The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-01 00:00:00

E(01.711,10.ITIoNS.

1a.,: II in.: 55.44 by the War-elliee, a I
•• • , rviiis. Deputy I lirector of Jul tine,
ith ier lice to the progress maiii• iii the construc-
t .:...t the atria, for the defence of the dockyards
I t. ~a 1 Ar.coaht, .10., of the United Kingdom. The
ii.• •.• ,hoe: statement with reference to the
ct and rat..ie included in the Schedule of
t in• For t of Plea, the expenditure or liabilities
inecntd tin ima..itel the probable slain for which it can
ceu.plm t il. With regard to the Horse Sand and No
)1 r.s F. it el for the defoice of the anchorage of
.el. .and of the casters approach both to Spithead
and t!..• a (tai, of the Solent between the Isle of Wight
:aid the inatillatel, :111.1 :also to protect Portsmouth dock-
s' ft... dist, tit bombardment from the eistward, it is
so.t s t:. • constructiini of the casemates will be such
their stability independent of a breach in the
b.:se...cid wall. should one tee effected. Their interior will
of a wall of non inches thick, and they will he
capable of receiving gong of about IS tons in Weight. The
p. at of tlic work iuuneehatcly behind the gun casemate,
is &signed in such a manner that four revolving
iron turret-. each to contain two of the most powerful
gulls w 11:ch can be win bed, may be placed on the top.
Ti.i et-,l; re of the tunas will 54 feet from the exterior
It.. of the work. The total number of guns for
which space will lie found in each of these forts
will be Set w casettiate,,, besides ti in turrets, and 20 guns
in each fort can Ite concentrated on one point. The works
..t Hyde Sand sad Spit Bank, and that at Gilkicker on
the inner line of sea defences, bear upon the anchorage in
the event of an enmity jetsdng the above referred to works.
At Puckpool, on the shore of the hie of Wight, is a
sortie battery bearing on the ancloortge, and the fort
at St. I lelen's mienneinils the anchorage there, and in con.
junction with the other works the adjacent chore of the
1-le of Wight. The total estimated cost of the Spitheatil
and sea defences of the outer line, as detailed in the ache-
ilule of ISti.). is 9.17.1.10/. ; and, excepting the turrets, the
works, if of a graffito constroctiou with iron shields at the
embrasures, may be completed for about that sum. An
2".1,1100f. will, however, be required to
make the wet ks of an irmildited construction. The ex-
pendit op to slst lieceinber last was 267,01.17/. ; the lie-
s, undo-tee of the nun, already expended, are
11'iissi/. The estimate in I Ner:i for the inner sea defences
consisting of Gilkicker Battery, Southsea Batteries, and
Lumps and East ney batteries, was 105,0001., and, excepting
the iron shields and works connected therewith, 118,000/.
will probably suffice. The cost of the latter is estimated at
flit,ictie. The total estimate for the defences of the
Needles Passage, consisting of Hurst Castle and Batteries,
tlitf-enil Batteries, Needles Batteries, and Mitherwood
and Warden Point Batteries, was in 1865 188,001.111.
to& will suffice to meet all payments included in the
works. The iron shields will cost about 61,0001. extra,
and a further sum of 40,001. will ho required if turrets
are added. The estimates for the land defences are not
likely, it appears, to be much exceeded.
As regards Plymouth, the outer line of sea defences
consists of the works at Staildon Point, Picklecombe, and
behind the breakwater, bearing respectively on the pas-
Lige', at either end of the breakwater, defending
the anchorage in the Sound, and protecting the
dockyard from bombardment from seaward. The total
estimated cost was 2108,000/., and it is expected that
this auto will be sufficient, except that the
iron shields will c at 14,000/. affilitional,and a further sum
of 20,000/. will be required if turrets are added on the
Breakwater Fort. The inner line of sea defences at
Plymouth, including Drake's Island Batteries and Mount
Eilgeunibe Battery, will, with the exception of 29,000/. for
iron shields, be completed for about the sum of 47,000/.
The land defences at Plymouth will, it is expected, be
completed within the estimate&

The report includes similar statemmts with regard to
the defences at Pembroke, Milford Haven, and Portland.
The new works for the defence of the Thames are about
three miles below Gravesend, at Coalhouse Point, on the
loft bank of the river : awl Shornmead and Cliffe Creek,
on the right bank. The expenditure upon these defences
np to the 31st of December last was 140,000 f., the
liabilities, 143,0001.

The estimate for the Medway works was 3'29,0031., but
it is not probable that they will be completed for less than
391,000/. 'l'he cost of iron shields will be about 80,0001. ;
and if turrets are hereafter added on Garrison
Point Fort and at Cheney and Queenborough
Towers, • further sum of 40,000/. will 111111,0 to be
provided in future estimates. No money has yet been
voted for the Chatham eastern defence, the estimate for
which is 500,0001.

The works at Dover recommended by the Defence Com-
mission are approaching completion. The estimate for
them was 278,0001., and they will probably be completed
for •K-,,,000/.

The works for the defence of Cork Harbour and the
naval I.ltAbli.lllllellt at Haulbowline were estimated to cost
159,000/. ; and, pros bled convict labour be not withdrawn
or diminished iii str..agth, they will, irrespective of
30,000/. for iron shield., be completed for that sum.
A 811111 of 150,00 M. was included in the schedule of 1861,
and in previous acts, for the "purchase of a site for •
central arsenal." The proposal was to acquire a tract of
land for this purpose at Cannock Chase, but the purchase
has not been effected, and it is suggested that the item may
be omitted from future schedules.

The estimate in foe laictswas 1,080,000/., and it is
expected that all expenses under thin herd will be defrayed
for 1,115,000/.

Verdi's new open', Dun Carlos, will be produced
at Paris before the Exhibition opens. The maestro con.
ducts the final rcheareds, but does not yet appear to be
satisfied. Rossini and .tuber are at home. Patti continues
to be the main ,uppot t of the treasury at the Italian
Opera. Lalfe is in Paris.

Sr. DA r 1.)A; —A
ND THE WELSHMEN.—To-
day being the lit of March was devoted, 115 it has
for many generations been, by natives of the prin-
cipality, to the honour of St. David, a British
saint, who, in the century, wee Bishop of
Caerleon, and the metropolitan of the Welsh church.
As his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is the patron
of the Welsh schools there is an unusually attractive
list of vice-presidents and stewanls, including Lord
Dynever, the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Earl of Powis, the
Earl of Bradford, the Earl Vane, the Earl of Dudley, Lord
Penrhyn, Sir Watkin Wynn, Bart., M.P., Mr. D. Pugh,
M.P., the Right lion. H. A. Bruce, M.P., Col. the Hon.
Percy Herbert, M.l'., Mr. Scourtield, M.P., Lieut.-Colonel
Stuart, M.P., Lieut.-Colonel Lord Richard
tirosvenor. M. Mr. Idiwel Gwyu,3l.P., Mr. R. C. Han-
bury, Sir Thomas Phillips, Q.C., Mr. C. W. Wynn, 31. P.,
Mr. O. Morgan, M.P., Mr..l. R. Kenyon, (1.C., and other
gentlemen, many of whom proceeded with the governors
and friends of the charity this morning to the Welsh
Charity Schools of the Most Honourable and LoyalSoeiety
of Ancient Britons it Ashford. The school WAS inspected,
and there was Divine service in the chapel, with a serown
by) the ridniii of Ely. The 152nd anniveneiry festival of
the society will take place this evening at Willis's Rooms,
the Prime of \Vales being in the chair.
3111)NI.:HT NIELTI so, MOVEMENT. —Two effective
have been recently conducted by the promoters
this institutiiin. 1 ini• on Wednesday evening, Feb. 13,
in the 11,11.4 science. City-road, when $0 poor girls at-
tended. The rev. T.. 1. Davidson, T. Hill, T. Hughes,
T. Lock,lale, I. Small, and Captain Otter took part in
the engagements of the evening, which terminates! about
'dock in the theridlig. Several of the girls remained
}shimd to have advice .tiol direction how they might leave
their wr. telied ...air, of sin, and everyone that left re-
ceived :4 tie hook .116.1 card of information where to apply
fur help, The ',usual iiieeting was held on Thursday
evening. rd.. 21. ~t Vernon Chapel School-room, Penton-
"lc. Ninety girls were present, and listened to addresses
I'Y the Rev. I'. I:. sawdav and the Rev. W. Taylor, of
Anicrica. Ne uric In of this number remained at the close
13 theinq.The results of these two meetings h eve
been imot satkfacturv. 30 girls having left their course of
sin. and entered ur having been otherwise provided
fur.

Tue
f • ti:a S'.lll..—The Ross N. Winans, double
•arrii e.I :mil anchored on the Motherbank, off
I:ydc, Ide of Wight, on Wednesday evening, from the east-
win?. iv. at noon, she weighed her anchor, and
tis,k a canide turn steaming outside the Nab lightship,
,fterwar.!. !evil nil% to and .e *in anchoring on the Mother-
hank. baring t!ie tirri.• the Ross N. Winans was under
".if the Ni'.. th.• wind was rather fresh front E.S.E.,
and There was a .1i zht tumble of a sea on. She appeared to
move with great speed through the water.