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51
No. 119.
Admiral Sir A. Milne, Bart., G.C.B., to Colonial Office.
Committee Room, Whitehall, May 20, 1878. WITH reference to the question contained in the letter of the Under Secretary of State of the 14th instant,* the Committee have to state that it appears that the smooth- bored guns which were mounted at the time of the withdrawal of the Imperial garrison from St John's, Newfoundland, and which, in their report of the 17th April, they had considered as available to assist in the defence, have been since removed, and are no longer in the Colony.
Under these circumstances, the Committee are of opinion that the defence would be fully provided for by mounting three 7.ton and three 64-pounder guns in position to fire upon ships entering the harbour.
£
As to the question whether there is any ground upon which it would be proper to class St. John's among the ports whose defence is in a special degree a question of Imperial 3 7-ton guns 3,000 interest, the Committee can see no reason for treating this port differently from St. John, 3 64-pudrs. 1,800 New Brunswick, or any other similar port in the Colonies, except that when the batteries and other defensive works were handed over to the Government of Newfoundland, the armaments were withdrawn; whereas, in the case of Canada, they were ceded to the Dominion Government.
If Her Majesty's Government should decide to provide guns for the defence, as there must be great delay in procuring the 7-ton guns above recommended, and the Governor reports that there are six 64-pounders at Halifax ready to be shipped, awaiting sanction, the Committee suggest that application should be made to the War Office to ascertain whether these guns can be spared from Halifax, and if so, they should be sent to St John's, with their carriages and ammunition.
These guns, when mounted, would afford a very fair interim defence pending the provision of the guns of the heavier calibre.
The Committee understand from the Governor's telegram of 9th May+ that the Colony will provide a volunteer force of 1,000 men, and 100 artillery for manning the guns, and for the defence of the position, which will render it quite unnecessary to provide the six steel guns referred to in his subsequent telegram of the 18th instant, for opposing any force that may be landed.
The clearing of the streets of Fenians is rather a question for the police than for the defence of the port against external enemies.
With reference to the question raised by the Governor in his telegram forwarded in your letter of the 10th instant§ on the subject of the protection to be afforded to the telegraph cables in the event of war, the Committee are of opinion that the cables can be so easily severed at sea, even at a considerable distance from the shore, that no protection on land can afford any security against the interruption of communication by telegraph.
(Signed)
ALEX. MILNE. HENRY BARKLY. J. M. A. SIMMONS.
4,800
No. 120.
Colonial Office to Admiral Sir A. Milne, G.C.B.
(Secret and Confidential.) Sir,
Downing Street, May 22, 1878. I AM directed by Sir Michael Hicks Beach to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a despatch which he has addressed to the Governors of South Australia and Western Australia, relative to the measures to be taken in the event of war for the conveyance of the Western Australian mails, and for the disposal of the coal remaining on hand at King George's Sound.
and on Sir M. Hicks Beach will be glad to be informed whether in any emergency it would be good policy to destroy that coal. He will also be glad if the
what
* No 96.
[593]
+ No 80.
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‡ No. 113.
§ No. 85.
P
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