The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-03-15
FNoLAED,s sEABoARD DEFENoEs.

deenes created in 1904 under the apprehension OF an In
Vason BY the great Napoleon bad through long neglect
fallen into decay when about dozen years ago. the pub
lie mind became much exercised and agaied the sub
jet OF her exposure TO foreign attack being measurab
drawn thereto by the Prince de Joinyles famous pamph
let which showed how easy had rendered II 10 Jerry
bundled thousand Frenchmen the channel, aud ~
the time being In small degree excited aud aroust
by the patriotic and warning OF her great Duke who
on the verge OF the grave in January, 1884, wrote an m-
presve aud confidential appeal Gen SIR John Burgoyue
the head of the English engineering depar men the
sit OF putting the kingdom in Of defence.
This letter was Subsequent, made public In it Yelling
says That between Dover and Portsmouth
spot the which infantry mig Int lie thrown
ashore any time OF tide and with any wind and in any
weather and in this span of coast there not less
than small harbors mouths Of rivers each with
defence of which enemy having landed his infantry
the coast might take possession and therein Land his
cavalry and artillery Of all calibre, aud establish himself
aud his communications with France" That he knew Of
mode of resistance, much less OF protection excepting
by army in the field capable OF meeting and contendng
with its formidable enemy, aided by all the of fr,-
caon which experience in aar and science can siggest
What httle remarkable ia this letter the fact
L
empire with army Of mia but be preparaorly or
ganzd and hat trained in their duties though at the
time expressing his decided preference for regu
lar troops which he acknowledged England could fur
nsh
The revolution of February, 1s48 and the convusive
response from the peoples of Europe, shortly following
opened wide the eyes of all classes of English statesmen to
the imminent peril threatening their cherished Institutions
al, tlo,,a
dangers of improbable INVASION From that moment
without ntermssion the English government has avshed
its funds in erecting Notifications along the southern shore
of the island.
The works at Portsmouth, which not the least consid
cradle now during the very sttngs of the peace con
ference 10 Paris attracting the especial and jealous obser
walton of the French press None of these defensive prep
arations the part of England have been momen
tary relaxed through any iso confidence nslied by the
cordde existing between her and her great ally
well questions She chooses to put
either the forbeaance friendship of any power
and nvountary if the Agernes equally hard
ened in and Injured to strife might in emulation of the
old Normans wish show their proves another field
of Hastings and if not to construct another dooms-day
book dive into the treasures Of the vaults Of
Threadnecdle street
The longings and visions of Napoleon-which his
nephew hopes in due time to realizefor maritime pow
and colonial possessions led him To vast projects on
which he could his future maritime schemes. or all
these ardenty seized or more assduous
and practically developed than the construction of vast
basin excavated in great part out of solid rock aud
pabe of holding fifty ships-oEheine, in the port Of
Cherbourg The hsbor of the port which would contain
300 ships itself be completely covered and
protected from the Of the b the completion
OF the nmeuse break commenced in The middle OF
the reign Of Louis XVI but suspended by the revelation
Napoleon resumed this work ia 1902 but had to aCaudvn
il during the disasters 1871 before it finally
pleed. 1t has not however been neglected By his
cessors and constitutes harbor fully equal his
most sangune calculations This breakwater 900
yards long and contains four millions of cubic yards Of
s,oue LIS middle part which is loo feet wide, and
rises we'll above the highest spring tide is crowned by
formidable battery of the heaviest gus the h.rbor it.
sell bling eey defended by the OF
batteries erected various points The chief and
lug merit this work, in Napoleons eyes, doubtless
the Of Cherbourgs icing the point Of departure
OF a French army destined to invade England Couse-
quently just invasion came into the category Of
possioitrs, Cherbourg rose into trowuog shape and
threatening dEnlNuue btlure TIVE eyes OF blFlOl
En- gshnan Who true to the spirit and energy Of his
race, although oppressed with a vivid OF III.
extent Of the danger TO which his long invio!able
b noe at last exposed, not crushed, buI
up resoly.cg TO prove equal the norgepcy, by
making such counter preparations that Cherbourg itself
could I've held in and complete check Sad 1pe-
rcuce had taught the EngIshman the important fact that
blockadiug feet riding In the open sea- however vigil
liant and daring could suffice close the eRress from
port the French coast for the ships OF feet
scattered 10y the 6rst storm and thu Freurhman would
ony have to wait for this opportunity take the open
sea- The channel he desired IT, Now 1t has 80
h'ppned in The vcissidc Of ages tha England has re-
tanned the sole inheritance Of the Norman dukes-wbo
after conquorng her furnished her with line OF kugs-a
group u small isles lying close into the Of Fran
and known the Channel Islands Alderney the least of
hese-famOus for its little mich oows-lies only some
hadozen leagues eighteen English miles, or FROM and
Immediately opposite the port Of Cherbourg which it,
northeastern shore oyerlooks This shore complete
~ naked, without any natural nlot to afford habor
or shelter and washed directly by The strong tides Of
the reocof Aderpey, which havv rise and faof lcst
forty feet England deferred by OF the great natural
difficulties which be mastered but stimulated by the
Of France and fully reused the importance Of the
emergency, determined relying confidently on the skill Of
her engineers and the be drawn from her me
chanc arts confront Cberbourg with harbor and for