THE CHANCES OF INVASION.
[TO THE EDITOR 01 THE "STEC/ATM..]
SIR,—The great Duke of Wellington is indeed a crushing authority on the subject of national defence ; but he was surely purposely exaggerating—for obvious reasons—when he committed himself to the statement quoted in your article of the 17th inst., to wit: "In the whole coast from the North Foreland, by Dover, Folkestone, Beachy Head, Brighton, Arundel, to Selsey Bill, near Portsmouth, excepting imme- diately under the fire of Dover Castle, there is not a spot on the coast on which infantry might not be thrown on shore at any time of tide, with any wind, and in any weather (sic)." I have often pondered with amazement on this in walking the cliffs between the North Foreland and Folkestone. The sea washes their base for about four hours at flood-tide, and troops could not land there without scaling these precipitous ramparts of chalk. At Ramsgate pedestrians are cautioned not to venture along the shore underneath them less than two hours before high-tide. Individuals who neglect this advice often have to be rescued by the Coastguard with ropes ; but if there is a heavy sea on they would be dashed to pieces if overtaken by the tide. In such a position it would be absurd to attempt to land infantry. It points the Coast- guard have apparatus for hoisting up those in distress, and the enemy would require it if they tried to land at high-water. At low-water they would have to defile through the narrow gates or gaps in the cliffs, which are few and far between. The localities such as Sandwich Flats, where disembarkation is feasible, are well known, and could be easily watched; so that, except on the supposition that the Duke was overstating his case with the view of impressing the public, it is hard to understand his motive for such a statement. But at the present time the public is surely educated enough to hear the truth.—I am, Sir, Sze., TRITIUM:TS. ought to add that the rocks which guard the cliffs everywhere, except at the aforesaid gaps, would really forbid the approach of the boats, even in the smoothest water.
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