The Sun.
London, England, 1825-01-22 00:00:00

TO TILE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR-Although disliking a public exhibition
of my name in the columns of a newspaper, I yet feel myself
called upon to offer some reply to a letter which appeared in
your Paper of the 19th inst., signed "A. H. Ho Lpswo rrr
in which the accuracy of my reports on the Great Ship Canal is
called in question. If the respectable " Mayor of Dart-
mouth" had read the whole of my report, which it would seem
he has not done, he would not then, I think, have failed to
perceive that the general scope of its reasoning, with reference
to the propo:ed Harbour of Beer, applied exclusively to the in-
sufficient shelter which at present exists for vessels embayed
between Portland and the Start Point in strong southerly and
south-cast winds ; and that, as Dartmouth is situated so near
to the Start, it became quite unnecessary, for the purpose of
my argument, to particularize it as an exception ; for, whether
I had used the expressions " between Portland and the Start,"
or between Portland and Dartmouth, the inference which it
was my object to deduce would in no way have been affected.
Publicly called upon, however, as I now have been, it seems
necessary to state, that, according to our latest authorities,
Dartmouth Harbour bears N.E. Y E. distant seven miles from
the Start Point—(See British Channel Pilot, 1821).—NiThat.
ever may be the merits of this Harbour, therefore, in other re.
spects (and it is not necessary here to discuss them), it must be
evident that it can be of but little use as a place of shelter for
vessels to run into, when embayed between Portland and the
Start, in southerly gales ; for it is so much in advance from the
back and most dangerous part of the Great Bay, comprised be-
tween these points, that vessels would not be able to reach it
from thence, in strong.southerly winds : whereas, the proposed
Harbour at Beer is Seated in the deepest recess of the Bay, and
will be always approachable by vessels, when caught enibayed
in this at present perilous situation.
If, moreover, a vessel was so far out in the offing, or to wind-
ward, as to reach Dartmouth harbour, she would, not impro-
bably, be able to weather the Start, which would immediately
place the port of Plymouth under her lee. In short, a single
inspection of the chart of the English Channel will set this
matter in a clearer light, and better strew the accuracy of my
deductions, than I can possibly do here without it.
I hope that Mr. Holdsworth, notwithstanding his very laud-
able partiality for his own port, will be satisfied with the
above explanation ; and that he will rest assured that, in
the observations which it became my duty to make in the
reports refered to, 1 had no intention whatever to detract from
its character, or to impeach the general utility of Dartmouth
Harbour, excepting only as a place of refuge for vessels when
they were unhappily embayed to leeward of it.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
GEORGE NICHOLLS,
Author of " Two Reports on the English- and
Bristol Channels Ship Canal."

January 21, 1825.

UNIVERSITY INTELIAGENCE.

Oxronn, J.tx 21.—Saturday last John Mitchell Chapman,
of Exeter College, was elected Fellow of Balliol.

ECCLESIASTICAL PREFERMENTS.
The Rev. William Perkins, of Lincoln College, has been
appointed a Chaplain of Christ Church, in this University.
The Rev. William Clark, M.A. Fellow of Trinity College,
Cambridge, and Professor of Anatomy, presented, by the Mas-
ter and Fellows of that Society, to the Vicarage of Wymes-
would, Leicestershire, vacated by the cession of the Rev. T.
Sheepshanks, M.A.
The Rev. IL R. Tamers Smith, B.A. of Trinity College,
Cambridge, to the Rectory of Little Bentley, Essex ; patron,
It. Foote, Esq.
The Rev. Adolphus Hopkins, B.A. has been instituted to
the Vicarage of Clent, with the Chapel of Rowley Regis an-
nexed, in the county of Stafford, and diocese of Worcester, void
by the death of the Rev. Jos. Sharpe, the last incumbent there,
on the presentation of the King. •
The Rev. Thomas Nayler, B.A. of St. John's College,
Cambridge (2d son of the late Richard Nayler, Esq. of Glou-
cester), has been appointed one of the Domestic Chaplains to
the Duke of York.
The Duke of Clarence has appointed the Rev. E. J. Crawley,
A.M. of Bath, to be one of the Chaplains to his Royal High-
ness's household.
The Rev. J. E. Keane, A.M. has been lately appointed by
Earl Bathurst Chaplain to the Colony of New South Wales,
and its dependencies.