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(Secret and Confidential.)
Sir,
201
No. 351.
Colonial Office to Admiralty.
Downing Street, November 19, 1878. WITH reference to your letter of the 30th September,* I am directed by Sir Michael Hicks Beach to acquaint you that his views on the subject of the defence of Esquimalt, and on the amount of co-operation which might properly be sought from the Dominion of Canada, were fully expressed in the letter from this Department of the 10th April last,† and he understands that their Lordships also look upon Esquimalt as an Imperial station, the defence of which should be provided for in the same way as that of Simon's Bay. But it appears that the Dominion Government, acting under the pressure of a great emergency, commenced, in the spring of the present year, the execution of such works as were considered immediately necessary, without waiting for the settlement of the question of cost. These works have been since suspended, in order to give the Military and Naval Departments the opportunity of fully considering what is necessary for works of a more permanent character, and plans will be sent home for that purpose.
On the subject of the cost of works and armament for the defence of Esquimalt and Victoria, I am to refer you to Sir Michael Hicks Beach's despatch to the Governor- General, of which a copy was inclosed in the letter from this Office of the 11th May.‡
It is believed that it will be necessary to consider the defence of Esquimalt and Victoria as a whole, these two places being closely allied. For the adequate defence of Victoria the Dominion Government would be responsible; but when the nature of the permanent works for Victoria has been decided, it is presumed that the question of their cost will have to be settled by the War Office and Admiralty, in correspondence with the Board of Treasury.
In the meantime, Sir Michael Hicks Beach does not think it would be right to call upon the Dominion Government to pay for the guns or stores from the Naval Depôt at Esquimalt, which have been temporarily utilized by them for the defence of a place which, in their letter of the 6th September,§ and previous letters, their Lordships have fully recognized as an important Imperial station.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
ROBERT G. W. HERBERT,
No. 352.
Admiralty to Colonial Office.
Sir,
Admiralty, November 20, 1878.
I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, copy of a letter from Captain Bosanquet, of Her Majesty's ship "Diamond," which has been forwarded by Admiral Hillyar, reporting on the defences of Singapore.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
ROBERT HALL.
P.S.-A similar communication has been sent to the War Office.
Inclosure in No. 352.
R. H.
Sir,
'Diamond," at Singapore, August 3, 1878.
IN reply to your Confidential Memorandum of the 17th June, calling on me to report what had been done at Singapore in order to render the place safe from attack by cruizers of an enemy, in case the squadron here was absent, I have to inform you that there are works in progress on Blahan Mati Island, namely
1. A battery at Mount Serapona, on Blahan Mati Island (east) to mount four 7-inch muzzle-loading rifled guns, and two 64-pounder guns.
2. A battery on Mount Siloso, on Blahan Mati Island (north-western extreme), to mount three 7-inch muzzle-loading rifled guns, and two 64-pounder guns.
* No. 341.
[793]
+ No. 36.
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No. 92.
§ No. 327.
2 N
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