Let any man examine our maps and road-books, consider of

the matter, and judge for himself.

"I know of no mode of resist ance, much less of protection from this danger, excepting by an army in the field capable of meeting and contending with its formidable enemy, aided by all the means of fortification which experience in war and science can suggest.

"I shall be deemed foolhardy in engaging for the defence of the empire with an army composed of such a force of militia. I may be so. I confess it, I should infinitely prefer, and should feel more confidence in, an army of regular troops. But I know that I shall not have these. I may have the others; and if an addition is made to the existing regular army allotted for home defence of a force which will cost 400,000l. a year, there would be a sufficient disciplined force in the field to enable him who should command to defend the country.

"This is my view of our danger and our resources."

The illustrious writer then reviews the state of our arsenals.

"I have done more. I have looked at and considered these localities in great detail, and have made up my mind upon the details of their defence.

"These are questions to which my mind has not been unaccustomed. I have considered and provided for the defence, the successful defence, of the frontiers of many countries.

"I quite concur in all your views of the danger of our position, and of the magnitude of the stake at issue. I am especially sensible of the certainty of failure if we do not, at an early moment, attend to the measures necessary to be taken for

our defence; and of the disgrace -the indelible disgrace-of such failure,

"Putting out of view all the other unfortunate consequences, such as the loss of the political and social position of this country among the nations of Europe, of all its allies, in concert with and in aid of whom it has in our own times contended successfully in arms for its own honour and safety, and the independence and freedom of the world.

"When did any man hear of allies of a country unable to defend itself?

"Views of economy of some, and I admit that the high views of national finance of others, induce them to postpone those measures absolutely necessary for mere defence and safety under existing circumstances, forgetting altogether the common practice of successful armies, in modern times, imposing upon the conquered enormous pecuniary contributions, as well as other valuable and ornamental property.

"Do we suppose that we should be allowed to keep-could we advance a pretension to keep-more than the islands composing the United Kingdom, ceding disgracefully the Channel Islands, on which an invader had never established himself since the period of the Norman Conquest?

"I am bordering upon seventyseven years of age passed in honour.

"I hope that the Almighty may protect me from being the witness of the tragedy which I cannot persuade my contemporaries to take

measures to avert.

"Believe me "Ever yours sincerely, "WELLINGTON."

6. ACCIDENT AT THE EUSTON SQUARE STATION.-An accident of a serious nature occurred, about half-past 10 A. M., in the new buildings erecting by Messrs. William Cubitt and Co. at the Euston Square station of the London and North-Western Railway, by which eleven workmen were injured, two of them fatally. It appears that at the end of a large vestibule, lying between the company's old offices and a range of new of fices, a screen of double columns, with an entablature and attic over them, was in progress of construction. Between twenty and thirty men were at work on the scaffolding above the columns, when four of the pillars gave way. scaffolding at the same time yielded and fell, precipitating the workmen to the ground, and many of them into an elliptical space intended to form a staircase. It is supposed that, from the great expedition which had necessarily been used in carrying up the building, the brickwork of the columns had not become sufficiently set before the weight which they were intended to support was placed upon them, and the consequence has been the accident which now occurred.

The

7. FATAL ACCIDENT TO EARL Powis. A very distressing accident, resulting in death, occurred to this respected nobleman, in the grounds surrounding his residence in Montgomeryshire. The noble Earl, his eldest son (Lord Clive), the Hon. R. H. Clive, brother to the Earl, and the Hon. Robert Charles Herbert, his Lordship's third son, were shooting in the preserves near Powis Castle. It appears that a pheasant suddenly rose, at which Mr. Herbert fired, when the contents of the gun most unfortunately struck the

Earl, who was standing on an eminence within range. His lordship being wounded in the thigh, instantly fell; but, aid being at hand, he was immediately conveyed to the Castle, and medical gentlemen were quickly summoned to his assistance. At first the opinion of the surgeons was that there was no imminent danger, and that the case was proceeding favourably; his family, nevertheless, thought it necessary to send to London for Sir Benjamin Brodie. The event, however, excited but little attention, for sanguine hopes were entertained that his lordship's wound would not prove dangerous; it was, therefore, with the utmost surprise and regret that the intelligence of his death was received. The suddenness of this distressing event, the painful circumstances under which it occurred, and the respect in which the character of the noble Earl was held, created deep sympathy in the loss that his family and immediate friends have sustained. For a brief summary of the events of the noble Earl's career, see the Obituary" of this volume.

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8. THE MIRFIELD MURDERS.— The trial and conviction of Patrick Reid and Michael McCabe for the triple murders at Mirfield is given at length in the "Law Cases" of the ANNUAL REGISTER for 1847, pp. 309-319. In consequence of the representations of the magistracy and some favourable circumstances which appeared in the case of McCabe, his sentence was commuted to transportation; but Reid was this day executed, pursuant to his sentence, at York. An extraordinary concourse of people attended from the surrounding districts; so that from 30,000 to 40,000 spectators encompassed the

scaffold-a number said to have been unprecedented except at the execution of Eugene Aram. Reid was attended by a Roman Catholic priest, and they knelt and prayed on the platform. The convict did not address the multitude; but he said to the officers around him"Well, gentlemen, I wish to say that I alone am the guilty person; that M'Cabe is entirely innocent; that no human being in the world had anything to do with it but myself."

DESTRUCTION OF CHAGRES, AND OF AUGUSTA.-The town of Chagres, on the Spanish Main, has been nearly totally destroyed by fire. The Custom-house, with its stores and bonding warehouses, containing merchandise to a large amount in value, chiefly the property of British merchants, were entirely consumed.

About the same time intelligence was received that the maritime city of Augusta, in Sicily, had been wrecked by earthquake. A first shock of great violence drove the people from their houses; the fatal second shock then worked such destruction that only twentyseven houses remained standing. Where the mole lately stood the sea now gives no bottom at fifty fathoms. Fifty-nine citizens had been drawn out of the ruins, wounded, but alive; thirty-five dead bodies had been recovered.

10. GREAT ROBBERY OF SoVEREIGNS. A great robbery was committed on the Great Western Railway. A box containing 15001. in sovereigns was despatched from a London bank to their correspondent at Taunton. The box, which was well secured by iron clamps, and with its contents weighed 125 lbs., was sent by a special and confidential messenger to the Pad

dington terminus, who delivered it into the hands of the guard immediately before the train started. The guard himself placed the box of coin in the compartment adjoining his own box, the said compartment being occupied with parcels only, and between the two there was a communication by means of the aperture over the break. The guard, on receiving the box, said, “All right—I'll take care of it." The messenger remained on the platform till the train was in motion, and not more than a minute elapsed between the delivery of the box and the departure of the train. On the arrival of the train at Bristol the box was discovered to have been broken open and the contents abstracted. How it was effected, or how it could have been effected without exciting attention, is unexplained, as it could not be done without great force and noise.

10. CONFIRMATION OF THE BISHOP OF MANCHESTER.-The ceremony of the confirmation of Dr. Lee as Bishop of Manchester led to a very unusual scene. The proceeding took place in the church of St. James, Piccadilly, where a citation of opposers had been published on the previous day. The requisite documents having been read, a proclamation for opposers was made by an officer; whereon Mr. Gutteridge, a known vehement enemy of the bishop elect, stood forward and announced himself as an opposer; he was immediately stopped and informed that no opposition would be allowed. Proclamation for opposers was again made, and Mr. Gutteridge again stood forward, and was again refused. Whereon all opposers were pronounced contumacious, and the bishop was declared rightly and