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Appendix No. 4.
Rock Fort
Fort Nugent
JAMAICA.
•
Redoubt above Rock Fort.
Drunkenman's Cay.
5 10 4-in, B.L. R. guns. 2 64-pr. M.L.R. guns.
Battery
Armament
Submarine mines
Permanent Obstructions.
A
B
::
::::
COGF
Total
•
372
In order to neutralize the effects of a landing-if the enemy should succeed in effecting a landing-in Cow Bay, where the water is always smooth, and the holding-ground is excellent close to the shore, the road between the head of the harbour and the Long Mountain should be closed, and this may easily be effected by restoring Rock Fort and Fort 2,500 Nugent, which effectually block the road on this side of the mountain."
£
1,000
2,000 But Kingston being thus secured from bombardment, it becomes comparatively easy to
secure the dockyard from bombardment also.
£
In order to effect this, a work to mount five 10-4-inch breech-loading rifled guns should be constructed on Drunkenman's Cay, or on the shoal behind it. This work should be strongly armoured, as it may have to bear by itself the whole brunt of attack; it should of course contain its own stores of ammunition and shelter for its own garrison. This will be 24,400 an expensive work; it should have also emplacements for two medium guns in rear, to flank 7,500 the lines of submarine mines, which will be placed in a north-westerly direction from the
hinder part of this cay across the south channel.
48,990
Channels.
£
::
The protection afforded by the work on Drunkenman's Cay would be rendered far more effectual if some, at least, of the passages-of which there are many-through the reef were permanently closed.
There are eight passages, indicated on the map* by the letters A to HI inclusive, which might be so treated; as the expense of closing the whole of them would be very consider- able, the two channels directly in front of the work might be omitted, especially as they are the deepest, and therefore the most expensive.
But the channels on the east side-viz., A and B, by which entry may be made to the 1,533 rear of the work-should be closed; and they may be closed for 1,5337. and 19,5087. 19,508 respectively.
3,270
1,200
1,440
3,900
30,851
So also should the channels under the land to the west of the work, by which gun-boats might creep in and shell the Naval Yard and harbour.
There are four such channels, viz., C, D, E, and F; and they may be closed for 3,270, 1,200., 1,440, and 3,9007. respectively.
With these permanent obstructions and the advanced battery, the guns at Port Royal Point, if they may not be reduced, need not be shielded, or at all events not more than is necessary to render them shrapnel-proof.
The armament necessary to hold Port Royal Harbour and the Naval Yard would be as follows:-
Apostles Battery
Port Royal Point Battery Hanover Lines
£..
Prince of Wales' Lines
Rocky Point
Fort Augusta
Total
(A.)
10.4.in. B.L.R. Guns.
61-pr. M.L.R. Guns.
7-in. Guns.
2
2
5 (3 "S")
2
2
guns
of position.
1
1
2
2
9 (3 "S")
B. To secure Kingston from bombardment, add-
Little Plum Point Battery North-east Advanced Battery
Total
Ni
6
4
10.4-in B.L.R. Guns.
64-pr. M.L.R. Guns.
7-in. Guns.
3 (2 "S")
2
4 (2 "S")
2
::
7 (4 "S")
4
C. To secure Port Royal Harbour and the Naval Yard from bombardment add-
Drunkenman's Cay..
10.4-in.
B.L.R. Guns.
64-pr. M.L.R. Guns.
7-in. Guns.
5 (3 "S")
2
The Naval Establishment, harbour, and town are secured from bombardment, and a secure port of refuge formed by the combination of A, B, C, viz., by—
10.4-in. B.L.R. Guns.
21 (7 "S")
64-pr. M.L.R. Guns,
12
7-in. B.L.R. Guns.
4
2 position guns.
NOTE--This might be supplemented by one heavy gun in Clarence Battery, 140 feet above the sea, but the position is small and isolated.
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* Not printed.
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