§ SIR CHARLES NAPIERsaid, he expected to have heard some Member of the Government reply to the Question of the hon. and gallant Member for Portsmouth (Sir J. Elphinstone) relative to the defences of that Port; but as none had been given, he was desirous of adding the expression of his hope that Her Majesty's Government had employed some competent Engineer to superintend the fortifications at Portsmouth. An immense amount of money had been spent in this way some years ago; but it was perfectly unnecessary, for in consequence of the narrow passage of the harbour, its shallowness, and 197 other circumstances, it could easily be made secure by sinking any old vessel at the entrance, which would effectually prevent any ship from coming in. Or it would be quite possible, by burning damp powder in some old hulk or two, to cause such a smoke to rise all over the harbour, that it would be perfectly impossible for an enemy's vessel to see its way to the entrance. There was not a waterman in the harbour of Portsmouth that was not able to make a suggestion of this kind, and to see the inutility of such expensive fortifications as those which had been adopted. The Russians had taught us the use of sunken vessels at Sebastopol. But with regard to land fortifications at Portsmouth, he really could not see the use of them. They were building great redoubts all round the dockyard at a great expense. These redoubts were commanded by Portsdown Hill. It would, therefore, be necessary to build some enormous castle there to protect the redoubts. If those were built it rendered the lower fortifications seaward quite useless. It was said that fortifications were to be carried on throughout England. He hoped they would not be of the same useless character as those at Portsmouth. He believed that with some Armstrong and Whitworth guns placed on the Isle of Wight it would be possible to shell the dockyard and fortifications of Portsmouth to atoms. It was perfectly absurd and ridiculous to spend millions in such a manner. If an enemy wanted to invade England he would choose one of the many parts of the eastern coast of England where no fortifications existed. Fortification in truth was of no use. The only real and substantial defence of the country was a large, well-manned and well-disciplined fleet. In the time of Napoleon Buonaparte, when all Europe was against her, and 3,000 vessels were assembled at Boulogne for her invasion, England was defended by her fleet alone, and she required no other protection.