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was obtained from private sources by the military authorities; and why should it not be taken advan- tage of in Mauritius? I understand that the Committee are of opinion that, under their scheme, one Commissariat officer with non-commissioned assistants would suffice for the Pay and Store Depart- ments. It would certainly appear that the Commissariat staff might be reduced. The figures I have made use of have been supplied by the military authorities.

10. With the modifications I have indicated, I would strongly support the plan of the Committee in preference to the War Office proposals, on the score of economy, but still more strongly on the score of effectiveness. The War Office plans are a defence of Port Louis only. The plan of the Committee is a defence of the island. To be worth the name the defence of Mauritius must be a sea defence as well as a land defence. This island is nothing more than a large manufacturing town, and has not at this moment a stock of more than 70 or 80 days' provisions. If the Indian rice ships were shut out for a month the greatest distress would be produced, and famine would be imminent. Were the gun-boats not required here, they could be sent for service elsewhere, and at any time the scheme of defences could be changed without loss. I cannot think that the large, locked up, and very partially effective expenditure proposed in the War Office Memoranda will ever be sanctioned; but it seems to me that a modification of the proposals made in the Report now forwarded might be put forward with success, and carried into operation with much effect.

11. In conclusion, my own civilian opinion upon the whole matter, which is requested by your Lordship, is as follows:-

(a.) Spend 30,000l. on Fort George.

(b.) Have a torpedo system in readiness and good working order at Port Louis.

(c.) Detail a well-manned gun-boat, carrying a 10-inch gun, for Mauritius service, to visit, in time

of peace, the east coast of Madagascar and the dependencies of the Colony, as necessary.

(d.) Be prepared, in case of war, to send immediately three other such gun-boats to complete the defence scheme.

(e.) Keep in store at Port Louis a reserve of 1,000 rifles and ammunition, There are now only 202.

(f) Leave the garrison as it is for the present, but make large economies by sweeping reductions of staff, and sale of unnecessary property. The line barracks must be kept if the troops are not reduced.

12. I inclose a Memorandum by Colonel Gordon, "On the Means of protecting British Commerce in the Indian Ocean." With regard to Diego Garcia, I have learnt that it has been lately officially inspected by an Engineer officer. This Government has not been communicated with on the matter, but the Defence Commission might wish to know that a long lease of the two islands at the entrance of the Diego Garcia anchorage is under offer to the Orient Company for the purpose of erecting a light- house and coaling station.

13. I would ask that the important question, though not noticed by the Committee, of connecting Mauritius with the rest of the world by telegraph, be brought before the Defence Commission as a chief factor in the defence of the island and the protection of British commerce in these seas.

Appendix No. 4.

MAURITIUS.

I have, &c. (Signed)

F. NAPIER BROOME.

(Confidential.) Sir,

Inclosure 4 in No. 44.

Major-General Murray to Lieutenant-Governor Broome.

Head-Quarters, Mauritius, August 3, 1881.

I HAVE the honour to forward to your Excellency the Report of the Committee on the Defences of Mauritius, as called for by your letter under date the 29th July, 1881, and to request you will inform me if the Committee can now be dissolved.

I have, &c. (Signed)

A. W. MURRAY.

Inclosure 5 in No. 44.

(Memo.)

Report of the Committee on the Defences of Mauritius.

Mauritius, August 3, 1881.

THE Committee on the Defences of the Mauritius, in forwarding this Report, beg to state that they consider it a sine qua non, in their opinion, if their propositions are accepted, that the whole scheme be put into execution at once, in principle, and that there should be no delay, under the pretext of carrying out the scheme on the eve of war, inasmuch as the Committee consider the intimate know- ledge of the intricate channels, reefs, &c., are of the greatest importance, and that this can only be acquired during peace times. To defer the sending of the seamen here only when war is imminent would, in their opinion, vitiate their proposals, for, in that case, the seamen would only know as much of the island navigation as could be gathered from charts, which knowledge would be also open to any enemy's vessels.

(Signed)

C. G. GORDON, Lieutenant-Colonel, R.E., and Brevet-

Colonel, Chairman.

M. CONNAL, Surveyor-General.

RICHARD D. KING, Captain, R.N.

C. G. ROBINSON, Lieutenant-Colonel, R.A.

R. W. S. ROGERS, Lieutenant, R.N.

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