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be exposed to sudden and serious attack, owing to the proximity of the United States. For this reason, and looking to the great distance from England, the de- fences must be of the highest possible character, and sufficient to resist attack by sea or land. The works need not cover a very large extent of ground, or actually surround the dockyard or establishments, but they must prevent an enemy from placing batteries to destroy the latter (1680-1685). In a war with any other Power-Russia, for example-a slighter defence would suffice (1686, 1687).
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Intermediate Station on West Coast of America.— The coaling-stations between Esquimalt and the Falkland Islands are all on foreign territory, and would be useless to us in time of war, when Her Majesty's ships in the Pacific must be supplied by colliers sent from England or Australia at enormous expense, unless some intermediate coaling-station near the Gulf of Panamá is acquired (1866-1670). Such a station would be necessary in war with any maritime Power, especially Russia, which aims at acquiring a fleet of fast cruizers. They could not coal in American ports except to the limited extent permitted by international law, but they might receive assistance from America in the shape of colliers (1637-1693).
Perlas.--There are several islands with good har- bours near Panamá which would make convenient naval stations, e.g., the Perlas and Galapagos Islands (1671, 1673, 1706, 2251). Any such station must be thoroughly fortified, involving the acquisition of terri- torial rights which would excite great jealousy in the United States (1672, 1674-1679).
Galapagos-One of the Galapagos Islands, which belong to Ecuador, might, perhaps, be obtained with less difficulty than the Perlas (2260). We lately had the opportunity of purchasing Charles Island privately (2255–2260). The island, which has a good harbour, should be obtained and fortified. If Vancouver Island, and the British Columbian seaboard, were to pass into the possession of the United States, a fortified station at one of the Galapagos Islands would be all the more necessary for the protection of our trade on the west coast of America (2270, 2271, 2274-2278). It would also be necessary to maintain a separate, though, per- haps, a smaller, squadron under a separate command (2279-2282). The value of the Galapagos will be enhanced on the completion of the Panamá Canal, through which the Pacific Station would be supplied from England, instead of round Cape Horn (2334, 2335).
Juan Fernandez.-Juan Fernandez, off Valparaiso, would be of great value. This island might be seized when wanted, and afterwards given up, but it would form only a partial substitute for a station at the Galapagos. It has no harbour, but the roadstead is safe nearly all the year round (1704-1706, 2249, 2251-2253).
Sandwich Islands. A station between Esquimalt and Fiji, e.g., the Sandwich Islands, would often be useful, but is not absolutely necessary (1696, 1697, 1699, 1703, 2248, 2272). The Sandwich Islands virtually belong to the United States, and there would be much difficulty in getting possession of one of them (2273). Little British trade crosses the Pacific now, but the Panamá Canal may make a difference (2194, 2195).
Fanning Island.-Fanning Island has a good harbour, and in war time might be quietly occupied, and given up afterwards (2189).
The Falkland Islands.-In peace time there are sufficient coaling-stations in the Brazils without the Falkland Islands (2284), but Stanley Harbour, which is a good anchorage, should be thoroughly protected (1663-1665, 2250). The Pacific Station should not be extended to the Falkland Islands, as it would lead to our ships being frequently sent round Cape Horn or through the Straits of Magellan, which are nasty places during a great part of the year (2284).
The West Indies. Our West Indian trade has so diminished that it is not worth while to incur much expenditure in defending more than one station, which, however, should be made very strong (2322, 2323). The Panamá Canal will increase the importance of such
a station (2332, 2333). There are now coaling-stations at Port Royal (Jamaica), Barbados, and English Harbour (Antigua), none of which are properly pro- tected (2304).
Jamaica.-Jamaica is our most valuable possession in the West Indies (2324), and has the best harbour, which, however, would be difficult to protect properly (2304, 2305).
Antigua.-English Harbour is, with the exception of Port Castries (St. Lucia), our only good harbour in the Windward Islands. Antigua is healthy, and the estab- lishments at English Harbour, though small, are com- plete, in good repair, and maintained at small expense (2007, to 3007. n-year). The further defence required would not be difficult (2306-2309, 2315). The port would be of great value in war for small vessels, and ought to be maintained as a coaling-station.
St. Lucia.-Port Castries has been advocated as a substitute for English Harbour, chiefly on account of its advantageous position for watching Martinique, where the French have important establishments and a dockyard (2306, 2312, 2321, 2322). Port Castries is a better harbour than English Harbour, which cannot take in a large iron-clad (2310, 2311, 2315). We lost much money and many lives in capturing St. Lucia (2313); but the island is unhealthy, and Port Castries has no establishments, is not used as an anchorage or for coaling, and has never been of any use to us (2306, 2313, 2314), The substitutiou of Port Castries for English Harbour might be worth consideration if the defence of the latter involved large expenditure (2309, 2322).
St. Thomas.-St. Thomas has a better harbour than St. Lucia, and is better situated for a naval station than any other island in the West Indies (2316-2319 2335). St. Thomas would be of great value to us if we could obtain possession-which is probably only a question of money-and should be made a strong
station.
Curaçao. The harbour of Curaçao is small (2336), Sierra Leone.--Sierra Leone is well placed for the protection of trade. It is used as a coaling-station, and has a secure harbour, capable of easy defence (2285- 2287, 2200, 2292, 2294, 2298). Sierra Leone should be defended (2285, 2294). It is better situated than St. Vincent for naval, though perhaps not for mercan- tile, purposes (2286-2288, 2292, 2293).
A secure station near the Cape de Verde Islands would be valu- able, in view of the important French station at Dakar (2296).
The Gambia.-The Gambia is better situated in this respect, but has not nearly so good a harbour as Sierra Leone (2301, 2303).
St. Vincent.-St. Vincent is very central, and was used as a telegraph station and as a coaling station for our transports during the Zulu war. The lack of ap- pliances show that it is not largely used by the mercan- tile marine. St. Vincent belongs to Portugal, and would be difficult to obtain (1708-1715, 2288, 2289, 2295).
St. Helena and Ascension.-In addition to the Cape of Good Hope and Sierra Leone, an intermediate de- fended station would be very useful (1626, 1636, 1641, 1648). St. Helena would be more suitable than Ascension, being a Colony, and having a better climate. The old objection, that St. Helena is too far to wind- ward, does not now apply. The establishment at Ascension might be moved to St. Helena in time of war, Ascension would always be controlled by the Power commanding the seas (1635, 1638, 1639). There should be a store of coal and a sanatorium at St. Helena, but there is no need of a fortress (1643). The island has no harbour (1642), but a few powerful guns well placed would give protection to ships in the roadstead against a small hostile squadron (1644- 1648).
Heligoland.-Heligoland is not a coaling-station, and is too near home to be important as such (1650, 1651.)
Telegraphs. There is great want of telegraphic com- munication between the West Indies and Bermuda,
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