Page 660
Page 660
naval purposes. It is in a healthy country; it is the centre of the British population; the nearest point for cruizers and for sailing-ships to run to for protec- tion, and, besides being near the trade passing the Cape of Good Hope, is only a few days' cruizing from the track of ships coming round Cape Horn (4686, 4687). There is, however, no graving dock or means for fitting up a large ship, for repairing accidents, or for cleaning a ship's bottom (4662). Simon's Bay is not fitted for mercantile purposes, but must be made thoroughly efficient as a naval station, for which purpose a graving dock ought to be constructed (4678-4680, 4753, 4763).
Cape Town.-At Cape Town there are no means of cleaning a large ship's bottom (4663). The accom- modation has been adequate, but is very limited both in depth of water and in space for turning (4665). The port is insufficient for the development of South African trade, and there is no room for the Queen's ships. The docks ought to be considerably en- larged, and the entrance deepened (4675-4677). The breakwater gives some protection from the sea, but not from the wind. The entrance to the docks is dangerous, and the difficulty of entering increases with every increase in the length of the ships, which has now reached the extreme limit at 365 feet (4669, 4670). The jetty should be altered, as it is a danger to ships entering and coming out (4669, 4678). The Colonial Government are making a dock upon the plans of Sir John Coode, and must deepen the entrance. Nothing above 213 feet or thereabouts can safely go in. The mail-steamers are specially made to do so, but large ships of war cannot enter the harbour (4664, 4670). The mail-steamers do not anchor; they are moored in the docks; but the space is so limited that a ship may have to come out stern foremost (4671, 4672). A jetty is being constructed with a view to coaling the Australian steamers out- side the docks (4673). Cape Town would be of no use to the navy. Ships of war could not enter, and if they could would only incommode commerce. The new graving dock could be easily blocked up (1689). It is absolutely essential that Cape Town should be defended, in the interests of the Colony and of this country (4751, 4752). The Colony would pro- bably be glad to join in the expense (4754, 4757).
Delagoa Bay -Delagoa Bay would be a danger to Great Britain if in the hands of another Power, and is essential to us as commanding the road to India (4686).
Telegraph.-There should be an alternative line of telegraph to the Cape, touching at Cape de Verde, St. Helena, and Ascension, and passing along the African coast to Cape Town and Simon's Bay (4690, 4691).
Convoy. In time of war, Her Majesty s ships could not be spared to protect the mercantile marine. The system of convoy could not be revived (4695, 4696). The speed of steamers would be their protection (4697).
Government Employment of Merchant Steamers.—At great expense the D. Currie ships have been built in compliance with the requirements of the Admiralty, with solid iron decks, and seven or nine watertight compartments. They can carry 10 64-pounders and a battalion, with coal for forty or fifty days, steaming at a rate of 12 or 13 knots (4702, 4708). Ship- owners have been badly treated by the Admiralty. Those that have taken the trouble to comply with the Admiralty requirements, have been misled, seeing that when war broke out they were not given priority over others (4704). During the last two wars a pre- ference has been given to those who do not fulfil the requirements (4698, 4699), and ships have been selected that can only go at a speed of 10 knots (4714). Ships complying with the conditions ought to be given priority of employment, which was the inducement held out to ship-owners (4724-4726). The Admiralty should encourage every ship-owner to put his ships under such conditions as to make it to the ship-owner's interest and advantage to have his crew available for fighting, and his ships ready for
630
carrying or fitting an armament, and constructed in advance for all requirements, according to their speed. The owner of every ship above 10 knots' speed should be induced to put his ship in order, with the promise of sufficient Government pay; and the service he should be expected to render should be defined, whether carrying troops, coal, or stores (4742- 4745). The ship-owners would then be all on a level, and there would be a stronger induce- ment to alter their vessels (4713). They would be content with priority of employment; but it would be desirable to go further, and make the ships carry guns, ammunition, and trained crews, so that a ship would be ready for an emergency, and at once avail- able on a foreign station. By paying a small retain- ing fee, the Government might secure apprentices for seven or fourteen years (4727). Means should be found to make the crews interchangeable in the mercantile and Royal navies. At present there is no great sympathy between the two services (4715- 4719). Some ship-owners are against employing Naval Reserve men, chiefly because of the want of affinity between the two services (4730, 4731). A certain number of men from the Royal Navy accus- tomed to gunnery should be on board every ship (4728), and ship-owners should be encouraged to take naval officers into their service (4729). There has been no great difficulty in getting merchants to fit their ships, but the experiment of transforming a merchant-ship into a cruizer has never been tried (4732, 4733). Ship-owners would be willing to enter into a penal bond not to part with their ships in times of emergency (4723). The "Kinfauus Castle" was launched in 1878, when there was a probability of war with Russia. It was known that she had great speed, and that she was fitted to carry twelve guns. An offer of 30 per cent, above her cost was made for her, as a cruizer, to be stationed off the west coast of South America (4722).
French Subsidies.-The French Government are now subsidizing merchant-ships. They give steamers in the foreign trade a subsidy of 1s. 3d. per ton for every 1,000 miles they steam for ten years, and they bind them over for the use of the State for naval purposes when wanted (4707-4710).
Communication with Mauritius.-The only mail service to Mauritius is under a French flag. Being a British Colony and a strategical possession, Mauritius ought to be served by British ships, and the population should be made to see that the British flag is still predominant. British ships, if so em- ployed, would also be useful on an emergency to bring over troops (4711, 4712).
SIR JOHN COODE, C.E.
May 19, 1881.
The floating basins at Cape Town, which were executed between 1860 and 1870, have been com- mercially successful, and trade is increasing to such an extent that there is now a demand for a con- siderable enlargement. At present the breakwater extends 1,650 feet from the original shore line, there is an outer basin of 4 acres, with from 10 to 18 feet of water at low-water spring tides, and au inner basin of 81 acres, with from 18 to 24 feet. At the south end of the inner basin is a patent slip capable of taking vessels of 1,000 to 1,200 tons burden. A large dry dock is being constructed, and will be finished in about a year's time (4766). This dock will be 500 feet long and 68 feet wide, with a depth over the sill of 21 feet at low water spring tides, and 24 feet in the basin outside. In the entrance to the basin there is 21 feet at low-water. The tide rises 5 feet, giving a depth at high-water spring tides of 26 feet over the sill (4767-4769). There were difficulties as to an Imperial grant, and the Colony decided to make the dock for their own pur- poses, without reference to the Admiralty require- ments. The dock is deep enough for anything but iron-clads (4770, 4771). It is cut out of the solid
Page 660
Page 660
Page 660Page 661