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Inclosure 2 in No. 57.
Report of the Defence Commission.
THE Commissioners appointed, in pursuance of instructions from Her Majesty's Gorvernment, to inquire into and report upon the measures necessary for the defences of Ceylon, have held several meetings, and given their best consideration to the question under the different heads enumerated in their Commission of appointment, viz. :—
(1.) The measures necessary for the defence of Ceylon.
(2.) The places where defensive forces should be posted or defensive works constructed.
(3.) The garrisons that would be required at each of such places.
(4.) The assistance that may be expected from local levies at each of such places.
(5.) The probable cost of the works and arrangements that are recommended at each place.
2. The places which have been more especially referred to in the Memorandum of Colonel Nugent,* which has been forwarded to the Commission, are Colombo, Galle, and Trincomalee, and it will be convenient that we should state at the outset that we are not of opinion that there are any other places in Ceylon where forces should be posted for purposes of defence, or defensive works constructed.
3. In approaching the consideration of the questions upon which the Commissioners are now about to report, we have been strongly impressed with the vital importance of limiting our recom- mendations for the construction of defensive works within the capabilities of the force likely to be available for manning such works. It is also our opinion that, with the possible exception of a special point which will be dealt with later on in reference to Trincomalee, the force of regular troops stationed in Ceylon is not likely to be increased beyond its present standard, in the event of a war breaking out between Great Britain and a foreign Power.
4. That standard and distribution are at present as follows:-
Standard.-One battalion of infantry, with a nominal strength of 884, from which a percentage must be deducted for non-effectives.
Two batteries of artillery, one of which is paid for by the Colony, while the other is stationed at Trincomalee, and its cost is understood to be borne by the Imperial Government.
Eighty-eight gun lascars.
5. Distribution.Colombo.-Three-fourths of a battery, Royal Artillery; head-quarters and four companies of a battalion of infantry, and two companies of infantry at Kandy, which may be included in the Colombo force, as being available at short notice for Colombo; fifty gun lascars.
Galle. One-fourth of a battery, Royal Artillery; two companies of infantry. Trincomalee.-One battery of artillery; thirty gun lascars.
Colombo.
6. Colombo is the commercial capital of the island, but until lately its marine importance has been second to that of Galle, owing to the harbour being but an open roadstead, exposed to the south-west, the severest, monsoon. A commodious harbour has, however, for some years past been in course of con- struction at Colombo, and its progress has now so far advanced that 145 steamers and 19 sailing-ships of the largest class were enabled, during the prevalence of the last south-west monsoon, to find perfect shelter and smooth water under the protection of the breakwater, and the great mail companies have decided to remove their stores of coal and their place of call from Galle to Colombo in the course of the next six months.
7. Colombo has therefore now assumed the first place as a commercial port and coaling station, and should, we consider, be provided with the most, efficient means of defence of which it is capable, in order to secure to British ships and deny to those of an enemy the coals and the shelter which will be indispensable to our trade in time of war.
8. The garrison required for Colombo, if our views as to its defences be adopted, will be, as a minimum, 1 battery Royal Artillery, 560 infantry, 50 gun lascars, and, if possible, a small number of mounted men to carry messages, act as scouts, &c.
Galle.
9. The port of Galle is most conveniently situated on the high road from the Suez Canal to the East, and will no doubt continue to be the resort, after the withdrawal of the mail-steamers, of a certain number of vessels requiring coals and provisions; it is not, however, a safe port, nor is it likely to be made one. Its defence, under Colonel Nugent's scheme,* would require a minimum garrison of 1 battery of artillery, 460 infantry, and 30 mounted men.
10. It is our opinion that all idea of defending Galle should be abandoned, and the troops and guns removed from thence; the grounds upon which this opinion is based are as follows:---
(1.) There is no necessity for maintaining two distinct stations for coaling and provisioning ships at a distance of 68 miles apart-the distance by sea of Galle from Colombo.
(2.) The existing garrison of the island is not large enough to provide for the defence of Galle as well as of Colombo, even if it be decided to abandon Trincomalee.
(3.) And therefore, as Colombo must be protected under any circumstances, it will be obviously better to concentrate at Colombo the small force available, rather than attempt with insufficient forces a weak defence of two nearly adjacent ports. It is to be remembered that Galle would be no protection
* No. 58.
Appendix No. fu
CEYLON.
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