530
10
minating point of Blakan Mati, from which an all round fire can be brought to bear, will render it the key of the defences, whilst the decks of vessels which may attempt to force an entrance into the New Harbour, or which might have succeeded in doing so, will be exposed to its plunging fire. I recommend that this fort should be the largest of the new works of defence, and that it should be constructed to receive len H-inch M. L. R. guns, distributed in the most convenient manner round a kuoll which crownS the submit of the bill, and which will perform the office of a large traverse to protect the guns
in any face from the effects of reverse fire.
The western entrance of the Harbour will be Work on Mount Si-
closed by the work on Mount Siloso. From this point a fire can be brought to bear upon any vessel attempting to enter the Harbour from the westward, or upon any vessel that might have succeeded in effecting an entrance into the Ilar- bour.
A flanking fire would also be brought to hear along the front of Blakan Mati, and along that of the south-western coast of the island of Singapore. It luas been suggested that as Mount Inbeal, the next bill to the eastward of Mount Siloso, has a command of some 30 feet over Mount Siloso, that this point should be occupied in preference. Mount Siloso from its height would, however, intercept the fire from a work on Mount Imbeal to a distance of about 3,000 yards from Mount Siloso. The occupation of Mount Inbeab, instead of Mount Siloso, would, therefore, entail the construction of a work on the island of Singapore, on the northern side of, and at a little distance from, the western entrance, in order to command the space which would other- wise be undefended. The construction of a work on Mount Imbeal would thus entail an increased expense for forts and armaments, the employ ment of additional troops and further splitting up of the garrison. As to the question of com- mand, the battery on Mount Siloso could be perfectly defiladed, if necessary, from Mount Im- beah, supposing
an enemy were able to take pus- session of this point, un operation which, under the circumstances of the case, would be quite impracticable.
I recommend that the work on Mount Siloso should be an open battery constructed for six 11-juch M. L. R. guns.
lusn,
The work on Mount Palmer should be placed Work on Mount Pel- the summit of the hill, 110 feet above sea
level. I recommend that it should be constructed for four 11-inch M. L. R. guns. Its gorge should be prepared to receive two or three pieces of sinall calibre to flank the northern slopes of the Mouni Faber and to enfilade the valley stretching
range, in front of that range.
This fort will co-operate with that on Mount Serapong in defending the castern entrance into the New Harbour. It will also command that part of the harbour between its eastern entrance
mer.
Mount Faber re-
doubls.
Defence of Rustl
stead, &c.
Work at Tanjong
Katong.
11
Its fire
and the Borneo Company's wharves. will also sweep the roadstead and the adjacent shore of Singapore to Tanjong Katong,
By the construction of the three works on Mounts Serapong, Siluso, and Palmer, the coaling depots, wharves, and establishments in the New Harbour would be protected from attack from seaward. Protection should, however, also be afforded from attack by a body of men which might land at some point on the Island of Singapore, and march upon the harbour, with the object of burning the coals and stores and destroying the wharves, &c.
Clearness of atos-
plere.
With this view, I would place two redoubts on Mount Faber range, designed so that their fire would command the country in their front, as well as the roads of approach to New Har- bour. One of these redoubts should be placed on the north-western extremity of the range, at a height of 357 feet above the level of the sen the other on the south-eastern spor above the site of the present Mount Faber Battery, at a height of about 270 feet. These two works, in conjunction with the gous on the south-western front of Fort Caming (which is about 4,000 yards distant), and with those in the gorge of the battery to be constructed on Mount Palmier (which is about 2,000 yards distant), would command the approaches by which access to New Harbour could be obtained by an enemy, who had handed for the purpose of attacking the ships and establishments therein.
The works which I have proposed would complete the project of the defence of the New Harbour, with its coal depôts, &c.
This project, however, would not provide for the protection of a large portion of the ship- ping which lie in the roadstead. The guns ou Mount Serapong and the battery on Mount Palmer would command a considerable portion of the roadstead, but there would be nothing to prevent a hostile vessel from taking up a position in the north-eastern part of the an- chorage, and, with her gnus, setting fire to or sinking all the shipping in the roads." I, there- fore, propose that a battery, armed with five 11-inch MLR. guns, should be constructed near Tanjong Katong to prevent the approach of such hostile vessel in this direction.
In considering the degree of defence that would afforded by the artillery fire from the works, it should be observed that, in the clear atmosphere of this climate, the distances appear to be much shorter, and the chances of hitting a vessel at long range are much greater than in the hazy atmosphere of England.
As regards the defence of the roudstead, it should further be observed that the zone to he commanded by artillery fire only would be dimi nished by the presence of a shoal, about 2,500 yards in length, situated at a distance of some 2,000 yards in advance of the centre of the line