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Appendix No. 4.
DIEGO GARCIA.
Sir,
194
Inclosure 2 in No. 62.
Colonial Secretary, Mauritius, to Mr. Lund.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Mauritius, November 21, 1881. IN reply to your letter dated the 13th September last, I am directed by his Excellency the Lietenant-Governor to inform you that Middle Island and East Island, situated at the entrance of the harbour of Diego Garcia, are already leased, but this Government are willing to allow you to occupy, as a monthly tenant, such portion of West Island as may hereafter be determined at a rent of 10 rupees per month, payable in advance.
His Excellency further wishes it to be understood that this Government reserves to itself the right to terminate the tenancy or increase the rent at any period on giving one month's notice.
I have, &c.
(Signed) W. N. BEYTS, Acting Colonial Secretary.
Sir,
No. 63.
Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad to Colonial Office.
13, Delahay Street, May 12, 1882.
WITH reference to your letters of the 7th January* and the 21st March, 1882,† respecting the establishment of coal depôts at Diego Garcia, I am directed by the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad to inform you that, having now considered the defence of trade in the Indian Ocean, they see no objection to the establishment of coal depôts at Diego Garcia for use in time of peace, provided that the coal is removed in time of war. At such a time, the maintenance of a stock of coal in this central position would be a serious danger.
They think, therefore, that the lease desired by Mr. Lund might be granted, subject to the condition that he should remove or destroy the coal at shortest notice if required to do so.
The Commission would also suggest that endeavours should be made to induce the Orient Com- pany, to whom a long lease of two of the islets has been granted, to accept a similar condition.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
HERBERT JEKYLL.
No. 64.
War Office Memorandum on the Defence of Diego Garcia.
THE Chagos Archiplelago is a dependency of the Mauritius; its position in the centre of the Indian Ocean, and in the direct track of vessels outward bound (viâ the Cape) to India and Ceylon, at once assures to any safe and capacious harbour in its vicinity a degree of importance distinct from that attaching to the islands themselves.
Such a harbour is found at the Island of Diego Garcia, the southernmost island of the group.
It is a coral atoll of irregular trace, about 12 miles long and 4 miles wide, inclosing a deep and extensive lagoon. With the exception of the north end, where the reef is more or less submerged for a distance of 3 miles, the atoll forms a continuous island about 26 miles in length by 1 mile in width.
The entrance to the lagoon through this partially submerged portion of the reef is subdivided by three islets, East, Middle, and West, and several small rocky patches, into four channels, of which three are stated to be suitable for small vessels only; but the fourth or main entrance, lying between Middle and West Islands, has a minimum width of a mile of deep water, and is free from danger.
The principal island is covered with trees, chiefly cocoa-nut, in tending which the small population, about 400 in number, is solely engaged.
Fresh water is said to be abundant at a depth of about 5 feet.
On proceeding to consider the nature of defence to be proposed for this harbour, it may be observed, at the outset, that it cannot be made a place of refuge in which vessels could refit in security; as, owing to the atoll being steep-to, no position can be found within the lagoon which would be out of bombarding range from the open sea.
How its use may be most effectively denied to an enemy as a coaling and provision depôt is not quite clear, as there is a slight divergence or ambiguity in the description given in the "Sailing Directions for the Indian Ocean" and that indicated on the Admiralty Chart, which are the only two sources of information available.
The former, in describing the harbour, states that "there is an island in the middle, where it is narrowest." No island is marked on the Admiralty Chart at that point, but a rock with less than a fathom of water over it is indicated.
Should this islet exist, and be otherwise suitable, it might be advisable to treat the portion of the lagoon to the north of it as a roadstead, and that to the south of it as the harbour, the use of which could be readily denied by a work erected upon it. Its
* No. 61.
+ No. 62.
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