A FORTIFIED LONDON.

Otago Witness, Volume 25, Issue 1004, 25 February 1871, Page 15

A FORTIFIED LONDON.

(Army and JSavy Gazette.)

The extraordinary effect in the duration of this war produced by the fortifications of Paris has drawn the attention of all thoughtful professional men to the subject of fortifying capitals generally. It has also, we are happy to learn, drawn the attention of our own War Office, and it is understood that the fortification branch there, under Sir F. Chapman and Colonel Jervois, C.8., has been direoted to prepare a careful scheme for defending London. That the gentlemen who live at eaae in Lancashire may not be alarmed, it is well to atate that Mr Cardwell is not likely to propose any vote on this account, or anyone else, to begin a series of Forts Vale'rien. All that will be done will be to make each a careful study of the bills which enclose this great basin of the Thames in which we live, that we should have a ready-made plan whereby to turn our navvies on to the intrenching of a set of rough field-works, shond the Continental fleets and Continental armies unite to imperil our metropolis. In such case we should have the labour and the guns, and should try to create % big Ssbaatopol.

It is said that under the impetus of free labour the Southern States can raise' cotton enough to supply the manufacturing power of the world.

The oldest piano in existence is said to 1 be in the possession of Professor John B, Mevinaki, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania* It wo» made* In Germany in If 41.