PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
c.o.
Reference :-
885
4
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
48
Inclosure in No. 114.
Amended Memorandum submitted to Lieutenant-General commanding.
Colombo, April 16, 1878. SUGGESTED that the following distribution of guns for the defence of the harbours of Ceylon be made, viz. :—
Colombo.
One 40-pounder Armstrong gun at Eukhuysen.
Three 64-pounder rifled muzzle-loading guns at Battenburgh; two 64-pounder rifled muzzle-loading guns at Mutwal. On 8-inch smooth-bore carriages and platforms,
Galle.
One 7-inch breech-loading rifled gun at Utrecht Bastion, in addition to a similar gun already mounted there.
Trincomalee.
Three 64-ton 7-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns in Prince Regent's Battery, Fort Osten- burgh; one 40-pounder Armstrong gun in ditto; two 6-ton 7-inch rifled muzzle-loading gun in Fort Frederick to protect the Back Bay and Dutch Bay anchorages.
No mention has been here made of three 68-pounder smooth-bore guns now at Trincomalee; these might perhaps be utilized at that station if there are traversing platforms for them. They do not seem to be well adapted for the defence of the Colombo roadstead, their range being insufficient.*
There is a wood garrison carriage with sliding dwart platform in store at Colombo, which is available for the 7-inch breech-loading rifled gun to be brought from Trincomalee to Galle.
The five 64-pounder rifled muzzle-loading guns would have to be brought from Trincomalee to Colombo; also one 40-pounder Armstrong with carriage, &c., and one 7-inch breach-loading rifled gun to Galle.
I Two 8-inch smooth-bore guns at Gaile would have to be dismounted, and their carriages, platforms, and racers brought to Colombo.
The five 6 ton rifled muzzle-loading guns proposed to be mounted at Forta Ostenburgh and Frederick, Trincomalee, have naval slides and carriages complete. Fastenings would have to be improvised for these similar to those used for gun slides on board ship.
Suggested that application be made to the Admiral to have the five 6-4-pounder rifled muzzle-loading guns, one 40-pounder Armstrong gun, and one 7-inch breech-loading rifled gun brought round in one of Her Majesty's ships on the first opportunity,
(Signed) J. G. JERVOIS, Colonel, R.E., Commanding
Royal Engineer.
T. P. SMITH, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding
Royal Artillery in Ceylon.
暑
Possibly the "Serendib" may be able to bring round these guns, the weight of which is approximately: 71 cwt., 64-pounder rifled muzzle-loading gun; 82 cwt., 7-inch breech- loading rifled gun; 35 cwt., 40-pounder Armstrong gun.
J. G. J. T. P. 8.
There are also four wrought iron rifled breech-loading guns of screw 8 cwt., two of which might prove very useful in the defence of any of the detached harbours along the coast.
Suggested that two of these with limbers complete in all details, including 100 rounds of ammunition and petty stores, be brought round at the same time.t
• This may be an after consideration, as they do not seen well adapted for the purpose.
↑ This I would defer for the present.
J. G. J. T. P. S.
I
49
approve of these suggestions made by the officer commanding Royal Engineers and officer commanding Royal Artillery.
(Signed)
No. 115.
JOHN A. STREET,
Lieutenant-General.
Colonial Office to Admiral Sir A. Milne, Bart., G.C.B.
(Secret and Confidential.)
Sir,
Downing Street, May 20, 1878. WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 14th instant,* I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, for the information of the Colonial Defence Committee, copies of paraphrases of telegrams which have passed between this Department and the Governor of Newfoundland, since the date of the letter above referred to,† respecting the defence of that Colony and the supply of
guns.
No. 116.
I am, &c., (Signed) R. H. MEADE.
Admiral Sir A. Milne, Bart., G C.B., to Colonial Office.
War Office, May 20, 1878. THE Committee have had under consideration the letter of the Under-Secretary of State of the 18th instant, in which they are requested to advise as to the disposal of twenty-five Whitehead torpedoes placed by the Admiralty at the disposal of the Colonial Office for the defence of Colonial ports.
The Committee have ascertained that carefully-selected men, suited for the work, may be trained in about three weeks on board the Admiralty training ship to take charge of and use these torpedoes, and are of opinion that not less than two such men should be sent to each station to which these locomotive torpedoes are supplied. These men would be capable of training others, so that the system of working once established in a colony
might be retained in it for future emergencies.
The employment of these torpedoes entails also the provision of air-pumps for charging them, the due working of which will require an engine of not less than 13 horse- power. The Committee, therefore, are compelled to limit their recommendation to those ports at which the necessary steam-power and other requisite appliances may be expected to be found.
The appliances comprise one or more boats or steam-launches, which will require to be specially fitted; together with a superintendent or officer in charge, and a crew of 6 to 8 or 10 men, in addition to the trained men above referred to.
The ports, then, to which the Committee recommend that these torpedoes should be
sent are:-
Singapore Hong Kong Esquimalt Cape Town
Total
::::
::::
6667
25
If this distribution should meet with the approval of the Secretary of State, the Committee would recommend that application should be made to the Admiralty to allow some special officer, thoroughly conversant with the care and use of these torpedoes, to superintend their packing and preparation and that of the requisite articles and stores for each Colony, also the selection and training of the men to accompany and take charge of them. It would also be necessary that he should prepare full and clear instructions as to the boat and other fitments to be provided in the ports themselves, and as to practice with the torpedoes, such as, with the information posesssed by the trained men, may enable an officer to take the general superintendence and care of these machines and their application.
• No. 96.
↑ Nos. 104 and 108.
W