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

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toria, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, K.G., &c., de-
posited this stone, to record the commencement of the
Portland Breakwater. James Meadows Rendel, engi-
neer-in-chief. John Coode, resident eng neer."
The Prince, in 'depositing the bottle, remarked the
stone was a fine specimen of Portland stone; on which
Mr. Rendel informed his Royal Highness that it was se-
lected on the top of the island, from blocks refus( d by
the merchants. The Prince then made a few remarks,
and the stone, which. was suspended, was ordered by the
Prince to be dropped, and it fell to its resting place with
a tremendous splash, amidst the roar of artillery, and
three cheers fur the Queen. The band immediately
struck up Rule Britannia, and some loads of loose stone
were deposited around the foundation-stone.
Prince Albert was then immediately conducted to the
trammed, and, with his attendants, Lord Frederick
Fitzclarence, the engineers' staff, Colonel Jebb, the
Corporation of Weymouth, and some others who assisted
at the ceremony, conveyed up the inclines to the prison,
the Prince stopping to inspect the drums by the aid of
which the ascent had been made. Between the inclines
the carriages were drawn by parties of the contractor's
labourers.

The Royal party then minutely inspected the prison
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At the repast one of the puddings so much liked by
George 111., and also one of the Queen's puddings, were
presented to his Royal Highness, together with a letter,
giving a history of the puddings, from Mrs. Winter, the
original maker of them for royalty.
From the refreshment table the Prince inspected the
works of the chapel, where another address was pre-
sented to him by the Rev. J. Kingsmill, chaplain to the
Pentonville prison, the Rev. J. H. Moran, chaplain of
this prison, being in a delicate state of health.
The stone of the chapel was laid at half-past eight
o'clock in the morning, by Colonel Jebb, in the pre-
sence of all the convicts, whom he addressed, and a prayer
was read by the Rev. James Kingsmill.
All parties returned to the breakwater platform, his
Royal Highnes immediately embarking in the Royal
yacht and proceeding to Weymouth, and by the same
route as in the morning, back to Osborne-House.
His Royal Highness returned from Weymouth to the
Dorchester station about a quarter before four, escorted
by the Dorchester troop of .Queen's Own Dry.C. He re:
!mined at the station fur halt an hour, waiting thearrival
of the train which was then due, during which time the
band played appropriate airs, and the assembled multi-
tude rent the air with frequent acclamations, which the
Prince very graciously acknowledged.
The weather throughout was very unpropitious, a great
deal of rain having fallen at various times; yet, notwith-
standing this, the whole proceedings passed off with great
eclat. The day wound up with a ball at Luce's hotel,
and a grand display of fireworks.
There were in the bay, in addition to the vessels of her
Majesty's navy, the Fanny, Admiralty yacht; the Vic-
toria, Defence, and Rob Roy, revenue•cruisers; which,
with numerous coast-guard boats, were under the com-
mand of Captain Kerr the inspecting commander of the
coast-guard of the district. Amongst the numerous
yachts we observed the Capricorn,— Talbot, Esq., M.P.;
Unicorn, Perkins, Esq.; Mischief, R. S. Wardell, Esq.,
belonging to the RY.S.; the Benita, Colonel Freestun,
M.P., of the R.V.Y.C.; the Serpent, Lord C. Paget; the
Lady of the Lake, W. Rolph, Esq, of the R.T.Y.C.; also
the Contest, ochrane Esq ; the Dream, and Clutha.
THE BREAKWATER.

The project of establishing a breakwater at Portland
to form a large harbour capable of accommodating the
whole navy of the kingdom, in nearly a central point of
the English Channel, was first entertained as long since
as 1794, by Mr. John Harvey, who was appointed me-
chanic to his Majesty George 111., and subsequently
postmaster of Weymouth. This gentleman, from his
first conception of the plan, 'was unceasing in his ex-
ertions to cause it to be adopted, and took every oppor-
tunity of laying his plans before the various Governments
and influential parties of the kingdom, and failed not to
point out the local advantages of there being on the spot
a sufficiency of stone for the purpose (the waste cap
stone), without the labour of quarrying it. His idea of
the advantages to be derived from his proposal, from
his first suggestion to the time of his death, November 6,
1829, became steadily strengthened, and he watched with
jealous eye the progress made with the stupendous
structure of the same kind in course of construction on
the opposite coast of France (at Cherbourg), and he
thought a similar work should be carried out at Port-
land, to counteract any national effect to which that on
the opposite coast might have a tendency. The loss of
Admiral Christian's fleet in 1795 induced him still more
closely to consider the subject, amend his plans, and
publish his views in a pamphlet.
Mr. Harvey died without having been able to induce
the Government to take up the matter, although no in-
dividual could have been more energetic in his exertions
for a national undertaking. He, however, left a sun
(Mr. John Hervey, the present postmaster of Wey-
mouth), to whom he confided the charge of the break-
water project, and by whom the subject has been ener-
getically advocated. Mr. John Harvey, jun. (we will
now call him Mr. Harvey), in 1834 succeeded in getting
the little book written by his father, entitled, " Remarks,
&c , on the subject of a Breakwater for Portland
Roads," with additions by himself, referred to the con-
sideration of the Navy Board, and in the July of that
year a memorial was presented to the King upon the
subject, signed by 687 inhabitants and merchants of
Portland.

The attention of the ruling powers was, by various
means, at last roused to the necessity of the establish-
ment of capacious harbours of refuge for our increasing
naval and mercantile marine, and more especially so in
consequence of recommendations in a report to the
House of Commons, of a Select Committee, appointed
to inquire into the shipwreck of British vessels, and
the preservation of the lives and property of ship-
wrecked persons, that in the early part of the year
1844, ten naval commissioners, Admiral Sir Byam
Martin, G.C.8., acting as chairman, were appointed to
make inquiries as to what were the most eligible sites in
the Channel for such purposes. The points for their
consideration were, facility of access, fitness for an ex-
tensive station of the largest armed vessels, with facili-
ties for ensuring its defence, in the event of an attack
by an enemy. These various advantages are nowhere
better combined than at Portland. The Commissioners,
in their report, state—
" A squadron stationed at Portland will have under
its protection, jointly with Dartmouth, all the interven-
ing coast; and these places with Plymouth will complete
the chain of communication and co-operation between
Dover and Falmouth, a distance of 300 miles.

"There is everything at Portland to render the con-
struction of a breakwater easy, cheap, and expeditious;
and the holding ground in the roads is particularly
good. It has numerous springs, and plenty of the best
water may be led in auy direction for the supply of ships.
The roadstead also possesses the advantage of an inner
harbour at Weymouth."
The report recommends that a breakwater—
"Be constructed in Portland Bay, to extend a mile
and a quarter in a north-east direction, from near the
north part of the island, in about seven fathoms water,
having an opening of 150 feet at a quarter of a mile
from the shore, sheltering an area of 1,200 acres.
The island of Portland possesses great natural ad-
vantages for defence, and for the Formation of a naval
and military depot during war, to any extent that may
be required."
Subsequently the erection of a harbour at Portland
was determined upon, the necessary surveys were made
by well qualified engineers, and on the 4th of December,
1846, public notice of the same was given, and also that
the plans decided on by her Majesty's Commissioners of
Woods and Forests were deposited with Mr. C. Hinde,
Reforne, Portland. A Bill was introduced into Parlia-
ment, entitled the " Portland Harbour of Refuge and
Breakwater Bill," and which, having passed successfully
through its various stages, received the Royal assent on
the 11th of May, 1847, and preparations were immedi-
ately made to carry out its provisions.
The national advantages of the projected breakwater
are conceived to be, that it will afford ample protection,
be accessible at all times, and in all weathers, to vessels
of any size, and in immense numbers, as there will be
made a secure harbour, with deep water for a space of
four square miles in extent. A fleet of sixty sail of the
line will be able to lie secure in the roughest weather,
the anchorage for the most part consisting of a strong
blue clay, and they might get out to sea at the shortest
notice. The central situation of the harbour—midway
between Portsmouth and Plymouth—would, as Mr.r
Harvey justly remarks, " form a most effective counte -
action to the naval armaments of Cherbourg,"
From
which port it is situate only 21 leagues, from
mid-channel, in fine clear weatherioue,v,:eisdseerinycanoncotmhe-
mand a sight of Cape La LI
French side, and of Portland°4auned the Isle of Wight on
the English. A
stationed would have an un-
controlled sweep of the erehEneglish.Chunnel. If a squadron
in war time should put to sea from Cherbourg,
t o Portland
(by of the circumstance could be conveyed
(by look-out vessels stationed at certain distances across
the
channel), in an hour and a half, or even in a less
period, as,
with the advantages we now
possess of steam,
their intention to weigh could be known at Portland be-
fore they.could get to sea.
There is no other good roadstead between Plymouth
and Spithead, a distance of 140 miles, in which large
ships could obtain shelter; hence it would be the
means of preventing many shipwrecks, very numerous
cases being recorded of losses of
men-of-warj and
Indiamen, which would not have occurred had
there been a good and accessible harbour at
Portland. Amongst these may be named the Halsewell,
on the 6th of January, 1786, when 3SO lives were lost.
The Abergavenny in February, 1805, when near 200
lives were lost. The losses in Admiral Christian's fleet,
with a large convoy, in 1795, when near 1,500 lives were
sacrificed. Of the loss of smaller vessels, which would
have been obviated had the breakwater existed, numerous
1 instances might be given.