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Sir,

58

Inclosure 4 in No. 127.

Victoria, British Columbia, November 15, 1875. 1. I HAVE the honour, in accordance with your request, to report as follows in reference to the proposed batteries to cover Victoria and Esquimalt Harbours.

2. The point shown in the accompanying plan as Battery Point is the most suitable for

guns that are to command both harbours, and there is room, as you are aware, on the spur running almost due south to that point to locate at least 30 guns, that would bear on the mid-channel of both harbours at ranges from 2,000 to 2,500 yards.

3. In consideration of the number and class of serviceable guns available in the accompanying return, and the local advantages offered by the harbour mouths, I would re- commend the distribution shown in the accompanying plan, viz., four 40-pounder Armstrongs on Point Ogden, three 7-inch Armstrong breech-loaders at Battery Point, and three 8-inch iron 68-pounders of 95 cwt. on Fisgord Island, in front of the lighthouse.

4. The 40-pounder Armstrong is the gun still in use with the Royal Artillery as a heavy field-battery gun. The 7-inch Armstrong is most suitable for long range and accuracy of fire, and the 68-pounder of 95 cwt. is the only smooth-bore gun which, for destructive power at short ranges, holds its own against more modern rifled ordnance of equal calibre.

5. I am of opinion that little or no difficulty would be found in raising and organizing sufficient men to man these guns, and I would be very glad to undertake the duty, if my present official duties admit of it.

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6. I have spoken of the 40-pounder Armstrong as a heavy field-gun, but its more correct designation is a gun of position," and that position is most unquestionably at Ogden Point, where a natural battery of trap rock already exists, of the form and dimensions shown in my sketch, and would require very little artificial aid from earthwork or sandbags to render it complete.

7. I have seen these guns manoeuvred on Woolwich Common with the Horse Artillery and field-batteries, and if an arrangement were made with the horse dealers, &c., here, similar to that in force in Eastern Canada, these guns could be rendered a moveable battery, and brought to bear on any point from Esquimalt Harbour to Cordova Bay. There is nothing to prevent their being at once mounted and moved from the dockyard to Ogden Point, and the instruction drill of volunteers could then be commenced without delay.

8. As a rough estimate, exclusive of dockyard charges and the construction of expense magazines, I should say these works ought to be executed for 600 dollars, or 1201. The number of men required for the service of these guns would be 100, inclusive of officers and non-commissioned officers, in two batteries of 60 and 40 respectively, and the Seymour artillery at New Westminster might be reorganized as a third battery of the same brigade. 9. By far the most serious item of expense in this project is the value of the guns, ammunition, and stores, and dockyard transport charges, which may roughly be estimated at 3,000, or 15,000 dollars, but I would respectfully venture to suggest for the consideration of the Major-General Commanding-in-chief in Canada that should he be pleased, in con- sideration of the extreme strategical and commercial value of these harbours to both the Imperial and Dominion Governments, to submit the project for the favourable considera- tion of His Royal Highness the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-chief, that little or no difficulty would be experienced in inducing Her Majesty's Government to present this sum or its equivalent in the necessary war material to the Dominion Government, conditionally on the guns being effectually mounted and manned.

10. The feeling of the Colony, or I should perhaps more correctly say Province, is as far as I can judge intensely loyal to the British Crown, and an appropriate and popular designation for such a brigade if raised would be the Victoria Brigade of Royal Canadian Artillery, and it should, as far as practicable, be in all respects assimilated to a brigade of the Royal Regiment of Artillery.

11. Booms and torpedoes would be useful adjuncts to these guns, and on this subject I have consulted Captain Long, of Her Majesty's ship "Fantôme," the senior naval officer

on this station.

The Deputy Adjutant-General,

Victoria.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

G. BLAIR, Colonel,

R. F. P. Royal Artillery.

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