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Government are with regard to remarks of this nature; therefore, I consider it advisable that, if the Report be presented to my Government, the paragraphs I have referred to should be omitted.

Sir,

que

No. 201.

I bave, &c. (Signed)

JOHN H. GLOVER.

F. Napier Broome, Esq., to Colonial Office.

7, Glendower Place, South Kensington, April 13, 1880. SIR GEORGE BOWEN having requested that I would endeavour, during my stay in England, to forward the construction of a telegraph to Mauritius, I have, also with the permission of the Secretary of State, been in communication more particularly with the Colonial Defence Commission and with Mr. Pender, the Chairman of the Eastern Telegraph Company.

2. I was to have given evidence before the Commission on the defensive value of a cable, but I shall not now, as I leave England this week, be able to attend the Commission, and I have forwarded the substance of what I had to say in a letter addressed to Lord Carnarvon, the Chairman. I inclose, for the information of the Right Honourable the Secretary of State, a copy of this letter, and trust the Commission may, in their Report, recommend the cable as a defensive measure, and therefore worthy of Imperial support.

3. With regard to the actual construction and working of the telegraph, Mr. Pender, at my request, has drawn out the terms on which a cable may be laid, and his two alternative schemes are already, I believe, in possession of the Secretary of State. According to one of these schemes, it is proposed that the Colony should be the proprietor of the cable, and, if all went well, it is shown that a large annual outlay would be saved by this course. It will probably be thought, however, that the risk is too large and uncertain for a Government to take, and there remains the second scheme, by which Mr. Pender's Company would construct and work the cable for a subsidy of 28,000. a-year. Of this large sum not more than 15,000l. a-year could, I apprehend, be provided by Mauritius and Bourbon; and so far as the inquiries I have made, and which I now beg respectfully to report, have gone, it appears that the achievement or the indefinite post- ponement of this important undertaking must turn upon the willingness or otherwise of the Imperial Government to contribute 10,0001. a-year of the subsidy. as a matter of policy, this expenditure may be considered to be not only justified, but In the hope that, necessary, I would beg you to bring to the Secretary of State's notice the several points mentioned in my above-referred-to letter to the Chairman of the Royal Commission on Colonial Defence.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

F. NAPIER BROOME,

Colonial Secretary of Mauritius.

185

Mauritius depends on India for its food supply. This trade would have to be specially guarded in the event of war with a maritime Power, and it would be important to know if it were interrupted, as capture of the Indian grain ships would cause a famine in the island. Men-of-war would have not only to cruise on the trade route, but touch occasionally at Port Louis, with which it would then be most necessary to be in telegraphic communication.

When in 1878 there was a threatening of difficulties with Russia, the flag-ship of the East Indian Station was not allowed to pay its usual winter visit to Port Louis, but was detained at Aden so as to be within cable call. Thus in time of war, or threat of war, without a telegraph, Mauritius would be more or less cut off from naval presence and aid.

There are good dry docks at Port Louis. But these would be little use to the navy in time of war when most wanted unless there was a cable.

The French Government are making Bourbon, 100 miles from Mauritius, a place of importance. Much money of the Republic is being expended there on dock and harbour works. In time of war it would be a French naval rendezvous, and the military strength there is larger than that we maintain in Mauritius.

With a garrison of less than 500 men, half of whom may at any time be on the sick list, the troops in Mauritius may be said to be almost reduced to the danger point, even for internal, let alone defensive security. There should be telegraphic communication with such a Colony.

A large fleet of British merchant shipping always lies in Port Louis harbour. There are sometimes, I believe, 200 sail. Such a fleet is seen in no Cape port. It would have to be protected in war time, and its protection as well as underwriting interests would be greatly served by a telegraph.

Even in the transport operations connected with the late Zulu war, Mauritius was much used as a coaling and supply station. In war time it must always be an important point for this purpose, and a port which could not fail to be much relied on for provisions and fuel by the navy should be connected with head-quarters by telegraph.

I trust these reasons, which could be much amplified, will be sufficient to induce the Commission to recommend aid from Imperial funds towards the construction of a cable to this important island.

The Eastern Telegraph Company will construct and work a cable from Zanzibar (connecting there with the African line) to Port Louis and Bourbon for a subsidy of 25,0001. a-year for twenty years.

Mauritius will give 10,000l. a-year towards this sum. But it cannot afford to pay

more.

I believe the French Government will give 5,000l. a-year.

If, then, the Imperial Government will subscribe 10,000l. a-year for twenty years, the cable can be laid.

I have, &c. (Signed) F. NAPIER BROOME,

The Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon,

&c.

&c.

&c.

Colonial Secretary of Mauritius.

My Lord,

Inclosure in No. 201.

7, Glendower Place, South Kensington, April 2, 1880. YOUR Lordship was good enough to appoint a day on which I could give evidence before the Colonial Defence Commission, but as the adjournment of the Commission in view of the elections and my own approaching departure from England prevent my attendance, I take the liberty of leaving on record, for your Lordship's consideration and that of the Commission, the few observations I had hoped to have made.

The point I particularly wished to have an opportunity of speaking to was the defensive value, and indeed necessity, of a submarine cable to Mauritius (of which island I am Colonial Secretary), and my object in bringing it to the notice of the Commission was to procure an Imperial subvention, since without this the cable will probably never be

constructed.

A cable would of course be of great commercial and social importance to the island, and to mercantile and other connected interests in England. But I confine myself to the defensive aspect of the matter, in hope that this alone may be sufficient to induce the Commnission to recommend Imperial aid towards the construction of a telegraph connecting Mauritius with London.

Sir,

No. 202.

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

13, Delahay Street, April 16, 1880. IN reply to your letter of the 31st March* respecting the desire of Sir William Jervois to give evidence before the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad as a Delegate from South Australia, I am desired by the Commission to say that they entirely concur in the reply which the Secretary of State proposes to send by telegraph to Sir William Jervois, as stated in the third paragraph of your letter.

I am to add that the Commission think it important that no time should be lost in taking the evidence of the representatives of the Australian Colonies, and they trust that arrangements can be made for them to be in attendance, and ready to appear before the Commission, not later than the first week in June.

No. 190.

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I have, &c. (Signed) HERBERT JEKYLL.

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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