The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-05 00:00:00

FINE ARTS.

PORTRAIT OF JENNY LIND. Painted by
Mr. Solomon from a Daguerreotype.
The original daguerreotype from which this ex-
quisite painting has been taken is in the possession
of her Most Gracious Majesty. It presents the only
veritable likeness of Mademoiselle Jenny Lind
that has yet appeared; and the success of
the artist has been greatly facilitated by
the circumstance of his having been favoured
with a sitting by that distinguished cantatrice, dur-
ing the course of its production. As a work of art
the picture is singularly felicitous—as a likeness it is
altogether inestimable, being nothing short of veri-
similitude. Its resemblance to the Swedish Nightingale
is so vivid as to be absolutely ridiculous. It represents
something more than an exact transcript of features
and complexion—it conveys that expression which is
as it were the shadow of the soul, and which in the
instance of Jenny Lind renders her countenance
peculiarly bewitching. Without having a single
feature that can be called symmetrical
excepting always her blue, limpid eyes—
Jenny has, nevertheless, suffused over them all au air
of such perfect goodness, and innocence, and sim-
plicity, that her face has a charm infinitely beyond
that of mere beauty. Its sweetness is a fascination.
This " expression " the artist has caught and has
here realised with a truthful pencil upon his
canvass. It is this which renders • the pre-
sent portrait the only true likeness of the
glorious songstress yet produced. It has this
additional excellence, moreover, that it has
not the smallest vestige of affectation either in
attitude, or treatment, or in any other particu-
lar. The position of the figure is, on the con-
trary, natural, and the whole appearance perfectly
ladylike. Let the admirers, we had almost said the
lovers of Jenny Lind (and that would include every
one who has listened to her angelic voice, or who
has heard of her equally angelic benevolence), be
glad and rejoice--an engraving of this painting,
taken from a daguerreotype, is now, we believe, on the
very eve of publication.

DOVER BAY AND BREAKWATER
TU THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Ramsgate, April 17, 1849.
Sin,—Your kindness in giving a place in your columns, in
January last, to niv observations on the injury likely to
arise to the Esplanade property at Dover, in consequence of
the wasting away of the shingle now in the bay, induces me
to solicit a similar favour to enable me to submit my opinions
on. the harbour of refuge to the public; and, in order to
bring the subject fairly under review, 1 have also to request
your insertion of the accompanying correspondence with the
Admiralty.
The difficulties I have met with in endeavouring to bring
the matter before Parliament, through the efforts of indivi-
dual Members, impel me to abandon that course, and to seek
through the newspapers that publicity which the great im-
portance of the subject, in my estimation, demands.
Having made the drift of shingle on the south-eastern
coast my study for many years past, and having carefully ex-
amined all the localities between Beachy Head and Deal,
where large deposits exist, and there effects on the adjacent
harbours and mouths of rivers, I felt it my duty to address
the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and to express,
with all due deference to their Lordships, and to the many
eminent men employed on the Refuge Harbour Commission,
my deliberate conviction that the outline of the work approved
of by their Lordships, for Dover Bay, and commenced upun
last year, is planned in utter disregard of, and in direct op-
position to, the facts and to the principles involved in these
facts, which are everywhere plainly discernible in the accu-
mulation of shingle on the northern shores of the English
Channel.
I have repeatedly entreated their Lordships to give me an
opportunity of visiting the south-eastern coast, and of reason-
ing upon those facts, with any professional person their Lord-
ships might think proper to appoint; but my applications
have been uniformly disregarded, and the Admiralty have,
by their letter of the 9th March last, declared " that it is
not their Lordships' intention to make any alteration in the
plans upon which the works at Dover are proceeding ;"—a
declaration which necessarily terminates the correspondence.
As regards myself, I am perfectly indifferent to this de-
cision ; but in a matter of such national importance as the
successful formation of a harbour of refuge, at a contemplatettl
cost of two millions and a half, on a site requiring thed me,oass
careful application of the engineer's skill and knowledge, as
admitted by the Commissioners, and all othaetripractical
of science, I must be permitted to s
s further inquiry.
close the door so peremptorily
ac-
cordance with the usual practice of theaiubth.lic Dteparntomteinnt
been rih ed ordinaryenied t
om e,
andcourtesy
Is haomw nraegtl auoicnt
amtnalmostatiy every von% r yp
objections no longer
this appeal, or tacitly to admit still
entertaininventorhasforce;eervßeraynowbjhecicthionl
have urged to their Lordships in
fected agreeably to the present d
demand to be heard. I applied to
constructing
publicly declare my deliberasetacino_nesviigcnti,own
itlhlaetntthireewlyorfkallifapsera-
harbour of refuge.m o
to
os
hwhoe public
u takeshlc press
raens s in-
terestfor
of
support in this just atsttempapyt
two
oobintadilnioninsqauhirdya;
halfand r appeal
what
every
em
questionsbe uf the
efil Housen ee ; applied Com
to the public,who mu
I conscientiously believe will be dearly purchased at two-
pence halfpenny.
No man can deny that the shingle in its ordinary easterly
drift will be obstructed by the new breakwater ; that it will
begin to accumulate at its root, or junction with the shore ;
that successive tides, storms, and years will augment the ac-
cumulation inconceivably ; such must be the case, and that
in in great length of time the accumulation will reach the
extremity of the new breakwater. \V hat then? A bar across
the entrance to the harbour, with a furious sea breaking over
it in every south-west gale, precisely when ships want to
run for shelter ; and, worse than all, accessible only for ves-
sels of moderate burden, between half tide and high water.
You may suppose, Sir, that I am not willing to peril the
professional reputation I have acquired in a long service, and
that I should be cautious of provoking inquiry upon light
grounds. Most certainly ; but this is not a matter of opinion,
it is a question of facts, capable of mathematical demonstra-
tion. I undertake to make those facts plain to any commit-
tee of inquiry, and to prove that the consequences I have
pointed out will be the result of proceeding with the present
ill-advised scheme.

I entirely concur with the Commissioners in the expediency
of establishing a refuge harbour in Dover Bay, and I think
Captain Washington's evidence, published at pages 204-5 of
the Appendix to the Report is conclusive in estahlithiug the
goodness of the holding qualities of the anchorage, within-the.
limits of the projected breakweers; bnt I am whotlykat issue
with the Lords of the Admiralty as to the nature` of the
harbour.
Their Lordships have authorised the construction of a close
harbour, connected with, or joined to, the shore by its eastern
or western breakwaters. My firm conviction is, that no such
harbour can be long maintained in an efficient state, and that
any refuge harbour in Dovor Bay should be formed upon the
principle of the breakwater in Plymouth Sound, so as to
afford shelter to vessels anchoring within it, or running for
the tidal harbour, but having free and ample space for the
action of the waves to drift the shingle along the shore.
I am aware that is not the practice of the London daily
journals to print diagrams, but in order to give those who
may be disposed to pursue the investigation, a clear
understanding of my argument, 1 transmit herewith a sketch
of Dover Bay, skill ing the projected harbour of refuge,
copied from the plan appended to the Report of the Refuge
Harbour Commission, on which sketch I have marked the
probable, I might say certain, line of accumulation Of shingle,
and the bar that must inevitably form across the entrance;
and shall esteem it a great additional favour, if you will per-
wit that sketch to lay at your office for inspection. lam
exceedingly atxious fur inquiry; common justice requires
that it be conceded.

I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
S. H. WILLIAY.S,
Lieut.-Colonel. late Royal Engineers..

(Copy.)
liamsgate, Aug. 14, 1848.
My Lords,—l respectfully beg leave again to s licit your
attention to the representations contained in my letters to
your Lordships, dated March 8, September 8, and Nov. 20,
1347, touching the formation of the national breakwaters at
Harwich and Dover.

In my letter of March 8 I expressed to your Lordships my
firm conviction that the breakwater designed for Harwich
would not only fail to realise the expectations of its projec-
tors, but that it would become detrimental to the existing
navigation of the harbour, and I endeavoured briefly to ex-
plain to your Lordships the principles and the reasoning
which induced me to form these conclusions. _

Your Lordships were pleased to state in reply that the sub-
ject should be carefully investigated. The original project
was, however, persisted in, and the breakwater rapidly ad-
vanced to completion.
Reports are in circulation that already serious doubts are
entertained of its efficiency; that an idea begins to prevail
that it may be necessary to take up a portion of the work so
lately done; and that it will be adyiEable to construct a large
groyne at Felixtow—information which betokens present
failure, and no little degree of uncertainty as to what may be
the result of the schemes.

Permit me again to assure your Lordships that in what I
urged in former letters, and feel bound now to repeat, lam
not influenced by any vain idea of intuitive knowledge on
such difficult questions, but having, after close investigation,
discovered the true theory by which coast and channel har-
' bours should be regulated, where drifts of shingle or sand
prevail, I cannot retrain from evincing great anxiety that a
theory so indisputable should be practically attended to in the
cases under review, in which it appears to me manifest that
the serious difficulties at each of those ports, arising from
such drift, can only be overcome by a careful application of
the principles laid down in my pamphlet. This theory has
been before the public ten years, and its truth is univer-
sally admitted.

I trust, therefore, your Lordships will excuse me when I
reiterate my firm conviction that the harbours of refuge con-
structing at Harwich and Dover must fail, because the laws
of nature have been utterly disregarded in the adaptation of
the works to the features of the coast at both places.
I believe that to be susceptible of the clearest demonstra-
tion; and had I been permitted to trace cause and effect at
each place, in company with the officers to whom the Ad-
miralty has confided the execution of the projects, I have no
doubt whatever that I should have been enabled by local
evidence fully to establish the facts I contend for.
The confidence your Lordships appear still to place in the
judgment of others would have deterred me from this last
effort to induce vou to pause, were it not that I entertained
the most scrupulous belief of the soundness of my views, and
an earnest desire to guard against a further expenditure of
capital on works of so doubtful a character, and being of
opinion that it is not yet too late to propose such modifica-
tions of the plans in question, particularly necessary at Dover,
as would remove the objections urged against them by many
men whose judgments are entitled to considerable weight,
and are in accordance with my own.
I hare the honour to be, my Lords, &c.
S. H. WILLIAMS,
Lieutenant-Colonel Royal Engineer&
(Copy.)
Admiralty, 25:h August, 1848.
Sir,—Having laid before my L,rcli, Counnissior:ers of the
Admiralty your letter of the 14th instant, 1 am commanded
by their Lordships to acquaint you that it is not considered
advisable to make any changes in the plan on which the
works at Harwich and Dover are proceeding.
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
(Signed) 11. G. WARD.
Lieut.- Colonel Williams,, R. E., Ramsgate.
(Copy. )
Ramsgate, sth February, 1849.
Sir,--As the letters I have had the honour to address to

the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, expressing my
fears that the harbour of refuge now constructing in Dover
Bay will disappoint their Lordship' expectations, and prove
a failure, have been brought under your notice in the ordi-
nary routine of business, ant are accessible for reference, any
repetition of the contents of those letters is unnecessary, but
I am induced to ask you to give the subject your early and

special consideration for the following reasons.
The tenor of their Lordships last communication, dated
28th of August, in reply to my representation of the 14th
August, 1848, precludes mo from further official corre-
spondence.
There has been no attempt to deny the accuracy of my
investigation, nor to show that my deductions are invalid,
and firmly believing the former to be perfectly sound, and
the latter to be susceptible of strict proof, and, moreover, that
I.ean fully substantiate every head of my argument, I feel it
a positive duty to take such steps as may appear best calcu-
lated to bring my views to the test of public opinion.
The Board has hitherto declined my offers to meet any
. .

professional person or persons they might think proper to
appoint to examine and discuss the subject, and by their re-
fusal have left me only the painful alternative of preserving
silence on a question of great national importance, whilst
impressed with the most profound conviction that he truth

on my side, or of appealing to the highest tribunal in the
kingdom.
1 cannot but feel that an unusual course has been pursued
towards me in refusing all inquiry, more particularly as the
Admiralty is aware of the attention I have given to this dif-
ficult subject, and has had under deliberation the opinions of
others well qualified to judge of the manner in which I have
treated it.

am desirous. therefore, with all possible courtesy, of

stating to you that it is my present intention to request a
talented Member of the House of Commons to move for an
inquiry into the expediency of proceeding with the harbour
of refuge at Dover, unless the Admiralty shall be pleased to
sanction the employment of a competent engineer, to hear
my evidence, to view the coast, and to report for their Lord-
ships' information.
Allow me to suggest that Mr. Robert Stephenson be re-
quested to undertake these duties. I will meet Mr. Stephen-
son alone, or in conjunction with Captain Washington, R.N.,
and if their repoit should negative my allegations, 1 will
abide by it, and consider my of finally disposed of.
The inspection and report may be completed in a week, and
surely the trifling expense of such a Commission should be
no obstacle to its appointment, when it must be borne in
mind that the outlay of hundreds of thousands may be
affected by its recommendations.
I have lied personal communication with two of the mem-
bers of the Commission appointed by the Treasury minute

of 2d of April, 1844. Both. admit the truth of my theory
on the accumulation of shingle, where the free passage of it
is impedtd, and on its ordinary easterly drift in the Channel.
But how do these gentlemen get rid of the dilemma in which
they are placed by such admissions? One sass—" True, at
the back (to the westward) of the breakwater there must be
an accumulation of shingle, and though it may follow the
pier for a certain distance, it will ultimately be lost in deep
water and pass away." The other Commissioner says—
" When the accumulation of shingle approaches the end of
the breakwater, a horn must be built, to take the drift in
another direction."

In each of those opinions there is an admission of the pre-
mises I contend for, but in neither is the extent of the evil
foreseen. The conclusion is erroneous—the remedy worse
than the disease. Both views, as to what must infallibly
happen, are obscure ; manifest a very superficial acquaintance
with the causes which give rise to, and govern the drifts of
shingle on the coast, and evince a disregard of the facts as
they exist, and may with care be traced.
Again, what becomes of the shingle when it reaches the
South Foreland, is a question frequently asked. I believe a
satisfactory explanation can be given, and I shall be pre-
pared to offer one suggested to my mind by local observe-

lions whenever the subject shall be fully gone into.
surely it is advisable to take the highest professional opi-
nion in the kingdom upon the points at issue, and I respect-
fully solicit you to move their Lordships to authorise the
inquiry I now pray for.
It is far from my wish to cause her Majesty's Government
any embarrassment, and I cheerfully take the course of first
appealing to you—a step suggested to me by a naval officer
of rank and eminence in his profession, but who also thinks
it will be imperative upon me to bring the whole subject under
the notice of Parliament, it the proposal herein submitted,
should be declined.

1 have the honour to be, Sir, &c.,
S. H. WILLIAMS,
Lieut. -Colonel late Royal Engineers.
Rear-Admiral J. D. Dundas &c., Admiralty.
(Copy.)
to the ord./
letter, referring to previous communicationst.e to the harbour o
Commissioners of the Admiralty,
Bay,relative
dvas a month has now
Sir,—l had the honour on theßsamthsuglat.tetPoMadadrcrhess6,tolBL4o9u.
_a
refuge constructing in Dover
lastletter, and no reply what-
elapsed since the date of my
tdt phur presume utymo
reye
otqhuuaretsrLaitnkis
and
I addressed you with
ev e
theirr Lordships'hs been
intention
thetto° comply
deference ucev
station, and feel that y
Io
u v
a ,niil el haventitl thedtoe
goodnessareply,toinform
and therefore
m e
take leave to request
whether my letter of the sth of February has reached you.
I have the honour to be, Sir, &c.
S. H. WILLIAMS,
Lieut.-Colonel late Royal Engineers.
Rear-Admiral J. D. Dundas, &c.
(Copy.)
Admiralty, March 8, 1849.
Admiral Dundas' compliments to Colonel Williams, and
begs to inform him, he has referred his letter of the Gth of
March to the Secretary of the Admiralty, and Mr. Ward
will, no doubt, cause a public reply to be addressed to Colonel
Williams.
Lieut.-Colonel Williams, R.E.
(Copy.)
Admiralty, March 9,1849.
Sir,—My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having
bad under their ccnsideration your letter of the 6th instant,
addressed to Admiral Dundas, have no other answer to give
you than that which they have already sent, on the 24th of
Augtht last, namely, that it is not their Lordships' intention
to make any alteration in the plans upon which the works
at Harwich and Dover are proceeding.
I am, Sir, your most obedient s ery ant,
(Signed) WARD•
Lieut.-Colonel Williams, R.E., Ramsgate.

RECAPTURE OF A CO) VlCT.—Cbarles Lankey, one
of the prisoners who escaped from the Hebe, convict hulk,
on Tuesday morning, was recaptured at Barnet by two con-
stables of the S division of police. It appeared that he and
the other prisoner, Bradbury, slipped throughoneoßfrtandebuairry-
scnttles and plunged into the _river. Being an excellent
swimmer, he swam across the Thames and made for the op-
posite shore, where he landed. The ether prisoner,
took to the other side of the river, and from the fact of his
being a very indifferent swimmer, it is supposed that he
perished.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, May:4.

The LORD CEtexcELLon took his seat on the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.
Lord FEVERSHAM presented several petitions
against a repeal of the navigation-laws.
Lord STANLEY presented several petitions with
a similar prayer.
The Duke of WELLINGTON presented several pe-
titions with a similar prayer.
The Earl of TALBOT presented petitions from War-
wick and othei places with a similar prayer.
The Earl of FALMOUTH presented a petition from
Penzance with a similar prayer.
The Earl of DELAWARR presented a petition
from Cambridge, praying for a restoration of protection.
The Duke of BEAUFORT presented several petitions
against a repeal of the navigation-laws.
SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY.
Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from Mr.
Charles Saunders, the secretary of the Great Western
Company, complaining that he had been represented
as secretary to the South Devon Railway Company,
He (Lord Brougham) had never stated that he was
secretary to the South Devon Company. The petition
also stated that the Great Western had no connexion
with the South Devon, except as the holders of a great
number of shares—that of course gave it great influence
over the South Devon. The Great Western paid up
their calls. Mr. Saunders did not pay up his calls.
He purchased preference shares when there
was a guarantee of six per cent. for ten years;
they ceased paying the 6 per cent. at the end of the
first year, and that he said be would not pay up his
calls, and then it was suggested to him that the trans-
action was illegal. Such were the statements of the
petition, and he thought it better to detail them to the
House. He had understood from several Noble Lords
that Mr. Saunders was a most respectable person.
Lord LYNDHURST said that Mr. Saunders had
nothing to do with the South Devon Railway, except
as a shareholder, who had paid his calls, had afterwards
taken preference shares, and had, on being informed that
those preference shares were invalid, refused to pay any
more calls on them, until the point as to their validity
should be settled, and proceedings were now pending to
decide the point.
Lord BROUGHAM had been requested by Mr. Hunt
to say that he was not the solicitor to whom he had al-
luded on the former occasion, and he certainly had not
alluded to Mr. Hunt.

After a few words from Lard Campbell, the Duke of
Cleveland, the Duke of Beaufort, and explanations from
Lords Brougham and Lyndhurst,
The Earl of GRANVILLE said that he could cor-
roborate the statement that the first time that it was
suggested to Mr. Saunders that these preference shares
were illegal, was during the course of a conversation
under the gallery of the House of Commons. He had
seen the gentleman who had first made that suggestion
to the House of Commons.
REPORTING THE DEBATES.

Lord BEAUMONT gave notice that on Friday he
should move the consideration of the Standing Order
130. In consequence of the construction of the House,
and of the noise below the bar, it was impossible for
the reporters to hear accurately what passed in the
House, and he should, therefore, on Thursday move the
consideration of this standing order.