The history of Torquay

Preface

TIN the following pages I have endeavoured to give the I history of the district which has been variously "• described as Thor, Tor, Tor Briwire, Tor Brewer, Fleete, Tor Key, Tormohun, Tor Moone, Tormoham, and Torquay. For all postal purposes, for traffic arrangements, government business, and hydrographical records, the town has been known as Torquay for nearly a hundred years ; for parochial and local government purposes it has been known as Tormohun and Tormoham respectively. In 1876 the Local Board of Health obtained the sanction of Government to alter the name of the district from Tormoham to Torquay, and accordingly that name has been adopted as the title of this book.

The sources from which I have derived my information are the works of old and modern historians, manuscripts and deeds, charters and court rolls, the records of the State Paper Office, and likewise the Keports of the Historical Manuscript Commissioners. In addition, the parish books, the parish registers, the churchwardens' book, the minute books of the Select Vestry, the Improvement Commissioners, and of the Torquay Local Board of Health, private letters, and the files of local newspapers, have been laid

VI. PREFACE.

under contribution. Besides this, from a long residence in Torquay, I have been enabled to obtain a considerable amount of oral testimony from old inhabitants. As a rule I have confined myself to the limits of the parish, excepting where the importance of the case has made it necessary for me to travel a little beyond in order to preserve a continuity in the record.

Some of my readers may consider the story of the Spanish Armada a little too prolix. In explanation I may say that I was advised to give it as fully as possible for many reasons. In the first place, the actual facts relating to the Spanish prize in Torbay are entirely unknown to the general public — the documents in reference thereto having only within recent years been rendered accessible; secondly, the traditionary statements respecting the fate of the Spanish crew are altogether erroneous ; and thirdly, as the capture of this galleon was but a small episode in the ever memorable encounter in the Channel, historians have but briefly referred to it, — their attention being naturally directed to the main issue. The incidents and details which they have omitted are of the greatest interest to those who reside on the Torbay littoral, and it is these particulars that I have endeavoured to furnish.

I have touched but lightly on the subjects of Kent's Cavern and Climate, as each has a literature of its own.

J. T. WHITE.

Torquay, Mavch, 1878.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Torquay, 1680* — The Quay and Park Hill .... Frontispiece

Torre Abbey, 1662 (large sheet folded) page 33

Norman Gateway and Tower, Torre Abbey .... „ 81

Entrance to the Chapter House, Torre Abbey . . „ 83

Ilesam Grange „ 87

Torquay, 1780 — The Harbour, Park Hill, and Beacon)

* [ » 101

Terrace )

Fleete Mill „ 113

Torwood Manor House, 1820 „ 117

Torquay, 1780 — The Strand and Braddons Hill ... „ 121

Torquay, from Stantaway Hill, 1830 „ 139

Torbay Road after the Storm in 1859 „ 240

Tor Church, 1800 „ 296

Saxon Font, St. Mary-Church „ 377

Norman Doorway and Pulpit, Paignton „ 381

* This date must be taken simply as an approximation. It is arrived at in this way. In the illustration at page 101, the pier starts from the quay half way down what is now the inner harbour, at a point where the Yacht Hotel now stands. This picture represents the quay as it was in 1780. To the south of the pier are two cottages, which at that date were a hundred years old. In the frontispiece not only is there no sign of these cottages, but even the hill-side appears in its natural form. Mr. R. Dymond, of Exeter, a well-known antiquary, therefore concludes that the date may fairly be assumed as early as 1680, or even earlier. The view is taken from a sketch copied by the late Mr. Gendall, of Exeter, from an old drawing.

Page Abbot Norton, calumniated . . 25 Abbot, lease of the Church House

granted by the 26

Adventure, spirit of maritime , . 40 All Christians' meeting house . . 327 All Saints' Temporaiy Church . . 319 Anthony Ashley, Mr., looking after

missing stores . . . 71 his report on the same . 74-5

Artesian well boring 290

Athenaeum, the 342

Avenues, Torre Abbey .... 82

Baptists, the 326

Baths and wash-houses . . * .182

Baths, the 202

Beacon Terrace, accident at . .212 Berry Head, fortifications on . . 3

Bible Christians, the 326

British Workmen public-houses . 348 Brixham, reputation or, saved . .237 Boston Fields, origin of . . . .177 Brewer, Lord William, gifts to the

Abbey 9

Brewer's grant to the Abbey . . 15 Brictric, Queen Matilda revenged on 1 1 Buckland, Roger, a munificent

benefaction 22

Building extension 152

Buried seamen along the shores of

Torbay 175

Capitana, Spanish prize, taken . 47 „ brought to Torbay ... 52 „ list of charges incurred during the time she was

in Torbay 58

list of armaments and

stores of 59

„ at Dartmouth . . . . 59 „ how she was taken described by Don Pedro in a letter to Philip . 64 „ other claimants to the . . 67

Cane's Lane „ 115

Carew, Bampfylde Moore . . .121

Cary family, the 76

„ honours conferred on Mr. G. 76 „ his extensive possessions . 77

Cary Green 172

Cary, Mr. R. S. S., attaining his majority 176

Page Case of Thomas Smith .... 105

Centenarian, a 103

Charities 334-7

Cholera visitations . . . 132, 176 Christ Church, Ellacombe . . .317 Churchwardens' book, curious

entries in the 128

Church rate 196

Clubs, Burial 354

Cricket Club 351

Customs, old, copy of court roll . 102 „ free bench 102

Daccombe, Thomas-a-Becket, and

William Tracey . . . ' . 13 Daddy Hole Plain, disputed right

of way to 165

Dartmouth, port of 40

Torquay part of the port

Dame Hutchings's bakery . . . 126 Davis, John, the navigator ... 40

Denbury fair 41

Devonshire customs in Newfoundland 41

District rates 374

Drake, the fiery 47

Drowning of Messrs. Barrett,

Clarke, and Vanneck . . . .166 Duchy Dues contested .... 279

„ extinction of 280

Dwellings for the artizans . . .194 „ the Model Lodging-house . 195 „ Mr. Palk's Ellacombe

scheme for . . . 195-6 Dye mill, in Fleete 100

East India Company's first ships sailing from Torbay . . . . 77

Efridiswelle 16

Ellacombe Green presented to the

town by Sir L. Palk . . . .270 Erith House Institution .... 333 Exeter, death of the Bishop of .281 Extra-Mural Cemetery Co. . . 183

Fair, abolishing the regatta . .113 Famine in Ireland, aid from Torquay 1 68

Fiery Drake, the 47

Fire at Marler's 286

Fire, ship Wallace on 287

Fish trade of Brixham, importance of 228

Vlll.

Index

Page Fleete, the former name of Torquay ioo

Flood, a 114

Foresters 355

Freemasons 353

Friends, the meeting house of . . 327

Gas, introduction of 156

„ Company, the .... 242 lines on lighting the town

with 385

„ accident at the works . . 243 Gasworks, proposed purchase of . 285 Gilbert, Adrian, of Sandridge . . 40 Gilley, George, an account of . . 386 Goodrington, the hospital and

cemetery, grant at 175

Governing bodies 389

Haldon, robbery on 1 19

Haliburton, death of Mr. A. F. . 288 „ Christ Church endowed by 288 Harbour, summoning the harbour

master for odours from 166 „ six men drowned in . . 248 laying foundation stone of

new 270

„ various schemes for a new 271 „ mode of constructing the

new 273

Hearder, G. E., presentation of

testimonial to 280

Homoeopathic Dispensary . . .331

Ilsham Grange .... 87, 381 granted to the Abbey . . 87 Imperial Hotel, opening . .• . 247 Improvements, opposition to . 156-7 Improvement, a lost opportunity for 115

Independents, the 323

„ progress of the . . . . 324 Invasion, threatened by Napoleon . 123 „ contemplated transportation of the women and children to Dartmouth in consequence of . .123

Kent's Cavern 361

Kent's Hole Close, lease of . . . 101 Kitson, Messrs., presentation of

testimonial to . . . . 288 W., presentation of portrait to 288

Latimer, Mr. T 177

Lavers, Mr. W., munificent gift of 331

Law of settlement, iniquity of . .133

Leases, curious old .... 110-4

., ground rents, and fines . 127

Page Leases, establishing of . . . .152

Lifeboat at Brixham 260

„ at Torquay 283

Lincombe Drive, gift by Sir L. Palk 294 Local Government —

The Select Vestry 131

The Improvement Commissioners 154 The last days of the Commissioners 178 The Local Board of Health . .176 First acts of the Local Board , 179

Londonderry family 37

„ expenses at funeral of Earl of 108 „ preparations for marriage of Countess of, to Earl of

Donegal 109

Long Avenue road, attempted closing of . . . .... 173

Lytton, death of Lord .... 287

Manor Court records, Torwood . 134 „ „ Torre Abbey 136

Manor Club 351

Market, erection of the, 1820 . .151 Marlborough, wreck of the . . .161 Match, a stolen, at Torre Abbey . 119

Mechanics' Institute 339

Mendicity Society, the .... 338 Meteorology and climate . . . 356

Mill stream, the 16 1

Mine, iron, at Torre 107

Mining in Torquay 105

„ litigation about .... 106

Mission House, the 338

Monasteries, corrupt state of . . 28 „ suppression of .... 28

„ revenues of 28

Monk, the headless 26

Monks, the conservators of the arts 25

„ mode of life 379

Mortality, rates of 369

Napoleon I. in Torbay .... 141 „ arrival of the Bellerophon 142 „ the crowd of boats . . . 143 „ admiration of the scenery 143 „ visitors from London . . 143 „ thebeautiful Italian's visit to 145 „ language of flowers . . . 146 „ departure of, for Plymouth 147 „ causes of return of, to

Torbay 147

„ his reception of the sentence of banishment by the allied powers . . . 148 „ the parting scene on board

the Bellerophon . .149 his transfer to the Northumberland . . . .149 his departure for St.

Helena 150

INDEX.

IX.

Page Napoleon III. in Torquay . . - 282 Natives, slave-born on the premises 32 Newfoundland colonised by West

countrymen .... 41 Devonshire customs and

names in 41

Newton Abbot Union, formation of 163

Odd Felk

Orange, Prince of, invited to England 88

„ his passage down Channel 89

his landing at Brixham . 90

„ landing of his troops . . 93

„ his march to Newton . . 93

„ his proclamation read . . 94

„ his march to Exeter . . 95

„ and the Brixham fisherman 94 „ memorial column of the

landing of 96

Paignton Church 381

Paignton pudding, the . . . 231-2 „ „ the fight over the 233

Palk, Sir L., returned for South

Devon 268

„ returned for East Devon . 269

presentation of portrait to 274

Palk, Sir Robert .... 37, 119

„ the, family no

Parish apprentices 131

Parish records 130

missing 165

Parishes of Newton Abbot Union 376

Pauperism 371

Peace rejoicings in Torquay . .150 Pengelly, Mr., presentation to . . 368 Phillipps, Mr. H. C. March, portrait presented to . . . 250 „ gallant conduct of . . .251

Plymouth Brethren 327

Police, the force in 1836. . . . 156

„ adoption of County Constabulary Act . . . .199 „ the Sessions-house . . . 200 Poor-house, Torquay. . 63-65, 131

Poor rate 372

Population 370

Post office, old and new . . . 251-2 Prejudices against newspaper

reporting 177

Presentation of testimonial to Mr.

G. E. Hearder . . .280 of portrait to Sir L. Palk 274 „ of testimonial to Messrs.

Kitson 288

of portrait to H. C. March

Phillipps 250

Primitive Methodists 327

Prince Albert and Mr. Woodley . 185 „ death of 243

Page Prince Albert Victor, birth of . . 245 Prince Alfred in Torquay . . .211 Prince Arthur in Torquay . . . 245 Prince of Wales in Torquay . . 198 Prince of Wales, marriage of,

rejoicings 244

Prince of Wales conger fishing in

Torbay 248

Princess of Wales, visit of, 1806 . 1 27 Public conveyances, hackney carriage stands 168

Public Gardens 192

Public debt 373

Public houses in the parish in 1780 121

Public lamps first erected . . . 156

„ extension of, to Tor . .156

Queen Victoria, rejoicings on accession of 162

landing of, at Torquay . 153 visit to Babbacombe 168, 197 visit to Torquay and

Dartmouth by. . . .185 address of the Local

Board to . . . .187 presents from Woodfield to 187

the reply of 188

Queen Emma, Dowager, of Sandwich Islands 249

Queen of Holland in Torquay . 281-2

Railway, failure of atmospheric . 226 „ opening of, to Torre . . 227 „ various proposals for extension of ... . 228-9 the Dartmouth & Torbay 230 „ „ cutting first sod 231

„ opening of, to Torquay

and Paignton . . . .231 „ proposed extension of, to

the harbour .... 233 „ amalgamation of Great

Western and S. Devon 235

„ opening of, to Brixham . 236

„ accident, a remarkable . . 289

Rational Sick and Burial Assoc. . 354

Rating, strange method of . . .132

Reform, demonstration in favour of 267

„ contests in South Devon

under the . . . . , 268

Ridgeway family 384

Riot, bread 169

„ arrest and disposal of the

prisoners .... 170-1

„ another bread 276

Roads, old 157

„ formation of turnpike . 1 58-9 „ Rev. T. Kitson's account

of the Newton . . .159

X.

INDEX.

Page Roman causeway, discovery of .174 remains on Babbacombe

Down 7

remains on the Warberry . 7 „ remains on Berry Head . 8 Roman Catholic Church of the

Assumption 320

Roman Catholic schools . . . .321 Roose, Jonathan, case of . . .201

Rowing Clubs 352

Russian and French Princes,

visitors 179, 191

Russian gun 201

Royal visits, William IV., Duke

of Clarence <- . 152

Royal visits, Duchess of Kent and

Princess Victoria 153

Royal Torquay Yacht Club . . . 352

Salem Chapel 328

Sand Lane, closing of . . . 172-3 Saxon traces in the neighbourhood I font at St. Mary-Church parish church ... 8, 377 Scoresby, Dr., the arctic navigator 305 Sewerage scheme, new . . 285, 387 Sheppard, Mr. A. B., death of . 288

Shipping and trade 295

Ship, the last built in Torquay. . 196 Sir Cloudesley Shovel's fleet . . 98

Spanish Armada 42

„ preparations for defence

against 43

description of .... 44 account of English fleet

opposed to 45

beacon fires, warning approach of 45

bearing up Channel . . 46

„ in confusion 46

the Capitana, one of the,

taken prize 47

„ lack of powder to carry on

the fight ..... 48 the people praying against

the 5°

„ ignominious end of the . 51

Spanish Barn, the 53

Spanish prisoners, landing of . . 53 more troops asked for to

guard the 53

letters of Mr. Cary and Sir J. Gilbert to Privy Council respecting the 55

condition of 60

traditions relating to . . 62

Stark, Mr. Robert 32^

Steeple chases at Plainmoor . .193

Storm of October, 1859 . . .238

„ destruction of Torbay

Page Storm, destruction caused by, at

Meadfoot 241

Storm, great, in Torbay, Jan., 1866 254 Storm, heroism of Brixham inhabitants during the . . 255-9 hospitality of Brixham

during the 257

„ the losses by the . . . 258

St. John's Church 307

St. Luke's Church 315

St. Michael and All Angels Church 315

St. Michael's Chapel, ruins of . . 85

Street improvements .... 263

„ widening Fleet Street . . 263

„ commencing the work of

improvement . . . 264 „ the bill of expenses for

Fleet Street .... 265 „ widening Torwood Street 265 „ „ the Strand . . 265

„ „ Torre Square . 266

,, „ Cary Green . 266

Submerged forest, the .... 160

Teignmouth burnt by the French . 96

Temperance Society 348

Thanksgiving-day 286

Tite, Sir W., death of .... 288

Toll gates 167

Tor granted to Richard Briwere . 9 „ in the Domesday book . . n „ population of, at Domesday

survey 12

„ the men of, ordered to the

relief of Exeter ... 14

Tor Church 296

„ memorial brasses and stones

„ parish registers in . . . 302 Tor churchyard, burials prohibited

Tor Improvement Society . . . 341 Torbay, description of . . . .1-2 a naval rendezvous ... 3 a cruiser in, for protection

of shipping .... 4 breakwater proposed for 4, 259 estimated cost parishes on the shore- line of part of Port of Dartmouth Vespasian in ....

Leland's account of . . . forts in, contemplated by

Henry VIII 39

beacon fires along ... 45 a French squadron in . .179

Hospital 330

Horticultural Society . . 349 and South Devon Club . 350 Torbay Road, construction of . .157 „ destruction of former . 159

INDEX.

XI.

Page Torbay Road, previous .... 159 Torbay and South Devon Club . 350 Tormoham, sale of to Sir R. Palk 109

Torquay Directory 345

Torquay Times 347

Torquay and the Bishop's revival

of synods 1 79

Torquay, Ordnance survey of . .182 County Court . . 182, 243

Market, the 189

„ „ formation of Co. 190

Torquay and Torre, contention

between 233

Torquay's gift to the Lancashire

distress fund 243

Torquay Working Men's Improvement Society .... 341 „ Working Men's Associa. 342 Natural History Society . 343 „ Schools of Science and Art 345 Errand Boys' Association . 348 Medical Society .... 349 Torre Abbey, Lord Brewer's grant 16 „ arrival of the monks at .17 „ the centre of religious life 18 „ the order of monks at . . 18 „ grant of lands at Dartmouth to 12

„ a disputed gift to ... 20 „ sends a chaplain to Tunstal,

Dartmouth . . . . 19 „ gifts of land to . . . . 21 „ men of Tor distrained upon 22

„ wealth of

work of the monks at . . 24 surrender of, to the Commissioners 28

list of the monks at the

dissolution 29

„ the list of abbots at . . 30

„ annual revenue of ... 29

manor of, granted to John

Ridgeway by letters patent 31

„ ruins of, description . . 79

stone coffins and human

remains found at ... 81 account of modern residence 83 discovery of crypt at . . 84 „ searching for arms at landing

of Prince of Orange. . 93 „ subterranean passage at . 82 Torre Abbey Sands . . 117,257-60 Torre and Torquay fairs abolished 269 Torre Key, temp. Henry VIII. . 38 Torwood manor house . . 107, 117 domestic items at 109 Torwood Churches, St. Mark's and

St. Matthias' 306

Town Hall, erection of . . . .179

Page

Trinity Church 318

Unions in Devon 375

Unitarians 327

Upton churchyard, burials prohibited in 184

Upton Church, description of . . 303

Varwell, the fisherman who carried the Prince of Orange on

shore 90

u the zeal of, rewarded . . 94 how, failed to become a

lord 95

Victoria Club 351

Village schoolmaster, the . . .124

„ as postman

the school and scholars . 125

Volunteer, the, movement . . . 214

„ origin of, in Devonshire . .215

a company established in

„ the sham fight on the Torre

Abbey Meadows . - 217 „ Lord Palmerston and the . 219 „ the general movement of

1859 221

the Artillery and Engineer 222 the dispute between the

Exeter and Torquay . 223 dismissal of the Torquay

Riflemen ....'. 223 a Brixham corps disbanded 224

Watch-house, the 156

Water supply, the old ... . . 204 the lords of the manor,

works 205

the Board applying for

Parliamentary powers . 206

„ source of the supply . . 206

„ storeage reservoir . . . 208

analysis of the, its extreme

purity 208-9

„ cleansing the mains . . .210 „ extension of the works . 211

revenue 375

Wellswood a mile out of town . . 167 Wesleyanism, early established in

„ growth of 322

Western Hospital for Consumption 331

Windmill, the 103

Winsor, Charlotte, case of . . . 252 Wreck of St. Peter the Great at

Hope 71

„ Mr. Cary's account of . . 72 Wreck of H. M.S. Amazon, landing of the crew at Torquay . . . 260

CHAPTEK THE FIKST.

TORBAY.

Chorography of Torbay. — The Rocks. — The Shore-line. — Fortifications on Berry Head. — The Armed Cruizer in Torbay. — The Hospitals. — Naval Station. — Proposals for a Breakwater. — Projected Lighthouse on Berry Head. — The Parishes on the Torbay Littoral. — The Charter to the Black Prince conferring on him the Right to Levy Dues in "the Port of Dartmouth."

"OKB AY is situated on the southern coast of Devonshire, nearly midway between the rivers Teign and Dart. It may be described as an inner recess of the Great West Bay, which extends from the Bill of Portland to the Start Point. In outline it is a rude semi-circle, broken by smaller bays and inlets, which alternate with bold limestone cliffs, headlands of red sandstone, beaches of white pebbles, and firm and extensive sands. From the shore a beautifully undulating country spreads upward until it meets the hills, which are clad with perennial verdure, forming a panorama of diversified beauty, which, on a memorable occasion, extorted the admiration of Napoleon, and at a later date called forth the praises of Macaulay.

The northern extremity of Torbay is known as Hope's Nose, or Ness ; the southern, as Berry Head. From point to point, the distance is four miles ; and the depth, from the centre of the line to Paignton, is three miles and a half; the coast line, from one headland to another, is about twelve miles in extent. The depth of water at the entrance of the Bay ranges from six fathoms at Hope's Nose to twelve fathoms off Berry Head. The bottom, composed of fine sand and clay, forms a good holding ground for vessels at anchor. From the entrance to within half a mile of the shore the water gradually shoals to four fathoms and less, according to the nature of the shore, whether shelving or precipitous. To the west of the imaginary line drawn from headland to headland, the anchorage is known to mariners as the Inner Bay, and that to the east as the Outer Bay.

There are but few rocks in Torbay, and these are on the northern shore. About three hundred yards S.E. of Hope's Ness is the Flat Rock. Eight hundred yards beyond, with nearly the same compass bearing from the Ness, is the Ore Stone. In a direction W. by S. of this rock, distant fifteen hundred yards, and lying off the point beyond the Ilsham valley, is the islet known as the Thatcher. Off the western end of Meadfoot Beach is a singularly-shaped rock, which, when seen from a particular part of the beach, has very much the figure of the Sphinx ; this rock is known as the East Shag; the West Shag is close under Daddy Hole Plain. The four rocks, West and East Shags, the Thatcher, and Ore Stone, lie nearly in a direct line. About three hundred yards to the south of the East Shag is a small but dangerous shoal, having only four feet of water on it at low tide ; its name is Morris Rogue. Master mariners leaving Torquay for the east, generally keep the Ore Stone its own length open of the Thatcher, and thus clear the Morris Rogue and all other dangers. Close in front of the Baths are the Mill Stones ; and off the Torre Abbey Sands there is a ledge of rocks, covered at half tide, known as the Harbrick. Both promontories, from Berry Head to Goodrington on one hand, and from Hope's Nose to the Torre Abbey Sands on the other, consist of the limestone and shale of the Devonian system ; whilst the intermediate shores are composed of the red sandstone and conglomerates of the Triassic system.

THE FORTIFICATIONS. 3

From the earliest times Torbay has been famous as a naval rendezvous. Whenever a succession of westerly gales prevails for any length of time, even at this date, it is no uncommon sight to see more than a hundred merchantmen at anchor in Brixham Roads. It was also during war time a general rendezvous for shipping waiting for a man-of-war to convoy them out of the Channel.

During the last war between France and England, fortifications were raised on Berry Head for the protection of the shipping. The barracks and battery were erected on the site of the old Roman encampment, but being constructed for the most part of wood, the buildings soon fell into decay after the disarmament which followed the declaration of peace in 1815. That part, however, which of necessity was built of masonry still remains, and might be made available should foreign political complications render such a defence desirable. The restoration of the barracks and fort for the use of the militia as well as for the protection of the coast has, during late years, been the subject of much consideration by the Government. The open ground within the moat is sufficiently extensive for manoeuvring a thousand men, and as the coasts of Devon and Dorset, from Portland to Plymouth, are unprotected, the anchorage would afford security to vessels navigating the Channel against any of the enemy's cruizers. The military hospital so long occupied for scholastic purposes by Mr. Lyte, is held on a tenure by which it may be resumed at a very brief notice.

At the present time there are reservoirs at Brixham always maintained in a state. of efficiency, for watering the fleet; there is likewise a small depot for naval stores. Every year the Government advertise for tenders for the supply of beef and vegetables to the fleet, although there may be no naval ships in Torbay. It is only occasionally, when the Channel or Reserve squadron anchor for a few days, that the local purveyor has the privilege of fulfilling his contract. For several years in the first decade of the century, the armed brig Lord Cochrane was stationed in Torbay to protect the trawlers and fishing boats from French cruizers. The usual practice was for the brig to sail with the fishingvessels every Monday morning, and return on the following Saturday. The brig carried fourteen six-pounders, and a crew of over a hundred men.

Besides the hospital at Brixham, a similar establishment was maintained at Goodrington, where a company of soldiers was stationed. In the burying-ground may still be seen the head-stones erected over the graves of the various officers and men who were there interred.

The value of Torbay as a naval station has been much diminished by the construction of more perfect harbours of refuge at Plymouth and Weymouth, and also by the use of steam, which has not only completely revolutionized the old style of naval architecture and vastly altered the order of battle, but has rendered the fleets of the present day less dependent upon the winds and currents.

So highly valued was Torbay as a roadstead, that long before the Plymouth breakwater was projected, the Government, at the urgent request of the Admiralty, seriously considered the subject of constructing a breakwater ; for, although the advantages of Torbay as an anchorage has been recognised on all sides, it has one very serious drawback,— its shelter is useful only during westerly and south-westerly gales. Whenever the wind changes to the eastward, the vessels clear out and give it a wide berth. Sometimes a change of wind occurs so suddenly that a ship becomes embayed and wrecked. It was with this ever-present danger before him that Admiral Jervis, in one of his despatches, urged the Government to construct a breakwater, declaring his conviction that Torbay would one day become the grave of the Channel fleet. Mr. Whiclby, an engineer of much repute, in 1799 prepared plans for a breakwater; but in all probability these were set aside more from motives of economy than the dictates of wise policy; for it must be confessed that the constant warfare in which the

PROJECTED BREAKWATER. 5

nation was engaged had very much crippled its resources. Plymouth Sound, near which a naval dockyard had existed for more than a century, was subsequently deemed to be a more fitting site for a harbour of refuge; and in 1812 that grand national undertaking, the Plymouth breakwater, was commenced. When King William IV., as Duke of Clarence, held the office of Lord High Admiral, the subject was again revived, but Weymouth was selected in preference to Torbay, as being about equally distant from the two great naval arsenals of Portsmouth and Plymouth. The Weymouth breakwater was completed in 1872.

Mr. Whidby's estimate of the cost of the Torbay breakwater was .£1,120,000. Thus, for the comparatively small outlay (considering the national importance of the work) of £40,000 per annum, the Government would have secured in twenty-eight years — the term over which it was intended to extend the work — a harbour of refuge capable of sheltering half-a-dozen fleets from every wind. After the disastrous storm in Torbay which occurred on the 11th of January, 1866, the Board of Trade was petitioned to construct a breakwater, and the reply they gave was that they had no money at their disposal for such a purpose.