The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-20 00:00:00

711 E ARMY.

In addition to the land defences now being erected
on the Kent and Essex coasts at Shornmeade, Coal-

house Point, the Isle of Grain, Garrison Point, Folly
Point, Darnetness, and Bishop's Marsh, for the pro-
tection of the entrances to the rivers Thames and
Medway, the Government has also decided on the
erection of a large battery on the projecting point
of land at Allhallows, on the southern bank of the
Thames, about mid-distance between the forts
in course of construction at Shornmeade and Garri-
son Point, on the Kentish coast. The side for the
Proposed fort has been taken possession of by the
Government, and the erection of the battery and
other works will be at once commenced. In the
meantime, every effort is being used by the several
Government contractors to complete the various
works now in progress, more especially those which
command the main channel entrance to the Thames
find also the river Medway. Among the most pro-
minent of the works now on hand, and to which the
principal efforts of the Government appear to be
directed, are those connected with the erection of
the large batteries on the shore and spit of Grain,
In the north-west side of the channel approach to
Chatham harbour and arsenal, every exertion being
used to have the formidable forts and batteries on
the Isle of Grain, as well as those in progress at
Garrison Point, on the opposite side of the estuary
of the Medway, completed before next summer, by
which time the works connected with the formation
of the new docks and basins at Chatham will be
fairly in hand. Several hundred hands have been
employed on the Grain works during the past
summer and op to the present period, and consider-
able progress . . .
structureweitratphiedfi
has been made in raising the super-
structure the erection of which is pro-
ceeding
13'1 as circumstances will admit. The
position of tbs
the
mounted
of the fort, in con-
, rendering
on the defences at
Garrison Point
am vessel attempting to force
river impassable to
The forts on the Isle of Grain a hostile passage.
accomniod sting several hunanredvill be capable of
rooms, maghzinos, and barrackstr:9B' the store-
proof, and capable of resisting the tionstgil all bomb-
attacking force. The fort to be ereeleeafire of an
at All-
hallows, Cliffe, will be very large, its situation
being admirably chosen, as its guns will assist nn
vertical fire the battery at Coalhouse Point, on the
opposite opposite side of the river, and render secure Lower
and the other parts of the Thames
Hope Reach The battery at Coalhouse
be;loar Gravesend.
Point, on the Essex side of the river, wilt be
e Armstrong
—it h the most formidable of th
r gum, and, as the position of this fort has
concentrated fire of its guns
be:,.n well et•lccted, the eon
effectually bar the
passage
of that part of the
s to be erected at
river. The foundations of the fort
below Chatham
Folly Point and Bishop's Marsh,
Dockyard, are still incomplete, obstacles of a more
-
than usually formidable character having been ex
perienced during the progress of the works, render-
inglt The
the uncle rtaking one of extreme diffiee! y•
objections raised to the sites for the batteries, which
n at the
were pointed out in the columns of Me Su

and o