12
Enclosure 2 in No, 6.
MEMORANDUM of the Amount which has been expended on Fort George and Fort William respectively, in each of the last Five Years.
FORT GEORGE.
1864-63
1865-66
1866-67
1867-68
186--09
Total..
13
tion of the garrison for which it pays (a point to which the reminiscences of the state of things during the Indian mutiny gives significance), and lastly, whether the inhabitants of European races, mixed or unmixed, will be allowed to form a militia or corps of volunteers for their own defence.
9. These are grave matters in the social and political condition of Mauritius, and if it be thought prudent to go further than indicate to the Legislature the extent of the force it is intended to keep up, and the total amount of the contribution payable for it, I shall be glad to learn the views of Her Majesty's Government with respect to them, before mooting the subject publicly.
FORT WILLIAM.
£ 12,999
£
1864-65
223
10,556
1865-66
8,033
1866-67
903
2,300
1867-68
436
2.590
1868-69
649
36.478
Total
2,211
The Right Hon. The Earl Granville, K.G.,
&c. &c. &c.
I have, &c. (Signed)
HENRY BARKLY.
(Signed)
March 23, 1869.
W. C. MENZIES, Colonel,
Commanding Royal Engineers.
No. 8.
No. 8.
Page 8.
No. 7.
COPY of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir HENRY BARKLY, K.C.B., to The Earl GRANVILLE, K.G.
(No. 98.) MY LORD,
Mauritius, April 29, 1869.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your Lordship's despatch of the 18th ultimo, No. 82,* transmitting copies of correspondence with the War Office on the subject of the erection of barracks in a healthy locality, and requesting me to report the number of men for whom, in the opinion of my Government, it would be necessary to provide such accommodation; remembering that the amount of military contribution demanded from Mauritius will probably depend on the number of troops stationed there."
2. Having written by last mail to say that I had no objection to urge against the reduced garrison which the military authorities had announced their intention of maintaining for the future in the Colony; viz., one Regiment of Infantry, one company of Royal Artillery, one company of Royal Engineers, it is unnecessary to repeat the reasons which I then assigned for my own acquiescence in so large a reduction.
3. I may, however, add that although it would be advantageous that the new barracks should be capable in case of necessity of containing the entire line regiment, accommodation for six full companies (say 465 men) would be all that is absolutely requisite, as the barracks at Mahebourg, with recent sanitary improvements and other healthy outposts on the coast, would be pretty sure to suffice for the remaining Companies.
4. With regard to the opinions of other officers of this Government, the Colonial Secretary, to whom the Despatches have been shown, considers that, apart from any force of Artillery and Engineers that the Imperial Government may see fit to provide for the fortifications, 500 effective soldiers of the line would be enough for the preservation of internal tranquillity especially if a body of Sikhs be added to the Colonial Police.
5. He believes, further, that the best informed planters, both Creole and English, would be satisfied with such a garrison, or at least would not desire a larger if they had to
for it. ay
6. Mr. Newton concurs with me, nevertheless, in thinking that it is not expedient to bring this point under the consideration of the Council of Government on the strength of the incidental allusion to it in your Lordship's despatch under acknowledgment, but that it would be preferable to await a direct reply to the fresh appeal for a reduction in the subsidy made by the Council when the estimates for the present year were under discussion.
7. That appeal was based on the assumption that the Colonists of Mauritius could not fairly be called upon to pay a higher rate per soldier than that demanded from the neigh- bouring Colonies of Natal and the Cape; but your Lordship is aware that if the question were put to me, I have no authority to answer it in the affirmative nor to explain on what principle payment has been and is to be regulated.
8. Several other inquiries of importance would also probably be raised for the first time, on consulting the Legislature, if not by the unofficial members, by the Press (for it would be vain to contemplate confidential communication on a matter so universally interesting). Such, for example, as whether in calculating the amount of Colonial contribution, the large sums received by the War Department for the lease of land conceded to them on military grounds, the remission of duties on supplies for the troops, &c., are to be taken into account; again, whether the Colony is to continue liable to be suddenly deprived of the protec-
Cory of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir HENRY BARKLY, K.C.B., to The Earl GRANVILLE, K.G.
(No. 138,) MY LORD,
Mauritius, June 2, 1869. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's Despatch of 31st March, No. 96,* announcing that Her Majesty's Government had, after full considera- tion, decided that the troops to be stationed in Mauritius should be a Battery of Royal Artillery, a Company of Royal Engineers, and a Regiment of Infantry, comprising in all, when up to their regular strength, 1,196 men: and further, that as the force at present in the Island fell considerably below this number, and that payment, therefore, at the Australian rate of 401. per man for infantry, and 701. for artillery and engineers, would amount to less than the 45,0001. now required as a military contribution, the Colonial Treasury would not be called on to pay more than a contribution at the Australian rate, the arrangement being, however, subject to revision at the end of three years.
2. This announcement will be communicated to the Council of Government at its next meeting, and I need hardly assure your Lordship that it will be hailed with the liveliest satisfaction both by the Legislature and the public.
3. In the present state of the finances of the Colony, the relief indeed thus afforded is of the greatest assistance, for, as will be seen from the enclosed Report of the Financial Officers, founded on the particulars furnished by the military authorities, the over-payment on the first four months of the present year exceeds 5,000l., a sum which will more than suffice to cover the two next monthly instalments.
4. The Major-General Commanding informs me that he has not yet received any instructions from the Secretary of State for War as to this reduction in the military contribution; but, as pointed-out by the Financial Officers, no inconvenience can arise from withholding instalments on the old scale, inasmuch as whatever funds are wanted for current expenditure will be advanced by the Treasurer to the Deputy Commissary-General in exchange for the usual certificate.
I have, &c. (Signed) HENRY BARKLY.
The Right Hon. The Earl Granville, K.G.,
&c. &c.
&c.
No. 9.
Cory of a LETTER from The Earl GRANVILLE, K.G., to the Right Hon. E. CarDWELL, M.P.
Walmer Castle, December 29, 1869. MY DEAR CARDWELL,
1 DEEPLY regret the delay which has taken place in dealing with these papers. By soli
neglect in the Printing Department of the Office they have been nearly four months 1. aside.
The
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1
tion is of great importance, and one which it is impossible for the Colonial Secretary to a.. For local and Colonial purposes a certain number of troops are required, for which the: ny is fairly chargeable. If you want these troops for Imperial objects, each party ough:
Sir F. Rogers suggests, to pay something less that they would if acting exclusively for the
A large numb.
to protect, for Imper.
» interests.
oops, or some permanent naval defence, is necessary,
noses, this Colony against all comers, in case of war.
if
you
wish
•
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.
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