2
4. Munden's Hill, 450 feet-
3
Report.
HELIGOLAND.
THE Committee have had under their consideration the question of the defence of Heligoland, together with the correspondence referred to them by the Colonial Office letter of the 11th April.
The island of Heligoland is in the open sea, about 30 miles from the German coast, and is about 1 mile in length by mile broad. The chief part of the island is 160 feet above the sea, surrounded by perpendicular cliffs; and the only approach to the small town on the upper plateau is by a flight of steps. Below this cliff at the south end of the island is a beach, only a few feet above the level of the sea, upon which the lower town is built.
It is evident that with the aid of slight works, and a drawbridge on the steps leading to the upper town, a very few men would suffice to defend the upper plateau of the island against attack, and would even render a landing on the beach below a work of much danger. Still no amount of works and no guns will afford protection for the town and its inhabitants against a bombardment from the open sea.
The question of the construction of works for the defence of Heligoland was under the consideration of the Secretary of State for War so lately as 1875, and again in 1876, when it was decided, after full consideration of the subject, not to erect any permanent works for its defence. The Committee find that subsequently to this decision, three 40-pr. and two 12-pr. breech-loading rifled guns, with 25 Snider rifles, were sent on loan to the island in October, 1876, when the guns were slung up to the upper town. No batteries or emplacements whatever have, so far as is known, been constructed for these guns, nor any works to protect the stairs leading to the upper town. The Committee, however, do not recommend the construction of works for mounting these guns, but think it would be well to make a cut in the steps leading to the upper town, with a 'moveable bridge, so that access from the lower town may be interrupted; when with the assistance of some trenches at the top, and the addition of 45 men to the garrison in case of war, as proposed by the Governor, the upper plateau, and with it the island, will be secured against a coup de main.
In making these recommendations, the Committee desire to point out that these measures will not secure the town against bombardment.
ST. HELENA.
St. Helena possesses no harbour, but has only an open roadstead. Although ships can coal in the open anchorage in fine weather, it cannot be considered as a port of refuge or as a coaling station, there being no protection for ships at anchor in the road- stead, nor any possibility of protecting them effectively from the shore. Its principal use, therefore, in war, will be as a port of call, and as such it should be protected against hostile occupation.
The defences are of considerable extent, having been constructed before the intro- duction of rifled artillery, and only partly modified to meet the requirements of modern warfare. The island, however, is very difficult of access, and is not an object which an enemy would incur much risk, or expend any great energy, in attacking.
The defences consist of the following works:-
1. Ladder Hill Battery, 609 feet above the sea, with an armament of-
3 7-in. breech-loading rifled guns.
2 68-pounder smooth bore guns.
6 13-in. mortars,
11 18-pounder smooth bore guns, for saluting.
2. Lemon Valley, 127 feet-
Armament, 2 7-in. breech-loading rifled guns.
3. Munden's Point, 104 feet-
Armament, 8 7-in. muzzle-loading rifled guas.
Armament, 3 88-pounder smooth-bore guns.
2 18-in. mortars,
5. High Kuoa keep containing the principal magazine.
6. James Town Lines, armed with 3 8-in, howitzers, and intended to resist a boat attack.
There are also six 12-pounder breech-loading rifled guns in store.
The Committee are informed that Ladder Hill and Lemon Valley batteries are for the moment complete, although it is intended to introduce some modification in their armaments; but that Munden's battery, which was originally intended for six guns to be mounted in casemates protected by iron shields, is in a very incomplete state; casemates have been built for only three guns, which are mounted in them, but not behind shields.
The guns that are omitted are quite as important as those that are mounted.
The Committee are informed that the Defence Committee have recommended that this battery should be completed with two 9-inch 12-ton guns, and that five 64-pounder rifled guns should be mounted on the heights above.
As there are no 12-ton guns at present available, and the erection of the necessary works for mounting them would involve great delay, the Committee recommend, as a temporary measure in the event of war, pending the erection of shields, that a double row of rope mantlets should be stretched across the casemates in which the three guns are mounted, to catch any shells or splinters which may enter them, and prevent them from being thrown back upon the men.
The garrison of St. Helena consists at present of :-
Royal Artillery
Royal Engineers
?
Infantry, one company
Total
60 22
96
178
This garrison is altogether insufficient to occupy the works in war, and would have
to be brought up to a full battery of artillery and 500 infantry to give the island security against attack.
The male population amounts to about 3,000, and it has been suggested that a force of 300 men could be raised at short notice, who, from their knowledge of the island, would form a valuable contingent to the regular forces. It was at the same time suggested that rifles should be sent out to arm them,
The Committee are of opinion, that it is most desirable that every encouragement should be given, and the militia force developed to the utmost, arms being sent out for their use; in which case it might possibly not be necessary to increase the garrison to the extent suggested.
Considering the very limited inducement there is for an enemy to attack St. Helena, there being little or no trade to injure, and no productions worth taking, there being, moreover, only a limited supply of coal for the use of Her Majesty's ships, or for ships of commerce, the Committee consider that the recommendations they have made will, if adopted, suffice to secure the island against any probable attack.
SIERRA LEONE.
Sierra Leone, being situated very nearly half way between England and the Cape of Good Hope, and possessing a safe harbour, easy of access, in which respect it is superior to St. Helena and Ascension, will become of great importance in the event of war, and the more so, as the Cape de Verde Islands belonging to a foreign Power will not then be available for the coaling of Her Majesty's ships. The harbour of Sierra Leone, more- over, has this advantage, that it extends a long way iuland, so that if the entrance can be closed against ships, it will afford a port of refuge as well as a secure station for coaling
at all times.
There are no defences at present, but the entrance being only 3,000 yards wide between the south shore and the middle ground shoal, the Committee are of opinion that one or two batteries, mounting together three 7-ton and three 64-pounder rifled guns, erected on a convenient site or sites to be selected on the south shore between King Tom's Point and Cape Sierra Leone, would secure the harbour and town against any attack to which they may be exposed from a light aquadron.
These works will, of course, require to be protected against any force that may be
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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