proach we suddenly heard in the town a great noise and a motion of carriages; at the entrance we were exposed to a brisk fire of musketry; we replied by some cannon shot, followed by an hurra, and an instant after, the town was our's. It was here that among many other equipages, the carriage of Napoleon was taken; he had just left it to mount on horseback, and in his hurry had forgotten in it his sword and hat. Thus the affair continued till break of day. About 40,000 men, in the most complete disorder, the remains of the whole army, have saved themselves, retreating through Charleroi, partly without arms, and carrying with them only 27 pieces of their numerous artillery.

The enemy in his flight has passed all his fortresses, the only defence of his frontiers, which are now passed by our armies.

At three o'clock Napoleon had dispatched from the field of battle a Courier to Paris, with the news that victory was no longer doubtful: a few hours after, he had no longer an army left. We have not yet any exact account of the enemy's loss; it is enough to know that two-thirds of the whole army are killed, wounded, or prisoners: among the latter are Generals Mouton, Duhesme, and Compans: Up to this time, about 300 cannon and above 500 caissons, are in our hands.

Few victories have been so complete; and there is certainly no example that an army, two days after losing a battle, engaged in such an action, and so gloriously maintained it. Honour be to such troops, capable of so much firm

ness and valour! In the middle of the position occupied by the French army and exactly upon the height, is a farm, called La Belle Alliance. The march of all the Prussian columns was directed towards this farm, which was visible from every side. It was there that Napoleon was during the battle. It was thence that he gave his orders, that he flattered himself with the hopes of victory, and it was there that his ruin was decided. There, too, it was, that by a happy chance Field Marshal Blucher and Lord Wellington met in the dark and mutually saluted each other as victors.

In commemoration of the alliance which now subsists between the English and Prussian nations, of the union of the two armies, and their reciprocal confidence, the Field Marshal desired, that this battle should bear the name of La Belle Alliance.

By the order of Field Marshal Blucher,

General GNEISENAU.

the peace of the world, and the future security of all Europe, may be said to have depended on its result.

"The position occupied by his Lordship was very good; but towards the centre it had various weak points, which required good troops to guard them, and much science and skill on the part of the general-in-chief. These qualifications were, however, to be found in abundance in the British troops and their illustrious Commander; and it may be as serted, without offence to any one, that to them both belongs the chief part, or all the glory of this memorable day.

"On the right of the position, and a little in advance, was a country-house, the importance of which Lord Wellington quickly perceived, because without it the position could not be attacked on that side, and it might there fore be considered as its key. The Duke confided this important point to three companies of the English guards under the com. mand of Lord Saltoun, and laboured during the night of the 17th in fortifying it as well as possible, lining its garden, and a wood which served as its park, with Nassau troops and sharp-shooters.

"At half past 10 a movement was observed in the enemy's line, and many officers were seen coming from and going to a particular point, where there was a very considerable corps of infantry, which we afterwards understood to be the Imperial Guard; here was Buonaparte in person, and from this point issued all the orders. In the meantime

the enemy's masses were forming, and every thing announced the approaching combat, which began at half past eleven, the enemy attacking with one of his corps and with his usual shouts the country-house on the right.

"The Nassau troops found it necessary to abandon their post; but the enemy met such resistance in the house, that though they surrounded it on three sides and attacked it most desperately, they were compelled to desist from their enterprise, leaving a great number of killed and wounded on the spot. Lord Wellington sent fresh English troops, who recovered the wood and garden, and the combat ceased for the present on this side.

"The enemy then opened a horrible fire of artillery from more than 200 pieces, under cover of which Buonaparte made a general attack from the centre to the right with infantry and cavalry, in such numbers that it required all the skill of his lordship to post his troops, and all the good qualities of the latter to resist the attack.

"General Picton, who was with his division on the road from Brussels to Charleroi, advanced with the bayonet to receive them; but was unfortunately killed at the moment when the enemy, appalled by the attitude of this division, fired and then fled.

"The English Life Guards then charged with the greatest vigour and the 49th and 105th French regiments lost their eagles in this charge, together with from 2 to 3,000 prisoners. A column

of cavalry, at whose head were the cuirassiers, advanced to. charge the Life Guards, and thus save their infantry, but the Guards received them with the greatest vigour, and the most sanguinary cavalry fight, per haps ever witnessed, was the con

sequence.

The French cuirassiers were completely beaten in spite of their cuirasses, by troops who had nothing of the sort, and lost one of their eagles in this conflict which was taken by the heavy English cavalry called the Royals."

General Alva next mentions the approach of the Prussian army, "which," he observes, "was the more necessary, from the superior numbers of the enemy's army, and from the dreadful loss we had sustained in this unequal combat, from 11 in the morning till 5 in the afternoon."

"Buonaparte, who did not believe the Prussians to be so near, and who reckoned upon destroying Lord Wellington before their arrival, perceived that he had fruitlessly lost more than five hours, and that in the critical position in which he was then placed, there remained no other resource but that of desperately attacking the weak part of the English position, and thus, if possible beating the Duke before his right was turned, and attacked by the Prussians.

"Henceforward, therefore, the whole was a repetition of attacks by cavalry and infantry, supported by more than 300 pieces of artillery, which unfortunately made horrible ravages in our line, and killed and wounded officers, artillerists, and horses,

in the weakest part of the posi tion.

"The enemy, aware of this destruction, made a charge with the whole cavalry of his guard, which took some pieces of cannon that could not be withdrawn; but the Duke, who was at this point, charged them with three batallions of English and three of Brunswickers, and compelled them in amoment to abandon the artillery, though we were unable to withdraw them for want of horses; nor did they dare to advance to recover them.

"At last, about 7 in the evening, Buonaparte made a final effort, and putting himself at the head of his guards, attacked the above point of the English position with such vigour, that he drove back the Brunswickers, who occupied part of it, and for a moment, the victory was undecided, and even more than doubtful.

"The Duke, who felt that the moment was most critical, spoke to the Brunswick troops with that ascendancy which every great man possesses, made them return to the charge, and putting himself at their head, again restored the combat, exposing himself to every kind of personal danger.

"Fortunately at this moment we perceived the fire of Mar, shal Blucher, attacking the enemy's right with his usual impetuosity; and at the moment of decisive attack being come, the Duke put himself at the head of the English foot-guards, spoke a few words to them, which were replied to by a general hurrah, and his Grace himself guiding

them on with his hat, they march ed at the point of the bayonet, tó come to close action with the Imperial Guard. But the latter began a retreat, which was soon converted into flight, and the most complete rout ever exhibited by soldiers. The famous route of Vittoria was not even comparable to it."

The General then adds several reflections on the importance of the victory, and in enumerating the loss sustained, says :

"Of those who were by the side of the Duke of Wellington, only he and myself remained untouched in our person and horses. The rest were all either killed, wounded, or lost one or more horses. The Duke was unable to refrain from tears on witnessing the death of so many brave and honourable men, and the loss of so many friends and faithful companions, and which can alone be compensated by the importance of the victory."

to this subject, and that so long ago as the session of 1811, a bill was brought into the House to amend the laws in respect to Parish Apprentices, and to make certain regulations with the view of ameliorating their condition; but was withdrawn, in order that some information might be procured which was conceived to be wanting.

A committee was in consequence appointed, which set on foot an inquiry. This inquiry has since been prosecuted with as much perseverance as was required by a subject of so much importance to the happiness and well-being of a large class of the community, though hitherto but little made an object of the attention of Parliament.

It would have been obviously an impracticable task to have attempted to ascertain the number of parish apprentices bound, from various parts of England, to a distance from their parents; and the Committee were therefore under the necessity of limiting their inquiry into those points which were capable of being ascertained till the parishes, which are comprehended in the Bills of Mortality, would afford a tolerable criterion to enable a judgment to be formed, as to the comparative number of parish apprentices bound near home and at a distance, and as to the advantages or disadvantages resulting from the latter plan.

This was the more practicable, as by the act passed in the 2nd and 7th years of his present Majesty, some humane regulations were made in the management of Parish Apprentices in those parishes;

and by the latter act, in certain of those parishes, namely, the seventeen parishes without the walls of London, the twenty-three in Middlesex and Surrey, being within the Bills of Mortality, and the liberty of the Tower of London, and the ten parishes within the city and liberty of Westminster, a list of poor children bound apprentices, was directed to be delivered annually from each parish to the clerk of the company of Parish-clerks, to be bound up and deposited with that company. To those lists your Committee have had access, an abstract having been made by the clerk of the Committee; and it appears from them that the whole number of apprentices bound, from the beginning of the year 1802 to the end of the year 1811, from these parishes, amounts to 5,815; being 3,446 males, and 2,369 females. Of these were bound to trades, watermen, the sea-service, and to househould employment, 2,428 males, and 1,361 females, in all 3,789; fifteen of whom were bound under eight years of age, 493 between eight and eleven years, 483 between eleven and twelve, 1,656 between twelve and fourteen, and 1,102 between fourteen and eighteen. Though not immediately applicable to the subject of inquiry, it may not be altogether irrele vant to mention, that of this gross number of children amount ing to 3,789, there were bound to the sea-service, to watermen, lightermen, and fishermen, 484; to household employments, 528; and to various trades and professions 2,772: the remaining children amounting to 2,026, be

ing 1,018 males, and 1,008 females, were bound to persons in the country; of these, 58 were under eight years of age, 1,008 between eight and eleven, 316 between eleven and twelve, 435 between twelve and fourteen, and 207 between fourteen and eighteen, besides two children whose ages are not mentioned in the returns from their parishes.

Before they enter on the subject of what has become of these children, your Committee beg leave to observe, that from all the parishes within the city of London, only eleven apprentices have been sent to masters at a distance in the country; that of the five parishes in Southwark, only one St. George's) has sent any considerable number; that in Westminster, the parish of St. Anne has not sent any since the year 1802; those of St. Margaret and St. John, since the year 1803; and the largest and most populous pa-, rish of St. Pancras has discontinued the practice since the year 1806. From those of Newington, Shadwell, Islington, and several others, no children have at any time been sent.

The Committee directed precepts to be sent to the various persons in the country to whom the parish apprentices, to the amount of 2,026, were bound, directing them to make returns, stating what had become of them, to the best of their knowledge. These returns have in general been complied with, but in some instances have not, owing probably to the bankruptcy or discontinuance in business of the parties to whom these children were apprenticed; and in