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Appendix No. 4.
ST. HELENA.
that detailed estimates prepared upon the spot would be required, but Colonel Philips informs me that without some considerable delay he would be unable to furnish such estimates in detail, nor does he think that it would be necessary to do so, as the principal work has already been estimated by the Inspector-General of Fortifications, who would be in possession of information relating to defences, mounting modern heavy guns which would not be immediately accessible to him.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
HUDN. R. JANISCH.
Inclosure 2 in No. 13.
Proceedings of a Committee composed as under, assembled at St. Helena on the 24th October, 1881, and by adjournment on following days to 31st October, 1881, for the purpose of reporting generally on the Defences of the Island.
Present:
His Excellency H. R. Janisch, Esq., C.M.G., Governor of St. Helena.
Commodore Sir Frederick W. Richards, K.C.B., A.D.C., R.N., Commanding Squadron,
Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa.
Colonel G. Philips, Commanding Royal Engineers, and Commanding the Troops, St. Helena. Lieutenant-Colonel E. J. Tremlett, Commanding the Royal Artillery, St. Helena.
2. THE Committee had laid before them, and they carefully considered the following docu-
ments:---
(a.) The Circular despatch, dated the 23rd August, 1881,* marked Secret, from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Governor of St. Helena, together with the inclosures which accompanied the said despatch.
(b.) The War Office Memorandum, dated the 26th April, 1881,† from the Inspector-General of Fortifications, giving a statement of the existing defences, and also of those proposed by the home authorities for the future protection of the Colony.
(c.) A Memorandum, dated the 24th October, 1881,‡ by Commodore Sir Frederick Richards, on the points to be attended to, especially in providing for the defence of the anchorage.
(d) A Memorandum, dated the 17th October, 1881,§ by Colonel Philips, R.E., on the defences generally of St. Helena supplementary to the War Office Memorandum of the 26th April, 1881, referred to above.
3. Having carefully weighed and considered the subject of the defence of the island from every point of view, the Committee were unanimous in their approval of the scheme for the additional defences, as laid down in the Memorandum of the Inspector-General of Fortifications of the 26th April, 1881, and which they regard as being the best that could be adopted for the intended purposes.
4. They were also unanimous in their approval of the suggestions brought before them by the two members of the Committee referred to above under headings (c) and (d), the approximate cost of carrying which into execution is stated in detail in (d).
5. The Committee desire to record the following points as expressing their unanimous opinion on the subjects referred to:
6. Munden's Point Battery.-The construction of works at Munden's Point Battery for seven 10-inch guns of 18 tons, as proposed in the War Office scheme, would provide the amount of protection for the anchorage which is so greatly needed. But if it be probable that the construction will be spread over a lengthened period of time, it is considered as most important that three or four of the guns should be mounted at the earliest possible date, regard being had to the present unprotected state of the anchorage, and that these guns should be so arranged as to bring the fire of at least one gun to bear in every required direction.
7. Munden's Hill. The proposal to occupy this hill, in the manner suggested in (d), is approved, but it is considered desirable to be able to lodge more than forty men there, owing to the necessity of providing on Munden's Hill accommodation for a portion of the gun detachments required for Munden's Point.
The Committee consider that from 80 to 100 gunners ought to be quartered on Munden's Hill in time of war, owing to the fact that at least that number of artillery will be required for Munden's Hill and Munden's Point batteries.
8. Lemon Valley Battery.-The impolicy of abandoning this battery is fully recognized. The Committee are unanimous in considering that a 9-inch muzzle-loading gun of 12 tons, or a 10-inch muzzle-loading gun of 18 tons mounted there in a turret, would be a most useful appendage to the defence of the anchorage, but if the cost of the same be considered as too great to be incurred for the purpose, they are equally unanimous in considering that a heavy gun should be mounted there even with a parapet of weak profile rather than give up the position, the value of which consists in its being on the flank of the anchorage, which otherwise is almost unprotected, and would appear to invite attack from the westward.
9. Land Defences. The occupation of the central ridge of the island in the manner proposed in (d) is approved. The desirability of the breastworks therein referred to is also recognized.
The Committee wish to urge on the proper authorities the advantage of adding four machine guns of latest pattern to the four mountain guns referred to in the War Office scheme.
10. The insufficiency of the present Infantry Garrison, for ordinary peace requirement, is a fact on which the Committee wish to dwell. They are unanimous as to the necessity for a second company of infantry.
* Inclosure 2 in No. 2A,
† No. 14.
Inclosure 3.
§ Inclosure 4.
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