The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LOI,

"action ofTIAIPE

tag es certain to accrue from the consi,
the proposed Out-port of London in Ln
Harbour, immediately under the shelter
grand naval depot at Portsmouth. It has been
explained how imperatively- requisite some such en-
terprise has become, in consequence of
the inci"eageaOf our
of merchant traffic on the south
n coasteoofEnplegtlevies;d
in consequence of the still manifest .
Ain
of our maritime defences, and in consequence of the
extraordinary loss of time, of life, and of property
resulting from. our trading vessels being compelled
to pass through the perils of a ve,.7 difficult navi-
gation. Statistical arguments have been adduced,
to show the existence of the necessity' for at last
resorting to ;some such effort at improvement.
Further proofs we cannot but deem, after what
we said upon a former occasion, altogether super-
fluous. Happily, moreover, there is no reason
for additional statements of this nature, seeing
that the facts, already alluded to, appear to be at
length very generally recognised—the completeness
of their rec ognition being visible in the noble
undertaking now in process of development.
What we are desirous of insisting upon, at
present more especially, are the really nume-
rous and undeniably considerable advantages
! certain to result from this enterprise to
the vast majority of the mercantile popu-
lation. Lwarg,stone—when once fairly supplied
with docks— -when the entrance to the existing
harbour has ,been enlarged—when the branch of
the South-Western Railway shall have been con-
tinued down to. the coast, from the station at
Godalraing—(and all these schemes are now ac-
tually in course of realisation)—will bid fair, as
we intimated on Nhursday, to surpass, in time,
as the unrivalled aut-port of London, the wealth,
the influence, and -the dimensions of Liverpool.
It will be within two hours and a half distance
from London, being separated from the metropolis
by only sixty-six miles capable of being traversed
by railway with that most desirable facility.
Ultimately, we doubt not, the web-work of rail-
roads in Sussex will be extended so far that, by
the South-Coast line, rapid communication may be
effected from the Havant station, near Ports-
mouth, on the margin of this harbour of Lang-
stone, as far as Dover—and this simply by open-
ing up a new branch from Winchelsea to Folke-
stone. Southampton is already within easy dis-
tance of the projected docks and the existing har-
bour. The Isle of Wight, remember, is imme-
diately contiguous, affording our shipping the
channel of the Solent, and the protection of Spit-
head. Besides which—in continuation of these
reflections upon the geographical position of Lang-
stone—it must be sedulously kept in mind that
the docks now about to be constructed in that
harbour will be at all seasons readily accessible in
the most central part of the southern coast of
England, immediately to the north of the North
Deep, almost equi-distant from Beachy Head and
the Isle of Portland, or, extending the limits,
from Torbay and Dungeness. Once perfect the
vast enterprise upon which the country may now
be considered to have actually adventured, and we
shall then possess not only a rendezvous for our
merchant vessels, but shall be enabled effectually
to complete the machinery of the national de-
fences by having a permanent rendezvous for our
men-of-war—one noble fleet being constantly
maintained at Spithead. Guarded thus by her
wooden walls, Old England might set all thoughts
of foreign invasion at defiance. She might in the
very act of preserving the integrity of her shores
from attack, moreover, afford her south-coast
traffic the most acceptable and efficient protection.
Her traders need not then dread in war the guns
of the foe, or in peace the enormous perils of the
up-Channel and Thames navigation. An inde-
scribable sense of security would reinvigorate the
energies of the British people, with their merchant-
men passing to and fro through the entrance
to the Harbour of Langstone, and their men-
of-war riding proudly, protectively, and per-
manently off Spithead. As if to clinch the
correctness of the selection of Langstone as this
grand maritime rendezvous on our southern coast,
it is found on mature consideration that the choice
is warranted as judicious, not merely from its own
intrinsic capabilities, but from its acknowledged
superiority in other respects, besides that of mere
geographical position over the whole of its possible
competitors. Take the two " likeliest "of these
—Torbay and Plymouth. Why, everybody who
knows anything at all about the matter is per-
fectly well aware, that while Plymouth is abso-
lutely incapable of containing in its harbour a really
numerous fleet, Torbay is so far exposed as to be
actually dangerous. Beyond which, Langstone,
recollect, is sixty-six miles from the metropolis
—whereas not so with Torbay or Plymouth.
Either of the latter would, if chosen instead of
Langstone, have been virtually as much beyond
the reach of London for the purposes of rapid
commercial enterprise, as Liverpool. Langstone
on the contrary, being literally, as we have shown
—the Out-port of the capital !
Added to its other merits, the harbour upon
which docks and wharves are about to be con-
structed, is, according to the unbiassed testimony
of an eminent Government engineer, precisely one
of tho few places along our coast qualified to be-
come at once the site of such an undertaking.
Among other advantages, it possesses, for
instance, the really incontestibi e one of
being distant only one mile from the little
town of Havant—a town just numbering 2,450
inhabitants, surrounded by a country at once
populous and productive, having in all directions
i
the greatest
tfhaEceivlietteasvn aseinilaetrsthperebswyean
awi vnaayn
rtcaospria:d-
tmi mn ic ap
ltaieoene.
ytr,a, i lot fhr
railroad
il
tdh allom the—th imesopuotrtha-entoaalotcalitie in
Railways
the UnnniitcaedtioKinn wig
extending eastwardst
line,Has by Winchelsea,tings,
andwestwards
to Dorchester ;another
run-
ning to the north-east, as far as the Forland ;
the South-Eastern carrying him from the • •
junction
at Ashford to Folkestone, and on to Dover ; and
the capital being even now accessible by the
Brighton or by the trunk of the South-Western
Railway. These are the conveniences of the situa-
tion of Langstone, under existing arrangements.
Happily, as we have before announced, the Ports-
mouth Railway Company, with a capital of
400,0001., purpose completing the branch line of
the South-Western already opened as far as God-
alming—so that an iron and electric bond may be
established between London and its Out-port al
Langstone.

Istone

CHRISTMAS EXCURSION TRAINS.—This morning, vast
numbers of persons availed themselves of the opportunity
afforded by the issue of return tickets to proceed by railway
tc visit their friends ; the various termini were crowded,
and additional carriages were attached to every train ; the
arrival of passengers from the country were also exceedingly
numerous—the early train on the Great Western had 300
additional, and one of the down trains on the North-
Western had 450 additional. Persons wishing to proceed
into the country, should bear in mind the trains to-morrow
will only ran as on Sundays, with the exception of the day
mails, which will run as ordinary. The parcel traffic on
the Northern and Western lines is immense this year, and
the contractors for delivery, unab'e to do so in the ordinary
manner, have, since the commencement of the week, been
obliged to employ crabs and other vehicles, besides addi- '
tional men, in order to comply with the Act of Parliament.
ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGFONEL—The extensive addi-
tions which have been making to the Royal College of Sur-
geons, in Lincoln's-inn-fields, at the rear in Portugal-street:
(formerly the china show rooms of Alderman Copeland) are
now nearly completed, and will affordverygreat convenience
to the members of the college, not only to extend their
museum of anatomy, but to enlarge their library.

MUSEUM OF PRACTICAL AnT.—The very beautifu
,d costly Museum of Ancient and Modern Art Manufac.

tures, and Vernon Gallery, at Marlborough-house, Pall-
mall, will be open free, from ten till four, during the
Christmas week, for the special convenience and improve-
ment of the working classes. The collections of ornamental
and decorative art, and forty-four pieces of china lent by
the Queen, also a specimen of Palisy ware, are in the
upstairs rooms.
THE YELLOW FEVER IN THE WEST INDIES.—Her
Majesty's screw-ships Dauntless, 33, Captain Halsted, and
Highflyer, 24, Captain H. J. Matson, have been immedi-
ately ordered to England.

APPROACHING MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.—The Mar-
quis of Headfort is about to be married, early in February,
to Lady Macnaghten, widow of Sir William 3facnaghten,
who fell a sacrifice in Cabool during the Affghanistan war.
—Dublin Mail.

WALKING 1,000 MILES IN 1,000 CONSECUTIVE 20
MINUTES.—On Wednesday, John Mellor, keeper of the
Railway Inn, Rochdale, was brought before George Ash-
worth and Wm. Bartlemore, Esqrs., charged with keeping
a disorderly house on Sunday last. On a plot of land be-
hind the Railway Inn, there is a man walking 1,000 miles
in 1,000 consecutive 20 minutes. The public are admitted
through the Railway Inn to see this feat, by paying 2d.
each. Now this was going on during last Sunday, which
caused great crowds to surround the house. The magis-
trates fined Mellor 5/. and expenses.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(TIIIS DAY.)
The SPEAKEI took the Chair at two o'clock.
The ex-Min.Eters still occupied the Treasury benches.
PETITIONS.
Mr. J. W. 10X presented a petition from Oldham
against the reduction of the malt-tax ; also a petition
from Halifax ii favour of the Crystal Palace being
opened on Sundays,
Mr. CAYLEY presented a petition from the West
Biding of Yorkshire against the State Church.
Mr_NISTERIAL CRISIS.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, on the
motion being real for going into a Committee of Ways
and Means, said—Sir, I believe it will be convenient to
the public service that the house at its rising do adjourn
until Monday next, at two o'clock. I therefore make
that motion.

On the motion beiug put,
Colonel SIBTHORP said, no blame could attach to
the Government or the right hon. gentleman for these
repeibted adjournmen:s. The country was being kept in
unnecessary suspense; and he could not help feeling that
it was in consequence of the incompetency of those who
had wrested the government of the country from the hands
of those who were competent to hold it. They were hke
Sir John Falstaff's rigged staff—without a single effi-
cient man amongst them. He trusted, however, the
country would expres3 its sense of the conduct of these
black sheep, who would shew themselves in their
true colours before many weeks elapsed. He had thought
it his duty to make time few observations on the part of
the country. (Laugher from the Opposition.) Hon.
members might laugh, but they would find his predic-
tions were correct.
The motion for adournment was then agreed to.
ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

On the motion tha; the order of the day be read,
Sir R. H. INGLIg took the opportunity of express-
ing a hope that the new Government, when they came
into office, would adcpt or extend the measures of the
present Government relative to the Arctic Expedition.
The orders of the day were then postponed until
Monday.
The house then adjourned.