PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
mmmmmin C.O. 885
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
Vessels of war
recommended for
South Australia, and Queensland.
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Colonies, already possesses a naval force, which, under arrangements concluded between her and the Imperial Government several years ago, is exclusively her own, and is not available for general defence. She has a powerful two-turreted iron-clad vessel, the "Cerberus," besides a wooden steam-ship of war, the "Nelson," formerly a two-decker, but recently cut down to a frigate. This alteration was, I have been given to understand, undertaken partly with reference to the suggestion I made, that a swift unarmoured vessel should be provided to aid in the defence of Victoria. The officer commanding the Victoria naval force reports that the "Nelson" "is now in every way a serviceable ship, very handy under sail, and steams 10 knots." There is another vessel belonging to the Colony, the "Victoria," a surveying craft, now intended to be turned to account for defence purposes in laying down and protecting torpedoes. The armament of these vessels of war is stated in the Report of the officer commanding. Reports also by Commodore (now Rear-Admiral) Hoskins, Captain Townsend, R.N., and Lieutenant Dugdale, R.N., respecting the naval force of Victoria, will be found amongst the papers from that Colony.
30. The Imperial Government contributed 100,000l. toward the first cost of the "Cerberus," and presented the "Nelson" as a free gift to the Colony. Both these vessels, as also the "Victoria," are manned and maintained at the cost of the Colonial Government, and are entirely under their orders. A proposal, therefore, to place under one head all naval forces required for the defence of the Australian Colonies would be in effect, as regards Victoria, to ask her to surrender the entirely independent position, which, with the liberal aid of the Imperial Government, she enjoys in the matter of naval defences. The discussion of such a proposal would, of course, occupy a long time. It therefore appeared to me better, especially considering the critical state of our foreign relations at the period when my suggestions were made, to propose that the other Colonies concerned should at once provide vessels, arm and man them, rather than await the result of a discussion upon abstract principles of organization, which, if it did not result in inaction, would assuredly cause great delay.
31. Considering local naval means to be essential to the defence of the Colony on either side of Victoria, and believing in the ability of each of those Colonies to provide New South Wales, such means, I proposed that a man-of-war should be provided by New South Wales, and another by South Australia. It should be observed, with respect to the last-named province, that the main defence of Adelaide and its port, as well as of the coast and commerce of the Colony generally, must be a vessel of war. I also suggested that Queensland' should provide herself with a small vessel of war, capable of affording protection against privateers or gunboats to places on the coast within the reefs which border the shores of the north-east part of Australia. I made no proposal for local naval ' defence for Tasmania, as the Colony is not, as I was given to understand, in a financial position to afford the expense; and, with the exception of the protection of Hobart Town and Launceston against a desultory attack, must, I conceive, depend, for the defence of her harbours and commerce generally, upon the Imperial navy.
Course taken in
New South Wales respecting proposed
war vessel.
Course taken in South Australia,
No steps taken in Queensland.
32. If the vessels which I recommended had been provided, the probability is that the Colonies possessing them would ultimately have recognized the undoubted advantages, both for efficiency of action and maintenance of discipline, which would result from all British naval forces in Australian waters being placed under the Admiral or Commodore of the station.
33. These advantages were apparently recognized by the Legislature of New South Wales, when, in July 1877, Ministers submitted to the Parliament of the Colony a resolution to purchase an iron-clad vessel as recommended in my Report of the previous month. An amendment, however, was carried, directing the Local Government to arrange with Her Majesty's Government for obtaining and maintaining, at the expense of the Colony, an iron-clad for local defence, the intention being that such ship should be an Imperial instead of a Colonial vessel of war, but that the cost of maintenance should be borne by the Colony. After the carrying of this amendment the proposition was withdrawn, "pending further consideration," and nothing has since been done with respect to it. As regards providing a ship of war for the defence of South Australia, the Government of this Colony were last year negotiating with a view of purchasing an iron-clad, and proposed, in the event of the Imperial Government bearing half the first cost of the vessel, to pay the other half, besides the annual cost of manning and main. taining her. It being understood that Her Majesty's Government were not prepared to agree to this arrangement, the matter has since remained in abeyance. No steps have been taken to procure a vessel of war for Queensland, and it may be stated generally, with regard to this as well as the other Colonies concerned, that, feeling relieved from immediate anxiety by the peace which was concluded last year, they have for the present allowed the question of providing naval defences to drop.
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34. With respect to any action that may be taken hereafter as to the naval defences Considerations of Australia, I submit that the result would probably be more satisfactory if the relation of relating to future the Colonies to the Imperial Government on this question were more clearly understood. Naval Defences. In the years 1857-58-59 the matter was much discussed by the Admiralty, the Colonial
action respecting Office, and Sir William Denison, then Governor of New South Wales. Commissioners of the Admiralty entered at great length into the subject in a letter to the The Lords Colonial Office dated the 24th January, 1857, and, upon the representations of Sir William Denison with reference thereto in a despatch to Sir E. B. Lytton dated the 26th October, 1858, the Admiralty, in a letter to the Colonial Office dated the 18th March, 1858, laid down that "the cost of the naval force for the general protection of the trade of the Colonies should be defrayed by the Imperial Government under all circumstances," and that "in no case should additional charges be imposed upon the Colony on account of the increase of naval forces except where special allowances may be necessary from peculiar local causes." For the sake of easy reference I annex copies of the documents referred to, and I beg to refer to them for reasons in support of the conclusion then arrived at.
35. The question of the immediate defence of the harbours and local commerce of these Colonies is obviously different. Imperial squadron being in effect strengthened because set free for general naval It has been argued that, in consideration of the operations by reason of vessels of war provided for purely local defence, the Imperial Government should contribute towards the first cost of providing such vessels; but it is generally admitted that the whole expense of manning and maintaining them should be borne by the Colonial Governments. Whilst, however, they would be specially appro- priated for the local defence of the Colonies concerned, it would be desirable, as I have before observed, both for the sake of efficiency and discipline, that they should be placed under the command of the Admiral or Commodore of the station.
and
for local service.
36. The description of the vessels may, in a great degree, depend upon the nature Description of power of the Imperial squadron in these waters. only of four wooden vessels, and these are charged with the defence of Fiji, New Zealand,
That squadron at present consists vessels suggested and Tasmania, as well as of all the Australian Colonies; assisted by a few small schooners they also aid in the protection of the natives in the South Sea Islands. sufficiently strengthened, and an iron-clad ship were added to it which could intercept any If the force were hostile armoured vessel likely to meditate a descent upon this part of the world, the local vessels might be swift unarmoured craft, carrying a suitable armament, and designed to cope with any unarmoured cruizer which might have succeeded in eluding the vigilance of the squadron with a view of attacking undefended Australian ports and making raids on local commerce.
vessels of war.
37. As to the crews for local vessels of war. present fully manned, and until the proposals for fixed batteries, combined with a complete
In Victoria the "Cerberus is at Manning of local system of torpedo defences for Port Philip, have been carried out, it appears desirable to continue to maintain her in a state of readiness for service. "Victoria" have each only the nucleus of a crew, which can be completed from the Naval The "Nelson" and Reserve of the Colony. I submit that the course pursued in the latter case might, in principle, be adopted generally with respect to vessels for local defence. unnecessary to provide for them permanently a full complement of officers and men. It would be During peace time there should be a force always on board each vessel, consisting of the necessary officers, engineers, gunners, and a Paymaster, together with a limited number of petty officers, seamen, and stokers. The additional crew in war time, or during such periods as the ship might be fully manned for training and exercise, might be supplied in New South Wales from the Naval Brigade, as now in Victoria from the Naval Reserve. In other Colonies naval forces of a similar nature might, perhaps, be raised. permanent crew of each vessel would form a nucleus of thoroughly trained men, who Thus the would be reinforced, when required, from local Naval Reserves. Volunteer Land Forces of New South Wales, it might be laid down that the Naval As in the case of the Reserve in each Colony, or such part of it as might be required, should be liable to be called out for a certain number of days' consecutive training, besides a fixed minimum number of days for exercise and drill at detached periods. Provision should also be made for the permanent embodiment of the ship's company during war. were placed under the orders of the Admiral or Commodore, it would follow that their If the local vessels officers should all belong to the Royal Navy. It might, indeed, be wished, for the sake of perfect efficiency, that the vessels should be wholly manned as Imperiál men-of-war, but this would be inconsistent with the utilization of Colonial Naval Reserves, and would, it is submitted, cause unnecessary expense.
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