The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 226, 29 July 1848, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

lie just ami feai not: Let all tin- ends them aiuis't at, be tliy Country's, 'I liv (inn's, and Tiutli's.

SATURDAY, JULY 29, 18 48.

Tin: constiuction of foi tin" cations, in defence of the harbour, boing. under present consideration of the authorities, we tuist we shall be held excused for -venturing a few suggestions on a matter fraught with such impoitant consequences to the public safety. The absolute nakedness of every British possession in these seas — the impunity with ■which they can be assailed — the facility with which they could be laid under contribution — have all been dwelt upon and reiterated vsiptc ad nauseam. A time of peace, when works of defence should have been quietly and skilfully oifanised — when means and munitions should have been unostentatiously provided — has been suffeied to pass by, and, now, when a period of turbulence, if not of Avar, appears to impend attention is compelled where it was before, in \ain, solicited. If, as we have been given to understand, the works to be thrown up, for piotection of the harbour of Auckland, aie to be limited to land batteries alone, we would most respectfully point out the grave error of such restrictions ; and, to gi\e more cogency to our own arguments, we shall cite the opinions of the most practical warriors and demonstrate the incontroveitible truth of their opinions by a few of Ihe most daiing and dashing lllu.stiations of the futility of stationary batteries when opposed to the moxable and concentiated fire of floating ones. We aie far fiom despising land fortifications, or considering their election as a matter of no moment ;— quite the reverse — they are excellent in their way, and are invaluable auxiliaries ; — but as isolated antagonists to the broadsides of a fleet we deem them unequal to the work— such at least as a British Admiral or Commodore would cut out foi them. It is upon the authority of Lord Nelson we are able to affirm that, " the fire of cannon once opened (from a ship) is terrible to a town." The truth of that assertion has been frequently and feai fully enforced; not upon weak and powerless towns, but upon renowned strongholds, bustling with guns aud crowned with battlements, esteemed all but impregnable. — j We have amongst us more than one witness of the pou erlessuess of the mighty ramparts of j Algiers when opposed to the comparatively | petty squadion of Loid Exmouth. We have also others who beheld St. Jean d' Acre, — that foitiess which defied the most determined efforts of Napoleon — smitten to the dust by the thunders of British broadsides. But, as these were operations effected by line -of- battle ships, we shall proceed to show what has been ! achieved by frigates, and from frigates, we sur- j mise, in the event of war, Auckland will requite, primarily, to be defended. In July 1810, Captain Christopher Cole in the Caroline, 36 gun frigate, having under his command the Piemontaise, 38, Captain Charles Foote ; Barracouta, 18 gun brig sloop, Captain Richard Klnaii; and a transport brig, made a dash at Banda Neira. In despite of the manifold difficulties of an intricate and hazaidous navigation, and the dangerous approach to a well manned and strongly foitified coast, Captain Cole effected a landing, and, with ISO men, mastered fortresses deemed impregnable by the Dutch, and enfoiced the surrender of 700 regular troops and 800 militia garrisoning a line of sea defences mounting 138 cannon, being little short of a gun per captor. Magnijficent as this affair was, it was probably exceeded by the captive of the island of

Curacoa, l)y Sir Ciuui-Fb Brisbane, with " the saucy Arkihvsa" and three frigates, on the Ist of Jan. 1 807, the chief port of which island, St. Ami, ait and nature had done much to lenclei stiongly defensible. The entiance to that harboui accouhng to James, " is only fifty fathoms wide and was defended by regular fortifications; the principal of u Inch, Foit Amsterdam, standing on the tight of the entrance mounted 00 pieces in two tiers. Athwart the harbour, which no where exceeds a quarter of a mile in width, Avere a Dutch 36 gun frigate, a 20 gun ship corvette, and tuo large armed schooners. There was a chain of forts on Misselburgh height, and that almost impregnable foi tress Foit Republique, situated upon a high hill at the bottom of the harbour, and almost within qiape shot distance, enfiladed the whole.'' Notwithstanding these stupendous defences the four fuejates dashed into the haibonr, opened their biOiid&ides, boaided the Dutch fngate and corvette and stormed the town, the whole island submitting to the British in the course of that day. One more example of the powers of gallantly commanded frigates even against strongland defences, and amidst perilous waters, may suffice — that example is the triumphant ascent | of the Potomac in IS 11 by Captains Sir J. A. I Gordon in the Seahorse, and (the present Adi miral Sir Charles) Napier, in the Euryalus { frigates, accompanied by the Devastation, Mm a, and Meteor, bombs. The enterprise was one of consummate difficulty and danger, demanding an extraoidinary degree of nerve and ingenuity, as the ships grounded lepeatedly under fire, and were continually obliged to hoist out and to replace their guns, as well as I to tow and to warp, and yet the ascent was j successfully achie\ed and the descent accomplished in defiance of clouds of " regular troops, riflemen, aitillerists, and militia who all flocked to the shores of the Potomac to punish the base incendiaries." The American Newspaper Editois, says James, for some days feasted their readers with the anticipated destruction of the British Squadron. "It is impossible" they affirmed, " the ships can pass such formidable batteries, commanded by our naval heroes, and manned by our invincible seamen." But the British Squadion not only did pass batteries, heroes, and inuncibles, but earned twenty -one sail of prizes along with them, and that in spite of hot shot and cold and after three and twenty days of incessant strife with man and the elements. Having adduced, as we conceive, incontestible proofs of what can be accomplished by ships against fortified hai hours and strongly fortified ones too, we would fain be permitted to point to the strongest and most übiquitous means of harbour defence — floating batteries. England has shown the estimation in which she holds the efficiency of such defences by conversion of four line of battle ships, and four large frigates into block ships, arming them with guns of the heaviest calibre and furnishing them with auxiliary steam power. Although we possess none of these appliances, the construction of one or more most effective movable batteries is by no means beyond our reach. It is perfectly possible to build and equip praams of great strength and force, whose low mouthed, long, and heavy guns could be made to follow up and play with the most destructive effect upon any intruder. We would suggest such praams to be built in several water tight compartments ; — the double vessels of which each should be composed being of great beam but little depth, and united under one deck. In the absence of steam as a motive agent a central wheel might be worked, a la treadmill, with just sufficient power to enable the vessel easily to overrun the tide, to shift her berth and to take up the most aerjintageous position to assail an enemy. Her bairicades should be made as substantial as possible, and, if stuffed with flax, they might be rendered nearly bomb proof. A wherry shaped stern and double rudder would obviate the necessity of turning, and if pressed by a heavy ship she could seek shelter ia shoal water, and cut up her antagonist with her guns which it would be well to have of Monk's long 56 pounders. In determined hands and with an adequate number of small arm men to repel attempts at boarding by boats, batteries like these would be of yeoman service in the time of need. The shot of such shifty sneaking craft would be infinitely more telling than the uncertain, plunging, fiie of an elevated immovable, fort, and would stick to the haunches of any vessels foolhardy enough to attempt a coup de main. Their cost would be so comparatively trifling, their organization so simple, and their service so effectual, that we look upon them as the fittest and easiest defence for a remote and infant colony.

Kawau Mines. — Upon the faith of an authority we could not question, we stated last week, that the claim of Messrs. Whitaker and Heale to a portion of the land at Kawau, had, in obedience to a mandate of the Secretary of State, heen set at rest, and that the SurveyocGeneral had gone to the island to put those gentlemen in possession. So far we believe we were correct, — but in consequence of some subsequent misunderstanding, the question it seems, is still as far from settlement as ever — and Mr. Heale, we understand, returns forthwith to England to renew his appeal to the Colonial Oilice.

lr is ouv melancholy duty to announce the decease of one who has been long, and kindly, and beneficially attached to the colony — Doctor Johnson — who, after a painful and wasting illness, expired on Friday morning. Doctor* Johnson was emphatically one of New Zealand's best friends — an anxious investigator of its capabilities— an untiring promoter of every measme calculated to develope its resources — a scientific explorer and expounder of its latent mineral and \egetablc treasures. Aniving in the colony Avith Governor Hobson, the lamented gentleman was materially instrumental in selection of the site of the capital where he and our first worthy ruler closed their moital career. By every means, mental and physical, he strove to advance the interests of the land of his adoption— his pen and his person were ever at its service — of which our own pages and the hall of the Mechanics' Institute have borne frequent and fertile w itness — whilst as a physician of acknowledged superiority and proved dependence he causes a void which will be difficult to fill. Doctor Johnson had, for some time, been conscious of his approaching dissolution, and made all his worldly arrangements with a wonderful composure. His friends were unceasing in their attentions ; and it is consolatory to know that when this mortal was about to put on immortality he lesignedhis spirit to the God who gave it in a sure and certain hope of a glorious resurrection. The funeral will take place this afternoon | at three o'clock, and we have little doubt it will \ be numerously and respectably attended.

That magnificent specimen of naval architecture, the Missionary brig, John Wesley, Captain Buck, arrived in poit on Wednesday morning from the Friendly Isles, the only group at which she touched since her departure hence. She brings no other news except that in April a terrific hurricane swept those lovely islands, leaving the unfortunate natives without shelter or food. King George has sent to Governor Grey for some horned cattle, and to others he has written orders for Tea, Coffee, Sugar, Flour, Earthenware, and Clothing. — Thus has the capital of New Zealand become the emporium whence Polynesian "Royalty draws its creature comforts — our civilization meeting the wants which religion has called into being and energy. There is no doubt but that the numerous islands of the South Seas will daily become luciative outlets for our superabundant agricultural produce.