6
£
10,000
3,600
10,000
3,000
13,000
Total
39,600
NEWFOUNDLAND.
St. John's, the principal port and capital of Newfoundland, is situated on an estuary of the sea, the entrance to which is through a channel about 1,200 yards long, varying in width from 100 to 300 yards.
The existing defences of the harbour are as follows :-
1. Fort Amherst, at the seaward entrance of the channel, mounting five 68-pounder smooth-bore guns.
2. Chain rock battery at the narrows, mounting two 32-pounder and one 68-pounder smooth-bore guns.
3. Waldegrave Battery, about 300 yards inside the last, mounting three 32-pounder and one 68-pounder guns.
4. Queen's Battery on the heights, mounting six 32-pounder smooth-bore guns.
5. Fort William; a keep near the town mounting three 32-pounder guns, and one 13-inch mortar.
6. Quiddy Vidi Battery, commanding the entrance to a small harbour of that name, about a mile to the north of the harbour, which affords the only good landing in the neighbourhood.
Considering the narrowness of the entrance, the Committee are of opinion that the present defences afford a very fair amount of protection to the harbour; but it is desirable, as soon as guns can be spared for the purpose, that two 7-ton guns should be sent out to be mounted either at Fredericks Battery or Chain Rock, as may be con- sidered most desirable, which with the smooth-bored guns would, considering the extreme narrowness of the channel, render this harbour secure against any attack to which it may be exposed.
There is no garrison at present in Newfoundland; it would therefore be necessary, with a view to manning the batteries, either that artillery should be sent out for the purpose, or a local force will have to be raised, which should be principally artillery, there being from the nature of the coast but little risk of a force landing with a view to capturing the batteries by a coup de main.
The Committee would suggest that if such a force can be raised, assistance should, if necessary, be given by the loan of a few officers to organize it, there being no garrison or trained body of men in the island upon which to form it.
The estimated cost of the proposed additions is
2 7-ton guns complete Additions to batteries
£
2,000
1,200
Total
3,200
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