The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-16 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

OSBORNE, Ocr. 35.
Her Majesty and his Royal Highness walled early
this morning in Osborne Park and grounds.
The Prince of \Vales and the younger members of
the Royal Family, walked and rode as usual.
There was no addition yesterdPy to the Royal diviner
party.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge,
the Princess Mary, and the Hereditary Grand
Duchess of Mecklenburgh-Strelitz, arrived at Kew
on Monday evening, from Plasnevvydd, Anglesey.
Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial..
office from the Governor of West Australia.

HUMAN LIFE.
Doubts and fears, a dismal throng,
Hopes that falter on the tongue,
Joys that live but in the eye,
Lore whose language is a sigh,
Reckless mirth and ghastly madness,
Laughter meant to cover sadness,
Pains that rend the heart asunder,
Smiles above and hatred under,
Weeping, curses, hunger, colt
Diseases blasting young and old,
Folly, pride, revenge, despair,
Weakness agonized with fbar,
Pot men's blood and brethren's strif.:—
Read and mourn, 'tie lIIIMAN LIFE.

Hopes that glorify the earth,
Feeling of immortal birth,
Love that cLnquers pain and fear,
Hometred joys and frit ndships dear,
Hallowed memories of the past,
Thoughts that will the stars outlast,
Peace which is of conscience born,
Fancy rainbuwed like the mom,
Lover's rapture, maiden's gladness,
And the bridal's joy-wrought sadness,
Pcot's charm and Nature's beauty,
• Goodness finding bliss in duty,
Husband, sister, brother, wife
Bead, rejoice, 'Us HUNAN LIFE.
JOHN EDWIN CHURCHES.

DOVER BREAKWATER.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Stn,—The damage sustained by the works of the
New Breakwater, during the late gale, having been
so grossly exaggerated, I am induced to address you
in order that your readers may form a just concep-
tion of what has really occurred. Being lately amid
the work of destruction, and having rather closely
examined its extent and probabilties, I can with some
degree of confidence refute much of what has ap-
peared before the public, and show a state of matters
far different from what they have been led to believe.
The great work itself, the permanent portion, re-
mains quite safe and untouched by the rough gale,
not a stone having been moved in such an awful
storm ; a portion only of the timber staging has been
swept away, and with it the machinery used in work-
ing the diving-bells and setting the hew blocks of
stone. The timber has been all, or nearly al, re-
covered from the waste of waters. A portion of the ma-
chinery has been brought ashore not much damaged,
the greater part still remains in deep water,
close to the end of the pier, which will render its re•
covery a matter of ease and certainty so soon as the
timber staging is again erected, which is rapidly in
progress. The repeated estimates of the damage done
which have appeared are not only premature but
grievously erroneous ; and if a conj+lure might be
formed at the present time it would indicate that it is
just possible that the sum of the damage will scarcely
reach that amount of hundreds which have been so
frequently quoted as thousands ; indeed, we know
that the spirited contractors feel quite at ease on the
subject; if they are disturbed at all it is on account of
the slight interruption to the progress of the works,
and not from the great parade of loss and damage ;
in fact, the same view would be taken by any one at
all acquainted with the extent of the operations, the
difficulty and magritude of the works, the exposed
position of the breakwater, and the great depth of sea
in which the works are now being carried on. It is
difficult to conceive a frame-work of timber fifty feet
high, of construction sufficiently strong to withstand
the resistless roll of the sea upon the works, in a storm
when the Atlantic rushes into the atraits concentrated
and gathered up in its wrath, and with fearful violence
forcing a passage through the narrow neck which
cuts us off from the continent. Yet we have the
great fact that up to the period of this disaster, and
when the works had proceeded at least four-fifths of
the whole extent of 800 feet, there has not been the
slightest interruption, loss, or damage to this great
undertaking.

Several correspondents, not content with drawing a
very high coloured picture, begin to condemn the
works. One has the conceit to tell us, in your journal
of the 10 h inst., that, "If the masonry had been
completed a greater distance out to sea, that it would
have given way and made a break through the fifty
feet in width structure." Surely this gentleman has
never seen the structure, or, if he has, he can form
but a poor opinion indeed of the strength of the work.
The masonry as it rises above high water is 83 stable
as the Isle of 'Wight, and when once completed will
defy the most ruthless waves of this tempestous coast,
no better proof of which need he adduced than that

it withstoOd the late gale in an open, unfinished, un-
prepared, and defenceless state.
Your correspondent, whilst admitting that the
works, so far as they have gone, have had a very good
tifect upon the harbour, is contradictory enough to
assert that the sea rolls in heavier into the eastern
side of the old pier. How a pier jutting out upwards
of 600 feet from the shore to windward should cause a
greater roll of the tea in its lee is too absurd to re-
quire any refutation.
He next astonishes us by stating that the new pier
has had the bad effect of making the bay shallow.
This exceeds any of his previous malversations. In
The Sun of May 22, 1849,1 had the honour of having
inserted a demonstration on the principles and causes
continually in operation on the south coast of Eng-
land, at which time I clearly laid down the fixed law,
that let any barrier be erected seaward, that the on-
ward progress of shingle and silt from east to west
is immediately arrested. The remarks I then made
on this subject have been fully confirmed by the ex-
perience of the last sixteen months ; and so notorious
is this fact, that we know it to be in contemplation
to remove the harbour sluices, which have been ren-
dered quite unnecessary through the shingle and silt
being intercepted by the extension of the new works.
The statement that " the new work may cause the
whole of the intended harbour of refuge of 700 acres
to fill up," is a happy conclusion to the article
in question, and at once establishes the aim and object
of the writer. Let me, however, tell him that it is
ridiculous to indulge in a strain of ungifted prophecy
—it is really too much to compare that vast work
with " the cob at Lyme Regis." I would repeat
what I have said aforetime, that I have stood upon
the works and conversed on the progress, the success,
and the ultimate advantage to be derived therefrom,
with men great by birth, men great by talent, and
men combining the two great attributes of humanity.
It will, then, at least be conceded, that I speak not
unadvisedly ; and when the Duke of Wellington but
yesterday walked along the gigantic work he ex-
pressed a lively satisfaction that no damage was don•
to the permanent work, I may be allowed to conclude
by stating, in the most distinct terms, that nothing'
whatever of any consequence has arisen from the late
gale, or any other cause, to impede, delay, or endanger
the early completion of this, the greatest and most
successful marine work of modern times.
I am, Sir, &c., ALPHA.
London, Oct. 15, 1850.

ENGLAND ALARMED.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The recent exhibition at Cherbourg appears to
have excited in the minds of our countrymen alarm as to
the unguarded state of England, looking, as some do,
to a future event—that of our neighbours resorting
to the expedient of making war upon us to restcire
harmony among themselves.
Without offering any opinion as to the disposition,
friendly or hostile as it may be, on the part of the
French towards ourselves, an invasion of our shores,
if not an impossibility, can, at least, be rendered a
feat so difficult, and so imminently dangerous to in-
vaders, that unless oar neighbours quite lose their
wits we shall be spared the attempt of such a visita-
tion, and in defence of our homes, the necessity of
committing dreadful carnage. _ _

There is a mode of warfare known of which we can
avail ourselves—a means of destruction not less effi-
cacious than it is simple and safe in application, that
can with little instruction be speedily brought into
operation, and which would, in truth, make sad havoc
of an invading expedition. The "ditch" separating us
from France is of ample width for the full develop-
ment of its powers—under an ordinary share of
vigilance, prepared as we should be, if a fleet, con-
veying troops, consisting of steam transports, ships of
the line, and huge war steamers, leave the harbours
of France upon a hostile visit to our shores, swim
back again to port, it would be by a generals and
humane forbearance on our part.
It is very much to be lamented that a hint has not
long since been taken from the exhibition, in the sum-
mer of 1844, off Brightor, where a resuscitation, in a
very improved form, of the torpedo mode of warfare
was manifested, at a period when the very altered
state of navigation, togetbeg with chemical appliances,
might reasonably lead us t 4 an apprehension that con-
trivances would be perfected, inducing great changes
in maritime war operations. The sooner, therefore,
this matter is unreservedly and openly brought under
a searching investigation, divesting it of gal secrecy
and mystery, and the sooner we model our ideas to
the cbanges in naval matters incident to the march of
invention of the day, the better shall we consult the
interests of England.—l remain, SirICI, &c.,
ATTIQUO.
October 15, 1850.