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extensive machinery for refitting or repairing ships.
Trincomalee is, in fact, only a coaling-station and depôt for stores, to which ships sometimes resort for slight repairs. Being out of the course of trade it has never Evidence. Q. 2129. attracted shipping, and ships of war lying there would be at a great disad- vantage in obtaining information of an enemy's movements at sea. From a Colonial point of view, Trincomalee is of no special value to Ceylon. The neighbourhood for 60 miles in every direction is almost uninhabited, and supplies are not obtainable locally.
44. If Trincomalee is to be made a first-class naval station, the cost, we Third Report, p. 166. are informed, must not be reckoned at less than 500,000Z., which includes provision for a dock and machinery for the repair of ships and their engines. The local Committee, however, from whose Report we have taken this estimate, do not recommend the execution of the plan. Considering the means that exist for refitting and repairing merchant-ships at Hong Kong, Singapore, Mauritius, in the Hoogley, and at Bombay, and the extensions which are constantly being made to satisfy the increasing demands of trade, we cannot recommend the construction of a dock and machinery at Trincomalee.
45. Judging by the smallness of the establishment at Trincomalee, and See Navy Estimates. by the small amount of repairs executed during recent years, the require- ments for a naval establishment in Ceylon are not large, and the evidence of Sir John Coode leads us to think that these could be substantially satisfied at Colombo. Assuming this to be the case, and that in a few years it will
2127-2125
Q. 1633, 1634,
be possible to repair your Majesty's ships at Colombo, we have felt com- Evidence. Q. 5660, 3651. pelled to give the preference to Colombo over Trincomalee, although we Evidence. have not overlooked the important evidence of Sir A. Cooper Key. It is impossible to leave undefended the commercial centre, where a large amount of stores and coal must be always found, and we cannot recommend two defended stations in Ceylon.
pp. 160-162.
46. If the port of Colombo can be made to meet the requirements of the navy, we see no advantage to be gained by maintaining the existing small Third Report, p. 166. naval establishment at Trincomalee, which, so long as it remains, must be protected. An enemy would scarcely venture to use the harbour so long as British supremacy is maintained in those seas; nor would Trincomalee, deprived of coals and stores, hold out any temptation. If no coals or stores were kept there, it could only serve an enemy as a secure anchorage in which to perform such slight repairs as could be made from his own resources. With a view to preventing the possibility of the harbour being so used, it has been proposed to improve the defences of Fort Ostenberg, Third Report, p. 167. at an estimated cost of 103,234., and to maintain a garrison there of 2 companies of European infantry, 1 battery of artillery, a detachment of engineers, 30 gun-lascars, and a crew of 25 men for a gun-boat, all of which would have to be provided by the Imperial Government. We think that it would be better to abandon Trincomalee altogether as a naval and military station, and to dismantle and raze the existing fortifications. But this step could not be recommended until the requirements of your Majesty's naval service are satisfied at Colombo.
47. The garrison of Ceylon consists at present of a complete battalion of War Office Returns. infantry, two batteries of Royal Artillery, a company of gun-lascars, and a small detachment of Engineers-in all, 1,218 men. Of this force two companies of infantry and a battery of artillery are stationed at Trinco- malee, and the remainder principally at Colombo, with detachments at Galle and Kandy. If the detachment at Galle be withdrawn and Trincomalee be given up as a naval and military station, one battery of artillery might be dispensed with, and the battalion of infantry might be reduced, unless, indeed, it should be considered advisable to keep a larger force for the
* Extract from Navy Estimates, 1881-82 :—
[1103]
Salaried Establishment Rents and contingencies Wages Watchmen |
་
£
1,715
83 2,027
346
Total Estimate
• 1
4,176
D
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