CAB38-23 — Page 164

Page 164

Page 164

1

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

Printed for the use of the Oversea Defence Committee.

SECRET.

No. 462 M.

ST. HELENA.

C.O. No. 88461/12.

14

Defence of Colony.

Memorandum by the Oversea Sub-Committee of the Committee of

Imperial Defence.

A PROPOSAL for the raising of a local defence force at St. Helena was recently under the consideration of the Oversea Defence Committee.

2. The Committee were led to understand that the Admiralty were of opinion that the strategic conditions in the South Atlantic had changed since the year 1906, when the decision was arrived at to have no military garrison at St. Helena in time of peace. It was decided, therefore, to postpone further consideration of the proposal for the raising of a local defence force in the Colony in order to obtain an expression of opinion from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty on the general question of the defence of the Island.

3. In a letter from the Admiralty, dated the 18th December, 1912, and printed as Appendix I to this Memorandum, it is stated that the Lords Commissioners are strongly of opinion that the present strategic conditions are such as amply to justify the re-establishment of a small artillery garrison " in the Colony.

4. In Appendix II to this Memorandum a summary is given of previous recom- mendations and decisions in connection with the defence of the Island, and from this it will be observed that the question of the defence of the Colony has been considered on several occasions in recent years by the Committee of Imperial Defence, and that, so recently as January, 1911, that Committee decided "that the responsibility for the defence of naval interests in St. Helena should devolve on the Admiralty, and that the War Office should make over the existing fixed defences to that Department, but should be prepared to send out a garrison to take them over as soon as possible after war is declared.”

5. It is desirable, therefore, that the new aspect of the problem now brought forward by the Admiralty should be considered by the Committee of Imperial Defence and, in referring the question to that Committee, the Oversea Defence Com- mittee beg to submit for consideration the following observations.

General Policy adhered to in the defence of British ports abroad.

6. As regards the defence generally of British ports abroad the policy of His Majesty's Government has been that only those ports which are regarded as essential to the Navy as bases and coaling stations, or to the mercantile marine as coaling stations and harbours of refuge, should be provided with fixed defences and garrisons at the cost of the Imperial Government.

It has not been considered necessary to provide in peace time for the defence of ports which might be required as temporary naval bases during a war, nor has it been customary to provide fixed defences and garrisons for the purely negative

[197]

B

Page 164

Page 164

Page 164