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(Secret.)
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Inclosure 2 in No. 74.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON THE DEFENCES OF SINGAPORE,
1. THE Committee having assembled, pursuant to order, proceed to review the situation and strategical importance of the town and island of Singapore.
The town is situated on the 2. As a position of strategical importance it is one of first class. southern shore of an island (27 miles by 16 miles), which is separated from the Malay Peninsula by a strait measuring about 1 mile in breadth. Placed thus at the extremity of a long peninsula, to the south of which, at a distance of 4,500 yards, the sea is studded by the mass of islands which form part of the Malay Archipelago (the navigation through which by large vessels is most difficult, if not impossible, on account of the many dangers of reef and tide), Singapore lies at a point through which is ever passing the enormous fleet of trading vessels constantly going to and fro between China, Japan, Cambodia, Siam, the Philippines, with India and Queensland on the east; and India and Europe on the west. It is thus situated on one of the main thoroughfares of the world. Singapore can be avoided by availing of the Straits of Sunda, between Java and Sumatra-a passage further south, much more circuitous and intricate. Supposing, however, that the Straits of Sunda are held by a blockading squadron, then the Straits of Singapore offer the only practicable route between the East and West.
Appendix No 4.
SINGAPORE.
Strategical impor- tance of Singapore.
Straits of Sunda.
3. The amount of coal which is taken in by this passing trade can well be conceived when it is Area of the coal remembered that each steamer requires from 100 to 300 tons. It is estimated that the amount of coal stores, and effect of thus removed in each month from Singapore is from 12,000 to 15,000 tons. This will give a good idea their destruction. of the area of the coal depôts along the northern shores of the new harbour. To secure or destroy the If these contents of these depôts in the time of war would be the object of an enemy's war cruizers. coal stores were not protected, the enemy might, by a sudden rush, obtain what supplies were required, then destroy the rest, as well as the wharves and machine shops, and, before our war vessels could be summoned, would cruize away, whilst our ships would, perhaps, be unable to pursue for want of coal, and would be 1,500 miles away from our nearest coaling-stations at Hong Kong or Ceylon.
4. If, however, we are able to efficiently defend our coal stores, the enemy would find himself in Effect of their being the disadvantageous position of being unable to replenish his coal bunkers, and would be very cautious defended. not to become seriously engaged with the Singapore batteries, which would cause injuries too serious to risk when far from a friendly port.
sive works.
5. In the future we may have to contend with a coalition of two or more squadrons in the China Nature of future and Pacific Seas, supplemented, perhaps, by a military expedition, fitted out at some port-say at attacking squadrons. Saigon, Vladivostock, or San Francisco and conveyed in transports to the scene of operation. But Importance of defen- having regard to the state of existing navies of foreign Powers, and their development within such time as can now be foreseen, the Committee has adopted the views of his Excellency the Governor, as set out in the annexed Memorandum, and have framed their recommendations on the basis that the defence works of the Colony should be sufficient to resist and beat off a couple of iron-clads of medium strength and four or five lighter vessels.
6. Leaving out for the present the question of land defences, it will be convenient briefly to Heads of discussion describe-
(1.) The defences that have already been constructed.
(2.) The purposes which these defences fulfil.
(3.) The extensions which should be made, on the supposition that the new harbour and coal
stores only are to be made safe against attack and destruction.
(4.) The extension that should be made if the town also is to be made secure.
1.--Western Defences
on sea defences.
7. The western entrance to the new harbour is defended by one battery only on Mount Siloso, at Mount Siloso. the extremity of the Island of Blakang Mati, together with a line of submarine mines consisting of eight 500-lb. ground and six 100-lb. electro contact.
8. The entrance itself is 260 yards wide, and through this the tide runs at the rate of 4 knots, so Description of
entrance. that vessels cannot manoeuvre off the entrance, but are compelled to approach on a certain bearing or
Description of site. run the risk of going on the rocks on either side. Mount Siloso consists of a ridge with an extreme elevation of 153 feet, running down in a north-west direction for a distance of 160 yards to an elevation of 103 feet, where it meets a narrow tongue running ont to the extreme point. Along the sea-front, and for some distance inside the entrance, the ridge and tongue are bounded by a cliff, of which advantage has been taken in the design of the battery.
9. The slopes of the ground running to the cliff are very steep-from to; the width of the Difficulty of design. ridge is narrow; and the reverse slopes on the north side of the hill are also steep. On a site of such limited dimensions, and of such a nature as this, it was a difficult task to design a satisfactory battery, and this difficulty was enhanced by the fact that the bearing of the ridge was north-west and south- east, whereas that necessary, so that the normal line of fire should sweep the bearing of approach, was north-north-west and south-south-east.
racers,
ment.
10. The armament with which this battery is provided is three 7-inch muzzle-loading rifled guns Disposition of arma- of 6 tons, on naval slides, running upon "A" sweep-plate racers, and two 64-pounders on
"C" firing over a 5 ft. 6 in. parapet. On the left of the battery is a 7-inch gun firing through an arc of 120 degrees (by an addition to the sweep-plates), and commanding a zone from the front of Blakang Mati to the channel of approach. On the right of the battery, at a lower level, are the other two 7-inch guns sweeping the whole of the area of approach. In the centre of the battery, at an inter- nediate level, are two 64-pounders en barbette, one 17 feet above the other, both having an all-round fire and sweeping the submarine mining field.
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