DEFENCES OF VICTORIA,
Progress to September 30, 1881.
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Remarks. March 24, 1882.
LAND DEFENCES.
Heads. 1. Inclosed work on Point Nepean
2. Batteries and keep at Queenscliff.
West Channel.
3. Inclosed work, keep, and torpedo depôt, on Swan Island
4. Fort on Shoal
South Channel.
To be armed with four large and two 80-pr. rifled guns
..
To be armed with one 10-inch (new pattern), three 9-inch, and four 80-pr. rifled guns; batteries to be inclosed and keep provided
To be armed with two 10-inch (new pattern), three 9-inch, and three 80-pr. rifled guns. Keep and torpedo depôt for submarine mines to be provided inside the work
To be armed with five 10-inch and two 6-inch rifled guns (all B.L. chambered)
Temporary sand-bag battery, armed with four 80-prs., constructed. It requires extensive repairs and renewal Two permanent batteries constructed, armed with four 80-prs. and three 9-inch guns. Emplacement for 10-inch gun, keep and inclosure deferred
Work commenced; right face for two 9-inch and one 80-pr. completed. Two 10-inch guns, keep, and torpedo depôt deferred
Reconstruction of work for six 80-prs. approved by Government, one 10-inch gun to be mounted hereafter.
10-inch gun. Keep and inclosure will be pro- ceeded with at once.
Left face for one 9-inch and two 80-prs., and inclosure in progress. Proposed to provide keep and depôt at once.
Rubble stone breakwater constructed to above H.W.M. Proposed to construct a work armed with two round site of fort
10-inch guns in cupolas, and a small case- mated work for two 6-inch guns, for guarding torpedo defences.
[1103]
Sir William Jervois' Recommendations.
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505
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Under consideration.
TORPEDO DEFENCES.
5. West Channel
South Channel
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MILITARY FORCES.
6. Regular Artillery Corps.
7. Coast and Volunteer Auxiliary Artillery 8. Torpedo Corps
9. Field force to repel landings
NAVAL DEFENCES.
10. "Cerberus," turret ship, 4 10-inch M.L.R. guns
11. "Swift gun-vessel'
Lines of observation and contact mines with light booms to be laid across the channels. Torpedo defences to be in charge of military authorities
Required for manning the batteries and defences- 200 regular artillery and 400 auxiliary artillery For defence of channels-100 officers and men..
Some portion of plant in store. Torpedo defences taken out of hands of military authorities
Regular artillery disbanded Volunteer artillery available. No steps taken to form corps
Under consideration. formed.
Military corps will be
Regular artillery to be re-established. Under consideration. formed.
Military corps will be
2,000 officers and men-cavalry, artillery, engineers, Volunteer force of sufficient strength to furnish field force Reorganization under consideration. I have re- infantry
In peace time to be maintained with a reduced crew at a cost of 10,000.; Naval Brigade being kept up to complete crew to war footing when required
"
To take the place of Victoria " and "Nelson," and to be manned by Naval Brigade
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Recommendations not carried out, although crew much reduced. Naval Brigade maintained for " Cerberus and Nelson " "Nelson" cut down and refitted.
"Victoria" sold.
commended a paid volunteer militia.
Two gun-boats for heavy guns ordered, also two torpedo-boals.
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OUTPORTS.
Warrnambool, Belfast, and Portland.
12. Battery and small artillery force at each port
Each battery to be armed with five 80-pr. rifled guns, No progress. Volunteer artillery corps at each port requiring 100 volunteer artillery at each place, with
6 N
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small detachments of reguiar artillery in time of war
Appendix No. 7.
AUSTRALIA.
269
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