CO885(3-4) — Page 344

1.

178

No. 817.

Colonial Office to Agent-General for New Zealand.

(Secret and Confidential.) Sir,

Downing Street, August 31, 1878. WITH reference to your letter of the 12th instant, I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you a copy of a lettert from the War Office stating the time at which the original order for guns for your Government will be completed, and the date at which the guns, &c., will be ready for shipment, and suggesting that should communicate direct with the Commissary-General at Woolwich as to the shipment of the armament.

I am, &c.

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(Signed)

No. 318.

you

R. H. MEADE.

179 →

No. 320.

Colonial Office to War Office and Admiralty.

(Secret and Confidential.)

•

Sir,

Downing Street, August 31, 1878. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th [23rd] instant, together with the confidential pub- lications relating to torpedoes therein referred to for the use of the Government of South Australia.

[2. The Report on experiments against Her Majesty's ship "Oheron" is herewith returned, a copy of the publication having been received from the Admiralty. It has also been struck out of the list which accompanied your letter.+]

3. The Acting Governor has been informed that Sir Michael Hicks Beach relies on his assurance that the publications forwarded to him will be treated as confidential, and will be used only by the officers intrusted with the charge of the torpedo defences, and he has been requested to acknowledge the receipt of the documents.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

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4. PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

(Secret and Confidential.) Sir,

Colonial Office to War Office.

Downing Street, August 31, 1878,

I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, to be laid before Secretary Colonel Stanley, a copy of the Report of the Colonial Defence Committee upon the despatches from the Governor of the Straits Settlements, inclosing correspondence showing the steps taken for the defence of the Colony, copies of which were transmitted to you in the Secret and Confidential letters from this Department of the 31st July and 22nd instant.

2. If Colonel Stanley concurs in the recommendations of the Committee, that no departure from the arrangements already sanctioned should be permitted, and that none of the gans destined for Hong Kong should be diverted for other purposes, I am to suggest that the necessary instructions should be conveyed to the military authorities in the Colony.

3. I am to add that a copy of the report and of this letter will be transmitted to the Governor for his information.

I am, &c. (Signed)

R. H. MEADE.

No. 319.

The Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach to the Officer administering the Government of South Australia. (Secret.) Sir,

Downing Street, August 31, 1878.

WITH reference to your despatch No. 26 of the 12th June last,§ I have the honour to transmit to you copies of letters from the War Office and Admiralty, together with the publications therein referred to relating to torpedoes.||

2. I have to request that you will be good enough to acknowledge the receipt of these documents in a Secret despatch, and I take this opportunity of pointing out that your despatch above referred to, and also your despatch No. 25, to which you referred, relating to the defences of the Colony, should have been marked Secret, and should not be allowed to remain with the public despatches of the Colony.

3. I rely on your assurance that the inclosed publications will be treated as con- fidential, and security taken that they will be used only by the officers intrusted with the charge of the torpedo defences.

I have, &c. (Signed)

M. E. HICKS BEACH.

• No. 288.

† No. 311.

No 312.

4 No. 255.

Nos. 306 and 307.

Sir,

No. 321.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

R. H. MEADE.

کرد

The Agent-General for South Australia to Colonial Office.

Office of Agent-General for South Australia,

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8, Victoria Chambers, Westminster, September 3, 1878.

I HAVE the honour to inform you that I have been instructed to obtain for the Government of South Australia the following works on torpedo service, viz :—

1. Admiralty Reports for 1875-6.

2. War Office Reports for 1875-6.

3. Notes on Defence by Submarine Mines, by Lieutenant-Colonel Stothers, War

Office.

4. Captain Fisher's Manual.

5. Copies of existing Rules and Regulations in force in the Torpedo Corps in

England.

The foregoing are, I am informed, procurable only from the Imperial Government, and I shall feel much indebted to you if through your good offices I can be supplied with a copy of each for transmission to the Colony. Any charges in connection with such supply would, I need scarcely add, be cheerfully defrayed by me.

(Secret and Confidential.)

Sir,

No. 322.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

ARTHUR, BLYTH.

Colonial Office to War Office.

Downing Street, September 4, 1878.

I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, to be laid before Secretary Colonel Stanley, a copy of a Confidential despatch from Governor Hennessy, suggesting that the batteries for Hong Kong should be constituted permanent works, and that that station should be fortified and garrisoned as the chief British strong- hold in the East.

2. Sir Michael Hicks Beach is of opinion that, if possible, the works now to be constructed should certainly be of a permanent character, and he will be glad to be informed whether with this view any alteration can be made in the designs, and how any such alterations would affect the estimated expenditure for defensive works in Hong Kong which has already been sanctioned.

• Nos. 306 and 807.

+ To War Office only.

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