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in obtaining anything like so suitable a site for barracks on Fort Ostenburgh peninsula.
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Appendix No. 4.
CEYLON.
(Signed)
Colombo, Ceylon, November 2, 1881.
RICHARD WARREN, Colonel,
Commanding Royal Engineer.
Inclosure 6 in No. 57.
Naval Memorandum by Captain King, R.N., and Lieutenant Rogers, R.N.
THE object in view of a supplementary naval defence at Colombo is, to prevent the possibility of the town being bombarded from distances over 3,000 yards, as it would be quite possible to miss a ship at that distance from a fort, but every shot from the enemy would be almost sure to take effect in some part of so large a target as the town would present, and, as submarine mines are of no practical use in the defence of this port, we propose the following scheme, in which fast Whitehead torpedo- boats are covered with the heaviest description of gun-boat, by means of which a formidable attack could be thrown out well in advance of the batteries, presenting in their turn comparatively small targets for the enemy, and having the harbour as a retreat in case of emergency.
2. In the case of Trincomalee, we consider it important that, if it is decided to adopt the Scheme (C) [proposing to withdraw the armament from Fort Frederick, but retain the submarine mining defence and garrison, and strengthen the fortifications on the Ostenburgh Ridge], one gun-boat and two torpedo-boats should be added to such defence, the natural formation of the harbour being such as to develop in a high degree the tactics of "offensive defence" available with so useful an addition. Again, at Trincomalee, where it has been decided to place submarine mines in unusually deep water and without the assistance of a miner, the gun-boat would prove very useful.
Scheme.
1. Colombo-Two gun-boats of the " Alpha" class having fair sea-going qualities:---
Length, 126 feet; beam, 30 feet; draught of water, 8 feet; displacement, 400 tons; coal capacity, 50 tons; speed, 9 knots.
Armament, one 38-ton gun, muzzle-loading rifle; ammunition, 50 rounds.
Each gun-boat to have one 1st class torpedo-boat attached to her, fitted to carry three Whitehead
torpedoes.
Total number of officers and men, 45.
Actual cost :-
2 gun-boats..
2 first class torpedo-boats
12 Whitehead torpedoes
Annual outlay :-
45 officers and men
Repairs and contingencies
Total
:::
•.
:::
:::
::
:::
:::
£
£
40,000
12,000
3,600
55,600
4,500 1,000
5,500
61,100
2. Trincomalee.—One gun-boat of the "Alpha" class, fitted with air-compressing machinery, and two 2nd-class torpedo-boats, fitted to carry two Whitehead torpedoes each, hung in the same dropping apparatus as at present in use on board Her Majesty's ship "Euryalus."
Total number of officers and men, 25.
Actual cost:-
1 gun-boat
2 second class torpedo-boats
10 Whitehead torpedoes
Annual outlay :-
25 officers and men Repairs and contingencies
Total
:::
:
:::
:::
::
:::
:::
£
£
20,000
8,000
3,000
31,000
2,500
600
3,100
:
34,100
Total cost Colombo
**
25
Trincomalee.
::
::
:
::
£
61,100
34,100
95,200
Grand Total
The grand total represents the actual cost and first year's annual outlay.
We cannot altogether agree with the last paragraph of Colonels Gallwey and Nugent's Report on Ceylon of the 20th October, 1880,* referring to the exposure of Ceylon to Russian enterprise,
* No. 58.
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