Arithmetic-XVIII. Vulgar Fractions.

1. Find the value of x;×3×11; and ×××76 2. Find the value of x 31 x 51 x; and 3 × 210 × 5 ×

211.

H.

3. Divide by ; by ; § by ; by 1; and by

T1 IT

4. Divide by 1; 51 by 218; 81 by 333; 622 by 54; 12 by 13117; and 59457 by 362.

THE LOSS OF THE ALCESTE.

The circumstances attendant on the loss of the British frigate Alceste, afford one of the most beautiful and instructive examples, not only of the good effects resulting from a wellregulated system of discipline, but of the manly character of British seamen, which has been recorded in naval history.

Early in the year 1816, in consequence of the difficulties thrown in the way of our commerce with China by the authorities at Canton, it was resolved by the British government to send out an extraordinary embassy to the court of Pekin. On the 9th of February, Lord Amherst, who was appointed to conduct what has well been termed this difficult and delicate mission, embarked at Portsmouth, with a numerous suite, on board the Alceste, a frigate of forty-six guns, commanded by Captain, afterwards Sir Murray, Maxwell. This vessel was accompanied by the brig Lyra, commanded by Captain Basil Hall, and the General Hewitt, Indiaman, which carried out many very valuable presents for the Chinese Emperor and his ministers.

Nothing of moment occurred during the outward voyage; on the 9th of August, the ambassador and his suite landed in great state at the entrance of the White River, on the north-eastern coast of China; and the ships then proceeded to examine the coasts of Chinese Tartary, Corea, and the extensive group called the Loo Choo Islands, after which they shaped their course for Canton, where they re-embarked Lord Amherst and the embassy, and sailed for Manilla, the capital of the Philippine Islands, on the 29th of January.

On the 9th of February, exactly twelve months after the expedition left the shores of Great Britain, the Alceste proceeded from Manilla on her voyage homeward; here parting company with the Lyra, which was ordered to India with despatches.

At daybreak, on the 18th, after carefully avoiding the rocks and shoals which beset the Chinese sea to the westward of the Philippine Islands, our voyagers entered the straits of Gaspar, through which they intended to sail. They continued to follow the track laid down in the charts, and every precaution was used which skill and seamanship could dictate; but, about half-past seven in the morning, the ship struck with great violence on a reef of sunken rocks, which rose almost perpendicularly in nearly seventeen fathoms water. It was a providential circumstance that the ship remained fast on the reef, as, had she been dislodged from her first position by the force of the shock, she must have almost immediately gone down, with most of her hands. The event, however, was extremely fearful; but we are told by one of the officers, that, notwithstanding the peril of their situation, not the slightest confusion or irregularity prevailed amongst the crew, every necessary order being as coolly given, and as steadily obeyed, as if nothing unusual had happened.

The ship lay about three miles and a half from the uninhabited and desolate island of Pulo Leat, on which, after considerable difficulty, Lord Amherst and his suite, with a part of the crew, safely landed by means of the boats. Captain Maxwell, and the rest of the officers, remained by the ship, and, after great exertion, succeeded in saving a small quantity of provisions and stores, which occasionally floated up, all but the upper works being under water.

The island was found to be a perfect wilderness, so completely overgrown with wood and jungle, that it was necessary to clear away a small space, under the shade of the loftier trees at the foot of a hill, which rose in the midst of the narrow point where the landing was effected, in order to obtain a shelter for the night. The party, when assembled, presented a wild and motley appearance; few, including Lord Amherst himself, were clothed with

more than a shirt, or a pair of trowsers; "whilst parliamentary robes, court-dresses, and mandarin shirts, intermixed with check shirts and tarry jackets, were hung around in a strange confusion on every tree." On this wild spot, several days' sail from the nearest friendly port, exposed, in all probability, to the endurance of the extremes of hunger and thirst, under the fierce rays of a tropical sun, were nearly two hundred and fifty of our countrymen thus thrown; yet no one seemed to be cast down or despairing; and the manly feelings which prevailed were strengthened by the conduct of Lord Amherst, who, on the morning succeeding the wreck, desired every one to be called around him, when he took his share of the water which had been saved from the ship, consisting of a single gill for each individual, with the most perfect good humour, thus affording an example of calm fortitude, and cheerful readiness to share every privation, without any distinction of rank, which in such cases is certain to be attended with the finest moral effect.

An increasing anxiety for water, however, naturally possessed every mind; but every exertion to obtain it proved fruitless, whilst the accidental discovery of a human skeleton led to the frightful belief that an individual had perished with thirst. Under these circumstances, and considering, likewise, that the boats were insufficient for the conveyance of even one-half of the ship's crew, the ambassador and Captain Maxwell wisely determined that his lordship and suite, accompanied by a guard to protect them, in the event of their falling in with any of the ferocious Malay pirates who swarm in those seas, should at once proceed with the barge and cutter to the Island of Java; which, in consequence of a favourable wind and strong current, it was anticipated they would reach in three or four days. This party, which consisted of forty-seven persons, having been furnished with all the provisions that could be spared, embarked at five o'clock in the evening, amidst the hearty prayers and good wishes of all. It was well, as will be seen, that Lord Amherst carried his resolution into effect with such promptitude, as the delay of a single day would, almost to a certainty, have placed him in the power of a horde of ruthless savages.

The prospect before the party left on the island, which consisted of 200 men and boys, and one woman, was not the most cheering; for, in consequence of the adverse wind and current, no help was to be looked for, under the most favourable circumstances, for ten or twelve days at the least. Captain Maxwell, after again despatching a party in search of water, removed the bivouac, or encampment, to the summit of an adjacent hill, on which the underwood, abounding with snakes, scorpions, centipedes, and other reptiles, had been previously burnt and cleared away. To this spot, which was better calculated for the preservation of the health, as well as for the defence of the people, the whole of the small stock of provisions now remaining was removed, under a strict guard; whilst a few persons were left on the wreck, in order to save any further stores which might be floated up. During the rest of the day much misery was experienced from continued thirst; but, about midnight, to the great joy of all, a spring was struck upon, which, during the next twentyfour hours, afforded a pint of water to each individual. On the morning of the 20th the captain ordered all hands to be mustered, and after explaining that, by the Regulations of the Navy, every man was equally liable to answer for his conduct as if he had been afloat, declared that whilst he lived the most rigorous discipline, which was so important to the welfare of all, should continue to be enforced.

Exercise in Spelling-XXV.

Collect the principal words in each paragraph of the preceding lesson. Divide each word, mark its proper accentuation, and give its meaning according to the context.

Exercise in Dictation-XXIII.

Our great business, morally and religiously speaking, here on earth is not the attainment of perfection, but the doing away of imperfection, and of the faults that create it. It cannot be said that these are the same things, for a state of progress is not a state of attainment.

Arithmetic-XIX. Vulgar Fractions.

1. Find the value of of 1s.; of 4s.; of 21s.; 4 of 6s. 8d.; and 3 of 2s. 6d.

2. Find the value of of £5; of £4. 78. 6d. ; and of £3. 5s. 7 d.

3. Find the value of of 1 ton; of 1 cwt.; of 1 mile ; of 1 acre.

4. Reduce 2s. 6d. to the fraction of 1 guinea, and 3s. 4d. to the fraction of £1. 10s.

5. Reduce of 1s. to the fraction of £1; and 54 of £3. 128. 7d. to the fraction of £5.

Table or Bench, having its sides parallel and at right angles to the picture line.

The method to be adopted in drawing the above is precisely the same as that which has been already shown in previous examples. No further explanation or lettering is therefore required.