198
Appendix No. 4, where the sea battery is, and a third near Trois Frères River, each with two 9-pounder field-guns and
garrison of 60 men. SEYCHELLES.
Actual cost of block-houses--
1. St. Anne's Hill
2. Near White Tower
3. Trois Frères
:::
:::
£
3,000
1,000
3,000
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Annual cost of the garrison for the three forts Therefore-
Actual cost of defence of harbour is
Actual cost for defence, land side
Actual cost for defence of Port Victoria, land and sea
Annual cost for defence of harbour is
Ditto, land side..
Ditto, Port Victoria, land and sea
The revenue of Seychelles is Expenditure
::
:
:
::
7,000
£ 18,000
59,000
7,000
66,000
£
32,000
18,000
50,000
£
15,000
13,000
2,000
It is therefore impossible to expect that any of the actual or annual expense could be defrayed by the Colony itself, and it is highly improbable that the Imperial Government would consent to such a large annual outlay on the defence of the Colony, more especially as the fortifications, once con structed, would be useless for any other locality, and only defend Port Victoria.
The Committee therefore proceeded to consider whether a naval defence would not be more practicable, seeing that it would not only be available at Mahé, but also in the surrounding seas.
The Committee consider that an effective defence of Mahé and the surrounding seas is shown in the following project :-
An iron hulk or stationary ship to be stationed at Port Victoria, having a complement of 130 Europeans, and a proportion of Seedies, in addition a Commander in charge, 4 Lieutenants, 4 Sub- Lieutenants, 4 warrant-officers, 1 engineer, 4 engine-room artificers, 1 torpedo artificer, 1 ship's steward, and the rest seamen, stokers, and 1 sergeant and 25 men marines.
The Commander to be quartered ashore to give room on the hulk, the other officers and men to live on board; this would keep them together, and be better than barracks.
The Commander to be Captain of the Port and Harbour-master.
The fighting part to consist of four twin-screw gun-boats, each to carry one 10-inch gun forward, and fitted to lay out a group of twelve electro-mechanical mines.
Two steam-launches fitted with spar torpedoes and torpedo-crane.
Two fast Whitehead torpedo-boats fitted with air-compressing machinery (as an alternative the air-pumps could be fitted up in the hulk).
Twelve Whitehead torpedoes for service, and two for exercise.
Twenty-five mechanical mines for emergency.
Six 9-pounder field-guns complete, to be worked by drag-ropes ashore (1 and 2 being R.M.A.). The hulk to have a few light guns for self-defence. Signal stations to be arranged on main island not less than three; also one on St. Anne's Island, worked by natives under a head naval signalman, One or two well-found fast sailing schooners to keep up communications with outlying dependencies. take magistrates round, to have a certain amount of room for cargo, to visit Zanzibar, taking recovered men there, returning again with invalids, &c.; this seagoing practice in sailing ships in peace time could not fail to be instructive to the seamen, and would teach them more than always steaming about in gun- boats with hardly any sailing qualities.
Actual cost of hulk (about)
2 steam-launches
32
4 gun-boats
33
"3
35
2 fast Whitehead torpedo-boats contingencies
£ 10,000
60,000
2,000
•
4,000
1,000
77,000
Annual cost, 15,000Z.
Note.-The minor details of this project are analogous to those of "The Mauritius Defence Committee," Appendix, Naval Section, of 1st August, 1881.*
Thus
25
The naval defence outlay is Military Naval Military
(annual)
£
77,000
66,000
15,000
50,000
But with the military defence Port Victoria is alone protected, whereas by the naval defence the neighbouring seas are defended, and a powerful naval depôt acquired, in the most central position in the Indian Ocean.
* Inclosure 6 in No. 44
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