DEFENCE BY SEA AND LAND.
THE Militia Bill, translated from the adverse fitful tide of the Commons to the smooth waters of the -Upper House, has been tranquilly passing that higher stage of its probationary career, with no more than a formal opposition in speech. Pecuniarily or personally it will make but little difference to the people of this country : it is, in fact, less a measure than a memorandum that measures are necessary for the national defence. The heat of indignant preparation in which it originated has passed away, but the defects in our national defences which it was intended to supply are still unsupplied. The provocation which called forth the public anger has also passed away for the moment; but that the temper of the ruling party in France is not more friendly to this country than it was at the time of the great- est heat, we may learn by the new aggression on the representa- tives of the English press in Paris ; and whatever the spirit of the Government may be, we cannot fail to perceive that the posi- tion of the President is as precarious as ever it has been—as much at the mercy of circumstances—as likely to be forced into hos- tility towards this country. We also know that he will not be restrained by the ordinary maxims of morality or of policy from prosecuting his own selfish interests : and the estimate of his in- terest is always to be determined by him, not by us.
The necessity for better preparing our national defences is ex- actly where it was when the late as well as the present Ministry undertook to consider the subject : the defences are still the same, both by land and sea. The warning which the Duke of Welling- ton gave, now some years back, that a force once touching our shores would find no effectual cheek to its landing, still holds good. We have our troops, as we had then; but the interstices between garrisons and bodies of soldiery have not yet been filled up by nu- merous bodies of militia, or by general enrolments of the people in volunteer companies. The proposed force of 80,000 militia, of no great value as an army, would not supply the wants in filling up the interstices between the regular soldiery. That such a filling up is necessary, we have it declared on the authority of the great- est captain in the country ; that volunteers would be the proper material, we have on the authority of the next greatest captain, General Sir Charles Napier, one of our most recent defenders in actual fight. There are many who think that land forces, whether regular soldiers or militia, ought never to have the occasion for action, but that the naval force should be able to defend our coast even from a transitory violation. We have seen, on the authority of all who have studied the subject, that a Channel fleet could not undertake to block out the whole of any considerable force simultaneously approaching the coast from many points. When the Prince do Jomville sent forth his warning note, and the corresponding warn- ing was issued in this country, we had a Channel fleet, and it has since been somewhat reinforced, but the want of a naval machinery to fill up the interstices still exists. If, indeed, the Channel fleet were supported by vessels capable of carrying large guns and moving close in by the shore, with lighter vessels acting as scouts effectively and inexpensively, we could have a naval force as nearly impenetrable as possible ; and with such auxiliaries to prevent invasion, the war-ships would become even more effective than they can be at present. A plan for establishing these coast-hugging vessels or floating batteries has actually been laid before the Admiralty. The idea was derived from the new class of steamers expressly con- structed for the shallow waters and river navigation of the East : mainly instrumental in securing the British victories in China ; its type, the Phlegethon, is now pioneering in the Rangoon. With some suitable alterations for the home service, a similar class of vessels has been devised to complete the coast defences of this country ; and it is described in a memorial to the Admiralty by the ingenious inventor, Mr. Macgregor Laird.
" I assume that from Brest, St. Melo, Granville, Cherbourg, and Havre, a force of 10,000 men might be emoentrated at a given hour on many or any points between the Land's End and the Downs : the garrisons of these towns are always sufficiently numerous to spare the men and the steamers in their harbours equal to the transit of them. " It is to be supposed that the point of debarkation would be on the un- defended parts of our coast—probably between Teignmouth and Portland, a land line of country destitute of railway access ; and in fine weather—and in no other is danger to be apprehended—accessible on many points from seaward.
" To defend such a coast from a sudden attack prior to a declaration of war, by screw block ships, or any of the contrivances for defending deep- water harbours, is simply impossible. What is wanted is a moveable power, always ready for action wherever a fishing-boat can land ; and this I propose to effect by steam gun-boats, capable of carrying two 68-pounders, and of being beached and hauled up in every creek, beach, or gully, where an in- vading force could disembark. " The Coast Guard afford the means to man these vessels the instant the alarm is given. "I will explain briefly the description of vessels proposed to be used, their qualities and cost; and to make myself clearly understood, will refer to the Nemesis, her armament and capabilities.
" This vessel carried two 32-pounder pivot-guns on 4 feet 6 inch draught of water; and at the attack upon Canton took 1000 men on her decks, who marched dry-shod over a platform from her bows to the shore. The plan No. 1 shows accurately her dimensions. Such a vessel could land troops without the intervention of boats on any beach on our coasts in fine weather. No vessels of this description were built for any of the Continental powers until last year, when two for the Prussian and one for the Russian Government were constructed. The drawing No. 2 annexed will show the improvements made in them; the principal of which are, their being fitted with rudders at both ends, the invention of my brother, and the firing of the guns from the
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sponsings, patented by Mr. Russel. In principle and material these vessels are identical with what I now propose for coast defence. They were designed for offensive and defensive warfare in shallow coasts and rivers i and the emi- nent success that has attended them in every instance where they have been in active employment, will, I hope, insure an impartial estimate of the real value of a plan for exactly the same service, only modified by the peculiar character of our coasts."
Then follows a description of the model, as Mr. Macgregor Laird proposes to modify it.
" I propose to employ vessels of the size and dimensions shown in plan No. 3, namely, 100 feet long, 20 feet beam, and 7 feet deep, capable of carrying one or two guns of the largest calibre, and of being beached and hauled up upon very simple and inexpensive ways, by applying the power of the engine to a purchase arranged for that purpose. That boats of this description can be constructed sufficiently strong to bear this and to carry heavy guns on 4 feet draught of water is demonstrable ; and the advantage this method of de- fence has over any other consists in its efficiency, portability, and economy.
"I will take a part of the coast most accessible to a surprise—the deep bay formed by the Bill of Portland on the East and Bury Head on the West, and assume that an enemy's flotilla suddenly appears offSidmouth. Between Tor- bay and Weymouth, two roadsteads only safe with the wind to the Westward of South, there is no point for a distance of seventy-five miles where any vessel at present in her Majesty's service could be constantly stationed to meet such an aggression. "Suppose the plan of defence proposed in operation at Sidmouth : if there was not time to launch the steam gun-boat, she would form a fixed battery of one or two heavy guns to annoy or delay the enemy's landing ; and from Teignmouth, Dawlish, Exmouth, Ottermouth, Western Mouth, Bransoombe Mouth, Exmouth, Lyme Regis, Charnmouth, Bridport, and Chisel Bank, in two hours from the alarm being given, a dozen gun-boats, equal in speed and carrying guns of equal calibre to the enemy's, would be in active operation on his flanks and rear, and this before a screw block ship could have got up her steam in Weymouth or Torbay. • • •
"Land-batteries may defend a particular landing-place ,• but without the whole beach is enfiladed, the s"' lent will always choose the spot that is be- yond range. The plan proposed is equal to a fixed battery, and in porta- bility and power of concentration far superior.
"I assume that to defend the assailable points on the coasts of England, 100 of these gun-boats, each carrying two guns, would besnfficient, and that their cost would be 25001. each, or 250,0001.—about equal to the cost of two steam line-of-battle ships."
Nothing can be clearer than this proposition ; but, as we so often find the ease with plans at once simple and effective, it is " declined by the department." The Admiralty is not, perhaps, more to blame than any other branch of the public service for adhering to routine, and thinking more of the aspect which measures will bear on paper for service in the House of Commons, than of the shape which they are likely to take in real action for service of wear and tear.
We shall not have our national defences until it be too late to anticipate the want; but meanwhile let the public remember how the matter really stands. We ought to have a completely filled- up line of defence by sea: we have still only our Channel fleet, wherever the ships may happen to lie. We ought to have a na- tional force to support the regular troops, and fill up the inter- stices : we still have our regular troops, and our interstices ; the Militia Bill being no better than a memorandum that some kind of popular force will be needed to stop the gaps.
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