SIR,—When I was in St. Paul's Cathe- dral a few months since, I was moved afresh at the sight of the magnificent monuments to our great naval and mili- tary heroes, particularly those of Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington; and, as I shall presently have a few words to say concerning shipwrecked sailors and their preservers, I hope you will allow me to give a brief impression of my visit to the crypts of the cathedral.

I observed that Lord Nelson's tomb is in the middle of the south crypt. He is buried in a sarcophagus which Cardinal Wolsey is said to have had made for Henry VIII.

Nelson's coffin is made from the main- mast of the ship IS Orient, which was pre- sented to Nelson by his friend Captain Hallowell, of the Swiftsure, after the battle of the Nile, accompanied by a message to this effect—" so that when you are tired of this life you may be buried in one of your own trophies." Nelson's flag was to have been buried with his coffin; but, just as it was about to be lowered to its last resting-place, the sailors, who had borne him to the tomb, moved as if by one impulse, rent the flag in pieces, so that each man might have a cherished memorial at least of this im- mortal genius of naval warfare.

Not far from Nelson rests brave Lord Collingwood, according to the latter's own request.

The Duke of Wellington's tomb is in the east crypt, and near him sleeps General Picton, of Waterloo fame. Ten- nyson's beautiful lines on the burial of the Duke and Nelson now instinctively rose to my mind, prompting Nelson to make this pathetic inquiry: " Who is he that cometh like an honoured guest, With banner and with music, with soldiers and with priest, With a nation weeping, and breaking on my rest?" * * * * " Mighty seaman this is he, Was great by land as thou by sea; Thine island loves thee well, thou famous man, The greatest sailor since the world began ; Now to the roll of muffled drums To thee the greatest soldier comes ; For this is he, Was great by land as thou by sea." I will yield to no one in my admiration of these and kindred heroes of sea and land; but the thought did occur to me— When would the period arrive when na- tional trophies like these would be raised to the memory of those who had done noble deeds in saving human life ? Again, we seldom hear of those saved from a watery grave publicly testifying their gratitude; but in ancient Borne it was not an unusual custom for the ship- wrecked sailor to hang up his garments in the temples of his gods, as an acknow- ledgment of his gratitude for the preser- vation of his life from shipwreck.

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