that there's something wrong in her build. She is either too unwieldy,
like the Great Eastern, or she is too long to turn well, or she requires
such incessant repair; or, most fatal of all, she is entered for a trade
where nobody wants her; and therefore you resolve that, come what will,
you'll avoid her.

What an inestimable benefit to the student of politics would a few such
brief notices be, instead of sending him, as we send him now, to the
dreary pages of Hansard! Imagine what a neat system of mnemonics would
grow out of the plan, when, instead of poring over interminable columns
of tiresome repetition, you had the whole narrative in few words--thus:
"Barque Reform, John Russell, commander, lost A.D. 1854 The
Commissioners seeing that this vessel was built for the most part of
old materials, totally unseaworthy, are of opinion that she ought not
to have sailed at all; and severely censure the commander, J. R, for
foolhardiness and obstinacy, he having, as it has been proved, acted
in entire opposition to 'his owners.' On the pressing recommendation,
however, of the owners, and at the representation that E. has been long
in the service, and is, although too self-confident, a very respectable
man, his certificate has been restored to him."

Lower down comes the entry:--

"The Young Reform.--This was a full-rigged ship, in great part
constructed on the lines of the barque lost in 1854. She sailed on the
28th February 1859, commanded by Captain Dizzy. No insurance could be
effected upon her on any terms, as the crew were chiefly apprentices,
and a very mutinous spirit aboard. She put back, completely crippled,
after three days' stormy weather; and though the commander averred that
some enemies of his owners had laid down false buoys in the channel, he
was not listened to by the Commissioners, who withheld his certificate.
Has never been employed since, and his case by many considered a very
hard one."

Of course, all the small class of coasting vessels--railroad bills and
suchlike--suffer great losses. They are usually ill-found and badly
manned; but now and then we come upon curious escapes, where a measure
slips through unobserved, like a blockade-runner; and it is ten to one
in such cases they have that crafty old pilot Pam on board, who has been
more than fifty years at sea, and is as wide awake now as on his first
day.

What analogies press in on every hand! Look at the way each party bids
for and buys up th