CO129-231 - Acting Governor Marsh - 1887 [1-3] — Page 216

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Submarine Mining System would depend upon it's being completed in time, and

it would be

this bring

the

necessary

in order to ensurt

case that such permanent

instructions from Stome should be at the

Station as would make it cartain that

orders to construct would be given in time.

Great secrecy would be

neermary or the junks would be spirited

away and would be obtained only with the greatest difficulty. If nothing was

known about it all that would be r

meessary would be for Naval Torpedo Boats or Stram. Launches to prevent shape from the Starbour and as

many junks a

Ad

were required might be taken in exchange

for warrants.

I have ascertained that the

most experienced contractors here would

not undertake to load 300 junks in

A

lass time than two months and

360 would probably take another fort =

or to be on the safe side 3

: night -

months altogether.

In case of Emergency this time might be reduced by working night and day, but I do not think it could be much reduced as the material itself

would not be forthcoming in sufficient.

blasting would be necessary

quantity and blasting

Thus orders to construct &

would have to be given some 3 months

before the declaration of

war which

seems to put the plan out of court.

I han

It

!