CAB7-1 — Page 122

Page 122

Page 122

137

No. 254.

Administrator Way to the Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart.-(Received July 27.)

(No. 25.)

Government House, Adelaide, South Australia, Sir,

June 12, 1878.

REFERRING to your Circular despatch, Secret, of the 20th March last,* my Government fully recognize the importance of measures being taken for the defence of the Colony, and they desire to adopt in its entirety the plan of defence advised by his Excellency Sir William Jervois in his Memorandum of the 4th December, 1877, forwarded in despatch No. 26 of the 24th December, 1877, and of which, for convenience of reference, I again inclose copies.

2. Owing to the extent of the South Australian coast-line, General Jervois advises that an iron-clad sea-going vessel of war be procured as the principal means of defence of the Colony. It is hoped that, having regard to the amount of British shipping property and commerce requiring protection in these waters, the Home Government will give the same rate of assistance to this Colony towards the purchase of the iron-clad recommended by Sir William Jervois as was granted to Victoria in the case of the " Cerberus."

3. Turning to the subsidiary means of permanent defence advised by Sir William Jervois (at page 5 of his Memorandum), I have to report that :-

(a.) Designs have been prepared by Lieutenant-Colonel Scratchley, R.E., for the two batteries to protect Port Adelaide, and that tenders for their construction will be called for

at once.

(b.) A portion of the military road is completed, and the remainder is to be constructed at once, the cost having already been provided for.

(c.) Torpedo defences are being arranged for on a small scale at Port Adelaide, under the supervision of Lieutenant-Colonel Scratchley, R.E.

(d.) Besides the two 12-ton guns already in the Colony, orders for two 18-ton guns and four 68-pounders with all necessary appliances are being executed in England.

(e.) A paid volunteer force of 777 infantry, 137 artillery, and 46 cavalry is enrolled and organized, and the requisite rifles, field-guns, ammunition and stores have been pro- cured under the advice of the Colonel-Commandant.

(f.) A Bill will at once be brought before Parliament for establishing a permanent force of 130 artillery, who will, after five years' service, have advantages in obtaining Government employment so as to secure a reserve force to supplement the permanent

one.

4. The volunteer force, considering the short time it has been formed, has, I under- stand, made satisfactory progress under the zealous training of the Colonel-Commandant, Colonel Downes, R.A., and the Adjutant-Major Godwin. On the Queen's birthday I held a review of the force (followed by a sham fight), in which 730 men took part.

5. I have also to report that I have brought the necessity of framing a scheme for extemporizing temporary defences to meet any sudden danger under the notice of my Ministers, and that this subject has received their earnest attention, as well as my own. Means will be taken to carry out the suggestions in your despatch. I may, however, observe that, until an iron-clad is procured, there are and will be no local means what- ever available for the protection of the large stores of coal at Port Wallaroo and at Port Pirie, and that, until the completion of the forts, the coal at Port Adelaide will be equally unprotected.

Inclosure in No 254.

I have, &c. (Signed)

S. J. WAY.

Memorandum by his Excellency Colonel Sir W. F. Drummond Jervois, R.E., K.C.M.G., C.B.

THE coast of South Australia, exclusive of that of the "Northern Territory," extends Description of for a distance of about 800 nautical miles, in about a south-easterly direction, from the coast. termination of the Western Australian boundary, in 120° east longitude and about 32° south latitude, to the western extremity of the boundary of Victoria, in 141° cast longitude and about 38° south latitude. Between east longitude 136° and 139° are two large inlets from the sea, called Spencer's Gulf and St. Vincent's Gulf, and, including the shores of these gulfs, the whole extent of the South Australian coast is upwards of 1,500 miles.

[793]

* No. 15.

U

Page 122

Page 122

Page 122