The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-05 00:00:00

from the contiguous ground. If the French had landed
in Bantry, after three days everything in Cork had been
token in six hours. It is impossible t) conceive any-
thing more indefensible, from the land side, than our -
establishments- in -Cork ' • neither is the vicinity ef a
population of 80,000 at all desirable to a fortified place,
The fact is, that the vast expenditure of publiC money
in Cork was a total waste, and part of the political job-
bing which prevailed in those days.
No place could be better adapted than Cork, With its
great commercial resources,' for the provision trade, and
the supply-of our beets.
In exercising the great public trust of choosing, on
the assailable bide of Ireland, such a position. as • will
combine,naval defence with military facilities, the GO-
vernment will surely adept a searching inquiry e and
if the public money, more or less, be to be expended,
they will as surely take care that whatever publie- works
are established shall be in a position ef unquestionable
security- from internal oil:emotion—Or—external attack.;
and that it is not from the eastern or seuthein side of
Ireland its western coasts can be defended, any more
than Cork could be defended from the Shannon.
England may, in another respect; condescend to take
instruction from France. Bhe is about to establish four
di stincilines orpacket comninnication across the Atlantic
from het. western ports to America. Such a wise measure
will form a basis for an ocean steam navy. Yet France
has no possessions on the other side of the Atlantic. Has
-England no interest, colonial or imperial, in acting on a
similar policy? Is it that our Government can be in-
sensible to-the vast importance of establishing a counter-.
balancing force of steam navy on the North Atlantic?
Will England forego the advantages of bur geographical
position, which so much abridges the transit of the
ocean. We have at least one harbour, six d: frees west
of BrestewhiCh can be resched by railroad Is the cir-
cumstance to be overlooked of placing the Ferioaical
transport of our mails and troops remote from the cruis-
ing i ground of,'an enemy's steamers, and on which it
would rfaituire the equil ment of a consider-
able force ; sbnie- hundreis of Miles distance
to intercept` our commnnications? But if, after
all, , the- Government shall deem the selec•
of n of: the beet possible rcket station, awl
-the: :most suitable point for einbarkatien of cur
troops, matters of subordinate interest, and shall prefer
some paltry economy of money to economy of the
'soldiers' safety! and comfort, and that all old establish-
ments,iuet though. erroneous, -shall be continued, and the
plihlibsevice-Tatrificed to rnonopolie-4, end a subser-
' aas
therehie h twheillsfrs
Governmentmain
subject,'o'ineeienYll'-timoPslawrtgaerrite°lls t ene
p
• cannot continue to delude itself.

A vast suna• of putlic money has been devoted to
fortify the English coast nicest opposed to the possible
enemy. In a former war the contemplation of an inva-
sion led to a plan of arming 400,000 of the population to
meet such a danger. Are the British pe• ple so degene-
rate, that whilst her army has never been beaten in
foreign countries, they would not furnish a host of brave
and loyal hearts, sufficient to overwhelm any foe that
dared to violate their soil ? There can, at the same time,
be no doubt, that particular parts of our coasts may ad-
vantageously be provided with works and artillery to
embarrass, if not defeat, any attempt at a descent. Of
course all our arsenals should be placed in the best pos-
sible state of defence, and for that purpose, extensive
lines of fortification are requisite. But after all, an
attempt to invade England cannot contemplate more
than a temporary effect, or the destruction of some
public property, possibly of great magnitude. An occu-
pation of the country cannot for a moment be thought of
—not so Ireland. The popular press of Ireland pro-
claims that " England's adversity is Ireland's oppor-
tunity ;" that opportunity would arise in case of an in-
vasion, and it would be worse than childish to suppose
for a moment that a foreign force invading Ireland
would find itself in "an enemy's country." In the
summer of 1798, eleven hundred Frenchmen landed in
Connaught, and made such an impression, that Lord
Corna-allis found it necessary to concentrate all the dis-
posable force at his command, to defeat the French and
the rebels who joined them. Another expedition of
3,000 men was soon after en our coasts, but fortunately
captured at sea.
Under the present wise monarch of France, our rela-
tions with that country may be safe; bnt it is incumbent
upon the Government to prepare beforehand for a very
different state of things.. The French blunder of in-
vading Ireland by Bantry Bay will never be repeated:
the armament was in truth intended for the Shannon.
Every possible motive, military and naval, indicates the
west of Ireland as the assailable line of invasion. If any
doubts existed on the subject, our most powerful enemies
have instructed us. Carnot and Napoleon not only con-
sidered that Ireland had very fine westerly harbours, but
they made a selection of the points at which it might be
desirable to pay us a visit;t and assuredly the first
step to be taken by France in case of a war, would be
an invasion of the west of Ireland. A force for that pur-
pose will necessarily proceed from the western harbours
of France, and their fair wind, viz., some point of the south,
shuts up Cork and Bantry ; and any effort, even by
Iteatners,
.from those ports, would be greatly retarded
ntl embarrassed in the attempt to get round the south-
western angle of Ireland. Even the limited experience
of the last two winters proves, what an immense " wear
and tear," and waste of fuel, has ensued from the mis-
chievous fallacy of connecting the western defences with
" head-quarters" At Cork. It trey be measured by
!he average of time pa'sed by our steamers between
pork and the Skelligs. The avowed hostility of Ame-
rica, at feast its sympathy when occasion shall offer,
to the west of Ireland. When an invasion comes,
it will come as a " coup de main," and it would be
madness not to prepare for it in time of peace, as what
is only wasteful and inconvenient in the operations of
'peace, would be fatal in war. It is palpable to every
praf.ssional man, that fir nn effectual naval defence of
the west of Irelan I. some position must be taken up'
upon that coast. The prop'r force for such a purpo.e
would necessarily be a squadron of steamers of various
strength. The western coast of Ireland may be said to
'begin at the Skolligs The choice of such naval sta-
tion would, therefore, be restricted to some harbour on
`the coast of Galway, to the Shannon, and to Valentia.
it be not intended to abandon Ireland, and to court
lan invasion of its shores, a defensive position must Le
taken up at come one or other cf those harbours. It
will have to be considered whether any, and which of
these, can be rendered, in a naval and military sense,
perfectly defensible—from which the general line of
western coast can be most effectually watched and corn-
' manded—from which vessels are most quickly and easily
released by the prevailing winds—to which can be com-
municated by signal or telegraph the earliest intimation
of the approach of an enemy to our coasts 4 and, in
which vessels can lie in the best anchorage, with shelter
from all winds. These are questions which it is impe-
ratively the duty of the Government to investigate by the
most able and impartial professional authorities.
As an essential feature in the western defence of Ire-
land, I would respectfully solicit a military and naval
examination of the question, whether Valentia does not
possess the means of being easily and effectually forti-
fied against any attack, with ample anchorage for a
squadron, which could not be molested ; and a military
position on the island, commanding at once the harbour
and the opposite coast, and unattacksble by an enemy,
either externally or internally. It is not easy to appre-
ciate the influence which the establishment of a strong
defensive squadron in the most suitable western port
would exercise on the internal ;tranquillity of Ireland.
Under all the circumstances, I hope it will not be
deemed presumptuous for me to ask, at your Lordships'
hands, what your Noble predecessor promised me, viz.,
fair play and Justice to Ireland.—l have the honour to
be, my dear Lord, faithfully yours,
THE KNIGHT OF KERRY.

* A powerful and well-paid agency has been for many
years exercised insidiously in
_hostility to Valentia. There
is not a department of the Government that has not been
mask
assailed by this agency, which one day or other may be
plan of attacking Ireland would
at the same time a diversion by
the Colonelsh a
n Snhosnw
andtha
Gal-
wayt h i s
Napoleon. in his free discussions after
menacing Hull; and
t Carn
° t
simultaneously, communicated c
creating
a to q ite,
be
aitne
his deposition, stated that the Shannon was the proper point
of descent.
; The great Skellig is one of the most remarkable objects
in the ocean, rising near 800 feet above the sea, in 34 fa•
thorns water. It is one of the best possible points for obser-
vation of any approach to the 'western coast of Ireland.
Now that such improvements are contemplated in the elec-
tric telegraph, it would not be extravagant to anticipate that
intelligence could be communicated in a few minutes to the
Admiralt and Downing-street, from a station 10i degrees
west of 4reenwich, and upwards of two degrees nearer to
America than Cork.

ST. ANN'S SOCIETY SCHOOLS, BRlXTON.—Wednesday
the yearly meeting of the boys educated in this admirable
institution, which since its establishment in 1800 has main-
tained and apprenticed upwards of 1,000 boys and 600 girls,
the children of parents formerly in prosperous circumstances,
was held at the establishment, Brixton, the Dean of Hereford
in the chair. The Rev. Mr. Laing read various certifi-
cates of good conduct and ability, which were received from
the boys' employers. The chairman then distributed the
prizes, which consisted of books, to the successful candi-
dates; after which Mr. White conducted the visitors over
the wards, dormitories, and grounds of the institution, point-
ing nut the various improvements that had been made since
our last visit.
BRITISH AND FOREIGN UNITARIAN ASSOCIATION.—
Wednesday the annual meeting of the members of this asso-
ciation was held at the Essex-street Chapel. The anniver-
sary sermon having been preached at eleven o'clock by the
Rev. Mr. Robberds, of Manchester, the meeting was held
immediately afterwards. The chair was occupied by J.
gentlemen.
laEstling, Esq., of Bristol, supported by several ministers andal
r.eadAftthee financial
r according to which it
asuccincsttaadtedmreenss4from the chairman, the
appeared that the balance from last year amounted to
1181. 18s., which, with annual receipts and other items, made
a total of 8631. Ils. 4d., being rather an increase on the
years, which was 829/. The an-
average of the last three
nual subscriptions amounted to 629/. 95., the average fiat the
three preceding years being 5451. 16s. The expenditure
during the year had exceeded the receipts, owing to in-
creased demands on the association, not to any falling off in
the funds. The total sum laid out amounted to 1,0091.
ss. 4d., there being consequently a balance remaining again:t
the society. The sum of 5211. had been given towards poor
congregations. The funded property of the association con-
sists of 1,9451. in the Three per Cents., and some other
smaller investments. The financial mtatement having been
adopted, the annual report was read. It referred at some
length to the proceedings of the committee in various parts
of the country, and stated that several thousand tracts and
Unitarian publications had been extensively distributed or
sold at nominal prices. The report was agreed to, as wee
resolutions in accordance therewith, proposed by gentlemen
present.
[ADVERTISEMENT.]—A DANGEROUS DISEASE OF
THE LIVES AND STOMACH CURED BY IioLLoWAITs OINTMENT
, AND
PlLLS.—Mr.'Thomas Randell, 7, Cottage-Piaee t:nhlemailth4afonreiLime-
house, formerly a large farmer, declares that wenty.
a, owing to a derangement of
tfrh.
ee ciuently
osfeizaedmownithth
by rube
years past had been so very precAfie
that he often anticipated The
thespas lulivse,r,a,nhtlichstosomnaecahr,lytt..:baotkhede,,iliramnss
symptoms, lie was perfectly cared
his
draggiSt3, and
being found dead by his , b u
chest,t coursestomach, uaciihd
rightangesricdues,
bing Holloway's Ointment into
244, Strand, London.
his
ocre,sler
tatedbliBPhmlllse,ireh are sold by all
,attndthteakrrixoprig