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(Secret and Confidential.)

Šir,

172

No. 305 A.

Colonial Office to War Office.

Downing Street, August 22, 1878. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, for the consideration of Secretary Colonel Stanley, the inclosed printed correspondence relative to the defence of Table Bay and Simon's Bay, Cape of Good Hope.*

2. It will be seen that the Colonial Defence Committee suggest certain modifications, and additions in the armament for the defence of Table Bay, and on being informed of Colonel Stanley's views with regard to these proposals, Sir Michael Hicks Beach will apply to the Treasury for authority for any increased expenditure which may be rendered

necessary.

Sir Michael Hicks Beach has, however, received a letter from the Admiralty, copy of which it is stated has been sent to you, inclosing a copy of a Report from Commodore Sullivan on the defence of Simon's Town, and from that paper it would appear that some of the works proposed by the Colonial Defence Committee to be altered to enable them to receive heavier guns have by this time been completed, and it would therefore seem probable that the smaller total cost estimated by the Committee would now fall short of the amount required.

(Confidential.) Sir,

R. H. MEADE,

I am, (Signed)

&c.

No. 306.

War Office to Colonial Office.

War Office, August 23, 1878.

IN reply to your letter of the 6th instant,t requesting to be supplied, for the use of the Government of South Australia, with a complete set of the publications issued from the War Office with respect to torpedoes, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to transmit copies of confidential Reports, &c., described in the annexed list, and to state that the desire of the South Australian Government to be furnished with copies of future Reports relating to torpedoes will be complied with.

I have, &c. (Signed)

Inclosure in No. 306.

List of Publications.

RALPH THOMPSON.

PROCEEDINGS of the Torpedo Committee from 1870 to 1874. (No. 17.) Précis of a Report on the United States Submarine Mining Establishment. Point. By Lieutenant Barker, R.E.

Willet's

Report of the Experiments conducted by the War Office Torpedo Committee,

1878.

Report of the experiments conducted by the War Office Torpedo Committee, 1874-76.

Report of the experiments conducted by the War Office Torpedo Committee, 1875-76.

Extract from the Proceedings of the Royal Engineers' Committee, 1877. Notes on Defence by Submarine Mines. By Lieutenant-Colonel Stotherd, R.E.

(Confidential.)

Sir,

No. 307.

Admiralty to Colonial Office.

Admiralty, August 24, 1878.

1 AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th instant, transmitting a copy of a despatch from the Acting Governor of South Australia, requesting to be supplied with certain confidential

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173

publications with respect to torpedoes; and I am to forward to you, confidentially, one copy of the Admiralty Torpedo Committee's Report, and one copy of the Report of the "Oberon" Committee, to enable the Secretary of State for the Colonies to comply with the request, so far as the publications by this Department are concerned.

2. a am to request an acknowledgment of their receipt.

I am, &c. (Signed)

ROBERT HALL.

No. 308.

Governor Hennessy, C.M.G., to the Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart.-(Received (Secret.)

Sir,

August 26.)

Government House, Hong Kong, July 15, 1878.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 29th May,* transmitting to me a copy of a Report on Hong Kong, by Admiral Sir Alexander Milne, General Sir Lintorn Simmons, and Sir Henry Barkly, together with a copy of some confidential correspondence (Miscellaneous No. 35 E) respecting Colonial defence.

2. I have already reported that, before General Sir Francis Colborne left the Colony (about twelve months ago), and since then, I have been in frequent communication with the military and naval authorities on the spot, and that I have had the advantage, in concert with them, of considering the various details relating to our defence. If the information so obtained, and whatever practical knowledge I may have of the localities and resources of the Colony, as well as the responsibilities of my official position, in any way justify me in presuming to express an opinion on the Report of the Committee, I would venture to say that the project of temporary defence they have recommended is precisely that which is best suited to the circumstances of Hong Kong.

3. With every recommendation in the Report of the Committee I entirely concur, and I need hardly add that the military and naval authorities may rely on my most cordial co-operation in carrying out the views of Her Majesty's Government.

I have, &c. (Signed)

No. 309.

J. POPE HENNESSY.

Governor Hennessy, C.M.G., to the Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart.-(Received August 26.) (Confidential.)

Sir,

Government House, Hong Kong, July 16, 1878. WHILST I have ventured in another despatch to express my concurrence with every recommendation Sir Alexander Milnes' Committee have made respecting the temporary defence of Hong Kong, I take the liberty of suggesting that the batteries they have indicated should be constituted permanent works, and that this remote but important station should be fortified and garrisoned as the chief British stronghold in the East.

2. In connection with the question of permanent defence there are some points on which I presume to say a few words. There is no Colony in the Empire, I believe, where the construction of solid and enduring works may be undertaken with greater facilities. Commissary-General Moore, who recently employed and personally superintended the labourers in making the temporary batteries and in dragging heavy guns, tells me he never met in any part of the world with better or more willing hands. Mr. Price, the Surveyor-General, gives me the same account of the Chinese employed by the various contractors under his Department. And both these officers have observed that this supply of thoroughly efficient labour seems in this Colony to be practically unlimited. An elastic. labour market, where employers have nothing to fear from drunkenness or strikes, seems to be an element not unworthy of notice in considering the cost and feasibility of extensive

works.

3. As to adequately garrisoning such works, I believe this Colony also offers exceptional advantages. In the four last paragraphs of my despatch No. 23 of the 27th February, 1878, I have referred to the possibility of converting a portion of our Chinese police into an armed and semi-military force, available for general defensive purposes; and in my Confidential despatches of the 24th May and 13th June,† I have

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