PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
سائسنلتنس
Reference -
CO. 885
(Secret and Confidential.) Sir,
80
No. 163.
War Office to Colonial Office.
War Office, June 7, 1878. I HAVE the honour to inform you that I am desired to state that the Secretary of State for War, being desirous of knowing what has been done with reference to the defence of Esquimalt, would be obliged if the Secretary of State for the Colonies would allow a telegram to be sent to the Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada to the following effect :-
"7th June. On the question of the necessity for the protection of Esquimalt the Admiralty entertain the strongest possible opinion, as probably the only harbour on the American Pacific Coast Her Majesty's ships would have access to in the event of war, Telegraph steps taken for the construction of works for mounting the guns and providing infantry and artillery force for manning the same, and for protecting Victoria and Esquimalt."
I have, &c.
(Signed)
No. 164.
J. L. A. SIMMONS.
Governor Sir John Glover, G.C.M.G., to the Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart.- (Received June 7.) (Confidential.) Sir,
Government House, May 30, 1878. IN reference to my despatch, Confidential, of the 16th instant, I have the honour to inclose the Report of my Private Secretary, Lieutenant Jackson, who returned from Halifax on the 25th instant.
2. The measures recommended for the defence of the Colony by the officers com- manding the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers at Halifax are contained in a memorandum accompanying the Report.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
JOHN H. GLOVER.
Inclosure 1 in No. 164. .
Sir,
I HAVE the honour to report that, in accordance with your Excellency's instruc- tions, I proceeded to Halifax in the mail of the 17th instant, arriving there on the 19th. On arrival I reported myself to the officer commanding the troops, Colonel Elgee, R.A., who, after consultation, recommended the armament specified in the inclosed memoranda. The guns and stores can be obtained from Ordnance Stores at Halifax, and will be shipped on receipt of authority. The only small arms to spare are about 100 stand of Snider, but accoutrements and ammunition can be supplied. I was unable to obtain torpedoes, the Engineers only having sufficient for their own defences.
Government House, Newfoundland, May 25, 1878.
I left Halifax in Her Majesty's ship "Pert" on the 19th instant, and arrived at St. John's on the 24th.
I have, &c.
(Signed) H. JACKSON, Lieutenant, R.A.,
Private Secretary.
His Excellency Sir J. H. Glover, G.C.M.G.,
&c.
&c.
&c.
Inclosure 2 in No. 164.
Opinion as to the Best Means of Defending the Ports of St. John's and Harbour Grace.
St. John's.
Fort Amherst. To be armed with one 7" or 80-pounder gun to be north to east, and two 64-pounders bearing east to south.
81
Queen's Battery.-Two 7" guns. Waldegrave Battery.-Two 64-pounders.
Quidi Vidi and other harbours available for easy landing to be protected by field guns. The Narrows to be closed, if possible, with torpedocs.
Harbour Grace.
No batteries should be erected. The best defence would be an armed vessel; and, failing that, 40-pounder or 20-pounder Armstrong guns, mounted on travelling carriages, 10 as to be easily moved to the points threatened.
The Channel should be closed with torpedoes.
(Signed) J. L. ELGEE, Colonel, R.A.,
Commanding the Troops, British North America.
No. 165.
Governor-General the Earl of Dufferin to the Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart.—
(Received June 8, 1878.) (Telegraphic. Paraphrase.)
THE batteries at the entrance to the harbour of Esquimalt and on Beacon Hill, which have been proposed by the War Office Committee, are being mounted. Organization of a local force is being undertaken by one of our best officials, who has been sent over for that purpose. The Government will do everything possible, Mr. A. Mackenzie informs me, to make Esquimalt and Victoria safe in accordance with the plan which has been suggested.
Ministers are fully sensible of importance of doing everything that is possible.
No. 166.
Admiralty to Colonial Office.
(Confidential.) Sir,
Admiralty, June 10, 1878. I HAVE laid before my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty your further letter of the 31st May, with its inclosures, recommending that the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Bay of Fundy should be occupied by a squadron of swift and lightly-armed steamers for the purpose of coping with any similar vessels which may be purchased by the enemy from various American ports, and to protect the shipping in the Atlantic in the event of
war.
2. In reply I am to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that the subject referred to in this correspondence has occupied the attention of the Board of Admiralty for some time past, and arrangements have been made, so far as the means at the disposal of the Admiralty will admit, for checking the depredations which will doubtless be undertaken at the outbreak of war by an enemy's fast cruizers on the commercial shipping of this country.
3. Experience has shown during the American Civil War that it is a matter of extreme difficulty, if not of impossibility, to prevent much mischief being done in this way by a single fast cruizer, notwithstanding great efforts to capture her. Her Majesty's Government to decide when the time shall have arrived for the naval forces It rests with to be increased to the extent required to meet this danger, which increase will involve a very large money expenditure.
4. Looking at the very large mercantile marine possessed by the Dominion, it is only, reasonable to assume that the Canadian Government will avail themselves of their own resources for the protection of Canadian ports and shipping, and my Lords trust that Her Majesty's Government will readily aid any such efforts by the loan of guns (which the Dominion does not appear to possess), to arm their vessels, which would certainly exceed in number and speed any force a European Power at war with England could readily acquire on the Atlantic sea-board.
I am, &c. (Signed) ROBERT HALL.
• No. 131.
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