CO885-5 — Page 561

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885/5

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

1.- Secret.

SIR,

+

No. 3.

Colonial Office to Admiralty.

DOWNING STREET,

2nd April, 1889.

1. I am directed by Lord Knutsford to transmit to you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a copy of a letter,* from this department to the War Office, dated 21st of January last, in which attention was called to the importance of providing adequate garrisons for St. Helena and Sierra Leone.

2. His Lordship has now learned from the War Office that the decision taken as regards those colonies is as follows:-

46

At Sierra Leone and St. Helena, the white men retained there to be limited to the number required as caretakers in order to ensure proper care being taken of the guns. It is suggested that this number would be from 12 to 20 Artillerymen, with a Master Gunner in each case; and that they should be supplied by volunteers called for from the Royal Artillery and Royal Marine Artillery. The Infantry to be withdrawn. An arrangement to be made with the Admiralty for a ship to proceed immediately on a state of emergency arising which requires it, with reinforcements previously agreed on. At Sierra Leone, 100 Houssas to be raised, and some provision for inspec- tion of armaments must be made.

"At St. Helena there must be also, say, 6 men of the Royal Engineers, and, as no white Infantry are to be retained there, an officer will be required

to command the forces.'

3. Lord Knutsford learns from a table supplied by the War Office that it has been decided to keep permanently at Sierra Leone 23 officers and men of the Royal Artillery, and to despatch a reinforcement of 44 officers and men from England when required, and to keep at St. Helena 23 officers and men of Royal Artillery, and to despatch, in case of war, a reinforcement of 62 Royal Artillery from England. Provision will further have to be made for the des- patch of an Infantry garrison to the latter station of about 250 Infantry.

4. It therefore appears that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have undertaken that "immediately on a state of emergency arising," which it is assumed refers to the outbreak of war, they will transport from England the necessary garrisons for St. Helena and Sierra Leone.

5. In undertaking this responsibility their Lordships have no doubt duly considered the following points:

(a.) Whether at such a crisis, when every ship will be wanted for the proper service of the Navy, the safe passage of a transport or transports can be counted upon.

(b.) Whether in the case of Sierra Leone, the operation can be carried out in time to prevent a force from Dakar, within two days steam of Freetown, from capturing or destroying the works, stores, and coal, the danger of which was pointed out by their Lordships in your letter of the 14th December, 1887.† →

(c.) That the garrisons so suddenly sent out would know neither the armaments nor works which they were called upon to man, and in the case of Sierra Leone would find themselves associated with the auxiliary force of 100 Houssas with whose language they would be totally unacquainted.

6. As any failure in carrying out this scheme at a time of great emergency and strain upon the departments might result in grave disaster, Lord Knuts- ford has thought it right to place these considerations on record.

I am, &c., (Signed)

R. H. MEADE.

1.-Secret.

SIR,-

5

No. 4 Colonial Office to War Office.

DOWNING STREET,

2nd April, 1889.

I am directed by Lord Knutsford to transmit to you, to be laid before Mr. Secretary Stanhope, a copy of a letter which has been addressed by his direction to the Admiralty, upon the subject of the arrangement for putting garrisons into St. Helena and Sierra Leone on an emergency arising. In view of the strong opinions of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and the Colonial Defence Committee, quoted in the letter from this department of the 21st January last, Lord Kuntsford has thought it right to place these observations on record.

The Under Secretary of State,

War Office.

2.-Secret.

SIR,-

(Confidential).

I am, &c.,

R. H. MEADE.

No. 5.

Admiralty to Colonial Office.

ADMIRALTY,

26th April, 1889.

I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant* on the subject of the provision of adequate garrisons for St. Helena and Sierra Leone.

2. My Lords desire me to state for Lord Knutsford's information that the only arrangement that has been made with the War Office, was entered into at a meeting at which the Marquis of Salisbury, the Secretary of State for War, the First Lord of the 'Admiralty, and Admiral Sir Arthur Hood were present, when it was decided that the Infantry garrisons at St. Helena should be withdrawn in time of peace, only caretakers being left, and that in the event of war impending the Admiralty would undertake to provide transport for the troops required to garrison St. Helena; no question whatever was raised as to the employment of Volunteers from the Royal Marine Artillery as caretakers.

3. Neither has any arrangement whatever been made, by which the Admiralty has agreed to provide transport for the troops which will be required to garrison Sierra Leone when war is imminent.

4. My Lords fully recognize the difficulties in connection with the reinforcement of the garrison both at St. Helena and Sierra Leone in the event of war as set forth in the fifth paragraph of your letter, and their Lordships are of opinion that it is not advisable to trust to the reinforce- ment of the garrisons at places at such a distance from England when war becomes imminent.

am, Sir, Your obedient Servant,

EVAN MACGREGOR.

The Under Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.

2.-Secret.

No. 6.

Colonial Office to War Office.

DOWNING STREET,

1st May, 1889.

The Secretary to the Admiralty.

• No. 2.

No. 1 in African No. 353.

SIR,

I am directed by Lord Knutsford to transmit to you, to be laid before Mr. Secretary Stanhope, the accompanying copy of the replyt received from the Board of Admiralty to the letter from this department of the 2nd ult.,* copy of which was sent to you by His Lordship's desire on the same date.

+ No. 5.

• No. 3.