The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 4, 1863.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, That the Meeting*
of this Company, to be held in London, on Friday, the 18th
day of September, ISB3, will be made Special, for the follow-
ing* purposes, that is to say:—
To consider and approve an Agreement between the Great
Western Ifaaway Company:lnd the Uxbridge and ffn:kan its-
worth Railway Compar.y. under he rovisions of '• The Ex-
id,,e and if ickmansworth I:mail-ay Act, ISG for the use,
wor•,ing.' and maintenance of the Railway of the latter Loaf,
pany, and for other purposes.
'to consider and approve a L. ase to the Gnat Western
aa d,aty Corotiniiie,ato authorisery,
Railway Company of the Ely Valli y !faraway, under the
powers of ' The Great Western, liereti,rd ss and Glouces-
otthetrea, andssil
m riot xo''nicleteebydyinßtg.lalltli(l,ro3e'soa tAt
olcVtt:hselrG,
Valley Ifailw.y Company, and the raising the undertakingamount so
authorised to be subscribed in the manner prescribed by the
said last mentioned Act.

To authorise the creation, conjointly with the London and
North Western Railway Comp iny, of Birkenhead Capita.,
not exceeding X17,1,1;81, s., for the purposes of the Birken-
head Railway, under the powers of "The Birkenhead
Hallway (Vesting) Act, I>Ail."
To authorise the raising of £217,562 for the general pur-
poses of the Company, under the powers of " The Great
West,rn Railway (Capital) Act, 1861,' • by the creation of
Shares or Stock in the Capital, by such Act authorised, with
a Preferential Dividend not exceeding £4 its, per cent. ptr
annum thereto, as well as to enable the Directors to issue
the same, part passu, with the sum of £1,00,000 Capital,
which was created at a specal general meeting, held on the
301.11 May, 186 , under the poweC+ of the same Act ; the whole
of the said Stock or Shar s to b.! subject t,., such terms and
co., ditions as the Directors may prescribe, and to be offered
to the Proprietors of the Company in the first instance, and
afters ards the residue, if any, to be disposed of as the Board
may dwtermine.
To c m ert, from time to time, as and when it may recur,
all or any of the Preierential shares of the united Company
which may have already been, or which shall hereafter be
paid up, into Stock of lie like denomination.
The special business will be taken immediately after the
half -ycarly Dulness shill be concluded.

RICHD. POTTER. Chairman.
W. lENTON, Deputy-Chairman.
Paddington Station, Sept. 2, 1833.

LITERATURE.

COLBURN'S NEW MONTHLY.—" The Shadow of
Ashlydyat "is continued. It now records the ap-
proaching death of Maria. That long-suffering lady
is fast drawing near to the goal where the weary
may find rest, and there is nothing to regret in her
death. It is melancholy top:ruse the passages where
Maria is taking leave of Meta, her cherished child. When
trying to make her believe the sad reality approaching,
she said she would look down upon her front heaven.
"Meta turned her eyes to the uncurtained window, looking
up to the winter evening sky—" Has heaven got windows ? '
she asked. "I think it has; I think that God allows us
to look down on the dear ones we have left; at least it is
pleasant to think so when we are about to leave them, Meta,
darling; it can do you no harm to think so." It would
hardly be possible to convey a more truthful picture of the
sorrows and sufferings of life than is done in this story. We
are shown how the sins of others are visited upon the un -
offending and guiltless, and how, as in the case of Thomas
Godolphin and Maria, the burden is often too heavy to
bear. But their portion is not all dark ; and when they
reach the end of their painful course, the death of the sor-
row-laden is better than the life of the sinner, who, in care-
less ease, is shifting the burden to other shoulders, and de-
termines to enjoy himself, setting care and memory at
defiance. " John, Lord Carteret," figures as Sir Nathaniel's
worthy of this month. The sketch of his career will at-
tract notice. The Life and Letters of Washington Irving
form the subject of an interesting article. It is very en-
tertaining to follow the anecdotes collected of this remark-
able man; and the writer seems thoroughly to have appre-
ciated his subject. " Strathmore" is continued, and is as
exciting as ever in its foreign style. " Twice Sacrificed"
is the first part of a melancholy tale, from the Danish. It
is well written, and ably exemplifies the imprudence and
misery that result from the disgraceful practice of marriage
de conversance, which obtains so much abroad. " Honto
Hominum Deum," is the title of some very impressive
verses that record a touching picture of the misery inflicted
by the heartless votaries of fashion, and the ruthless rulers
of business upon the helpless beings who are doomed to
stitch, stitch, stitch, till life becomes a burden, and death
is gladly hailed as a rescue from toil, and a release from
cruel slavery, The last sad scene is truthfully and
touchingly described.

BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY.—The lively and en-
tertaining story of " Six Weeks at Hunsdo❑
Manor" is continued at some length, though it
chronicles no more important incident than a pic-
nic. "At the Tower Window with Sir Walter
Raleigh" is the title of an essay suggested by the
well-known anecdote of Sir Walter's burning a volume of
his History of the World in disgust at the contradictory
versions given him of an affair which he hh.d seen with his
own eyes. The difficulties in the way of the impartial his-
torian have forced themselves on the minds of many emi-
nent men, whose opinions aro here cited. In concluding
his reflections the writer pertinently remarks that every
modern writer who tells the story of Sir Walter and his
irreconcileable witnesses gives a different version from his
fellows! We meet with a lengthened history of Count
Wala, the first prisoner of Chillon, which is taken from
the French, and may servo to interest the reader, although
it is far too long and diffuse, A sketch of the career of
Sir John Hawkwood, one of the most eminent of the
Free Lances of the middle ages, pays a high tribute to
his abilities as a commander, " After the Battle" is
founded on the narrative of a French gentleman, who,
happening to pass through Upper Italy at the time of the
late Italian war, became a spectator of the supplementary
horrors of Solferino. lie was an actor also in the har-
rowing scenes he records, since he devoted himself to the
succour of the unfortunate victims of the war, together
with a few other voluntary assistants, some of whom were
obliged to abandon their charitable offices, overwhelmed
with distress. Truly such scenes as he describes strip the
gaudy colours from the triumphs of the battlefield, and
might servo to disenchant the most enthusiastic. The ex-
travagant production of M. About, entitled " The Notary's
Nose" (of which a resume was some time back given in the
columns of The Sun) is summariz,al for the benefit of the
English reader. It might almost read for a caricature of
" sensation" novels, as " Firmilian" was a satire on the
modem school of poetry. The editor's animated story of
"Cardinal role" proceeds with interest. In the present in-
stalment Derrick Carver meets the fate which has so long
been hanging over his devoted head,

THE ECLECTIC REVIEW.—An essay on one of
the celebrities of the era of the Reformation—
Ulrich von Hatten—opens this number. It is fol-
lowed by an ethnological paper on the " Races of Europe,"
containing some curious and instructive details of the pe-
culiarities of our European families. " A Triad of Muses"
gives a fair and favourable criticism on some new competi-
tors for poetical fame. The eccentric Swedish Queen,
Christina, is the subject of an article founded on a re-
cently published life. Other papers on theological subjects
complete a number of average interest and merit,
GOOD WORDS.—The pencil of Mr. Millais this
month very beautifully illustrates the Parable of
the Woman, broom and lamp in hand, search-
ing about the floor of her house for the lost piece of silver.
There is a pretty but rather fantastic drawing, moreover, in
this same number by another illustrator, delineative of
" Childhood." The letterpress is, for the most part, as
usual, very excellent. Not the least worthy of perusal
among the contents being a brief letter to the Editor of
Good Words, penned by Dean Alford of Canterbury, in re•
ference to the last ill-natured attack upon himself by the
self-appointed critic on the Dean's "Plea for the Queen's
English." With this gentlemanly but caustic note the
number far September is brought to a conclusion.
MISCELLANEOUS MAGAZINES.—The Sixpenny
Magazine has its usual liberal allowance of stories
sane
and sketches, one of the most ingenious being the
tale of a madman, who, being taken by a friend to
a lunatic asylum, suspected the truth, and contriv-
ing to abstractard ian. j
andhe Pellet
so gives its fair readers an extra
in-
troduced his companion as the maniac, and himself as the
me very good advice in a slightly
improbable story, entitled " The Wedding Bonnet." 24.
plate of fashions, the papers of admission, certificate, &c.,
Bogs' Own Magazine is full of attractions, the very titles
being enough to fascinate the young reader. We have
" The Story of the Black Prince's Page," "The Young
:Horseman," "In the African Bush," "Up in the Alps,"
and " Midshipmen Ashore." It is plentifully illustrated,
and offers astounding riddles, puzzles, and perplexities of
all sorts to the solution of the skilful. Newton's London
Journal presents its usual supply of recent information on
all matters connected with patents Mad the patent law.
Cassell's Popular Educator and Illusttated History of
England are proceeded with. The former contains most
various instruction, while the latter has come down to the
present reign. Beeton's Dictionary of Art, Valence, and
Literature is a closely printed and comprehensive repertory
of information. The Boys' Own Library and 2he Boys'
Penny Magazine arc good samples of their class.

__,_ ,-
MONUMENTS TO LORD IdYRONi 5.... DAUGHTER
ADA, AND HIS GRANDSON. VISCOUNT OCRHAm --.
Two handsome monuments have just been finished erecting
to the memory of the above noble personages, the former
being placed in. Newstead Abbey, and the latter in the
in-
scriptions; :.--i•
parish church of Ripley, Surrey. They are both Gothic
monuments, of white Carrara marble, are most elaborately
carved, and are ornamented by the arms of the family, the
whole having been executed by Mr. T. Gaffin, the sculptor,
of the Quadrant, Regent-street. The following are the in-
tlioaartyt hv, eldest Viscount
o u
n
of Augusta Ada, only daughter of George Gordon Noel,
In the Byron? vault below lie .the remains
sixth Lord Byron, the wife of William Berl of Lovelace.
Born 20th I)Qc., 1815, died 27th Nov., 1852. R 1.P." " In
memory of Byron N,el Viscount Ockham and Baron Went-
worth,
RonOckohfa: ilbleinfonlre
i 8636, died Sept. 1, 1862," It will be remembered
death,EhiasrlLoveblaacde
b.
eeßn
as a smith in one of the de Ir d
c yar S, owrnorkl2ilt):

The Fortifications of Portsmouth.

It has been said that as a p2ople we have in the
matters of harbours and breakwaters cast our money
more liberally upon the waters than has been done
by others, but it is doubtful if the same can be said
of the precautions we have taken in protecting cur
shores aginst the ambition of other nations. We are
now, however, engaged in spending some millions
in strengthening the defence of the kingdom at all
its most vital points. As a natural ac quecce to such
a course a reactionary cry was rained, the work on
foundations for the marine forts at Spithead was
suspended, and at the same time it was understood
that the chain of forts on Portsdown would not be
proceeded with beyond a certain point until the
subject was brought formally before the House of
Commons in the usual course by the Premier. The
significant majority with which the vote on the
Fortifications Bill was recently passed by the house
sufficiently indicated the determination of the coun-
try generally to support Lord Palmerston in plac-
ing the defences of the kingdom on an efficient basis,
and the result of this decision' is that the Spithead
forts will be proceeded with, and the chain of forts
on Portsdown completed. Several plans for the forts
at Spithead have been submitted, but none as yet
have been officially selected and determined upon in
all their details, nor is the precise form in which
the Portsdown forts are trebeitimpleted yet agreed
upon. Both are subjects of vast importance and
general interest, and, as they form the salient points
of the outer cordon of defence constructing round
our chief naval arsenal, we shall say a few words
respecting them.

The introduction of rifled ordnance utterly
nullified the confined area of all then exis-
ting lines of defence surrounding fortified posi-
tions such as Portsmouth dockyard and arsenal, and
the lines had, therefore, to be considerably
extended, so as to increase the distance between
the points of attack and defence. In the instance
of Portsmouth the northern and southern extremi-
ties of its proposed lines of defence (the central fort
on Portsdown-hill and the marine forts on the
Noman and Horse Shoals) form parts of nearly a
circular defensive line, of about nine miles in
diameter, between the points named. Portsdown
may be considered as commanding all approaches to
the port from landward (supposing that an enemy
may have Effected a landing on any part of the ad-
j Acent, coast), and the Nomau and Horse Forts,
through the narrow channel by the Warner Light,
from sea ; supposing also, in the latter instance,
that the Needles Channel is rendered impassable to

any iron fleet.
The position of Portsdown is nearly seven miles
in extent, and runs nearly parallel with the line of
coast, or the anchorage of Spithead, and its centre
rises to a height of 460 feet above Ordnance level,
anp is here at a distance of about 5,000 yards from
Portsmouth dockyard, while the large powder
magazines at Tipnor, and the shipping moored in
the upper part of the harbour, lie at its very base.
fhe vast importance of such a pocition and the im-
perative necessity for including it in the general
plan for the port's defence are thus evident, and,
although the extent of the plan including Ports-
down somewhat staggered even Sir John Burgoyne
yet that able officer, in his evidence before the De-
fence Commission, admitted freely that the defence
of the port of Portsmouth would be imperfect with-
out it, and the fortification of Pmesdown was there-
fore decided upon, and has been completed in its
first stage.
It is being crowned with seven forts—
Purbrook, Farlington, and Cookhorn, at its
eastern extremity, Wallingford at its western,
and Widley, Southwick, and Nelson inter-
mediately along its crest. These forts are being
constructed on an exceedingly simple plan, being
somewhat of horseshoe form, with the toe of the
shoe pointing inland, and the heel of the shoe to-
wards the sea of Portsmouth, but of strong trace
and prodigious strength, the base line along the
hilt's crest. This finishing of the forms of the forts
at the base line is the most important point for con-
sideration in connection with the completion of the
works. A common-sense view of the question would
argue for a simple military road connecting the forts
along the hill's crest, and thus leaving the gorges
open, the latter standing towards Portsmouth, and
if they are only intended as a defensive adjunct to
Portsmouth and its dockyard, this is doubtless the
only sensible idea that can be entertained. It is,
however, said that the Royal Engineers strongly
advocate the construction of " iron-cased" keeps to
close the gorge of each work. It can scarcely be
believed, however, that such a proposition can be
seriously entertained. If an enemy once got suffi-
ciently close to find that a fort on Portsdown was
too hard a nut to crack by bombardment, ho would
simply, as the hill is of a chalk formation, cut a gal-
lery or tunnel in the chalk, and blow the whole
affair, " iron keep" and all, into the air. So far as
the works have proceeded at present, their general
design, if left, as suggested, as open forts to the
rear, connected by a military road, has been magni-
ficently conceived and executed. At the cast end
of the hill the works are the least forward of any,
but here may be seen the unusually formidable na-
ture of the " trace." It is commanded by three
works—Farlington, Crookhorn, and Purbrook. All
three have yet proceeded in their construction but
little beyond their formation of parapet and ditch
and general outline. Their height reaches 300 ft.
above Ordnance level. Farlington commands
the eastern point of Portsdown, and will
mount 18 of the heaviest guns on, its terre-plein,
with mortar batteries on the angles of its surround-
ing ditches, each battery mounting three mortars.
A sunken gallery communicates with Crookhorn,
which will mount 16 guns on its terre-plein, with
six guns in the angles of its ditch. A continuation
of the same sunken gallery leads from Crookhorn
to the main work at this eastern end of Portsdown,
Purbrook—which will mount 21 guns on its terre-
plain, nine guns in caponnieres in the ditch, and
three mortars in the ditch's west angle. It has a
nearly straight face of 240 ft., looking inland, the
open gorge being opposite the west side of Lang-
Eton harbour and the eastern side of Portsmouth
harbour. The ditches surrounding the three works
vary in depth, according to their position, from 35ft
to 50ft. Sunken galleries from the interior of the
works communicate with the mortar batteries and
caponnieres in the ditches. The walls of the ditches
themselves are supported in their vertical formation
by chalk and brick masonry, and these formidable
outer obstructions are carried out generally in the
entire line of works along the hill's crest. At Wal-
lingford, the fort which commands all approaches
to Portsdown at its western end, the arrangements
are somewhat different, owing to its position, but
continue of the same comprehensive and formidable
nature, It will mount 56 guns on its terre-plein I
four of them being in casemates 2 la Haxo at the
angles. Caponnieres project into the ditch, mount-
ing three guns each at each angle, and have mortar
batteries in the rear. Sunken galleries communi-
cate between the enciente of the work, the capon-
nieres, the mortar batteries, and an advanced
covered way on the right shoulder, which mounts
three guns, sweeping the line of ditch. It stands
at au elevation of 140 ft. above Ordnance level,
has a right front of 520 ft., a left front of
326 ft., a right flank of 437 ft., and a left flank of
383 ft. Its gorge is as yet open like the lee of the
Portsdown forts, and looks towards the seacoast.
Although not strictly speaking belonging to the
line of Portsdown forts, still it must be considered
a "Portsdown" fort, as erected on;the low land at
about a mile distant from Fort Wallington, and
nearer the line of seacoast stands Fort Fareham,
the village of Fareham, which stands at the upper-
most head of Portsmouth harbour, being situated
between the two forts. Any attack upon the posi-
tion of Portsdown from the westward must include
Fort Perehean, which must the:refer° be cousidered
conjointly with the seven hilt forts hire ;44 noticed.

It is a work of more than ordinary pretensions.
Like the forts on Portsdown it may be generally
described as of horseshoe shape, with five faces of
221 ft., 17,3 ft., 313 ft., 364 ft., and 400 ft. respectively.
It will mount 50 guns on its terzeplein, double
Haxo casemates being at each angle. The tare-
plcin is supported on massive brickwork arches,
which give the necessary accommodation for the
garrison, and the whole work will have an eleva
Lion of 36ft. over the surrounding country, its front
being well covered with earthwork. The ditch en-
compassing the fort is 15ft. in depth, 119 ft. in
width at the top, revetted in brickwork, and with
9ft. of water. Portsdown is thus the base of the
great polygon of works designed and now being
carried into execution for the defence of Ports-
mouth. South of Portsdown is the anchorage of
Spithead, and the proposed sites of the marine forts
which are to defend Spithead and Portsmouth from
the sea.

While Portsmouth is being thus engirdled with
a vast net of fortifications, it is impossible not to
acknowledge, on examining the general plan, that
in the channel of approach from the sea stands the
Achilles' heel of the whole plan. Only five hours'
steaming from the greatest military port of another
country, there is not at present existing one single
obstacle to a hostile squadron steaming into Spit-
head whenever it may choose, and bombarding and
destroying Portsmouth dockyard, its shipping, and
its arsenals at pleasure. It is imbecility at its ex-
tremest point to speak of any effectual resistance
which cou'Al be offered by the existing fortifications
now supposed to defend Portsmouth and Spithead
from such a disastrous result. They are old works
which would fall :o the ground from the concussion
of any guns fired from their parapets of sufficient
calibre to inflict damage on an iron-clad fleet. To
show the truth and importance of this statement, it
is here necessary to observe that the mouth of
Portsmouth Harbour, Southsea Castle, and Fort
Moncton form a triangle of which Spithead is the
base, with Portsmouth Harbour at the apex, and
that the guns at these three points aro the only pre-
sent obstacles to the entrance of an enemy's fleet
from the sea. Southsea Castle is a very old stone-
built work, partially covered with earth on its flank,
and is in such a dilapidated state that not a gun has
been allowed to be fired from its walls for months
past, not even for blank practice. The front face
of Fort Moncton, which faces Spithead, and is sup-
posed to cross fire with Southsea Castle, is the
weakest part of the work, and would certainly not
bear the concussion from the fire of heavy ordnance.
In these two points, therefore, at the base of the
triangle, there are at present no existing means
for the defence of Portsmouth from a sea at-
tack. The batteries at the mouth of the
harbour are armed with 32 and 68 poun-
ders, and a few 110 pounder Armstrongs,
but they are useless as opposed to iron-clad
ships, nor will they carry guns of sufficient
weight and calibre to prevent iron-clads forcing
the entrance of the harbour, The knowledge of these
facts justly gave the Government the strongest
argument possible for the completion of their scheme
for the marine forts which are intended to remedy
this very weak point in the armour of Portsmouth.
The Government plans for the defence of Spit-
head from a sea attack consist of the three marine
forts of the Horse, Noman, and Sturbridge, all three
to be constructed on shoals abutting upon the nar-
row deep water ways of Spithead. The two first-
named will lie south of Spithead, and be the first
obstacles to the entrance of a hostile fleet from the
Channel. The Sturbridge (built on the Sturbridge
shoal, off Ryde, Isle of Wight) can only be of ser-
vice after a fleet has forced its way into Spithead,
and therefore its use under any circumstances would
be very problematical. From its position, even if it
missed an enemy's ship, it must strike a friend, as
its shots in either case would plump either into the
town of Ryde or Fort Moncton. It is situate at
4,500 yards distance from the Noman and Horse
forts, and is about 6,800 yards from the dockyard.
It stands, in fact, or rather is intended to stand, in
the centre of the ground into which an enemy's
fleet must never be allowed to enter, and by its fire
would injure its friends more than its enemies. So
well is the inutility of this proposed fort under-
stood, that Capt. Tyler, of the Royal Engineers, has
not hesitated to condemn it in letters to the public
press, and proposed in lieu to erect a fort oa the
Warner Rock, outside the Noman and Horse forts.
The three forts would then form a perfect triangle,
with the " Warner" as the apex and in advance,
and if constructed and armed as contemplated no

iron ship should ever swim past them. All
parties appear now to agree in the expediency
of constructing these marine forts, provided
they are bailt to carry guns of sufficient power to
smash in the sides of any iron ship that may come
between them. The Government plans have, how-
ever, been severely criticised from the date of the
fii•st report of tho Royal Defence Commission, and
various plans have been submitted, some on evtdenee
before the Commission, and others from non-official
sources, either to prevent an enemy from ever en-
tering Spithead at all, or for rendering it so hot
after he had got there that ho would be glad to
quit it again.
Sir John Dalrymple Hay, R.N., when examined
before the Defence Commsssioners, proposed that a
boom should be placed across the channel between
the proposed Horse and Noman forts, and that 12
iron-cased vessels should lie connected together by
chains and moored ineide in support, and that 12
vessels, under steam, iron-cased, should be em-
ployed, in addition, to offer the first line of defence
against the enemy. Capt. Tyler, R.E., in lately
reviewing this proposition of Sir John Hay, advo-
cates the additional defensive force of six steam
rams, worked by double or "twin" screws, inside
the forts, and considers that under such circum-
stances of defence, with a fort on the Warner Rock,
it would be impossible for any hostile ironclad
fleet to enter Spithead by its southern channel.
A plan has been proposed by Mr. W. Austin, C.E.,
for closing the passage between the Horse and
Woman forts by means of floating batteries of peen-

liar construction and light draught of water, con-
nected by chaincables with the forts, that appears to
possess a great originality of idea, with simplicity
and economy. So far these plana relate only to the
closing of the waterway between the Noman and
Warner shoals, through which an enemy's fleet can
only reach Spithead from the Channel by the
southern passage.
Another plan has been submitted to the authori-
ties by Mr. Pineo, C.E., of Portsmouth, a gentle-
man, by his position and knowledge of the waters
of Spithead, well qualified to give an opinion,
which, from its economical estimated cost, its com-
prehensiveness, and the manner in which it enters
into the extension and defences of the port, deserves
special attention. Portsmouth harbour is separated
from the outer deep waters by a series of shoals,
generally known as the Spithead shoals, which ex-
tend in a triangular form from the narrow mouth
of the harbour to opposite Southsea Castle, and
thence to Moncton Fort opposite Ryde. From the
harbour's entrance to Southsaa Castle is the " har-
bour channel," about three-quarters of a mile in
length, a narrow, tortuous entrance, and parallel
with it extends the Spithead shoals, which run, or
rather trend back, to Fort Moncton, standing on
the opposite peninsula of land and nearly opposite
to Ryde. The triangular piece of land which thus
forms the shoals which separate the harbour
channel of Portsmouth from the deeper water of
Spithead anchorage, Mr. Pineo proposes to enclose
with two tiers of whole baulk cc,fferdam piles, with
ties and braces, &c., filled with excavations from the
shoals, which (the shoals) would then be of suffi-
cient depth in the area enclosed within this piling
for two basins—one at the base of the triangular
formation, to be an inner floating basin of about
200 acres; and the cuter one, at the cpex of the
triangle, to be a tidal basin of about 120 acres, with
opeainge to allow of the flow of the tide into the