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Summary of Sea Defences.
The sea defences required for the new harbour are :—
Mount Siloso Battery.
Passir Panjang or Berlayer Battery (2 64 prs. for land defences) Blakang Mati South
Blakang Mati East
..
New shielded battery at Tanjong Paggar Dock-wall
Or,
Mount Palmer Battery (1 10-in, and 2 64-prs. for defence of roads)
5 10-in. guns, 12 64-prs.
3 10-in. guns.
3 64-prs.
•
3 7-in. guns.
5 10-in. gun.
64-pr.
3 10-in. guns. 11 64-pr.
J 4 10-in guns.
2 64-prs.
Making a total for the defence of the new harbour of-16 10-in. guns; 3 7-in. guns; 7 64-prs. Cost-
Batteries Armament
Garrison, 2,600 men.
£
91,000 57,440
Appendix No. 4.
SINGAPORE.
New Harbour.
148
Before proceeding to a statement of the submarine mines and naval auxiliary forces required for the new harbour, it will be best to review briefly the second head under which the defences of Singapore should be considered, viz., the defence of the "roads" and of the portion of the town and suburbs north of the Singapore river.
Though, as stated before, British ships lying in the "roads" could, in event of antici- pated attack, take refuge in the new harbour, there would certainly be a large number of native craft left there and liable to destruction.
The portion of the town and its suburbs north of the river contains Government House, the public offices and principal buildings, the private residences of the European settlers, and a large native population, all of whom would look for protection.
Singapore is the seat of Government of the Straits Settlements, Settlements which are yearly increasing in importance, and which now, in fact, dominate the native States in the Malay Peninsula.
The serious blow which would be inflicted on British interests in this quarter of the globe by the destruction or capture of such an important portion of the seat of Government as that mentioned above would not only be felt on the spot, but might lead to grave difficulties in other portions of the East.
It would therefore appear desirable to construct such works as will protect the whole town and the anchorage in the "roads," in addition to those required to defend the new harbour alone.
For this object, the battery at Tanjong Katong, in conjunction with that at Mount Palmer or at the point (A), Tanjong Paggar, cannot be considered sufficient, the distance between the two points being upwards of 5,000 yards.
For the defence of the "roads" it will be necessary to enlarge the fort proposed on the dock-wall for three 10-inch guns, to fire over the anchorage, and to build in addition, as proposed by the Committee, a fort in the water between the two batteries. This fort should mount six 10-inch guns, and be placed near the point marked (B) on the chart.
Roads.
Tanjong Paggar Dock-wall Battery.
Cost-
3 10-in. guns.
Battery Armament
Gun detachments, 50 men.
£
40,000
11,200
51,200
N.B. This is exclusive of the
armament proposed at this point for the defence of new harbour.
Central Fort.
6 10-in. guns.
Cost-
Battery Armament
£ 100,000
20,910
120,910
Gun detachments, 100 men.
Tanjong Katong.
Tanjong Katong, in its present state, is not of sufficient strength in itself, considering 3 10-in. guns. its isolated position.
It might easily be taken or rendered useless by a small number of men effecting a landing near Siglap, who could approach under cover of the cocoa-nut trees close up to the battery, and take the men serving the in reverse.
guns
Any work there should be strong, and capable of containing a garrison of 100 men in addition to the gun detachments.
The ground should be cleared all round, and field artillery or guns of position provided for defence in rear and on the flanks.
For the defence of the "roads" would be necessary:-
4 20-pr. guns for land defence. Cost-
Battery Armament
£
12,000
11,255
23,255
Gun detachments, 50 men for heavy
guns,
At Tanjong Paggar Dock-wall Battery
普噜
•
-in. guns.
In Central Fort
6 10-in.
•
In Tanjong Katong
3 10-in.
"
Approximate estimate being 195,3651.
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