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- with the exception of 400 yards, every yard of available Coast in the whole Peninsula.
It appears to me that, with the exception of the Coal Depot, Landing places, and such wharfs as may be necessary, together with space for a Dock perhaps, neither the Navy nor War Department can really require any sea frontage at all, as the buildings they want, such as Barracks, and Hospitals, should be situated upon the high ground, it would be useless and inconvenient for them to retain the sea board which they could not use, some 60 or 80 feet below the level of such buildings, and which sea board, as I have shown, is of so much value and importance to the interests of the Colony.
It cannot be denied, that our Trade here is of vast importance, and it is for the furtherance and security of it that Naval and Military protection is given; but this protection does not demand for itself the only areas of real use for trade, the occupation of which exclusively for Naval and Military purposes will effectually, in this case, drive the trade which it is so essential to foster, away for Imperial as well as other purposes.
I do not think the Admiral can clearly understand the state in which the Colony is placed when he urges, in Paragraph 2 and 3 on the Plan, the necessity for keeping the whole Peninsula unoccupied for the possible contingency of another expedition, despite all arguments that may be used.