CO885(3-4) — Page 309

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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USPLITICO. 885

4PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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St. John, New Brunswick, nine-pounder 58-cwt. converted Palliser rifled guns, muzzle-loading.

Sydney, Cape Breton, two batteries, eight 1-pounder 58-cwt. converted Palliser rifled guns, muzzle-loading; also 100 rounds of ammunition, including common and Shrapnel shells in equal proportion for each gun.

With reference to the armaments proposed for Charlotte Town, and Pictou, that in view of the probable peaceful solution of the threatened Russian war, the Committee recommend the construction of the batteries at Charlotte Town and Pictou to be for the present deferred.

Sir,

Certified,

(Signed)

W. A. HIMSWORTH,

Clerk, Privy Council, Canada.

Inclosure 2.in No. 217.

Ottawa, June 8, 1878.

I HAVE read and carefully considered the despatch dated the 23rd May last, from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies to his Excellency the Governor-General, inclosing a despatch from Admiral Sir Alexander Milne to the Secretary of State, covering Reports from the Colonial Defence Committee respecting the places named in the margin, which they consider the ports of the greatest importance on the Atlantic sea-board of Canada.

I am directed by you to state, for the information of the Government, any observations I may deem proper to make, and, further, to give my views as to the possibility of converting smooth-bore guns in Canada, to save the expense of importing rifled cannon from England.

I shall do myself the honour, in reply, to take these questions seriatim, and to report as follows, viz. :—-

St. John, New Brunswick.-I may at once dispose of the misunderstanding as to "Fort Dufferin," by stating it to be identical with "Negro Point," its new designation having been accorded at the request of the people of St. John, out of respect for his Excellency the Governor-General.

Fort Dufferin, lately known as Negro Point Battery, is a strong work, pierced for ten guns, situate at the western entrance of the approach to St. John Harbour; its site is commanding from a considerable elevation. It is open at the gorge, but recently a strong palisade fence has been ordered, to inclose it.

This, though an obstacle to an infantry attack, would of course be soon demolished by

cannoli.

Its armament consists of five Palliser 4-pounder converted muzzle-loading rifled guns and two smooth-bore 32-pounders. Two of the rifled guns and the two 32-pounders point seaward down the Bay of Fundy. Three rifled guns point inside of Partridge Island, and their range of fire would command both entrances or channels to the inner harbour.

On the eastern side of the entrance cast of Courtenay Bay, at Redhead, there is a very good work, which, as well as Fort Dufferin, was constructed by the Royal Engineers, and both are in serviceable condition. An armament of four 32-pounder guns has now been mounted on Redhead Battery, to cross fire with Fort Dufferin, outside of Partridge Island. Partridge Island has also a battery, inclosed and defensible. Orders have recently been given to place it in good repair.

Its arrnament consists of two 8-inch smooth-bore guns, two 68-pounder guns, one 32-pounder gun, and one 18-pounder guns-all smooth-bore.

This battery should doubtless have three rifled guns in addition. Dorchester Battery, in the barrack grounds, about 3,000 yards in rear of Partridge Island, has a well mounted battery of four 32-pounder guns, in serviceable condition.

Fort Howe, at the head of the Harbour of St. John, in the town or suburb of Portland, has a small serviceable battery of two 32-pounder guns.

The reserve magazines of powder are here.

Carlton Martello Tower, nearly a mile in rear of Fort Dufferin, on a commanding ridge, has one 32-pounder gun, mounted on a traversing platform, giving an all-round fire. The building is quite sound, but the masonry requires pointing, and the magazine is very damp.

The force in St. John now consists of five batteries of artillerymen of 42 men each-about 200; one company of engineers, 42 men; and 300 infantry. There are also, within a few hours by railways, reinforcements of about 1,200 infantry and 300 cavalry.

It

may be taken for granted that wherever troops, batteries, or companies are men-

• St. John, Sydney, Pictou, Charlotte Town.

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tioned in Canada, the strength of each unit is forty-two men, with a proportion of three

officers.

Sydney, Cape Breton. This being the centre of the coal districts is very important. Its batteries were dilapidated when the troops left Canada.

They were never handed over to the Dominion Government.

The eight 32-pounder guns on Chapel Point are in a bad state, and may prove to be honeycombed.

Orders have been given to mount four 32-pounder guns on Chapel Point, and to enrol and train 42 artillerymen. There are about 200 infantry in Cape Breton, tolerably trained.

The Defence Committee recommend two batteries in succession should be erected upon Chapel and Mines Point, armed with two 7-ton and two 64-pounder rifled guns each, and that they should be strong, defensible works, to resist a coup de main from the direction of Cranberry Head; also another battery of two, 7-ton and two 64-pounder rifled guns at Edward Point, to protect the coaling wharves.

To man these guns would require from 150 to 200 artillerymen, and there should be a reinforcement of 1,000 infantry. I do not rely upon the population of Cape Breton furnishing this quota satisfactorily or reliably.

The three batteries armed as proposed would be very costly, nearly, if not quite 15,000, and would require therefore to be adequately manned with well-trained and skilled artillerymen.

I am not aware whether the Dominion Government is prepared to undertake the defence of Sydney on this elaborate scale. It is undoubtedly a most important port for its coal supply, not only for merchant steamers, but also for Her Majesty's ships on the North American Station. It is within easy reach of Halifax, and 1,200 miles from Ottawa; and I therefore respectfully suggest that its temporary defence upon a safe scale should be undertaken by Her Majesty's ships, supplemented, if necessary, by a detachment of Royal Artillery from Halifax, to mount and man whatever armament may be deemed necessary, in addition to a gun-boat or small iron-clad ship.

Charlotte Town, Prince Edward Island.-This island is exposed to attack from many points of easy access all round its coasts, and it is equally defenceless.

There are about 160 garrison artillerymen, 80 of whom are at Charlotte Town; and about 460 infantry, 200 of whom are at Charlotte Town.

Until I went there first in 1875 the island militia, under the old provincial system,

was almost only in name. It has since been reorganized and partially trained, but I cannot rely on it even yet as very efficient. No doubt it had much improved when I visited the island again last August. Those formerly there are in ruins.

There is no battery on either Blockhouse or Battery Point, the two headlands on either side of the entrance to Hillsboro' River. The only guns mounted are three 32-pounders on an unnamed point, lying between Government House and York River. These guns would dispute the narrow channel with a steamer not heavily armed with rifled artillery.

The battery and magazine have been recently put in repair.

No doubt a battery of rifled guns upon Battery Point would be an important addition to the defence of Charlotte Town, but I think it should be remembered that Hillsboro' Bay is pretty wide below that point, and that a steamer could creep in under darkness unper ceived from the battery.

Considering the volunteer force in Charlotte Town, I would prefer arming a battery in the position of the present one near Government House Point with three 64-pounder rifled guns; the volunteers could then practise from that battery, which is in a command- ing position, but Battery Point is so isolated, and at the opposite side of the bay, that volunteers could rarely go there, and could not permanently occupy it.

Any attack upon Prince Edward Island must be only with piratical or predatory intent, and would not be very remunerative except for food supplies or contribution.

Men-of-war would, of course, be cruizing in the gulf in time of hostilities, and them would, in great degree, depend the defence of the island.

upon

Pictou, in Northumberland Strait, also most important, from neighbouring collieries, as a shipping port.

There is one excellent battery of six 32-pounder, not rifled guns, on a bluff on the town side, I believe, called Moodie's Point. These guns point over the roadstead and entrance to the river, they also command a large are inside the river or estuary, and their range of fire would reach the railway landing wharf on the opposite side.

There should certainly be four 64-pounder rifled guns in this battery in addition.

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