CO885(3-4) — Page 237

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landed with a view to capturing them by a coup de main, but as the coast outside the harbour is almost impracticable for a landing for a considerable distance, this force need not be very large.

The force at present at Sierra Leone consists of four companies of the 2nd West India Regiment, numbering 426 of all ranks.

The addition, probably, of two more companies, and of a small detachment of trained artillerymen to take general charge of the batteries, assisted by Houssas to do the heavy work under their direction, would suffice for a garrison in time of war.

In consequence of the very strong current which prevails in the harbour, the employ. ment of submarine mines, which would add greatly to its security, would be attended with difficulty. It might, however, be well worthy of experiment to place a few, inter- spersed with dummies.

The estimated cost of the proposed works is as follows:-

-3 7-ton guns complete

3 64-pounder guns complete

Batteries, magazines, &c.

(Signed)

BARBADOS.

£

3,000

1,800

8,400

13,200

ALEX. MILNE. HENRY BARKLY. J. L. A. SIMMONS.

Bridgetown, the chief town and port of the Island of Barbados, with a population of about 19,000 inhabitants, adjoins Carlisle Bay, an open roadstead, but is used as the principal barbour of the island, which shelters it from the prevailing winds.

The town being close to the sea, cannot be thoroughly protected against the fire of ships in the offing, which might, under the threat of bombardment, endeavour to compel the destruction or surrender of shipping at anchor in the roadstead. But it seems never.

theless desirable that the existing batteries at the north and south ends of the bay, Beckwith and Rickett's Batteries, which are at present armed only with eight 24-pounder smooth-bored guns, should be remodelled and rearmed with four 7-ton and four 64-pounder rifled which would keep off ships not armed with very heavy artillery, and even render it probable that any ship belonging to a Power which only possesses a very distant port of refit would hesitate before incurring the risk of being disabled for the mere purpose of destroying a few ships which might happen to be in the roadstead.

guns,

The present garrison of the island is—

Artillery

European infantry, three companies..

1st West India Regiment, two companies

Total

* 115

197

154

766

It is desirable that a local organization should also be adopted here, as recommended for Jamaica, to aid the garrison in defending the batteries and town against attack by a force landed beyond the range of the guns. The estimated cost would be:-

£

4 7-ton guns complete

4,000

4 64-pounder guns complete Batterics, magazines, &c.

2,400

4,800

Total..

•

11,200

JAMAICA.

Kingston Harbour is of importance, not only as the chief port of Jamaica, the largest of the British West Indian Islands, but from its connection with Port Royal, which is the principal naval arsenal and depôt in the West Indies.

'The Defence Committee, in consideration of the value of the commerce between Great Britain and North America and the West Indies, as well as the position of

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Jamaica on the direct route to Panama and the Pacific, placed Port Royal fourth in the list of importance of the coaling stations of Her Majesty's ships abroad.

The port is a commodious and secure harbour, easily entered in all weathers, and capable of being made very safe against attack.

The existing works for its defence are as follows :—

1. At Port Royal, an old work comprising several batteries facing seaward, with a masonry front across the isthmus protecting the batteries from an attack by an enemy advancing along the palisades.

2. Fort Clarence and Apostles' batteries, small works on the west side of the entrance, opposite Port Royal.

3. Fort Augusta, on a spit facing the entrance of the port, an old masonry work with very thin stone parapets.

4. Rock Fort, closing the road leading along the north shore of Kingston Harbour between Long Mountain and the water.

The total armament of these various works consists of

18 8-in. smooth-bored guns.

26 32-pounder smooth-bored guns.

The whole of these defences have been reported for years to be in a very dilapidated state, and not able to resist the attack of a vessel armed with rifled artillery of even moderate calibre. In 1872 the Governor, Sir J. P. Grant, reported that while of opinion that Port Royal should be made a really strong place, for which it presents' great facilities, he considered that it was much worse than a mere waste of money to keep up a garrison for what can hardly be denied now-a-days to be a sham fort. Unless full advantage be taken of the remarkable natural advantages of Kingston Bay as a safe harbour of refuge in war time, whereby the dockyard, now defenceless, may be secured, he considered the garrison at Port Royal to be manifestly useless in peace, and that in war its maintenance would be running a needless risk of incurring what would be proclaimed a disgrace. He adds that Port Royal in its present state is absolutely indefensible, and in the absence of British ships of war, would be at the mercy of a gun- boat.

The Committee are informed that nothing has been done since this very strong report was written, and that practically the entrance to Port Royal and Kingston harbours is at present defenceless.

The Committee are of opinion that the recommendations of the Defence Committee,

in their Report of the 5th June last, should be carried out, viz., that-

Ten 7-ton rifled guns should be mounted for the defence of this harbour, five at Port Royal, two at Apostles' battery, and three at Rocky Point.

They also think it desirable that six 64-pounder rifled guns should be added to this armament, whenever guns can be spared for the purpose.

The Committee further recommend that in time of war, submarine mines, for the employment of which this harbour, owing to the slight rise and fall of tide, is well adapted, should be used to block all the channels leading into the harbour, except the east channel, which would be well under the guns to be mounted for its defence.

They are further of opinion that the adoption of the recommendation of the Defence Committee that a gunboat should be stationed at Port Royal would be attended with advantage.

The present garrison of Jamaica consists of—

A battery of coast artillery

Four companies of European infantry

17

1st West India Regiment

Total

:::

:::

110

328

424

862

As this force is not more than sufficient to provide for the defence of Port Royal and the batteries to be erected for the protection of the entrance to the harbour, it is desirable that some local organization should be adopted for enrolling a portion of the inhabitants of Kingston, to make it secure against attack by a force landed to the

eastward.

The estimated cost of the proposed defences is as follows:----

[574]

D

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

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COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON