The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-05 00:00:00

fore, to area in proportion to length of breakwater and
pier, Captain Beechey's plan obviously claims the pre-
ference. The entrance to each harbour has the same
aspect, viz., true east; but, owing to the greater size of
Captain Beechey's harbour, he can afford to have a wider
entrance than Mr. Walker, without proportionately in-
creasing the risk of injurious disturbance within it.
Accordingly, Captain Beechey makes his entrance up-
wards of 1,000 feet wide, whilst Mr. Walker limits his
entrance to 350 feet. It also appears to me that the ter-
minating kant of the north breakwater of Captain
Bcechey's plan is so placed, with reference to the head
of his south pier, as to occasion less broken water across
the entrance, which, in connexion with its being nearly
three times the width, makes it much more accessible
when the wind is from the northward and westward,
which are the bad weather points, and which, consider-
ing how close both entrances are to a rocky lee shore,
makes a wide and easy access all important. I am
therefore of opinion, that in every point of view, as an
asylum harbour, Captain Beechey's plan must be deemed
preferable. Captain Beechey's plan has also the advan-
tage of making the present harbour a portion, and a
most valuable one, of the enlarged harbour, and, as such,
capable of being made of great importance, from its ap-
plicability to the various appurtenances wanted to make
any establishment of this kind compete. As packet
harbours, both plans appear to me deficient in affording
a degree of shelter that would give the necessary quiet
for berthing the steamers alongside the proposed work-
ing 1 iers in gales from the north-west; and in each I
think it would be found requisite to give the additional
accommodation of a deep-water wharf along the east
side of Ynys Gyby, in the manner suggested by Mr.
Walker. This would reduce the area of both harbours,
which would be most felt in Mr. Walker's plan; more
from the inconvenience of having to take the packets
through the crowd of vessels which wou d doubtless be
frequently collected within it, than by the mere reduc-
tion of size.. paptain Beeches:4 plan being.the largest,
'and having-greaterspacii biltS smith pier, ad-
mits of a better opportunity of devoting that portion of
the harbour to the sole use of the packets. To this the
only objection is, that the packets would be incon-
veniently removed from the dockyard, and in north-west
gales would frequently have to use the wharf along the
opposite side of the harbour, in the same way that Mr.
Walker's plan contemplates. Mr. Walker's plan has,
undoubtedly the advantage of increasing the accommo-
dation of the present harbour, by the gradual extension
of its north pier; but judging from.past experience, it
is a reasonable apprehension that any increase of ac-
commodation which could be so obtained would invite
such an accumulation of shipping as would deprive the
packets of much of the benefit. It appears to me,
therefore, that if the object sought is the accommoda-
tion of a larger class of packets, it is worth close in.
quiry whether that might not be fully accomplished by
the expenditure of a comparatively small sum in deepen-
ing the present harbour, so as to make a sufficient area
for vessels of say 150 feet length, which I assume to be
sufficient for insuring the requisite speed. Whilst ad-
verting to what I have considered to be a want of de-
sirable accommodation in the two plans for the harbour,
on which my opinion is requested, I have thought it un-
necessary for me to particularise their individual merits.
The high scientific and professional character of their
projectors is a sufficient warrant for their general excel-
lence, and would deter me from making any suggestions
of my own; but the great importance of a harbour of
refuge at Holyhead has been so impressed on me during
my late investigation of the subject of this report, as to
produce a conviction on my mind that no money within
a reasonable limit should be spared for effecting the
most spacious and complete harbour that the site will
admit. In replying, therefore, to that part of the ques-
tion as to my own opinion on the best position for the
harbour, I hope I shall not be considered as exceeding
my instructions in laying before the Lords Commission-
ers of the Admiralty a plan which, though more expen-
sive than either Mr. Walker's or Captain Beechy's,
appears to me justified by its commensurate magnitude,
and the number of important objects it would embrace.
It is shown on the accompanying chart, on which I have
also laid down Mr. Walker's and Captain Bsechey's, for
the more ready comparison of the three, and by which
it will be seen that by running off a breakwater from s
headland west of the present harbour called Soldier's
Point' eastward, so as to terminate north of the
Platter's Buoy,' and forming a pier from Yns Gyby,
with its head resting on the Outer Platters,' a har-
bour of upwards of 300 acres would be formed, having
its entrance windward of the entrance of the other pro-
posed plan nearly three-quarters of a mile, and in 6
fathoms of water. The breakwater by this plan woulo
be about 5,000 feet long, and the south pier about 2,000
feet long, and the enclosed harbour would contain 252
acres, having two fathoms of water and upwards (at low
water), 216 acres having three fathoms and upwards,
188 acres having four fathoms and upwards, and 127
acres having five fathoms and upwards ; and the whole
space was reported to me by Commander Rains, and
',thorn, ka‘Ang as aseelieftt holding
ground, and free from rocks or foul ground. That the
last-mentioned advantage is possessed by this site, is
confirmed by the elaborate soundings given in Captain
Bcechey's chart, which shows only one small sunken
rock, on which is marked 15 feet water, and which 1
should recommend to be covered by an inner pier, run
off the shore, as shown by dotted lines on the plan.
This pier would also separate the packet harbour from
the asylum harbour, afford quiet berths for the steamer
in north-west gales, and would shelter the west side of
the dockyard and Yns Gyby, as also the greater part of
the pier, which runs from thence to the Outer Platters.
The land forming the south and west sides of this har-
bour is mountainous, and offers complete shelter. The
breakwater is not more exposed than in either of the
other plans, and though the water in which it would
have to be formed is in its deepest part upwards of two
fathoms greater than in either of the other plans, the
cost would not be proportionately increased, as the lower
part of the slopes need not be made as flat as the upper
portions. The facility also of getting stone in the moun-
tain from which it would spring, will be something
greater in the case of either of the other breakwaters.
As regards the south pier of this plan, it is shorter than
the similar piers of either of the other plans, but has
from seven to eight feet more water. A rock is market:
in the chart on the inside of this pier, but it is covered
with 14 to 17 feet water. and being small, might easily
be removed to a depth of 3} fathoms, if necessary. As
regards the entrance, I have drawn it of a width of 800
feet, the head of the breakwater covering it from northerly
gales, but in a manner that would prevent broken water
from being thrown across it, and with an aspect which.
though sheltered, would admit of vessels running in and
out free with any wind between north-east and north-
ward to north-west. This harbour would also have the
advantage of connexion with the present harbour through
the drawbridge, which joins the island of Yns Gby to
the main, and it would also have a greater extent offshore
than even Captain Beechey's plan. It is, however, the
windward position of its entrance, its large Rare with
deep water, and the facility it offers for the convenient
separation of the mail-packets from the general shipping,
which I regard as its chief advantages, and which I
think more than compensate for its greater cost than
Mr. Walker's or Captain Beechey's plan, with which it
is compared in mpe,nswer to the next question,"

In answer to the seventh question, we have the fol-
lowing summary of the relative expense of the plans,
respectively :

" Assuming the cost of executing the several corre-
sponding classes of work in Mr. Walker's and Captain
Beechey's plans to be the same, which I see no reason
to doubt, and that Mr. Walker's estimate is sufficient,
which I also believe, the cost of Captain Beechey's plan
would be 550,000 L, or 150,000 L more than Mr. Walker's;
the plan which I have ventured to suggest would cost
600,000 L"

Mr. Rendel's report on the eighth interrogatory is
in the negative.

LONDON AND YORK RAILWAY.

A numerous and influential meeting of the inhabitants
of Peterborough, convened to discuss the merits of the
proposed London and York Railway, particularly in
reference to its connexion with the city of Peterborough,
was held on Thursday last, at the Town-hall. Earl Fitz-
William in the chair.

The meeting was attended by a deputation from the
London and York body, consisting of E. Beckett Denni-
son, Esq., M.P. ; Francis Mowatt, Esq. ; Richard Hodg-
son, Esq., M.P.; Francis Pym, Esq., of the Hasell; and
J. N. Foster, sq., of Biggleswade. There were also
present the Hon. M. Fitzwilliam, Charles Chaplin, Esq.,
of Blankney ; J. N. Heathcote, Esq., of Connington
Castle, llunts ; George Rowley, Esq , of the Priory, St.
Neots ; S. E. Cooch, Esq., of Huntingdon ; the Rev.
W. Strong ; and other gentlemen of the town and
neighbourhood.
meeting t ihneg the
The Noble CHAIRMAN having opened the business of
the meeting,
Mr. MILLAR proposed a resolution to the effect that,
mbyou thea ht
in the opinion of the meeting, a direct Railway between
London and the North would be productive of great
advantage to the inhabitants of the towns situate upon
the line, and to the agricultural districts through which
it passed.
Mr. NELSON WiLlaNsoN thought that before so
resolution
was
affired
Chairman
ob-
tamed.
EskrIFITZWILLTAM had no hesitation in
with. the wish of the meeting, He complying
was bound as a
public man to consider the pre
sentiments general
of
the
Noble
present measure, and to see
whether it would be advantageous to th
as well as to the local interests of the neighbourhood,
and, comparing them together, his
lfirm conviction was
would that the measure now proposed ,
con-
ducive to both. The Noble Chairmand be eminently
then gave some
statement of the enormous traffic in live stock, from
which it appeared that upwards of 90,000 fat sheep, and
6,000 bullocks annually passed through Peterborough
on their way to Smithfield. There was another thing
that he wished them not to lose •
sight_ of, and that was