The Sun.
London, England, 1804-10-20 00:00:00

DEFENCE OF THE THAMES.

it bac long
.been known that a cordon was dr.►w`n

acros., the Thames„below Gravesend, to protiel the
Metropolis froth any attack by aea ; for which
ruq the patriotic offer of the Trinity. FICUISC
VolUntrtCr Corps of Artillery wak accepted by Go.
vernment, and ten Frigates were tent, to he di-
cerrd and maoned by tivm ; but it has not been
generally nodersto( d, that (besides them) the
Corps bad, under their direetion, a second cordon,

which, though inferior ill magnitude to the former,

is nevertheless very formidAle, .Ind well adapted
to tlke a. second, pedlar, (in tome, eases) a pro.
rninent charaCter in preventing the Enemy's ap.
pronb. This secondary coition is composed of
armed boys belonging to the East India Company,
who art ever foremost in proving their attachment
to their King And Country, and whose Officers have,
• r •,t instance, shewn a proud exatnple of Brj.
list' valour.

• . circumstances have preverrted this cordon
from its appearance in the -Tope but a fa.
vourable opportunity occurring, they anchored 'there
last Saiurray in the forenoon; and were exercised in
retwatory Manoeuvres during that day. After
div ire service on Sunday, the cordon (composed of
nine hays, mounting. each four tlvelve.pounder
Carrooades, with the Ttinity fieuSe and East
India Coc)pany's Colours flying) weighed by
signal, and prooeeded down the River in line of
• tiatile.. it-head the ,'frinity Buoy "Yacht,' and Li.
berry Tender sit tending. They advanced (as against
an Enemy). till nearly abreast the' Hope Point,
when a.signal being made from the Trinity Yacht
(lying at anchor near the 'Essex Shore), the line
divided, and proceeded up the River-in two Divi.
signs, representing a British and an Enemy's Squa.
droti',"" short time the speaatori (tvlio coldd
only understand the meaning' of the signals by the
maricouvres) were•gtatified with a view of a heavy
and coorinuedoannonade between the hostile Squa,.
• drons in their passage up•the River. They proceed.
ed in this order up the River; firing their;carronades
with great spirit and precision, till the wind fall..
ing, they were .not able to take their anchoring
• till of the evening.
. On Monday. morning they were again mancou.
- vred, and, though this and the former days were
their first essays, they went through, every opera.
lion with the greatest order, and presented a most
interesting And eat idea of the Aiffetenr move.
mentg of hostile f fleets. Monday afternoon they
*gain weighed by signal, and after some, previous
movements formed in a line of battle a-head. On
be7i)g muk, they preceded up the River,
' and crossing on different" 'tacks, they :opened their
retreating fire, as if engaging a superior enemy, till
they reached their anchorage' under protedion of
the first cordon. Tuesday morning they were solely
employed in matiouvres; and the promptitude with
which each -signal was obeyed, and every move.
tent exec:toed, did great credit to the Commanders
of tiletn. On a particular signal being 'made, they
separated from rhea Fleet, and- proteerfert up the
River (cheering the Ships an they passed) to Long..
teach. At, eleven .o'clock in the forenoon the yards
of all the Frigates were ,manned; .in tompliment to
some,•Officer of distimn!tion (we believe Lieutenant.
Colonel' COTTON), who had•direaed the mana,uvres
from the Trinity Yacht, and the men cheered from
the yards.

'flans ended a view which was rendered extremely
interesting from its novelty, as well as its present.
ing an adequate idea of the many and almost incur.
mountable obstacles 'opposed to the Enemy's pro.
gress, should unforeseen accidents enable. them ro
teach this (hitherto) vulnerable point or attack.
The various ensigns and Colours of the united Corps
streaming in the air, together with the uncommon
fine wvather, heightened.' the beauty of the scene,
and added another prvof in the emultitl breast of a
Briton, of the unanimity-of his gallant countrymett.

EXPLoiIaN MACHINRRY;—The-inost formid-
able engine of this description perhaps ever con.
strated, was that .used to destroy the bridge of
boatb at the siege of Antwerp, in 13.85, which an
`author olthat period states to have• becn a Ship,
strongly timbered, containing ,a vault or arch of
stone,and mortar, filed with zoo barrels of powder,
over which were placed large stories of ail forms,
cannon-shot, iron chains, sufficient to destroy
a whole city, that were estpkuled• by a' secret fust,
contrived so as not.to set Are to the charge till the
vessel came in contad with the. bride, Which it
blew to atoms.