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142
Land forces--
£
Staff
3,000
Permanent Artillery
8,000
Volunteers.
8,000
Annual supply of ammunition and stores; instruction and training generally;
repairs and other contingencies
6,000
Total
25,000
Conclusion.
This is irrespective of the manning and maintenance of a war-vessel, and of the naval reserve, the annual cost of which would probably be about 13,000l. a year.
It may be argued as indeed I have already pointed out in reports of the defences of Victoria and New South Wales-that there is no probability of an expedition on any extensive scale being dispatched against Australia. In the event of Great Britain being engaged in hostilities with any other great maritime Power, no doubt the enemy would retain the most powerful portion of his fleet in European waters or in the Atlantic, for the protection of his country, or for operations in the immediate neighbourhood of hostilities. If he sent his fleet, or any considerable portion of it, on an expedition against the Australian Colonies, a sufficient part of our home fleet would, in turn, be set free to intercept it, and our squadrons in the Pacific, on the China, the Australian and Indian Stations, might, if necessary, be concentrated to oppose it.
But whilst the bulk of the enemy's naval forces would be occupied in the immediate scene of action in Europe or America, he might no doubt dispatch one or more cruizers to operate against our maritime commerce, or make a descent upon any of our Colonial possessions; and the Australian Colonies, owing to their wealth and prosperity, would, if undefended at certain points, be tempting objects of attack.
Vessels intended for such an operation might issue from the Russian ports of Yladivostok or Petropaulovski, from the French port of Saigon, from San Francisco, or from some other quarter. Eluding our cruizers, and appearing suddenly off St. Vincent's Gulf and Spencer's Gulf, they might intercept and capture merchant-vessels laden with valuable cargoes; or under threat of bombardment, or after actually firing into Port Adelaide, demand and obtain an enormous payment of money; or this object might be attained by an enemy landing a small force in the vicinity, and marching upon the City of Adelaide itself.
It is against attacks such as these that it is necessary for the Colony to provide. Whenever there has been a chance of Great Britain being involved in war with a naval Power, South Australia, in common with the other Australian Colonies, has hitherto taken alarm, and expense has been incurred on measures which would be inefficient if the event occurred against which they were intended to provide. The feeling of alarm ceasing on war no longer appearing imminent, the question of defence has then been dropped until the next occasion of a probability of war, and then another panic has ensued, when a Govern- ment has been again forced to spend money on taking steps which would be ineffective it the danger apprehended really occurred. And so the State, neither making up its mind to provide against attack or to take her chance and make no such provisions, oscillates between the two courses and spends money on "defences" which would not really provide for defence. I therefore urge that the State should make such provision as will really meet an emergency should it arise.
Adelaide, December 4, 1877.
(Signed)
WM. F. DRUMMOND JERVOIS.
No. 255.
Administrator Way to the Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart.-(Registered July 27.)
Government House, Adelaide, South Australia, June 12, 1878.
(No. 26.) Sir,
IN my despatch No. 25* on the subject of defences, I have mentioned that arrange- ments are being made for torpedo defences at Port Adelaide on a small scale, as part of the scheme of defence recommended by General Sir William Jervois.
2. Mr. Todd, C.M.G., an experienced electrician and Superintendent of Telegraphs, has been temporarily intrusted with the management of this branch of defence, and Lieutenant-Colonel Scratchley, R,E., has been good enough to lend certain works on the subject for his use for a short time.
3. With a view of making this branch of our defences as complete as possible, I have
* No. 54.
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