Page 87
Page 87
59
46
Office inclosing a copy of remarks by Captain Kennedy, of Her Majesty's ship "Briton," on Colonel Appendix No. 4. Philips' Report on the defences of Sierra Leone.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
R. H. MEADE.
SIERRA LEone
Inclosure 1 in No. 6.
War Office to Colonial Office.
Sir,
War Office, June 8, 1882.
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for War to forward, for transmission to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, the accompanying copy of remarks by Captain Kennedy, of Her Majesty's ship "Briton," on Colonel Philips' Report,* dated the 20th March last, on the defences of the port of Sierra Leone.
These remarks are appended to the duplicate copy of the Report, which was forwarded to Captain Kennedy by Colonel Philips.
The original Report on the defences of Sierra Leone was forwarded from this Office to the Secretary of the Royal Commission, under date 14th April last.†
I have, &c.
(Signed)
RALPH THOMPSON.
Inclosure 2 in No. 6.
tr
Remarks by Captain A. Kennedy, Her Majesty's ship “ Briton,” annexed to duplicate copy of Colonel G. Philips, R.E., Report on the Defences of the Port of Sierra Leone, dated March 20, 1882.
I FULLY concur in the foregoing remarks. Sierra Leone is a fine harbour and is likely to prove of great value as a coaling-station for our shipping in the event of war.
The naval depôt at present is small, but the Government own land in the vicinity of the stores which would allow of the necessary extension being made (if desired) without extra expense.
The works proposed in this Report would, I believe, amply guard, not only the site of the depôt, but also the custom-house and other buildings of the town.
With the elevated battery (as proposed by Colonel Philips) on "Look-out Point" for the west flank, and a strong work on Fairan Point to defend the east, I should say an effective line of sea defence had been established for Sierra Leone.
A. KENNEDY, Captain, H.M.S. "Briton."
(Signed)
No. 7.
War Office Memorandum on the Defence of Sierra Leone.
SIERRA LEONE occupies a position that would make it of great importance as a coaling-station to Great Britain in case of war with a European Power, as St. Vincent in the Cape de Verde Islands would, in such a case, be no longer available for this purpose.
The harbour of Sierra Leone is formed by the mouth of a large river.
The northern shore is flat and bordered by shoals; the southern shore is the high ground of Cape Sierra Leone. On this shore, at a distance of about 4 miles from the sea, stands Freetown, the capital of the British possessions on the West Coast of Africa. Opposite Freetown the river is about 3,000 yards wide across to a large shoal called the Middle Ground, and for over a mile in width has a depth of from 5 to 12 fathoms.
The town is situated on the side of a slight indentation in the shore line, forming a bay in which several vessela can lie out of the influence of the tide, which runs at the rate of 6 knots in the rainy
season.
On the opposite side of the river there is an entrance for small craft over a bar connecting the Middle Ground shoal with the mainland.
There is no naval establishment at Sierra Leone, but part of a West India regiment is quartered here. There is barrack accommodation for 358 European troops.
The existing defences consist of two batteries in front of the town called Fort Falconbridge and West Battery, and of an old work on a hill above the town named Fort Thornton, in which is situated the Governor's residence. The barracks are on Tower Hill, overlooking Fort Thornton; they are surrounded by a defensible wall, and an old martello tower occupies part of the same hill.
Owing to the depth of the water in the channel and the rapidity of the current, it is not practi- cable to make use of submarine mines to close the mouth of the river. Dependence must, therefore, be placed entirely on artillery fire, which necessitates the provision of a somewhat larger armament than would be otherwise required.
It does not appear desirable to mount any of the new breech-loading guns in the proposed batteries, as they require careful and constant attention, which, from the unhealthiness of the climate and the consequent rapid changes in the troops stationed here, would probably not be available. It
*Inclosure 1 in No. 5.
† No. 5
Page 87
Page 87
Page 87