Wednesday, 19th of October, we sailed at four o'clock A.M., and continued our course through a very productive country. The rich vineyards are here interspersed with orchards of a small blue plum, from which excellent brandy is distilled. The plains are covered with cattle and sheep; we observed also several large herds of horses. The mills in this country are formed by two strong boats anchored in the stream; between them is placed a large wheel, turned on the undershot principle by the force of the current. We passed many hundreds of these mills during our voyage: they appeared to be fully employed, and the flour of this country is of a very superior quality. Between seven and eight o'clock A.M. the tortuous course of the river carried us nearly round the fine town and archiepiscopal see of Carlowitz. The cathedral, and the palace of the Greek prelate, are handsome, and attracted our attention; but our flight was too rapid for a close examination. A little above this the river Thuss joins the Danube. This fine river and its tributaries might easily be rendered navigable to an immense distance through the rich plains of Hungary, and through a country abounding in all the productions of the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms. About noon we arrived at the splendid Austrian fortress of Peterwardein. The situation is very similar to Belgrade, but there is a striking contrast in every other respect. Here the powerful and extensive fortifications are in the most perfect repair, and heavy cannon sweep every line in which an approach could be attempted. A handsome and well-constructed bridge of boats leads to the town of Neusatz, where it is covered by a strong tête du pont. At Neusatz we remained an hour, landing and receiving goods and passengers. Here, much to our regret, we lost our amiable and excellent fellow-traveller, Cavalier Peitrich (Austrian Commissario di Guerra), the memory of whom will always induce me to respect and regard Hungary and Hungarian gentlemen. Early in the afternoon we passed the town and old castle of Illoc, situated in the country of Acrnum, and four miles distant from the ancient city of that name. Illoc is beautifully placed on a height above the river, and must have been at one time very extensive. This fine town, with an enormous property surrounding, belongs to Prince Adischac, nephew to the present Pope Gregory XVI. At ten o'clock P.M. we anchored for the night at the small Sclavonian town of Vacova. From Semlin to Vacova we made an excellent day's run, the fine weather having enabled us to remain seventeen hours under steam. There was a strong breeze in our favour; but this was of little advantage, as our steam-boat, although supplied with immense masts and yards, was totally destitute of sails. The country through which we passed was interesting from its fertility only, the scenery being rather tame than otherwise. I hope the incredible flocks of wild geese, ducks, and plovers we saw, will not get me the credit of telling travellers' tales, but to judge from the quantity, there must have been a general congress from all parts of Europe. We left Vacova about five o'clock A.M., the 20th. A little before noon we passed the mouth of the Drave, another fine tributary of the Danube, which divides Sclavonia from Hungary Proper. Very little labour and expense would make this river navigable for a considerable distance, and the country through which it passes is populous and productive. About eight o'clock P.M., having been about fifteen hours under steam, we arrived at Mohacs, a small town on the right bank of the river, and halted for the night. The following morning (21st) the sturdy arms of about a dozen damsels supplied us with coals, the idle male part of the creation smoking their pipes, and appearing quite uninterested in the matter. The large inland towns of Essek and Fünfkirchen sent us a considerable addition to our passengers; and about seven o'clock A.M. we proceeded on our voyage. We were much impeded the whole of this day by a strong gale of wind directly in our teeth. We passed the handsome, clean-looking towns of Tolna and Pako, but darkness overtook us before we could reach Fölilvar: and we came to an anchor in the river at eight P.M. We sailed again at five o'clock the next morning, and proceeding without any stoppage, we reached Pest at six o'clock P.M. Saturday the 22nd October. This finished the third stage of the Danube navigation. We were six days on the passage from Alibeck to Pest, including one day spent at Semlin; consequently, we were five days under steam-averaging fourteen hours and a half a-day, or seventy-two hours and a half altogether. The steam-boat Franz I. has two engines of thirty-six horse-power each, and consumes about 8 cwt. of coal per hour, or 29 tons on the voyage. This is not a fair calculation at present, as much wood, which is both cheap and good, is used between Mohacs and Pest. The coal supplied at Moldava is of an excellent quality, from a place called Oravitza, in the Banût district, and is embarked at about 7s. 6d. a ton. Owing, however, to the imperfect means of transport, it costs three times that amount at Mohacs; and, in consequence, a very inferior coal from near Fünfkirchen is used. This must be mixed with a great quantity of wood, otherwise it cakes rapidly, and blocks up the furnaces. The fourth stage of the Danube navigation from Pest to Presburg was impassable by the large steam-boats at present employed here, owing to the long continuance of dry weather. This, however, will soon tre remedied, as two boats on the American raft principle, which will be able to effect the passage at all seasons, are nearly ready for launching. These boats will require two days to ascend the river from Pest to Presburg, and eight hours from Presburg to Vienna. After a short stay at Pest, our party proceeded by land to Vienna, distant about 180 English miles, which we effected with ease in thirty hours. The road was excellent, and through a rich country: but this I leave to others to describe, my business being with the river. Pest has been well described by Quin and others, but I hardly think that justice has been done to this delightful town. The approach from the east is very fine, and is a great relief to the traveller after the flat, unpicturesque country he has passed through almost the whole distance from Peterwardein. Presburg is quite deserted; and this handsome and rapidly-increasing city may now be considered the capital of Hungary. Many splendid mansions have been built by the nobility, where they pass several months annually, exercising that hospitality for which the Hungarians are so justly celebrated. The baths and public buildings are on a magnificent scale. There is an excellent opera, and two theatres. The club, or cassino, is supported by the richest and most influential Austrians and Hungarians, and receives the journals and periodical literature of every country in Europe. On the opposite side of the river, joined by a bridge of boats 400 yards in length, is the ancient capital, Buda, now called Offen. Here there is a fine palace of the Palatine, surrounded by the dwellings of many wealthy proprietors. A hill, called Blocksberg, rising abruptly from the river, a little below the town, is crowned by a handsome observatory. The sides of the gently-rising hills which surround Buda, having a fine south and east exposure, are famous for their vineyards, and produce both white and red wines of excellent quality. Stern necessity forced me to curtail my stay at this fascinating city; and deep was the regret with which I turned my back on Hungary. "Far have I travelled, and much have I seen," but the short period I passed in this delightful country will retain a bright spot in memory when many things have faded away. These remarks are intended to be descriptive of what is actually the present state of the steam navigation from Pest to Constantinople, and to show what has been done since the commencement of this splendid undertaking. Much remains to be done, and there is considerable room for improvement—all of which is in progress. The active and talented Count Szechenyi, assisted by some patriotic Hungarian noblemen, and backed by some English capital, are lending all their energies to perfect this noble work under their auspices Vienna will soon become a sea-port, and the produce of rich and extensive countries in the centre of Europe will descend the Danube, and find markets in every part of the world. : The kingdom of Hungary abounds in extensive and fertile plains, intersected by rivers which at present are almost navigable; the mines and minerals are rich and inexhaustible; and the wines require only the excitement of foreign demand to equal, if not excel, any produced in the world. The soil and climate are particularly favourable to agriculturists: the grain is of an excellent quality, and very abundant; the breed of horses, which has lately been carefully crossed with the best English blood, is of a very superior description; the immense flocks. and herds which abound in this favoured country will supply an unlimited export of wool, hides, and tallow. Sincerely may we hope that the patriotic exertions of Count Szechenyi and his fellow-labourers may be crowned with success, and that under their auspices we may look forward to the full development of the resources of this rich and fertile country. C. H. It would appear that the dullness of the season, and the terrors of the grippe, have been counteracted in the Services by an access of poetical inspiration. The Lady Clio, "gesta canens," has deigned to visit more than one of the martial fraternity with a metrical influenza, of which it has become our office to record proofs in the pages of our present Number. The latest instance, though the first in order, is the following, which decidedly stamps its author as a man of LETTERS: THE WELLINGTON ALPHABET. Assaye, (in Eastern climes) appropriate name, Was where our Wellesley erst assay'd his fame ; Busaco's ridge withstood Massena's force, And our great Captain stormed stern Badajos. Ciudad Rodrigo shared no better fate, And from Oporto made the Marshal bolt ;- Of him who drank so deep at honour's fount. For nothing came amiss to Wellington ;— H for Hellette, where, amongst the Gaves, Our Leader did not do his work by halves. I stands for India-there he Tippoo saw And conquered him, as well as Doondiah Waugh- Shift we the scene: and crossing o'er the main, L stands for Lusitania—a state Of Britain's prowess formerly elateWhere now her very name they execrate. Madrid he took-the capital of Spain And nearly put an end to Joseph's reign That mushroom monarch! who, with twenty more One of our hero's many glorious days; What pleasure does Roliça's name afford That opening scene, where Wellesley beat Laborde! To Salamanca for an S we trust, Where Marmont's Gallic legions bit the dust. Who will deny to Talavera fame, Which gave to Wellington a Viscount's name? Or it may suit you to a T to choose That grand finale to the war-Toulouse. V will command a potent influence o'er ye It stands for Vimeiro and Vitoria. W for WELLINGTON and Waterloo What boundless praise to our great Chief is due Who there subdued the proud and stubborn heart The peace of Europe thus accomplished, R. E. ECONOMY OF A MAN-OF-WAR. NO. VII. THE LIEUTENANT.-(Concluded.) AFTER having undergone the routine thus described, our officer ascends, by filling vacancy after vacancy, as occasioned by removal, death, or preferment, till at length he becomes the First Lieutenant, or Captain's vicegerent. In this capacity he is the authorized channel through which the executive orders flow, and the official organ of his commander's behests. But though in some respects he may be deemed the heir-apparent, more of his future interest will depend on his personal conduct and example than in any other station on board a man-of-war. We regret that the vicissitudes of fortune should be such that some of the most meritorious men in the service have, as it were, slipped through the slings of advancement, and fallen into the hopeless recesses of retirement; but the chances of success are still encouraging; numbers who depended entirely on their own exertions have received both reward and distinction, and many of the disappointed-growl as they mayhave been requited more in proportion to their merit than their expectation. The general printed Instructions are less monitory towards this officer than to any other to whom they dictate. They merely state that, in the absence of the Captain, "the Senior Lieutenant on board the ship is to be responsible for everything done on board. He is to see every part of the duty as punctually performed as it could be if the Captain were present. He may put under arrest any officer whose conduct he shall think so reprehensible as to require it, and he may confine such men as he shall think deserving of punishment; but neither he nor any other Lieutenant who may become commanding officer is to release an officer from his arrest, nor to release or punish any man who has been confined, which is to be done by the Captain only, unless he be absent from the ship with leave from the Admiralty or from the Commanderin-Chief, in which case it is to be done only by the Senior Lieutenant commanding the ship in his absence." This is so general in its application as to show but little of the charge and cares of the station; we shall therefore expand it by dwelling a little more at large on the duties of the maritime Grand Vizier. The First Lieutenant is the most considerable of all the officers under the Captain, for his interference and authority extend—both in matériel and personnel-over the whole ship; it is therefore almost needless to add that, in addition to the abilities of an accomplished officer, he should possess decision, manner, and temper, each of which qualities is in constant requisition. His whole attention must be systematically directed to the order, comfort, and accommodation of the crew; and he should not only discharge the duties particularly attached to his own. station with zeal and alacrity, but also assist the other officers in comprehending and executing theirs. To carry these requisites to the desired pitch, he must on every occasion study to promote the good of the public service in all its branches, and so conduct himself as to be a pattern of morality, regularity, and good method,-for people are both incited and impelled by example. |