The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-10 00:00:00

POLAND.

Sir J. FERGUSSON intimated that when the ad-
journed debate came on he intended to ask the hon. member
for Sheffield (Mr. Roebuck) a question.

INDIAN BUDGET.
Sir C. WOOD intimated, in reply to an hon. member,
that he had not yet determined the exact day when he
should call attention to the finances of India.
FORTIFICATIONS (PROVISION FOR EX-
PENSES) BILL.

Lord PALMERSTON moved the second reading of this
bill.

Sir F. SMITH moved, as an amendment, "That no
further expenditure be incurred for the present upon that
part of the project for fortifications which is based on the
assumption that an enemy might land in force and attempt
to besiege Portsmouth and Plymouth, except on such works
as are in a very advanced state of progress." The hon.
baronet commenced by stating that since the question was
before them last year circumstances had not altered in
any essential degree. It was quite evident that if all
these works were completed, upon the scale recom-
mended by the commission, there would be no army left
to take the field against the invaders. But now, in case
of any invasion from France— which was very unlikely if

England maintained her supremacy as sea—was it not
much more probable that the invading force would march
by the directest route for the capital than turn aside to
destroy a couple of dockyards ? Of the two operations, the
latter would be by far the more difficult. A bombardment
might destroy a certain number of ships and storehouses,
and a certain amount of combustible matter, but it would
not destroy the docks, the wharves, the iron, or the timber;
therefore, for a small compensation, the enemy would incur
an immense risk. He admitted that a dockyard like Pam-
broke would be exposed to a certain amount of danger in
case of war with France, provided the enemy could land
with sufficient face upon our shores, but the experience of
the Crimean war had shown that five days were requisite
for the landing of so small a force as 20,000 infantry, with
artillery and 1,000 horse ; and how then could the French
ffect a landing for 100,000 men ? At any rate they would
never attempt to land at Portsmouth; they might land
much more easily on the coast of Kent, and then they could
take possession of Chatham, Sheerness, and Deptford. At
Woolwich an enormous amount of stores were collected, and
yet it was not proposed to erect as much as a single redoubt
there. They had been told there was a chance of a bombard-
ment of Portsmouth by vessels entering by Spithead. Now,
ho was not prepared to admit that Charleston was a case in
point, and he hoped the noble lord the Secretary to the A-
dmiralty would state his opinion on the matter. He thought
that, both with regard to the guns employed at Fort Sumter
and the setting of the tide at both harbours, there was no
analogy between them. It was therefore idle to talk of plac-
ing obstructions at Spithead, for they would have a most se-
rious effect upon our own fleet, which would be thus shut
out. Under these circumstances they would have to depend
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lahiomblseellfo.rdlf he could see the.thing in the same light as the noble
lord he would be the last man to oppose the expenditure of
the money; but believing that there never would be any
occasion to use the proposed works, he felt it his duty to
oppose such works as were not in a very advanced state.
Now it appeared that up to the 31st of last March, not a
halfpenny had been laid out on the north-eastern works at
Plymouth, which were estimated to cost £135,000. Surely
it was not too late to stop these. In his opinion they should
pause and consider whether they might not adopt a more
economical system, and substitute field works for the per-
manent ones originally recommended. The eastern division
of the works at Chatham had not been advanced during the
year. Would the noble marquis tell him whether any land
had been purchased at Chatham ?
The Marquis of HARTJNGTON said he believed that
land had been purchased.
Sir F. SMITH said there was nothing in the papers to
show that the land had been purchased. He thought it was
quite unnecessary to go on with the minor works if it was
intended to complete the works on Portsdown range, for U
an enemy could carry the gigantic works on Portsdown-
hill, it would be an easy matter to destroy the small lines.
The idea of the Duke of Wellington was, not that an enemy
could come round by Portsdown-hill and attack the dock-
yards of Portsmouth, but that it might be possible for France
to send a fleet into the Solent from the Gosport side, which
by shells and mortars would do serious damage to the dock-
yard. What he wanted, and what the house wanted, was
not to thwart the plans of the noble lord, but to cut down
the expenses to a more economical standard. How could
they imagine than an enemy would land upon the south-
eastern coast 1 With the present facilities for the transport
of troops, the whole force of the coul:try could be concen-
trated on the spot within 24 hours. And if they could not
imagine that an enemy would attempt a landing, was it
not a waste of money to construct works upon so extensive
a scale? The Government had departed in many points
from the recommendations of the commission, and why
not give up other works which were only jast begun, and
the value of which was open to very great doubt ?
Nothing had been done at Woolwich, although the com-
mission strongly recommended a redoubt. The commission
had also recommended works at Chatham, but nothing had
been done there. Pot his own part, although representing
Chatham, he would never think of recommending anything,
in tho shape of fortifications for that town, for he believed
the idea of invasion was a mere bugbear. (Hear, hear.) He
was sure the noble lord had no personal fears, but that his
fears were for the nation ; but there was stuff ill the people