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Appendix No. 4.
SINGAPORE.
for the accommodation of a full regiment of European infantry, who should be stationed there in time of peace-the extra battery of garrison artillery being put into Fort Canning. The head-quarters of the company of Indian gunners, which it is proposed to raise at once, may be placed in the barrack proposed at Blakang Mati East.
The immediate cost therefore would be:-
Increase to Tanglin Barracks
Barracks at Blakang Mati East
.
£
2,000
2,500
4,500
Good barracks with all accessories and well suited for the climate can be put up for about 107. a man, so that the whole expense that would have to be incurred on this item would not exceed 15,000l., including hospital accommodation, if all were built at once, which is not necessary.
Though agreeing with the Committee generally, I have made some proposals not in accordance with their recommendations.
1. As regards the armament of the batteries, they have in most instances proposed the employment of lighter guns in the sea batteries than would appear desirable.
In this letter it has been thought best to recommend the use of 10-inch guns in all cases, so avoiding a mixture of guns in the same battery.
2. The addition of a battery at Blakang Mati South is recommended, which they deemed
unnecessary.
3. The occupation of the highest point of Mount Faber has been recommended.
4. An alteration in the mode of defending the right flank of the land defences is proposed.
5. The substitution of a battery at Tanjong Paggar Dock extension for that on Mount Palmer is proposed.
The total cost of the defences as herein proposed (exclusive of naval defences, the cost of which can be best estimated at home) is :-
For New Harbour-
Sea batteries
Armaments for ditto
Entrenched posts and redoubts
Armaments for ditto
Submarine mines
Barracks
..
Purchase of land
Roads and landing-places
£
91,000
57,440
28,800
7,600
500
15,000
1,000
4,000
205,340
(The above provides for a battery at Tanjong Paggar Dock-wall instead of at Mount Palmer.)
And, in addition, if the anchorage in the "roads" is defended-
For works
Armament
Submarine mines
The total cost being:
New Harbour-
--
With new battery at Tanjong Paggar Retaining Mount Palmer
Anchorage in roads—
With new battery
With Mount Palmer
Total-
With new battery
With Mount Palmer
•
::
:::
::
::
*
•
Exclusive of gun-boats and torpedo launches.
::
::
::
The garrison in the first place being 2,600; in the second 3,000.
•
£ 152,000 43,365
500
195,865
£ 205,340
162,340
195,865 152,280
•
401,205 314,620
I have to mention that I had no means of making such accurate estimates of the cost of the works as are desirable.
I obtained all the information I could from Captain McCallum, R.E., the colonial engineer, and had also as a partial assistance an account of the cost of the works already executed.
The sums have been in all cases kept high, and I do not anticipate that the estimates as given will be exceeded, except perhaps in the case of the batteries at the dock-wall, and the sea fort in the "roads."
I have been in communication with the colonial authorities during the time I have been in Singapore, and have received every assistance from them.
I also conferred with the officer commanding the troops, and have furnished copies of this Report to the Lieutenant-General commanding the forces on the station and to Governor Sir Frederick Weld.
I have, &c. (Signed)
W. CROSSMAN, Colonel, R.E.
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