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by at least two-thirds of the inhabitants of these islands. Then would disappear a great part of the unrivalled rural beauty of Great Britain-the parks and the gardens, the lakes and the woodlands, the hall and the manor-house, the ivy-clad parsonage and the rick-encircled grange, the mingling of which lends its special charm and peculiar mellow loveliness to the British landscape. For what are these but dens of tyranny, luxury, and corruption, which an enlightened people, undebauched by culture, will shortly level with the ground.

Now that the aristocratio element is so greatly weakened in the House of Commons, it becomes doubly important to preserve its integrity in the House of Lords. Suppose, for the sake of argument, that the House of Lords would be really strengthened by a reform grounded on Lord Rosebery's Resolutions, or some similar basis, the consent of the Radicals must not be purchased by the surrender of the Veto. What is the use of strengthening the House of Lords at one end, only to weaken it at the other? The absurdity of the cry that both sides should have an equal chance cannot be exposed too frequently. When the struggle only lay between rival oligarchical connections, neither of which sought to touch the Constitution or the existing social order, there might be some justice in the plea. And during the greater part of the

eighteenth century the Whigs had a majority in the House of Lords. But things are different now. When the Con

are

stitution is openly, and the Monarchy not remotely, threatened, the defensive party cannot afford to give away a point or abandon any of the advantages which they now possess. The struggle is not like a prize-fight, or a horse-race, where the competitors bound to start on equal terms. The burglar might as well say to the householder, who levels a pistol at him from some secure position, "Throw away your arms and come down here and fight it out fairly on the lawn. If you win, I go away with a licking. If I win, your plate, jewellery, and ready money are mine." Where is the equality?

as

Threatened

If no settlement can be arrived at, Conservatives and Unionists must continue to defend the Constitution long as they can. men live long, and so do institutions: and a beleaguered fortress need not necessarily capitulate. There is no excuse for the evasion of the duty to which we are now summoned. Socialism is no longer working in a corner. It is proclaimed from the house-tops. If there are any who say we have often been frightened by these bugbears, we won't be frightened any more, they should remember under what changed conditions these questions would present themselves if the House of Lords were out of the way. We know perfectly well that

in that case, the Socialists consideration, without room for would use the first chance the encouragement of those majority which they obtained motives for exertion which enin Parliament for the purpose noble the mind and invigorate of effecting both social and the character; an England in religious changes, extending which society would be reduced practically to the moral dis- to a dead level, in which emulasolution of society. tion would die a natural death, and the highest and purest ambitions of which man is capable Iwould not have air to breathe. Are we, indeed, to change our old England for this spick and span product of Modern Radical philosophy, as cold, as ugly, and as comfortless as a bed of stones?

The Socialists and Anarchists tell us, in so many words, that their object is to create a new England: an England without any beauty, either moral or physical, without gentleness, without reverence, without anything to elevate our human nature above the most sordid

Printed by William Blackwood and Sons.

BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE.

No. MCXXXIX.

SEPTEMBER 1910. VOL. CLXXXVIII.

WITH THE EXPEDITION TO WALCHEREN IN 1809.

BY CAPTAIN HENRY LIGHT, ROYAL ARTILLERY, AFTERWARDS SIR HENRY LIGHT, K.C.B.

I HAD been passing my time like most young men of those days, contenting myself with attending to the common routine of my profession, without any ultimate object of ambition, which seemed confined to the prospect of Field Officers' quarters at Woolwich with a tribe more or less numerous of children, the grand finale of our corps, when in the midst of a succession of agreeable dinners, routes, balls, and picnics at Chatham, came an order for the embarkation of some sixteen or eighteen companies of foot and several troops of Horse Artillery. I looked forward to see at last the reality of service. I scarcely recollect whether my company was embarked at Woolwich or Chatham, but like all the others it consisted of 120 strong. I know not what was

VOL. CLXXXVIII.-NO. MCXXXIX.

the cause of the arrangement, but the companies were divided one half under the 1st Captain, and the other half under the 2nd Captain, in different divisions. Thus the transports contained halves of companies, and it appeared to me that it would be more for the advantage of the service if instead of being 120 strong, they had been bona fide companies of 60, each having an effective Captain. I was a junior Captain, and our transports only carried the halves of two companies, our mess was small, but we were all in high spirits, and all anticipated honours and advancement. No one employed on this celebrated expedition can forget its formidable appearance. When the fleet of transports and men-of-war had united at the place of rendezvous, the whole space between

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the North and South Foreland was one forest of masts. Of pennants, including those of agents of transports, I counted 169. The expedition consisted of 34,000 troops of all arms.

The order for sailing arrived one month too late, discomfiture was predicted, but Ministers would have had a sad tale to tell if they had abandoned their grand scheme, so the expedition was allowed to take its chance. The whole fleet of transports had been divided into three divisions, to sail at three different periods, but all to enter the Scheld together. That to which I belonged sailed with the second division. On entering the Scheld, the effect of our numbers could be truly appreciated: every sail seemed to touch; where the river flowed direct it presented a long vista in full sail; where there was a bend, it was but a continuation, till by the effect of distance only the tops of the masts were seen. As we passed the islands no attempts were made to molest us. The inhabitants lighted their beacons and retired. The fleet having anchored, preparations were were made for landing that division of the army intended for the conquest of Walcheren. It was a beautiful and thrilling sight to observe the different boats ranged in rows, after they had received the different detachments, pulling off with loud cheers, which were answered from the ships, towards the shore. The attack by our gunboats on a small fort between Tergoes (now known as Goes) and the place of landing,

which soon caused it to surrender, was the only interlude. Our troops landed without opposition, formed, and as they passed the dykes were hidden from our view. From the masts we could watch the smoke and hear the reports of skirmishers of both sides, which soon ceased by the rapid retreat of those small bodies of the enemy who dared to show themselves, and proved how defenceless the island was. Had any considerable body of troops been at the disposal of the French general, he would not have left us to land without resistance, and our loss might have been great. During the night the sound of firing proved the work of destruction was proceeding, while at the place of landing all was peace, except that stores, guns, and ammunition were disembarked and laid on the sands, apparently without guard. After the surrender of Tergoes, which scarcely made any resistance, the transports were moved to its neighbourhood, and the town was visited by the unemployed, at pleasure. Here for the first time I saw the effects of war on the houses of the innocent inhabitants : it was a scene of desolation, though it had submitted after a very short though brisk cannonade. The garrison had retreated precipitately towards Flushing, pursued closely by our troops. Tergoes had been a town of importance, its canals, stadthouse, and public buildings were fine, but hardly an inhabitant stirring. It was from this place that William

the Third embarked when preparing to dethrone his fatherin-law.

Finding there was little prospect of being ordered to disembark, I obtained leave to visit the scene of operations at Flushing. The previous night had been one of continued storm thunder, lightning, and torrents of rain. We were snug in our berths. I thought of some of my friends exposed to its pitiless rage, and therefore determined not to go empty-handed. I shall not forget the pleasure I had in finding my visit was acceptable. The weather was intensely hot, and having refreshed myself at Middleburgh, my servant patiently carrying two haversacks on his shoulders, we arrived at the centre of our line of operations. It was a sad medley, and did not give me a high idea of military tactics. A battery intersected the high road, trees were felled in front and on the sides, bivouacs spread out right and left, but a daring enemy might certainly have penetrated the intervals between our different positions, for on proceeding to the right, where I had another friend to visit, not a spot was defended by a British soldier during a walk of more than an hour, and I had the consolation of hearing from an officer whom I met that a man had just been killed by one of the enemy's skirmishers where we 'were passing. In those days I did not think much of life, and, wondering at the tale, I walked on till I came to my destination. I found there had been

some sharp fighting in the night, of which more was said than it deserved. The men had just begun to think of building themselves huts, and my friend expatiated with delight on the prospect of sleeping under cover, after hot tea and mulled wine, for which I supplied him with materials. I believe his companion thought me a simpleton for my pains. They had been three or four days without changing their clothes, had been glad to breakfast on milk and eat their rations with the high heavens for their canopy; it was their lot, and might soon be mine-I should have been wiser to have thought of self. On my return I stopped for a short time to witness some skirmishing near my first halt, and mounted the belfry of a church, the body of which had been converted into a hospital. Here, said an old officer of artillery who accompanied me, you may cure your military ardour and contemplate. other effects of war,-look at those hundred beds, each of which has a wounded, perhaps dying, soldier; think of their groans and sufferings, and then picture to yourself glory. My days of reflection had not arrived. I have since recalled the English soldier's speech to Henry V. previous to the battle of Agincourt, so beautifully expressed by Shakespeare, and have often thought wars would not so soon occur if kings and ministers were obliged to bear the first brush before hostilities were begun by the rest of the nation whose affairs they manage.

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