CO885-(1-2) — Page 64

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

885

1PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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COLONIAL.

Gun Lascars

168

Ceylon Rifle Regiment

1,509

1,677

Invalid company-Malays

100

do.

Sepoys

61

161

Lord Hill observes, with reference to Mr. Stewart Mackenzie's proposition, that the military duties at Trincomalee should be performed by the Royal Marine force, that, unless that force are less employed on board of Her Majesty's ships in India than elsewhere- their assistance could not be permanently reckoned on, and that as the Marines are supplied with rations free of deduction from their pay-the public expenditure would be by so much increased.

Lord Hill refers to former correspondence on the subject of the withdrawal of an European regiment from Ceylon-which may be thus briefly stated.

In 1831, Sir R. Wilmot Horton-then governor of the Island-recommended the withdrawal of one European regiment, and the Secretary of State communicated with the General Commanding-in-Chief, as to the best mode of effecting this step-Lord Hill stated that if any such measure should be determined on, one of the regiments might be sent on to India--but as the East India Company were contemplating a reduction of their force in India, he suggested that no orders should be given for the disposal of one of the regi- ments in Ceylon, until it should be seen what course they would pursue.

In 1833, the Secretary of State informed the General Commanding-in-Chief that he was of opinion that it would be proper to instruct the officer commanding the troops in Ceylon, to send a Battalion at once from thence to India, unless such a reduction of the force in the island would in that officer's judgment, produce serious inconvenience.

During this reference to the colony, the Committee of the House of Commons on military expenditure were sitting, and they came to the following resolution with regard to Ceylon.

That inasmuch as it appears, that the military force in the island of Ceylon has been reduced from 6,169 rank and file, the amount of the garrison in 1816, to 3,732 on the 1st December, 183.3, and as the possibility of making a further reduction, is now under the consideration of the Government, it is not necessary for this Committee to express any opinion on the subject, although it has been suggested by some of the witnesses examined before them, that a reduction of one Battalion may be made.

At a date subsequent to this resolution, the officer commanding the troops in Ceylon, re- ported to the General Commanding-in-Chief, that the proposed reduction would be attended with serious inconvenience, and that he should wait till further orders from home.

In 1836, the withdrawal of a regiment from Ceylon, was again discussed by Sir R. · Wilmot Horton and his Council. The governor stated that he was prepared to adhere to his former opinion, that a regiment might be spared, in which the members of Council concurred, excepting the officer Commatiding the troops, who neither signified his assent to the measure, nor stated distinctly that he was adverse to it.

Lord Hill directs Lord Glenelg's attention to the fact, that the establishment of the Queen's troops in India. was fixed in relation to the establishment at Ceylon, on the sup- position that each would be able to assist the other, should circumstances require it-and that the present state of India would seem to demand special attention to this consideration. Lord Hill further expresses his opinion, that Mr. Stewart Mackenzie's propositions would be productive of serious injury to all the great interests concerned.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Previously to the late Kaffre War, the Military Establishment of the Colony consisted of

1 Company of Artillery

Half Company of Sappers

3 Battalions of Infantry

Cape Corps of Mounted Riflemen

Rank and File.

71

12

1,389 224

3

In order to meet the exigencies of the war, Sir B. D'Urban raised a considerable pro- visional force. He increased the Cape Corps to a provisional establishment of eight hundred men, and he retained in the colony a battalion of infantry, which another battalion had been sent out to relieve.

The war being concluded, the provisional force was disbanded, the additional battalion of infantry, retained in the colony, was sent home, and the Cape Corps was maintained on its provisional increased establishment; so that when Sir George Napier assuined the govern- ment of the colony, in January, 1838, he found at his disposal a force of about 2114 men. He proceeded shortly afterwards to the eastern frontier; he ascertained that the Cape Corps was in a most inefficient state; and proposed that it should be re-organised, and placed on a permanent establishment of 480 rank and file.

But after having minutely inspected the frontier, and resided there during a period of three months, Sir George Napier now declares it as his military opinion (Despatch dated 16th July, 1838), that in order to prevent Kaffre depredation, and to repel Kaffre invasion, it is absolutely necessary that he should have an additional Battalion of Infantry, in all, four Battalions, one to be stationed at Cape Town, one at Graham's Town, one at Fort Beaufort, and one to take the duties of the outposts, independently of the Cape Corps, and half a Company of Artillery, which would only furnish 1700 fighting men, or 200 above the number of men considered by Lieut.-Governor Stockenstrome to be necessary for the defence of the frontier.

The establishment of a Militia in aid of the Military Force is pronounced by the Governor to be impracticable.

IONIAN ISLANDS.

On the 5th of January, 1838, Sir Howard Douglas received a letter from the General- Commanding in Chief, informing him of the determination of Her Majesty's Government to diminish the number of Troops stationed in the Mediterranean, by the withdrawal of two Regiments from the Ionian Islands, and directing Sir Howard Douglas to hold the Service Companies of the 11th and 73rd Regiments in readiness for embarkation, whenever vessels might arrive for their reception.

Sir Howard Douglas, in his confidential despatch, 18 January, 1838, states the fol lowing reasons for expressing a hope that such a measure may be but of temporary duration. This reduction would render concentration on any point, except at Corfu, impossible; and any serious attempt to take advantage of these circumstances, whether proceeding from without or within, would unavoidably compel Sir Howard Douglas to withdraw the troops from some, if not all, of the Southern Islands, which would be thereby virtually abandoned. The completion of the works at Vido, would suffer an inconvenient and discouraging delay. It would be necessary to restrict the working parties to the Battalion forming the Garrison of that post, which Battalion had hitherto been left untouched; nor could they any longer have the assistance of the numerous artificers supplied by every corps who had con- tributed to the progress of this work during the last year.

The works at Port Neuf and the Citadel must also be suspended for the same reasons. Other public works, many calculated to promote the health aud comfort of the inhabitants, must be laid aside.

The lower orders of the discontented openly exult in the escape from restraint which such reduction may afford them ; on the other hand, their superiors complain of the conduct of the Protecting Power, in weakening the means of protection so soon after the sum to be paid for affording it efficiently was agreed upon; and Sir Howard Douglas anticipates that the Ionian Parliament may contend that this pecuniary assistance had been assented to, on the under- standing, that the number of Troops stationed on the Islands should never full short of that specified in the 11th article of 2nd section, 7th chapter of the Constitutional Charter; viz. 3,000 men. The amount of the Force in August, 1838, was 2,130 men, including artillery and engineers.

This reduction would, moreover, have the effect of weakening that vigilance and anilitary force which is especially necessary in the Ionian Islands, to prevent the introduc- tion of the Plague and Cholera; to ensure discipline, and enforce salutary regulations, in the event of any of these Islands being so afflicted.

Under these circumstances. Sir Howard Douglas urges Her Majesty's Government to restore, as soon as may be practicable, the Force employed in the protection of the Ionian Islands to its original strength,

1,727

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