Page 183
Page 183
198
not means to condemn as lawful prizes-every British ship they came across. It would be their object to do this before our less speedy cruizers could come to the rescue, and bearing in mind the injury which the "Alabama," and two or three sister ships, were able to inflict on the United States' commerce during their civil war, it is evident that the damage that might be thus caused to our trade would be enormous, perhaps lasting and irreparable.
17. I understand that a ship of the "City of Sydney" class, dispatched from New York on the outbreak of hostilities, coming by way of Rio, where she would fill up with coal and take advantage of the prevailing westerly winds, might be expected to reach the Australian coast in forty days, still having on board coal enough for a fortnight, or even three weeks, full steaming. The ports of the Australian Colonies are spread over a line of coast about 4,000 miles in length, extending from the north of West Australia to the north of Queensland, and from them enter or clear annually about 7,000 merchant-vessels.
18. We have no doubt some ships of war of recent type which, if dispatched from home on war being declared, might be able to reach these Colonies in the same time, and under the same circumstances, as the enemy's cruizers, but Great Britain has her home trade and the other Colonies to defend as well as Australia, and we could not expect that the pick of the fleet would be sent for our protection. I believe I am correct in saying that an ordinary corvette or sloop of war, whether sent viâ the Cape or Red Sea, could hardly make the passage to Western Australia in any reasonable time without expending every ton of coal she could carry. From the Cape to King George's Sound is about 4,200 miles; from Aden direct about 5,000. If she went from there to Galle she could no doubt fill up for the passage south, but it would be at the cost of still further delay in reaching her destination. From King George's Sound to Adelaide, the nearest place at which coal could be obtained, is 1,100 miles, and as the powerful steamers of the Peninsular and Oriental Company take five days to perform the distance, it is easy to see how great would be the difficulty and delay to which our cruizers would be exposed before they could go to sea in pursuit of the enemy, unless they were enabled to coal at some intermediate port.
19. It is fully recognized that King George's Sound is the most convenient site that could be selected for this purpose. The only objection that has been suggested is, that it would require protection to prevent its being made use of, or its coal destroyed by the enemy's ships, but bearing in mind the lightly armed class of vessels which they would probably employ, ample protection would be supplied by the presence of a moderate sized ship cruizing off that part of the coast. I understand that between Seal Island and the shore, at the entrance to King George's Sound, is an anchorage which would hold a squadron in perfect safety in the worst weather to which it could be possibly exposed, whilst from the high land above Peake's Head immediately adjacent the movements of everything passing could be readily observed. If further defence were deemed necessary to meet the contingency of the man-of-war being temporarily withdrawn, I believe it might easily be provided by placing a few submarine mines at the entrance to the channel opposite the inner lighthouse, and, if thought desirable, protection might be afforded to them by a small tower, mounting a single gun, placed on the height above the lighthouse. This would be ample to resist the only sort of attack to which it would be exposed, a coup de main by the boats of a cruizer.
20. I venture to think that what has been here stated will establish that the abandon- ment of King George's Sound as a coaling station is not only unnecessary but undesirable, and that whilst it may be left free for civil use in time of peace, it should, in the event of war, be at once taken charge of by the Government, and occupied as a naval coaling station. Should this last suggestion not be adopted, and the question still remain open whether or not coal should be left there for Colonial purposes in time of war, I beg to say that in such a contingency I am ready to assume the responsibility of keeping there coal supplies for Colonial purposes, and to insure that they shall not be made use of by an enemy. A few charges of gun-cotton placed in nines under the coal would, I think, be sufficient to prevent an enemy attempting its removal, whilst they would serve for its destruction if it were found necessary.
21. In conclusion, reverting to the suggestion of Sir W. Jervoise that the Peninsular and Oriental steamers should, during hostilities, cease to call at King George's Sound, in consequence of their liability to capture when having on board valuable freights and gold, I submit that, if there be any truth in the picture I have drawn of the probable operations of an enemy on the outbreak of war, there is no reason to apprehend that valuable freights, still less gold, would be placed on board the Pensinsular and Oriental steamers under such circumstances. The knowledge that the "City of Sydney" had been seen off the coast in the neighbourhood of either Adelaide, Melbourne, or Sydney would, I suspect, at once put
Page 183
Page 183
Page 183
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.