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Appendix No. 4.
NEWFOUNDLAND.
The absence of any British dock capable of accommodating any of Her Majesty's ships in North America, other than the Bermuda dock, must frequently result in great inconvenience.
Upon a recent occasion, when the dock at Bermuda was out of repair, one of Her Majesty's ships was compelled to resort to Baltimore for necessary docking, and I believe that artizans had to be sent specially, at great cost, to Bermuda, for the purpose of repairing the dock.
In case of accidents to Her Majesty's ships in the Atlantic Ocean, the Port of St. John's is the most convenient and easiest of access, and in the event of war, a dock at this port cannot fail to be of immense advantage.
To the mercantile marine the value of such a dock can scarcely be over estimated.
Under existing circumstances a large number of vessels, having sustained damages in the Atlantic, seek this port, and, in the absence of dock accommodation, have to resort to a variety of expedients for the purpose of temporary repairs at a great cost, and necessarily, from the insufficiency of the repairs, incurring considerable risk in pursuing their voyages.
The geographical position of this port being the nearest to Britain, easy of access, peculiarly sheltered, opening directly upon the Atlantic, without any intricacy of navigation in the approach, points it out as the most eligible and as specially adapted for the location of such a dock.
The importance of this dock having been fully proved, it is earnestly desired that Her Majesty's Government will exhibit a similar interest in the work as has been shown in the matter of the Esquimalt dock by a contribution of 50,0007,, being less than one-half the coutemplated cost.
In the event of Her Majesty's Government acceding to this request, this amount might be made payable on the completion of the dock, which would take three years to build.
In case Her Majesty's Government should not see their way clear to agree to this payment of the specified amount above mentioned, it is respectfully suggested that the same object might be attained by a guarantee of 5 per cent. on 50,000l., or 2,500l. per annum.
The Newfoundland Government will, of course, guarantee to keep the dock in repair so that no call would be made upon Her Majesty's Government in this respect.
The question of privileges to be accorded to Her Majesty's ships is one which I should prefer leaving in the hands of Her Majesty's Government to suggest.
In conclusion, I beg respectfully to call attention to the deep interest taken in this matter by all mercantile men resident on the Clyde, in Liverpool, and elsewhere in Britain connected with the New- foundland and North American trade, and should it be found necessary, I am prepared to procure Memorials from influential shipowners upon the subject.
The Engineers, Messrs. Kinipple and Morris, will be happy to give any further information desired.
June 17, 1879.
Inclosure 3 in No. 116.
(Signed)
Colonial Office to Admiralty.
W. V. WHITEWAY.
Sir,
Downing Street, July 5, 1879.
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, to be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the accompanying copy of a letter from Mr. W. V. Whiteway, Premier and Attorney-General of Newfoundland,* now in England on a special mission in connection with the interests of that Colony, inclosing a Memorandum relating to a graving dock which it is proposed to construct at St. John's, Newfoundland.
I am to state that Sir Michael Hicks Beach would be glad to receive the views of their Lordships on the general question of the projected undertaking, and to be favoured with their opinion as to whether it is of sufficient importance to the naval interests of the Empire to warrant an application to the Board of Treasury for an Imperial contribution.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
ROBERT G. W. HERBERT.
Inclosure 4 in No. 116.
Admiralty to Colonial Office.
Admiralty, July 23, 1879.
Sir,
WITH reference to your letter of the 5th instant, transmitting a copy of a letter from Mr. Whiteway, Premier and Attorney-General of Newfoundland,* inclosing a Memorandum relative to the construction of a graving dock at St. John's, Newfoundland, I am commanded by the Lords Com- missioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that they are of opinion that the advantage to Her Majesty's ships of having a dock at the port in question would be so small that they would not feel justified in contributing to its construction from naval votes.
I am, &c. (Signed)
THOS. WOLLEY.
* Inclosure 1.
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+ Inclosure 3.
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