PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
4 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
Adelaide and its
to attack.
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Another mode which he might adopt for carrying on hostilities would be to attack Adelaide itself. Having couled at Wallaroo, he would probably steam up St. Vincent's Gulf; or, if he had sufficiently economised his coal during his passage to Australia, he might proceed up to Adelaide without previously replenishing his supply of fuel. In the absence of any means of defence, an enemy might take up a position within shelling distance of the port, and threaten a bombardment, or actually fire into the place. He might also capture the ships in harbour, and land a force, under cover of his guns, with a view of marching into Adelaide and demanding a heavy contribution.
It should be observed that Adelaide is much more open to attack, whether by sea or Port specially open by a force landed for the purpose, than either Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne. Brisbane is situated on a narrow river many miles from the sea; Port Jackson can only be entered by a narrow passage, which can be perfectly defended; Melbourne can be thoroughly defended by torpedoes, and by forts on the shoals within the entrance to Port Philip, and all three capitals of Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria are more or less difficult of approach by an enemy who might desire to attack them by land. On the other hand, the coast in the vicinity of Adelaide is a low, open, sandy beach, on any point of which an enemy could laud, and from whence an approach to the city is clear and open, with abundance of good roads; whilst Port Adelaide is entirely exposed to attack from seaward. → The defence of the capital of South Australia is, therefore, more dependent on naval means
than any of the capitals of the other Australian Colonies.
A vessel of war the best defeuce.
Imperial naval #quadron not available for special local defence.
I
Gunboats not powerful enough.
Haft proposed by Mr. Reed.
Description of
Vessel recoin- mended.
Taking all the circumstances of the case into consideration, I have no doubt that the hest defence of Adelaide and its port, as well as of the commerce of South Australia, would be to provide a vessel of war superior in power to any hostile cruisers that would be likely to appear in these seas. Such a vessel, taking up her position in the Bay on the north side of Kangaroo Island-where there is excellent anchorage, where she could be commu- nicated with by telegraph from Cape Borda, from Sydney or Melbourne, from Adelaide and other places, and whence she would be in a position to move either westward through luvestigator Straits, eastward through the Backstairs Passage, or up St. Vincent's or Spencer's Gulfs, as occasion may require-would be able to afford an active and effective defence against attacks to which this Colony is most likely to be exposed.
It is sometimes argued that the Imperial Naval Squadron would look after any hostile vessels in Australian waters; but when it is considered that that squadron, stnall as it is, and only composed of wooden vessels, is charged with visiting the islands in the South Seas, with the defence of Fiji Islands, of New Zealand, of Tasmania, and of all the Austra lian Colonies, the chance is but small of its being available for the special defence of any one Colony or any particular portion of the coast.
Proposals have been made at different times to provide small gunboats for the defence of Adelaide; and no doubt such vessels, in conjunction with other means, would be useful for this purpose. They are, however, wanting in the essential element of being superior to the vessel or vessels which would be likely to attack the commerce of the Colony or its chief city and port.
A project for an armour-plated raft to carry one gun, and estimated to cost about 65,000, has also been submitted by Mr. Reed, the late Chief Constructor of the Navy. Such a description of vessel, however, would be altogether novel, and would partake moje or less of the nature of an experiment; and whatever might be the value, for the protection of the port, of the one gun which it is proposed to mount in her in such a very little use for way that it would be easily silenced by an enemy's fire, she would be of the general defence of the commerce of the Colony.
I would recommend that an iron-clad war vessel somewhat similar to one built about a year ago in England for the Portuguese Government should be provided for the service of South Australia. This is a three-masted sea-going vessel, intended to aid in the defence of the Tagus and Lisbon, and capable of cruizing to the Azores and the other Portuguese Colonies. It appears to me that the conditions which she was designed to fulfil are just those which are required for this Colony. The displacement tonnage of this vessel is about 2,500 tons, her length about 220 feet, her breadth 40 feet, her depth 25 feet. She is not a turret ship, but has a fixed battery, protected by armour 10 inches thick, which projects beyond the sides, and is so arranged that the guns-two in number, i.e., either side can fire fore and aft as well as broadside. Each of these guns is about 18 tons in weight. There is also a gun at the stern of about six or seven tons weight, and from these three guns an all-round fire can be obtained. The vessel also carries four small pieces of artillery for purposes for which the heavy and more powerful orduance are not required. She is further constructed as a ram-the bow being specially strengthened for this object and the armour-belt, which is 9 inches thick, is carried down to the extreme point of the ram, about 8 feet below the water-line. She has a raised forecastle,
one on
141
designed for protection against heavy seas, and she has a poop covering the stern gun. Her draught is about 19 feet, and about 17 feet forward. She is constructed with numerous water-tight compartments. The nominal horse-power of the engines is 450, and the speed of the vessel on her trial trip was at the rate of about 13 knots an hour. The vessel ordered for South Australia should, in addition to her battery and ramming power, be fitted for propelling the Whitehead torpedo.
A vessel of this description would probably be less costly than one like the "Cerberus," and would be also capable of going to sea, whilst the "Cerberus" is essentially a harbour- defence vessel.
be consulted,
Before finally deciding, however, on the nature of war vessel to be obtained for the Her Majesty's defence of South Australia, it is most desirable that a communication should be made 10 Government should Her Majesty's Government, with a view of obtaining the opinion of the Admiralty as to the precise description of ship they would recommend, and in order to ascertain the expense which it would be necessary for the Colony to incur for providing such vessel, as also for manning and maintaining her.
It is, indeed, most desirable that the drawings for the vessel, the contract for building her, and the supervision of the work should be undertaken by the Admiralty, provided Her Majesty's Government can make arrangements for meeting the wishes of the South Australian Government in this respect.
It should be observed that it will be unnecessary to have a full complement of officers Manning of the and men on board the vessel except during war. In peace-time there should be a commander vessel. in charge, two lieutenants, two engineers, two gunners, one paymaster, twenty-five petty officers, seamen, and stokers, and about twenty boys. The additional crew during war-- except extra engineers and stokers, who would have to be specially engaged could be supplied by seamen, organized as a Naval Reserve, properly trained during peace-time, and receiving an annual payment for their services.
Adelaide and Port
As regards the defence of the capital of the Colony and its port, it is desirable to Land defences guard against the chance of the war vessel not being on the spot at the required moment, recommended for and of some little time elapsing before she could arrive at the scene of attack.
It should, Adelaide. moreover, be observed, that local defences at the capital would render the war-vessel more readily available for general defence.
With this view, I think it desirable-
(a.) That a battery for three heavy guns of 18 tons weig it should be constructed on
the sand-hills near the Semaphore, and another for two 12-ton”: us (already in the Colony) should be placed about three miles to the north of it:
(b.) That the military road, already in course of construction, should be extended so
as to afford ready communication behind the sand-hills for field guns and infantry from Lefevre's Peninsula to Marino:
(c.) That a few electro-contact torpedoes should be provided, to be placed across the Port Creek and
(d.) That a force necessary for manning the defences and opposing a landing should be maintained:
The force I would recommend to be maintained is as follows:-
For land defence-
Permanent Artillery
Volunteer Artillery
Volunteer Cavalry
Volunteer Infantry
Total
::::
Forte required.
Officers and Men.
80
100
60
700
910
This number is irrespective of the small permanent naval force, about 50 strong, and the Daval reserve, about 150 strong, which will be required for the proposed war-vessel.
The capital cost of the scheme I recommend would be approximately as follows:--
Battery at Semaphore
Military road and works connected therewith
Field guns, torpedo stores, buildings, and contingencies
Total
£
10,000
15,000
10,000
35,000
This is irrespective of the cost (probably 150,0001.) of an iron-clad war-vessel, with armarment complete, with reference to which communication. should in the first instance be made to Her Majesty's Government.
The following is an approximate estimate of the annual expenditure :
1793]
Esti:nated capital expenditure.
Estimated annual
expenditure.
X
•
*