ARMAMENT.
Submarine mines and general service
Watching Telegraph Bay, Gold Mohur Valley, &c.
Total
Total non-commissioned officers and men
:
10'4-inch B.L..R.
9-inch
64-pr.
M.L.R.
M.L.R.
Machine Guns.
4
5
5
1
224
2
2
2
9
G
00
8
6
GARRISON.
Artillery. Engineers.
Infantry.
110
105
::::
70
85
50
75
50
150
·
·
:
230
50
415
695
88
Appendix No. 4.
ADEN.
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;
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;
F
}
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There is at present barrack accommodation at this end of the peninsula for 211 European non-commissioned officers and men, and barracks are now being built for the native sappers (100 men). There would, therefore, remain to be provided barracks for 384 men.
Although there is accommodation at the Isthmus and Crater for a British regiment, there is no doubt that it would, not only for the requirements of the defence, but also for sanitary considerations, be better if the head-quarters of the regiment were moved to Steamer Point; and, if it is not decided to remove them at once, the prospect of building barracks at the latter place should always be kept in view, and no land belonging to Government in this position should be alienated on any consideration to private individuals.
The Naval authorities would, if any arrangements are to be made for refitting ships and for coaling stores on shore, require land, and that best suited for the purpose would appear to be the ground immediately to the east of the English church.
It is to be regretted that the Peninsular and Oriental Company and the Messageries Maritimes have been allowed to occupy the hill adjacent to the Military Hospital. The land can be resumed at any time, and it would be well if inquiries were made as to the amount of compensation likely to be asked for if notice were given to these Companies to remove. Their buildings could probably be made available for officers' quarters, mess, &c.
The total cost of the scheme for the Steamer Point Defences, as here put forward, exclusive of a new barrack, is :-
Works
Armament..
Submarine mines
Gun-boats..
Steam-launches
Total
::
:
:
£
78,700
46,800
2,000
26,000
4,000
157,500
L
i
Page 171
Little Aden.
I inspected the ground at Little Aden, on the opposite side of the harbour, and found that at the Bluff (see chart), about 100 feet above the sea, there is a good site on which could be erected a battery, to mount at least six heavy guns to bear upon the harbour and approaches. A work here, with its armament and barrack accommodation, would probably cost at least 80,000l. Considering its isolated position, it would be better, as recommended by Sir W. Jervois, to trust to the gun-boats for the purpose of preventing ships of shallow draught of water taking up a position near that shore and firing on the bay.
(b.) ISTHMUS DEFENCES.
The existing defences here are described in paras. 77 to 80 of Sir W. Jervois' Report.
Originally constructed to oppose attacks from the Arabs, they are still of sufficient strength to repulse any attack unaccompanied by heavy ordnance, nor is it to be antici- pated that any attack by land in that direction would ever be undertaken by any European Power.
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