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that my Lords authorize an immediate expenditure for this purpose of the amount estimated, viz., 87,2001.

A communication should be also addressed to the Admiralty with reference to the gun-boats which may be required; but I am to request that no expenditure on this account may be authorized without further information being submitted to this Department.

I am to observe with regard to the proposed works for defence, that, with the exception of Trincomalee, and perhaps a portion of those at Hong Kong, the whole of the expenditure would appear to be for the protection of local, rather than Imperial interests. As the labour required for the erection of these works must be obtained from local sources, it may be a question whether, in the first instance at least, the expenditure should not be provided out of local funds.

I am, &c. (Signed)

No. 68.

R. R. W. LINGEN.

Governor Lieutenant-Colonel Sir H. F. B. Maxse, K.C.M.G., to the Right Honourable Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart.

(Confidential.) Sir,

Berlin, May 2, 1878.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, marked Secret and Confidential, of the 30th ultimo,* inclosing a copy of the Report of a Committee on the subject of the defences of Heligoland.

2. I cannot avoid expressing a hope that the Committee may, under present circum- stances, so different from those of 1875-76, take a more favourable view of Heligoland as a defensive position than appears to be the case by the contents of the present Report.

3. So long as no outward complications threatened Great Britain I studiously avoided. recommending a system of permanent works of defence, as from the position of Heligoland in respect to Germany it is evident that the construction of such works would, in time of peace, have been viewed by that country as a menace, or at least as a precautionary measure against themselves.

4. Matters are now different, and the erection of efficient defences at Heligoland under the present aspect of affairs could not possibly be misinterpreted on the neighbouring continent. I would also respectfully suggest that it is not quite out of the bounds of possibility that a time may arrive when Her Majesty's Government will not find it incon- venient to have a well-fortified post and storehouse in the geographical position of Heligoland, without incurring the jealousy and suspicion of our neighbours by then erecting works. I think, Sir, that this point is not unimportant, and is well worthy of consideration.

5. Very extended plans exist somewhere, at home, for the formation of a large break- water and strong protective works at Heligoland; they were drawn up, as I believe, by Captain Tapp, R.E., during the war with France, about the year 1811.

6. In the advice I have hitherto tendered, and for reasons above stated, I have always only aimed at having some sort of defence against a coup de main, and it is needless to say that the Committee are perfectly correct that neither what we possess in the shape of armament nor the presence of fifty men would secure the island against bombardment.

7. I beg, however, respectfully to submit that the Committee seem to underrate the position of Heligoland as a post capable of sustaining itself even against a possible bombardment, and I have reason to believe that General Collinson, R.E., almost the only officer of Engineers who has visited the island during my period, agrees with me in what I advance.

8. I have no desire to advise you, Sir, to move the Committee to take into consideration the larger plan as drawn up by Captain Tapp. R.E., alluded to above, but I am of opinion, under submission, that the defence of Heligoland is easy, and that the true point for the erection of defensive works is Sandy Island.

9. It is from behind this island, where there is excellent anchorage for heavy vessels, that, with the present long-range guns, a bombardment of the island would be undertaken, as any such proceeding from the west would be comparatively ineffective, nothing but a wall of rock, the lighthouse, and the signal station being visible.

10. I believe that my opinion would be confirmed by engineer officers that a couple of 25-ton guns and one or two Gatlings, in a permanent work on Sandy Island, would render Heligoland secure against any attack in reason.

* No. 58.

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