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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

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། ་། mwimmimC.O. 885

4 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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steps taken by me for the temporary defence of Singapore, pending the arrival of the 6-ton guns alluded to in your telegram of the 7th ultimo.

Sir,

I have, &c.

(Signed) WILLIAM C. F. ROBINSON.

Inclosure 1 in No. 224.

Government House, Singapore, April 2, 1878. THE menacing aspect of European affairs raises the important question here as to what should be done for the defence of Singapore and its coal depôts in the event of a war. Against the attack of two or more iron-clad ships, I presume it is admitted that the Colony could do little or nothing, and that in any such case the defence of Singapore must form part of a general plan of naval and military operations designed and carried out by the Imperial authorities. But the Colony, it appears to me, should not be unprepared to repel the attack of say a single vessel coming here for the purpose of levying contributions on the town; and I shall be obliged if you will confer with the Senior Naval Officer and Major McNair, Colonial Engineer, to whom similar letters have been written, and advise me what measures it would in your opinion be wise for the Colony to adopt with the above object in view, either by hastily defending the entrances to the harbour, so far as we have the means of defending them, or otherwise.

The Commandant,

Straits Settlements.

I have, &c.

(Signed) WILLIAM C. F. ROBINSON,

[A similar letter to Captain Hotham, R.N., Senior Naval Officer, and the Honourable Major McNair, Colonial Engineer.]

Sir,

Inclosure 2 in No. 224.

Singapore, April 13, 1878.

I HAVE the honour to inclose the Report on the defence of Singapore, as requested in his Excellency the Governor's letter of the 2nd instaut, and to request that you will be good enough to lay it before him on his arrival from Penang.

I have, &c.

The Colonial Secretary,

Straits Settlements.

(Confidential.)

(Signed)

C. A. S. DICKINS, Colonel,

Commanding 28th Regiment.

Inclosure 3 in No. 224.

Report of Committee.

THE Committee having assembled at the request of his Excellency the Governor, as per correspondence noted in the margin,* proceed to consider what would be the most suitable and expeditious means of defending the new harbour entrances and roadstead of Singapore against the attack of one or two unarmoured vessels which, in the event of war, might escape the vigilance of our squadrons, and under threat of bombardment demand an indemnity, or proceed to destroy the coal depots by which our ships are supplied.

The Committee has examined the present shore batteries and other available sites for placing guns in commanding positions, and they have, moreover, taken note of the number and condition of the guns and the state and quantity of war material now in the Settle- ments, and have also read the Report of his Excellency Sir W. Jervois, R.E., dated the 31st August, 1876, on the defences of the island.

The Committee is able to report as follows:-

1. That the armament now in store and in position in Singapore is practically useless against any war vessel that may be likely to approach the roadstead, in consequence of there being no rifled gun of sufficient calibre and range to keep off a vessel armed with the modern ordnance. Moreover, the only guns of any useful calibre, with one exception, are, with their carriages, quite unserviceable,

• The Governor to the Commandant, April 2; the Governor to the Senior Naval Officer, April 2; the Colonial Secretary to the Colonial Engineer, April 2, 1878.

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2. That any defence of the new harbour approaches with any of the present arma- ment, or with torpedoes, would be both futile and injudicious without the roadstead being also defended.

3. Should it be possible to obtain suitable rifled ordnance, the following sites should be at once prepared and armed: Mount Palmer; the lower battery, Mount Faber; Mount Siloso, and Tanjong Kutong, where a sand-bag battery might very readily be thrown up.

Under existing circumstances, therefore, the Committee can only advise that rifled guns and torpedoes be telegraphed for, and that until their arrival the defence of the Colony must be left to Her Majesty's Navy.

(Signed) C. A. Š. DICKINS, Colonel, 28th Regiment, Commanding

Troops, Straits Settlements.

CHAS. F. HOTHAM, Captain, R.N.

J. F. A. MCNAIR, Colonial Engineer and Surveyor-General.

Singapore, April 8, 1878.

Inclosure 4 in No. 224.

Report.

THE Committee having met at Government House, and consulted further with his Excellency the Governor as to the steps possible to be taken for the defence of the port and settlement of Singapore, pending the arrival of the 6-ton muzzle-loading rifled guns from England, advise that the seven 68-pounders, which the Committee, since writing their report of the 8th instant, have been given to understand are serviceable, be placed in the following positions :-

Two 68-pounders at Tanjong Kutong.

Three 68-pounders at Mount Palmer.

Two 68-pounders at Mount Faber (lower battery),

The Committee further recommend that the carriages of all guns to be placed in position be thoroughly overhauled, and any necessary repairs made forthwith. Further, that the guns to be removed from Fort Canning be replaced by such serviceable 8-inch and other guns as may be available, to be ready to meet with any local disturbance that inight arise.

The Committee consider that no time should be lost in placing these guns (68-pounders) in the positions indicated, but that beyond this no defence measures are at the immediate disposal of the Government, which, as already stated, must rely upon Her Majesty's Navy for its principal support and defence.

Sir,

(Signed) C. A. S. DICKINS, Colonel, 28th Regiment, Commanding

Troops, Straits Settlements. CHAS. F. HOTHAM, Captain, R.N. J. F. A. MCNAIR, Colonial Engineer.

Singapore, April 17, 1878.

Inclosure 5 in No. 224.

Government House, Singapore, April 18, 1878. THE Defence Committee, on which you have been so good as to sit, having advised that the measures enumerated in the accompanying Memorandum be carried out with as little delay as possible, I have the honour to request that you will be good enough to give such orders as may be necessary for giving effect to the recommendations of the Committee.

The Colonial Works Department will co-operate with the military authorities in this matter, and will on demand furnish any labour and materials which the military depart- ments may be unable to supply, leaving it to be decided hereafter by which Government the expenses incurred are to be borne.

I write on the assumption that the 68-pounder guns are serviceable, on which point I am at present without definite information. Of course if it should come to your know- ledge that the guns in question are unserviceable, it would be useless to go to the expense of removing them.

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