THE SHIP CANAL FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE PACIFIC.

BY FRANCIS LIEBER.

An Ode to the American People and their Congress, on reading the Message of the United States President in December, 1847.

THE THIEF AND THE DEFAULTER.

Stealing a loaf of bread or a string of onions, is called petit larceny; but the defaulter, or fraudulent official, in starched collar and broadcloth coat, who makes away with fifty, seventy-five, or an hundred thousand dollars of other people's hard earnings and hard dollars, is politely adjudged to be simply guilty of a peccadillo! The former is locked

up in jail, and the latter is admitted to a free and easy bail. The one is hustled out of the way as a graceless thief, but the other escapes punishment generally, by the liberal use of the money he has filched from those who put their trust in him. The ragged and penuiless wretch who steals a shilling's worth of food, stands no chance at all of escape; but your well dressed and respectably connected scamp, whose purse is as heavy as his conscience is elastic, has nine chances out of every ten in his favor, and seldom fails, even when closely pressed and warmly hugged, to wire out somewhere, escape conviction and justice, and run his face for such loose sympathy as the world may have at its disposal, for such as are deserving only of condemnation for gross dishonesty.

MERCHANT PRINCES.

The Sunday Atlas is introducing into its Portrait Gallery a miscellaneous collection of notabilities. The last number contains a well-engraved head of Joseph McMurray, Esq., with the following sketch of his life :

"A native of the Emerald Isle, he left the land of his birth to become an adventurer in the western world, and many years ago selected New York as the field of his future enterprise. After successfully battling with the obstacles and difficulties which always beset the path of a young stranger in a crowded mart, he ultimately became connected with a shipping agency and commission establishment, in which he gave proof of an aptitude for business that at once rendered him a favorite with all that he had transactions with. Prompt, faithful, industrious, courteous, and obliging, he rapidly ingratiated himself into the confidence and esteem of all classes of men; and when, at length, he be came established in the business he now pursues, favors poured in upon him so plentifully, as to lay a solid and substantial foundation for the exalted position he has since attained. "Never losing sight of his humble origin, or forgetting the thorny path he had to tread on entering the threshold of mercantile life, he has ever been ready to lend a helping hand to the deserving; and, in his intercourse with the most indigent and obscure, is as affable and kind as with persons of more fortunate condition and elevated rank. Charitable, without being ostentatious; philanthropic, without pretension; scrupulously correct in all his dealings; of irreproachable uprightness and integrity, as a merchant; of warm and generous feelings, as a man; endowed with a fine personal appearance, and a herculean frame; and with the most pleasing and agreeable social qualities, it is not surprising that he should be generally beloved, and an universal favorite wherever he is known. If he were a politician, and desirous of political distinction, we doubt not he could, with much facility, gratify his most ambitious aims; but he is content to remain in the sphere he now occupies of advantage to himself and usefulness to others. We are glad to add to our gallery the portrait of such a man, and we are certain that our readers will thank us for the selection."

LECTURES ON BRITISH EMIGRATION.

Mr. J. C. Byrne, (author of "Twelve Years' Wanderings in the British Colonies," and many other works on emigration,) recently delivered a course of two lectures on emigration in London. The lecturer, after some general comments upon the magnitude of Great Britain's colonial empire, and the advantageous outlet thereby afforded her for her redundant home population, asserted it as his opinion that no comprehensive national system of colonization could be effectively carried out which did not embrace these two great points, viz: the application of colonial waste lands as premiums to emigrants; and the bestowment of representative institutions upon them to enable them to govern themselves, instead of being subjected to the fatal incubus of centralization.

THE HONEST BOY A SUCCESSFUL MERCHANT.

That "honesty is the best policy," was illustrated, some years since, under the following circumstances. A lad was proceeding to an uncle's, to petition him for aid for a sick sister and her children, when he found a wallet containing fifty dollars. The aid was refused, and the distressed family were piched for want. The boy revealed the fortune to his mother, but expressed a doubt thout raing any portion of the money. His mother confirmed the good resolution-the pocket-book was advertised, and the owner found. Being a man of wealth, upon learning the history of the family, he presented the fifty dollars to the sick mother, and took the boy into his service, and he is now one of the most successful merchants. Honesty always brings its reward-to the mind if not to the pocket.

"NATURE AND USES OF MONEY."

We have been favored by the author with a series of Lectures on this subject. They were "delivered before the members of the Edinburgh Philosophical Institution during the months of February and March, 1848, by John Grey, author of the 'Social System, a Treatise on the Principle of Exchange." The work covers three hundred and forty-four pages, octavo. The author has distributed twelve hundred copies gratuitously, as follows: To Prince Albert, 1; select members of the House of Peers, 40; members of the House of Commons, 650; London daily papers, 10; London weekly papers, 50; English country papers, 224; Scottish papers, 58; Irish papers, 78; Welsh papers, 10; Channel Island papers, 14; French papers, 12; monthly periodicals, 18; quarterly periodicals, 10; miscellaneous, 25; total, 1200. Mr. Grey, the author, offers "a premium of one hundred guineas to whomsoever may be able to refute its contents." We have not yet found time to examine the work, but shall refer to it in a future number of the Merchants' Magazine. It bears the imprint " Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black, Booksellers to the Queen. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longman."

THE NEW ENGLISH LAW OF BANKRUPTCY.

The new act of Parliament, to empower the Commissioners of the Court of Bankruptcy to order the release of bankrupts from prison in certain cases, which took effect on the 31st ult., has just been printed, 11 and 12 Vict., cap. 36. By this act it is provided, that where any person has been adjudged bankrupt, and has surrendered to the fiat and obtained his protection from arrest pursuant to the practice in bankruptcy, if such person shall be in prison at the time of his obtaining such protection, any commissioner acting under such fiat may order his immediate release, either absolutely or upon such condition as such commissioner shall think fit, which release is not to affect the rights of creditors detaining him in prison. The second clause is a very important one, namely, " And be it enacted, that if any bankrupt, whose last examination shall have been adjourned sine die, or whose certificate shall have been suspended or refused, shall be in execution or be taken in execution under a capias ad satisfaciendum, at the suit of any creditor who might have proved under the fiat, and detained in prison, any commissioner acting under his fiat may order his release after he shall have undergone such term of imprisonment not exceeding two years, as to such commissioner may seem a sufficient punishment for such offence as he may appear to such commissioner to have been guilty of."

DOLLARS AND CENTS, SHILLINGS AND PENCE.

Some of the principal dealers in breadstuffs, says the Journal of Commerce, are agreeing with each other to sell only for dollars and cents, and leave shillings and pence to small grocers and market women, who make a part of their profits by retaining the fractions in giving change. It is rather remarkable that such an awkward mode of computation as the old continental, and varying so much in different parts of the country, should have held so long and strong a competition with the uniform and simple method which the federal currency offers. An Englishman bought some flour the other day at five dollars three and sixpence a barrel; and after much labor with paper and pencil, figured out the price at what he thought the very odd sum of five dollars forty-three and three-quarter cents. His correspondents on the other side will think that he drove a close bargain. A day or two ago a New Bedford captain contracted to take some flour there at a shilling a barrel freight. The flour was sent down, and the bills of lading made out, and then arose the mighty question of what a shilling is. In a New York merchant's store it is 124 cents, but on board a Yankee coaster it is 161.

IMPORTATION OF RUM IN ENGLAND.

Arrivals of rum are now taking place from foreign parts at the port of Dublin, it being comparatively a new branch of import trade at the Irish metropolis, which has taken place since the reduction of duty upon the article. This is no doubt caused in an important degree by the act last passed, altering the duties on foreign and colonial rums and shrubs, by which the amount of duty levied on those articles when imported direct into Ireland is very considerably less than when imported into the other portion of the United Kingdom.

THE BOOK TRADE.

1.-History of Congress, Biographical and Political: comprising a History of Internal Improvements (Rivers, Harbors, etc.) from the Foundation of the Government to the Present Time; embracing also Historical Notices of various political events-of Ocean Steam Navigation-of the Tea and Coffee Tox; together with Biographies, Personal Histories, etc. By HENRY G. WHEELER. Illustrated with steel portraits and Fac.Simile Autographs. Vol. II. 8vo., pp. 563. New York: Harper & Brothers. The second volume of this important work, though not more interesting than that which preceded it, will be found more valuable to the statesman and politician, as it embodies a complete history of internal improvements in the States and Territories of the United States from the earliest to the present time. Besides, recent occurrences, legislative and political, have imparted to the subject a higher degree of importance than has probably ever before attached to it. The public mind is directed towards it with an earnestness which has had no parallel in any former period, thus indicating in the clearest manner the serious and permanent character of the interest it has created. We are not, therefore, surprised that Mr. Wheeler, impressed with the vast importance of the subject, has devoted so large a part of this volume (three-fourths) to its consideration or history. With a perfect familiarity, and free access to all the sources of information, he has succeeded in gathering up the facts and documents, weaving together or grouping them in a clear and connected whole, thus forming a concise but full and comprehensive historical view of the whole subject, including the votes, reports, and indeed the entire action of Congress, as well as the resolutions of the several conventions that have from time to time discussed the subject. The opinions of all our statesmen, from Washington down to James K. Polk, are very properly included. We shall refer to this work again; in the meantime, we heartily commend it to all who desire to become familiar with the subject.

2.-The Thousand and One Nights; or the Arabian Nights' Entertainments. 2 vols. 8vo., pp. 586 and 569. New York: Harper & Brothers.

This old favorite of our own and of everybody's childhood and youth, appears not only in the admirable translation of E. W. Lane, but in an elegant typographical dress, embellished with six hundred wood-cuts that "are wood-cuts," by Harvey, and an illuminated title-page. It is, in fine, the most perfect and artistically beautiful edition of the work that has been produced in this country, designed, we presume, by the publishers as a gift book for the approaching Christmas and New Year; and as such we cordially commend it to all who indulge in the luxury of distributing their favors on these interesting occasions. 3.-Poems: by William Cowper. With a Biographical and Critical Introduction, by the Rev. THOMAS DALE; and seventy-five illustrations, engraved by JOHN S. and TUDOR HORTON, from drawings by JOHN GILBERT. 2 vols. 8vo., pp. 342 and 344. New York: Harper & Brothers.

Of Cowper it has been well and recently said, that so far from having experienced the slightest abatement, in consequence of the increased number of competitors in the wide field of ethical and didactic verse, his popularity is rather on the increase, for it is founded on the most enduring basis-the union of Christian morals with the most animated poetry. The present edition of his poems is beautifully illustrated with engravings in the best style of the art, and altogether forms the richest and most attractive edition that has yet been produced in the United States.

4.-History of Mary, Queen of Scots. By JACOB ABBOTT. With Engravings. 16mo. New York: Harper & Brothers.

The present history of Mary, Queen of Scots, was written for the two among the twenty millions of people in the United States, "between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five, who wish to become acquainted in general with the leading events in the history of the Old World." Few persons have enjoyed a better opportunity than the author of becoming acquainted with the position and the intellectual wants of those whom he addresses. 5.-Three Sisters and Three Fortunes; or Rose, Blanche, and Violet. By G. H. LEWIS, Esq., author of "Ranthorpe," "A Biographical History of Philosophy," etc. 8vo., pp. 163. New York: Harpers' Library of Select Novels.

This story is not shaped to suit a purpose by falsifying human nature, or coercing it within the sharply defined limits of some small dogma. The great lesson, however, which his intensely interesting story teaches is, that "Will is the central force which gives strength and greatness to character."

6.-The Architect, a series of Original Designs for Domestic and Ornamental Cottages and Villas, connected with Landscape Gardening, adapted to the United States; illustrated by original drawings of Ground Plots, Plans, Perspective Views, Elevations and Details. Vol. I. By WILLIAM H. RANLETT. New York: Dewitt & Davenport.

We have, in several former numbers of our journal, taken occasion to notice the parts of this important architectural work as they appeared. Our opinion of its merits have been so frequently expressed, that it would seem almost unnecessary to refer to it in this place. But the completion of a large and beautiful quarto volume, combining the several parts which have been issued at intervals, seems to offer another opportunity to express more decidedly and understandingly our appreciation of the labors of Mr. Ranlett in this elegant and useful department of art. In no work heretofore published have we been able to discover so rare a collection of architectural specimens of buildings, designed for "all sorts and conditions of men," at least all who possess the smallest degree of taste for the Beautiful in things material. There is surely no individual of a correct natural, or a refined and cultivated taste, who could fail to find in Mr. Ranlett's series of designs a rural residence in a palace, villa, or cottage, in accordance with the highest ideal of his refined or most fastidious condition. On the whole, we do not hesitate to commend it to all who contemplate building a residence in any part of our beautiful and picturesque country, as they will not only find in this work complete and appropriate designs, but accurate estimates of the cost of materials, labor, and all "requisite and necessary specifications." The numbers of a second volume are passing through the press, and when completed, will, in connection with the present volume, form the most extensive as well as the most splendid architectural work produced in this country.

7.-Frank Forrester's Field Sports of the United States, and British Provinces of North America. By WILLIAM HENRY HERBERT, author of " My Shooting Box," "The Warwick Woodlands," "Marmaduke Wyvil," Cromwell," "The Brothers," "The Roman Traitor," etc., etc. 2 vols. 8vo., pp. 360 and 367. New York: Stringer & Townsend."

This is doubtless the most elaborate and complete work of the kind that has ever been produced, in this country at least. The author's reasons for producing it are not, however, discussed at any great length in his brief and simple preface; these, he says, will be found in the body of the book itself. The best place, perhaps; but once for all, he tells us it appeared to him that such a work was needed at this juncture, and that its publication will tend in some degree to avert the impending doom which seems "to have gone forth from the democracy of the land against game of all sorts." The illustrations for the work were designed by Mr. Herbert from living or stuffed specimens in the cabinet of Mr. Bell, the eminent taxidermist and naturalist. The information relating to the various kinds of sporting, the natural history of game, and the sports peculiar to every region of our wide-spread territory, is full and complete. It seems to us, from the examination we have been able to make, that the work cannot fail of meeting the wants of sportsmen, while it will not be without interest to persons of taste and general intelligence. The publishers have made a liberal outlay in the getting up of the work; the engraving, printing, and indeed the whole mechanical composition of these two volumes is every way creditable to all concerned. We shall endeavor to notice more at length in a future number of our journal, after a more critical examination.

8.-The Gem of the Season, for 1849. With twenty Splendid Engravings. New York: Leavitt, Trow & Co.

"We are aware," says the editor of this elegant book, "that annuals are often only settings for the 'gems of art,' and the letter-press too often aggregated, merely to become the matrix of these jewels." It seems, however, to have been the aim of all concerned in the "getting up" of this compilation, to redeem it from this "soft impeachment," and to furnish the readers with a literary mirror "that shall reflect all the lustre shed upon it by the garnitures of art." Among the contributors we notice the name of General W.O. Butler, the late democratic candidate for Vice-President of the United States. In his "Lines to a Lady" he has certainly been more successful than in his political aspirations. L. Maria Childs' "She waits in the Spirit Land," we scarcely need say, is worthy of her gifted pen. With the exception of a few military pieces, the contributions are of an elevated tone, and "calculated not only to interest and entertain, but usefully instruct." The twenty engravings which illustrate the volume, though not all equally excellent, possess merit. Many of them are beautiful, and none below mediocrity. The snow white paper, the beautiful printing, and the richly gilded binding, each and all contribute to render it one of the most costly and beautiful gift-books of the season.