The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-31

The Naval Defences Of the KinsdOm-From
Portsmouth Round to tho Downs-Iron.
CiRds Against invaders-How an American
Enemy Could Operate-IreIand N stra.
tegic Point.
LONDON, August l6 1869.
In my letter OF the l4th inst. gave an account OF
the defences OF Portsmouth, showing how any enter.
prislng enemy could enter within Spthead, destroy
the dockyard, and even run up into the narb0r and
destroy the building yards and the shipping laid up
in ordinary as It Is called. And, as noticed In
the same letter. Portsmouth. be 1t remarked, il
the only dockyard we have in England with
any preence TO iortlcaMon or defence OF any kind.
To cave the place IN the event OF a war, 1t would
be necessary to keep feet Of ronclads within CALL
which fleet must be as strong-man for man, gun
for gun and ship for ship-as that OF the invading
enemy. But once entice our ironclada away or
leave them weaker than the ships OF the invaders,
and our principal dockyard is gone forever, without
hope OF being saved from destruction. And Ports
mouth being destroyed the right arm Of the British
navy VIII have been cut or
So much for my last communication on this SUBJ
ject. must now ask you to accompany me in the
spirit from Portsmouth round to the eastward, sail.
ing along or steaming past the south coast of Eng
and-pas Bognor, Worthing Brighton, New Haven
st. Leonard's, Hastings, Fokestone, Dover, Deal
Ramssate, ana so round the Downs 10 the mouth Of
the Thames Why ask you to do this to go with
lie thus far is tina. RON Portsmouth round to the
east and then northeast, and afterwards up the
river which London is built upon, is the part or the
coast Of England which Is supposed to be defended.
Whether or not 1t Is 50 leave your readers to judge
AFTER my Diru's-eye survey OF the same.
The south coast of England, from Portsmouth IN
I'll you reach the ceieba ed white chalks about Do
yer, is fiat TO degree. But, within easy range OF
& veses hV OF the i arpe ses conan ANY
along quietly ana deal out destruction as they went
upon number OF wealthy towns. The coast is GER
tainiy fortified, but fortified merely by Marteo tow
eis placed here and there not calculated to hold
mere popguns IN the way OF cannons say at the very
outside eighteen or twenty-four FOUNDERS. these
towers are certainly within sight OF other and
would no doubt, DO very good service in the event
OF an invasion by boats 10y landing of troops but
that enemy Ia his right senses would never for one
moment dream M landing troops this part of the
ne & up the
he could certainly do so withOu; in any way endan
gerlng the men VINO landed; But against the iron
as ARE used IN these days. the Marteo towers would
be no defence Whatever. As we steamed gently along
me pointed out how the whole OF this coast covered
as it Is with wealthy and nourlshing towns, would
how iron-clads could, while lying far out Of range
batter TO pieces and utterly destroy every house,
factory farm, railway station, town, street and
country house from one end of the coast 10 the
other until you Get to Dover.
Dover would be an ugly obstacle to overcome
The NOTIFICATIONS have been all repaired Of late
years. and the ordnance mounted upon the castle
Is all new, well kept and in excellent order. Whether
this actual castle could be battered down by vessels
10 rearward, they themselves keeping out OF range
Is Impossible to decide. NY naval friend who ac-
Compauied me SAID that he did not believe the place
could be taken without regular siege, and II a.
tackled by feet would be the old question tried over
again OF big guns against bricks and masonry on
the one hand, and big guns against irOn-cad ships
OH the other. This would take time Of course. But
II Dover cannot be taken 1t can be turned, or, in
other words, avoided altogether As O hInirance TO
men-ot war-whether large or smal-gettlng
round into the Downs, or further on, round
the headland or 80. TO the mouth OF the Thames,
ii is worth nothing. Keeping well In towards the
French coast feet OF hundred llne-of-battle ships
entrance 10 the Thames would then be at thelr
mercy. on Deal the largest ships can anchor
within range OF big guns. II IL true that there
several small forts built all along the coast here the
OBJECT Of their creation being, as imagine TO pro-
tect the great number OF merchant vessels that wait
here either for favorable winds for tug steamers
to take them up the river. But these towers are
only bull Tor very small guns-that Is, email In com.
parson to what monitors and other ro vessels
carry IN these days-and they have been evidently
built for the purpose OF defending the anchorage OF
the Downs against boats running In from an ene-
my's neet. When they were constructed the Ala
baIna question had not been mooled, nor had we
ever heard OF any chance OF disagreement with
America.
Let US for moment imagine that, In the event OF
war with England, America were to despatch large
feet OF ironclads TO Ireland. AS matter Of course,
our whole ron-cad neet would be moved to the west.
ward for tue purpose of defending the coast OF that
Island In tue meantime portion OF the American
Meet, consisting OF u couple or so or large iron
cads aud as many gunboats and monitors as had
been brought across the Atlantic, would come up
the English Channel, destroy Portsmouth and then
pass on TO the eastward. MAINTAIN that In twenty.
four hours from leaving Portsmouth London would
be at the mercy OF the invaders. There is nothing
whatever 70 hinder or prevent bold men from car
rying ont this plan. From Portsmouth all the way
round 10 hamsgate and Margate, with the single
such as would not turn back a baby that had
any pluck AT Dover the guns OF the fort can be
avoided. At Sheernes3 we have q dockyard and O
few men.ofwar, but no iron-cads. From Sheer
ness right away to London Bridge there is nothing
hint hal 20 .l..,.r.
in dock to be seen right aud left OF tht
river, inviting destruction as 1t were, from any
hostile vessels that got so far into the bowels OF TN
land. am quite sure that half dozen gunboan
could IN one morning utterly destroy many millions
9i ooa.s WORM ~ 1l sdhpp'ns on tngi1 way IRON
deiences that could really prevent even single gun
boat from making ITS way right up the Thames ant
destroying IN u few hours half the shipping anC
three-0urths OF the most costly merchandise II
Englands for YOU must remember that nearly al
our warehouses are butt close to the river, and il
them are stored away millions upon millions WORT
OF goods from every part OF the known world. Eng
land mas never since she was n nation contemplate,
such war as now hanns over her head IN c0nneC
ton with the Alabama question. During the Ion
war we had with France our enemy had no nav
that could be compared TO ours. Moreover, he wa
depending entirelS upon the winds OF neaven-or, II
deed, we all were-belore ne could move his shiT
about or as he wanted them. But now 1t IS entire
different Steam has not only bridged over the char
ne u mas also brdged over the Atlantic And reDen
Der that steam helps an invader far, far more than
does defender. In the days OF sailing ships q
invader OF the Thames might have fair wind :
start with but be In terrible FIX for coming bach
Unless fortune 30 lar favored him that when Their
was change OF wind IL should take place exacll
at the right moment he would In all probabi!it
fall into the hands OF his enemy long before
could return. But with steam IL is lar otherwis,
The same power that brings an invader up ti
Thames could take him down again. And remeu
Der that not only could fleet OF punboats PEN
tratc TO London Bridge a. an hours of the tide br
that In dong so these vessels could burn aud d
stOy far more property than the Alabama ever Gld
TIE moral OF my story 30 iarls hiss whatever lau
Ennl!Anmei have want cf Calculation is not or
OF i;scm. When they hear OF neet OF America
iroli-cads being on the coast o. ilc91d, then th,