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Appendix No. 4°
SINGAPORE.
(c.)
19. This brings me to section (e)-the consideration of Commander Johnstone's paper*-and this I will do as briefly as possible, taking paragraph by paragraph, and merely alluding to any part of this Memorandum upon which I may base any objections which I may have to make.
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Paragraph 1. -Vide paragraphs 16 and 17. I am, therefore, of opinion that there is no "necessity' for any floating defences at all, beyond that already proposed in front of the town, which floating defence for the time being should be a temporary fixture.
Paragraph 2.-Vide paragraphs 4, and 6 to 13. I consider, therefore, that it would be an unsatis- factory step to neglect the completion of a cheap strong series of works, and to adopt instead a costly scheme of naval defence which would not be so practically efficient as the land forts. The batteries, as they stand, are of strong construction and design, and but a comparatively small sum is required to carry out the requisite improvements, when the total sum spent thereon would have furnished means of floating defence very inadequate in power and most expensive to maintain.
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Paragraph 4. (Firstly.)-Commander Johnstone appears to have overlooked the primary object of the Singapore defences, and to be basing his arguments on the secondary object. In the Memo- randumf by His Excellency the Governor I read: "that object I take to be primarily to protect the coal depôt and coaling wharves; secondarily to give such protection, as may be possible, to the town and shipping. *
The defence should be rather over than under estimated as regards the coal depôt and its surroundings, whilst the defence of the rest of the town, and of the roadstead, may be considered of secondary importance." A discussion on this point took place at the first meeting of the Committee, and it was unanimously agreed that this was the proper line for the Committee to take. Yet, because there is a weak point in the attainment of the secondary object (vide paragraph 18), Commander Johnstone overlooks the facility with which the primary object can be attained by fixed defences (vide paragraph 17) and proposes floating defences for the whole. He is even prepared to sacrifice the improvement of the existing works, in order to obtain such defences, the provision of which, under these conditions, would be contrary to the principle laid down in paragraph 4. I submit that the fact of the dead angle has not been overlooked in my Report. As to the efficiency of the means proposed I will consider it presently. I perfectly concur with Commander Johnstone in his suggestion that the gap might be closed by a sea-fort, and it was only considerations of expense (as in the case of Tanjong Katong extension, vide paragraph 89 of my Report), that induced me to propose that the floating resources of the Colony should be taken advantage of. The cost would not amount to half the expense of an iron-clad, and if the other members of the Com- mittee are of opinion that such a fort should be provided, I am quite prepared to join in their recommendations. I would also submit that, in the event of threatened attack, vessels, other perhaps than native craft, would not lie in the roadstead, but in the harbour, under shelter of the guns which covered its entrances.
Paragraph 4. (Secondly.) (Vide paragraph 52 of my Report.)-The present battery might be silenced, though not without damage to the assailing vessels, and when the proposed new battery is added, the position will be a strong one, especially when it be remembered that, as was well exem- plified during the American War, ships to successfully engage forts should do so at short range, and here they are prevented by shoal water from approaching nearer than 1,600 yards. Also, as pointed out in paragraph 15 of my Report, and in paragraph 12 of the Governor's Memorandum,† vessels will not have much time for successive operations, nor will they care to run very great risks.
Paragraph 4.—(Thirdly.) A perusal of paragraph 34 of my Report, and an inspection of the zones of fire on the Chart, will show that, when a vessel stands in to attack Mount Palmer Battery, she will be exposed also to the fire either of Tanjong Katong or Blakang Mati East. At long range it might now be attacked singly, but such fire would not silence it (see last paragraph), and, with the new
Pluto" in the gap, this isolated action would also be impossible.
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Paragraph 4.-(Fourthly.) I venture to submit that she has first of all to get there, over the submarine mining fields, and exposed to the heavy fire of the shore batteries; that, if anything can keep her out, it will be the fixed defences; that, if she does get there, she will have proved herself superior to whatever defences are provided, be they fixed or floating, and further resistance would be futile; and that, whereas the too-probable mishap to floating defences without fixed defences would at once put the harbour at her mercy, inside and outside, the shore batteries, improved and strengthened as proposed, would resist to the last.
Paragraph 4-(Fifthly.) I will only again refer to paragraph 15 of my Report, and to paragraph 12 of the Governor's Memorandum,† as reasons for thinking that this point need not distress us. Time for preparation an enemy would not want, his chance of success lying rather in the direction of a coup de main. I should also hope that our navy will be kept in such a state of efficiency in these waters that, beaten off, he will be anxious to get away from a relieving squadron rather than be hanging about to refit. If the navy is going to fail us, we must provide against a larger squadron, and for an attack of longer duration, than have been premised, and must multiply our mosquito fleet (ride paragraph 15) to harass him generally during his prolonged operations.
Paragraph 5.—I presume that the floating strength proposed by Commander Johnstone is not that intended as a substitution for the proposed new batteries and for the improvements to the existing ones, otherwise I would say that such a force is perfectly inadequate to resist the given squadron, and that it by no means represents the power of the land works. As an addition (vide paragraph 15) the gun-boats of the "Staunch" class would be useful, if it be considered that the extra expense is justified; but no such extra expense should be entertained until the land works are fully provided for. Though small to hit, a Staunch" is hitable, after which she would probably be in extremis, especially if hit end on; but it may be observed that it is not possible always to fight end on to a squadron, though it may be to a single vessel. I do not see what use we could make of these vessels in the Straits
* Inclosure 13 in No. 74.
r
Inclosure 16 in No. 74.
Inclosure 15 in No 74.
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