180
No. 191.
عدم
Governor the Right Hon. Sir H. B. E. Frere, Bart., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., to the Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Bart.—(Received April 1.) (Secret.) Sir,
Government House, Cape Town, March 9, 1880. REFERRING to my despatch, Secret, of the 2nd instant,* on the subject of the Defence Commission, whose proceedings formed the inclosure of that despatch, I have the honour now to forward, for the information of Her Majesty's Government, a Minute from my Ministers on the Reports and Estimates drawn up by the military members, of the Commission,
181
retaining Albany, King George's Sound, as a coaling station for Her Majesty's ships, and have, therefore, at present, no suggestions to offer.
The general tendency of the evidence which the Commission have up to the present time received is, however, to confirm the view of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, as expressed in their letter of the 11th March,* that it is not necessary to acquire the Peninsular and Oriental establishment for the use of Her Majesty's ships, or for the protection of the commerce of the Australian Colonies.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
HERBERT JEKYLL.
I have, &c. (Signed)
H. B. E. FRERE.
تا
No. 194.
Inclosure in No. 191.
Minute.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, February 28, 1880.
IN returning herewith the Reports and Estimates framed by the Military Commission on Defences for Cape Peninsula, forwarded under his Excellency's Minute of the 14th instant, Ministers are unable to express any opinion upon the sufficiency or otherwise of the defences proposed, nor is there any officer of the Colonial forces to whom the Report of the Commissioners could with propriety be referred, whose opinion would be of any value as compared with that of the distinguished officers composing the Commission.
Ministers would, however, remark that, bearing in mind the fact that the defence of the Peninsula is regarded by Her Majesty's Government as an Imperial question, the number of men proposed by the Commissioners to be furnished by the Colonial Government is somewhat excessive, and they would submit that more equitable arrangement would be secured if the numbers supplied by each Government were equal, the Colonial forces to ⚫ consist of volunteers.
J. GORDON SPRIGG.
(Signed)
Sir,
The Secretary to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad to Colonial Office
13, Delahay Street, April 2, 1880.
I AM directed by the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th March,† inclosing further correspondence with Mr. G. F. Smith in regard to his proposals for establishing telegraphic communication with Bermuda.
The Commission are unable to form any opinion on the particular merits of Mr. Smith's proposals, or on the financial arrangements suggested by him; but they consider that a line of telegraph placing Bermuda in direct communication with Halifax and the West Indies would, from naval and military considerations, best fulfil Imperial requirements, and would alone call for Government subsidy or assistance.
No. 195.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
HERBERT JEKYL
No. 192.
Governor Lord A. Loftus to the Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Bart.- (Received April 1.)
(Secret.) Sir,
Government House, Sydney, February 3, 1880.
I HAVE the honour to inclose to you, under flying seal, through Sir William Jervois, the inclosed return of warlike stores, &c.,t which I have received from the Colonial Secretary of this Colony, and which were not ready for my despatch, marked Separate, of the 23rd October, 1879.‡
I have, &c.
(Signed)
AUGUSTUS LOFTUS.
No. 193.
Sir,
Colonial Office to War Office.
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to acknowledge the receipt
Downing Street, April 5, 1880. of your letter of the 24th March‡ having reference to the construction of the projectiles for certain smooth-bore guns which are being converted by the Government of Canada on the Palliser system into 64-pounder rifled guns, and I am to transmit to you, for the information of Secretary Colonel Stanley, a copy of a despatch§ which Sir Michael Hicks Beach addressed to the Governor-General of Canada on the 23rd March on the subject of the conversion of these guns. A copy of your letter, now acknowledged, will also be sent to the Governor-General of Canada by the next mail. But Sir Michael Hicks Beach has not thought it necessary to send a copy of it to Captain Palliser, although he will of course do so if the Secretary of State for War should desire it.
I am to add that the correspondence will be communicated to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad for its information.
EDWARD WINGFIELD.
I
am, &c.
(Signed)
No. 196.
..
Sir
The Secretary to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroud to Colonial Office.
13, Delahay Street, April 2, 1880,
I AM directed by the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th March§ respecting the proposed abandonment of King George's Sound as a coaling station by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, and the offer which they have made to dispose of their property to the Admiralty.
The Commission have not yet considered the special question of the necessity of
I Not printed.
• No. 187.
↑ Not printed.
No. 176.
Bir,
Colonial Office to the Secretary to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British.
Possessions and Commerce Abroad.
Downing Street, April 10, 1880. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, for the information of the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Coinmerge Abroad, copies of the accompanying despatches which he has addressed to the Governor- General of Canada with reference to the conversion of certain smooth-bore Dominion
No. 183.
Nos. 185 and 197.
3 B
• No. 170.
[1093]
† No. 165.
I No. 186.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
LICO. 885
!
1.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO