At St. Eustatia, it drove all the shipping to sea, and destroyed most of the small craft in the harbour.

Upon the 10th of September, Guadaloupe was swept by a hurricane, which destroyed most of the plantations, and wrecked three ships in the

harbour.

On Saturday the 2nd of September, an alarming hurricane threw the inhabitants of Barbados into the utmost consternation. At 11h. P.M., when the storm was at its height, a meteor in the S.E. quarter, issued up with a dark cloud, and spreading its diverging rays to a vast circumference, continued with unabated splendour nearly forty minutes!

On the morning of the 3rd, Carlisle Bay was a scene of desolation, not a vessel had ridden out the storm. In the country great damage was done to the houses and the crops: many persons were killed in the ruins of their own dwellings.

This year Prince William Henry (afterwards King William the 4th,) arrived in the West Indies in command of the Pegasus frigate.

1787.-September the 23rd, at Belize, Honduras, between the hours of 4 and 5 A.M., a hurricane came on from the N.N.W. About 10h. it shifted to the S. W., and blew with increased violence. At the same time the sea rose and prevented the running off of the land floods. The low lands were consequently overflowed: not a house, hut, or habitation of any kind, on either side of Belize, was left standing; more than 500 dwellings were thrown down. One hundred persons perished; dead animals and logs of mahogany were floating about in every direction, eleven square rigged vessels, besides small ones were totally lost.

This storm was progressing to the W.N.W.

On the 3rd, 23rd, and 29th, of August this year, the island of Dominica was visited by hurricanes, which destroyed all the vessels at the island.

The barracks and all the buildings on Morne Bruce were blown down, and destroyed, and several houses in the town shared the same fate.

1790.-At Nevis, in August, 20 vessels were driven on shore by a hurricane and completely lost. Mr. Hamilton's sugar works and all the stores were destroyed.

His new mansion, which had been built upon pillars, was lifted up by the wind and removed to some distance, but being well made, did not go to pieces. Mrs. Hamilton, two ladies, and five children, were in the house, and suffered little or no harm! Mr. Hamilton being absent from home, knew not what had happened; but returning in the night, which was excessively dark, and groping for his door, fell over the rubbish left near the spot, and so far hurt himself, that he was confined for a week. An old uninhabited building which stood close to the house, was lifted from the ground, and thrown upon the new habitation; so that they expected every moment to be buried in the ruins of both!

1791. On the 20th of October, a hurricane passed over Jamaica. 1792. Upon the 1st of August, several plantations at Antigua were destroyed by a hurricane. Most of the other islands also suffered.

1793. In August St. Christopher's was considerably damaged by a

hurricane. On the evening preceding the storm, there were nearly 30 vessels at anchor in the roads, but in the morning none were to be seen, except those stranded at different places along the coast. 1795. On the 10th of August a hurricane passed over Jamaica.

AN EYE TO WINDWARD.

"Time! [is] the corrector where our judgments err.

The test of truth,***-sole philosopher,

For all besides are sophists."

If we look back and take even a hasty view of the progress of knowledge and enlightenment of the human mind during past ages, we shall be struck with their slowness. One reason of this gradual development may, perhaps, be traced to the incessant wars which desolated Europe, and which sprang from the ambition and jealous rivalry of princes, rather than from the passions of those whom they governed.

A long interval of peace, which afforded leisure for reflection, has given rise to a considerable advance in general knowledge, and one effect of this augmentation of mental power is, the spurning of the slow hand of innovation.

The tyranny and oppression of absolute monarchs over subjects, whose ignorance and habitude of subserviency kept them from vindicating their natural rights as men,* have been gradually undermined by the force and irresistible increase of the power of knowledge; and the consequence is that, a new order of things has suddenly burst forth: an occurrence which the stubbornness, or the blindness of the former would not, or at all events did not avert, by timely concessions.

That the change may ultimately prove of benefit to the world is to be ardently hoped; but such a great revolution in the sentiments and feelings of millions, cannot be expected to settle down into quietude in a short space of time. It is remarkable, but true, that the art of governing large communities with justice, had not, on the continent, kept pace with the strides which the governed were making in general knowledge: hence the present condition of Europe.

Happily for Great Britain she appears to have been in advance of the nations of the continent in the perfection of her institutions, and especially so with reference to civil liberty, and consequently has been free from those serious agitations which have shaken, and still continue to shake those of other less favoured countries; and whilst we rejoice at this, and hope that her internal tranquillity will be preserved by the good

*Such as are enjoyed in our own happy country.

sense of her people, and the wisdom of their rulers, let us not be unmindful of the probability that, at some future day, the jealousy and ambition of those nations whose constitutions are now being remodelled, may induce them to combine for the purpose of humbling her pretensions to the "supremacy of the sea".

It is true, our immediate neighbour has "preached peace", albeit, with the glove cast down, and the glave drawn; but admitting sincerity, it would appear that the La Martines are but ephemeral! A martial spirit is on the ascendant now; its sphere of action is however, from necessity, confined to home; how long it may be so, who can tell? Such a spirit is a very Proteus, it is capable if assuming all shapes,—a friend to day, tomorrow, perhaps, an enemy,-it is not to be trusted. The principal object of this paper however, is the introduction of an interesting extract from a French author on naval matters, which appears to be worthy of the calmest consideration; for, if the "fas est ab hoste doceri" was not disregarded during the last American war, surely we may now ponder on the words of an old rival, in amity? We have still a few more remarks to note before giving the extract.

We know that gigantic Russia has a large navy, divided by two points wide apart by sea, but which may be communicated with on land and interval navigation,

The Dutch, Danes, and Swedes, what of them? Have they no remembrances, no jealousy of England's maritime power? The mutation or reciprocal exchange of diplomatic or political courtesies is no proof that envy, and a desire to resent old wrongs, do not exist in one party, whatever may be the feelings of the other. Combined, their squadrons would form a good fleet, the seamen of all are excellent. We may leave out the Spaniard who has little left him but his pride. The Portuguese, naval? they were, but are not. Our trans-atlantic brethren quietly "goa-head" with their monster ships. Would they back us for consanguinity sake "against odds"! It is an important question not answerable, but less weighty, than-, would they join the odds against us? quite as unanswerable; relationship, no! trade is the tie that would fasten them to neutrality, provided, their old motto was respected; but if we choose to be liberal and careful of our blue-jackets, the Americans will have to breed up their own seamen to man their fleet, ere they can hope to make a show in the line, to any purpose; and that in all probability, would not be before the praries became peopled; and a war against England would probably, too, be the signal for a Black "episode"!

Italy, Greece, Egypt, and Turky, maritime still, but that is all: the spirit of Genoa and Venice has seen its day long ago: Athenian "glory", dead; how many ages since? The Alexandrian light, (commercial;) Vasco de Gama extinguished; Navarino spoiled the Musselman's conceit; the Cresent! owns no longer a Soliman; "the magnificent of Tyre and Sidon," ask the fishers; Carthage "the mighty? a watery grave "full five fathoms beneath" the wave! Toulon? aye we are taking care of Malta, the prestige of Aboukir is respected, the name and the deeds of a great man survive the grave. But, nearer home, a voice has sounded amid

the turmoil for universal liberty, which, if not portentous, would seem to demand our attention; not that the present generation of Englishmen would have any thing to apprehend should the proposal be realised.

When a state is heavily in debt, and the expenditure is greater than the revenue, retrenchment, where it will not risk the defensive arm of the nation's power, becomes a pressing necessity. That is an undisputed point, but economy may take a wrong direction; in which case, we should fall into a greater evil than that which previously pressed upon our consideration. No doubt the weight of taxation is a heavy burden upon the industry of the mass, but the relief should not be made by the reduction of the naval estimates. The real patriot however, looks beyond the present; there is a selfishness in shutting out the future from our consideration, because our pockets may suffer; the lover of his country will ever deem it an imperious duty to leave nothing undone which may benefit posterity: leave nothing for the suceeeding generation to reproach their predecessors with in the way of an efficient defence from foreign league.

Among other points which the confederate regal states of Germany contemplate as essential, is, the formation of a national fleet! This is, the voice alluded to. If effected, can we doubt but that next to that of Great Britain, it will be the most formidable, numerically, of any single power of Europe?

In a future war, such as England once had to sustain against the great powers of the Continent combined, what the result would be, it is impossible to foresee, but the aim, it would not be difficult to pronounce.

A war of that description levelled against our "supremacy of the ocean" would come with alarming odds, when such a vast power as Germany united, added its quota of ships of the line and steamers, to those of Russia, France, Holland, Sweden and Deumark! A strange coalition; strange, without a doubt, but quite possible nevertheless. France may now watch Russia and Germany, and Germany France; Denmark and Sweden, may not feel very easy with so potent a neighbour in their own pent-up sea, as the Autocrat of the North; and Holland may not have forgotten the Consulate and the Empire," but they all agree in one point: a thorough repugnance of England's maritime "supremacy".

We may be prepared to meet any single power, or even more than one, at the present day; but, if we desire that our successors should retain independance and freedom from foreign yoke, we must increase our navy of large ships, and encourage and protect our seamen, instead of selfishly and unwisely paring down the naval estimates to the smallest possible sum, because no immediate danger is apparent. A liberal annual outlay carefully applied, for the perfecting in every way that arm of our collossal power, which has been, and always will be, if properly supported our safeguard, is a policy paramount to all others. Even under the present condition of the Continent. our vigilance may be put to the test: "Proximus a tectis ignis defenditur ægre",-To save your house from neighbouring fire is hard.

Those who pertinaciously demand the reduction of naval expenditure, are no doubt influenced by something more than an habitual feeling of

economy; their sincerity, patriotically, may not be doubted, but unquestionably there is a wide difference between "mean-well" and "wisdom".

Let us not disregard the fact, because an arm of the sea separates us from the Continent, that, the European world is up in arms, shouting for freedom for political and social regeneration; and that the elements of strife have suddenly and unexpectedly been scattered over almost the whole superficies of the most civilized portion of the globe. We are fortunately exempt from the immediate consequences. But a year, a month, nay a day, may not pass 'ere we find ourselves involved! The union of states is being effected-" union is strength". When this shall be gained, the next step probably will be the levelling of any ascendency of one great power over another, or which have a bearing upon all may others, such as England's 66 supremacy at sea is assumed to be and to have, by foreigners. That, perhaps, will be the sequel to the present 66 move"; at least it is a fair inference from the well-known fact, that Great Britain is more feared than loved by the rest of the world, and that, however, smoothly, from her power, riches, and resources, words of amity and deference may flow from the lips of other nations, towards her, jealousy, envy, and a hearty desire to see her naval superiority lowered rankle in their hearts.

There are a thousand things to call up the remembrance of the past, when the pendant of England floated over the ocean as a symbol of her supremacy.

If other nations look back, we, in like manner, may bring to our recollection, profitably, the cry of our relatives on the other side of the "great waters","free trade and sailor's rights" just before the banner of the "stars and stripes" unfurled its folds beside the warrior's (Guerrier's) flag, that flag which, had "braved a thousand years the battle and the breeze!" as strange an event, if not stranger than the coalition adverted to. The result, who would have previously believed? Not the gallant captain who so bravely and devotedly fought his ship to the last. Then let us not be too incredulous on the former head. We do not pretend to the clairvoyance of a Joseph Balsamo; but, it is not necessary to be a sorcerer to predict that, what has once happened, may happen again, and under more critical circumstances.

Here is the promised extract; it is from "De la Gravier's Sketches of the last war."

"The battles of Aboukir and Trafalgar have overturned the olden ideas of naval tactics. Have they substituted rules of an infallible strategy, a strategy which it is the interest of our admirals to study? There are, doubtless, circumstances wherein they might profit by those daring examples. But those tactics, we think it has been sufficiently proved, can only be used by the strong against theweak, by veteran against unpractised navies; and it is not against such that we have to prepare :* it is against an enemy who remembers the lessens of Nelson, and will be ready to practise them again if we only oppose him with a new order of battle, instead of with better squadrons."

The Italics, throughout, are ours, excepting "Victory." NO. 9.-VOL. XVII.

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