The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-28 00:00:00

NATIONAL DEFENCES.

Mr.. PAPILLON asked the Secretary of State for War
how soon the new barracks at Colchester were likely to be
commenced, and within wllat period he hoped to have them
completed ; whether he intended to put in order and arm
the twenty-one tower's between St. Osyth's Point and Ald-
borough, not one of which was at present armed ; and
generally, what steps he proposed to take for the purpose of
rendering more efficient the armament and defences of that
part of the east coast.
Mr. HERBERT said a great portion of the money taken

this year would be absorbed in the purchase of land. The
barracks would be commenced in the course of the financial
year, and he hoped that eighteen months or so would put
them into a habitable state. In the estimates this year a
sum would be taken for the defence of Harwich harbour ;

and the coast defences morally were gradually being put
into a state of repair; but the Government did not under-
take to make a fortress of England, so as to prevent the
landing of a hostile force upon any part of her coast. (Hear.)
ABD-EL-K ADE R.

Mr. GRIFFITH asked the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs whether he had received accounts that Abd-el-
Kader had greatly exerted himself to prevent, as far as
possible, the massacre at Damascus, and had sheltered many
Christians in his own house, preserving their lives by that
act of courage and humanity; and, if so, whether it would
not be at the same time a generous and prudent policy, on
the part of this country, to express their sense of those
services, by conferring on Abd .el• Kader some decoration, or
other mark of distinction and approbation, in acknowledg-
ment of them ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said the Government had not received
any official account of what had occurred at Damascus. At
present they had only telegrams ; and it would therefore of
course be premature to give any precise answer to the hon.
gentleman's question.
THE NEAPOLITAN ENVOY.

Lord J. RUSSELL added that the answer which ho had
yesterday given to the hon. gentleman had been correctly
reported ; but he had received a letter from the special
envoy of the Neapolitan Government, which he would read
to the house :—" London, July 27. My Lord,—The reply
whichyour Excellency gave yesterday to the question of
Mr. Griffith on the subject of the war in Sicily and of a
truce to be established, not having correctly represented my
intentions and those of my government, I beg you to be
kind enough to rectify your statement in the House of Com
mons. What I requested of the Government of Her Bri-
tannic Majesty was, to be good enough, in concert with
France and Piedmont, to exercise a pressure upon Gari-
baldi, with the view of obtaining a real truce for six months,
so that the negotiations for an alliance with Piedmont
might be brought to an issue, and that the meeting of the
n itional representation might take place. The idea of di.-
rectly employing force against Sicily by the above
Men-
tioned powers did not at all enter into my mind, nor in
that of the government which 1 have the honour to repre-
sent, assured as I nut that the means of attaining the object
would not have failed without the necessity of having re-
course to extraordinary expedients.—l have, &c.,
" A. LAGRECcA."