CO885(3-4) — Page 425

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

34

No. 46.

The Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Bart., to Governor Sir H. B. E. Frere, Bart., G.C.B., G.C.S.I. (Secret.) Sir,

Downing Street, October 22, 1879.

I HAVE the honour to transmit to you a copy of a letter from the War Office, inclosing a copy of a despatch from Lieutenant-General Lord Chelmsford respecting the defences of the Table Mountain Peninsula.* I also transmit to you the accompanying printed correspondence which took place last year between this Department and the Colonial Defence Committee relative to the defences of the Colony.

2. I request that you will, as soon as possible, appoint a local Committee, under your, direction, composed of officers named by the General Officer Commanding and your Government, to report upon the various points referred to in the inclosed letter from the War Office, and to prepare an estimate of the cost of the various works requisite to carry into complete effect the proposals of the General Officer Commanding, and that you will transmit to me the report and estimate at your carliest convenience, with any observations which you may have to offer upon them, in order that they may receive the early consideration of the Royal Commission for the Defence of British Ports and Commerce abroad.

3. Your Government will, however, of course understand that, in the absence of such full particulars as a Committee assembled on the spot is alone competent to furnish, Iler Majesty's Government cannot be bound by the principle recommended by the late Colonial Defence Committee in their Report of the 7th June, 1878,† as to the apportion ment between this country and the Colony of the cost of providing such defences as may be decided upon,

however equitable that principle may be under the conditions assumed by the Committee.

1

I have, &c.

(Signed) M. E. HICKS BEACH.

No. 47.

The Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Bart., to Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervòis,

G.C.M.G., C.B. (Secret.) Sir,

Downing Street, October 23, 1879. YOUR Confidential despatch of the 5th September, 1878, respecting the proposal to purchase an iron-clad vessel for the defence of South Australia, appeared to me to raise questions which could not be decided with reference to that Colony alone, and I therefore thought it advisable to postpone any action with regard to it until the arrangements which have been for some time past in contemplation for a general inquiry into the defences of the Colonies were completed, in order that the proposal might receive that consideration which the importance of the subject requires.

You will have learnt from my Circular despatch of the 21st instants that the Queen has now been pleased to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into the defences of the Colonics, and I have accordingly laid your despatch before the Commission for their con- sideration.

I have,,&c.

(Signed) M. E. HICKS BEACH.

No. 48.

35

Report on the existing state of the defences of their respective Colonies, and the course which is contemplated for their completion.

I am also to inclose an extract from a despatch from Sir W. Jervois, acknowledging the receipt of the above telegram, and also a copy of a despatch from the Governor of Queensland,† forwarding various papers connected with the defence of that Colony, which I am to request may eventually be returned to this Department.

Sir,

R. H. MEADE.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

No. 49.

The Secretary to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce abroad to Colonial Office.

13, Delahay Street, November 1, 1879.

I AM directed by the Royal Commission on the defence of British Possessions and Commerce abroad to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd October,‡ trans- mitting a copy of the despatch which the Secretary of State has addressed to the Governor of the Cape as to the formation of a local Committee to consider the question of permanent defences, and to say that the Commission have learnt with satisfaction that steps have been taken to give effect to the proposal of the Secretary of State for War.

て

No. 50.

I have, &c. (Signed)

H. JEKYLL.

The Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Bart., to the Officer administering the

Government of the Straits Settlements.

(Secret.)

Sir,

Downing Street, November 5, 1879. WITH reference to previous correspondence respecting the works of defence of Singapore, I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a correspondence relative to a further expenditure of 2,7001, which it has been found necessary to incur to preserve the works in question from damage in their present condition.

2. As the share of the cost of these works which will eventually have to be provided by the Straits Settlements will certainly not amount to less than this sum, and as funds to that amount were lying idle to the credit of the Colony, it was thought that it would be more convenient for the Colony to advance the 2,7001, as a contribution from colonial funds towards the cost of the works, to be adjusted hereafter when the final apportionment is made.

3. You will perceive from the letter of the 26th September§ that the War Office authorities have no objection to the payment being made upon the spot, and I have to request, therefore, that you will make arrangements for paying the sum in question into the hands of the District Army Paymaster at Singapore.

4. I have to add that this sum, expressed in gold, represents of course money locally expended in dollars, and I am not aware of the exact number of dollars represented by the nominal sum of 2,7001., but you will have no difficulty in ascertaining that on the spot before payment.

M. E. HICKS BEACH.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

No. 51.

"Sir,

Colonial Office to the Secretary to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce abroad:

Downing Street, October 31, 1879.

I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, to be laid before the Royal Commission on the defence of British Possessions and Commerce abroad, a copy of a telegram which he sent on the 22nd August last to the Governors of all the Australian Colonies,|| requesting them to send, through Sir W. Jervois, a detailed

† No. 162 of Miscellaneous No. 35 E."

No. 19 of " Miscellaneous No. 38."

‡ Not printed.

{ No. 42.

|| No. 16.

Governor Sir H. Robinson, K.C.M.G., to the Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Bart.— (Received November 6.) (Confidential.)

Sir,

Government House, Wellington, August 27, 1879.

I HAVE the honour to inform you that on the 25th August I received from the Governor of South Australia a telegraphic despatch of which the following is a copy :-

* No. 41 (paragraphs 1 and 2). [1093]

† No. 40.

+ No. 45.

Ą

No. 32.

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