CAB7-1 — Page 198

Page 198

Page 198

7

I have the honour to request information on this point, and to ask what the existing numbers of such forces may be, or, should there be none at present organized, what faci- lities there may be for raising them.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

ALEX. MILNE, President.

(Secret.) Sir,

No. 15.

Circular to Colonies named in annexed List.*

Downing Street, March 20, 1878. IN view of the critical state of affairs at present existing on the continent of Europe, I think it desirable to furnish you with the following instructions on certain points relating to the defence of the Colony under your government, and to invite your special attention to the general question, in order that you may have full time and opportunity for maturing your views as to the measures which should be taken in the event of any outbreak of war. I may remind you that in such an event, the danger against which it would be more immediately necessary to provide, would be an unexpected attack by a small squadron, or even a single unarmoured cruiser, with the object of destroying public or private property, or levying contributions on the Colony, rather than any serious attempt at the conquest or permanent occupation of any portion of the country.

2. No amount of vigilance on the part of Her Majesty's ships could entirely guard all our Colonial ports against the possibility of such an attack, and you should therefore at once consider, with such military or other authorities as you may find it possible to consult, what are the ports and places within your government for which no sufficient defensive measures have as yet been taken, and for which it is most important that a defence should be provided, with the view of framing a scheme which would enable you, at short notice, to extemporize such measures of defence as the means at the disposal of your Government may permit, and you will communicate to this Department the details of any scheme upon which you may determine as suitable for this purpose.

3. I need not point out to you the importance in any such scheme of arrangements for the efficient training and armament of any local force that may exist, or for the forma tion of such a force where it is at present wanting.

4. In regard to any stores of coal in the Colony under your government, you should concert such measures as may seem to be practicable, to be carried out in the event of an outbreak of war, so as to prevent an enemy's vessels from getting supplies, either by the removal of such stores to some place of safety, or to a distance from sea, or in extreme cases by destroying them.

5. If the necessity should arise, the Governors of the respective Colonies in the same seas should, where practicable, communicate with each other by telegraph in cypher, in case of enemy's ships appearing off the coast, and simultaneously communicate the same to this Department, and in each Colony responsible agents, having facilities for observing the approach of hostile ships, should be appointed to transmit information to their respective Governments.

6. In such an event the removal of buoys from the channels leading into harbours is a measure which will probably suggest itself on the approach of an enemy's ships, as well as a prohibition to pilots to place their services at his disposal.

7. It is to be understood that you are not now required to consider any plans for defensive works of a costly character requiring long preparation, except so far as they may

* North America-

Canada.

Newfoundland.

Bermuda.

Falkland Islands.

West Indies- Jamaica.

British Honduras.

British Guiana.

Bahamas.

Trinidad.

Barbados.

Antigua.

[593]

African and Mediterranean-

Sierra Leone.

Gold Coast.

Cape of Good Hope and

British Kaffraria.

Natal.

Saint Helena.

Heligoland. Transvaal. Eastern-

Ceylon. Hong Kong. Labuan.

Mauritius.

Straits Settlements. Australian-

New South Wales and

Norfolk Island.

Victoria.

Queensland.

Tasmania.

South Australia.

Western Australia.

New Zealand.

Fiji.

Ꭰ

Page 198

Page 198

Page 198