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4
EAST INDIES, Cape, and China Stations.
It is necessary to deal with these stations together, as, for the purposes of war, their limits can scarcely be disentangled. Through these stations lie the great trade routes to the East, whether the Suez Canal be blocked or not, and the importance of protecting them will be vital.
On the borders of the Cape and East Indies Stations is the French naval port of Diego Suarez in Madagascar, established avowedly as the head-quarters of offence against our commerce passing round the Cape for India. In China is the French port of Saigon, equally favourably placed for attack on British commerce.
Both these ports would necessarily be objects of attack on the part of Great Britain, but both would be, from their natural and artificial strength, difficult of reduction without aid from the land forces. Large squadrons would therefore be necessary for the protection of trade, and docking facilities are a consequence.
The Cape, as the calling point for coal of the whole of the diverted British trade, would also be a favourable ground for enemies' cruisers, and would need attention on the part of Great Britain.
The existing docks are as follows :—
Table Bay
Mauritius
Bombay
Calcutta
CAPE STATION.
Dimensions.
Place.
Name of Dock.
Remarks.
Depth
Length. Breadth. over Sill at H.W.
British.
Feet.
Feet.
Feet.
Robinson I ack
500
68
244
Foreign.
None.
EAST INDIA STATION.
British.
Stevenson
378
Albion
318
Lower Duncan
296
Upper Duncan
267
8888
60
194
60
193
60
24
60
24
Ritchie Merewether Howrah Caledonia
Commercial Ilugli
495
66
18
500
651
284
336
51
231
340
44
241
235
41
20
•
305
44
25
Howrah, Upper
305
52
25
Union, Upper
342
76
21
Union, Lower
354
57
22
Kidderpur
330
·
60
23
Port Commissioner
520
70
24
Foreign.
None.
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