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the Belgian Chambers by a speech, intended as a pendant for that of the King of Holland, of which the only precise and statesmanlike passage is the following,-which we commend to the attention of our rulers:

"I am pleased to observe the progress and discipline of our troops. The army has, in consequence, acquired new titles to my solicitude. Projects of law will be submitted to you for fixing on equitable bases the situation of the military of different grades in which they are to be placed. I recommend to your attention the project of law, presented at the last session, for fixing the military pensions, and on the law for their obtaining them.”—(Speech of the King of the Belgians, on opening the session, Nov. 12.)

The Civil Contest in SPAIN proceeds indecisively, but with a moral balance in favour of Don CARLOS, in whose cause, though he does not personally appear or move in the matter, one third of the kingdom is already arrayed in arms. To produce this result there must exist some strong and leading motive or principle, apart from the instigation of mere partisanship or the consideration of self-interest. On the other hand, the most active efforts are made by the Queen Dowager and her party to popularize the person and pretensions of the former, and allure followers. General Saarsfield commands the main body of the Queen's forces in the North, having his head-quarters at Burgos, and being surrounded by bodies of Carlists, against whom he does not appear to have undertaken any active operations of moment. It is, however, extremely difficult to judge of the actual state of affairs in Spain, from the conflicting nature of the statements which reach this country principally through France-a partisan of the Christinos.

The position of Dom MIGUEL and the Portuguese army is securely maintained at SANTAREM. The occupation of that line was judicious. The Pedroites have appeared before it, but have not ventured an attack; while they have sustained a signal overthrow on the south of the Tagus, at Alcacer do Sal, having been attacked there on the 2d ult. by General Lemos, and totally routed with an acknowledged loss of 800 men. This has been the most severe defeat received by either party during the war, excepting perhaps the early affair of Souto Redondo, in which the Pedroites were also the sufferers. St. Ube's, in the vicinity of which this disaster occurred, was closely threatened.

The reports, just received and mentioned in our last, relative to the precarious situation of Dom Miguel and his army were unfounded. The movement upon Santarem was well planned and conducted.

Lisbon, November 10th, 1833. MR. EDITOR, My having been at Peniche for some weeks has prevented me from continuing to inform you of our military operations, which, though far from being decisive, have nevertheless been very important. Our army attacked the Miguelites at Laranjeiras, Campo Grande, and Loires, on the 10th and 11th of October last; and though the Miguelites fought these two days better than ever, they were obliged to retreat to Santarem. But, owing to some false manœuvre on our side, they were able to retreat in good order to that town. Santarem is renowned in our history and wars, for its commanding situation on the main road leading from Lisbon to the provinces of Beira Alta and Beira Baixa. It is, nevertheless, an open town, with an old castle without any material importance in the system of modern warfare. But it is, in all cases, a good position, and even more, to an army numeri

cally superior to that we can muster at Cartaxo. Unless some new insurrections may come to menace or to cut off the communications of the enemy with Coimbra, Golegia, Thomar, or Abrantès, we shall not be able to direct, with success, an open attack against them, without waiting till some new battalions lately raised at Lisbon may have joined the army. Whatever may be the result of this attack, true it is that nobody can yet flatter himself to foresee the end of this unfortunate war. Dom Pedro and his ministers have no influence at all in the country; their words and promises are not trusted, neither by the Miguelite army nor by the people, so that all the partisans of Dom Miguel stand yet by him. To prove how Dom Pedro is hated in Portugal, it will suffice to say that neither his presence, his name, nor his promises have, to this day, seduced or snatched away from Dom Miguel's party any man of any military or political influence in the country! The very same brothers of his favourites, Rocha Pinto and Renduffe, side with Dom Miguel. On this account our forces and chances are, in general, counterbalanced. If we have the advantage of the two greatest towns in the kingdom, the best fortress (Peniche), a squadron, some sea-ports, and, no doubt, better officers, Dom Miguel, on the contrary, may depend on the most part of the country, and dispose of all its resources: "Mulciber in Troiam, pro Troia stabat Apollo."

This situation, inasmuch as it concerns my own party, is the fault of Dom Pedro and of his minions alone. Their behaviour has been such that Miguelites and Liberals have suspected that Dom Pedro had an arrière pensée-a secret intention to trample on the constitution and usurp the crown of his daughter. This distrust increases every day, in consequence of the unnatural violences of which the amiable and forlorn Donna Maria is the object and victim at her father's, or, to speak correctly, at her own palace. The poor innocent Queen is kept like a prisoner; no Portuguese is allowed to see her, and still less to address her a single word, but in the presence of her father's confidants, the Brazilian Argus. She was lately severed and deprived of all her old servants, because they dared to protest against the ill-treatment used against their Royal Mistress. The partisans of Dom Pedro, viz. the rabble, the rump of all parties in Portugal, from the Bonapartistes to the demagogues of 1820, say that all those precautions were resorted to because there was a complot to put immediately the queen, Donna Maria, at the head of the government, for she is now fifteen years old, and, of course, able and entitled to govern by herself, according to the constitutional law enacted in the Cortes of Lisbon in the year 1674. If such a complot exists, it is, no doubt, a patriotic one. If Dom Pedro is to govern like Dom Miguel, as he really does--if there is no charter at all, no other law but the wild caprice of Dom Pedro's minions, then the sooner the Queen takes the reins of the government the better. This, or any other change in the government, 'tis a consummation devoutly to be wished, as the only means to restore confidence, and to shake some partisans of Dom Miguel, who, from personal hatred to, and fear of, Dom Pedro, would rather perish than submit to him or to his ministers. If this change is not adopted, the civil war will continue to lay waste the country, and Portugal will be reduced to a heap of ruins.

I hear, just now, that Coimbra has proclaimed the Queen, and that the gallant Napier, even against the opinion and orders of the presumptuous Dom Pedro, has effected a landing at Nazareth, with 700 men, and has decided to proceed to begin the blockade of Madeira.

Your most obedient and obliged servant,

PORTUENSE.

Marshal JOURDAN expired in PARIS on the 23d ultimo, in his 72d year, after a career of some glory and a life without reproach. Inferior

in military talents to his brother Marshals, he surpassed them in disinterested and consistent patriotism; and has died the poorest of the Revolutionary Paladins. SEBASTIANI is said to aspire to the vacant Bâton.

The following is an outline of Communications which have reached us from the spot, descriptive of the Exercises of the Austrian Army in the North of Italy:

In the early part of September, the manœuvres of the Austrian army in Lombardy commenced, by the passage of the Mincio, below Peschiera, (at which Fortress that river runs out of the Lago di Garda,) by Walmoden's Corps, 20,000 strong, advancing from the West, in pursuit of an army of nearly equal strength, and supposed to have been previously defeated on the Western, but now occupying some commanding ground on the Eastern bank of the Mincio. The movements of the First day embraced the passage of the River and the turning of those Heights.

On the Second day, Walmoden, flushed by his previous success, attacked and compelled the enemy to retreat gradually upon Peschiera, in which place, however, Walmoden now discovered that the Enemy's Reserve of 20,000 men had arrived from Verona on the previous night, and was ready to debouche upon him.

It became necessary, therefore, hastily to retrace his steps, and fall back in the direction of Mantua, with the view of rejoining a Corps supposed to have been previously detached by him across the Po. The Enemy, in his turn, assumed the offensive, and crossing the Mincio, by a second Pontoon Bridge, under the guns of Peschiera, formed a junction on the West Bank with their Reserve, which issued simultaneously from the Town, and, thus united, bivouacked in front of Walmoden's new position.

The operations of the Third day commenced by an attempt, on the post of the Enemy, to turn this position by its left, and concluded with a general action in a clear champaign country, over which Walmoden was driven. The scene of the previous operations had been rugged, intersected with vineyards, and unfitted for the movements of cavalry.

The Austrian infantry are described as splendid; especially the Grenadiers and Light Troops, both Croats and Tyrolese. The former are remarkable in many respects-their dress, like their complexion, is brown, they howl formidably, eat next to nothing, are forced by law to marry at seventeen, and march at the rate of six miles an hour over any country. They wear the sky-blue pantaloon of the Hungarians. The Yager corps have an admirable sort of grey uniform with a peculiar-shaped chako. It was universally admitted by those present, that they had never seen troops march so well or bear fatigue with so little appearance of it. A great portion of the Reserve from Verona had marched thirty miles, and were still singing joyously as they defiled at midnight through the villages adjoining Peschiera. The Artillery is heavily constructed, and slow in action, forming a striking contrast with the rapid movement and brilliant execution of the British. The Cavalry had little scope for display till the last day, nor did they then appear to particular advantage. They consisted merely of four regiments,-two of Hussars, one of Cuirassiers, and one of Dragoons. The latter appeared the best mounted. Many of the hussars were dismounted to accommodate, with their horses, the strangers,-English, Prussians, &c.-who were present at the Exercises. The latter were each attended by an orderly, who followed, like his shadow, carrying "creature-comforts" for their use, while artillery horses were employed to convey their carriages from quarter to quarter, with which (quarters) they were most attentively provided, being further most hospitably and cordially received by the inhabitants.

Nothing in short could exceed the polite attention shown to, and the substantial comforts provided for the Visitors by the Commander-in-chief, Ra

datski, and the Austrian officers, who are described in language of grateful warmth, as divested of all affectation, essentially polite, frank, hospitable, and highly principled.

At the Grand Review, which closed the manœuvres, there were in line 60,000 men and 130 guns.

Orders have been issued to suspend the recruiting of the Army.

HALF-YEARLY PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS AT THE ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE.

THE half-yearly public examinations at Sandhurst were held on the 5th, 6th, and 7th of November, before a Board of Commissioners, at which there were present, besides General the Hon. Sir Edward Paget, the Governor, and Colonel Sir George Scowell, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Institution, General Sir W. H. Clinton, Lieut.-Generals Sir John Lambert and Sir Hudson Lowe, Major-General Gardiner, Deputy Adjutant-General, and Major Garvock, Assistant Adjutant-General.

The conduct of these examinations varied little from the usual course of proceeding, which has often been detailed in our pages; and, at the close of the third day, the following officers studying at the senior department, all of whom had acquitted themselves in a very creditable manner, were presented by the Board with certificates of qualification of the highest class :Major W. N. Hutchinson, 76th foot: Captain J. Michel, 64th foot; Captain W. Hope, 7th foot; Captain W. T. Tinne, 8th hussars; Lieut. F. J. T. Hutchinson, 74th foot.

The examination of these officers embraced the most important subjects relating to pure and mixed mathematics, which enter into the course of study pursued at the senior department of the college; and among the propositions exhibited, and of which extempore solutions were given, were several which involve the application of the higher analysis in the theory of curves; examples of dynamical equilibrium among bodies, in respect of subjects connected with the science of the engineer; and demonstrations of several useful problems in practical astronomy, which seem, very properly, to form an essential element in the instruction given at the institution.

The whole of these officers had also taken advantage of an extension (lately granted) in the general period of residence at the senior department, to qualify themselves for a species of examination admitting greater exercise of mental power, than that afforded by one conducted vivâ voce alone: it consisted in the composition of written solutions to sundry propositions in mathematics and fortification, selected at hazard from papers printed for the purpose; and these solutions, which had been given on a preceding day appointed by the Governor, were now laid before the Commissioners, and appear to have comprehended several scientific investigations, relating to the higher departments of the military art, which could not have been so completely treated in any other manner.

The public examination of the officers in Fortification consisted in inquiries into the leading principles of the art; comparisons of the systems of Permanent Defence, invented by different engineers, with descriptions of the improvements recently introduced therein; the nature of field works of all kinds, the manner of disposing them for the purposes of defensive warfare, and the methods of constructing them in cases where defilading from commanding heights becomes indispensable; and lastly, the processes employed in mining, and the operations involved in the attack and defence of fortresses and field works, were stated with precision, and in such a way as to place before the mind a vivid picture of that most interesting and important branch of the military service.

The military surveys of ground, executed by various officers of the depart

ment, which were laid upon the tables of the board-room, on the present occasion, were of unusual extent. For, besides the survey of nearly a hundred square miles on the Sussex coast, embracing Brighton and its environs, (noticed in our report of the last half-yearly examination,) and which, as having been executed in part by Captains Michel and Tinne and Lieutenant Hutchinson, was now again exhibited as one of the required tests of their ability; there were also shown two other surveys, including almost an equal surface of country: one of part of the Isle of Wight, by Captain Hope; and the other of the borders of Sussex and Hants, displaying some excellent drawing, by Major Hutchinson, Captain Townsend, 83d foot, and Lieutenant Strachan, 68th foot. Another plan was also produced by Captain Wilson, 96th foot, showing the progress made, during the present term, in the construction of a large bastioned fort, in rear of the college, for the practical improvement of the officers at the department in field fortification.

At the close of the examinations at the junior department, the following Gentlemen Cadets were recommended by the Board to the General Commanding-in-Chief, in the order of their merit, as given below, to receive ensigncies in the line, without purchase; and the first five of the number, having each passed an examination in one branch of study beyond the required course, were further presented with honorary certificates of approbation :Charles E. P. Gordon: Christopher B. Cardew; James W. Hoste; Hudson Lowe; William M. De Butts; John J. C. Drake; John M. Daniell; Thomas A. Nixon; John F. A. Hartle; John Stuart.

By the result of the examinations, above forty other young gentlemen were declared to have made various steps towards qualifying themselves for commissions, in those branches of the mathematics which are applicable to military purposes; in permanent and field-fortification, and the attack and defence of places; in Latin, and general history; and in the modern languages. And fourteen had also, during the half-year, completed the course of professional education in military surveying, and fifteen in the actual construction of entrenchments and saps in the field, as well as in the formation of stockades, in hand-grenade practice, &c., with the assistance of the usual detachment of royal sappers and miners.

GRAHAM'S ISLAND IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.

THE following is an account of a recent survey made of the Volcanic Island, which, in 1831, rose from the sea between the islands of Pantalaria and Sicily:" The Volcanic Island, which has ceased to appear in the canal of Malta, has left in the same place a dangerous shoal of an oval figure, about three-fifths of a mile in extent, having its longest diameter in the direction from S.S.E. to N.N.W., and being something less in size than the base of the island itself when visible. The upper surface is composed principally of black stones, and some of a darkish yellow, exactly like those observed round the crater of the volcano, with a sprinkling of sand here and there. In the centre is a black rock of the diameter of about twenty-six fathoms, over which there are eleven feet of water, with the exception of two points in the line from N.E. to S.W., which have a depth of only nine feet. At the distance of sixty fathoms from the central mass, there are two and a half, three, four, five, and six fathoms water, the depth of which increases with the distance. At seventy-five fathoms from the S.W. of the central rock, there is a small detached rock with fifteen feet water over it. In every direction around this danger the depth is great. Neither the barrel placed there by Captain Swinburne, in 1832, and which could scarcely make any resistance, nor the discoloured water observed by him, are any longer to be seen. By means of a tolerably correct survey, made with an exact azimuth compass, the vessel being in the direction of the shoal (upon which a boat was stationed), and the highest part of the island of Pantalaria, these two points

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