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Appendix No. 4.
LABUAN.
Requirements of Her Majesty's fleet.
Pappan Island.
Battery,
7 8-in. B.L.R. guns.
monsoon, most of the ships on the station not being able to carry enough coal for the voyage during
that season.
As regards the first of these requirements, the orders at present are that one ship shall be con- tinually on the north-east coast of Borneo and in the Sulu Sea, making head-quarters at Sandakan, a port in the territory lately acquired by the North Borneo Company.
In any case, whether coal is kept at Sandakan or Labuan, the required amount must at present be obtained from the latter place.
The requirements of a ship of the size likely to be sent for service in the Sulu Seas would not, in all probability, amount to more than 300 tons a-year. To provide for ships taking the northward voyage, and for ships detailed from Singapore to visit the northern and western coasts of Borneo, it would be well to allow for 300 tons more, so making in all 600 tons of coal to be provided, independently of what is required for the service of the China fleet at Singapore, Hong Kong, and ports further north.
The contract price of English coal at Singapore for 1882 is to be 34s. a ton; to this must be added 31 dollars, or 11s. 3d. freight to Labuan, or 5 dollars, say 18s. 9d., to Sandakan, but as the extra freight to Sandakan from Labuan would have to be paid whether the coal is obtained at the latter place, or imported to it, the cost of coal, including 75 cents, or 2s. 10d. for lighterage delivered on board ship at Labuan, would be 27. 15s. 7d., as against 17. 1s. 9d. if obtained at that place, say, 1,0007. on 600 tons.
The extra amount, therefore, that would have to be paid by the Admiralty for coal imported from Singapore would be 1,0007. for 600 tons more than if it was procured from the mines at Labuan.
In time of war it is not likely that any larger amount would be required, as the ports of Singapore and Hong Kong, when fortified, would probably be the places where the fleet would take in all supplies.
Again, the Labuan coal being much inferior to English coal, the price at which it could be delivered at Singapore would debar its use except under very peculiar circumstances.
The small amount of coal, therefore, which would be required for the fleet, would not be an important consideration with any Company who might think of reopening the Labuan mines.
Should, however, these mines be reopened, and it be determined to deny the use of an anchorage at the island to an enemy, we consider that the best course to adopt would be to have all facilities for coaling at Victoria Harbour, a railway being constructed from the mines to that point.
As before stated, the anchorage at Coal Point is too exposed during the north-east monsoon to allow of ships taking in coal there, while Victoria Harbour is at all times a safe and secure anchorage, and one easily defended.
Pappan Island, on which there is a good spring of water, and which is about 8 feet in height above high-water mark at the eastern end, and about 30 feet at the western end (though from its being thickly covered with dense jungle and forest trees it is impossible to judge the height accurately), affords a good site for a battery to command all the approaches to the harbour, and, the island being Cost-
surrounded by reefs, landing in boats is difficult, and ships cannot come so close to the battery as they Battery 80,000 could to one at Ramsey Point. Armament. 20,000
2 64-pr. M.L.R. guns.
£
If this island were not occupied ships could lie under cover of it unseen from Ramsey Point, and 100,000 bombard the coal depôt at a distance of 3,000 yards.
Gun detachments,
160 men.
Submarine mines.
Cost.
Landing-places.
Land defences.
The same number of guns as were proposed at Ramsey Point, viz., seven 8-inch breech-loading rifled guns, would be sufficient, viz., three bearing over each of the channels, and one in centre firing to the southward.
There is a very narrow channel close to the island, running between it and the reefs off Daat Island, but this could be easily closed by two or three mechanical mines.
Mines could also be laid between the island and the Enoc Beacon on the west, and from the island towards Collier's Point on the north.
The importance of the place would hardly warrant a regular system of submarine mine defence, but three or four groups of E. C. mines in the positions above-mentioned would prevent an enemy attempting a sudden rush past the battery,
It is difficult to estimate what the cost of any work would be, whether on the mainland or on the island.
As all materials would have to be imported, the cost in either case would be about the same. Bricks may be made on the main island. Limestone can be got on Bursong Island. Sandstone, good for foundations, can be obtained, but no granite so far as we know at present. Timber would have to be imported. Labour is scarce, dear, and bad.
The cost of any work would probably be 25 per cent. over the cost of similar work at Singapore, and a work as proposed would probably be constructed for 80,000l., and it would be as cheap to make the gun portions entirely of iron as it would be to make use of stone and iron combined.
With the above armament, and two 64-pounder guns for the defence of the mines, the total cost might be approximately put down at 100,0007.
The water on the coast of the Island of Labuan is shallow, studded with rocks and reefs; a heavy swell often breaks upon the western shore, and, although a few men might land here and there on that shore, it may be said that the only good landing-place besides Victoria Harbour is at Raffles Anchorage, and, at high water, between the Gangarra River and Collier Point.
The landing-place at Raffles Anchorage is small in extent, but ships can lie close in to cover boats taking men ashore, and could easily destroy any batteries thrown up on the projecting points, Koubong Bluff or Coal Point.
The ground in the immediate vicinity of the mines does not offer any advantageous position for a defensive post, and, to secure the workings from being destroyed, extensive works would be required, costing more than the sinking of a new shaft.
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