, and a devoted partisan of the house rraine. This brave Gascon officer at crupled to accept it, for he feared to the hatred of the Colignys and the able. Wily and wary, like most of his ymen, he declared himself willing to as a private soldier under the duke, | nodestly declined the command offered The king insisting, he alleged a dysenas rendering him incapable of the needtivity. This and other objections being led, he took possession of his important and, and speedily proved himself y to hold it-notably at the siege of ille on the Moselle. This fortress, the strongest the Imperialists owned, Hefended by Jean de Cadarebbe, a gentleman of Brabant, at the head of housand picked men. The Dukes of and Nevers, and Marshal Strozzi, the leaders of the besieging army; ac joined them on the eve of the open-pair the blunders or misfortunes of less capathe batteries, and did excellent serOn the fifteenth day of the siege, was in the trenches, talking to Strozzi, hose shoulder his hand rested, when arshal was struck by an arquebuse little above the heart. On feeling f hit, "Ah! tête Dieu, Monsieur," exd this brave and able general, "the oses to-day a good servant, and your ncy also.' He did himself no more ustice. Guise was deeply affected, pressing his emotion, he tried to fix 's thoughts on religion. The veteran's was less exemplary than his life; he 1 profession of unbelief; and Guise, scandalized, but perhaps doubly furious thought that the soul as well as the of his old comrade had perished by the manner of his death, prosecuted the with fresh ardor, eager for revenge, ppressing for the moment, as far as le, the disastrous news, which could t produce a most unfavorable impresValiantly seconded by Montluc and ille, on the 22d June, two days after 's death, he received the capitulation garrison. His triumph was well Besides the exhibition, throughout ge, of the genius and inventive rethat constitute a general of the highest he had toiled and exposed himself like subaltern, constantly under fire, persuperintending the pioneers and

was no wonder (considering he had not had a single night's rest during the operations against Thionville) that on the 1st July, when preparing for the siege of the rich little town of Arlon, he complained of being very drowsy, and left Montluc to invest the place-himself retiring to bed in a cottage, and giving orders to let him sleep till he awoke of himself. "It is very quick work," he observed, crossing himself, when he was the next day informed, in reply to his inquiry whether the batteries had opened fire, that Montluc had surprised and taken the place in the night.

Whilst Guise was thus not only rendering great services himself, but bringing forward leaders whose exploits honored the French arms, in other quarters affairs went less favorably for France. Near Dunkirk, Marshal Thermes was beaten and taken prisoner, and Guise, whose frequent lot it was to re

ble generals, marched to Picardy; on the frontier of which province, at a grand review passed by Henry II., the duke's son and successor, Henry, Prince of Joinville, then but eight years old, appeared for the first time in public, with his cousin, the Count of St. Vallier, son of the Duke d'Aumale. Accompanied by their preceptors and some other gentlemen, and mounted on ponies, they rode through the ranks, until they reached the troops commanded by Montluc. "Cà, çà," my little princes," exclaimed that brave captain, "dismount; for I was brought up in the house of which you are issue, which is the house of Lorraine, where I was page, and I will be the first to put arms in your hands." The two cousins dismounted, and Montluc, taking off the little silken robons that covered their shoulders, placed a pike in the hand of each of them. "I hope," he said, "that God will give you grace to resemble your fathers, and that I shall have brought you good fortune by being the first to invest you with arms. To me they have, hitherto, been favorable. May God render you as brave as you are handsome, and sons of very good and generous fathers." After this species of martial baptism, the two children, conducted by Montluc, passed along the front of the troops, objects of the admiration and good wishes of men and officers. A few months later, one of them was dead; the other, heir to most of the great qualities,

THE DESCENDANTS OF ROBERT BURNS.

From Chambers' Journal.

STEAM-BRIDGE OF THE ATLANTIC.

brought to New York passengers and intelligence from Europe were British built. They had been constructed in the Avon, the Mersey, and the Clyde, the greater number having been launched in the same waters as first received Henry Bell's little Comet. Why did America not embark in such enterprise? As regards steam navigation, Fulton was before Bell; New York before Glasgow ; the Fulton's Folly before the Comel; and was

"The greatest nation
In all creation"

to be outdone in the field of enterprize by the old Britishers? American pride said

No;" American instinct said “No ;" and, above all, American capitalists said "No!" Keels were laid down in New York; the shipbuilders' yards became unusually active; and the stately timbers of majestic ships gradually rose before the admiring gaze of the citizens of the great republic.

he summer of 1838 the Atlantic Ocean rossed for the first time by vessels exely propelled by steam-power. These rs were the Sirius and the Great Westhe former built for another class of es, and afterwards lost on the station en Cork and London; the latter built ssly for Atlantic navigation, and which er since been more or less employed -ersing that ocean. Other ships followhe British Queen, afterwards sold to the n government; the Great Liverpool, quently altered and placed on the line en Southampton and Alexandria; and President, lost, no man knows how or , in the year 1841. Then came what led "Cunard's Line," consisting of a er of majestic steam-ships, built in the , to carry passengers and mails between pool in Europe, and Halifax, Boston, and York in America; a service they have -med with the most marvellous regulariThe only great misfortune that has bethis line has been the loss of one of the But the race of William the Doubter is not Is, the Columbia, which, in nautical yet extinct, and many, as usual, shook their e,"broke her back" on some rocks on wise heads at the enterprise. It was admitmerican shore of the Atlantic. Then ted that in inland navigation the Americans the Great Britain, the greatest of them had beaten the world; that, except an occaiffering from the others in two respects sional blow-up, their river steamers were realst, in being built of iron instead of wood; ly models of enterprise and skill; but it was econd, in being propelled by the Ar- gravely added, the Mississippi is not the Atedean screw instead of by the old pad- lantic; icebergs are not snags; and an Atlanheels; and, alas! she has differed from tic wave is somewhat different from on Ohio all in a third respect, inasmuch as neith- ripple. These truisms were of course undee same good-luck attended her as in niable; but to them was quickly added anoral fell to the lot of the ships of the ther fact, about which there could be as little rd Line, nor the same irretrievable bad mistake--namely, the arrival at Southampton, ne as was met by the President and the after a voyage which, considering it was the mbia; for, after having made several first, was quite successful, of the Americanges very successfully, she, to the amaze- built steam-ship Washington from New York. of all mankind, very quietly went a- There seemed to be a touch of calm irony in ein Dundrum Bay, on the east coast of thus making the Washington the first of nd, from whence, after spending a most their Atlantic-crossing steamers, as if the mfortable winter, she was brought back Americans had said, "You doubting Britishiverpool, and now lies in the Bramley-ers! when you wished to play tyrant over re Dock there, like a huge mass of iron us, did we not raise one Washington who ring under premature rust. But all this chastised you? and now that you want to mo

another Washington, just to let you know that we will beat you again!"

The Washington, however, was only the precursor of greater vessels. These were to sail between New York and Liverpool, carrying the mails under a contract with the American government. In size, and speed, and splendor of fittings, these new ships were to surpass the old; even their names were, if possible, to be more grand and expressive. The vessels of Cunard's Line had lately appropriated the names of the four great continents of the globe, but the oceans remained, and their names were adopted; the new steamers being called the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, Baltic, and Adriatic. The first of these was despatched from New York on the 27th of April last, and arrived in Mersey on the 10th of May, thus making the the passage in about thirteen days. The voyage would have been made in a shorter time but for two accidents; the bursting of the condenser; and the discovery, after the vessel was some distance at sea, of the weakness of the floats or boards on the paddle-wheels. About two days were entirely lost in making repairs; and the speed was reduced, in order to prevent the floats from being entirely torn away from the paddle-wheels. These things considered, the passage was very successful. The average time occupied during 1849 by the vessels of the old line between New York and Liverpool was 12 days; but their voyages were longer than those of the Atlantic, as they called at Halifax. The shortest passage was that made by the Canada from New York to Liverpool ria Halifax in eleven days four hours.

to the trustees of the institution for the Blin whose church and school are now being moved to give greater space round the s tion of the London and North-Western Ra way. On the day of my visit crowds people were waiting at the pier for t steamer that was to convey them to the A lantic. Whitsuntide visitors from the man facturing districts were hastening on boa: the numerous vessels waiting to take the on pleasure excursions to the Isle of Ma North Wales, or round the light-ship at th mouth of the river. There was great ris of making mistakes in the hurry; and th remark of an old sailor, that the vessel coul "easily be known by the Yankee flag flyin at the fore," served only still further to con fuse the many, who could not tell one fla from another. However, a small tug-stean er soon appeared with a dirty piece of bun ing, just recognizable as the famous "star spangled banner," flying at the fore an her deck was in a few minutes so crowded that orders were issued to take no more o board, and away we steamed, leaving abou a hundred people to exercise their patienc until the steamer's return. A man at my el bow, who afterward appeared in the capaci ty of money-taker, whispered, "There's th captin!" and on looking up the gangway, saw—

"A man of middle age,

In aspect manly, grave, and sage,”

looking calmly in the direction of the colossal ship of which he was the commander; his complexion browned by exposure to sum The Atlantic remained for nineteen days demeanor indicating the calm strength acand wind, storm and spray; and his wholeat Liverpool: and during all that time she quired by long familiarity with the elements had to lie in a part of the river called the in their roughest moods. As we approachSloyne, in consequence of none of the docked the ship, her appearance was not prepos entrances being wide enough to allow her to sessing. She is undoubtedly clumsy: the pass in. Her breath, measuring across the three masts are low, the funnel is short and paddle-boxes, is 75 feet; of the vessels of dumpy, there is no bowsprit, and her sides Cunard's Line, about 70 feet; and the wi- are painted black, relieved only by one long dest dock-entrance is barely sufficient to ad-streak of dark-red. Her length, between the mit the latter. The Great Britain, though longer than any other steam-ship that ever entered the Mersey, is not so broad, as, being propelled by the serew, she has no paddle-wheels. A dock at the north shore is now in course of construction expressly for the accommodation of the Atlantic and her

consorts.

perpendiculars-that is, the length of her keel-is 276 feet; breath (exclusive of paddle-boxes,) 45; thus keeping up the proportion, as old as Noah's ark, of six feet of length to one of breath. The stern is roundgle, clasping the star and striped shield, but. ed, having in the centre the American eano other device. The figure head is of colossal dimensions, intended, say some, for

|

that it is the proprietor of the ship saloon, 67 feet long, and the dining saloon, g his own trumpet. The huge bulk of 60 feet long, each being 20 feet broad, and lantic was more perceptible by con- divided from each other by the steward's ith the steamer-none of the smallest pantry. This pantry is more like a silverwas now alongside; for though the smith's shop, the sides being lined with glasswas large enough to accommodate cases stored with beautifully burnished plate; four hundred people on deck, yet its crockery of every description, well secured, scarcely reached as high as the bul- is seen in great quantities; and the neatness of the Atlantic. The diameter of the of arrangement shows that the gilded inscrip-wheels is 36 feet; and the floats, tion, full in the sight of every visitor-" A of which, split and broken, were ly-place for everything, and everything in its out in the water, are nearly 15 feet place"-has been reduced to practice. Above The depth of the hold is 31 feet, and the tables in the dining-saloon are suspendimated burthen 2860 tons, being about ed racks, cut to receive decanters, glasses, ne as the Great Britain, and about &c., so that they can be immediately placed ms more than the ships of the old Cu- on the table without the risk attendant on ine. carrying them from place to place. The two saloons are fitted up in a very superior manner; rose, satin, and olive are the principal woods that have been used, and some of the tables are of beautifully variegated marble, with metal supporters. The carpets are very rich, and the coverings of the sofas, chairs, &c., are of the same superior quality. The panels round the saloons contain beautifully finished emblems of each of the states in the Union, and a few other devices that savor very strongly of republicanism. For example, a young and beautiful figure, all radiant with health and energy, wearing a cap of liberty, and waving a drawn sword, is represented trampling on a feudal prince, from whose head a crown has rolled in the dust. The cabin windows are of beautifully painted glass embelished with the arms of New York, and other cities in the States. Large circular glass ventilators, reaching from the deck to the lower saloon, are also richly ornamented, while handsome mirrors multiply all this splendor. The general effect is that of chasteness and a certain kind of solidity. There is not much gilding, the colors used are not gaudy, and there is a degree of elegant comfort about the saloons that is sometimes wanting amid splendid fit- tings. There is a ladies' drawing-room near the chief saloon full of every luxury. The berths are about 150 in number, leading out, as usual, from the saloons. The most novel feature about them is the "wedding berths," wider and more handsomely furnished than the others, intended for such newly-married couples as wish to spend the first fortnight of the honeymoon on the Atlantic. Such berths are, it seems, always to be found on

all the other Atlantic steamers, the the deck is almost a straight line. d the funnel, and between the paddle is a long wooden house, and another ed at the stern. These contain the ooms of the captain and officers: and ister are to be found the kitchen, the room, and the barber's shop. The mer are, like similar establishments, with every convenience, having even ch maitre de cuisine: but the latter is nique. It is fitted up with all necespparatus-with glass-cases containing ery, &c.; and in the centre is the er's chair." This is a comfortable uffed seat, with an inclined back. In a stuffed trestle, on which to rest feet gs; and behind is a little stuffed aps like a crutch, on which to rest the These are moveable, so as to suit of all sizes and in this comfortable tal position the passenger lies, and his is taken off in a twinkling, let the ic waves roll as they may. The house stern contains a smoking-room, and apartment completely sheltered from ather for the steersman. The smoking communicates with the cabin below, so after dinner, those passengers so dismay, without the least exposure to ather, or annoyance to their neighenjoy the weed of old Virginia in cion. This smoking-room is the prinrospect of the man at the helm, who, er, has to steer according to his sigBefore him is a painted intimation he bell means "port," and two bells "starbord;" a like intimation appears