CO882-(8-9) — Page 499

54

Enclosure in No. 64.

Brigadier General G C. L. MONEY, A.D C., Commanding Troops, Ceylon, to the GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, Ceylon.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

Headquarters, Colombo,

10th February, 1905. WITH your concurrence I propose to defer the revision of the defence scheme of Ceylon until more information is received of the intentions of the Imperial Govern- ment as regards the dismantling of the fortifications at Trincomali, and their wishes as regards the garrison for Colombo.

2. At present it is impossible to arrange for a proper revision until these facts are known, and it seems a waste of time to carry on the defence scheme on the old lines when important changes are in progress.

J5

As regards St. Helena, can the garrison be reduced in view of the Admiralty decision in their letter to War Office of the 15th December, 1904?

Recommendations.

Trincomali.—The garrison to be withdrawn.

St. Helena. Provision to be made for manning the armament contemplated by the Admiralty. The regular infantry should be withdrawn.

8649

*

7411

SIR,

I have, &c.,

G. L. C. MONEY,

No. 65.

CEYLON.

Brigadier-General, Commanding the Troops in Ceylon.

COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Secret.)

(Received 8 March, 1905.)

Committee of Imperial Defence, 2, Whitehall Gardens,

London, S.W., 7th March, 1905.

I HAVE the honour to transmit, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, a copy of a letter which has been addressed to the War Office regarding the garrisons of Trincomali and St. Helena.

2.

A similar communication has been addressed to the Admiralty.

(Secret.)

SIR.

No. 66.

CEYLON.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received 18 March, 1905.)

Copy to Admiralty, 25 March, 1905.]

King's Pavilion, Kandy, 27th February, 1905. In reply to your secret despatch of the 25th ultimo,* I have the honour to transmit a copy of the telegram in question despatched from the Admiralty to the Chief Ordnance Officer at Trincomalie with respect to the closing of the Naval Ordnance Depot at that port, to which is subjoined a certificate by the Chief Ordnance Officer, Ceylon, giving the further information asked for in your despatch under reply.

I have, &c.,

HENRY A. BLAKE,

Governor, &c.

I have, &c..

G. S. CLARKE,

Secretary.

SIR.

(Secret.)

Enclosure in No. 65.

Committee of Imperial Defence, 2, Whitehall Gardens,

London, S.W., 7th March, 1905.

I HAVE the honour to transmit, for the information of the Army Council, an extract from the minutes of the 63rd Meeting of the Committee of Imperial Defence, dated 23rd February, 1905, regarding the defences of Trincomalì and St. Helena.

2. A copy of this letter has been addressed to the Colonial Office and to the Admiralty.

The Secretary of the War Office,

Pall Mall. S.W.

I have, &c.,

G. S. CLARKE,

Secretary.

EXTRACT from the Minutes of the 63rd Meeting of the Committee of Imperial

Defence.

Enclosure in No. 66.

ADMIRALTY to CHIEF ORDNANCE OFFICER, Trincomalie.

Re closing Naval Ordnance Depôt before the 31st March, prepare 6-inch B.L. gun, Mark VII, with parts for shipment to Bombay. Prepare for shipment to England, modern guns, aiming rifles, small arms with parts, side arms, &c.; also following ammunition and stores, 9'2-inch, 6-inch, 47-inch, 4-inch, 12-pounder, 6-pounder, 3-pounder, small-arm and machine-gun, and mines and countermines. Retain 4-inch B.L. guns and 6-inch Q.F.C. gun, also powder cartridges and M.H. ammunition.

Director of Transports will communicate as to engaging freight. Letter follows as to these and remaining stores.

23rd December, 1904.

I certify that the above is an exact copy of the confirmation of the Admiralty telegram of the 23rd December, 1904, and which was enclosed in Admiralty letter G/17781/04/22160, dated 29th December, 1904, signed by S. Eardley Wilmot, Super- intendent of Ordnance Stores.

F. J. ANGELL,

23rd February, 1905.

Nuwara Eliya,

17th February, 1905.

Lieutenant-Colonel,

Chief Ordnance Officer, Ceylon.

TRINCOMALI AND ST. HELENA.

6. The Chief of the General Staff asked whether the garrison of Trincomali

. can be withdrawn in view of the decision of the Admiralty not to maintain naval

stores at this port in the future:

24658

⚫ No. 58.

D 4

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :--

CO. 882

9

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

10880

56