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St. HELENA.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

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24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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32557/S

(Secret.)

No. 83.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 28th August, 1914.)

SIR,

The Castle, St. Helena, 8th August, 1914. I HAVE the honour to submit a brief report of the measures which have been taken in this Colony to meet the present emergency, from the receipt of your warning telegram up to the present date.

2. On the receipt of your warning telegram on the night of 29th July, I immediately conferred with the Officer Commanding Troops as to the measures to be taken, both during the precautionary stage and also as preparatory to the war stage. Although, according to the defence scheme of this Colony, the precautionary stage is omitted, and the war stage is only considered to commence upon arrival of the war garrison, the presence of the Royal Marine detachment, and other con- sideratious connected therewith seemed to justify and require some slight modifica- tion in the normal arrangements as described in the latest revision of the defence scheme. In view of the possibility of attack during the considerable interval that was likely to elapse before the war garrison could reach the island, it was decided to endeavour to man the fixed defences, which were already complete and, in work- ing order as regards matériel, by raising sufficient personnel locally under the provision of the Militia Ordinance of 1874. It was hoped that this would at any rate enable us to cope with anything not more serious than a flying raid with the object of cutting the cable. I therefore asked your authority by telegraph to enrol sufficient militia for this purpose in the event of war being declared before the arrival of the garrison. In the meantime, however, there were indications that a considerable portion of the civil population, to whom the gravity of the situation was becoming sufficiently apparent from the public news telegrams, were ready to offer their services, if necessary, in the defence of the Colony; and being satisfied that this feeling was genuine and widespread, I considered it preferable to try the As you were good voluntary system before having recourse to the militia ballot. enough to approve of my telegraphic proposals to this effect, it was possible, imme- diately on receipt of your war telegram, to enrol and embody the required number of volunteers. At the same time I authorized the Officer Commanding Troops to These are posted day and night at engage 18 civilians for intelligence duties. suitable stations overlooking the possible landing places, and as an effective system of visual communication has been established between these look-out posts and military headquarters at Ladder Hill, the possibility of a surprise landing is reduced to a minimum. These arrangements have been carried out under the personal directions and supervision of Captain Mathew, R.M.A., of whose energy and resource I cannot speak too highly.

3. The above modifications in the normal military dispositions have necessi- tated a corresponding departure from the civil arrangements as described in chapter VI. of the defence scheme. Those arrangements were not intended to come into force until the arrival of the garrison, but, in order to give full effect, to the military dispositions which have been improvised as an intermediate stage, I considered it necessary to bring the special civil machinery into immediate opera- tion. Accordingly I published the Secret Order in Council dated the 26th February, 1896, immediately on receipt of your war telegram, and issued the prescribed Proclamation thereunder at the same time. Copies of those documents and of other Proclamations issued under the Order, or in compliance with your telegraphic instructions, are being transmitted under cover of a separate despatch.*

I have, &c.,

H. E. S. CORDEAUX, Governor and Commander-in-Chief.

*82428: not printed.

32557/9

No. 84.

MEMORANDUM AS TO EMBODIMENT OF VOLUNTEERS, ST. HELENA, 1914.

On the 4th August the Governor telegraphed that a considerable portion of the population were anxious to offer their services in the defence of the Colony, and that he proposed to form a small volunteer corps, not exceeding three officers and 50 men, under the provisions of the Volunteer Ordinance (13 Secret). Meanwhile the Admiralty and the War Office had been consulted as to a previous proposal from the Governor to raise a militia, and a telegram (12 Secret) was sent to the Governor on the 4th August, telling him to organize a militia forthwith. However, the Governor proceeded to organize the volunteers, stating only that he would apply the Militia Ordinance if the number of volunteers was insufficient. On the 5th August Major Cordeaux reported that he had raised and embodied a corps as he proposed (22 Secret).

On 4th September the Governor asked for authority to enrol and embody another 50 volunteers. The proposal was approved. (33760/14.)

A report by the Officer Commanding the Troops on the measures taken to perfect the defence of the island was enclosed in the Governor's despatch. Colonial Office,

22347

SIR,

September, 1914.

No. 85.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 15th May, 1915.)

(Confidential.)

The Castle, St. Helena, 12th April, 1915.

In accordance with the instructions contained in your Confidential despatch of the 18th February,* I have the honour to submit a report on the measures taken on the outbreak of war and the general situation caused by the war in this Colony.

2. Copies of the various proclamations and notifications that have been issued from time to time have already been furnished to you under cover of numbered despatches. One of the first and most important was the proclamation in the Colony of the Imperial Order in Council of the 28th October, 1896, which places the Colony under martial law and, amongst other provisions, empowers the Governor to regulate the prices of foodstuffs. It was found expedient to take early advantage of this latter provision. As the merchants in this Colony do not, under ordinary circumstances, keep a large stock of provisions on hand, some apprehension was felt on the question of food supplies, as evidenced by a tendency on the part of the public to lay in stocks of provisions. This had the natural result of creating a sharp rise in prices. Accordingly all provision merchants were required to submit returns of such articles of food as were in their possession, and the statistics so obtained showed that there were ample food supplies in the island provided there was no serious interruption in the arrival of the usual monthly consignments. At the same time, in order to prevent any undue inflation of prices, a proclamation was issued fixing the maximum retail prices of the more staple articles of food such as flour, rice, sugar, and preserved meats. These prices are varied by proclamation from time to time in correspondence with the invoiced prices of each fresh consignment. As at present fixed, the prices of all articles of food are some 20 per cent. higher than the pre-war prices, owing to enhanced freight and insurance charges, whilst flour, sugar, and all cereals are nearly 50 per cent, dearer owing to the shortage of supply. With the exception of the above regulation no special measures have been called for in dealing with the ordinary civil affairs of the Colony.

3. The military measures taken on the outbreak of war have already been fully detailed in my secret despatch of the 8th August.† It is only necessary to add that the voluntary system of enlistment, which I then recommended should be

* 2698/14-15: not printed.

+ No. 89.

P 2