The

ments. The vox populi might have demanded telegraphic facilities until it had grown hoarse, and yet never have obtained them for continental enlightenment-with the brilliant exceptions of France and Sardinia-never would have proved adequate to the appreciation of this modern science, nor to the wonders worked by it. But the necessity of the government became the opportunity of the people, and, we shall see, wonderfully has that opportunity been improved, and wonderfully and beneficially has it operated within its peculiar district. moving cause thus explained, the rapid and universal ramification of this method of intercommunication and the wiry embrace which has encircled and is encircling Denmark, Holland, Russia, Austria, Prussia, the union of Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and even Africa, becomes more easily appreciable; and it is with France, Sardinia, and Africa, and even with Gibraltar, Malta, India, and the antipodes, that this notice has to do.

Had we spoken only a year since of the lines laid down on the continent, we should have been confined to a few detached portions severed by frontiers, or counties and districts. We should have found the southern Liverpool of France (Marseilles) still resorting to the old semaphore to make known its wants and continually interrompu par le broullare'-a stereotyped phrase, which will be familiar to all our commercial, and especially to our Indian readers. This state of things has passed away. The French government has extended its lines to Marseilles for the Mediterranean, to Bayonne for Spain, and to Chambery for Sardinia. Sardinia takes up the communication at Chambery, and continues it to Genoa, and from Genoa lines are now erecting to Spezzia. At Spezzia the Mediterranean cable will take up the link and extend it under the sea to Corsica; across Corsica, under the Straits of Bonafacio, over to the island of Sardinia, and again under the sea from Cape Suelada to Cape Rosas in Africa. By a decree bearing date the 15th ult., the French government threw open its African wires to the public. Thus far do we run upon certain grounds; and, after having explained the present advancement of portions of the preceding works, we will pass on to the possible fortune of telegraphic intercourse. The Sardinian government has promised to complete the line from Genoa to Spezzia before May next, and thus to connect in one chain of telegraphic communication the northernmost point of Scotland with the southernmost point of Piedmont.

The Mediterranean Telegraph Company have already advertised for tenders to lay down their cable from Spezzia to Corsica, and from Corsica to Sardinia, across the Straits of Bonifacio, and the vessels were to be ready to receive the cable, con

sisting of eighteen iron and copper wires, on or before the first of May next. The remaining portion of cable from Cape Suelada to Cape Rosas was to be finished and laid down by August, thus completing our connection with Africa this year. Two hundred men of pith and sinew have been digging and delving in the islands of Corsica and Sardinia ever since the beginning of September, 1853, so that the moment the cables are laid down they may be connected instantaneously to the land wires, and signals passed from Africa to the European continent. All this work has been done by contracts taken and materials already purchased within the limits of the capital, so that the company should be secured from liability beyond its subscribed stock, any loss falling upon the contractors. The bane of Continental undertakings, the supineness of the people, rendered it necessary for the French and Sardinian governments to guarantee respectively four per cent. upon £180,000, the other five per cent. upon £120,000, for fifty years, from the moment of opening, up to which time the shareholders receive four per cent., the total capital amounting to £300,000. Operations traced to Africa, and the wires connected to the Algerian lines of the French government, we find that signals will be passed to the westernmost and easternmost points of the Algerian territory. Having reached thus far, we perceive that new wires are projected beyond these points, and with very important objects. The French government providing for Algeria, the company commences again. From the westernmost point of Algeria, then, it is proposed to carry an underground line through Morocco and Tangier to Gibraltar. The English government would doubtless support such a line. From the easternmost point of Algeria, a subterranean telegraph is projected through Tunis and Tripoli to Alexandria, with a branch to Cairo, Suez, the main line to continue to Beyrout, Damascus, Aleppo, Bagdad, Bussora, and along the Persian Gulf, joining the Indian line at Hyderabad. A submarine cable is also proposed from Tunis to Malta. Were the system now in operation, its importance to the government in the present crisis would be incalculable, for the wires would connect England and France with their naval stations in the Mediterranean-with Egypt, Turkey, and India, all countries favorably disposed to us, and against the extension of Russian power-we could flash every movement of the Emperor's forces from the extremest portion of his line of operations to Downing street and the Tuileries, and direct our fleets and armies to take positions in the Mediterranean or elsewhere, or provide reinforcements, &c., at a moment's notice. Who knows but that war, should it unfortunately ensue, will be the cause of the provision of these very means of communication ?"

Art. IV. ANCIENT AND MODERN HERALDRY.

No. 2.

ORDER OF THE GARTER-ITS ORIGIN, OBJECTS, AND BENEFITS.

WE now come to treat of the most noble and illustrious Order of the Garter, which, if we consider either its antiquity, or the nobleness of the personages connected with it since its origin, it excels and outvies all other institutions of honor in the whole world. When we use so bold an expression, we confine the comparison to institutions established for like purposes. The Order owes its origin to Edward III., King of England and France; yet, as to the occasion, there are several opinions, to which we shall briefly allude. The more general impression seems to prevail among the early authors, that "the Garter of Joan, Countess of Salisbury, dropping casually off as she danced at a ball, King Edward, stooping, took it up from the ground, whereupon some of his nobles smiled, as if it was an amorous action of the king, or so indicating by their behavior at the time." The king, observing the sportive humor of his friends, felt somewhat mortified, turned it off with a reply in French, Honi soit qui mal y pense; and added, in a frown of disdain at their merriment, "that shortly they should see that GARTER advanced to so high an honor and renown as to account themselves happy to wear it."

The above history of the origin of this noble Order seems to be generally accepted as correct, but there are others who advance a very different account of its birth. In the original statutes of this Order, there is not the least information given on the subject; and some two hundred years after its institution, the question of its origin was very warmly discussed among the authors of that day, and the diversified opinions then advanced, rather tended to throw doubt on that which may really have been the first cause. Some authors urge the fact of its being the queen's garter, and that "she was departing from the king to her own apartments, and he following soon after, chanced to spy a blue garter lying on the ground-supposed to have slipped from her leg-whilst some of his attendants carelessly passed by it, as disdaining to stoop at such a trifle; but he, knowing the owner, commanded it to be given him; at the receipt of which he said, "You make but small account of this garter; but within a few months, I'll cause the best of you all to reverence it alike." Some suppose that the queen answered the language of the motto, Honi soit qui mal y pense, when informed of the accident and the incidents. Among the

authors who throw great doubt on these statements is Ashmole, who attributes their peculiar accounts to a propensity of the people of that age to attribute the beginning of all the orders of sovereign foundation to an amorous, instead of an honorable account. Another opinion prevailed, that "it had its origin with King Richard I., who, whilst his forces were employed against Cypress and Acon, and extremely tired with the siege, he, by the assistance and mediation of St. George (as imagined), was inspired with fresh courage, and bethought himself of a new device, which was to tie about the legs of a number of knights a leathern thong garter, for such had he then at hand, whereby they being emulated to future glory, with assurance of reward if they proved victorious, they might be excited to behave themselves intrepidly and well, much after the example of the old Romans."

Of this statement there seems to be little to substantiate its correctness, and we have no faith in it.

The true and legitimate origin of the Order of the Garter was, doubtless, with King Edward, but not occasioned by the lady's garter or King Richard's leathern thong. King Edward was reputed to be a man of consummate virtue, giving himself up to military affairs. Being engaged in war for the recovery of his right to France, he made use of the best martialists of the age, and designed the restoration of King Arthur's Round Table, to give an opportunity for assembling together the gallant spirits from abroad, and thereby foster a feeling of good-will among the guests for his success and welfare. This scheme was successful, and it did not end with the restoration of that ancient order, but was extended far beyond its early plan of organization. The grand feast day was Whitsuntide, and the time was spent in all kinds of noble feats of arms, mock fights on horseback, or tournaments; so were a great part of the nights consumed in public balls, and dancing with the ladies that attended the queen. It was probably conjectured that, at some of these balls, the queen's garter, or the garter of Catherine, Countess of Salisbury, might have slipped off, and the king taking it up, occasioned a smile in the by-standers; and afterwards, when the king had modelled the Order, a garter offering itself for an ensign, might have added to the conjecture.

Though King Edward advanced the honor of the Garter, as to denominate the Order, yet it seems not to have been his purpose to add reputation to, or perpetuate an effeminate occasion, but to adorn martial prowess with honors, rewards, and splendor; to increase virtue and valor in the hearts of his nobility, that so true worth, after long and hazardous exploits, should not enviously be deprived of that glory which it hath intrinsically deserved, and that active and hardy youth might not want a

spur in their progression in the path of virtue, which is to be esteemed glorious and eternal.

It is further observable, that the French King, Philip de Vallois, in emulation of this assembling at Windsor, England, set up a Round Table at his Court, and invited knights and valiant men of arms out of Italy and other countries, lest they should repair to the feasts of King Edward of England, which, meeting with success, proved a countermine to his main design; and perceiving that his hospitality towards strange knights, upon account of reviving King Arthur's Round Table, was too general, nor did sufficiently ingratiate them to his person, but being unconstrained and at liberty, did after their departure take what side they pleased in the ensuing wars, he at length resolved upon a projection more particular and select, and such as might oblige those whom he thought fit to make his associates, in a lasting bond of friendship and honor;-and he issued forth his own Garter for the signal of a battle that was crowned with success, the battle of Cressy, fought about three years after the establishment of the Round Table. Upon this remarkable victory he took occasion to institute the Order of the GARTER. He made the garter an ensign, and placed it as pre-eminent, whence the select few who were admitted into that noble fraternity were styled Equites Aurea Periscelidis, and more vulgarly known as Knights of the Garter. By this he designed to bind the knights together as one band of Fellows, and all jointly to himself as Sovereign of the Order.

The expectation of the King in the establishment of this order did not only serve to bind them in indissoluble bonds to each other and promote their affection towards him, and also to command their aid in the welfare of the Sovereign and the public good, but it served as a spur and incentive to Honor and martial Virtue. It formed a golden bond of unity. The Garter then became a badge of unity and concord, and remains symbolical of those essential elements in society to the present day.

By the symbols of this Garter the knights are reminded, with all religiousness, sincerity, friendliness, faithfulness and dexterity, not to leave the pursuit of whatsoever they take in hand, nor to indulge in anything contrary to the statutes of the Order, not to frustrate the rights of peace and friendship between men, nor to vilify the law of arms, or proceed in anything farther than faith and compact or the bond of friendship would admit. Moreover, in the binding of the leg with this ennobled ensign, there was given this exhortation, that the knights should not pusillanimously betray the valor and renown which is ingrafted. in consistency and magnamity. Nay, so exactly did the founder contrive the whole habit into the signification of the garter, that