The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-11 00:00:00

THE AR AI

The squadron of the sth Royal Lancers, in com-
mand of Capt. Boyd, stationed at Woolwich since
last summer, yesterday marched out of garrison,
and proceeded to Hounslow headquarters, to relieve
the crowded barracks at Woolwich, preparatory to
the summer arrangement. To meet the increasing '
demands of Woolwich Garrison, a most eligible site
adjacent to the Royal Artillery barracks has been
cleared for the erection of a new church, the accom-
modation in the old chapel having been found
inadequate.
The next examination of assistant-surgeons for
the Army will commence at Chelsea Hospital on the
10th of March nest. There will be 20 vacancies.
The finding and sentence of the district court-
martial which assembled at Chatham garrison a few
days since for the trial of Private George Bowman,
93d company Royal Engineers, on a charge of
threatening to shoot Sergeant Green, belonging to
the same corps, under the circumstances already
detailed in The Sun, Were promulgated to the
officers and men of the division early yesterday
morning. He has been found guilty, and sentenced
to be confined in the military prison, Fort Clarence,
Rochester, with hard labour, for 168 days. After
the sentence had been read the prisoner was handed
over to an escort, and conducted to the Fort.
E commanding Royal Artil-
lery Lieu t.
t Col. O'Connell
of the various the Eastern district, has commenced an
.
stations under his direc-
tion.
inspection e

The
e
m
was n xcircular,o
from the Royal Marine-
office,ived at Woolwich:—
4th inst. will be laid be-
fore o annexed
yesterdaysesi eo d
n s da terde the
the Queen appointing the following qualified
cadets to be Second ',louts. in the corps of Royal
Marines : Warner Wright Spalding, ap-
pointed to the Chatham division ; Mr. George
Andrew Noble Kitson, appointed to the Woolwich
division, and ordered to the Royal Naval College to
continue his studies ; Mr. Bertram Augustus Shil-
toe Marshall, appointed to the Chatham division ;

Mr. Cyril trampthn; to the Woolwich division ;
Mr. Digby Henry Dent, to the PortsMotth
sion; Mr. Henry James Bowman, to the WoolWich
division; Mr. Francis Hutchinson, to the Woolwich
division j Mr. Archibald Mends Thompzon Gibson,
to the Plymouth division ; and Mr. Charles Har-
rington Scafe, to the Chatham division 4
It is expected that Messrs. Lucas Brothers., th 6
contractors for the new cavalry barracks at Col-
chester, will commence operations in the course of
the current week. Chief Assist.-Sorg. Hope, who
has been attached some little time to the 10th bat-
talion at Colchester, has received orders to join his
regiment at Bombay. In consequence of the indis-
position of Lieut. Eames, of the 66th, the command
of the detachment at Vanguard Fort, Harwich, has
been transferred to Lieutenant Fawcett, of the Ist
Royals.

FORTIFICATIONS FOR THE BRISTOL
CHANNEL.

-
The unprotected state of the Bri3tol Channel has
for some time been under the attentive considera-
tion of the Government. It is manifest that an
arm of the sea, extending:into the heart of the em-
pire, and hitherto presenting no difficulties what-
ever to an invading force, except such as arise from
the intricacies of the navigation, would afford
abundant opportunites for privateering and for in-
flicting serious injury upon our commerce. Between
Glocester and the Land's end there is not a single
fort of any description, nor any harbour accessible
at all times of the tide, into which a vessel pursued
by an enemy or drivenby.stress of weather may run
for shelter.

The site selected by the Government for the con-
struction of a line of fortifications for the protection
of the ports existing in the upper part of the )3ristol
Channel is the range of hills extending from east
to west, at the southern extremity of Uphill-bay,
near Weston-super-Mare, and connected with the
opposite coast near Penarth, South Cardiff, by
means of two islands lying nearly equi- distant from
other, and called the Steep and Flat Holmes. Brean-
down the name of the promontory on the Somerset-
shire coast, rises precipitously from flat marshy
lands at its base, and extends at a considerable ele
vation for about a mile and a half into the Bristol
Channel, immediately opposite the Steep Holmes,
from which it is separated by an interval of 4,000
yards. At its extreme western point the down
fsrms a broad platform of land after a
somewhat gradual , descent, its sides on
the north and south throughout their whole
extent being of a steep and rugged character
with a breadth of table-land along the summit.
Upon the platform at the extreme western point,
which-is at an elevation excellently adapted for a
large battery, the guns will be placed. The forti-
fications will be continued by double batteries on
each side of the Steep and Flat Holmes, presenting
a cross fire of the most formidable character, being
nowhere more than a range of 2,000 yards, and they
will thence be carried on to Lavernock Point, below
Penarth Roads, thus placing the rapidly rising
commercial port of Cardiff within the protection of
their guns, and virtually closing the gates of the
Severn.

It is not possible to overestimate the importance
of these fortifications in a national point of view, as
they are calculated to protect our principal steam
coalfields, a great part of the produce of which now
finds its way into colliers and small coasting craft,
to be conveyed by them to various ports in the Bri-
tish Channel. In time of war many of these would
fall into the hands of an enemy, and furnish him
with fuel for his war steamers.

But, in order to secure a safe and constant sup-
ply of steam coal for our arsenals in the British
Channel, within the range of the projected fortifi-
cations it is proposed to profit by the vast natural
advantages of Bread-dowe, on the Somersetshire
side, and to construct simultaneously with the for-
tifications a large deep-water harbour onthe northern
side of the down, where, under cover of the bat-
teries, vessels laden with coals and other mine-
rals from South 'Wales may at all times, with-
out risk or danger, securely discharge their car-
goes. It is proposed to connect the harbour,
which will be accessible at all periods of the
tide, and at the lowest spring tides, with the Bris-
tol and Exeter and Central Somerset Railways, by
means of which direct and regular access will be
afforded to it from the ports in the south and west
of England, and from the metropolis, through the
medium of both gauges. It is not too much to ex-
pect that the Government will cordially promote
the formation of the harbour at Brean-down, as,
independently of considerations connected with the
proposed fortifications, there is at the present mo-
ment no other than a tidal harbour throughout the
whole of the Bristol Channel, the consequence of
which is the constant damage to shipping in the
violent storms which prevail in this district. A
most commodious and excellent harbour may, in
the opinion of the most eminent engineers, be con-
structed at Brean-down at a trifling expense, com-
pared with the immense advantages to be derived
from it; their testimony being unanimous to the
effect that no situation in the whole of England
presents greater facilities for direct communication
with America, or for the development of an exten-
sive and lucrative home trade,