}
Page 195
[This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty's Government.]
Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. March 25, 1898.
SECRET.
No. 185 R.
LAGOS.
LAGOS.
C.O.
No. 195. Secret.
Defence Scheme, November 1897.
Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.
Covering Despatch of Governor.
IN the first paragraph of this despatch the Governor states that he has not been able to find the Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee on the Defence Scheme dated the 28th April, 1888. Four copies of these Remarks, which were dated the 1st August, 1888, were sent to the Colony in a Secret despatch of the 31st December, 1888. The great importance of the proper custody of such secret documents, so that there may be no risk of their falling into the hands of possible enemies will be obvious to the Governor, who has no doubt made arrangements that in future some officer shall be personally responsible for them, and for their being duly handed over when- ever he leaves the Colony.
The Committee recommend that a copy of Mr. Chamberlain's Circular despatch (1) of the 21st July, 1896, on this subject, should now be sent to the Governor of Lagos.
2. Page 3, paragraph 2.---It is thought improbable that in the present situation the French would be able to concentrate any large force at Porto Novo for the attack of Lagos. It is not quite clear what is intended by the expression that the French might draft bodies of Senegalese troops by way of Kotonou. If by this is meant that troops would be moved by sea from the French coaling base of Dakar, such a design appears extremely unlikely, unless or until France has definitely wrested the command of the Southern Atlantic from Her Majesty's Navy. As regards a possible concentra- tion from the Niger, this would involve the abandonment of Upper Dahomey and the Hinterland of Dahomey, with its connection with the Middle Niger, to the occupation of the British West African frontier force operating from the Lower Niger as a base. What- ever may be the political and military situation in the future, the present condition of affairs in Borgu, Gurma, and Gandu, has necessitated the French authoritics practically denuding Lower Dahomey of troops, and though it is possible that on the outbreak of war, they would, for the safety of their line of communication, move some of these troops to the south for the protection of their base, yet it is improbable that they would at once definitely abandon to us the Hinterland of Lagos and that portion of the British Protectorate on the right bank of the River Niger, which they have risked so much to occupy.
Moreover, it must be remembered that though Lagos is liable to the sudden raid of a passing French cruiser, Kotonou and Porto Novo would be still more liable to a serious attack by English troops, and it is unlikely that the French could afford to Page 195 of 290 [354]
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