Here are our proofs that she is prepared, on the first available occasion, to follow up her acquisition of Finland; and it should be recollected, too, that one of the fruits of the system of monopoly peculiar to the commercial system adopted by Norway has been to render the ties which bind the northern provinces, Norland and the Finmarks, to the mother-country exceedingly slender; in fact, they are colonies, rather than integral parts, of that kingdom. Add to this, the majority of the inhabitants are of Finnish, not Norwegian, descent, and are dependent upon Russia for the necessaries of life,-corn, meal, and whatever they need for prosecuting their fisheries; and this state of dependence has been aggravated by the treaty of 1828, which is the basis of the existing intercourse between those provinces and the White Sea. AUSTRIA. LINTZ. H. Some time ago we noticed an experiment in fortification which had been made at this place by the erecting of round towers as its defences. This experiment, set on foot at the instigation of the Archduke Maximilian, appears to have failed altogether, for, on a recent occasion, heavy artillery having been brought against the towers in the presence of several officers of distinction, the firing, in spite of the imperfect manner in whice the guns were served, completely demolished the first tower that was assailed. THE SACRED SHIRTS OF THE TURKS. Two of these curiosities are preserved in Austria; one found in the tomb of Kara Mustafa, the Grand Vizier, at Belgrade, being kept in the civic arsenal at Vienna, and the other in the Cistertian New Monastery at Wienerisch-Neustadt. The first of these is richer in gold-work and more tastefully decorated; but the last, which bears evident proof of having been worn, as part of the inscriptions on the neck are obliterated by perspiration, is far more copiously enriched with sures (devices from the Koran), prayers, cabalistic tables, and talismanic formula. Von Hammer, the celebrated Orientalist, hes lately decyphered the whole of these inscriptions, which are in a very small character, and, when put together, sufficient to form a bulky volume of prayers. Abdulkerim Bey, Ayan of Pirawushta, who was taken prisoner at Varna, while on his journey from Vienna paid a visit to the monastery at Wienerisch-Neustadt, and, after inspecting the shirt in question, communicated the subsequent particulars to Von Tatischeff, the Russian envoy. "The majority of these shirts are made in Arabian Irak, or at Bagdad; but there is only one night in the year during which they can be made, and this night must be determined previously by astrologers as a fortunate one. During this single night it is requisite that the cotton of which the shirt is made should be spun, woven, cut out, and sewed, before the sun rises, by forty immaculate virgins. Should the wearer of such a charmed habiliment chance to be struck by a ball, the mishap is evidence either that due regard has not been had to the exact time prescribed, or that reasonable grounds exist for suspecting the immaculacy of the fair fabricants." Abdulkerim Bey wore a shirt of this description at Varna, and ascribes his escape, from even so much as a scratch during the siege, to its talismanic virtues. SPAIN. The following is a statement of the Spanish Army, according to the returns made at the commencement of 1836: STAFF. 6 Captain-Generals, 73 Lieut.-Generals, 159 Mareschals-de-Camp, besides almost double that number of Brigadiers. Till the 16th of November, 1835, the battalions of Infantry of the Guard were only of 1008 men each, and those of the Provincial Grenadiers and Provincial Light Infantry of 826 men each. LINE. Regiments. 5 Cavalry; viz., Rey, Reyna,] Principe, Infante, and Bourbon 1 Hussars Princesa 7 Light Cavalry; viz., Cas-) tilla, Leon, Estremadura, Vittoria, Albuera, Catalonia, Navarre 1 Madrid Light Cavalry 19 Infantry; viz., Rey, Reyna, Principe, Princesa, Infante, Saboya, Africa, Zamora, Soria, Cordova, San Fernando, Zaragoza, Mallorca, America, Estremadura,Castilla, Bourbon, Almansa, Ceuta 6 Light Infantry; viz., Caza-) dores del Rey, Volunt. de Aragon, Vol. de Gerona, Vol. de Valencia, Bailen, Vol. de Navarra 1 Albuera Cazadores de la Reyna Go-) bernadora Total of the Line Total of the Guard Each troop of Cavalry consists of 5 officers, 100 men, and 8-1 horses, having been increased to this force by the Decree of Nov. 16th, 1835. Each battalion has 8 companies and 1200 men. We have not included the English and French Legions, though component parts of the Spanish Army. ARTILLERY. 5 Regiments of Foot Artillery of 2 Battalions each; the respective Head-quarters stationed at Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, Corunna, and Valladolid. 3 Brigades of Horse Artillery, at Valencia, Sevilla, and Valladolid. 6 Brigades, of 2 Companies each, of fixed Foot Artillery, at Figueras, Mallorca, Malaga, Ceuta, Santona, and Pamplona. 6 Companies of Obreros. 1 Company of Gentlemen Cadets. A numerous body of Engineer Officers, and 1 Regiment of Zapatores of 2 Battalions. 42 Regiments of Provincial Militia of 8 Companies each-the Companies of 150. AMERICA-ISLAND OF CUBA. 6 Regiments of Infantry of the Line; viz., Galicia, Napoles, Espana, Leon, Habana, and Cuba-each of 1 Battalion. 6 Regiments of Light Infantry; viz., 1st, 2nd, Catalana, Tarragona, Barcelona, Provisional, and Corona-each of 1 Battalion. 4 Companies of Volunteers of Merit. 1 Company of Veteran Horse Artillery; 1 Company of Select Horse Artillery. 4 Companies of Veteran Foot Artillery; 1 Company of Obreros. 6 Companies of disciplined Militia Artillery. Engineers. 1 Regiment of Cavalry-Lanceros del Rey-of 2 Squadrons. 4 Regiments of disciplined Militia Infantry; viz., Habana, Volunteers of Cuba. and Bayamo, Puerto Principe, and Cuatro Villas-each of I Battalion. 2 Regiments of Militia Cavalry; viz., Volunteers of Habana, and Dragoons of Matanzas each of 3 Squadrons. 3 Battalions of Infantry; viz., Pardos Leales of Habana, ditto of Cuba and Bayamo, Morenos Leales of Habana. These are troops of men of colour. URBAN MILITIA. 8 Rural Squadrons of Fernando VII., each of 3 Companies, and each Company of 70 men. 1 Troop of Cavalry of Puerto Principe. 1 Company of Pardos. 1 Company of Morenos. AT PUERTO RICO. 1 Regiment of Infantry (de Granada). 2 Companies of Veteran Artillery, 1 Company of Obreros, 2 Companies of disciplined Militia Artillery. Engineers. 7 Battalions of disciplined Militia Infantry. 1 Regiment of Urban Volunteers of 2 Battalions. 1 Regiment of Cavalry (de Puerto Rico). 4 Troops of Cavalry of Free Morenos. ASIA-PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. Halberdiers of the Guardia del Real Sello, of 200 men, of whom 34 are Cavalry, I Regiment of Infantry (Rey) of 18 Companies and 1000 men. 3 Regiments of Infantry of the Line; viz., Reyna, Fernando VII., and Principe8 Companies each. 1 Regiment of Light Infantry (del Infante)-8 Companies. 1 Regiment of Cavalry (Dragoons of Luzon) of 4 Squadrons and 560 men. 8 Companies of Veteran Artillery, 2 Companies of Horse Artillery, 1 Company of Obreros, 8 Companies of disciplined Militia Artillery, Engineers. 3 Battalions of Provincial Militia Infantry; viz., Grenadiers of Luzon, Battalion of Pangasinan, Battalion de la Pampanza-forming a force of 3450 men. 2 Battalions of Light Infantry; viz., Cazadores de Ilocos, and the Flecheros or Bowmen-each of 1000 men. 2 Sections of Grenadiers of the Marines, 150 men each. 4 Companies of the Urbans of Manilla. A Corps of Invalids. The Royal Military College is at Segovia. The Manufactories of Flints at Zaragoza and Casaraboneta. The Foundery of Iron Cannoh and Projectiles at Orbaireta. The Manufactories of Muskets and Pistols at Seville, Oviedo, Trubia, and Bilbao. The Manufactory of Sabres, Swords, Lances, and Bayonets, at Toledo. * ** The further information proffered by our Correspondent will be acceptable.-Ep. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE UNITED SERVICE JOURNAL. Major Mackie, on a remark of the writer of" Reminiscences of a Subaltern." MR. EDITOR,-Considering the questions between General Picton and the 88th, and between his biographer and myself, entirely settled to the advantage of the Rangers, by my previous observations, signed "M," in the April and August Numbers of your Journal, I should not again have troubled you on the subject, were it not from a remark of the author of the "Reminiscences of a Subaltern," in prefacing the certificates he has adduced to rebut one of the charges that had been brought against them. Appealing to your knowledge of the habits of the British soldier to bear him out, he observes-" It would be taking up your time unnecessarily to say, that the men of the 88th Regiment would, and did, in common with all the regiments of the Army, exchange their ammunition for wine, when opportunity favoured such a practice; but the point at issue," he continues," is whether the story of coloured wood be true or false." Now, Mr. Editor, it appears to me, that this is giving up the point at once-denying the form, but admitting the substance-spreading Mr. Robinson's blacking over a wider surface, but by no means wiping it off. This makes others as bad; but the 88th no better. Begging my old friend's pardon, it may be difficult to swallow the sticks-but surely, surely there is also something rather unpalatably pungent in the spirits. In my own humble opinion, the painted wood is nothing: the selling their cartridges, or exchanging them for aquardente, everything. The very sting of the statement is asserting that they were in the habit of disposing of their ammunition, in any way, or for any cause whatever-and not the ruse by which they are said to have endeavoured to conceal their doing so. The former, were it true, had been the head and front of their offending. But, Mr. Editor, Igo much further than does our good and able friend, who, on this occasion, appears to me not to have shown his usual acuteness, and general aptitude of reminiscence. I also, Mr. Editor, appeal to your knowledge of the habits of the British soldier. It is, however, for a very different purpose, namely-to call on you to vouch for the truth of what I say that although some bad subjects, who, more especially in time of war, must find their way into every corps, might, or did, fake advantage of such opportunities; still, that, as a practice with the men in general, disposing of their ammunition for wine or spirits did not take place in any regiment. If my friend Grattan will put his powers of reminiscence to the test, I am sure he will agree with me that this was not the practice of the men of the 88th. In taking leave-and, I trust, a final one-of the subject, permit me to repair an act of injustice towards the memory of a most meritorious officer, wholly unintentional on my part. Should I have done the same by any others, let me trust it will be equally attributed to inadvertance. In my observations on Mr. Robinson's work, contained in the August number of your Journal, I gave a list of general officers who had served under Wellington in the Peninsular war, all of them, as I conceived, entitled to rank as high, and some of them higher, than did Picton, but whose just claims to the gratitude of their country, and the admiration of posterity, the biographer would sacrifice to the memory of his idol. In that list I have unaccountably omitted the late Earl of Hopetoun. Referring now to his distinguished services in Egypt, in Holland, in Portugal, in Spain, and in the south of France, I beg to ask if, among the names which have thrown such lustre on the British character, and British arms, Picton's is to be blazoned and that of Hope forgotten? If any entertain a doubt upon the subject, let them read the letters of the former, published by his biographer, unfortunately, as I conceive, for the previous reputation of his hero, fortunately for the just claims of others. There they will find him setting up his own military skill and judgment against those of Wellington, carping at his plans, and predicting their failure, yet eagerly catching at every opportunity for claiming merit to himself in the carrying of them into execution. Let them then read the report of the other after the battle and embarkation of Corunna, a document which will be read, remembered, and admired, as long as the English language shall be understood, or the memory of British history survive. Considering the circumstances under which it was written, as a composition it is wonderful; but what I would remark is, the anxiety with which he guards against all undue assumption of merit to himself, that he may give the praise to others; and more especially do nothing that could in the slightest degree detract from the credit due to his lamented chief. It is only from the result, and the dispatch of Sir David Baird, we learn how much of the merit of the day was attributable to the ability and exertions of himself in directing the zeal and valour of the troops. On the whole, it is not easy to determine whether the report in question does the greatest credit to the clearness of his head and soundness of his judgment, or, by its tone of modest, generous, and manly feeling, to the truly estimable qualities of his heart. The skill and coolness he displayed in the masterly arrangements and manoeuvres, by which he was so successful in embarking his army without loss or molestation, in the very face of an opposing enemy, so superior in numbers, and with such advantages of position, must be considered as of themselves to constitute a triumph. They serve to place his military genius in the strongest and most favourable point of view. It was not more, perhaps, than might have been expected by those who knew him, yet it was a rare felicity which left the same individual to pay this noble tribute to the fame and memory of the gallant dead, as also to be the first to render willing homage to the even then unequalled merit. as it is now the unapproachable superiority, of the living. I allude to the |