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Appendix No. 4.
VANCOUVER ISLAND.
DEFENSIVE WORKS.
Brothers Island.
454
The main work for the defence may be placed on Brothers Island, and as the island is low, must be shielded.*
This island is 750 yards in advance of the dockyard, and is conveniently placed for supporting the submarine mines for the defence of the harbour's entrance. This work should be armed with three 10-inch muzzle-loading rifled guns behind shields, with one 64-pounder muzzle-loading rifled gun on each flank, sweeping the line of mines and flanking
3 10-in. M.L.R. guns, 18 tons, the shore towards Macaulay Point, respectively.
shielded.
2 64-pr. M.L.R. guns.
Battery
Armament
•
£ 28,500
11,360
..
3,500
(Includes barrack accom-
modation for 50 men).
Submarine defences
Signal Hill.
2 10-in. M.L.R. guns, 18 tons.
Battery Armament
Rodd Point.
*
£ 7,875 7,170
Upon Signal Hill two 10-inch muzzle-loading rifled guns should be placed en barbette, for which the site affords ample room.
The
At Rodd Point there is a convenient and sheltered position for two heavy guns. 2 10-in. M.L.R. guns, 18 tons, charts show a knoll which will apparently mask them from Sangster's Knoll, if the enemy should succeed in getting there; but in order to make this battery absolutely secure, it should be casemated and shielded.
shielded.
£ 14,375 6,992
Battery Armament
Mill Hill.
£
Land work
Work.
Macaulay Point.
3 10-in. M.L.R. guns, 18 tons.
2 64-pr. M.L.R. guns.
Battery
Armament
•
Total for sea defence of
Esquimalt-
Before leaving this part of the defence, it may be as well to mention that it is 8,125 completed on this side by a work on Mill Hill, 650 feet above the water, and which effectually closes the position to the westward, while affording efficient support to the battery on Rodd Point, above which there is a convenient hill on which to establish a small 2,000 post.
Macaulay Point should be occupied strongly; it closes the defences of Esquimalt on the seaside, and plays an important part in the defence of Victoria. Here should be three heavy guns, viz., 10-inch muzzle-loading rifled gun of 18 tons, and two medium 64-pounder 14,875 muzzle-loading rifled guns. These guns may, perhaps, be en barbette, though the site is
£
11,627 low-not more than 45 feet above the water.
Works
Armament
71,125 37,149
(This is exclusive of work on Mill Hill.)
Victoria.
Beacon Hill,
4 10-in. M.L.R. guns, 18 tons.
3 64-pr. M.L.R. guns.
Battery
Armament
(Includes barrack accom-
modation for 150 men).
Submarine defence
Total for sea defence of
Victoria-
Works
Armament
Barrack for 600 men, 80,0007.
The defence of Victoria so depends upon that of Esquimalt that the two may be very fitly combined, and, indeed, the defence of Esquimalt upon this side becomes far more complete if Beacon Hill, a strong elevated position in front of Victoria, be firmly occupied. A strong battery here will force an enemy to the eastward, and prevent his establishing himself in Ross Bay, from whence the town of Victoria may easily be bombarded.
The work for Beacon Hill should be self-contained, mounting four heavy 10-inch muzzle-loading rifled guns of 18 tons to scaward, and at least three medium guns in rear. It should be capable of holding out after an enemy had landed, and able to prevent his 42,125 retaining the town of Victoria.
£
15,648
1,500
43,625 15,648
Land works-
£
Works
Armament
A line of submarine mines should also be placed across the entrance to the harbour, for which the water is well adapted, and which this work, and the work on Macaulay Point, will protect.
This completes the works necessary to secure the two harbours, and which afford them partial protection from bombardment.
The cost will be considerable, especially if the cost of barrack accommodation for 600 men be added; the barracks might be disposed across the two depressions in the land on the west side of Signal Hill, through which the masts of vessels in the yard can be seen; they should be casemated and covered from seaward by earthen traverses.
As regards the land defence of Esquimalt, the work on Mill Hill already alluded to plays an important part in any scheme which may be proposed, and Colonel Lovell says that the peninsula of Esquimalt may be made very strong by the construction of works 4,000 to command the isthmus, and by batteries along the south bank of Portage Inlet; the 3,600 works here alluded to would probably be two, for which the charts seem to show com- manding elevations at convenient intervals, while the batteries on the inlet would be open emplacements.
Total for defences of Esquimalt and
Victoria, 263,2721.
The subject must not be dismissed without some consideration of the position of the Naval Yard; from a naval point of view it does not appear to be well chosen. Colonel Lovell says: with a strong wind from the south-east a heavy sea sets into the
* It should be observed that Colonel Lovell reports that the sea is making such inroads on this island that it seems probable that in a few years the island will be divided into two parts, and that the island is not suitable for the construction of a permanent work. Probably such a work as is here contemplated may save the island; if not, we must go to Sangster's Knoll.
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