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73

No. 151.

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

(Secret and Confidential.)

Sir,

Committee Room, Whitehall, June 1, 1878. I AM requested by the Colonial Defence Committee to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd May,|| inclosing a copy of a despatch which the Secretary of State for the Colonies has addressed to the Governors of South Australia and Western Australia relative to the measures to be taken in the event of war for the conveyance of the West Australian mails, and for the disposal of the coal at King George's Sound.

I am to state in reply that the Committee are of opinion that it is desirable that the Peninsular and Oriental Company should reduce their stock of coal to the least possible amount consistent with the absolute requirements of the mail service, and that during war a record should be kept by some Colonial authority on the spot of the amount always in store, in case it should become necessary to destroy it.

They would also recommend that on the appearance of a cruizer of any Power at war with Great Britain off the port, with the intention of entering, the resident magistrate should be empowered to order the stock of coal to be destroyed.

With regard to the second paragraph of your letter, having reference to the defence of Fremantle and the entrance of the Swan River, I am requested to say that the Com- mittee doubt whether there is any necessity for defence, looking to the smallness of the population of the Colony and the absence of inducements to attack. But if the Colony desires that some defence should be organized, it would appear sufficient for the purpose of warding off any attack by a casual cruizer to provide two 7-ton guns and two 64-pounders, and to place them in battery on Arthur Ĥead.

But before sending out these guns, as there is no organized military force at present in the Colony, it would be necessary to ascertain whether the Colonial Government will be prepared to raise and maintain the requisite number of men for manning the guns, and for the defence of the position. This force would require to consist of about fifty artillerymen, and as large a body of infantry as can be enrolled.

The cost of the suggested armaments and works is estimated as follows:

Two 7-ton guns complete

Two 64-pounder guns Batteries, magazines, &c.

£

2,000

1,200

2,400

Total

£5,600

I have, &c.

(Signed)

ALEX. MILNE, President.

No. 152,

The Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart., to the Governor of the Straits Settlements

(Telegraphic. Paraphrase.)

Downing Street, June 3, 1878.

ON the 15th June six guns and half of the projectiles will leave London by sailing- vessel; the four guns, with the small stores and the remainder of the projectiles, will shortly follow by steamer.

No. 153.

The Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart., to Governor Sir J. R. Longden, K.C.M.C. (Secret.) Sir,

*

Downing Street, June 4, 1878.

I REFERRED to the Colonial Defence Committee your Secret despatch of the 23rd April last, detailing the defensive measures which are being carried out by the military authorities of Ceylon for the protection of the principal ports of the island, and I have now the honour to state that I have received a communication from the Committee in reply, to the effect that they understand that the subject is being dealt with at the War Office, and that instructions are being prepared to give effect to their recommendations.

† No. 114 of Miscellaneous, 35 E.

* No. 120 of Miscellaneous, 35 E. [703]

D

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