48
(vide III), I would recommend that this force should be marine artillery for the following reasons:---
1. Being completely under the command of the Admiral of the Station there would be no divided responsibility.
2. The armament at present mounted is of the naval pattern, and could be replaced, from the Dockyard stores, together with ammunition, &c. Repairs could necessary, also be performed by the Dockyard artificers.
if
3. The pay, supplies, and clothing of such force could all be carried out by the Admiralty authorities.
4. If any other force than marine artillery were employed it would necessitate special pay, commissariat, store, and medical departments.
Local Force. The employés of the Dockyard, who are entirely naval artificers and have served afloat, should be embodied as a battery of 'auxiliary artillery on the principle of the old Dockyard battalions, under the command of the Superintendent of the Dockyard. The terms of their engagement render them liable to this service, which, I have no doubt, they would be quite willing to render.
This battery could be specially considered as a garrison for the two Moncrieff pita on Signal Hill, the lift carriages for which could be kept in complete working order by them with the aid of the machine shops within a few hundred yards. As to feasibility of repair, no better arrangement could well be imagined.
For the construction of the proposed batteries a company of Royal Engineers would be required; if they were retained as part of the permanent garrison, the objections to a garrison from the Royal Artillery as requiring a special supply department would not hold good.
The smallest permanent garrison of regular trained artillerymen to guard and fight the guns for the protection of Victoria and the harbour, including the batteries at Finlayson Point, Victoria Point, and that proposed for Holland Point, which are separated by considerable distances, would be 100 gunners, with a proper proportion of officers and non-commissioned officers.
1. I concur with Lieutenant-Colonel Irwin that, owing to the isolated position of Victoria, the very limited number of its population, and the high rate of wages paid for labour, special and almost insuperable difficulties are placed in the way of the establish ment of anything like an efficient volunteer force sufficiently numerous or well trained for the purpose of manning this number of guns and maintaining an effective fire against ships in motion, a duty the successful performance of which requires the greatest possible amount of training and intelligence on the part of the gunners.
2. This force would serve as a nucleus and training school for the volunteers, could be profitably employed in the care of the several batteries, guns, stores, &c., and if a sufficient number of artificers, such as stonemasons, bricklayers, and carpenters, several of whom are generally found in the ranks of "A" and "B" batteries, were included in their number, the work of converting the present earthen batteries into defences of a more permanent character could be gradually carried on with considerable economy of expenditure.
3. This force would have to furnish detachments for Nanaimo, New Westminster, or Burrard Inlet, in view to the protection of the Continental terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railroad.
4. Experience has shown that the organization of the Canadian Gunnery Schools is better suited to the instruction and training of volunteer militia artillery than the mere presence of a garrison of Royal, or Royal Marine Artillery, as at Halifax.
The annexed communication, "C," from Captain Dupont (Acting Deputy Adjutant- General, No. 11 Military District), shows the authorized strength of the volunteer militia of Vancouver Island and British Columbia, and gives the probable number of men capable of bearing arms that would be available in case of emergency. Captain Dupont, who commands the battery of volunteer militia artillery, is a zealous and intelligent officer, whose opinion may be relied upon, and who deserves great credit for the efficiency he has produced in the battery under his command, the care he has taken of the batteries and armament in his charge, and, indeed, for the manner he has performed the duties of Deputy Adjutant-General during the absence of Lieutenant- Colonel Houghton, Deputy Adjutant-General. My personal thanks are due to him for the assistance he rendered. me at Victoria. He proposes to qualify by a course of instruction at one of the Gunnery Schools, which will, I trust, be sanctioned.
The force of volunteer militia at Victoria was inspected by Colonel Lovell, C.B., R.E., who expressed a favourable opinion of their efficiency, especially of their gun practice.
49
Since the death of Sergeant Bramah, late Royal Artillery, Assistant Gunnery Instructor from "A" battery, Captain Tatlow, who has obtained a first class long course certificate from "B" battery, has been appointed Caretaker and Instructor to the volunteer militia artillery; from my knowledge of him as an officer I have no doubt he will perform his duties satisfactorily.
I have to recommend, with a view to better training and instruction, that the increase to the battery of garrison volunteer militia artillery take the form of a second battery by changing No. 1 Company of rifles into artillery (a change they themselves desire), as there are not sufficient men of the class willing to enrol to keep up the increased strength of artillery and rifles.
The battery of artillery commanded by Lieutenant Pittendrigh, late Her Majesty's
3rd Regiment, might be completed by the addition of ten men and an officer, and a suitable equipment supplied, their gun-carriages being rotten.
A fourth battery should be raised at Nanaimo. The whole making a brigade of four batteries, commanded by Captain Dupont, with rank as Lieutenant-Colonel, with Captain Tatlow as Adjutant, Gunnery Instructor, and Quartermaster.
The strength of 100 gunners for "C" battery, C. A., is calculated upon allowing four men per gun, regular artillery, for the batteries at Victoria, besides furnishing detachments for Nanaimo and New Westminster. The brigade of 160 men, volunteer militia artillery, making up the complement required for efficient working of the batteries as well as manning the four 16-pounder heavy field guns and two 24-pounder howitzers at New Westminster, which might be found useful in securing the roads from the south which unite at New Westminster on the opposite side of the Fraser River.
The position of New Westminster is a naturally strong one, between the frontier and Burrard Inlet. The single road from the south, through a densely-wooded ridge on the south bank of the Fraser River, opposite New Westminster, could be closed by Captain Pittendrigh's guns flanked by the rifle company and by auxiliary Indian sharpshooters.
Sir,
(0.)
Strength of the Volunteer Militia of British Columbia, and amount of able-bodied men available for training on emergency.
Military District No. 11, Victoria, British Columbia,
September 24, 1879.
I have the honour, in accordance with your instructions, to report that the strength of the active militia in the Province of British Columbia is as follows:-
Victoria Battery, Garrison Artillery No. 2
No. 1 Company Rifles, Victoria
Garrison Artillery, New Westminster Rifle Company
Nanaimo
Total ..
14
::::::
Authorized Number.
Actual Number.
Non-Com.
Officers.
Officers and
Officers.
Men.
Non-Com Officers and Men.
5
ca ca sɔ ca do CN
85
50
42
2
31
42
34
30
2
25
3
40
2
34
40
1
23
19
279
12
197
-E
The authorized strength of the Victoria Garrison Artillery has only recently been increased from 8 officers and 50 non-commissioned officers and gunners to 5 officers and 85 non-commissioned officers and gunners. The uniforms for this increase have not Jet arrived. As soon as they are received the strength will be brought up to number authorized.
I have the honour further to report that I have made a careful estimate of the number of men capable of bearing arms that could be enrolled, should an emergency arise and their services be required for defence of the places mentioned, and fix the
numbers as follows:-
At Victoria, including the city and district and the town and district of Eaqui- malt, 700;
[1093]
P
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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