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No. 175.
Governor Sir A. Musgrave, K.C.M.G., to the Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart.—
(Received June 17.)
(Confidential.) Sir,
King's House, Jamaica, West Indies, May 23, 1878.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt, on the 19th instant, of your despatch, marked Secret and Confidential, and dated on the 30th ultimo.*
87
force may speedily be organized which ought to render a successful landing impossible, and which would enable the Governor to resist any attempt to levy contributions from the Colony,
Ill not fail to bear in mind the instructions conveyed to me by the 3rd, 4th, and 5th paragraphs of your despatch.
I have, &c. (Signed) HENRY T. IRVING.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
A. MUSGRAVE
No. 176.
Governor Sir H. Irving, K.C.M.G., to the Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart.— (Received June 17.) (Secret.) Sir,
Trinidad, May 27, 1878. I HAVE delayed to reply to your Circular despatch, marked Secret, of the 20th March,t until I should have an opportunity of conferring on the subject with Major-General Farren, commanding the troops in Barbados. This opportunity was afforded me by a visit which General Farren paid to Trinidad on the 9th instant. I have subsequently had an oppor- tunity of consulting with Colonel Fowler, commanding the Royal Engineers in Barbados, who passed through Trinidad last week on his way to British Guiana.
Trinidad possesses no shore defences whatever. The navigation is perfectly easy, and there is nothing to prevent a hostile cruizer from entering the Gulf of Paria and threatening the two sea-ports of the Island, viz., Port of Spain and San Fernando.
The chief protection to these towns against the attack of such a cruizer consists in the shoalness of the water; but there is nothing to prevent her from destroying the shipping which lies out in the open roadsteads, or from shelling the towns at long range. This could be prevented only by the presence of a naval force, or by the construction of batteries of heavy guns on shore, or possibly by the employment of torpedoes. The adoption of any means for this purpose must, of course, rest with Her Majesty's Government.
All that the Colonial Government can do is to devise means for repelling an attempt at landing from a hostile vessel or vessels. This the Colonists should have no difficulty in doing provided that they are armed, disciplined, and properly commanded.
The armed force of the Island at present consists of one company of the 35th Regi- ment, and a police force numbering 250 men of all ranks armed with Snider rifles. There are no spare rifles or ammunition in store, nor any, I understand, in store at Barbados.
I venture respectfully to suggest that an adequate supply of rifles and ammunition should be despatched to Barbados, to be available for the militia or volunteer forces in the several Islands. Whether a few light guns should not also be furnished to this Colony is a matter which it will be for Her Majesty's Government to determine.
In the event of an outbreak of war, the suggestions I have to offer are that a Field Officer with suitable Staff be appointed to take command of the troops and local forces in Trinidad.
2. That, if possible, the strength of the regular troops in the Island be increased to two companies.
3. That the Governor be authorized to raise volunteer rifle corps of such numerical strength as may be found practicable.
4. And also a Yeomanry corps, which would be useful for patrol or scout duty, and also for maintaining order in case of popular excitement consequent on the threatened landing.
With such a force of regular troops and volunteers, ably commanded, well armed, instructed and drilled, and with the addition (if possible) of a battery of light field artillery, Trinidad ought to be able to give a good account of any hostile landing.
Any damage which a single cruizer or small squadron could do the Colony without landing would consist in the mere destruction of property, for which pecuniary compen- different sation could be claimed at the close of the war. But a landing would be a very matter; and the Colonial Government ought to be strong enough to resist any such attempt, and to maintain its ground until the arrival of naval assistance. The Colony will, I am sure, readily furnish and equip any number of men that may be required for the purpose; and if Her Majesty's Government supply the necessary armament and staff, a
• No. 62.
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No. 177.
h
The Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart., to the Right Hon. Sir H. B. Frere, Bart
G.C.B., G.C.S.I. (No. 89.) Sir,
Downing Street, June 17, 1878. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 105 of the 6th May," forwarding copies of the Government "Gazette" containing the draft Bills relating to the defence of the Colony, which it is the intention of your Ministers to introduce in the present Cape Parliament, together with copies of the "Cape Argus," giving an abstract of these measures.
I have to express to you my satisfaction at this evidence of the earnest efforts which are being made by your Government to provide an efficient force for the defence of the Colony.
I have, &c. (Signed) M. E. HICKS BEACH.
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No. 178.
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Governor Lieutenant-General Sir A. Phayre, G.C.M.G., K.C.S.I., C.B., to the Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart.-(Received June 19.)
(No. 13. Secret.)
Sir,
Government House, Mauritius, May 23, 1878.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your circular (Secret), dated the 20th March last,t relative to the defence of the Colony, which reached me on the 3rd instant.
2. I have consulted with the commanding officer, Colonel A. W. Murray, upon this subject. It is most probable that an enemy's cruizer or a small squadron, if determined to attack this island, would do so by appearing off Port Louis, and demanding either a sum money and stores, or some other contribution, to save the town from destruction. The town is open to an attack by a ship remaining even outside the harbour,
of
3. Should the attack be threatened by one or more unarmoured ships, the guns of Fort George, at the entrance of the harbour, will make a good defence, and I have no anxiety as to the result. But should even one ironclad appear, I see no means of making effective resistance. After such an enemy's ship had, by a few discharges, disclosed the nature of her armament, and if her guns were found to be such as most armoured ships carry, probably the best plan would be to come to terms. This, however, is entirely my own view, which has not been communicated to the commanding officer; and any such arrangement would be delayed as long as possible to give time for the arrival of a British man-of-war. Should terms not be come to with an armoured ship, it is certain that the whole of the town of Port Louis might be set on fire. Nearly every house is built of wood. Government and private property to a large amount would be destroyed, and even with every precaution having been taken there must inevitably ensue a great loss of life among the inhabitants.
4. There are no means of forming a local force except from the rifle club, and those gentlemen of the island, Europeans and creoles, who would be willing to give their services. These would, no doubt, be of great use as an aid to the regular troops, to resist a landing of seamen or of troops in boats. But if the attack has been made by an armoured ship, such landing would not be required for an enemy to effect his object. His guns would either have shown what he might do, and so have forced terms, or would have left nothing to be still defended, except the honour of the garrison:
5. The measures which have been adopted so far are as follows:-
More rapid and distinct report than heretofore to be transmitted to the harbour-master
• No. 147
+ No. 15.
PUBLIC RECORD' OFFICE
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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