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northem side of this island are the Naval Coal Naval Coal Stores, Stores, and on the southern side is a small dock. Opposite Pulo Brani and at the foot of the Mount Faber range, are the wharves of the Borneo Company, Jardine's Company, and the Peninsula and Oriental Company. The total length of these wharves is about 600 yards. Still further to the westward, and near the western entrance to the New Harbour, which is only about 300 yards wide, are the wharves. docks, fitting shops, and coal sheds of the New Harbour Dock Company. Here are two docks, 415 feet and 459 feet long respectively, whilst the wharves will accommodate five or six vessels. These wharves, docks, and machine shops are now constantly nude use of by Dutch ships of war, which are sent here from Acheen to repair and refit, and may of course also be used by ves- sels of the Royal Navy. Their situation is most advantageous, for it will be seen that the New Harbour is covered on the sea side by the Blakan Mati and on the land side by Momit Faber with its adjacent hills; the entrance from the westward whilst the Outer Shoal and Pulo very narrow, Brani partially close the castern entrance to vos-
IS
sels of heavy tomago. The harbour thus as- sumes the form of a long arrow navigable busin which, with but little difficulty, could be closed against hostile vessels.
Existing Defeuers,
The existing works of Singapore are weak and insignificant. Built many years ago, they were only intended to meet local requirements, and were constructed without reference to the importance of the place as an Imperial Naval Station. They are five in number, viz--Fort Canning, crown- ing the hill at the back of the town; Fort Ful- lerton, situated on the low projecting spit at the entrance of the Singapore river: Mount Palmer Battery, constructed on the steep sea-face of the hill of the same name; Mount Faber Battery, situated on the south-eastern extremity of that ridge, at a height of 132 feet, and a battery for two 13-inch Mortars near the site of the flag- staff (Pinn 1) at a distance of about 900 yards from the last named work, and at u height of about 300 feet above the level of the sea. The
position of these defences is shown on Plan (D).
It is
Fort Canning is a long narrow straggling Fort Canning. work, 450 yards in length by 80 yards in mean width, its trace approximately following the top contour of the hill on which it is built. unprovided with flauk defence; the parapets are weak and badly proportioned; the ditch is shal- low and insignificant; the scarp and counter- scorp are for the most part inrevetted; the glacis are only partially swept by musketry tire from the parapet: the magazines are not bomb- proof and are much exposed; and there is, more- over, little or no bombproof cover for the garri-
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son.
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The armament in its present condition is practically unserviceable. Most of the S. B. guns with which it is armed require re-venting, and the wooden carriages and platforus, upon which they are mounted, have all suffered from exposure to climate.
At the southern end of the Port is an outwork culled the South or Seaward Battery. The terreplein of this battery, is at a somewhat lower level than that of the main work, and its gorge is closed by the main parapet. It is armed with seven 68-pdrs.-S. B. guns of 95 cwt.--only one of which is at present serviceable. Five of these guns, however, are repairable. The nain work is armed with eight 8-inch S.B. guns of 65 cwt. mounted at intervals at the salients, together with three 13-inch 1. S. mortars of 36 cwt. on its south-eastern fhee. In the centre
of the terreplein stand a Barrack and Offices, origi- nally built to accommodate two garrison batteries of Royal Artillery. They are low occupied by the head quarters of one battery of Royal Artil- lery and by a company of Infantry.
Fort Canning is too retired to be of service for the defence of the roadstead, even if the work were remodelled to receive a heavy armament of long
range.
A fire from this work, moreover, would not only be ineffective in itself, but would draw an enemy's fire on the town. The fort, however, occupies a position, from whence Singapore is well commanded on all sides, and, in case of un insurrection of the coloured population, it would be a valuable place of refuge for the Europeans of the settlement, whilst its fire would overawe the town and prevent the insurgents from main- taining possession thereof. Il properly armed, its western faces would command the valley which extends towards Mount Faber, and with
work, to which I shall hereafter refer,--01 this point, the intervening country would be swept, and an enemy prevented from advancing on the land side to attack the establishments in the New Harbonr.
Fort Canning should, therefore, be maintained, not as a work to aid in the defence of Singa- pore to seaward, but to combine with a work on Mount Faber, and an intermediate field redoubt, in sweeping the valley between itself and Mount Faber; also to command the chief quarters of the town. It should, therefore, undergo such alteration and receive such armament as would secure these objects. I would recommend that four rifled guis of small calibre--say 64-pdrs. Palliser converted M. L. R. guns---should be mounted on the western faces; that the 8-inch S.B. guns, which form part of the existing aruament, should be revented and re-distributed in the most convenient manner to command the town: that the glacis should be cleared and levelled. and the profile of the work so altered that the muskerry fire from the parapet should sweep the ground in front; that i palisade be constructed