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No. 27.

Colonial Office to Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad.

Sir,

Downing Street, March 31, 1880. WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 30th instant,* I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, to be laid before the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, printed copies of a further despatch from the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, inclosing a Report from Colonel Law, C.B., Commanding Royal Artillery, South Africa, which he requests may be placed among inclosures attached to the Minutes of the sittings of the Commission on the Defences as a portion of inclosure "D."

I am, &c. (Signed)

ROBERT G. W. HERBERT.

Inclosure 1 in No. 27.

Governor Sir Bartle Frere to Sir M. Hicks Beach,

(Secret.) Sir,

Government House, Cape Town, March 2, 1880. REFERRING to the Report of the Defence Commission forwarded with my Secret despatch of the 16th ultimo,† I have the honour now to transmit a Report from Colonel Law, C.B., Commanding Royal Artillery, South Africa, and to request that it may be placed among the inclosures attached to the Minutes of the sittings of the Commission as a portion of Inclosure "D."

I have, &c. (Signed)

H. B. E. FRERE.

Inclosure 2 in No. 27.

Minute by Lieutenant-Colonel Law.

Cape Town, February 19, 1880.

WHEN the batteries for the defence of the Cape Peninsula are completed and armed, I am of opinion, having in view the distances these batteries are from one another, that two garrison batteries will be required in this district, one to be quartered at Simon's Town, the other at Cape Town.

The distances are as follows:-

Cape Town to Simon's Town, 23 miles.

Hout's Bay, 17 miles.

"

Simon's Bay to Hout's Bay, 21 miles.

Cape Town or Table Bay District.-Three batteries: Fort Wynyard, Fort Amsterdam, Fort Knokke (exclusive of the Castle and Imhoff batteries).

Fort Wynyard to Fort Knokke, 24 miles.

Simon's Bay District. Three batteries: North Battery, South Battery, Cemetery Battery. North Battery to South Battery, 2 miles.

Even at present, when many of the batteries are not completed, the men of the Royal Artillery, owing to their small number, have constantly to be moved Cape Town to Simon's Town, and vice- verse, for the purpose of performing the necessary duties connected with the armament of the two districts.

5

In the event of 18-ton guns being substituted for the present armament, and a battery constructed and armed at Hout's Bay, as recommended by the Defence Commission, the inadequacy of one battery of Royal Artillery for the mere ordinary peace duties connected with the armament will become still more apparent.

In time of war with one or more maritime Powers I consider that, for the proper defence of the Cape Peninsula, two garrison batteries of the Royal Artillery, with their war establishment, are abso- lutely essential.

An addition in non-commissioned officers and men to the establishment of the one battery now here would, in my opinion, not meet the case, as officers of Royal Artillery would be required.

I have not in my possession the Report of Lord Chelmsford on the defences of the Cape Penin- sula, but I can remember that he recommended two batteries for the district.

In the above remarks I have not lost sight of the fact that the defence of the Cape Peninsula in time of war is expected to be largely supplemented by volunteers.

(Signed)

F. T. A. LAW, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Royal Artillery, South Africa; Member of Defence Commission.

* No. 26.

Inclosure I in No. 26.

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2 B

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Appendix No. 4.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

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