The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-22 00:00:00

REFUGE HARBOURS.

It will be recollected 1)37 most of our readers that
during the last Session of Parliament, on the motion of
Mr. Rice, M.P. for Dover, a Committee to inquire
into the state of the harbours on the south-eastern
coast, by the House of Commons, was granted ; and
that subsequently an Admiralty Commission, consist-
ing of Rear-Admiral Sir James Gordon, Lieutenant-
Colonel Thompson, Royal Engineers ; Captain Vidal,
R.N. ; Captain Drew ; Messrs. Walker and Cubitt,
Civil Engineers ; and Mr. Clifton, of the Admiralty,
was appointed to survey this coast from the Thames
to Selsea Bill, with the view of fixing on the sites
for the construction of harbours to be used at all
times as ports of refuge, and as stations for Govern-
ment steamers in case of war. This Commission, in con-
formity to their instructions, set out in her Majesty's
steamer Fearless, Lieutenant Baker, in the early part
of August last, and, after a laborious survey, during
which they visited Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate,
Sandwich, Deal, Dover, Folkestone, Hythe, Dunge-
ness, Rye, Hastings, and other ports, and obtained all
possible evidence to the capabilities of these places, they
have, we are credible assured, come to an unanimous
determination in recommending the ancient port of
Dover as one of the most eligible points for the erection
of such a harbour. There arc, we also understand,
one or two other places in the Channel, to be recom•
mended as fitting sites for refuge harbours ; but as,
among these, on various accounts, Dover puts forth,
perhaps, superior claims to be first noticed, we shall
confine our present remarks principally to that port.
From the earliest periods of our history the national
inaportanco of Dover Harbour has been generally ad-
mitted and appreciated, if we may judge by the many
special Acts of Parliament regarding it, that have been
passed under various Monarchs ; and, it we are well
informed, measures are about to be taken, under our
present Sovereign Lady Victoria, that, in point of
extent and utility, will very far eclipse them all, as well
as reflect lustre on her Liberal Government, and, in-
deed, on the enlightened age in which we live. This is
as it should be, for independent of its important posi-
tion as the key to the continent, and independent of its
capabilities for a refuge port, Dover Harbour may to all
intents and purposes be viewed as national property, in-
asmuch as the whole mercantile navy of the kingdom
contributes towards its maintenance. Any one on
visiting Dover cannot fail to be struck with the local
advantages it holds out for the formation of a port of
shelter for our shipping, either from the war of ele-
ments, or from that of hostile fleets. Here the majes-
tic chalky cliffs which stand boldly forward as a breast-
work to the kingdom, actually part asunder, and form a
most inviting haven ; and, in short, Dame Nature, as
it were, throws open her arms to the reception of the
way-worn mariner and his tempest-tossed barque,
whilst the beautiful and capacious bay between pre-
sents an extent of anchorage, on which a whole fleet of
the largest class of ships might, in perfect safety, ride
out the most boisterous gale. And farther, these na-
tural advantages are much strengthened by the town
and harbour being flanked and covered by the protec-
tion of the first batteries in the kingdom ; namely,
those of the Redoubt and the Grand Citadel on the
right, whilst a range of martello towers stretches on
either side along the whole line of coast.

In support of the position we have taken in regard
to Dover, let us quote a single passage from a memorial
presented by the famed Sir Walter Raleigh to Queen
Elizabeth on the same subject :—" No promontory,"
says this document, " town, or haven, in Christendom,
is so placed by nature and situation, both to gratify
friends and annoy enemies, as this town of Dover,
situated on a promontory next
fronting a puissant
foreign King, and in the very straight passage and in-
tercourse of almost all the shipping in Christendom.
And if that our renowned ring (Hoary Bth), your
Majesty's father, found how necessary it was to make
a haven at Dover (when Sandwich, Rye, Camber, and
others, were good havens, and Calais also was then in
his possession), and yet spared not to bestow, of his
treasure, so great a mass, in building that pier, which
then secured a probable means to perform the same ;
how much more is the same now needful, or rather of
inecessity (those good havens being extremely decayed),
o safe harbour being left in all the coast almost, be-
tween Portsmouth and Yarmouth. Seeing, then, it
bath pleased God to give unto this ,realm such a situa•
tion for a port and town as all Christendom bath not
the like, and endowed the same with all commodities by
land and sea that can be wished, to make the harbour
allureth intercourse, and maintain inhabitants ; and that
the same
once
performed must be advantageous to the
revenue, and augment the welfare andriches of the
realm in general ; and both needful and necessary, as
well for the securing and protecting friends as annoying
and offending enemies, both in war and peace ; me-