lion. What was wanted to solve that prob- | duced and secured to itself the best aggrelem was a mighty outgoing of the nation's gregate of military talent—though that perwill, such as was seen when thousands on suasion has not been sustained by experithousands rushed forth to sacrifice every-ence. thing dear at home, that their nation's life might be rescued and her honor repaired. What was wanted was that which should so touch the people's heart that the tap of the drum should transform the ploughman, the artizan, and the student into soldiers, and prompt such a large and free offering of life upon our country's altar as never before was seen. And how admirably adapted to this end was that day's experience in Baltimore. Let any one recall his own sensations then had let him remember how his own heart bounded with desire-enough to cause the lame man to leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb to sing; and he will see what a wise and successful stroke it was in the Providence of God, to accomplish what our national life at that juncture required. It was one of God's calls to arms, uttered in a day over the breadth, and into the ear, and into the heart of an astonished nation. And from that time to this, there has been no lack of men willing to enter the field as fast as equipments could be had. So that in a half year, an army of a half million has come forth by free enlistment-an example which stands alone in all history.

That was a dark day when the flower of our youth was crushed in Baltimore-when the beauty of Israel was slain upon our high places. We stood confounded, and ashamed, and in dread of what we were next to hear. It seemed as if the whole fabric of our nation were crumbling. But over all other emotions our indignation and high resolve to crush the foe prevailed. That was the ruling purpose of the hour-that was mighty to command enlistments. And for that God had wisely provided, when he allowed the enemy to do that work of treachery and blood. Here then was another point at which our nation's life was saved by a providential event that seemed most adverse.

But for our purposes in those critical days, when Washington knew not into whose hands it was to fall-when great coolness and maturity of judgment were required-and when in the fears of the enemy the name of Scott was itself a host, it was a vast and preponderating advantage that he stood at the helm. And to him, doubtless, we owe, not only the saving of our capital, but the outlines of that plan of compre hensive warfare that has, of late, at so many points, found such happy results. So that seemed a dark day when it was announced that his infirmities had incapacitated him from longer holding his high and responsible position. But the event has shown that both in giving and taking him away, God has advanced our cause. The service had come to such a position that more of the prime vigor of manhood was requisite in the commander-such as could ensure a vigor of drill and discipline, and an activity in execution that had not been displayed. So in a young commander, entering into his plans, appropriating the fruits of his experience, and thus succeeding him, we have the advantages of the blended maturity of age, and the activity of youth. And in the present successes of our armies we have Scott and McClellan united in one.

It has been also a great mercy to us that so many of our commanders are men who fear God, and who, of course, look to the true source for success. Scott has been long regarded and trusted in as a Christian patriot. McClellan is known to be a man of decided piety; and he has not been disposed to hide his light under a bushel.

As to Burnside's religious professions we are not so definitely informed. But instances have been given of his earnest and prayerful acknowledgment of God, as the source of his victories. Of other commanders such as Dupont, Goldsboro', Anderson, It becomes us also gratefully to mark the Foote, Garfield, and McKean, we know them hand of Providence in securing for us, to to sustain a reputation for earnest and conlay the plans of our defence and conduct in sistent piety. Probably with better means the first and most important stages of the of information, this list of Christian warriors war administration, the services of one of the might be much extended. But it is not most skilled, experienced and trusted com- alone in the commanders-the Christian elmanders now extant in the world. It was ement is largely infused among subordinate said and thought that the rebellion had se-officers and privates. Probably, since the

army of Cromwell which was in some sense made up of picked men, selected for their religious character, no army has had a larger sprinkling of pious men. And in this arrangement, God's Providence has given us a vast advantage which pious men at least can appreciate.

From The Boston Recorder, 24 April.
ENGLISH SUPREMACY VANISHED.

THE events which for a year have agitated this nation, have now begun to develop far reaching influences on other nations and on the whole world, of which we had no thought. We little thought that our calamities were to be the means of permanent suffering and humiliation to that country whence came the most offensive rejoicings over us. The outbreak of the grand rebellion itself scarcely surprised us more than that development of hostile feeling towards us in the British nation that followed close upon it. We were put into a fever of indignation and alarm, lest this newly discovered rage and jealousy, which had to our astonishment, arisen in the British mind, should body itself forth in a war to aid the rebellion and to confirm the dominion of slavery. All on a sudden, we, who had confided in the Christian principle and national justice of England, to say nothing of her professions of hatred to the slave dominion-had confided in these to secure her from espousing the cause of the rebellion, found ourselves in a grand mistake, and in imminent peril of a war from her, brought about by her intense desire to see us broken in pieces. In tracing that desire to its spring, we found that it came of a consciousnesss that the rising power of this country had imperilled the supremacy of England among the nations-especially upon This selfish motive has not been left to our surmise; but has been fully and repeatedly avowed by the most influential and respectable organs of the British press. To give names where those who have abstained from the utterance are the exceptions, would seem to be needless. But we name, as prominent organs, the North British Review, that originated under the auspices of the Scotch Free Church-which Church was aided in being made free by

the seas.

alms from American churches; and the London Times, which speaks to English ears as when the seven thunders utter their voices. In one of its late issues in full harmony with many that preceded, it says:—

"It is excusable if many on this side take a selfish, and perhaps narrow view of the question, and feel relieved at the prospect of the Union breaking up. As the Americans have been appealing now for half a century to their overpowering numbers, their physical resources, their compact organization, their irresistible strength, and their manifest destiny,' it is natural we should feel relieved to see the impending avalanche breaking into harmless fragments."

Yea, if ever a sentiment had a national utterance, it was this prayer of England's heart, that our war might have a speedy end; and end in reducing this nation to fragments. And why? Because that only in our destruction England's supremacy among the nations could be safe.

This unlovely spirit, making enemies of friends, and then for such selfish ends rejoicing over the fall of these enemies, must have been highly offensive to the great Ruler of the nations, looking down upon it. One would think that the indignation of the God of justice could not slumber over it, and that the supremacy of a nation that sought to maintain supremacy by the destruction of others, would stand in peril of his blowing upon it. Now on this line what have we seen? In the progress of our civil war an event has occurred, in which England was wholly out of mind of any but the God above. An iron-clad vessel engages our fleet, and in the work of a day, performs upon it an experiment which has flashed through the world a light that reveals a pregnant conclusion; to wit, that the present navies of all nations are, as to the purposes of future wars-the purposes of offence and defence-worthless as so many potter's vessels ; and that all nations are now, as to their present means of offence by navies, on a level. So in that conflict of ours in Hampton Roads, where our wooden ships went down so rapidly, and then our iron ship came so effectually to the rescue, not only were we elevated to be England's equal as a naval power, but England's supremacy on the seas, yea, England's superior sway among the nations, passed away. On that never to be forgotten day, the British navy, that recently made

that sudden and imposing manifestation of all but hostile power on our coast, passed to be numbered among the things that have been. And now Ilium fuit is its record in the world's history. And the confession of this fact has already gone forth in the halls of British legislation. The British Iles have been thrilled with the report of this experiment of ours, and its mighty results. Their Government has sent forth its orders that the building of wooden vessels of war cease at once, and the work on fortifications be suspended, because all must now be done upon a new principle.

Look a moment at what is involved in the discovery that none but iron-clad vessels of war can, in years to come, avail for purposes of war upon the seas, or upon the sea-coasts and harbors. As we have intimated, it bears immensely on the question of any future wars between us and England. But a few weeks ago England was almost tempted to go to war with us, because she had such an immense advantage over us in the crushing power of her navy. With what gusto did she parade and send over her mighty fleet! And how did she boast of her still greater fleets in reserve, and of the rapidity with which she had fitted them out, and could do it again. That day of our distress was the gala day of the pride of England's navy. Then with new zeal it took up the song,

"Britannia needs no bulwarks,

No towers along the steep,

Her march is o'er the mountain-waves,
Her home is on the deep."

But with a silent, unseen hand, God has touched that gigantic power and it has withered as a power to harm us, it has passed away. Now if England aspires to maintain her formidable power upon the sea, she must begin anew in the construction of her navy -must realize the fact that she has no navy and act upon it, and begin here to build up her naval power. For even the few iron-clad vessels which she has must be held as of doubtful value. She must profit by our actual experiment, and begin where we have begun. In this she loses all the advantage which she has had over us in the vast preponderance of her navy; and galling as it must be to her pride, and ill-boding as it may be to her future greatness, she must, for the present at least, cease to hold the empire of the seas.

And starting anew in the race with us, to say nothing of other nations, what prospect has she of outstripping us? We are in actual war, and have a present use for iron-clad ships, and an impulse to do our utmost in the speed of producing them. Our capacity of producing them is not a whit behind her own. The additional burden of taxes which will be occasioned by it, will not press so heavily upon our people. England has of late been straining every nerve, and causing her people to groan under the burdens caused by her running a race with the French in navy building, and in the same contest for the supremacy of the seas. By pressing her expenditures to the last verge of the people's endurance, she has outstripped France; and now she has found it a barren victory, in that her own superior navy is as worthless as that of her rival. Now to put a new strain upon her people, to begin anew and produce the most powerful navy, will press hard upon the spot already chafed and sore. We are aware that her desire to be outstripped by no nation in naval force, will draw upon her with great power; but cannot conceive that it will be more efficacious than will be the exigencies of an actual war pressing upon us. And in every view, our capacity of producing is not second to hers. With us the commercial marine, the basis of all navies, is advancing more rapidly than hers; our materials for shipbuilding are more abundant and nearer at hand. Our ability to bear the expenseall things considered, is as great. So we see not but at this point we have ceased to have occasion to quail under such threats of the British navy as that recently put forth against us. And it is an impressive fact, that that navy, after making that huge and last demonstration of its power and pride, should be struck by a hand unseen and dissolve as the baseless fabric of a vision.

But if England's power to harm us upon the seas has been foreclosed, the tables are turned, and she has come under strong bonds to keep the peace with us. For her necessities for distributing her land forces through India and her other dependencies, are so great as well-nigh to exhaust her army producing capacities in times of peace, and leave her little power of assault upon other nations in war. How well was this illus

trated in her late war with Russia. She sent | wrong in principle and unjust to the nations

In English policy, everything, including questions of right and wrong, has been made to bend to this. Every measure or principle that was needful to maintain England's mar-wave. itime supremacy was right; and to be sustained at all hazards. A recent example of this occurred in Parliament. The Premier there avowed that he had abandoned a liberal principle of maritime law, which he had formerly maintained, because he had discovered that the admission of that principle And chariots and horsemen are sunk in the

Land of Dreams, 439. Lines on Afternoon Sports, 447. Crinoline

POETRY.-April Fools, 402. Iron-Clad Jack, 402. the Lunacy Bill, 447. Art and the Artist, 447. Ashore and Afloat, 447. The True Sister of Mercy, 448. Bury me in the Morning, 448.

SHORT ARTICLES.-Pantagraph, 417. Muscular Force, 443. Weight of Cannon Balls, 443.

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