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mittee, that a despatch has been received from the Marquis of Lorne, inclosing a copy of a letter from the Departinent of the Minister of Militia and Defence, forwarding copies of plans of works recently constructed to protect the harbour of Esquimalt; but as the Secre- tary of State for War is now considering the question of the defence of those places, it has been considered advisable to forward the plans direct to the War Office.
I am, &c. (Signed)
R. H. MEADE,
No. 11.
Colonial Office to War Office.
(Secret and Confidential.) Sir,
Downing Street, February 8. 1879.. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to acknowledge the receipt of your Confidential letter of the 8th ultimo,* suggesting the appointment of a local Com- mittee in Hong Kong to consider the question of the proposed enlistment or employment of Chinese to assist the regular forces in the defence of that station.
2. Sir Michael Hicks Beach will be prepared to instruct Governor Hennessy to appoint a local Committee, as requested by Colonel Stanley; but I am to request that Colonel Stanley's attention may be directed to the letter from the Foreign Office of the 17th October,t in which Lord Salisbury expressed his entire concurrence with the views expressed by Sir Thomas Wade in his letter of the 30th September. In that letter Sir T. Wade observes: "I am opposed, therefore, to enlistment at Hong Kong, or to the employment of Chinese us soldiers, except within very narrow limits;" and it question whether, in his opinion, those limits have not already been reached.
may be a 3. With regard to your observation that Sir Thomas Wade's chief objection to the enrolment of Chinese for service in Hong Kong, namely, that they could not be relied upon in case of a misunderstanding with the Chinese Government, would not hold good in 'the event of war with Russia or any other Power, I am to observe that Sir Thomas Wade's objections apparently related to a state of peace as well as to a state of war; and he appears to think that such a misunderstanding might arise whilst this country was engaged in war with a third Power, as well as at any other time.
4. Sir Michael Hicks Beach would be glad to be favoured with Colonel Stanley's views with regard to the further question raised by Governor Hennessy, viz., of recruiting Chinese regiments for service elsewhere than in Hong Kong, which proposal Sir Thomas Wade appears to favour in his letter already referred to; and I am to request to be informed whether, in the event of a local Committee being appointed in Hong Kong, Colonel Stanley would wish that this question should also be discussed.
I am, &c.
(Confidential.) Sir,
(Signed)
No. 12.
Admiralty to Colonial Office.
R. H. MEADE.
Admiralty, February 12, 1879, WITH reference to previous correspondence respecting the proposal to give up King George's Sound, West Australia, as a coaling station, and to your letter of the 23rd January last, inclosing an extract of a despatch from the Governor of that Colony on the subject, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of Sir Michael Hicks Beach, that they fail to see any reasons advanced in the despatch to cause them to alter the views which their Lordships entertain, and which were communicated to you in my letter dated the 10th May, 1878;§ and they do not propose to have any coal depôt in King George's Sound for Her Majesty's ships.
ROBERT HALL.
(Signed)
I am, &c.
* No. 3.
+ No. 346 of Miscellaneous, No. 35 E.
No. 86 of Miscellaneous, No. 35 E.
+ No, 6.
11
No. 13.
The Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart., to Governor Sir H. St. George Ord, K.C.M.G., C.B. (Secret.)
Sir,
Downing Street, February 20, 1879. · I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Secret and Confidential despatch of the 28th August last, with reference to the defence of Western Australia.
2. I observe with much satisfaction the attention which you have given to the subject of the defence of the Colony under your government, and I have read with con- siderable interest your views upon the question. I have, however, to state that Her Majesty's Government cannot, as you will readily understand, reopen the questions of principle with which your despatch deals.
3. You will perceive, from the accompanying copy of a letter from the Admiralty,† that the Lords Commissioners fail to see any reasons for altering their decision not to retain King George's Sound as a coaling station for Her Majesty's ships.
Sir,
I am, &c.
(Signed)
No. 14.
War Office to Colonial Office. 7
M. E. HICKS BEACH.
War Office, February 21, 1879.
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for War to transmit, for the information of Sir Michael Hicks Beach, the accompanying copy of correspondence from Lieutenant McCallum, R.E., at Singapore, on the subject of the land required for the temporary batteries for the defence of that colony.
Sir,
I
(Signed)
Inclosure 1 in No. 14.
I have, &c.
EUSTACE E. CECIL.
Defence Office, Singapore, January 11, 1879. I HAVE the honour to report that upon receipt of your letter dated the 30th October, 1878, apprising me that the sum of 4,2001. had been authorized for the construction of a battery for three 7-inch guns of 7 tons at Tanjong Katong, I inspected the locality, and wrote a letter (copy inclosed) to the Colonial Government, requesting to be put in possession of a piece of ground of limited area, and received a reply (copy inclosed) suggesting that the price of resumption should be paid for out of the amount authorized for works. This drew from me a rejoinder (copy inclosed), and I have now the honour to report that steps are being taken to place me in immediate possession of the land required, as stated in the closing letter (copy inclosed) of the correspondence thereon. may here state that the Colonial Government will not acknowledge their interests in the new works of defence, as they are desirous of contributing as small a sum as possible towards the cost of construction, and this, no doubt, tends to the delay which has taken place in handing me over the ground required for defence purposes. The Mount Palmer question referred to in my letter, dated the 26th November, has only just been settled sufficiently for me to design and trace the battery to be erected at this site, but I amı now happy to be in a position to report that I break ground on the 14th instant, and hope to get the whole of the earthwork completed, and materials supplied, by the close of the financial year. I will prepare a set of drawings of this battery immediately, and transmit them to the Major-General Commanding for his approval, and that of the Officer Commanding Royal Artillery, prior to their transmission to you.
I am daily expecting the plans and report of Mount Siloso Battery from Hong Kong, when I will at once transmit them to you, as requested in your letter under acknowledgment.
Those of Blakan Mati East Battery are already in your possession, and I am glad to find from your letter, dated 5th December, 1878, that they have given satisfaction. The design of the battery at Tanjong Katong is in course of preparation, and I
[708]
No, 347 of Miscellaneous, No. 35 E.
propose to
+ No. 12.
E
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO