The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-05-25
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
England Preparing for Invasion.
From Lo ndon Times of Apr

arms or followers blocks OF brute
masonry Tor protection There something to be said for
each of these deence and most perhaps that which Irish
men preferred Bones better than if there but
enough OF them it when lacking that Notifications
become useful Sixty years ago country placed
reliance chiefly upon and when expected
enrolled of Militia and Volunteers for the pro
lection of the kingdom Not that altogether neglected the
of ortihcation for dug the Hythe Canal at IA
buous cost and we built Marteo Towers all along our coasts
But generally understood that any enemy landed
the Issue must be tried the open field and fought through
hard campaign 1t curious the present time read the
calculations and which made the beginning
OF the century with reference to the prospect OF an invasion
The Government of that day did not blink the question They
relied IN the FIRST place. as we rely STILL upon the protection OF
the Fleet They hardly believed that any enemy could
coed in crossing the Channel and eecng landing but they
took measures nevertheless against this impossible
ngency In the OF actual the Court and the
archives to be removed dorchester place
Of comparative security and then armies take the
field and fight the It expected
any particular operation looked upon de-
csve Perhaps Bonaparte might take London perhaps
but whatever he did, he would have to fight not only
but and again. all the way from the Thames
to the Trent and from the Trent to the Tyne For the rest and
for the phot of the relied nvncbe resou
ton and patriotism.
In the day all these things except the national spirit
totally changed 1t is no longer imagined that invader
the Conqueror. If any enemy land he would
make either for London Portsmouth, and after fight
ing decisive battle would in the event of victory dictate
his terms OF peace With Portsmouth in enemys hands,
our naval power it is thought, would be gone with London
occupied by INVADER the whole elaborate machinery
organization of the State would at collapse How far
these calculations complete do propose
to inquire We only that this is the conception of
modern warfare Konggratz in the Channel landing in
Sussex Hampshire great battle in Surrey followed the
occupation of Portsmouth London and then captulaon
the whole being days fornight-ths suppos
ing things to against England the modern idea of the
campaign and object therefore, of modern straegsts
provide against srch catastrophe We to make
serves SAFE Tor fortnight Ii we can 40 tha Is believed that
should be safe altogether strangely has the aspect the
question changed.
We this week published two interesting Reports the
puport of which is show that object will be at
least half attained Portsmouth will be for fortnight
probably indeed for much longer time The Notifications of
that arsenal not indeed yet complete but much has been
DONE and when the whole design has been accomplished the
works may be regarded almost impregnable Nor Ports
mouth the only place be thus protected All Arsenals
and Dockyards will be secured in similar manner if
performance by expenditure half least of the
whole work has been already DONE The total estimated
nearly possible 70O OO the total expenditure up
to the beginning of this year has been nearly possible
35O0000 This however irrespective of armament which will
will be For all these works and all these defences
10000 infantry and 10000 arllerymen expected
sucea force which present establishments ought easily
to furnish We have 10000 Artillery belonging to the Regular
Army besides 81 regiments of Militia Artillery and nearly 80
600 Artillery Volunteers We not therefore, undertaking
too much building forts than garrison On
the contrary the very object of these deences enable
small force to do the work of large IF great Dock
yards to be protected by movable troops only rodgous
armies must be kept in the field.
used to be argued with show of that rt6ca
tons useless nasmuch enemy would Simply leave
them alone If for instance succeeded i'll rendering
tain part of absolutely inaccessible to INVADER
that would be fair warning to him to give that place wide
BERTH and effect his landing elsewhere We could never at
tempt to forty the whole circuit of the island and unless
did the would simply select the points where detences
were lacking But this reasoning though sound enough in
ITSELF has application the system of Notifications which
has been adopted If these deences do
aside they will exactly the purpose for which they
designed Our very object to make Portsmouth Plymouth
and Chatham uninvitng points for attack According the
modern theory of subject enemy must needs such
points none ii they be rendered mpregnable
comparatively short time there would nothing for
invader An enemy to be successful must seize
vital point within few days of his first landing and therefore,
the theory national defence consists protecting all vital
points that such seizure may be impossible YET according
this Vew there would be very weak point armour
still We only said that objects would be half
tanned Though have fortified Dockyards have
fortified London and the unwecome conclusion our Report
will doubtless have been remarkedthat exactly proportion
render Portsmouth impregnabe will the efforts of an
METROPOLIS An