Appendix N°1
to Colonel Crossman's litter to T. G. F
T.9.7
No 53 dated
44
November 1881.
532
Confidential.
Reasons for and against the Construction of a battery at Blakang Mati South
REPORT ON BLAKANG MATI SOUTH, BLAKANG MATI EAST, AND MOUNT SERAPONG.
Having visited the proposed site of a battery on the South part of Blakang Mati Island (to be called Blakang Mati South), Mount Serpong, and Fort Blakang Mati Fast, we beg to report as follows:---
2.-We have carefully considered the nature of the localities, the present capabilities of Blakang Mati East, and the Report by Captain McCallum, especially Articles 53, 54 and 55, and 74, 75 and 76.
3.--Having in view the proposed strengthening of the artillery at Mount Siloso, the possibility of considerably increasing the power of Blakang Mati East, the advan- tage of Mount Serapong against a landed force, the disadvantageons untore of Blakang Mati Island for the purposes of landing by an enemy, the isolated position of Blakang Mati South, and the great expense that its construction would involve, we are of opi- nion as follows:-
Est That to works shuntld be undertaken at Blakang Mati South;
2nd That Blakang Mati East should undergo several alterations; and.
Bri That some additious should be made to the defouces of Monur Serapong.
1. By increasing the power of the gnus at Mount Siloso and by arranging a fire of four guns from the right flank of Blakang Mati East we believe that the position would be sufficiently protected against any attack not partaking of the character of a siege, and the dead angle off Blakang Mati South would be eonored.
-We are fully convinced of the utility and importance of such a work as Blukung Mati South, but consider that its establishment would be going rather beyond the sphere of the present scheme.
6.The alterations in Blakang Mati East would be as follows:----
(.)The right flank of the battery to be lengthened so as to allow two extra guns bearing on the South side of Blakang Mati Island to be placed there. One of these to be an armour piercing gun, the other a 64-pounder. The armour piercing guu to fire through an are of 165, having Mount Serapong as its extremic right fire and Sr. John's island as its extreme left.
The present No. 1 gun having un all round fire to be replaced by an armour piercing gun mounted on an L. S. dwarf traversing platform D pivot, su as to fire just clear of the new guns on the right flank (this being the extreme right of the angle of fire) and from there round to the left through an are of 270°.
-Nos, 2 and 3 guas, at present 7 inches 64 tous, to be replaced by armour piercing guns, their complacements to be lowered 1 fert, and the angle of training increased 10o.
(f.)—-Nos, 4 and 5 gaus, 7 inches 64 tons, to have their emplacements lowered 4 feet.
but otherwise to remain unchanged.
(e)-No. 6 gun, at present a fil-pounder with an all round fire, to be replaced by an armour piercing gun mounted on a.. S. dwarf traversing platform 1 pivot firing through an angle of 270° fron Peak Island on its right round to the South of Blakang Mafi, extreme left fire to be in direction of Middle Island.