42
No. 97.
Colonial Office to Admiral Sir A. Milne, Bart., G.C.B.
(Secret and Confidential.) Sir,
Douming Street, May 14, 1878. I AM directed by Sir Michael Hicks Beach to transmit to you, for the information of the Colonial Defence Committee, a paraphrase of a telegram from the Governor-General of Canada,* furnishing the information asked for in your letter of the 10th instant, respecting the number of local forces and the number and calibre of guns at certain places within the Dominion.
am,
I &c.
(Signed)
A
R. H. MEADE.
No. 98.
(Confidential.) Sir,
43
No. 101.
Admiralty to Colonial Office.
Admiralty, May 15, 1878. WITH reference to your letter of the 11th instant, respecting the loan of certain guns at Esquimalt, for the defence of that colony, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that a telegram was sent on the 13th instant to the Senior Naval Officer at Esquimalt that the naval guns in store required by the Dominion Government may be lent until replaced from England, or required by Her Majesty's ships.
2. "The Secretary of State for War has been informed as above, and that these guns have been lent on the understanding that others to replace them will be sent out immediately by the War Department.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
ROBERT HALL.
No. 102.
(.
Colonial Office to Admiral Sir A. Milne, Bart., G.C.B.
(Secret and Confidential.) Sir,
Downing Street, May 14, 1878. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, for the consideration of the Colonial Defence Committee, a copy of a letter from Mr. Ussher, the Governor of Labuan,† who is at present in this country, with reference to the position, capabilities, and defence of Labuan; and I am to request that the Committee will favour Sir Michael Hicks Beach with any observations or recommendations which they may have to make on the inclosed letter.
I am, &c. (Signed)
My dear Sir,
No. 99.
Sir H. Barkly to Mr. Meade.
R. H. MEADE.
May 15, 1878. THE Committee was obliged to adjourn early yesterday, before the letter as to Newfoundland arrived. We shall have it before us to-morrow, but I foresee reluctance to going beyond the terms of the reference.
As regards King George's Sound, Mr. Bayley was the Managing Director of the Peninsular and Oriental Company whom I saw on the subject, and who informed me that they only had 3,000 tons of coal there, and did not care to call.
Sir A. Milne, I may mention, is strongly in favour of a small steamer being sent out from Freemantle monthly, to meet the mail steamer to and from Galle, and convey the Western Australian mails. I have iny doubts as to how this would work, but it might be well to inquire of the Post Office, and let the Western Australian Government have the option of making such an arrangement.
No. 100.
I have, &c.
+
(Signed) HENRY BARKLY,
War Office to Colonial Office.
Sir,
Pall Mall, May 15, 1878. WITH reference to your letter of the 4th instant,† transmitting a copy of a letter from the Treasury relative to the proposed expenditure in respect of works, armaments, &c., recommended by the Colonial Defence Committee for the Cape and Eastern Colonies, I am desired by Secretary Colonel Stanley to state that orders have been already given for the dispatch of 35 out of the 49 7-inch guns required for the temporary defence of those colonies, and that he has given instructions that steps should be immediately taken to manufacture the remaining 14 7-inch guns as well as the 32 64-pounder guns, and for the supply of carriages and ammunition for the whole.
I am also to inform you that the greater part of the stores for submarine mining purposes were purchased under the Vote of Credit, and that the necessary supply will be completed, and as soon as arrangements can be made for working them, they will be sent to the stations for which they are proposed.
With respect to that paragraph in your letter in which it is stated that no authority has been given for any expenditure on works, and in which you invite the opinion of the Secretary of State for War on the subject, I am desired by Secretary Colonel Stanley to state that the guns which have been sent out to some of the colonies, and have been ordered for the others, will be useless unless the works are prepared for them, and that as their construction will require some time, he is of opinion that it is desirable that immediate sanction should be given for the expenditure necessary for their construction, so that he may give instructions for their erection, with a view of the guns being mounted on them with the least possible delay on their arrival at their destination.
With reference to the last paragraph of your letter under reply, I am to state that the Secretary of State for War does not propose to extend a portion of the order to Sir W. Armstrong's works at Elswick.
J. C. VIVIAN.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
No. 103.
The Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart., to Governor-General the Earl of Dufferin.
(Telegraphic. Paraphrase.)
Downing Street, May 15, 1878.
I HAVE received your telegram of the 11th instant,‡ and from the first sentence I understand that it is not considered necessary by you to send forces from any other part of Canada to Esquimalt. If there is any prospect of war becoming imminent, immediate information will be conveyed to you.
(Secret and Confidential.)
Sir,
Colonial Office to War Office.
Downing Street, May 16, 1878.
WITH reference to the letter from this Office of the 11th instant,§ I am directed by Sir Michael Hicks Beach to transmit to you, for the information of the Secretary of State for War, the accompanying paraphrase of a telegrans from the Governor-General of Canada, relative to the defence of Esquimalt, with the paraphrase of Sir M. Hicks Beach's reply.[]
I am, &c. (Signed) R. H. MEADE.
• No. 58.
A
+ No. 73.
No. 88.
• No. 92.
† No. 69.
↑ A similar letter was addressed to the Admiralty.
[593]
S No. 01.
Nos. 88 and 100.
N
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
CO. 885
4
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-