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No. 355.
Colonial Office to Admiral Sir A. Milne, Bart.
(Secret and Confidential.) Sir,
Downing Street, November 30, 1878. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, for any observations which the Colonial Defence Committee may have to offer, a copy of a letter from the Admiralty, inclosing a copy of a Report by Captain Bosanquet, of Her Majesty's ship "Diamond," on the defences of Singapore.*
2. In a letter to this Department dated the 1st June† the War Office stated that six guns, with carriages and slides, and half the projectiles, were being shipped in the "Lansdowne," appointed to sail on the 15th June, and that four guns, with carriages, slides, small stores, and the other half of the projectiles, would be shipped shortly.
(Signed)
I am, &c.
ROBERT G. W. HERBERT.
No. 356.
The Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart., to the Marquis of Normanby, G.C.M.G.
(Secret and Confidential.) My Lord,
Downing Street, November 30, 1878.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's Secret and Con- fidential despatch of the 7th October‡ on the subject of the defences of New Zealand.
2. I transmit herewith, for your information, a copy of a letter from the War Office with reference to the shipments of the guns.§ A copy of this letter was transmitted to the Agent-General for New Zealand on the 31st August last.]]
I have, &c.
(Signed)
M. E. HICKS BEACH.
No. 357.
War Office to Colonial Office.
Sir,
War Office, December 10, 1878. WITH reference to your letter of the 18th May, 1878,¶ and previous correspondence, respecting the defences of Esquimalt and Victoria, Vancouver's Island, I am directed to request that you will inform Sir Michael Hicks Beach that the Secretary of State for War has had under his consideration the Report of the Colonial Defence Committee of the 1st April last,** and the Report of the Naval Commander-in-chief, Pacific Station, of the 28th June, 1878, on the measures proposed for the defence of the above ports, and to state that, before deciding upon the nature of the permanent defences to be provided for the two harbours which are intimately connected, he proposes to send an officer to examine the ground, and to furnish reports and plans of the positions and sites for the batteries, without which no proper design or estimate can be prepared.
Secretary Colonel Stanley desires, therefore, that Sir Michael Hicks Beach will be good enough to obtain the consent of the Dominion Government, in order that he may send an officer to Vancouver Island to prepare the plans and reports referred to.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
EUSTACE CECIL.
No. 358.
Admiralty to Colonial Office.
Sir,
Admiralty, December 16, 1878.
I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to request you will move the Secretary of State for the Colonies to cause them to be supplied (for the use of the Director of Naval Ordnance), with a copy of the general Report of the
* No. 352. | No. 317. [793]
† No. 149.
T No. 109.
‡ No. 354.
§ No. 311. ** See "Miscellaneous No. 35 B."
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