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mend to be ordered at once, in the event of there being funds available for the purpose, with any information which they can add as to the prospect of procuring such supplies from private firms.

3. Sir Michael Hicks Beach would, in the next place, be obliged if the Committee would address themselves more particularly to the consideration of the more immediate and temporary measures of defence, which could under existing circumstances be adopted in each place in the event of this country being suddenly involved in war, and would as soon as possible make such recommendations as they may think advisable with respect to the disposal of the thirty-five or forty guns now in store which have been stated by Major-General Campbell to be available for the defence of the Colonial ports.

4. It will, of course, be necessary for the Committee, before arriving at any conclusion with respect to the particular measures that should be taken for any Colony, to ascertain as far as possible whether it is now in possession of any guns, submarine mining and torpedo stores, or other means of defence; and if it should be necessary to make inquiries upon these points by telegraph this Department will be ready to transmit any telegrams.

5. I am to add that, in Sir Michael Hicks Beach's opinion, the Committee might conveniently report on the various places which will come under their consideration in the following order :-

(1.) Places such as those alluded to in the last paragraph of your letter, which involve most important Imperial as well as Colonial interests.

(2.) Crown Colonies, for the external defence of which the Imperial Government is specially responsible, and which, on account of their wealth or situation, might be tempting objects of naval attack.

(3.) Important commercial towns or seaports, such as those in New Zealand and Australia, situated in Colonies under responsible Government.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

ROBERT G. W. HERBERT,

No. 11.

Admiral Sir A. Milne, Bart., G.C.B., to Colonial Office.

(Secret and Confidential.) Sir,

Committee Room, March 14, 1878. IN continuation of my reply to your letter of this date,* and with reference to the concluding portion of paragraph 3, I have the honour to inform you that, in the opinion of the Colonial Defence Committee, application should be made to the Secretary of State for War for the disposal of the 6-ton guns, which they understand are available for the purposes of Colonial defence.

The Committee recommend the despatch, with as little loss of time as possible, of these guns, complete in all respects, with their carriages and 100 rounds of ammunition, as follows:--

To Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope

Hong Kong

Singapore

Port Louis, Mauritius

Trincomalee

4

10

7

10

2

5

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The Committee think it right to observe that it will be at once necessary for instruc- tions to be sent to the respective stations to prepare emplacements with the least possible delay, without which the guns on their arrival could not be mounted; and they are informed that the approximate cost for this purpose would be about 42,000l.

For this purpose it would be desirable to request the Secretary of State for War to give such directions as may be necessary for their immediate construction.

The Committee, in giving consideration to the foregoing temporary defences, have been to a large extent guided by the recommendations contained in the inclosed Report of the Defence Committee, to which they invite careful attention.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

ALEX. MILNE, President.

* No. 10.

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