By gale of conquest, on to murderous war,
To reach a phantom, ever-shifting goal,

Oh! not like thine Trade's bright imperial star,
Which guides to certain peace the mariner afar.

XXXIX.

Send "Lively" pioneers (war's swift express)
Like steam-winged petrels o'er the ocean's breast,
Or iron Jackals to the quarry press,

That Britain's lion may securely rest,
Hunting for peace, or war with equal zest,
See grim "Northumberland," with latent power,
So calmly slumbering on her liquid nest,

Whose rugged bosom can, in danger's hour,

A British Vulcan prove, or hurl death's leaden shower.

XL.

Oh! may the ensign she so proudly bears

On giant fingers 2 ominously high,

Like bloody "Agincourt's" twin hand in air,

Be like Belshazzar's warning on the sky;

That all armadas shall, divided, fly,

Wrecked on the Scylla of Invasion's hope,

And Conquest scatter piecemeal, far and nigh,

Thy heaving empire giving sacred scope

To waft God's spiritual light, that none in darkness grope.

XLI.

Fulfilment glorious of the prophet's dream,

How poor

The greater miracle of Truth makes iron swim—
Elisha's power to thine almighty Steam,
With ocean's battling, his, a streamlet's brim,
Bore but an axe- -thou wafts Religion's hymn,

1 The county, as well as the iron-clad whose name it bears, possesses the latent elements of war. About a third of the area of the whole county is occupied by moorland, and has a rugged and barren aspect, but along the Cumberland border the broken and bleak-looking hills are most valuable for their lead mines. Allenheads, the centre of the lead-mining district, is the highest inhabited spot in England, being 1400 feet above sea-level. The south-east portion of the county forms a part of the great Northumberland and Durham coal-field, which was estimated to have produced in 1862 upwards of 20,000,000 tons of coal.

"

The "Agincourt" and "Northumberland were both five masted iron-clads, the flag-ships of the admiral and rear-admirals of the British fleet.

On Peace and War, to all the human race,
Searching a world, and tracing it to Him,
The God of Truth, Eternity, and Space,

And to be known still better by some Divine Laplace.

XLII.

Let blind Presumption be by Philip1 warned,
And proud Intolerance of Truth beware,
For banded Bigotry hath already learned
That sacred Truth is under Heaven's care,
Firm planted on our rock-bound island, where
His sentinels, the Gale and foaming Main,
Keep ceaseless vigils of protection there;
Yes, though Medina's duke should rise again

In "holy" bond with Parma's, and a million men—

XLIII.

Another Effingham would hurl the shaft

Of retribution on the daring foe,

Although his flag-ship were an anchored raft,

1 Philip II. of Spain, in 1588, resolved to strike a decisive blow at Protestantism, by conquering England, which Pope Sixtus V. had made over to him. The ports of Spain, Portugal, and other maritime dominions belonging to him, resounded with the noise of his preparations, and the most eminent Catholic soldiers from all parts of Europe flocked like vultures to take a share in the expedition. The great Spanish fleet, now known in history as the "Spanish Armada," intended for the conquest of England, consisted of 130 vessels of greater size than any hitherto seen in Europe. The Marquis of Santa-Croce, a sea-officer of great reputation, was to conimand the fleet, while the Duke of Parma was to conduct the land forces, 20,000 of whom were on board the fleet, and 34,000 more were assembled in the Netherlands, ready to be transported to England; so that, as no doubt was entertained of success, this famous fleet was ostentatiously styled the Invincible Armada. A squadron of not more than thirty ships of the line was all that Elizabeth could muster to oppose it. But, although much inferior both in number and size, it was not only more handy, but under the command of the most eminent seamen of the day. Lord Howard of Effingham, as Lord High Admiral, took command, while under him served Drake, Hawkins, and Frobisher, names well known in connection with naval warfare. All the Protestant powers in Europe regarded this enterprise as the critical event destined to decide the fate of their religion. But, as predestined to failure, the Admiral of the great Armada, Santa-Croce, died, as also the Vice-Admiral Paliano, just as it was preparing for departure, and the command given to the Duke of Medina Sidonia, a person utterly inexperienced in sea-faring matters; these circumstances and other accidents helped to frustrate the premeditated invasion, and its hopes were totally blasted by a heavy storm. Suffice it to say, the great "Invincible Armada' was scattered like sheep, and driven round the Orkneys, while the remnant, about fifty vessels, found their way back to Spain, which acted no doubt as a warning, even to the great Napoleon, when he brooded over his design of invading Britain; and which may be destined to act as a warning to all who may wish to interfere with the advancement of truth and liberty on our island home.

Safe moored and swinging to the tidal flow.
Neptune aroused would make them backward go,
Driven by the gale, like waifs along the strand,
And, like the heaving tangles, foemen strew
Around the sea-beach of that sacred land,

Which destined seems to be to guard God's stern command.

XLIV.

'Twas her who hydra Slavery set free,
And Papal Arrogance the first to dare,

'Twas her who paved with telegrams1 the sea,
And made the world in peaceful commerce share.
Her, too, who taught that Arbitration2 fair,
Instead of War, mankind should sway;

At deeds like these old Rome would stare,
And feel that crimson Conquest served its day
And hail her island daughter's heaven-lit, better way.

XLV.

Thus have I here with rhyme in vain essayed
To pay poor tribute to our Channel Fleet,
The warder of our shores, as well as Trade
Long may they guard Truth's great, imperial seat,
Convoy a Franklin or a Philip meet,

Be always God and Right thy polar star,
Then, with such arms and armament complete,
Confide with confidence in His destined war,

The Spirit of Infinity helps you from afar.

XLVI.

What if in other spheres our little isle
Should reappear, the favourite of God?
Eclipsing Israel, as she traced the Nile,
And scatter Truth wherever man hath trod;
Her soul unresting till each dark abode

1 Britain has unquestionably done more for the colonization and commercial advancement of this world than any other nation under the sun; and suppose the "Great Eastern" steamship were to do nothing else, the successful laying of the Atlantic telegraphic cable, through her immense size, was an achievement worthy of the admiration of posterity.

In the dispute with America regarding the Alabama," Britain nobly left the result to the arbitration of neutral governments, although she came off only second best in the decision.