The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-18 00:00:00

PROSPECTUS OF THE

DUNGENESS BREAKWATER, AND DUN-
GENESS, RYE, AND SOUTH-EASTERN JUNCTION
RAILWAY COMPANY.
Connecting the branches to Ashford and Hastings, and Maidstone and
Tonbridge.
Capital 2,500,0001., in 125,000 Shares of 20/. each.
Deposit 21. 2s. per Share.
intovisioriAL COMMITTEE.

Sir William Symonds, Knight, Surveyor of the Navy, and Captain
R.N. Admiralty
Rear-Admiral Ayscough, Prospect House, Southampton
Admiral Sir Charles Ekhis, K.C.B. Cadogan-place
Captain A. L. Kuper, C.B. R.N. Plymatock, Devon
Rev. C. J. Burton, Lydd Vicarage
Lieutenant Dornford, R.N. Greenwich Hospital
Lietenant Phillips, R.N. Greenwich
John Robert Da'by, Esq. Ashbourne, Derby
WialnlidansioilKtuhp_esestern Railway Junctionrv, Esq. director of the Grand Junction, Great Western,
Captain Twislcton Graves, Duke-street, St. Jarnes'S
John Whealey Lea, Esq. Vice-Chairman of the Severn Commission
S. H. Powell, director of the Leeds, York, and Midland Junction
Railway
E. R. Simmons, Esq. Gloucester-lodge, Croydon
Charles Goodwin, Esq. Battersea
(With power to add to their number).
ENGINEER—WiIIiam Tierney Clark, Esq. M.I.C.E. and F.R.S.
ARCIIITECT AND SURVEYOR.
Arthur Mee, Esq. 12, Carlton-chambers, Regent-street.
SOLICITOR—George Smith, Esq. 24, Golden-square.
BANKERS—Messrs. Cocks, Bidduiph, and Co. Charing-cross.
Temporary Offices of the Company, 24, Golden-square.
It has long been an object of public desire to obtain a harbour of
refuge on the southern coast, and no place, whether from its natural
advantages or its position towards the opposite coast, is better
situated for this purpose than Dungeness.
Besides offering the only anchorage without artificial means, be-
tween the Owers and the South Foreland, it affords an invariable
shelter for ships going up the Channel with east, and down with
west and south-west winds. It also gives the shortest, the most
certain, and the safest passage to Boulogne.
To effect these desirable objects, it will, however, be necessary to
construct a breakwater on the outer side of Swallow-bank, lying
three miles from the shore, to the eastward of the Ness ; by which
means a harbour of refuge will be obtained, and such a depth of
water secured, as to receive ships, and enable passengers (by means
of jetties or piers on the east and west sides of the Ness point) at all
times to effect a landing.

Ire would here refer to the evidence of his Grace the Duke of Wel-
lington, given before a Select Committee of the House of Commons.
on the subject of shipwrecks, and his opinion:ove Tr hera is now no
roads
as to the expediency of
erecting a new harbour of safety between
Thames. Portsmouth and the
b occasiontt
that
ts
tGrace said,:"
necessary.l have no doubt about it. I
absolutelysecurity between Portsmouth and the Downs.
secure place in the period of a northerly or easterly wind,is a very
entertain nu n c iou
b
is no security at other times ; but on the contrary, it is veryu t theredi
dan-
gerous place in a wind from the south-west. They can run for the
Downs, but there Is no great case in the Downs. Certainly there is
no security in Dover, except from warlike attempts ; but I should
say that, considering the want of protection from the weather and
from military attacks in the Channel, the trade of the port of London
will be in a very precarious situation, and will be a very losing one
in a variety of ways in time of war, if something be not done before-
hand—if some precautions are not taken. •
" Steam power in moving ships has made such progress at present
as that it must have a most material effect in maritime warfare (I
use the word maritime warfare in contradistinction to naval war- '
fare) in all future times.
"If anybody will just consider the advantage the French coast
enjoys over the coast of this coantry in observation of what is pass-
big at sea that is to the southward ; they have the sun in their
backs, they see everything quite clear, and it is possible from the
coast of France to calculate to a moment at what period a vessel
coming up Channel will arrive at particular points, and they may be
in readiness to seize her at any point which may happen to be un-
guarded, supposing the vessel to be without convoy, and supposing
that there should be no naval means at that place to take care of
her. I should say that the trade of the port of London would
labour under a great disadvantage if it were found that every vessel
coming up from Portsmouth was obliged to come up in convoy, that
she should be shut up unless there were a convoy • and there are no
means of providing for that safety, except by pOrts—not one only,
but there ought to be, I should say, at least two between the Downs
and Portsmouth ; I should say one about Dungeness, and another
possibly at Dover.
" I have given a good deal of reflection to it and have thought of
it a long while, and that is the conclusion to which I have come, and
It is a rational conclusion, for it is founded on what the state of the
commerce of this port (which is the great port of the country), will
be by-and-by if something is not done."
In addition to the above reasons, a breakwater is desirable, on
account of the vast number of vessels engaged in the fisheries, nearly
all of which, had they the opportun;ty afforded them, would land at
Dungeness, whence they would be enabled to transport fish diroct to
London, instead of by way of Brighton, a course which the want
of a harbour now compels them to adopt.
It Is also intended, in connexion with the proposed breakwater, to
form a line of railway il•om Dungeness to the town of Rye, and
thence to the South-Eastern Railway station at Paddock-wood, thus
connecting it with the branch at Ashford on the one side, and that
tobeatings on the other, and at P
Maidstone and to Tunbridge.
addock-wood with the branches to
TA Luc 14944 55 Atm Mare can 5111' bts 0 Maga t 9 build