The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-15 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL DEFENCES.

A Report on the Defences could scarcely con-
tain anything else than projects and estimates for
the improvement of the existing defences, such as
they are, wherever they are, and whatever their
purpose, But it so happens that our existing de-
fences are peculiar in all these respects. This ap-
pears in a remark of the Commissioners, that the
Castle and Citadel of Dover are the 'only instances
of a regular fortified position in these isles. The
truth is that all our defences are just sue]) as
would be chosen by a naval Power that had not
till lately anticip:.ted invasion, that knew nothing
of the march of armies over its own soil, that had
its mind full of attacks by sea, and only imagined a
landing for the purpose of taking a maritime for-
tress in the rear. We have none of those chains
of fortresses which mark, for example, the whole
frontier of France from the German Ocean to the
Mediterranean. With the exception of Weedon,
a thing of the other day, we have no arsenal except
near dockyards. A battle on English soil is as
obsolete an idea as a tournament ; and there never
has been such an event as the siege of an English
fortress constructed on modern principles, though
those principles have been the same for near two
centuries. We cannot. imagine England being
conquered or overran ; and, though invasion
panics, we are told, are periodical, and
there have been several in this century, yet
they. have entirely failed to make us realise
the idea of an inland campaign, or the capture of
our metropolis. Thus far the facts of the case have
amply justified our security. Ten millions spent on
the fortifications of London sixty years ago would
have been that much money thrown away, and it
would have represented that much labour in earth-
works and constructions which it would long ago
have been necessary to fill up or raze to the ground.
A century ago we should certainly have had tetes
de pont at the Surrey ends of the bridges, arrange-
ments for submerging the Borough and Lambeth,
detached fortresses at Lewisham and Camberwell-
grove, and a dozen other places. These would long
ago have been surrounded by property too valuable
to be left to a foe, or to be levelled for the play of
our guns. So far it is fortunate we have kept to our
insular notions, and have not blindly imitated con-
tinental fortifications. But, of course, it must
always be a question how long we may continue to
rely on the salt ditch that surrounds us. May we
trust a constant tradition that has hitherto proved
right P Or is it possible that a time may arrive
when the very character of the island shall be
changed, when, in truth, it will cease to be an island
to all practical purposes, and when we shall have
to consult our safety and independence by the same
means as are found , necessary in continental
States ?

These are questions that must be answered be-
fore we make up our minds either to fortify the
metropolis or to leave it open as now. The
Royal Commission, faithful to their instructions,
do not make the metropolis prominent in their
Report. Their instructions only allude to the me-
tropolis, and their Report does little more. But
it is worth while to consider what the Commis-
sioners take for granted, or suppose, in their report.
They suppose an invasion in considerable force;
they suppose the possibility of a landing on any
part of 300 miles out of 750, between the Humber
and the Land's-end ; they suppose this near enough
to threaten Portsmouth or Dover from the land
side. They take for granted that if a sufficient force
were landed in Sussex or in Kent, it would push
on, not toward fortresses bristling with guns, and
containing nothing but men and ships and munitions
of war, but for the metropolis, and that it would
advance thither with all possible speed. They take
for granted that the enemy would take possession
of it, if possible, and hold it as a hostage for the
acquirement of any terms they might find it con-
venient to advance ; and that we should have no
choice but to accede to their terms, however costly.
Justifying themselves on certain alleged outrages
of our own armies and fleets against foreign capitals
lnd ports, and against the public buildings, the
monuments, and national property, the enemy
might either do fearful damage or extort an im-
mense ransom, or demand the destruction of our
navy and arsenals, in the very terms, perhaps,
of the Treaty of Paris, when Russia was the
criminal. The possession of London, without a
siege, will produce the same disasters as the
siege and capture of Portsmouth or Plymouth.
We are only taking the supposition of the Com-
missioners. They reason as most people would
do on their premises. They show a decided
leaninr, to the fortification of the metropolis,
though not qualified by their instructions to re-
commend more than the defence of Woolwich. But
even this appears to have been abandoned by Go-
vernment. The defence of the metropolis is too vast
an affair for consideration just now, and, as the
whole is too much to be handled at once, even
Woolwich is to be abandoned.
This omission of London from the works to be
recommended to Parliament is not only a disappoint-
ment, if we may use so strong a word, to the public ;
it is not only a mutilation of the report ; it is in
the very face of the suppositions and arguments on
which the report is based. It will then devolve upon
those who bring the report before the notice of Par-
liament, and recommend the works to carry it out,
to explain at the same time why the metropolis is
omitted. No doubt they will have much to say.
They ought indeed when every military man " pooh-
poohs" the idea of fortifying the metropolis, as nei-
ther possible nor necessary. The reason for this
opinion should, at all events, be stated. Should it
be convincing or overpowering; should it appear
that forts and an enciente round the metropolis, of
any kind, at any distance, would be a mere waste
of money and an idle pomp of defiance, then arises
the question, whether the immense circuit of de-
fences proposed for the great harbours, dockyards,
and arsenals, be not also a waste of money. The
argument that the defence of the metropolis is too
great an affair to be taken in hand just now cuts
both ways. It is great because the stake is
great ; and to omit it for this reason would be
much as if a man would not insure his mansion
because he could not afford it, or could not sup-
pose so great a calamity as that he should
ever be burnt cut, at the very time that he was in-
suring his farm-buildings, his stacks, his cattle, and
his ships out at sea. The loss of the dockyards will
not necessarily involve the loss of the metropolis,
but the loss of the latter will involve the loss of
everything else; so, at least, the Commissioners
seem to take for granted, and the experience of all
modern wars leads to the same conclusion. The
loss of the capital disarms and paralyzes the whole
empire. Why need we go further than the recent
events in Sicily ? Garibaldi lands a. handful of men
in a mercantile port ; establishes himself
in the in-
terior ; marches upon Palermo, descends upon it by
mountain roads, and,
aSftiecraian few hours' fighting, is
master not only u
capital, but, in effect,
of the whole islanfdt.he Sicilian
He is able to compel the capi-
tulation and retirement of 20,000 Neapolitan
soldiers. No one datibts that the surrender of the
other ports and cities is only an affair of time. It
is true that there are circumstAnces that would
render the successful invasion of this isle immensely
n
more difficult. But we are supposing an
strong enough tet'' attack Portsmouth or .Chatham
from the land side, and even holding the height,.,,
between London and Rochester. The works to be
recommended to Parliament will embrace the latter
supposition and proceed upon it. Can we, then,
overlook altogether the case of the metropolis ?
If
we.can, let us know why. If, on the other hand,
there is no substantial differerce between the case
of London and Portsmouth, or Lon don and Chatham,
then why spend so many millions upon workswhich
will leave the chief thing undone:— Times.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—The annual grand festival of.
the metropolitan School Choral Society, numbering 5,000
voices, will take place on Saturday, in the great orchestra,
under the direction of 31r. G. W. Martin, prize glee com-
poser. The programme will contain several part songs for
three and four trebles, each part being supported by 1,000
treble voices.