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reversed. The danger, however, to Cape Town which would accrue were Simon's Town to fall into an enemy's hands, and be made a base of operations from which to attack it, is sufficient reason, I think, for not allowing so selfish a consideration any weight.

The several landing-places where, under certain conditions, it would be possible for an enemy to throw troops on shore, are contained in Appendix A.

Hout's Bay and Chapman's Bay appear to be the only two points on the west coast where a landing in any force could be attended with any prospect of success.

at the former place would directly menace Cape Town.

A landing

Hout's Bay, however, from its sheltered postion, could be made the base of opera- tions for a force landing in boats at Chapman's Bay, in view to an attack on Simon's Town.

Simon's Town, therefore, may be said to be in greater danger from a force landing on the west coast than Cape Town.

I will, therefore, consider first the defensive arrangements required to insure the safety of the former place.

Although the country between Chapman's Bay and Simon's Bay is generally practicable for infantry, still the ground is so extremely broken and difficult, covered as it is with rocks and boulders, that an invading force would necessarily have to keep more or less to the roads or tracks.

Marking, as these do, therefore, the line of possible advance, it will really be suffi- cient to consider what steps should be taken to bar the enemy's approach along those lines.

These roads or tracks are three in number.

They all start from a point near the Ostrich Farm in the Algemeene Valley; one goes straight to Visch Hock Bay, where it cuts into the main road between Cape Town and Simon's Town; the second runs in an almost straight line to Simon's Town; whilst the third makes a longish detour to the south, and eventually joins the second road on the heights overlooking Simon's Berg.

The first road is not likely to be made use of by an invading force, unless it were of much greater strength than we have any reason to expect.

It is the longest; and from Visch Hock Bay runs nearly the whole way through a defile formed by the mountains and the sea.

A force marching on Simon's Town by that route is liable to have its retreat com- pletely cut off, either by a Cape Town force from Kalk Bay, or by a force from Simon's Town moving by the direct road to Chapman's Bay.

It would, moreover, be easily checked and stopped in its advance by the whole Simon's Town force, which, after having defeated it, would have plenty of time to cross the moun- tains by the direct road, and cut off its retreat to the boats. An attack by that road ought, therefore, to be impossible.

It is almost certain, therefore, that a force landing in Chapman's Bay for the purpose of attacking Simon's Town would advance by the second or third alternative routes, perhaps by both.

On neither road is there any one position which, being fortified, would prevent the advance of an attacking force, unless it were occupied so strongly as to render it dangerous to pass by. It must then be the troops, and not any fortified post, to which we must look if Simon's Town is to be secured from attack.

The probability of Cape Town and Simon's Town being attacked simultaneously from the land side, presupposes the presence of an invading force so large as to be quite beyond all present means of defence.

I shall assume, therefore, that such an attack, though possible, is so remotely pro- bable as to render it unnecessary to be considered at this early stage of our preparations for defence; and I shall assume that, in defending Simon's Town, assistance may be expected from Cape Town, and vice versa.

As Hout's Bay is the only spot along the whole west coast where an enemy's ships could remain safely, whatever wind may blow, it is most essential that the entrance to this bay should be barred by torpedoes or batteries, or perhaps both.

The battery should be erected at the north end of the bay, so that, if necessary, it might be protected from attack by boats, by troops sent out from Cape Town.

Signal stations should be established at points overlooking Hout's Bay and Chapman's Bay, which should communicate with Simon's Town, and, if possible, with Cape Town direct.

The roads leading to Hout's Bay and Chapman's Bay should be put in good repair and be clearly marked out, so that troops could be marched rapidly along them, by night as well as by day.

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