RYE A WINDWARD HARBOUR OF DEFENCE.
[The following letter has been in type fora long time. excluded by the pressure on our space during the Parliamentary session and the General Election since. The subject has not become obsolete orunimportant. Recent events have indeed revived the interest in the permanent defences of our coasts, and the suggestive letter of our correspondent merits a deliberate consideration.] Amsterdam, 24th March 1852.
Sin—An Englishman abroad is precluded from entering into any discus- sion on the topics which interest his countrymen, by the delay that neces- sarily arises in the transmission of newspapers and letters to and from the place of his residence : but, at the risk of losing my labour, I am induced to make some remarks on a letter addressed to yourself so long back as in your number of March 13th, and signed " Palinurus."
That you may not think I am idly occupying your columns, I will tell you, that during Lord Nelsen's expedition against the flotilla of Boulogne, I was employed in a smart cutter to carry his Lordship's despatchee to and from England and elsewhere. What " Pa.linurus" says of the cruisers being blown off the station from between the Isle of Wight and Dungeness in strong winds into the Downs, is quite true - for in a gale from S.S.W. or S.W., with a strong flood-tide, a cruiser will be given from Beaohy Head to Dunge- ness in a few hours, and if not thoroughly acquainted with Dungeness Road will be glad to get to the Downs. The Western station, from the Isle of Wight to the Ness, is then left unprotected. It generally follows that the weather moderates, with the wind still hanging from the S.S.W. to W.S.W. This' enables vessels to leave the French ports—say from Dieppe, Treport, Boulogne, Anibleteuse„Vimereux, Calais, and as far down as Dunkirk—tear- less of any English sailing-ship, which cannot leave the Downs with the wind at S.S.W. until the Western tide is making, and that is four hours after high-water. Now, from twenty years' experience, I aver that it is a good tide's work for a smart cutter to beat from Dover Pier up to Dungeness in one ebb-tide. So much for sailing-vessels ; and it must be observed, that in heavy gales from the S.S.W. to W.S.W. steam-boats will also drift off the station when overpowered by wind or sea, or by any accident to the ma- chinery.
Cattain Maurice, to whose statement " Palinurus " alludes, makes general mention of the improbability of landing a hostile force East of Rye • and it may not be amiss to show the accuracy of his remark. The shore Rye; the South Foreland up to Folkestone is too rocky for'landing, and by Dian:lurch, wall is mixed up withjutties, piles, and wicker-work ; so that boats could- approach there without danger. Across Romney Bay out to Dungeness Point the shore and beach are good ; but (and hence proceeds the necessity for making Rye Harbour a station of some sort) from Dungeness Westward, all through Rye Bay up to l'airlight ledge, there is a bard sandy shore, and the sea full is shingle; so that boats of every description can land at all times'of tide, high water or low, or at any hour when there is not too much sea.
It may be asked, what should we be about to suffer the enemy's ships to cross over ? and I would ask, as a rejoinder, how are you to prevent it, if, on the supposition of such a possibility as has been stated above, sail and steam cruisers have been unable to buffet with Bolus and Neptune ? And let it be held in mind, that since the year 1816 French sailors have had the meaml, in their smuggling luggers, of becoming acquainted with every inch of ground along shore from Dungeness Point to Fairlight, and know as well as the natives all the leading roads from the sea-side into the country : they are equally well versed in the setting of tides. It is plain that if Rye Harbour could be made a place of rendezvous, it would be the means of defeating any intention of invasion in that quarter ; and, without wishing to foster any feeling of alarm, Government would do well to clear the mud out of it; which could, as a primary step, be easily effected by opening the course of the river Bother, in conformity with the verdict given in the trial at Croydon in 1819, when the inhabitant-house- holders and shipowners of Rye were in conflict with the squire-landholders on the banks of the Bother; upon which occasion the verdict of the Jury was, that " the sluice which shuts out the flow of the sea into the rivet Rother was a nuisance to navigation,."—and yet that nuisance is still allowed to continue, to the entire destruction of a useful seaport. For the true meaning of the verdict was, that either a swing or drawbridge should be built ready to open at the coming up or down of any vessel or barge trading on the river, and that the tide in ebbing or flowing should not be obstructed. Without intending to be personal in these observations, it may be ques- tioned whether two certain Members of Parliament would not do more good to their estates, in the increase of the value of land on the banks and in the neighbourhood of the Bother, by asking Government to promote engineering works in the port of Rye against a descent on the coast, than by moving for the abolition of the duty on hops and malt. In the latter case, they show certainly a justifiable anxiety for the prosperity of their class; but, in the other, they would be looked upon as public benefactors, and from the Sove- reign down to the sempatresa grateful feelings in increased security would await their useful labours. But, if no help can be expected from their body, then let those deputed to provide for the defence of the coast weigh well the responsibility which must lie at their doors, if they leave a long line of it without a fit port wherefrom steamers might issue at any time, and render effectual aid against invasion from the opposite coast, whilst perhaps a squad- ron, driven into the Downs, would be labouring against wind and tide in the ineffectual attempt to reach the point where all the mischief was brewing. A letter sent to the editor of a newspaper is like a log cast on the wide ocean : it may be drifted ashore to be consumed at some fisherman's hovel ; it may be thrown up somewhere to become fuel for a more useful flame. Would that this could warm public-spirit in a close borough, give a right direction to the notions of leading landholders, stir up the directors of a rail- way company so as to take the lead in an improvement beneficial to them- selves and their country, or attract the notice of the merchants at Lloyds', who ought most of all persons to be eager to insure havens for the refuge of vessels in distress. But such hopes are the visions of youthful brains: those who have lived longer know how hard it is to induce people to labour for the general good. Should, however, the projects of a neighbouring.po- tentate ripen so far as to enable him to carry schemes of invasion into effect, then these hints for the improvement of Bye Harbour will find an echo in men's fears, and be looked for on the file of the Spectator. AN OLD Sas CAPTAIN.
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