The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-29 00:00:00

MILITARY DEFENCES OF BELGIUM

The discussion on the proposed addition to the
fortifications of Antwerp commenced on Monday
last in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives.
General Begin, the Minister of War, explained
that the object of the project was to cover the
actual place by an outside lice of forts beyond the
faultourgs, and cousisting of an in trenched camp and
of a series of forts so built as to lie able to support
each other, on a system to allow the place to bold
ut successfully against a long siege. The Minister
objected particularly against any extension of the
actual city, w Inch lesult in bringing the out-
skirts into the line of Unifications, instead of IP °-
teeth it by the external line of forts already men-
tioned.' Moreover, the extension would involve an
outlay of 45,000,000 f., and it could not be done
unless the population of Antwerp gave pecuniary
assistance. The Minister refuted the idea of a wish
to be able to concentrate the whole army within the
walls of Antwerp. Tue idea of the Government was,
that in case of invasion, which ;s never absolutely un-
for seen, the army shouldbe enabled to keep the field
as long as it could hold its ground successfully, and
that it could tall back, iu case of need, upon Ant-
werp, which would then become the cen ral and
sole p tint of the national defence of the country.
After some technical explanations in opposition to
the ideas of the Central Section, the Minister ter-
minated by rejecting the coriclusions.of the repot t,
which tended to a general enlargement of the place,
and supported, in the name of the Government, the
',reject which prop sea—
"l. A partial eels.; gsuaent of the actual enciente
by carrying it further north, so as to include the
new (lucks and building y.,rds.
" 2 The suppression of two of the detached forts
recently built in a bad p esi•ion, and to replace
them by other forts forming part of the double line
of defence proposed beyond the faubouegs.»
M. Loos, the Borgornaster of Antwerp, endea-
voured to show that the defence of Ant werp could
only bc made with the general enlargement. He
drew a &she irteniog picture of the fste reserved for
the town if the defenders of the intrenched camp
and of the forts should be defrated. The forts
would then serve the enemy to bombard the city,
and the enemy, elated with success, would pillage
the town. He reprcached the government for hav-
ing made the question of the general enlargement of
Antwerp a simple question of money He quoted
the extimple of what the French Governmsnt had
done for the enlargement of Havre. The assistance
of the town was limited to the demolition at the
expense of the supposed enciente in such guise that
the sale of the ground lets reduced its expense to a
very small sum. Why should th• Belgian Govern-
merit be more expel' iug as regards Antwerp?
M. ile Renesss (Left) pry posed an amendment
to this effect In case the Government should
receive advantageous offers of money for the execu-
tion of the great enciente not coming from the
Treasury the Government should be authorised to
negotiate with reserve of the concurrence of the
city of Antwerp and the approval f the Chambers."
M THIEFFRY (Left) admitted thn possibility of a
sudden invasi in. 1..a1y and Spain were there to show
that when France thought it suitable to invade a
country, she lost no time about it. The country
should, therefore, be prepared for defence. The
best means certainly was to have a stronghold upon
, whist the army might fall back, and of such strength
that it could he successfully defended. He opposed
vethen Brussels. The cost would be
fortifying
would necessitate the Go-
vernment
of the plan pretended that the centralisa-
tionpartisans
erorripmmlaeonnutos.ftofoSsruutpicfphyress all the other fortresses. The
of defence elsewhere than in the capital would
leave the latter at the mercy of the enemy and of
agitators, and while the army was defending Ant-
werp a revolution might break out at Brussels, and
hand over the country to the invader. Such danger
Was simply an illusion. A revolution was not to be
feared in a country
which appreciates its institu-
tions, and which was governed by a prince who
respects the laws. The capture of the capital only
entails the loss of the country in lands where the
inhabitants had not sufficient national spirit and
energy to defend tltemselv s in detail. Madrid,
Lisbon, Moscow, had been occupied by French
t o. s, but this did not pr event the armies of France
be net comp, lled to evacuate Spain, Portugal, and
Russia. The national character of a people was
tee r best defence. To prove the necessity of the
general enlargement of the enceinte for the defence
of Antwerp he pointed to the system of the fortifi-
, catiens of Paris, where no expense was si ared to
prot, ct the city by a continuous line of defence.
The house then adjourned.

FATAL ACCIDENT.-0, Sunday sf.ernoco, as two
,nail-servanls were on their way to St. Matthew's dis-
•,rict church, Norwich, tbe% were struck by an arm of a
tree which was torn iron the trunk by the wind, and
cop— much hurt, one so terioAy that she expired yes-
terday raorniog.