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(b.) Bombardment from Spanish territory.
territory. Although it would be impossible for the Spanish artillery to silence the Gibraltar guns, owing to the height at which they will be placed and the long range, it would be easy so to conceal the position of the Spanish guns as to make it impracticable to silence them or prevent them from keeping up a sustained fire upon the town, dockyard, and anchorage. This is an ever present danger, and the Colonial Defence Committee consider that no increase to the defences would entirely secure the fortress from the risks of such a bombardment, which, while effecting little or no result against the defences, would produce the difficulties before alluded to, and would suffice to prevent the coaling of Her Majesty's ships by daytime.
For the above reasons, the Colonial Defence Committee desire to point out that, in order that the full use of Gibraltar as a war coaling-station may be counted upon, it should be a cardinal point of British policy to secure a friendly or neutral Spain.
The original scheme of defence for Gibraltar was sent home as the Report of a Committee of fifteen members which sat for nine months.
On the 17th May, 1888, a letter was written to the General Officer Commanding by direction of His Royal Highness the Commander-in-chief, pointing out that the conditions of the War Office Circular had not been complied with, and directing that a definite scheme should be forwarded, not in the form of a Committee Report, but accepted and adopted by the General Officer Commanding himself.
In answer to the letter above referred to, the personal Report, now under consideration has been received.
The Colonial Defence Committee are unable to regard this Report as in any sense adequate to the requirements of the Fortress, or fulfilling the conditions laid down in the War Office Circular.
The objects for which such a scheme of defence is needed do not appear to have been sufficiently realized. In calling for the local preparation of these schemes, it was intended that every service incidental to a state of war should be taken into consideration as far as could be foreseen, and that all require- ments should be provided for as far as existing local resources allowed. A mere statement of these services is necessarily insufficient; since the main question is how they should be met if the emergency arises, and what organization is best suited for the purpose?
The
With such a scheme, carefully matured in peace, neither confusion, loss of time, nor waste of resources should be possible in the event of war. details having been thoroughly worked out in advance, the whole available resources of the Fortress would be at the immediate disposal of the General Officer to repel attack. Further, such a scheme, modified as changes of circumstances arose, would be handed on to successive Governors, and prevent the drawbacks which might occur from the advent of a new comer in the command at a time of emergency.
Failing compliance with these conditions, the Colonial Defence Committee consider that schemes of defence are useless.
The Report under consideration summarizes very incompletely the services that might be undertaken, but gives no clue to the necessary steps or to the requisite organization. Many subjects are discussed at more or less length, but nothing is laid down as a definite guide of action. The Report is of little value for purposes of record, and is not calculated to prevent any of the con- fusion which a state of war suddenly arising might entail.
Putting aside minor omissions, the Colonial Defence Committee desire to point out the following grave defects in the Report :-
1. The mode of dealing with the civil population is necessarily a most important question under the special circumstances of Gibraltar. The Report furnishes a draft notice summoning aliens to leave the Fortress within forty- eight hours, and civil subjects within ten days. It is evident, however, that such a measure could not be carried out without careful organization previously thought out, and of this there is no indication whatever; nor is it stated who would be responsible for the work. No draft Circular notice to foreign Consuls is provided. Similarly, measures of police, which would become all-essential during a state of siege, are passed by unnoticed.
2. Confusion seems to exist in the division of the Fortress into minor
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