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(b.) Whether the two harbours can be considered independently, or whether, on the other hand, the scheme of defence must necessarily embrace both, bearing in mind that Esquimalt, as an Imperial station, is of primary importance.
(c.) The garrison required to be permanently retained, and the manner in which such garrison should be constituted, stating the extent to which assistance in this respect may be expected from local sources.
(d.) The advisability of providing for the defence of Nanaimo, and the means to be taken for its defence in case such a measure should at any time be required.
(e.) My views generally on the measures which should be taken for the defence of the Pacific coast of Her Majesty's dominions in the event of war, bearing in mind its distance from any established naval arsenal, and the difficulties which must therefore attend any hostile operations.
General Description.
The harbours of Esquimalt and Victoria open into a fine open anchorage called Royal Roads, on the north shore of the Straits of Juan de Fuca, and about 50 miles from its entrance.
These roads are very much frequented by vessels engaged in the British Columbian trade, a great part of which passes by or through Victoria to the ports of New Westminster, Burrard Inlet, Howe Sound, Nanaimo, Baynes Sound, &c., in the Straits of Georgia.
In the Straits of Juan de Fuca there are no obstacles to navigation except the thick fogs that are very prevalent, especially on the American or south shore, where they are frequently dense to the height of a ship's masts; while at the same time the Vancouver Island shore, and Royal Roads, may be quite clear.
Beyond Victoria the intricate passages between the islands, the rocks, the rapids, and changeable currents, eddies, and tide rips, the almost entire absence of good anchorage, coupled with the dense fogs that often come on in the Haro and Rosario Channels and in the Straits of Georgia, make the navigation so tedious and unsafe to vessels under sail that steam-tugs are usually employed to take them to their destination.
To escape the danger of being driven on to the rocks at Cape Flattery, on the south side of the entrance of the straits, by a current which sets down the western shore of Vancouver Island, sailing-vessels usually sight Cape Beal Lighthouse, on the south side of Barclay Sound. The trade is not sufficient to induce tugs to lie off this point, but as the prevailing winds are westerly, vessels can generally find their way up the straits to Royal Roads, where they lie in safety until they can obtain a tug to take them up the Straits of Georgia. Outward-bound vessels are brought down in the same way, and lie in Royal Roads to complete their stores or wait for a favourable wind. Four or five large vessels are generally to be seen in these roads, and as the timber, fish, and other industries are increasing, and further development of trade may be expected to follow the construction of the railway of the valley of the Fraser River, the importance of this anchorage will become more and more evident.
The part of Royal Roads in which the merchant-vessels usually anchor is the direct track by which an enemy would advance to the attack of Esquimalt Harbour.
On the opposite or United States' shore of the Straits of San Juan de Fuca, at a distance of 15 miles from the entrance of Esquimalt Harbour, lies Port Angelos, selected some short time ago for the United States' naval station in these waters, towards the formation of which, however, nothing has yet been done,
About 25 miles further to the cast is the entrance to Puget Sound, on whose shores are several small but rising towns. Some coal mines have been opened here, but all have failed except that at Seattle, which is yielding a large quantity of coal suitable for domestic use, but of inferior quality for steam purposes to that at Nanaimo mines, which is largely purchased for the San Francisco steamers. ? A considerable trade by water is carried on between Puget Sound and San
Francisco.
For the command of these two ports on the United States' territory and their trade, and the protection of British trade and shipping in the Straits of San Juan de Fuco, no better position could be chosen than Esquimalt Harbour, and for this
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reason, even if it is not in the best situation for the chief naval station, it should be strongly fortified.
In determining the extent and scale of the defensive power that should be given to the station, it seems necessary to take into account not only its distance from any foreign naval arsenal, but its own circumstances, which are complete isolation and entire everance from any possibility of being reinforced within the short period that might be expected to elapse between a declaration of war and a hostile attack on the station.
In the first place, the only telegraph to British Columbia passes through the United States, and at the time that hostilities were most imminent between England and Russia (in 1876-77), not only were the wires frequently broken, but the messages to the merchants, &c., were often so much tampered with as to be useless. The same inconvenience might be expected to occur again in the event of future trouble with Russia, towards whom there is a much kindlier feeling than there is to England, if not on the part of the United States' Government, at least on that of many of the lower and roving part of the population, of whom there are a considerable number in British Columbia. Secondly, the only routes by which troops and supplies could be sent to British Columbia would be round Cape Horn or from the East Indies. The railway across the United States and that at Panama would, of course, be closed against the passage of troops and munitions of war. The ships of the British China and Pacific fleets would find full employment at sea, and the garrison at Victoria or Esquimalt would be left to the reinforce- ments that might be obtained from the local population, which is estimated at about 5,800, exclusive of Indians and Chinese.
The population of the province is estimated at 60,000, including about 40,000 Indians and from 2,000 to 3,000 Chinese.
There is said to be a strong feeling in British Columbia in favour of annexation with the United States, partly due to the Dominion Government having failed to break ground for the railway which, by the terms of the Union, should have been commenced on the 20th July, 1873, and partly because of a feeling that the prosperity of the province would be advanced by a closer connection with the States.
This feeling has been very much strengthened by the protective policy of the Dominion, the chief effect of which, in British Columbia, has been, without any corresponding advantage, to enhance the cost of the necessaries of life, which, from being cut off from the rest of the Dominion, the inhabitants are obliged to obtain from the States, subject to very heavy protective duties.
This feeling would operate adversely to a warm support of an English garrison against an attack, if made by the United States, but not probably if made by any other Power.
On the other hand, in the consideration of the facilities for attack in the United States there is perfect telegraphic communication from Puget Sound to all parts of the territory, which could be quickly continued to Port Angelos. From Port Angelos, which, as before remarked, has been selected as the United States' naval station in the Straits of Fuca, a railway is projected over favourable ground to Tacoma or Olympia, at the head of Puget Sound, where it will connect with a Plate IV. line already made for 200 miles south of Portland, and soon to be pushed on to meet the head of another line, now in working order, up the Sacramento Valley for $20 miles from San Francisco.
From San Francisco there is direct railway communication, via Ogden, Cheyenne, Omaha, &c., with all parts of the States, the journey to New York occu- pying only six days; a second line, the North Pacific, is now in working order from the Eastern States, viâ Chicago, as far as Bismarck, in longitude 101° west, in Dakota territory, and is being rapidly continued to the Pacific shore, either to Portland or to some port on Puget Sound. Other lines are also being continued across the continent to San Francisco, from St. Louis, &c. The completion of these lines will admit of the United States assembling a large force on the shores of the Straits of Fuca in a very short time, and from there, with the steamers and vessels that are to be obtained in Puget Sound, they could be conveyed in a few hours to the shores of Vancouver Island or to the Island of San Juan, which, with its secure harbours, lies within 8 miles of Vancouver Island.
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The population of the States west of the Rocky Mountains is estimated at nearly 2,000,000.
The United States' fleet in the Pacific consists of 5 wooden steamers, carrying
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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mmimmi MC.O. 885
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