THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. JULY, 1824. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. ANCIENT CANNON IN THE CITY OF GHENT. Mr. URBAN, Upper Cadogan-place, May 15. IN one of the squares of the city of None of the squares of the city of Cannon called Mad Margaret, nearly eighteen feet in length, and three in diameter, having a chamber for the charge, but without either trunnions or cascable. It is said to have been brought from Constantinople, an l if I may hazard a conjecture, appears to be about the period in which Edward IV. reigned in England. It is made of several bars of iron laid by each other like the staves of a cask, and held together by being hooped round with the same metal, and from this antient mode of fabrication, together with the absence of trunnions, I am led to the conclusion respecting its date. doubt not had been embedded in a heavy wooden carriage without wheels. Yours, &c. S. R. MEYRICK. out having made any serious disposition to attack the Turkish fleet at Scio, although they had twice entered the straits, and it was on the last occasion, when passing the Spalmadore islands, that the idea first struck Canario that all had not been done which ought to have been, and of the possibility of destroying them single handed by surprize; a proposal which he made immediately on his arrival at Ipsera, and which was readily acceded to. Previous to this, he had commanded the Platoff fire ship, and in the last retreat through the Spalmadore passage, he backed his main-topsail, and was the First Expedition of Canario against the Turks. the last vessel out of the straits, a station of his own choice, in order, he said, to protect the rear of the fleet. From that moment he felt so thoroughly persuaded of succeeding, as to venture at all hazards, notwithstanding two other vessels had failed but a very short time before, under the command of the son of their Admiral, Nicolao Apostolo, owing, I believe, to their being set on fire too soon. Hearing of the intention of Canario, the captain of a Hydriot brig, Andrea Pepino, also volunteered his services to accompany him, and the two vessels fitted for the purpose, with a picked crew of 23 men each, and a large boat apiece to bring them away, furnished also with combustibles in case of capture, as a last resource, to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy, sailed for port Caloni in Mitylene, in order, from its advantageous position to the northward of Scio, to wait there the opportunity of the first northerly wind for carrying their purpose into execution, as well as to create less suspicion coming from that quarter. Owing to light baffling winds, they were three days on their passage to Caloni, and it was not till the third day after, that they got a breeze suitable to their wishes. In the mean time they amused themselves, fishing, &c. in the harbour. Wednesday the 19th, at noon (the sixth day from Ipsera), they sailed with a steady breeze from N. E. steering a course direct for Spalmadore, intending to get within the straits as soon after dusk as possible. On nearing Spalmadore, we saw the look-out Turkish squadron of five sail (three brigs and two schooners) cruizing to windward of the island at N.-hauled up and shaped a course as if bound into Smyrna, but kept the yards fine, to check the vessel's way as much as possible, the deception answered, the Turks making no disposition to follow. -Showed his colours to an English man of war bound into the gulf, and hauled them down again immediately after, to prevent their being made out by the Turks. At sunset he had lost sight of the Turks behind Carabono; altered his course, and rounded the Cape, keeping the main close on board. As he approached the entrance of the Straits, the wind died away gradually; and when abreast of Green Island, about [July, 10 p.m. it fell nearly calm. Pepino, the Hydriot Captain, hailed him at this time, and asked Canario "What do you intend doing? Do you think it safe to go on? the wind is very light; would it not be better to give it up for to-night, and take a more favourable opportunity; if we get becalmed inside the islands, the chances will be against our getting out again." Canario answered, "There is no fear, we shall have a breeze presently, and we have some time yet till day-light." A short time after, the Hydriot hailed him again to the same effect, and he answered, "It is my intention to go on, come what may; I will either do it at once, or not at all." Some of Canario's crew now began to feel dissatisfied, and hearing them grumbling about the chances of being taken, and that it would be better to take another night for it, he called them aft and said, "Did I ask you to come with me? was it not your own free choice? and did not you beg me to take you? If you are tired of the thing already, and want to go back to Specia, you had better jump overboard, and be off at once, and if that wo'n't please you, I must tell you that you are under my orders, and if one of you dare open your mouths again on the subject, I will cut your throat that instant."From that moment he had no further trouble with them, and they obeyed every order implicitly. As he neared the Horse Island, he observed the five cruizers to leeward of Spalmadore, standing across towards the main on the larboard tack, and a large ship on the opposite tack, in the middle of the passage. The ship showed a light, which was answered by the others, each of whom shewed one.Braced his yards in, and kept them pointed as near as the wind would allow, and on towards the Turks, to prevent their seeing him. The land here being very high, by keeping close under it, he passed unperceived, and the breeze freshening up again, soon carried him out of sight. To leeward of Horse Island the land runs down to a low point, off which lies a shoal, which he bordered on as close as the lead would permit, till having rounded it, he braced sharp up and hauled directly across for the town of Scio. About mid channel, he saw the fleet with their lights up for the Bairam, and the body of them ra fher 1824.] Second Expedition of Canario against the Turks. ther on his weather bow, owing to the wind having drawn more to the N. W. off the island of Scio. This was unfortunate, as he had allowed for hauling his wind from the shoal point sufficient room to pass to windward of the whole, from whence he could bear up, and choose his object. -Two of the largest ships, however, being the leewardmost, still laid with in his reach. The weathernmost of the two, the Captain Pacha, hailed him as he approached, but making no reply, he continued his course, and in a few minutes after laid him aboard athwart his bowsprit, and in that position set fire to the train. The Hydriot unfortunately kindled too soon, and in consequence of not being laid aboard in so masterly a style, broke adrift again without succeeding in her object. No sort of opposition was made, nor were there many people apparently on deck; but notwithstanding, Canario feeling anxious to escape, hurried his men into the boat; one of them, however, a fellow full of humour, begged to stop a little, something having just occurred to him, which he said he wished to tell them, and taking up the trumpet, hailed the Turk, There is a fire for you, put it out if you can."-This momentary joke added considerably to the confidence of his crew, and cheered them up amazingly. They then took to their boats, and pulled before the wind to escape by the Southern end of the straits, where meeting no impediment, they arrived by daylight off Venetica, and at 10 got on board one of their cruizers looking out on the S.W. side of the island. At sunset they anchored at Ipsera. SECOND EXPEDITION AGAINST THE On the arrival of the Turkish fleet at Tenedos, the Greek cruizers having previously quitted the coast and returned to their respective ports, Canario sailed from Ipsera on Friday the 8th of November, at sun-set, with two fire vessels, the one a brig called the Alexander, carrying 21 men, including himself, and the greater part of whom had served under him in the former expedition to Scio; the other, a small coasting Sacoleva, as a better deception, with the same number of hands, commanded by Giorgio Nicolas Brasanos; both vessels perfectly equipped as fire-ships. Two settees accompa nied them as an escort, the largest having 34 men and 8 guns; the smallest 28 men and 3 guns, for the purpose of receiving them on board on the completion of their enterprise. Accordingly on the noon of Saturday, the 9th, they were off Cape Sigri in Mitylene,-light airs from the Southward, having run about 45 miles since the preceding evening at sunset. Half way between Sigri and Cape Baba, at sunset, steering for the latter, wind freshening gradually, took the Sacoleva in tow. At 10 p. m. off Baba, sent away the two settees to rendezvous to the S. W. of Tenedos, within sight of the anchorage; there to wait, and in the event of success to make the best of their way immediately that they observed the fire break out, to the edge of the shoal of Lemnos, where Canario intended to pull, under the idea of escaping pursuit, if chased by the Turkish frigates, by getting into shallow water. If no fire was perceived, then they were to take it for granted the fleet was not at Tenedos; in which case, Canario was to run on through the roadstead to Imbro, where the settees were to rejoin him, and from thence concert further measures against the fleet in the Dardanelles. Parted company with the settees, and hauled close in under the land, keeping it as close aboard as possible, to prevent being seen by the Turkish look-out ships. Passed a corvette standing off on the larboard tack, who paid no attention to him: supposed her to be French. At 11, obliged to cast off the tow, the breeze having freshened a good deal. Took in his top-gallant sails for the Sacoleva to keep up with him: going between six and seven knots. About midnight saw Tenedos, and a few minutes after observed three Turkish frigates under easy sail standing off on the larboard tack: passed astern of them unperceived by lugging the shore close on board. To the Northward of Scorpiata a shoal runs off, which obliged him to keep a greater offing; and as he drew out from under the land, the frigates tacked, and one of them set her foresail as if to chase him. In a few minutes more he discovered the lights of the flag ship, and in about a quarter of an hour distinguished three line of battle ships laying towards the main with their heads to the Second Expedition of Canario against the Turks. [July, the Westward, and the wind on the larboard beam, owing to a strong current setting to windward through the roadstead out of the Dardanelles. The frigates and small craft were lying more in-shore near the Troad, relying on the look-out squadron for protection. The Sacoleva being still astern, and perceiving that the ship with the lights up (which he took to be the flag) laid to leeward of the nearest line of battle ship, and that to get at her he inust pass within hail of the latter, he decided on giving the preference of the nearest ship, as the least difficult, to the Sacoleva, in order that they might not accuse him of acting unfairly, and that by not lighting his own vessel first, the Sacoleva might have a better chance of succeeding; besides which, he observed, that the first in command was his object. Fortunately the first ship paid no attention to him, though he heard their voices as he passed. He immediately after was hailed by the second, who on receiving no answer from him, fired two shot at him, one of which went through the head of his mainsail, and a third shot was fired from the other ship at the Sacoleva. To prevent the chance of their thus cutting away his haliards, &c. he had every thing racked aloft, and in this manner, with full way on him, and a fresh breeze, going six or seven knots, he ran his vessel on-board stem on to the larboard bow of his antagonist under the forechains, his bowsprit luckily going into one of the ports. It was his original intention to have steered for his spritsail yard, but observing her lying broadside on, he was afraid the fire would be too much ahead, and theretore steered a course for her foremast. As he drew near her, he perceived a great number of people on her poop, all in great confusion, crying out, "She is a fire-ship, a pirate, fire away," &c. A good many of them jumped at the same time into a small boat astern; but once fairly alongside, no effort was made, nor even a musket fired at him. As he drew near his object, he sent his men into the boat on the larboard side, sitting himself on the larboard gunwhale, from whence he steered her to her position, and when thoroughly fast, lighted the train from the boat, and hailed the Turk-" We are no Austrians [a report having reached him that he went the last time at Scio under Austrian colours], nor pirates, Finding the two settees punctual to their rendezvous off Lemnos, he got on-board at eight o'clock, and there being no signs of the other boat with the crew of the Sacoleva, he sent the settee appointed as her escort to look out to windward of Tenedos, while he bore up towards the N. E. end of the island, in case the boat had pulled through the roadstead, and had come out at that end. In about an hour after, the Sacoleva's settee made signal of having picked up the boat, upon which they both made sail to the Westward. The whole of this enterprize was so ably executed, that not the 1824.] Merits of Mr. J. Watt.-Defence of Garrick, the most trifling accident occurred, and every man returned to Ipsera without a hair of his head singed. Contrary winds detained the settees at St. Giorgio di Schiro three days, where they were received with the greatest joy by their countrymen. The next evening Brastanos reached Ipsera, and the following morning Canario returned into port, under a salute from every gun in the island. On landing he was met by a procession, and with it proceeded to Church, where public thanksgiving was offered up to God for the success of their undertaking. Canario is a modest plain man, requiring to be drawn out before the following particulars could be elicited from him. He is the master of a merchant vessel, and occasionally acts as pilot to foreign vessels. He is poor, but contented. He has a wife and two young children; the former takes a just pride in her husband's character, and in the young Costantino they fondly predict a noble defender of their country. When requested to sit for his portrait, he smiled, saying they must make the picture very ugly to be like him. He has since attempted to set a Turkish ship on fire in the day time, and while under sail, but his vessel falling astern, he missed his aim, and was obliged to escape, two of his men being killed, and himself wounded in the hand. Mr. URBAN, EVER "To a citizen of Glasgow belongs the glory of having given to industry one of the greatest impulses known in the history of the arts. To the improvements invented by the celebrated Watt it is owing that the steam-engine is become an universal moving power. No invention ever before comprehended within so small a compass, and at a fourth of the ordinary expense, a power so great, so constant, so regular. In Watt we behold one of the benefactors of his country; yet when I earnestly inquire what brilliant testimony he has received of national gratitude, my question remains un and memory answered. It appears that neither King, nor Minister, nor Parliament, have yet discovered that they owe any thing to the life of one to whom the Antients would have erected statues and altars. The sacred vaults of Westminster, while the ashes of the player Garrick repose under the ashes of Watt moulder in the obscure nook of some obscure cemetery." In the eulogy of Watt I most heartily concur; and if by these remarks King, Ministers, Parliament, and the Public, have been stimulated to do justice to his memory, I rejoice at it; but I beg to observe, that the facts set forth in M. Dupin's contrast are not correctly stated, and the subject of it is most unhappily selected. The ashes of Watt rest, not in an obscure nook, but near Birmingham, the seat of his triumphs, and in ground equally sacred with the cemetery at Westminster. To Garrick no public honours were decreed his funeral was at the expense of his family, his monument at that of an individual; and the following lines from his pen, which shew him to have been a zealous advocate for public gratitude to the benefactors of their country, should have protected him from an invidious comparison. "Shall the Hero laurels gain For ravag'd fields and thousands slain? He erected at his own expense a statue to Shakspeare*, which he bequeathed to the public. But I had forgot-M. Dupin, with the intolerance of the Gallican Church, was no doubt surprised that the Dean and Chapter of Westminster had not denied to "the player repose under the sacred vaults of the Abbey." Allow me to make an observation respecting cenotaphs. When we visit the place of sepulture of celebrated men, and reflect that "Here in dust the mighty lie," not only is our veneration, but a useful moral feeling excited. "We are taught, Whate'er our strength of body, force of thought, In Nature's happiest mould however cast, But a cenotaph, an empty monu * M. Dupin is too well versed in the English language to object to the honours that have been paid to the memory of the Immortal Bard. ment, |