The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-30 00:00:00

TILE QUEEN'S VISIT TO IRELAND.

Yesterday morning at a quarter past 3 o'clock, the
Royal squadron left Holyhead, and arrived in Kingstown
harbour at 20 minutes past 8. The weather during the
voyage across the Channel was as fine as could be wished,
and when the sun rose the spectacle presented was an
exceedingly imposing one. Behind, and becoming
fainter and fainter on the eye, lay the dim outline of
the Anglesea coast, and in front could be distinguished
in the clear cool light the misty forms of the Wicklow
mountains. Over the sea, still heaving slightly beneath
the influence of the recent south-westerly gales, the
Royal yacht and her attendant fleet of steamers bravely
held their way. It reminded one somewhat of the re-
cent Spithead review to see them, in a long line and
without a stitch of canvas set, steadily pushing forward
against a smart westerly breeze. Some sent forth no
smoke, while others puffed out sable volumes of it from
their sooty chimneys into the fresh morning air. Some
rolled heavily in the swell of the Channel, while others
held their way lightly over it. As the passage length.
ened before them the fastest vessels began to show un-
mistakeable evidence of their superior speed. The
Royal yacht led the way, and close behind her came
the Banshee, the Terrible, and the graceful skimming
little Fairy. The rest of the squadron fell considerably
behind. On the port side of the foremost ships, and in
close attendance, steamed the Anglia, one of the Chester
and Holyhead Company's boats, commanded by Captain
Warren, R.N., with Captain Hurst, the naval superin-
tendent of the company, and Mr. Binger, its manager,
on board. As the Royal route lay across the track over
which the company in right of its enterprise claims a
species of dominion, this mark of attention was appro-
priately paid ; and the Anglia justified her selection for
the duty by a speed which enabled her to sail round and
round the squadron—the Victoria and Albert, of course,
alone excepted. As the fleet appeared off Kingston
Harbour, a royal salute from the batteries and from the
formidable portholes of La Hogue thundered forth the
news of its approach, and the harbour, crowded with
gaily-decorated yachts, presented a highly animated
appearance. Her Majesty's early arrival seemed to take
the inhabitants somewhat by surprise ; but, as she was
not to land till 10 o'clock, there would be ample time
given them to assemble in full strength, and to give her
a hearty Irish welcome. Already their warm cheers
waxed louder, and from all parts people were seen
hurrying to the pier, where a guard of honour was
drawn up, and the royal yacht close alongside, ready to
land her precious freight.
All Sunday the Royal squadron lay quietly at anchor
in the new harbour at Holyhead, to the unfinished but
stupendous works of which its presence gave an un-
wonted gaiety and interest. In such a position, with
the Skerries in sight on the one hand, the South Stack
lighthouse on the other, the Royal party could scarcely
fail to have their attention strongly directed to the mag-
nificent works which are being carried out under the
direction of Mr. Rendel for the formation of Holyhead
Harbour. Prince Albert, accompanied by the Prince of
Wales and Prince Alfred, went to the end of the North
Breakwater yesterday morning, examining minutely
the very simple yet bold and effective manner in which
it is extended, foot by foot, into the sea ; and in the
afternoon the Queen drove in the Hon. W. 0. Stanley's
carriage to the quarries whence the immense mass of
materials required in constructing it is obtained. This
national undertaking was commenced in 1849, and is in-
tended to secure a total area of 300 acres for the purpose
of a harbour, two-thirds of that space having a minimum
depth of seven fathoms at low water. Accommodation
will thus be provided for about 400 vessels of all classes,
including 70 men-of-war as large as the Duke of Wel-
lington. The north or great breakwater will be 5,000
feet long and 170 feet wide, and of this immense work
4,000 feet have already been completed to low-water
mark-3,500 feet of it being from 14 to 15 feet above
high water. The depth at low water thus filled up is
from 45 to 48 feet, and some idea may be formed of
the magnitude of this mole from the fact that the
stonework which surmounts it is about 80 feet above
the foundation. The smaller, or eastern breakwater,
which protects the harbour on the landward side, will
be 2,100 feet long, and 1,000 feet of it have already
been formed, in a depth of 30 feet at low water, and to
a width of 100 feet. The contract under which the
harbour is being constructed contemplates an expendi-
ture of about 800,0001., and the outlay so far is under
400,0001. This sum, however, includes the purchase
of the surrounding land—a prudent precaution, not
hitherto adopted by the Government in the execution of
similar undertakings.

This great work will provide a secure harbour,
within which the mightiest fleets may take refuge, and
where the great transatlantic steamers will, two years
hence, at the nearest point on their homeward voyage,
find a convenient place of debarcation fir their passen-
gers and mails. To the Irish traffic also this harbour will
afford peculiar facilities, and the Irish people anticipating
a visit from their Queen, may well be asked to consider,
at such a moment, how complete an illustration these
works supply of the true paths to prosperity and
power. Before they could be undertaken it was neces-
sary to span the Menai Strait with a railway bridge
which is the wonder of the world. That feat was ac-
complished, not by Government, but by a public com-
pany, which now anxiously, yet confidently, looks for-
ward to the ti▪
me when the increasing commerce of the
world may afford them some return for their enterprise
for the immense outlay of capital which it entailed.
There is a soci▪
al and moral interest connected with An-
glesea which those who abuse England for her policy to
Ireland would do well to ponder over. To diminish as
far as possible the distance between the two countries,
we have made a little miserable island the theatre of the
greatest engineering achievements that the world has
ever witnessed. Well, therefore, might the Royal
family pause on their way across St. George's Channel
and take a leisurely survey of the new harbour at Holy-
head. They all appeared much struck with the quarries,
the young Prince of Wales, especially, who bore a stone
away to remind him of his visit. The Queen returned
to the yacht in one of the railway trucks, a rough
conveyance for Sovereignty certainly, but one
which enabled her more thoroughly to comprehend
how the works are carried on. Mr. Rendel was in
attendance. During the afternoon the royal tourists
also visited the South Stack lighthouse, Prince
Albert and the Prince of Wales deocending to the rock
on which it stands, and spending some time in its ex-
amination and in the survey of the fine coast scenery
which it commands. Holyhead, small as it is, did not
fail during the Queen's stay there in the due manifesta-
tion of its loyalty. It had its triumphal arches, flags,
fireworks, and bonfires, after the fashion of larger places,
and under the superintendence of Mr. Evans, of New
London-house, a stirring inhabitant, these made a very
respectable show.