The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-17 00:00:00

communicating by broad pipes with the fosse out-
side, not only gives ventilation, but a very consi-
derable draught, when the wind blows, as it Is
always blowing, over the heights of the Verne.
The roofs of these barracks are, of course, bomb•
proof. They are made of solid brick arches nearly
four feet thick, over which, again, is a layer of
concrete and asphalt two feet thick, and over
all eight feet thick of solid made earth. Apart
from the two ranges of barracks is an hospital simi-
larly built, and protected with detached storehouses
which are also shot and shell proof. There are five
expense magazines, each to contain 100 barrels of
powder, with one reserve store that will hold about
3,000 barrels, enough, in all, for incessant firing
from all the guns for three or four months. All these
are protected, in addition to their massive walls of
solid masonry, with an outer covering of earth 18
feet in thickness. On the south-east face of the
works there is a double flank—an upper and lower
—which sweep down the valley leading to the little
village of Fortune's Well. It was at one time
thought possible that the fortress might be shelled
with comparative impunity by a mortar-vessel in
the inlet in which this valley ends. The precautions
therefore taken against this eventuality are on much
the same scale as is shown in the size of the dry
ditch; and on this face of the fortress there are to
be no less than three tiers of heavy guns, the lower
a regular casemated granite battery, faced with
earth; the two upper tiers mounted at embrasures
on dwarf traversing platforms. All the stonework
of these defences is to be faced with earth of the
same thickness as if they were ordinary earthworks.
The Verne has no water supply of its own within
the ditch of the fortress. All attempts to procure the
supply by boring have been vain. Tanks are
therefore formed for the collection cf rainwater be-
neath the casemates, and, in addition to these,
three reserve tanks have been sunk in the rock, 80
feet long by 56 feet wide. BTick arches and a
thick covering of earth close these in completely.
Each of them holds a three months supply of water
for the garrison, at the rate of two gallons per man
a day. These tanks are to be kept, like the re-
serve magazines, always full, hut never used till
the emergency of a State siege arises. The
ordinary daily supply is drawn from Chene, a
little village about three miles from the Verne,
where there is an ample supply, which is pumped
by a 30-horse power engine, through underground
pipes, into the fort. This engine-house is only
vulnerable to a stray shot from the sea, so bomb-
proof walls and roof are covering it in on all sides.
By this engine, in case of a siege being imminent,
not only the reserve tanks on the Verne could be
filled to their utmost, but all the rain-water tanks
as well. This would give a year's supply to the
garrison, exclusive of the rainwater which would
fall during that time. Beneath the north-east face
of the fort, and under the scarped cliff overlooking
the harbour, are a line of works called the East
Weir Batteries. These, on a small scale, very much
resemble the chain of earthworks which were thrown
upon the heights of Balaklava. They are cut in
the steep slope of the hills towards the water, at
elevations varying from 50 to 150 feet above the sea.
There are to be eight of these batteries in all, and
of this number five are already completed and armed.
They are earthworks of the most solid description,
with ditches in front, and the usual expense and
reserve magazines, and bomb-proof places to pro-
tect the men against the effects of a vertical fire.
The rear of each work is left open, for they rest
almost on the steep precipitous heights of the
Verne above, the garrison of which could effectually
protect them by volleys of musketry against any
attempt to take them by a coup de main. Each of
these batteries will mount from 6 to 12 guns or
mortars of the largest kind, about 60 in all ; and
quiet and inoffensive as their neat green lines of
parapet and glaeis appear from the water, looking
at first as if it was intended to lay out the heights
of the Verne in terrace gardens, these massive bat-
teries of the East Weir would be quite as formid-
able to ships attempting to enter the harbour as the
great works of the Verne itself. From their varied
elevation every part of the harbour both within
and without the breakwater is under their com-
mand, and, like the Verne, they can cover with
their fire the circular fort on the north end, from
which in a straight line they are only about one
mile distant—very little more than point-blank
range for a long Armstrong. These batteries may
be considered as among the outworks of the
Verne, of which there are to be many. Thus
a regular glacis will be thrown up all round
the outer edge of the Verne ditch, and beyond this
on the south, south-east, and south-west faces will
be five smaller batteries sweeping the various ap-
proaches up to the north end of the island. These,
of course, would after a time have to be abandoned
before a regular besieging army, but, though given
up, they would be worthless to the assailants, as half
the guns of the Verne citadel will look down into
them. The two main outworks will be at Easton
and Weston on either side of the island, and distant
about a mile from the citadel. These will be very
strong works mounting about 30 or more guns each,
and the positions chosen for them are so strong and
so commanding that their reduction by a regular
siege would be necessary before anything could be
attempted against the Verne itself. These outworks,
however, are not yet begun, and it will be two years
before even the Verne itself is completed. Five of
the East Wier batteries are finished, and have their
guns in, though not mounted, and their shot and
shell in store. They only want powder to be ready
for instant action, and this necessary could be given
to them from the guardship Colossus in a single hour,
if wanted.

These are the main features connected with the
progressing or intended defences on the island of
Portland. Like all other strong places, however,
these works have their weak points, about which
we need not have the smallest hesitation in speak-
ing, for the danger is now seen, and will be effectu-
ally guarded against. It is no less than this—that an
enemy's mortar•boat, keeping to the true northern
extremity of Chesil-bank, could throw shells over it
into the harbour and docks( when built) with compa
rative impunity. It is true that some of the guns
of the Verne command the sea face along this bank,
but Sir William Armstrong himself would shake his
head if he was told his guns were to engage at up-
wards of three miles with a small gunboat always
on the move, and shifting its range. This trifling
deficiency in the defences has, however, been fore-
seen, and a remedy will be applied which will make
any enemy's vessel give Chesil-bank a very wide
offing indeed. The northern extremity of Portland
Roads is bounded by a high ridge or spit of land
called the Nothe, which, running out into the sea
for some half mile or more, separates Portland pro-
per from the beautiful bay of Weymouth. On the
sea extremity of this Nothe a very powerful fort is
being erected. Its armament is not yet decided on,
but it will be both numerous and heavy, probably
carrying in all not less than GO guns and mortars.
This headland is now being faced with stone of im-
mense thickness to a height of 50 feet above the
water. In many parts there will be double tiers of
ordnance, though none will be placed in casemate
batteries. Here, as at the Verne, all store-houses,
hospitals, and buildings for the garrison will be
bombproof. This work is distant about two miles
and three-quarters from the East Weir batteries,
three miles from the heights of the Verne, and about
a mile and a half from the circular fort on the north
end of the breakwater—all distances well within
range of the long Armstrongs. On any hostile
squadron or fleet bold or unlucky enough to enter
the harbour all the works could concentrate a fire
of upwards of 200 gune of the heaviest description,
and all so elevated as to be practically out of reach
of the guns of a fleet. It was at one time suggested
to form a breakwater island about a mile from the
north fort to be built on the extremity of the pre.
sent breakwater, and on this island to erect another
circular granite fort of three tiers of guns, like that