The Express.
London, England, 1860-06-19 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, JUNE 19.

WE have not been eager to express a decided opi-
nion on the scheme of fortifications recommended
by the Commissioner, appointed to consider the
defences of the United Kingdom, but have rather
been solicitous to place before our readers the
materials of a calm and independent judgment on
a question of so much importance. But the dis-
cussion of the Commissioners' Report is now so
far advanced that we may draw some con
elusions from established facia. First, then,
whatever may be the economising tendency of for-
tification seen from a theoretical point of view,
the scheme of the Commissioners is uniteniably
one that involves a very great augmentation of the
land forces of this country, and would be not only
valueless but dangerous without that increase.
The Commissioners say, " The choice lies only
" between defence by a small body of men with
"the aid of fortification, or defence by a large
"body without that aid." But this is the first
and last we hear of the " small body," in connec-
tion with the scheme. What is the small body
that will serve merely to man the fortifications now
recommended I The Commissioners put down the
number of the garrisons at a minimum of 68,000,
but there is no reason to believe that this number
would be nearly sufficient The Commissioner
tell es of position alter position, where certain num-
bers of men will be required, but are careful not to
pledge themselves that that number will suffice.
The garrison that will be required for Portsmouth
and the Isle of Wight is set down at 20,000 men.
But Sir Joss Brack:mite, when examined before
the Commission, stated his opinion that for
Portsmouth alone 20,000 men would not be too
many, if Porte:town-hill was to be occupied. The
argument for fortifying this position is that an
enemy landing a force strong enough to seise that
range would be able to bombard the Dockyard,
whatever defences might exist below. And this
is no doubt true. From the hill which is on
the northern side of Portsmouth at a distance
from the Dockyard varying from 6,000
to 9,000 yards, the naval establishments and the
ships in the harbour are in full view. Every
reasonable precaution, every means in our power
ought to be employed to prevent any enemy get-
ting there. But we shall not gain that end if we
engage in works out of proportion to the actual
forces which can be reckoned on in the hour of
need. The position of Portadown-hill is such
that it does not admit of a portion only of the
position being effectually taken up for defence ;
the whole line, seven miles in length, including
the flanks connecting it with Portsmouth aid
Langston Harbours, must be occupied. Accord-
ingly the Commissioners recommend the fortifica-
tion of Portadown-hill by seven strong detached
wurka, little fortresses to be connected by lines of
ditch and rampart. Doubtless this is the plan a
Government with unlimited command of troops
would adopt The full red dots representing
the forts on the heights which are to keep off the
enemy convey a feeling of satisfaction to the mind
until the question arises—Shall we have men to
hold this long line of defences when the day comes
to use it, or shall we then find that we have only
erected them for the enemy 1 On this point we
cannot do bettor than listen to the judgment of
one whose opinions are eminently entitled to
respect.

When Sir JOHN BURGOYNE was saked whether
be would not fortify Portadown-hill, ho replied
with a true professional relish, " It is a beauti-
" ful position," but he was compelled to add,
" My difficulty about it is the vast extent of the
" place. I cannot see what chance you would eesv
" bare of finding a garrison *chick would be equal
" f covering seek as extent of defences. /t must
"be dr./ended, I think, by an army." This is the
kind of danger we are running into. We are
told that fortification economises men, and our
impulse is to order fortifications immediately ;
but the moment we come to look at
the thing we find that fortification means
locking up the precious bring forces of the
country in the day of trial. These lines, if we do
not take care, instead of a defence will be a trap.
The Commiseioners, who profess to have been
elaborating plans of defence which are to set the
army free for the defence of the country, are
really establishing, by anticipation, large local
claims upen the army. "If I had 20,000 men,"
.aid Sir JOHN BURGOYNE, "and were a general
" in command of Portsmouth, I would occupy
" Portadosn-hill, and throw up field works, and
" hold it as long as I could, and very likely with
" some success, but what I should be afraid of
" would be placing permanent works there and
8' not being able to occupy the position. Ido not
" e‘peet you would get a force of 20,000 men for
" Portsmouth, because Portsmouth would not be
" attacked unless a great invasion took plain. It
" would be of such consequence to hare all your

THE

" good troops together in the field that there
" would be none to spare for these works."
The worlui on Portadown-hill, it will be remem-
bered, are wanted to guard against the possibility
el • bombardment. On this point let us again

hear Sir JOHN BUILOOTNI :—" It is one of the
" contingencies which I think is the consequence
" of the new rifle gun, that the extent of fortifi-
" cations to secure you from bombardment would
"be so great that it is almost imprac,-
" ticable ever to reach it. You must trust
" very much to your army in the field.
" You must take every precaution you can
"to secure your dockyard' and public est*-
" blishmenta Yon may do a great many things
"to alleviate the evil, but if you take • place
" which is in the interior, and are to protect the
" whole of the interior from the range of these
" five-mile weapons, see what • circuit it gives
" you ; thirty or forty miles' development to
" secure you. Ido not like absolutely to say it
"is better not to attempt it, but I think it
" should not be put in comparison with many
" other measures which you may adopt, coml.
" during the expense and difficulties." Here again
is shown the folly of making immense sacrifices for
a visionary absolute safety which could never be
attained. Sir Jon& BUSOOII4I expresses the
opinion that even the fire of five or six forts armed
with heavy guns on Portadown-hill would not
suffice to prevent • bombardment from the land
side. " The occupation of Portadown-hill might
" be desired ; but for the bombardment they only
" want a battery of three or four guns, and the
" work is done. If you trusted to works and gar-
" risons only, and had not sorties—which there
" would not be if you had not a very large force
" —then I think they might penetrate almost
" anywhere, in spite of your works. After all, it
" is the body of troops which you can bring against
" them to stop them which will prevent the doing of
" it ; nothing else."
Thee" last words show us exactly our situation.
It is in vain to deceive ourselves as to the amount
of security these dockyard and arsenal fortifica-
tions will give u•. We have seen that they begin
by absorbing a large body of men--of trained and
efficient troops, be it remembered, and not merely
dockyard brigades, fencibles, and other local and
irregular corps—and who would be most useful in
the field, and they promise to prove of very
doubtful efficiency. They would not prevent
a bombardment, and unless aided by •
manoeuvring army, they could not long protect
their ground. As soon as they were
tolerably advanced we should see that they were
of no use without • very considerable augmenta-
tion of the army. From calculations made by an
officer of great eminence, we believe that at least
100,000 men, and not 68,000, would be required
to man these proposed works. If this is to be
the result of our fortifications, it would be only
common prudence to look a little ahead.
Suppose we put down 100,000 for those defences,
another 100,000 for the defence of London, and
160,000 men left for field service as • sufficient
force, the question to be considered is whether,
when the men, without whom the fortifications
would be useless, have been provided, the fortifi-
cations themselves could not be dispensed with
We believe it will be found that the fortifications
we want are sea defences, forts, batteries, and
booms, to protect the dockyards from sudden
attack during the temporary absence of the fleet.
These will increase the effective power of our
Channel fleet by setting it at liberty, for we shall
always be able to man them. That fleet itself
must also be increased, and for our protection
ashore we mast find the means of raising up •
real army of reserve that shall make invasion the
most hopeless of enterprises. Of late we have
actually been weakening the defensive force of the
country by disembodying the Militia. We have not •
word to say for the regular militia as a permanent
economical substitute for regular troops ; but it
does seem strange that corps which it is admitted
are in a high state of efficiency should be sur-
rendered at a time when we are calling for increased
esenrity. It is by making it certain that foreign
aggression will be unprofitable and disastrous to the
aggressor that we shall most surely prevent inva-
sion. No accumulation of bricks and stones will
do so. The rifle and artillery volunteer move-
ment has already done great service in this
respect, and it is capable of still further develop-
ment. But it must either become more popular
in its elements, or some cognate organisation
adapted to the necessities, convenience, and even
the tastes of the great body of the community,
must supply its place. It is, above all, necessary
just now to beware of supposing that in the hour
of need we can safely trust in anything but the
courage of the nation and the skill and spirit of its
leaders.

TAxamow WI TIM Loans.—A crowded meeting
wee hal yeeteeday eves* to protest egamet the course the
Hanes el Leeds adopted in refusing to remel the paper
duty, in Hawkestone Rell, Waterloo-road. The members
for the borough were present, as wens also a number of
gentlemen of local influence and position. Mr. John Wil-
liams occupied the chair. A resolution condemnatory of
the Lords having been moved and seconded, Mr.
Williams, M.P., made a long speech, in which he
suggested that the Paper Duty Bill should be in-
eluded in any money bill which yet remained to be
and sent up to the Lords for their appnwal. Mr.
Cspell followed, and said that if the government did not
pewees the rights of the Commons, he hoped it would be
driven from office. He believed, however, that the ip.verti-
ment would pursue • mealy and straightforward course. A
petition. to the House of Commas, praying it to preserve
ltsprivdeps from violation, wee adopted.
THII PRIVILSOZ QVIRTION. —MEETING AT Furs-
wet. —A crowded and highly respectable meeting was held
him night at the Myddelton Hall, Islington, to protest
against the nocoastitutkinal conduct of the House of
Lords in re-imposing taxes abolished by the House of
Cotnnions. and to petition parliament on the sub-
The chair was taken by Mr. Robert Dente.
Mr. William Mace moved the first resolution—" That
from time immemorial it has been the right of
the British people to he taxed only with their own con-
sent, by and through their own representatives. That
the non-assent of the Lords to the abolition of • tax
which the Crown no longer required and the Commons
hid determined should no longer be imposed, is in direct
contravention of that right, and is in effect a re-imposition
of that tax by the sobs authority of the House of Lords.
That the imposition 14 DUOS on the sole authority of the
Lords is a thing wholly without precedent in the history of
this country—ue in direct and flagrant violation of the laws
of the realm, as inscribed in the rolls of parliament for
ages past, and tends to a total overthrow of the British
Constitution." Dr. Epps seconded the resolution. The
resolution. WY carried with only about half-a-dozen dirien•
tient', which created loud laughter and chem. Mr. Dun-
combs, ILP., then addressed the meeting. What did they
wish the House of Commons to do? What did they wish
him to do? He very much feared that the House of
Commove, constituted as it was at present, would
do nothing—(hear)—that they would, in point of
fact, pocket the affront. What Mr. Siam had
proposed was, he thought, a very legitimate cosine
to pursue, 'tamely, to make • declaratory resolution.
' stating that the rights of the people had been violated,
and that something snag be done. But he did not
believe they mead many such a resolution even in the
present Home of Ceeinnens. (Cries of "Oh no, they're a
rotten lot.") Laird Painserstm had declared that be did
act wish to beteg the two houses into collision. Collides !
—there was eimegh already, and there would be more by
as I bye. The fast wee, the present goverment instead of
try* to hem& the pseple were esdeavoaring to please a
very reeks Bowe ef Onionnee—fie worst he bed whammed
or sat he less the of the Reform Bill. After re
feerieg M the rsirem casaba, sad advocating a romper
hombe easier., be said that he would do his best in his
ploss is podiums* to give effect to the resolution which
lad been serried ; and, as as he bed the beacon of
bele, milomed by them to piiimeat. abase rights and
them Ilbeities istrusted to him, sad pawed in his heads,
onesn.y se= sever by any vets,Ewer I=
kik he say way reder •
tamers., The meeting MIS further sadossud by Mr. Wash.
Milos Willis, Yr. Baal Carr, Mr. R Moss% sad Winn.

LLump