The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-15 00:00:00

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NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

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RBOURS OF REFUGE.

(Front Me .3forning Advertiser.)
If 'he considerations we have already urged in
favour of the claims of Wick as a barb,ur of refuge
on the East coast of Scotland, require an addition,
there yet remains one of such force as to place the
subjec, beyond all dispute. We refer to the first-
rate importance of Wick Bay as a look-out in times
of war, and as a refuge to our navy in going to or
returning from any Northern Power with which
we may be at war. We need not, after our late
unhappy contest with Russia, say how incumbent
it is on us to be in a state of defence against
aggression from that Power, and how necessary it
is that we should have a harbour of refuge for. our
navy in case further disagreements should spring
up between us and our late antagonist. Antici-
pating such a possibility, against which it would
he madness for the government to close its eyes,
the importance of Wick cannot be overrated,
while it would be absolutely ridiculous to speak
of Peterhead as, in this view of the matter a rival
to Wick.
The evidence of Captain Washington on this
point is most important. That very competent
1 witness says, in answer to a question as to the
value, of Wiok for the protection of the fleet, that
it is "a very important position, and that it will
be absolutely necessary, in the event of another
North of Europe war, to have some station there-
abouts." He shows that there is no harbour where
vessels could lie for the purpose of watching a fleet
of cruisers coming round the North of Scotland.
Let it be particularly noticed, also, that at Wick
there is sufficient depth of water for men-of-war
of any size.
We claim special attention, also, to the impor-
tant evidence of Captain Sullivan. That gentle.
man was asked whether, iu case of our being at
war with a maritime power, Wick would not be a
very important place as a naval station, for the
purpose of enabling vessels to lie there watching
the North of Scotland ; to which he replies ;--" It
would be the only place north of the Frith of
Forth—the only place that would be at all useful
for vessels." He says the other vessels might use
Orkney and Shetland ; but that on the coast of
Scotland that would be the only place. Re adds,
that "it is the most important position as a naval
station in the event of war North of Edinburgh."
The same witness supports the value of Wick as an
advanced coaling station, respecting which, we
suppose there cannot be two opinions.
We suppose the advocates of Peterhead would
not be so wanting in patriotism as to advance its
claims in opposition to those of Wick as a ren-
dezvous fur our military marine. They know
that the point at which a harbour of rrfuge against
northern
that
therninvzud
invaders
catchsh, ul d b
sighte fi
o fixed
the fo
d upon atea
atn
lati-
tude
possible period, so as to give security to
tlie
earliest
greatest extent of coat. Peterhead can offer
la o•suell advantage to the Government and the
country. There are industrious men who have
shown a woo det ful degres of activity in behalt of
this well patronised loc,:lity. They have got up re-
presiettitions, and subscribed petitious, and made
speeches in Edinburgh, all brimming over with
eloquence, and if artifices of this kind could triumph,
Wick, with its fishermen, and shipping, and
steamers, would fall into the background. But we
suppose that the Government, and all influenced
members of Parliament, will have too much regard
to the safety of the country, and too deep a sense
of their responsibility in these belligerent times, to
give to local rapacity the boon required by obvious
justice and patriotism.
Peterhead is highly favoured by some of the
authorities of Edinburgh, but this patronage, great
as it is, may be over-estimated. It might be a great
thing for Great Britain, in case of any northern
invasion, to be supported by the valour and prowess
of the civic authorities of the modern Athens. It
might be thought that we might safely allow our
foes to come as far as Peterhead, if we were sure
that the bailies of Edinburgh would put out their
martial courage in defence of their country north
and south. Those whose reading has extended as
far as the historic novels of Sir Walter Scott, know
the estimate due to the military valour of Edin-
burgh, and must have a grateful recollection of the
entertainment afforded them at the expense of
those functionaries 100 years ago.
I
if Peterhead is passed by, we shall losterOthasy
military,
defence defence of the Edinburgh authorities who have
been its eloquent advocates. But we must not buy
gold too dear. We cannot vote for Peterhead even
for the sake of Edinburgh. We must vote for that
which is obviously just
and expedient, and secure
for our navy a good place of shelter as far North as
our little island admits.
We demand, therefore, that this question be
now taken altogether out of the class of local con-
tests and treated solely as a question in which the
interests of the nation are in volved. If the matter
were simply a question affecting the landowners
and trade's in these rival places, we should be
quite satisfied to allow the controversy to be settled
by local competitors and advocates. We cannot,
however, permit our national interests to be sacri-
ficed to any local interest, however great. We
should be ourselves wanting in fidelity to our duties
were we to look on quietly while the good people
of Edinburgh and the local interests of Peterhead
were doing a thing which, however it might bene-
fit themselves, was inflicting most serious, and, it
might be, irreparable damage on the nation.
We have called the attention of tits tnetr°P°lis,
of Parliament, and of the countr
longer have a hole,
and-corner character and be le subject., in order that it may no
the control
ft under
enders to give some
of any clique. We invite our readers
we have brought
in general to this
attention to this subject, wh
itsto
urgency,
again againandand
because
eue
anudseer theirit
was n oottiiere,
purpose
ee
nooft
allow j,,bbdry to be practised at the expense of the
country and to its great damage. We claim no
favour or patronage for Wick, but we honestly de•
wand that the national interests be not damaged ill
favour of it, rival,

'The autlicei,ies of the War Department having
direc—et the MTdiarni ff 'COYP-Corp Ise
PUPPlieq-Witll;(l,d4l,/ out:cleer.p' ion of uiifortu to
-bat now %V ry t i,, in, a larg supply of the Dew
clothing arrived at the head-quarters of the corps,
Chatham; on Saturday, from Weedon. The men
will appear in their new ut iferua on the Ist Anril,
the same clothing being also issued to those men
who have been raised under the new regulations of
hat corps.
L'eut. -J. F. Wyse, 34th Regiment, "has been a-p,
po nted assistant rifle instructor of the Ist Battalion
of Infantry at Chatham.
Le,ters received at Plymouth dated Fort George,
Jan. 9, state that the draughts for India have re-
duced the forces in the island of Mauritius to 64
Royal Engineers, 60 Royal Artillery, and 350 men
of the 4 h Regt. Summer heats, Jan., 135 degs. ;
Dec., 142 dgs. in the sun, and 90 dgs. in the shade.
On Saturday a large number of volunteers from
the Oxford Militia arrived at Chatham from Alder-
short, for the purpose of joining the depots of the
10th and 32d Regiments.
The Argus, G, paddlewheel steamer, having com-
pleted her alterations and repairs at Chatham, was
towed from that port on Saturday morning to
Sheerness, for the purpose of being attached to the
steam reserve division at that station.
The Dragon, 6, paddlewheel steam frigate, is
ordered to proceed from Sheerness to Chatham this
her
defects made good. for the purpose of being docked and having
er
The Colessus, 80, screw steamer, is intended to
be hauled out of dock at Chatham during the pre-
sent spring tides, when she will be immediately
towed to Sheerness to be placed in the steam re-
serve at that port.
The officers of the Military Store Department at
Woolwich have adopted the uniform prescribed in
the dress regulations which have been transmitted
to the principal military storekeeper for their re-
spective guidance.
The a. s. blockship Ajax, 60, Capt. T. M‘Neilßoyel,
went from Hamoaze into Plymouth Sound on Wed-
nesday. Her crew have been paid wages prepara-
tory to sailing for Ireland, where she will be eni
ployed as a coastguard training ship.
The screw gunboat Lapwing, 4, Commander M.
F. O'Reilly, having bad defects made good went
into the Sound on Friday.
The screw blockship Hogue, GO, Capt. T. Moore,
C. 8., was docked at Keyham on Wednesday pre-
paratory for service in Scotland.
The successor to Captain, now Rear-Admiral
Craigie, who relinquishes the appointment in con-
sequence of his promotion, will bo the sixth Cap-
tain Superintendent of the Royal William Victual-
ling Yard and Naval Hospital in a period of nine
years. His retirement from Plymouth is much re-
gretted, as in addition to his other qualifications
the gallant officer possessed much experience in the
civil department of the office, having been chair-
man of the Transport Beard between March, 1855,
and Feb., 1856, when, by some judicious arrange-
ments, very considerable savings of public money
were ac.lomplished by an alteration in the mode of
employing shipping, (tic.
The field-train dep trtmentat Woolwich, hitherto
a separate corps, Major General W. Cator, C. 8.,
Director-General of Artillery, commanding, has
been abolished, the duties of that department hav-
ing been consolidated with the military department
of the Roy 1 Arsenal, under the superiutendanco o!
Mr. Pella.t. The clerks and other officers of the
late department are to be installed in the Military
Stor k,eper's offices, in similar positions, according )
to their firmer rating.