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21. Government Buildings,
The Ordnance store near Fort William, containing the Storekeeper and Clerk's offices and quarters, is at present in occupation and in fairly good condition.
The Commissariat and Royal Engineer quarters are also in occupation and in good order.
22. Hospital.
Appendix No. 4. NEWFOUNDLAND.
Ordnance store. k on Map 2.* Commissariat and Royal Engineer houses.
m and n on Map 2.* The military hospital was built about twenty years ago; it is a stone building on the west side of No. 2 on Map 2.* Signal Hill, and is at present used as a civil hospital. It is in very good order, and would accommodate 41 patients. There are quarters adjoining for 1 medical officer, and also stabling for 1 horse.
23. Store-house on Signal Hill.
This is a small wooden building near houses C and D; it is at present used as a store for the e on Map 2* bedding, &c., belonging to the quarantine establishment. It requires some repairs, but generally is in fair condition.
24. Defence of Newfoundland.
Before entering upon the question of the defence of Newfoundland, it is necessary to define what may be considered to be the chief objects which must generally be kept in view in any scheme for colonial defence. These are :-
1. The strategical value of the Colony, or of any of its ports, in the event of war.
2. The dangers to which the Colony will be exposed.
3. The best and most economical means of defence.
Newfoundland.
As regards the first consideration, it can scarcely be denied that the Island of Newfoundland, Strategical value of from its situation at the mouth of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, occupies a valuable strategical position, and must ever be regarded as of the first importance to Great Britain as the key to Canada.
During the early occupation of the island, both England and France were so impressed with its commanding geographical position with respect to the Canadas, that for many years the Colony pre- sented a constant scene of warfare, owing to the struggles of these rival nations to retain possession of such an important point.
Being the nearest point to Europe, and almost directly situated on the main route to Canada and Value of St. John's. the United States, the position of St. John's is such as to make it one of the most important, if not the principal strategical point on the western side of the Atlantic.
For a naval station during war its value will be immense, as a fleet using it as a base of operations would paralyze the commerce of the entire seaboard of the neighbouring continent, and retaiu for Great Britain the command of the whole North Atlantic Ocean.
As the protection of commerce must depend principally on the navy, it becomes necessary to have numerous depôts, where ships of war engaged in the protecting duties may obtain coal and all those supplies which in the present day are so essential to keep thein efficient. For such a purpose as this St. John's will be found very valuable. The harbour affords one of the most secure anchorages in the world, and is so fortified by nature that it merely requires a very moderate outlay and a few troops to render it impregnable against any attack from the sea.
With regard to the second consideration, viz., the danger to which the Colony will be exposed Second consideration. during war, it would appear that the only part of the island which would afford any advantage to an enemy by its capture would be that included in the Peninsula of Avalon, within which the greater part of the population and the whole wealth of the Colony is collected.
The only towns and roads in the island are to be found in this peninsula, and there can be no doubt that, should an attack ever be made by an enemy, it will be within this district and directed against the capital.
So long as Great Britain maintains her naval supremacy it will scarcely happen that Newfound- land will be exposed to danger from any serious expedition, as intelligence of such a thing being con- templated would be known long before it could be carried into effect, and could easily be frustrated. But the real danger to which the Colony is exposed is the capture of its capital and the seizure or destruction of its stores, coals, and shipping by a sudden raid by one or two hostile vessels which have escaped the protecting cruizers.
entrance.
Bearing in mind the facility with which a harbour so favourably situated and so strong by nature Enemy will not may be protected against any direct attack from sea, it may reasonably be concluded that in no case venture to force the will an enemy venture to attempt to force the passage of the harbour unless it is left in such an utterly neglected state as to invite attack, but, taking history as a precedent, he will endeavour to utilize one of the numerous harbours in the neighbourhood of the capital by making it a point d'appui for operations by land against the flanks or rear, both of which are undefended and perfectly open to attack.
Thus, we find as far back as the years 1761 and 1762, when the harbour defences were much Advances by land weaker and the roads approaching St. John's in a much worse state than at present, the French against St. John's. preferred landing in the Bay of Bulls, 20 miles distant to the southward, and the English in Sec Map 1.* Torbay, 7 miles to the northward, to the precarious and hazardous attempt to force the passage of the Narrows.
The principal danger appears, therefore, to be in an attack by land, and it becomes necessary to consider the different places in the vicinity of St. John's where an enemy could land.
One of the most favourable places for effecting a landing at any time, except when a strong Torbay. north-easterly wind is blowing, is Torbay, 7 miles to the northward of the capital, where General See Map. 1.*
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* Not printed.
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