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Digest, pp. 607, 611.
Third Report, pp. 457-464.
Third Report, p. 457.
Third Report, p. 460.
irst Report, paragraph 32.
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there seems to be little necessity for protection against them We therefore cannot recommend the establishment of a defended al station in this island.
Fiji.
143. The Fiji Islands, distant about 720 miles from New Caledonia on the one side and 1,800 from Tahiti on the other, occupy an important position nearly in the direct route from Australia to San Francisco and the Panamá Canal. We believe that regular lines of steamers between San Francisco, New Zealand, and Sydney touch there; but the trade of the islands, though growing, is small. Suva, the capital, situated on the south coast of the Island of Viti Levu, possesses a well-sheltered harbour, with an area of 1,600 acres of 5 fathoms and upwards in depth, approached through a short, deep channel, about 600 yards wide. We have a Memorandum on the defence of this harbour, prepared in the War Office, and the Colony has lately been visited by Colonel Crossman, R.E., and Commander Maxwell, R.N., who confirmed the views of the War Office as to the measures requisite for protecting the entrance of the harbour. They proposed some slight modifi- cations, but practically, the designs agree, and involve in either case a garrison of about 480 men, and works estimated to cost 166,0007.
144. The Colonial authorities are of opinion that there would be no difficulty in enlisting natives for military service, but it is yet to be proved whether they could be utilized as artillerymen. It is stated that the cost of native troops would be small-about 127. a-year for each man, exclusive of arms and accoutrements, and that there would be no need for the construc tion of expensive barracks.
145. Owing to the comparative smallness of the interests in these seas, and the great distance of the Fiji Islands from Panamá and San Francisco, we cannot at present recommend the crection of defences. After the com- pletion of the Panamá Canal a large amount of trade will pass the Fiji Islands, and Suva will then be an important coaling-station and port of call. Even now we think it desirable that, before the islands become more settled, and property becomes valuable, fitting sites should be secured for naval and military purposes. Colonel Crossman and Commander Maxwell have suggested that the naval depôt might be more advantageously placed about 4 miles west of Suva, in Namuka Harbour, which presents more favourable conditions for defence, having near its entrance a small island which might possibly satisfy the requirements of both the Admiralty and the War Depart- ment. It is, we think, undesirable that this island should be conceded by the Local Government to private individuals until the question has been considered.
Estimate.
146. We append a summary of the cost of the defences which we recom- mend, together with the apportionment between the Home and Colonial Governments; also a summary of the garrisons. We have accepted the plans for the defence of positions, and the estimates of the cost of works, and of the strength of garrisons placed before us by the officers of the War Department and others, but we have had no means of testing the sufficiency or accuracy of the figures in any case. We accordingly submit the esti- mates to your Majesty as approximate only, knowing that hereafter they will be subjected to careful examination by the Naval and Military Depart- ments. Definite estimates cannot be made of the cost of maintaining the works, but we have dealt with the subject generally in treating of each station.
147. As these defences will be of a permanent character, we consider that, following the precedent of the home fortifications, instead of placing the capital charge on the ordinary estimates of the year, it would be more properly provided for by a loan repayable within a reasonable term. We have already, in our first Report, made a similar recommendation with regard to the Cape of Good Hope.
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