CHRONICLE. 



269 



banished to Siberia— (a country 

 the name alone ofwhich inspires ter- 

 ror throughout all Russia) — were 

 obliged to gain a subsistence by 

 hunting. In this pursuit they were 

 one day led so far as to be unable to 

 regain their road, or to find any ves- 

 tigeof human habitation. Overcome 

 by fatigue, and exhausted by hun- 

 ger, they were at length reduced to 

 the necessity of casting lots, in or- 

 der that he upon whom it should 

 fall, might serve to support the 

 lives of the others. To aggravate 

 their distress, these unfortunate 

 persons were a father, his son, and 

 his nephew. This last was the first 

 victim ; the father next immolated 

 himself to prolong the life of his 

 only son who ultimately owed 

 his preservation to a hunter whom 

 chance conducted to the spot. On 

 his return, he related the particu- 

 lars of this melancholy affair ; and 

 the government of Siberia, not dar- 

 ing to punish what was produced 

 by the most urgent necessity alone, 

 has sent the criminal witli a repre- 

 sentation of the aft'iiir to St. Peters- 

 burgh." 



10. A curious occurrence has 

 taken place. The unfortunate ge- 

 neral Dupont, who surrendered 

 with his army to General Castanos, 

 after the battle of Baylen, in Anda- 

 lusia, has beensentencedbya court- 

 martial to be shot. The sentence 

 was executed immediately after it 

 was delivered, by torch liglit. This 

 unliappy man has been sacrificed to 

 the necessity of showing some re- 

 spect to the official statements of 

 the French government, concern- 

 ing the state of Spain last summer. 

 Tile surrender of Dupont gave the 

 lie to the government assertions, re- 

 specting the pretendedacquiescence 

 of the Spanish people in the go- 



§ 



vernment of Joseph. The loss of 

 Dupont's army obliged the soi-di- 

 sant king of Spain to abandon Ma- 

 drid for nearly six months. These 

 were offences which Buonapart6 

 could not forgive. Policy, like- 

 wise, demanded the death of the 

 vanquished general ; we mean such 

 policyasMachiavel affected to teach. 

 While the military despot holds the 

 sword of vengeance in one hand, he 

 has sceptres, coronets, and stars in 

 the other. The fate of Dupont 

 may excite a transient sigh in the 

 breast of some old companion in 

 arms, but it will not weaken any 

 arm in the field of battle. It adds 

 only a new motive to the soldier to 

 fight his master's battles to the last 

 moment, whatever they may be. 



17. In^aiinus Invention, — On 

 Tuesday, lieutenant Brown, of the 

 royal navy, crossed the Thames, 

 and passed through one of the 

 arches of Westminster bridge, in 

 the presence of some thousand 

 spectators, in a canvas batteau, in- 

 vented by colonel Brown, of St. 

 Vincent'!,, for the use of the army, 

 with 30 persons. 



This military batteau is made of 

 prepared canvas, so as to be imper- 

 vious to water. 



The batteau is 17 feet long, 5 

 feet wide, and 3 deep, and when 

 loaded with 30 persons, only draws 

 three inches water. It is capable 

 of conveying 100 soldiers, with 

 their arms, accoutrements, andbag- 

 gage, across the widest river, pro- 

 vided they lay down, and 50 if sit- 



ting 



Ihls batteau weighs only 60 lbs. 

 and can be fitted up and taken tc 

 pieces in three minutes, so that it 

 forms an easy load for a man on a 

 march. 



Two lashed together are capable 



of 



