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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
19
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Reference:-
C.O. 882
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
Enclosure No. 2, page 8.
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6. His Excellency has favoured me with a reply, by which it would seem that in his opinion this amalgamation would not be convenient. From his letter I however find that the annual expense of the naval civil department amounts to The nature and quantity of stores do not appear. 2,3651. 17. ld. per annum. They are generally reported however to be infinitely greater than necessary, and have been collected and sent out no doubt under an impression that the naval force would be on a more extensive scale than it now is, or is ever likely to be. By Sir Henry Pottinger's letter No. 29 of 3rd April, 1843, to the Earl of Aber. deen, I find that he proposed the following as a fitting naval force for the station.
4 Frigates.
7 Brigs.
3 Large Steamers.
2 Small ditto
7. I am of opinion that all provisions and stores of every description beyond what may be required for a force of 1,500 men should be dispensed with; and it will then remain for the proper authorities in England to decide whether the army commissariat is not capable of performing a part of this duty. duties incidental to the army commissariat I shall hereafter remark.
On the
In
8. The naval storehouses are in a most dilapidated state, and should be The Admiral states that he has recommended to the Lords taken down. Commissioners of the Admiralty the occupation of what are termed the " Albany Godowns," (forfeited to the Crown), as well adapted for naval purposes. this proposition I fully concur; but I understand that the Royal Engineers have estimated that it will cost 5000l. to put them in repair, their original cost being somewhat less than 3000% !!
9. There is however a capital house and godown, built at a cost of about 42,000 dollars, and for which the Government once offered 40,000 dollars, now for sale: it might possibly be had for 20 to 25,000 dollars, and had I any voice in this question, I should strongly advocate its being purchased, in preference to repairing the Albany Godowns.
10. In considering the quantity of naval provisions consumed in China, it should not be forgotten that fresh provisions are usually served out to the . Beamen. The annual expenditure of salt provisions on this account can be easily ascertained in England, and if it be comparatively small, a very limited space would I imagine be necessary for the storing of the other articles of provision, most, if not all of which, save spirits, are procurable on the spot. I would here, for easy reference, remark, that the European troops during six months of the year get fresh beef and bread daily, and that during the other six months, they are supplied with salt beef and pork ONCE in each week. Taking the regimental force therefore at 600 men, the expenditure of salt provisions may be estimated at from 70 to 80 tierces
per annum.
11. His Excellency in his letter to my address speaks of 2,150 men being victualled at Hong Kong on the 6th of April. This, I need scarcely say, was accidental, the force having been collected with reference to the possibility of its being required to enforce our treaty right of entrance into the city of Canton. This will not occur again, and the force at Hong Kong is not likely to exceed one frigate and one steamer.
12. I wish with the Admiral that one half of the splendid range of stores crected for the Ordnance could be devoted to the navy, and I imagine that if we only had the proper quantity of stores for a force of 1,200 men military, they might be so occupied.
13. Before I conclude my remarks on the naval department, I would observe that Sir Francis Collier appears to consider Hong Kong as the head- quarters of Her Majesty's ships; and should this be the case, then a corresponding reduction can be made at Trincomalee. It matters little where any necessary expense is incurred, but the same expense for establishment cannot be requisite at Trincomalee and at Hong Kong also: at one place or the other therefore reduction should take place. To myself it is indifferent where the reduction does take effect, as I can have no possible object in view but the good of the public service; and having so recently entered the service of the Crown, I am of necessity free from all professional jealousies, as also from all prejudices in avour of one branch of the service over the other.
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14. The establishment of the Naval Storekeeper and Agent Victualler
stands thus:-
STOREKEEPER'S DEPARTMENT.
Naval Storekeeper and Agent Victualler
1 Clerk
1 Clerk
1 Storeman
£66 13
-
Victualling Money, £27 −7/ |
4 Boatmen, 5 Labourers
834 Additional extra Labourers for Service of Establishment House Rent for Naval Storekeeper and Agent Victualler Stationery
-
Master commanding Store-Ship "Minden," and as Queen's
Harbour Master
AGENT VICTUalleb's DepARTMENT.
Agent Victualler, paid as Naval Storekeeper.
1 Clerk
1 Clerk
1 Storeman
·
£66 13 4
Victualling Money, £27 7
1 Cooper
ditto
1 Cooper @ 6d. per day, borne on "Minden's" books as Cooper's
Crew
Victualling Money
1 Cooper 1s. 9d. per day, as Cooper's Crew Victualling Money
•
5 Victualling Labourers
474 Additional extra Labourers
Allowance Stationery
Police Force
Total
£
600 0 0
260
2000
40009
175 0 0
94 0 10
137 10 0 28 19 2
100 0 0
15 0 0
100 0 0
1,500 10 0
0 0
0
200 0 0
175
0 0
94 0 10
94
0 10
36 10 0
£ 9 2 6
£27 7 6
£31 18 9
59 6 3
£27 7 6
76 0 0
16 9
15 0 0
100 0 0
£2,365 17 1
Enclosure No. 3.
15. With reference to the military department, I beg to annex a letter page 11. which I addressed to Major-General Staveley, as well as his reply thereto, inclosing a report from the respective officers of ordnance, with several documents which 12. will be noticed below, and amongst these a return of troops serving in the page 13. China command.
Enclosure No. 4,
Enclosure No. 5,
Enclosure No. 6,
ment.
page 15.
16. Enclosure No. 7, will explain the extent and nature of the Ordnance page 14. stores, and that it far exceeds the wants of the force in China is obvious. It Ordnance Depart- is impossible for me to specify each article of which there is a superfluity; Enclosure No. 7. but I will remark on a few that appear amongst the most prominent, By reference to the returns it will be seen that we have no less than 163 pieces of ordnance, of which 54 are 32-pounders, and 20 are 18-pounders; and that there are about 41,000 pounds of powder, and not less than 1,831,529 balled musket cartridges, and 62,000 blank musket cartridges; 35,873 fuzees, 28,400 loose round shot, besides strapped and fixed, ready for service.
17. Enclosure No. 8, will show that during the past year only 206,283 ball Enclosure No. 8, and blank cartridges, and 23,159 pounds of gunpowder have been issued, which page 35. is a tolerable proof that of this article we have quite enough already; and yet
within these past few days 523 additional quarter barrels containing 261,500 Enclosure No. 9,
Palmyra." I propose therefore page 35. musket ball cartridges have arrived by the "
that the question should be submitted to the proper authorities, and no further ordnance stores than what are required for a force, say of 2000 men, which would include the demands of the navy, should be retained; and that the remainder of what what might be good and useful should be sent to Ceylon, or to England, where they may be of use to the service, instead of, as must be the case, becoming unserviceable and useless here; and what might prove in the latter state should be disposed of by auction on the spot or destroyed."
18. By thus relieving the ordnance storekeeper of the charge of a quantity of unnecessary and useless stores, he would, in my judgment have sufficient time to take on him some part of the duties at present performed by the naval store- keeper, leaving the supplying of provisions, &c., to the army commissariat department.
19. From the statement of Mr. St. Hill, the Ordnance Storekeeper, an Enclosure No. 10, officer of long standing and great respectability, it certainly does appear that he page 36.
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