The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-20 00:00:00

UNITED SERVICE INSTITUTION.

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The members of the above institution assembled,
pursuant to adjournment, in the theatre at the insti-
tution, Scotland-yard, on Wednesday, for resuming the
discussion on Mr. Fergusson's system of fortification ;
Lieut.-Col. W. H. Sykes, V.P.R.S., in the chair.

Amongst the distinguished , officers present were—
Generals M'lnnes, Aitchison, Sir C. Pasley, Sir R.
Doherty, Briggs, and Home ; Admirals Lord Rostock,
Crofton, and Sir Charles Napier ; Sir Charles Cuyler,
Sir J. Dunlop; Colonels Fletcher, Colville, Torrens,
Codrington, Hope, Lemon, Markham, Townsend, Sir A.
Murray, Paget, Buen, Parlby, James Jones, Angelo,
Somers, Palliser, Jebb, RE. Abbott, C.B. (of the East
India College, Addiscombe), ?Wortham, RE., and-Fer-
gllSSOn, Pv.M. ; Majors De Winton, Baron, Agnew,
Montagu, and Whitfield ; Captains Sutherland, Ford,
Warren, Evans, Elwyn, Crofton Key, RN., Dinor,
h. A., Lefroy, Eardley Wilmot, R. A., Sinclair,
King, R. N., Gardiner, R. N., Blythe, Roxburgh,
Fearon, Anderson, Williams, Hood, Simmons' Mac-
laurin, Nix,on Desboroug,ln Barnett, R.N., Ward,
RE., Shaw, 'Johnson, RN., A. Lane Fox, Kelly,
Stuart, Addison, Yorke, Rawlinson, Baker, RE., Grif-
fiths-, MA., Galton, Ruddiman, Phillimore, Robb,
R.N ~ H. Reynolds, Dunlop, RN., Hogg, Hand, RN.,
Fitzroy. RN., Gambier, Mansell, Appleton, R.M.,
Gordon, R.N. ; Codrington.. R.N. ; Thubrell, Watts,
Strong, Tower, Bague, W. H. Hall, R.N. ; Hammond,
RpT. ; and Hoseason, R.N.; Lieutenants Pasley, R.E ;
Tyler, R.E. ; Lumley, Henderson, R.N.;
Goose, R.N. ; Dr. Thomson, Dr. Kerr, Dr. Lloyd, Dr.
Baird, Dr. Adolphus ; E. Hawkins, Esq H. R.
Knight, Esq.; J. S. Kennedy, Esq. ; S. Lacn, Esq.,

The. CHAIRMAN, in opening the business, said this dis-
cussion had already run to a length far greater than had
been anticipated, having now occupied four nights • and
as he understood that Mr. Fergusson was about to leave
town, it was desirable that the discussion should be
closed that night. '
Captain WARD, of the Royal Engineers, then rose,
and spoke to the following effect :—I would not have
intruded myself on your notice at this late period of the
discussion, had I not felt that it was the duty of an engi-
neer officer to reply to the arguments used by the gal-
lant captain who last spoke (Captain Younge), and
which had probably a strong impression in favour of cir-
cular concentric lines, as applied to -Gosport. I shall
first proceed to examine the strength of those lines. It has
been proposed to throw a salient curve across the isthmus,
and I will proceed to see if that plan of defence is the best.
Captain Younge has, I think, very•satisfactorily demon-
strated to us that in such a position, embraced with
a curve of such a radius (two miles), it would be a mat-
ter of difficulty, if not of impossibility, to effectively
enfilade the proposed work. He has also dwelt upon
that important fact as the great, the essential recom-
mendation of the proposed work for Gosport. Indeed,
to use his own words, " enfilade is the very foundation
of an attack of a fortress." But let us examine for a
moment where the merit of this absence of enfilade lies.
If I have understood rightly, the reason why systems on
the circular principle are mot open to enfilade is on ac-
count of their circularity. A circle possesses the advan-
tage of limiting the number of guns a besieger can
attack by enfilade fire ; and it is evident that greater the
curve, or, in otner words, the less the radius of the cir-
cle the less would be the number of guns open to enfi-
lade. It may be a matter of opinion how many can be
so attacked in each case—but there can be no doubt
that the degree of curvature is but one limit to that
number, however much it may be. But the gallant
captain feeling, I presume, that some case had been
established by Sir Charles Pasley and Mr. Wrottesley,
when they argued on the possibility of enfilading the
model fortress before us, says at all events the proposed
lines of Gosport are not open to this description of fire,
if the others are. I have admitted all this. But how
has he gained this extraordinary additional strength—
' how has he limited enfilade ? Not by increasing
the curvature, but by flattening the arc ; in fact by
approaching to a straight line. The protection against
that most important fire in this case must not then be
put down to the merits of the circular system, for in the
position before us we are increasing in strength the more
we depart from the circle, and we shall find ourselves
still less vulnerable when we have arrived at a straight
line. In the particular position before us, the straight
line— with tiers of parapets one behind another if you
please, but I will come to that point presently—would
possess many advantages over the salient curve. I. In
the first place, it would be of less extent. 2. Next, it
would be easier of construction, for curved lines are
always more difficult to lay out or build up. Both these
facts diminish the cost of the works. 3. More fire
could be concentrated on any particular point of the at-
tack if desired. 4. And, as is easily seen, the enfi-
lade, " that foundation of the attack of a fortress,"
could not be attempted, as the prolongations go to in-
accessible positions. Both these facts add materially to
the strength of the fortress. If, then, the cost of con-
struction is diminished, and additional strength gained
by this modification, I may conclude it is superior to
the salient curve. Having arrived at this conclusion I
think it may reasonably be matter of opinion whe-
ther in similar positions a slight concave curve is not
stronger than either. The degree of curvature in this
case would be regulated by circumstances ; for instance,
it might be so arranged as to permit the whole garri-
son to concentrate their fire at the most effective range
of their gags, or on some vulnerable point of the be-
sieger's ground, as over that by which he must approach.
If such a plan was adopted it might be called a modifi-
cation of the circular system ; it certainly may be con-
sidered as a modification, but I think you will admit
that it is arrived at by turning it inside out. However,
to return to the straight line, which I think I have

shown, in the situation under consideration, possesses
advantages ,over the proposed salient curve. To any
who think the straight line an evident modification of
the circle, I would say it is a very simple one, and it
does not say much for the ingenuity of engineers hitherto
to suppose that the idea of a straight line of ramparts for
a defence never occurred to them, and that we are in-
debted for this valuable suggestion to the ingenuity of
the present day. A little consideration, will, I think,
show the contrary. Engineers not only saw that a
straight line of ramparts across an isthmus was a very
strong mode of keeping an enemy at a distance, when
they could afford to construct it, but they also found
that at a very small increase of expense they could
materially improve on that system, if it may be
called one. They therefore preferred to fortify thus:—
By inclining the beginning of the lines at the
extreme ends a little inwards, then adding two
small lengths of ramparts, capable of holding five
or six guns each, and joining these by a straight line.
The expenie of constructing this, over and above the
straight line, was about the cost of the two flanks. See
what these flanks did for them in return for the expense.
Each fired along the face of the rampart in its front, and
when theselatter were much elevated above the plain of
the country, this service was of no small importance, for
it prevented certain sappers and other burrowing under
them like rabbits, and so blowing up the brave defenders.
They also protected by musketry fire the foot of each
other's ramparts, and each undertook this duty for the
other's half of the remaining straight line called the
curtain. Now, these little :Miaow to the cost of a
straight line added: materially to the strength of the
ramparts, so much so that engineers of those days ar-
rived from practice at the conclusion that they were

well worth their cost, and always applied them to their
fortifications. Nor have any that have seen service
from that time to this differed from them in opinion.
Flank defence is essential, if for no other purpose, to
protect the foot of the escarps from the mining propensi-
ties of sappers, as I have mentioned. And though to be
flanked is to be outflanked, to be not flanked is to be
blown up, and so the choice is left us. I think then that
I, and others like myself, who have not had the experi-
ence of battles, do right to incline to the opinion that
flank defence is desirable, and that we should prefer add-
_ ..

ing it to any system of fortification, even if carried across
an isthmus. I think now lam justified in concluding-
1. That the broken bastioned line is, in the Gosport po-
sition, superior to a straight one in its capability of re-
_ _

, .
sisting attack, and I have shown before that the straight
is superior to the salient curve ; 2. That, though the
first cost of the bastioned line would be slightly superior
to the straight, one, it would amply repay the extra ex-
pense, and therefore be cheaper in the end ; and 3.
That the first cost of the bastion line would not exceed
that of the salient curve, as it would not exceed it in
length, and certainly not in difficulty of construction. I
am willing, however, to go yet further with those who
still admire the circular salient curve, and examine its
comparative value. Ido not think there can be a sha-
dow of a doubt in any one's mind that a straight line
across the Gosport isthmus would be preferable to a sa-
lient curve of a similar profile, for I cannot imagine one
objection to it. The question then lies between the
straight line and the bastion front. Now, by breaking
the straight front into faces and flanks, you do not deprive
yourself of one gun, you command the same extent of
fire to your front as before—you may say that I make
flanks to be enfiladed. Admitting for a moment that they
are easy of enfilade, ill was on that account to decide on
putting no guns there at all I-should be no worse off than
if I had a straight Tine ; but, inasmuch as by putting these
guns so, I am doing great service to the defence by flank
fire, and I oblige the besieger to throw up batteries,
and
bring guns to destroy these flanks, before he can
eup to the face of the bastions—l am making a
stouter resistance, and it requires a longer time for the
besieging force_
byeto overcome me than would otherwise be
ytehra•drn iirhersardly think, however, that I shall be told
guns in a row of the circular system, that five or six
are
swtorthy of,
they generallyor easy to, enfilade, when
resi
them being so treatecne possibility of eight or nine of
that system. For Mr. Wrot-
tesley has clearly showtainnkein his diagram that this number
are capable of being
aup
'itaweoUel lbinee.easHy However,
even even against such an
vide a remedy by placing a traverse,enfilade,l
in case-mates, or making the flanks or
putting the gunsp
the faces, or makin,g them ciranul s somewhat lower than
latter, andindeed all these meet :Ord s and
concave—this
but engineers have generally a.rrived Ihtave been tried,
respecting them, that insomuch as these flanksnclusion
short, and so difficult to enfilade, that beseare very
care about making the attempt, it is bettergteorB do not
straight flank to systems, the curve or case-taa,aglyn at
being worth the expense or trouble. I think then, sit);
we m' ay come to the conclusion that if it is necessary to
throw a continued line across the Gosport isthmus,
it had far better be a broken bastion line than a
salient curve, and that if the circular system pos.
a licable to the for
sasses advantages theyro aosed.pp re
_.t
site
WI h respect to the
which they have been p p
proposed plan of putting parapets and guns one behind
but it can in no
that presently,
another, I will examine
1 Such para-
nts I have use( .
way,invalidate the argume he ex-
taue adequate to t
pets (if they possess an advan ,
well applied
pence of their construction) can be equally
Gos
to the faces and curtains of the bastion system for .-
+ll ihrowino•
port, as to the salient circular one. Whether . 0