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force may speedily be organized which ought to render a successful landing impossible, and which would enable the Governor to resist any attempt to levy contributions from the Colony.

I shall not fail to bear in mind the instructions conveyed to me by the 3rd, 4th, and 5th paragraphs of your despatch.

No. 177.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

HENRY T. IRVING.

The Right Hon. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart., to the Right Hon. Sir H. B. Frere, Bart., G.C.B., G.C.S.I.

Downing Street, June 17, 1878.

(No. 89.) Sir,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 105 of the 6th May,* forwarding copies of the Government "Gazette" containing the draft Bills relating to the defence of the Colony, which it is the intention of your Ministers to introduce in the present Cape Parliament, together with copies of the "Cape Argus," giving an abstract of these measures.

I have to express to you my satisfaction at this evidence of the earnest efforts which are being made by your Government to provide an efficient force for the defence of the Colony.

I have, &c. (Signed)

M. E. HICKS BEACH.

No. 178.

Governor Lieutenant-General Sir A. Phayre, G.C.M.G., K.C.S.I., C.B., to the Right Hon.

Sir M. E. Hicks Beach, Bart.-(Received June 19.)

(No. 13. Secret.) Sir,

Government House, Mauritius, May 23, 1878. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your circular (Secret), dated the 20th March last, relative to the defence of the Colony, which reached me on the 3rd instant.

2. I have consulted with the commanding officer, Colonel A. W. Murray, upon this subject. It is most probable that an enemy's cruizer or a small squadron, if determined to attack this island, would do so by appearing off Port Louis, and demanding either a sum of money and stores, or some other contribution, to save the town from destruction. The town is open to an attack by a ship remaining even outside the harbour.

3. Should the attack be threatened by one or more unarmoured ships, the guns of Fort George, at the entrance of the harbour, will make a good defence, and I have no anxiety as to the result. But should even one ironclad appear, I see no means of making effective resistance. After such an enemy's ship had, by a few discharges, disclosed the nature of her armament, and if her guns were found to be such as most armoured ships carry, probably the best plan would be to come to terms. This, however, is entirely my own view, which has not been communicated to the commanding officer; and any such arrangement would be delayed as long as possible to give time for the arrival of a British man-of-war.

Should terms not be come to with an armoured ship, it is certain that the whole of the town of Port Louis might be set on fire. Nearly every house is built of wood. Government and private property to a large amount would be destroyed, and even with every precaution having been taken there must inevitably ensue a great loss of life among the inhabitants.

4. There are no means of forming a local force except from the rifle club, and those gentlemen of the island, Europeans and creoles, who would be willing to give their services. These would, no doubt, be of great use as an aid to the regular troops, to resist a landing of seamen or of troops in boats. But if the attack has been made by an armoured ship, such landing would not be required for an enemy to effect his object. His guns would either have shown what he might do, and so have forced terms, or would have left nothing to be still defended, except the honour of the garrison.

5. The measures which have been adopted so far are as follows:-

More rapid and distinct report than heretofore to be transmitted to the harbour-master

+ No. 15.

* No. 147

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