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3. Three 7-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns above Semaphore Point, to command the entrance to the harbour.
1. Two 40-pounders on travelling or siege carriages on the hill above King Point, to Jire on Middleton Beach and on the offing." An infantry post would be needed on this hill, which would be the key of the defence.
5. A garrison of 50 artillery and 100 infantry, with 15 engineers to work the mines, would suffice as a minimum.
The Australian Colonies might well consider the expediency of placing the defences on a permanently satisfactory footing, by constructing a fort, such as General Scratchiley propose: on Possession Point, and arming it with guns of a more powerful type. It is, however, improbable, looking to the large demands that are being made on the manufacturing power of this country, that heavy guns of the latest type could be supplied for some time to come, and it is of importance in the general interest of the Australian Colonies that no time should be lost in defending the Sound on a scale suflicient to deny to an enemy's cruizers the use of the harbour and the coal stored there. The scheme of defence here proposed would suffice for this limited purpose, and Her Majesty's Government are prepared to assist the Colonies by at once sending out the ariñament and the submarine mines referred to above, delivering them free of cost, if the Colonics are willing to defray all other expenses (roughly estimated at 6,000, exclusive of barracks), and to maintain the necessary garrison.
There can be no doubt, considering the high degree of efficiency to which the land forces in Australia have already attained, that the Colonies could readily furnish a body of trained men for working the guns and the submarine mines. How the force should be constituted, and whether it should be permanently stationed at King George's Sound, or held in reserve ready to be despatched to the stations in times of emergency are questions which can only be decided in Australia, but in either case it would be essen- tial that the force should be in excess of the forces ordinarily maintained for garrisoning the great fortified ports, and that a small number of trained men should remain permanently on the spot to take care of the batteries and guns.
the Government of Iler Majesty's Government would be glad if
would con- "you and your Government sider the above proposals in conjunction with the Governments of the other Australasian Colonies to which similar Despatches have been addressed, and would communicate to me
their
views upon the subject.
your
It would give Her Majesty's Government much satisfaction if the Governments con- cerned should be able to arrive at a common understanding.
The Governors of New South Wales,
SIR,
Victoria, Queensland, South Australia,
Western Australia, Tasmania, and
New Zealand.
APPENDIX C. to No. 66.
I have, &c., (Signed)
DERBY.
GOVERNOR THE RIGHT HON. LORD AUGUSTUS LOFTUS, G.C.B. (NEW SOUTH
WALES), to COLONEL THE RIGHT HON. F. A. STANLEY, M.P. (Received September 28, 1885.)
Sydney, August 18, 1885.
WITH reference to your predecessor's Despatch of the 12th June, on the defences of King George's Sound, I have the honour to enclose a Memorandum by Sir Alexander Stuart, to which is appended a letter from Admiral Tryon giving his opinion (at my request) that the minor works recommended could be undertaken at once, whilst the larger works might be carried out later.
2. You will observe that Sir Alexander Stuart considers that these works of defenco have an equal importance for Imperial and Colonial interests, and he founds thereon his suggestions that both the works recommended for King George's Sound and Thursday Island in Torres Straits should be undertaken at the joint expense of the Imperial Government and the Australian Colonies.
3. He considers that the garrison of artillerymen to defend these works could be supplied by the two larger Colonies, and that the Imperial Government should have the
To Western Australia."
appointment of the superior officer under whose command the whole station should be placed.
4. I am not aware that Sir Alexander Stuart has yet received any communication on the subject from the other Australian Governments.
The Right Hon. Colonel F. Stanley, M.P.
(Confidential.)
I have, &c., (Signed)
AUGUSTUS Loftus.
MEMORANDUM by the COLONIAL SECRETARY on the DEFENCES of KING GEORGE'S SOUND and LORD DERBY'S DESPATCH of 12th June 1885.
As requested in the above-mentioned Despatch, I desire to place myself in communi- cation with the other Australian Governments on the subject. To enable us the better to enter upon it, I have asked for and been favoured with the opinion of Admiral Tryon (appended hereto), who thinks that the minor works recommended ought to he undertaken at once, and that the larger works should follow hereafter.
The importance of Albany is undoubted, but that importance seems to me to belong as much to Imperial as to Colonial interests. As a coaling station, however important it was to merchant steamers in times past, it is now seldom used except by the P. & O. Company's boats; but for a coal depot for the Imperial ships it would, in the ovent of war, bo invaluable. The same remarks apply to Thursday Island in Torres Straits; and I would suggest that both these works be undertaken at the joint expense of the Imperial Government on the one hand and the Australian Colonies on the other (the latter in proportion to their population).
It possibly would be inconvenient for the Imperial Government to send out the necessary artillerymen to keep up the defence; but this difficulty might perhaps bo met by the two larger Colonies, Victoria and New South Wales, aided by any others who can spare them, sending sufficient men for the purpose. Doubtless this would require some alteration in local military Acts; but when the late contingent went to the Soudan, it was found quite possible to place them in an effective manuer under the Imperial law, and somewhat similar arrangements might be mado in this case, especially if the Imperial Government were to (as I think they ought) appoint the superior officer under whose command the whole station would be placed.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney,
ALEX. STUART.
August 10, 1885.
DEAR SIR ALEXANDER STUART,
HI.M.S. "Nelson," August 5, 1885.
I HAVE read the Despatch, dated June 12, 1885, containing certain proposals for the defence of Albany.
I concur in the proposed moderate scheme. It commends itself to me because it can be carried out within a reasonable time, because at no great cost it will serve the purpose of the hour, because the best site for a permanent work which, as time rolls on, is sure to be made on Possession Point, will not be interfered with, and thus altoration and modification, which are always costly (and while in progress we should be left with nothing ready) will be avoided, and, further, the proposed works will remain auxiliary to what is ever hereafter effected.
I am of opinion that the north side of the entrance is the best for temporary or minor works such as are proposed; it is on the same side as the village or town of Albany itself, would receive support from the volunteer or other corps, and the force will be casier to maintain, to water, provision, &c., than if placed on Possession Point,
When a regular work is constructed there, it will doubtless contain tanks, stores, bomb-proofs, &c.; and whenever such a work is undertaken, it should be on a sufficiently large scale to secure, so far as may be, permanency.
The proposed defence, both as to the works and the guns, reads to bo but a defence; but the entrance to the harbour is very narrow, and there are shoals which light add to the difficulties which an enemy would have to overcome, and it is admirably adapted for torpedo defence.
It is noted that the proposed defence is solely for the purpose of denying the harbour, with its contents, coal, &c., to an enemy.
The precise site for the proposed batterics must be settled on the spot.
X x 4
I am, &c., (Signed) G. TRYON.