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No. 130.
War Office Memorandum on the Defence of Esquimalt.
ESQUIMALT is the only coaling-station which Great Britain possesses on the Pacific shore of America. It is very inconveniently placed for the purposes of our fleet in the Pacific, as it is at the extreme north of the Pacific Station, and is distant about 3,500 miles from the Isthmus of Panamá, across which the northern portion of our trade with the coasts of South America and the Polynesian Islands passes.
Yet if, in spite of the inconvenience of its position, it be a necessity to retain this coaling-station, it becomes a necessity to provide a certain amount of protection for it.
The question is how much it is expedient to provide, looking to the importance of the place and the dangers to which it is exposed.
At present the only nations which should excite apprehension with respect to Esquimalt are the United States and Russia.
With regard to the United States, it may be at once conceded that if they are determined to obtain possession of Esquimalt, they will obtain it, and nothing we can do will render the capture so costly that they will not find it worth their while to under- take it.
They are about to form a naval station at Port Angelos, on the opposite shore of San Juan de Fuca Strait; this will be in telegraphic and railway communication with San Francisco, 750 miles distant, with its magnificent and strongly-fortified harbour, possessing immense resources in ships and men, and will, with the lines of railway crossing the continent from east to west, place Esquimalt for years to come at the mercy of the United States.*
It may of course be urged that this is the danger to which the Dominion of Canada is exposed; but the Dominion has a considerable population, increasing steadily, and in a few years may be strong enough in numbers to put out of the question everything but a deliberately planned and determined attack, whereas the population of Esquimalt numbers only 3,000 whites, while in the province itself the whites are not more than 17,000, the remainder being Indians (10,000) and Chinese (3,000).
The construction of the long-delayed Canada-Pacific Railway will afford the best prospect of security to Esquimalt. This railway, which should have been commenced in July 1873, is, it is understood, about to be commenced by British enterprise, under guarantee of the Dominion Government. When this is accomplished, it may be possible to throw stores and troops into Esquimalt in a comparatively short time.
In dealing with Russia there is less difficulty; she has in the Pacific at present no vessel carrying more than 10 inches of armour, and though she possesses a naval yard at Petropolowski, 3,400 miles from Esquimalt, she cannot move across the Pacific without leaving in observation at Hong Kong a blockading force sufficiently strong to cope with our China squadron. Moreover, it must be many years before the establishments at Petropolowski or Vladivostock attain sufficient development to dispense with European Russian yards.
No consideration has been given to the combination of Russia and the United States, because such a combination would render the strength of the United States still stronger; and as years roll on it may be hoped that the feeling of America may become more friendly to this country, and that the chances of conflict between the two countries may steadily diminish.
As against Russia the problem is not so difficult, and in providing what is necessary to meet her, we provide all that it is wise to provide for a rupture with the United States, and what is at least sufficient to add weight to our position should dispute unhappily arise between us.
The waters leading to Esquimalt Harbour are so open, and the naval yard is so much advanced, that an enemy can only be kept at a distance by long-ranging heavy guns.
In order to accomplish this, Colonel Lovell, in his excellent Report, recommends the occupation of Sangster's Knoll, a high ground 3,000 yards in advance of the entrance; and the occupation of this advanced position would no doubt enable us to dispense with some larger heavy guns.
But the position is isolated, and the coast to the westward is accessible in many places, such as Sooke Inlet, Pedder's Inlet, Parry Bay, Beecher Bay, and others; from all of which the country is easy, and the roads sufficient and numerous; and, therefore, any work placed at Sangster's Knoll must be so strong as to be unassailable; especially as, if captured, its guns might be turned with great effect upon the naval yard and batteries near it. Such a work would be costly, and would need a large garrison-a very grave con- sideration here, where men are scarce-and therefore, although the position is undoubtedly good, it should not, for the present at least, he occupied.
* The Union Pacific Railway, in connection with the Central Pacific at Ogden in Utah, was the first continuous line across the continent; it was opened in 1869.
The South Pacific will be opened shortly; it runs through Southern Arizona, New Mexico, and North Texas. The Atlantic and Pacific, running through Northern Arizona, will follow.
The Northern Pacific Railway, which connects Lake Superior with Oregon and California, is about to be completed.
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Appendix No. 4.
VANCOUVER ISLAND.
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