The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-01 00:00:00

THE FORTIFICATIONS OF THE

DOCKYARDS.
PLYMOUTH, Auo. 29.—His Grace the Duke of Wel-
lington arrived here last evening, and is staying at the
Royal Hotel, Plymouth. He was immediately waited on
by Major-General the Hon. H. Murray, Commander of
Forces in the western district.
This morning, about half-past nine, his Grace appeared
in front of the hotel, and was greeted by the hearty
cheers of the few persons assembled. His Grace was
joined by the Master-General of the Ordnance, the Mar-
quis of Anglesey, who arrived here on Friday in his
yacht, the Pearl. The Noble Duke and Marquis being
aecempanied by Colonel Rudyard, Royal Artillery, and
Colonel Oldfield, Royal Engineers, proceeded at once on
horseback, to the neighbourhood of the Blockhouse, at
Higher Stoke, from whence a bird's-eye view can be
obtained of most of the fortifications in and surrounding
Plymouth.
From thence his Grace went to Keigham magazine,
after inspecting which he proceeded across Hamoaze by
Torpoint to Ficklecombe Point, Mount Edgcumbe
Park, and returned to the Royal Hotel, Plymouth, at
3 o'clock.
At 6 this afternoon his Grace entertains a private
party at dinner at the Royal Hotel.
The last official visit of his Grace to Plymouth oc
curred in the year 1819. At that time the Noble Duke
surveyed all the defences, and made some valuable sug•
gestions which were adopted. At the present moment
extensive alterations and improvements are in progress,
as will be seen by the following statement:—
At Staddon Point, which forms the eastern arm of
Pl 3 mouth Sound, a half-moon battery is nearly finished,
capable of mounting eight 56-pounders. Behind the
battery it is designed to have barracks for accommo-
dating 100 men, and there will be towers erected at each
end ; the S.W. tower to have five stories, and the N.W.
tower two stories; each story to accommodate 22 men,
in case of a retreat from the barracks. The towers are
from eight to nine feet thick, loopholed, with falling
iron doors, ball proof ; and under each tower is a tank,
capable of containing sufficient water for four months'
consumption.
The old battery on Staddon heights has been re-
paired, the platform relaid, and guns remounted. There
is some idea of constructing fortifications on these
heights, to the cost of 50,000/.
To the west of I'lymouth Sound, at Picklecombe
Point, in Mount Edgcumbe Park, a battery is to be
constructed similar to the new battery at Staddon Point.
It is, however, to be more ornamental and in the Gothic
style. On Maker heights the barracks are repairing, a
red-hot shot furnace is erected, and traversing guns are
to be mounted.
On St. Nicholas, or Drake's Island, which lies under
Mount Edgcumbe, considerable alterations are in pro-
gress. The left half moon battery is completed; it will
take eight 60-pounders, mounted on traversing plat-
forms. The right half-moon battery will be constructed
to take five guns of similar calibre and principle. It is
ultimately intended to remodel the old battery on the
same principle as the new half-moon batteries. New
quarters for the officers and now barracks for the men
are erected; there is also a new hospital and ablution
room. The old canteen is to be converted into barracks,
and a new canteen built.
At Plymouth citadel the 24-pounders in the lower fort
have been replaced by 32-pounders and six 68-pounders,
and a red-hot shot furnace has been erected. In the
upper battery the 6- pounders used for saluting have
been removed, and 32-pounders are to be mounted, not
only there, but all along the southern face. The sa-
luting guns are now placed in a small battery (between
the upper and lower batteries), originally intended for a
mortar battery, but latterly used as a garden for the go-
vernor. In a small battery at the south-west sally-ports
three 68-pounders are to be placed.
The whole number of guns thus pointed towards the
sea from the citadel will be 55 32-pounders and nine
68-pounders. Of late years only 23 six-pounders for
saluting have been mounted on the upper batteries ;
now the whole of the south face will be armed with
heavy metal. The upper batteries will be furnished with
movable red-hot shot furnaces.
Inside the ramparts considerable alterations have for
a long time been in progress. The large store-house
has been converted into barracks for three hundred men,
thus enabling the citadel to accommodate a full regi-
ment. Improved kitchens have been added with ablution
rooms, racquet-court. &c. The bomb-proofs under the
ramparts are repaired, their brick-arched roofs un-
covered, and patent asphalte laid over the bricks to
prevent the entrance of water, which formerly saturated
the interior.
The spiritual wants of the military have been antici-
pated by a reconstruction and enlargement of the citadel
chapel.
At Mount Wise, Devonport, the alterations are as
follows :—Two furnaces for heating shot have been
erected, ene on No. 3 battery, and another on No. 5 bat-
tery. With regard to guns, No. 1 battery remains the
same, viz., eight 24-pounders in the general's garden.
No. 2 battery has seven 24-pounders, formerly 6-
pounders. No. 3 battery has now 11 24-pounders, re-
placing 6-pounder guns, and on the slope leading to the
Redoubt there is a new saluting battery of seven 6-
pounder guns. No. 4is the..4nortar battery. On it aro
three mortars, one S-inch, Otlitlo-inch, and one 13-inch.
In the redoubt are eight 24-pounder guns ; and No. 5
battery, which completes the list, mounts eight 24
pounder guns ; these guns remain the same, but the car-
riages are new and of iron. A battery is kfilding on-
the Bluff, over Richmond-walk Quarry. It is to mount
seven 32-pounders.
At Western King Redoubt, Stonehouse Point, there
are to be new embrasures for two heavy guns, and red-
hot shot furnaces. At Eastern King (Old Long Room)
it is proposed to construct a battery similar to the new
battery at Staddon Point, but with much greater barrack
accommodation.
In addition to these fortifications, plans and estimates
have been made for new works at the Kinterbury pow-
der magazine, to cost 212,0001., and it is said that in the
event of war immense floating batteries would be moored
off either end of the breakwater, further to
_defend the
entrances to this important naval arsenal.
PLYMOUTH, SATURDAY EVENING, 11 O'CLOCK.
This afternoon, the worshipful the Mayor of Ply-
mouth summoned a meeting of the members of the town-
council, who unanimously resolved to present an address
to the Duke of Wellington, provided the same was con-
venient to his Grace. Messrs. Soltau and Lockyer, the
members of the corporation who waited on the Duke to
ascertain his wishes, were, however, courteously informed
that he must decline the proposed compliment, but that
the reception of an address would have been highly gra-
tifying to his Grace had time permitted.
The Noble Duke entertained at dinner at the Royal
Hotel (Plymouth), the Marquis of Anglesey, Lord
Clarence Paget, Colonel Rudyard, Royal Artillery,
Colonel Oldfield, Royal Engineers, and another gentle-
man. His Grace leaves this early to-morrow morning,
and will sleep at Apsley-house the same night.
The gallant Commander-in Chief left London and
travelled by rail and post-chaise 236 miles to Plymouth
on Friday, rode on horseback 20 miles on Saturday, and
retraced the 236 miles on Sunday.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTEL-
LIGENCE.

WooLwlCit, AuG. 31.—The Earl of Auckland, First I
Lord of the Admiralty, Vice-Admiral Sir Charles
Adams, C.B. and K.C.H., and Rear-Admiral Dundas,
C. 8., visited Woolwich Dockyard on Saturday after-
noon, and were received by Captain-Superintendent
Houston Stewart, C. 8., and the heads of the various
departments. The principal object of their Lordships'
visit on this occasion was to inspect the Sidon steam-
frigate, constructed on a plan by Commodore Sir Charles
Napier, and their Lordships remained about an hour on
board that vessel, at her moorings in the river, examin-
ing the whole of the details connected with her. She
has now got her masts in and the rigging put up. An
accident occurred on board on Saturday, which was at-
tended with fatal consequences, a coil of rope having
fallen upon one of the convicts, and he died yesterday
from the injuries he received. The Sidon is to be towed
this afternoon by the Swallow and Myrtle steam-ves-
sels to Deptford, to be completed for sea.
The barque Henry and Elizabeth has been brought
down the river to moorings opposite the Royal Arsenal,
to take on board female convicts for New Australia.
_ _

--
ADMIRALTY, AUG. 29.--Appointment,-113.SICY—W
W. White, to Gladiator.

Captain D'Arleys company, Ist battalion Royal Ar-
tillery, at Woolwich, has been placed under orders to
proceed to Bermuda, to relieve Captain Wilson's com-
pany, 6th battalion, at that station. Captain Dupin's
and Captain Bingham's companies stand first on the
roster for foreign service ; but Captain D'Arley's having
been first reported, on their arrival at Portsmouth from
foreign service, in March, 1842, takes precedence of the
other two companies.
Lieutenant-Colonel Strangways, of the 10th batallion,
proceeds in the Athol troopship to Bermuda, to relieve
Lieutenant-Colonel Bell, who had been in command of
the Royal Artillery in that island in December, 1843.
Intelligence has been received at Woolwich of the
death of Captain Stanway, Royal Artillery, command-
ing the 6th company of the Ist battalion at St. John'
New Brunswick, to which station he proceeded with his
company in August, 1845. This gallant officer served in
the Peninsula and France from February, 1812, to July,
1814, includi❑g the siege of San Sebastian and passages
of the Bidossa and Adour. His remains were interred
in the new burial-ground with military honours.
Tier Majesty's troop-ship B6lleisle, Captain King-
come, arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Wednesday,
July 29, with the 89th Regiment, and two companies of
the 14th Regiment, from Quebec, and embarked at
Halifax on Monday, August 3, the whole of the 2d bat-
talion and three companies of the reserve battalion of
the Rifle Brigade, for conveyance to Canada. The
Rifle Brigade had been quartered about four years in
Nova Scotia, and during that time, by their exemplary
conduct, recommended themselves to all classes of the
citizens, who universally regret their departure from the
garrison.

Mr. Crowder, Queen's Counsel, of the Western Cir-
cuit, has just accepted the appointment of Recorder of Bris-
tol, vacant on the death of Sir Charles Wetherell. We
understand that the Learned Counsel will not practice at
Bristol as counsel at the assizes, owing to this elevation. It
is worth 700/. or SOU a year. After having seen so much
of the urbanity of this distinguished member of the legal
profession, it appears to us that his appointment will give
general satisfaction.—Western Times.