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75

Sir,

117

No. 44.

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

Downing Street, September 19, 1881. I AM directed by the Earl of Kimberley to transmit to you, to be laid before the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, a copy of a despatch and its inclosures from the Lieutenant-Governor of Mauritius reporting on the measures necessary for the defence of the Colony.

In reference to the 8th paragraph of the despatch, Lord Kimberley desires me to say that he entirely concurs in Mr. Broome's objections to any attempt to organize the Mauritius police force upon a military footing.

I am also to inclose a copy of another despatch from the Lieutenant-Governor, allusion to which is made in his despatch of the 8th August, respecting the periodical employment of a gun-boat for service at Mauritius and its dependencies.

Appendix No. 4,

MAURITIUS.

Inclosure 1 in No. 44.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

R. H. MEADE.

;

My Lord,

Lieutenant Governor Broome to the Earl of Kimberley.

Government House, Mauritius, August 6, 1881. REFERRING to my despatch of the 21st March last, and to your Lordship's reply of the 19th May, on the subject of the employment of a gun-boat of the Royal Navy for service at and between Mauritius and its scattered dependencies, I have the honour to inclose, for your Lordship's information, copy of a letter on the subject addressed by me to his Excellency Rear-Adiniral Gore Jones, C.B., commanding the East India Station.

2. It will be seen that Admiral Gore Jones, as I understood him to say in a conversation upon the matter, is prepared to recommend the employment of a gun-boat for this service, and has made the suggestion that such a vessel might also take naval charge of English interests on the east coast of Madagascar, relieving the flag-ship of the East India squadron of that duty. I consider also that the presence of the gun-boat in question would be more valuable to Mauritius than the annual visit of the flag-ship, and would do away with the existing necessity, at all events, for such a visit. Further, the gun-boat would serve as an integral part of the scheme of defence proposed for Mauritius.

3. The arrangement I, in the first instance, suggested, in order to render possible the administra- tion of justice and the good government of the dependencies of this Colony, seems, therefore, supported also by some economical and practical considerations of weight from an Imperial point of view. I trust that your Lordship may feel able to forward it.

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I have, &c.

(Signed)

F. NAPIER BROOME,

Sir,

Inclosure 2 in No. 44.

Lieutenant-Governor Broome to Rear-Admiral Gore Jones.

Government House, Mauritius, August 6, 1881. REFERRING to our recent conversation upon the subject, I would express my trust that your Excellency may, as I have gathered is your intention, recommend to the Admiralty that a gun-boat be employed during part of the year to take naval charge of English interests on the east coast of Madagascar, and during the remaining months in maintaining some regular and periodical communica- tion, for judicial and administrative purposes, between Port Louis and the many islands of this Government with which such communication is either difficult and irregular or altogether wanting.

2. Such arrangement, I may observe, would obviate the necessity, at all events, of the annual visit of the flag-ship of the East India Station to Mauritius, and the gun-boat would form an integral part of the scheme of defence of the island.

I have, &c. (Signed)

F. NAPIER BROOME.

(Secret.)

Inclosure 3 in No. 44.

Lieutenant-Governor Broome to the Earl of Kimberley.

Government House, Mauritius, August 8, 1881.

My Lord,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt, on the 21st ultimo, of your Lordship's Secret Circular of the 8th June,* calling for a careful and early Report, for the information of the Royal Defence Commission, on the measures necessary for the defence of Mauritius.

2. After consulting with the officer in command of the troops (Major-General A. W. Murray, C.B.) and with the Commander-in-chief of the East India Station (Rear-Admiral Gore Jones, C.B.), whose * No. 10 in Appendix No. 1, First Report.

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