CO882-(1-2) — Page 475

Printed for the Colonial Office.

Correspondence respecting Importance of Mauritius as a Military

Station.

No. 1.

COPY of a LETTER from Major-General Sir H. STORKS to Sir F. SANDFord.

(Confidential.) SIR,

•

War Office, June 12, 1869.

I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Cardwell to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd ultimo, inclosing, for his consideration, the copy of a confidential despatch from Governor Sir Henry Barkly, on the subject of the garrison which he considers necessary for Mauritius, and respecting the propriety of increasing and arming the police force in that Colony.

In reply, I am to request that you will state to Earl Granville that Mr. Cardwell is fully alive to the importance of the questions raised by the Governor, and that he is not prepared by any means to express an entire dissent from the conclusions at which Sir Henry Barkly has arrived, as stated in the last paragraph of his Despatch.

Mr. Cardwell agrees with Sir Henry Barkly that the position of Mauritius is excep- tional, and that the Island must, therefore, in respect to its military protection, be excep- tionally treated. It cannot, as the Governor rightly contends, be considered merely as a Colony, but must, ia some degree, be regarded as one of our military stations, held for Imperial purposes.

Mr. Cardwell does not propose to discuss the circumstances which render the combi- nation of French planters with Oriental cultivators of the soil, a very special community, in reference to internal government, or further to refer to this consideration, than to say that, in his opinion, due weight should be given to it in estimating how large a proportion of the military expenditure may fairly be charged to the Colonial revenue, as being intended for the security of that community from internal disturbance.

Turning, therefore, to that part of the case which purely military and Imperial, and may fairly be regarded as having no bearing upon the local community, and constituting no claim upon their revenue, Mr. Cardwell would observe that the history of the end of the last, and the beginning of the present, century, is calculated to impress upon us the importance of this Island as a maritime station in the event of war, and though the circumstances of the present time are different, yet since, in case of war, it would be necessary to provide against the interruption of the overland route to India, the introduc- tion of steam may give new importance to the possession of the Island as a coaling

station.

Having regard, therefore, to our commerce with India and China, Mauritius may probably be regarded as of equal importance now, to that which rendered it an object of so much interest in former times, and great injury would be done to our commerce with India and China if the place were to fall into the hands of another maritime Power,

The French, impressed with the importance of a port in these seas (Réunion having none), have lately established themselves in Madagascar.

Mauritius has strong features of natural defence in the coral reef which surrounds the Island: but the openings in it, formed by torrents and rivers running into the sea, render it accessible to an enemy.

No doubt modern artillery has modified the value of defensive works, and those erected at Mauritius have, like others elsewhere, become less formidable; but, if the Island is to be maintained as an Imperial station, it is very important that there should be some position where a garrison could hold out until relieved.

The Power which has the command of the sea will, doubtless, hold Mauritius; but even

[74]

No. 1

• Confidential,

10 April, 1869,

page 8.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference →

TUTULICO 882

2

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference -

ICO 882

2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- | COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO