144
through the surf on the Back beach; with such boats no enemy's cruizer would be provided, aud
your Sub-Committee are of opinion that even were an attempt made to land, it could be successfully resisted with the Imperial and Colonial land forces, which could be mustered locally.
At present there is nothing to prevent an enemy's ship from-
(a.) Shelling the town of Durban, or laying it under a contribution to avoid being
shelled.
(b.) Making prizes of, or destroying any number of, the vessels in the roadstead. 3. Your Sub-Committee are of opinion that the danger to the shipping in the road- stead and to the town, as above stated, could only be prevented (assuming that no English man-of-war be available) by the erection of a heavy battery on the bluff, and of another on, the sand-hills at the Point or Addington. By the term "battery," expensive permanent works are not intended, but merely heavy guns placed in position behind simple and inexpensive earthworks.
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4. Your Sub-Committee think that, to render the defence of the port complete, each of these batteries should consist of two 18-ton guns; they are advised that these guns could be worked efficiently by the volunteer artillery if properly trained beforehand, with the aid of an officer and a few experienced gunners of the Royal Artillery,
5. Your Sub-Committee are unable to suggest any cheaper means of defending the port.
The vocabulary price of an 18-ton gun is 1,178., and the cost of each round is about 51. 10s. Od.
The exact site of each battery should be fixed by the officer commanding Royal Artillery.
6. The removal of the buoys in the channel and in the neighbourhood of the bar should be effected immediately upon the approach of an enemy's cruizer being known, and this removal would occupy but little time.
7. All vessels approaching or passing the Colony are signalled from the bluff signal station immediately upon their being sighted. No further arrangements are therefore thought necessary except to be in communication with the neighbouring Colonies, so as to receive early intimation as to the approach of an enemy's vessel.
8. All the pilots at the port are Government servants, and are under the orders of the Port-Captain.
9. Your Sub-Committee think that, in case of war, it would be very advisable that all vessels with coal on board should be brought inside the harbour, or have their cargo discharged at the outer anchorage as soon after their arrival as possible, so as to prevent an enemy's cruiser from obtaining supplies of coal.
(Signed)
C. K. PEARSON, Colonel, Commandant Troops. A. H. HIME, Captain, R.E., Colonial Engineer.
145
Council a vote to make provision for procuring two 9-ton guns, with 100 rounds of ammunition for each, and the proper carriages, platforms, &c., for the defence of the
harbour.
No. 257.
Governor Hennessy, C.M.G., to the Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart.--(Received July 27.) (Confidential.) Sir,
Government House, Hong Kong, June 13, 1878. THE question I took the liberty of submitting for your consideration in my despatch of the 24th of May-the formation of a Chinese corps in this Colony-seems to have already, to some extent, engaged the attention of General Donovan. Soon after his arrival, in talking about the inadequate force at his disposal for the complete defence of Hong Kong, he said a trustworthy local corps would be of great practical value in working the guns.
2. I find that Colonel Bassano, who has had four years' experience of the Chinese in this Colony, entertains a high opinion of their soldier-like qualities. He thinks the Chinese we could recruit in Hong Kong would form native regiments, more temperate, docile, and amenable to stricter discipline than any other native troops in Her Majesty's service.
3. Those regiments could doubtless be recruited on the old system of long service, with a prospect of moderate pensions. Apart from the main and more pressing reason for utilizing in this way the Chinese subjects of Her Majesty, the good effect-though it would be slow, and could not be seen for many years-of such pensioners returning again to the general mass of the Chinese population, is not unworthy of consideration in looking to the legitimate action of this Colony in helping to establish British influence in China.
Sir,
.
I bave, &c. (Signed) J. POPE HENNESSY.
No. 258.
Committee Room, Whitehall, July 29, 1878.
May 20, 1878.
Inclosure 2 in No. 256.
Extract from the Minutes of the Executive Council.
Ninth Meeting.-Executive Council, May 14, 1878.
•
•
3. HIS Excellency the Lieutenant-Governór laid upon the table a "Secret" circular despatch from the Secretary of State, for the defence of the Colony under special circum-
stances.
#
The subject referred to the Commandant of troops and the Colonial Engineer for their Report.
•
•
Eleventh Meeting.—June 5, 1878.
•
4. Resubmitted Secretary of State's "Secret circular despatch, relating to the defence of the Colony.
Report of the Sub-Committee, to whom this matter was referred, read. Resolved-That this Council deem it advisable to recommend to the Legislative
Colonial Defence Committee to Colonial Office.
(Secret and Confidential.)
I AM desired by the Committee on Colonial Defence to acknowledge the receipt of your letter marked Secret and Confidential, of the 17th instant,† covering a despatch from his Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong, relative to the possibility of utilizing Hong Kong as a recruiting ground for raising Chinese for the Queen's service.
I am to state, for the information of Secretary Sir Michael Hicks Beach, that they are of opinion that the proposition made by his Excellency appears to them well worthy of consideration, for the reasons stated in the second paragraph on page 15 of their Report on the temporary defences of the Cape of Good Hope, &c.
The Committee, however, are of opinion that, in the first instance, it would be advisable if the Secretary of State for War and His Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding in Chief concurred in requesting his Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong to call upon the General Officer Commanding, in conjunction with some civil officer of the Government well acquainted with the Colony and the habits of the Chinese, to report in detail on the manner in which they would propose to carry into effect the suggestion of the Committee in their Report above referred to, as to the increase of the Gun Lascars, and as to raising a battalion to supplement the European garrison usually maintained at Hong Kong during peace.
It would be advisable that this Report should enter fully into the question whether officers could be found locally for this force, as well as the probable cost of raising and maintaining it.
The Committee would suggest for consideration whether, by a moderate payment, this force might not be raised and trained somewhat as a militia, or reserve, only to be called into permanent service when occasion may require.
If found successful, and not too costly, the more extended proposal of his Excellency
• No. 285.
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+ No. 240.
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