The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-29 00:00:00

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stated that it was not the intention of the Government to
propose any vote of public money for breakwaters without
very !grave considerations as to the manner in which that
money was to be expended, he should not enter upon that
part of the question. But the proposition of the noble mar-
quis was totally different. All the noble mar pis proposed
was to inquire whether floating breakwaters W( re not better
than those of solid masonry. He himself (the Earl of Hard-
wicke) was of opinion that a breakwater of that description
should be tried upon a scale which would not require any
large outlay, and that when it was secured with proper
anchors it would be found to be perfectly safe. He should
like to see an experiment tried, say at Hastings, of a float-
ing breakwater to secure the beaching of fishing boats,
which would render most essential service to the persons
engaged in that oeoupation, lie thought, if a committee
was granted, it would be the means of laying kofore Parlia-
ment precise information as to what would be the best form
and materials for such constructions.
The Earl of BANDON wished to take that opportunity
of drawing the attention of the Government to the fact that
the south-west coast of Ireland vns perfectly defenceless. Not
a single gun was to be found either, at the lial bour of Long
Island or the magnificent Bay of Bantry.
The Duke of SOMERSET was understood to say that in
case of any emergency ships of war would be the best de-
fence of that part of the coast,
The Earl of DERBY said, without wishing to take any
part in the discussion as to the construction of coating
breakwaters, he would take that opportunity of putting a
question with reference to an important subject. The re-
port of the CoXamission on National Defences had been lying
on the table of the house for a considerable time and had in-
volved an enormous expense, and he considered it was very
important that the intentions of tho Government on the sub-
ject should be known. The session was now far advanced,
and he hoped the noble earl opposite would be prepared to
state the intentions of the Government upon this question.
Earl GRANVILLE said whatever measures the Govern-
ment decide upon would be introduced in the other house
of Parliament. He was not prepared at that moment to
state what the nature of those measures might be, but he
should make inquiries on the subject.
Lord BROUGHAM said that all who had witnessed that
grand and magnificent spectacle in Hyde-park on Saturday
last must have been convinced that our best defences were
to be found in our troops. In that term fie included volun-
teers, for he could see no difference between troops and
volunteers. He conceived that the existence of a large
armed force, and the facility with which they could be
moved from one part of the country to the other, was a
most important element in national defence. He would
suggest to the Government that some such scene as that of
Saturday last should be repeated in other parts of the
country, and that reviews of a similar kind should take
place in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Devonshire, and the eastern
and south-eastern parts of the country, which would pro-
duce the happiest effect upon the volunteer movement, and
the best effect also in other countries. (Hear.)
The Earl of CAITHNESS said that engineers, generally
speaking, omitted from their calculations one of two ele-
ments with which they had to deal in the construction of
solid harbours. They took the water only into account,
and not the air also. The harbour of Wick, which had stood
the most severe tests to which a harbour could be exposed,
had only given way in those parts where limen was used.
Next month the herring fishing on that coast would com-
mence, in which there would be 1,000 boats and 5,000 men
engaged, and if any storm arose it would be from the north
and north-east, and those boats would be left entirely at
the mercy of the sea, whereas if such a floating breakwater
as had been suggested was constructed the whole of the
lives and property embarked in the fishing would be pro-
tected from...such storms.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said he did not envy
the noble duke or his colleagues the responsiblity they took
upon themselves in ab taming from carrying out what had
been proposed by the harbours commission, and in refusing
a committee to inquire farther into the subject.
Earl GRANVILLE said the noble marquis was mis-
taken in supposing that his noble friend refused his propo-
sal ; and if the noble marquis could find that the peers, who
we e best qualified to inquire into this subject, were pre-
pared to investigate it in committee, the Government would
not oppose a motion for that purpose.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE was understood to
withdraw his motion for the purpose of introducing another
to-morrow.