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or at least will come into action successively, owing to the necessity for ships to approach from the west or left, and so to come within range of the most westerly work first, and of the others towards the east in succession.
Another point to be noted is that ships with large draught of water can come close to each of the points named, and therefore close to any batteries erected near the sea-line.
12. The four sites referred to in the War Office Memorandum will be treated in detail in the order in which an enemy would have to engage them.
Look-out Point.-Although in the War Office Memorandum the battery proposed for this position is stated to be "of not so much immediate importance" as Falconbridge and King Tom's Point, an inspection of the site and a consideration of the defence generally have convinced me that it is almost the chief work of the entire scheme. When first approaching the harbour I was struck with the importance of the Look-out Point site for a sea battery, and with the great difficulty that a ship would have to deal with it effectually.
13. The advantages of the site are—
(1.) The ground rises in regular slopes of from 7 to 9 degrees from the front and flanks to the summit of the hill, which has a broad top, amply large for any proposed battery, and an altitude above the sea of about 150 feet. Behind the summit the ground falls slightly, but sufficiently to cause an enemy's projectiles, which may clear the battery, to pass harmlessly to the rear.
(2.) A work on this summit would be most favourably situated for action against ships, partly owing to the height of situation (and it is the only proposed battery which has this), and to the facility with which distances can be estimated, the effect of fire observed and aim corrected; and partly, also, to the fact that a ship could not come within 450 yards or so of the battery, the fire from which would then be just so plunging as to be most destructive, without interfering with its accuracy. The battery would also be higher than Gatling guns, &c., in ship's tops.
(3.) A work on Look-out Hill would be so far from Cockerill Bay (south of Cape Sierra Leone), where there is deep water, as to be safe from being taken in reverse therefrom; and it would (if closed by a defensible line of wall or parapet), in conjunction with Signal Hill, efficiently protect the road between these points which leads to the town.
14. Look-out Point Battery would probably be engaged by every attacking ship, and, if silenced, a bombardment of the town from the west would at once be feasible, notwithstanding the existence of batteries at King Tom's Point and Falconbridge Point.
15. Look-out Hill seems to be the natural spot for a strong barbette battery, but in place of the four heavy guns allotted by the War Office Memorandum I would, for the foregoing reasons, recommend that five be placed there, with the two 64-pounders proposed, and that the gorge be closed by a defensible wall, which would be seen from Signal Hill. In proposing as above, the fact that the opposite 5-fathom line will be about 3,400 yards from the battery, has not been over- looked.
16. Signal Hill, which overlooks and protects Pirate Bay and Congo Bay (east of Look-out), will be referred to as a land defence work. It is noted here that Pirate Bay Creek extends inland further than is shown in the War Office plan; it nearly joins the sea at Cockerill Bay, opposite a point about midway between Signal Hill and Wilberforce, and thus makes a land approach from Cockerill Bay round Signal Hill extremely difficult.
17. King Tom's Point.-The nature of the site is explained in paragraph 7. Any battery placed here will be liable to the close fire of ships. The entire peninsula is closely wooded. Unless cleared this would interfere with the protection in rear afforded by Signal Hill and Tower Hill at ranges of 2,500 and 2,000 yards.
18. The battery proposed in the War Office Memorandum for two heavy guns behind shields, and another en barbette on the right flank, with the two 64-pounders (one on each flank) seems suitable and sufficient.
The heavy barbette gun would only come into action with a ship after she will have passed Look- out Point, and have been engaged by the shielded guns of this battery.
The gorge should be closed by a defensible wall. (N.B.-All the sea-batteries are proposed to be closed by defensible walls, as a protection from land assault. Walls are preferred to earthern parapets, on account of their security from assault, and also of the dense vegetation which would rapidly grow on earthworks in the locality. Shells passing over the batteries and through the walls will knock masonry splinters outwards, and their own splinters either will not come back, or will be stopped by the wall.)
19. Falconbridge Point. The site, as stated in para. 3, is quite open. The "proposed armament" of four heavy guns, behind shields, with two 64-pounders for flanking purposes (one on each flank), appears to be suitable and sufficient. The gorge to be closed as above.
20. Farran Point.-This site, like that of Falconbridge and King Tom's Point, is of soft volcanic rock, and the cliffs (about 40 to 45 feet in height) are crumbling. The ground is covered with trees and tropical vegetation, and so also is the salient point of land about a half mile to the east, and which, together with the cliffs connecting the two points, is about 35 feet in height. The site is practically level, and affords room for any required battery, which should be retired 20 yards or more from the edge of the cliffs.
21. The "proposed armament" of three heavy guns en barbette is suitable and sufficient.
The point of land next to the east of Farran Point would conceal boats in Foura Bay from view, and for this reason it is submitted that no 64-pounder gun be allotted to the right flank of Farran Point Battery; but as the masts of any ship in Foura Bay would be entirely, and her hull partly, visible from Farran Point, the 10-inch gun on the right may with advantage be directed, as laid down in the War Office plan, so as fire over the point to Foura Bay beyond.
One 64-pounder gun should be placed on the left flank of Farran Point Battery to flank the river towards Falconbridge.
Appendix No. 4.
SIERRA LEONE.
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