The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-27 00:00:00

The south-westerly winds blow full eight months out
of twelve, and the consequent delay has hitherto averaged
four months on every southern voyage from the Themes;
the saving of this period will annually produce millions.
Portland possesses facilities not elsewhere offered for
the erection of a massive stone breakwater, there being
on the island, immediately contiguous to the point from
which the breakwater will start, much more stone than
will be wanted, already quarried and ready for the work,
requiring only materials for its removal. This is the
waste or " cap " stone, a layer of coarse stone (eminently
adopted for the purpose, being too hard to be worked up
for building purposes) which lies above the beds of the
finer stone.

There will, in fact, be two breakwaters, one joined to
the north-east corner of the island, about half a „mile
from Portland Castle, and of which the first stone was
this day laid, will be 1,500 feet in length, taking a _due
direction from west to east. There will be from the end
of this a clear opening of 400 feet, and from thence there
will be another lino cf breakwater 6,000 feet in length,
hmring from south-west to north-east. The eastern end
of the zmail, at.d both ends of the large breakwater, will
be terminated by massive circular heads of finished
masonry.

The breadth of the breakwater at the top, 10 feet
above high water mark, will be 23 feet 6 inches. The
average height (cirri& d according to the depth of water)
will be about 260 feet. The average depth from high
water mark will be ~bout 7 fathoms, or 42 feet.
Below water mark the stones, varying in siza from
rubble to blocks of 10 or 20 tons weight, will be merely
loosely deposited, and left to fit together as best they
may, but above this they will be fitted together. It is
not yet decided whether this part shall be of finished
masonry with an esplanade or not. For the work under
the water the stone most early procurable will be used,
and thus an immense quantity of the hitherto useless
capstone will be most advantageously disposed of, but
for the finished work the stone will be quarried in the
neighbourhood of the prison.
At the starting point of the breakwater a space of
considerable extent has already been reclaimed from the
eea, principally by stone, removed for the purpose of
constructing the railway, and here the lines of rail aro
very numerous, and some excellent turn-tables for the
trucks are arranged. The materials will from this point
be carried out in the trucks (which deposit their load by
merely moving a lever at the bottom), running on a
massive framework, formed of timbers of considerable
size. This framework will be supported by piles fixed
into the ground, on the plan of Alexander Mitchell,
Esq., member of the Institute of Civil Engineers, viz.:
—the piles have at their lower extremity, a broad plate
or disc of metal of a spiral form, on the principle of
the screw, the latter enters the ground with facility,
thrusting aside any obstacles in its descent, without ma-
terially disturbing the texture of the strata passed
through, whilst the disc or broad spiral flange, when it
has entered a clay or sandy bottom, resist either up-
ward or downward pressure. On this framework, there
are, we understand, to be six lines of rails.
The stones for the outer breakwater will be deposited
in the same manner as those for the Plymouth break-
water were, by layers with rails down on them.
The time which will be occupied in the construction
of the breakwater is variously estimated at from five to
seven years.
The principal officers engaged are :—Engineer-in-chief,
James Meadow Rendel, Esq., F.R.S.; resident engineer,
John Coode, Esq.; assistant engineer, Mr. Poppleton;
contractors, Mtssrs. J. and C. Rigby.
The railway and inclined plane is from the nrison to
the site of the breakwater. It was commenced on the
11th of August, 1847, and is a work of considerable mag-
nitude, there being four lines of rails, and the upper part
of the railway is for some distance cut through the solid
stone, which in the lower parts was used to form an em-
bankment. It consists of three inclined planes, with level
portions between each. 'The railway is continued to the
north eastern part of the island to Castletown, the pre-
sont landing-place, and principal place of shipping stone.
The length of this railway, from the Grove to the com-
mencement of' the breakwater, is 6,300 feet; the top and
bottom incline fall one foot in ten, the middle one is
rather less steep than this. The trucks when loaded
with stone by the convicts, are brought to the
top of the first incline by horse labour; hero
they are weighed, for the purpose of ascertain-
ing the exact quantity of stone used in the con-
struction of the breakwater. The machines for this
purpose are self-registering, and in addition to showing
the weight on the face of the dial, will exhibit the num-
ber of waggons that have passed over it during the day.
The machines, the first of the kind brought into opera-
tion, are constructed by Messrs. Napier, of Lambeth.
The loaded trucks are let down the inclines by the aid
of wire ropes, attached to drums 12 feet in diameter, and
weighing upwards of 11 tons each, the loaded trucks in
their descent drawing up empty trucks on a parallel line
of railway ; the speed is regulated by very powerful
screw breaks, each screw worked by one man, possess-
ing a power of seven tons. The whole length of rope
in use for the three inclines, each with two double lines
of rails, is about four miles. _

A considerable number of convicts will be employed
in the construction of the breakwater. For their accom-
modation a large and commodious model prison is in
course of erection, on a barren, though most healthy
part of the island, called the Grove.
The work was commenced in January, 1848. Mr.
Crickrnay, the intelligent clerk of the works, was the
first person on the grout:d, and he arrived to make his
preparations in December, 1847. Such has been the ex-
pedition (during some part of last summer as many as
1,300 men were employed on the prison, and the railway
from tit( nee to the breakwater), that, in addition to the
residences before named and the boundary wall, one-
half the intended number of cells is complete, forming a
very extensive building This is divided into fuur cor-
ridors, and is capable of accommodating 700 convicts.
Another wing, precisely similar, is to be erected; but it
is th,ught it will not be commenced until next year, as
by some alterations in the present wing and in a building
now used us workshops, accommodation will be secured
fur 200 more convicts.

The buildings of the %ihnle establishment are princi-
pally constructed of wood and iron, that they may be
removed elsewhere, if required, on the completion of the
breakwater. The cells (for one man) are 7 feet long by
4 feet wide, and 7 feet high, ranged on four floors, and
open into spacious balls, so arranged as to be under in-
spection from a central corridor, where the officers aro
stationed.

The prison is occupied by 510 convicts, the greater
part of whom (that is, all that are able) are kept fully
employed—some in quarrying—others squaring and pre-
paring stone—others making new roads and laying down
rails for the conveyance of the stone to the inclined plane
by which it will be sent to the site of the breakwater. It
is anticipated that, in the course of a few days, a suffi-
cient number of convicts will be seat down to occupy
every cell prepared for them.
The water for the supply of the prison is pumped up
near Folly pier—upwards of a mile distant, 350 feet
below the level of the ptison, and conveyed thence by
pipes in sufficient quantity to give an ample supply for
every purpose of the prison. Salt water for the baths
is brought from a still lower depth.
There are now ISO masons and other free labourers
employed, and others are being taken on to expedite the
operations, so that all the work now in hand will be
finished before the close of the year.
The works now to be erected in connexion with the
convict establishment are a chapel, the foundation-stone
of which was laid by his Royal Highness Prince Albert;
it will be quite plain, of a uniform shape, 112 feet long
from east to west, and 90 feet from north to south, ca-
pable of accommodating 1,000 persons; barracks for 100
men, and cottages for 32 wardens and their families.
About 30 soldiers now stationed here occupy the in-
firmary, and are weekly relieved from the Weymouth
barracks.
At the head of the prisoa establishment ara:Surveyor-
General of Prisons Lieut. Colonel Jebb, C. 8., li.E.;
Governor, Captain Whitty.

PRINCE ALBERT'S VISIT TO TIIE PRlSON.—lmme-
diately after the ceremony his Royal Highness proceeded
to view the extensive works on the heights, when he pre-
sented a Bible and prayer-book to the establishment,
with this inscription:—

"Presented to the chapel of the convicts at Portland, as
a token of interest, and in hope of their amendment.
" Portland, July 25, 1849." " ALBERT."
They would have been presented to the chaplain, the
Rev. J. 11. Moran, but for the illness of the reverend
gentleman.

The officers of the establishment, Captain Whitby,
Governor; the Rev. J. H. Moran, Chaplain; Dr. Hen-
derson, &c., had the honour of being presented by Colo-
nel Jebb to his Royal Highness. During his visit Prince
Albert astonished an old convict by telling him that the
Queen had sent him a pardon. It had been previously
arranged that the old man, whose conduct had been
such that he had been recommended for a pardon,
should be almost alone. Nothing could exceed his sur-
prise and joy when he received from her pisiesty_ ss
Consort the gracious message
name is Richard Gomer, and it is believe,intended,wotha
to appoint him to an office of trust connected w.
works. of his Sovereign. lii

sirL
jeeodhsn,
and each
Franklin should be furnishedshed
attshtoatblelaTiolotsudrhn
proposes Th obom a ships
Glue-Works,
with an engine of six or
bwohaetntothheasvheipfosuhracvaertriaargie.
•V7with small boats,
t olrkisr: silea°rcrhnsioeft'
allm
wheels connected
gated as fur as possible for them to do for the ice, then
werthearnedtoe,aanhd
launch these small boats upon the ice; and should the
eight-horse po
friction of the wheels be not suflicknt to propel the
boats upon the ice, screw steel spikes into the face of the
wheels, say from one eighth to a quarter of an inch long,
to form projections, and to prevent the wheels from
slipping upon the ice. Whenever the wind is favourable
make use of sails to save fuel; and in theoff the
boats re
the
obliged to take the water, then takew heels aand
put on paddles, and propel the boats by steam or wind,
as most convenient. Whets there is no obstruction on the
ice I calculate the boats will travel at the rate of thirty
or forty miles per hour, or 960 miles per day. When
snow is likely to be an obstruction on the ice, then fix
circular brushes at the front of the boats, to brush away
the snow. It is the inventor's opinion that upon this
principle they might travel 2,000 or 3,000 miles per
week further upon ice than steam-boats in water. Also,
there is another advantage; you can steer to any quarter
its own
without turntables or switches, as the ice forms i
railway. The motive that actuates the inventors
hoping the Admiralty will apply this, or some
other
of the almost-despaired-of Sir Bohn Franklin than it is
plan, by which means they may proceed farther
possible for vessels to navigate.
SIR JOAN FRANKLIN'S EXPEDITION.—We under-
stand that Lady Franklin arrived by the London steamer
on Monday afternoon, and intends proceeding to Orkney
by the Queen on Friday morning.—
and Shetland, in quest of intelligence of the missing
Edinburgh discoverys hips,
{fitness.
The Mayor of Berwick had an interview with Sir G.
1 Grey yesterday at the Home-office.