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pattern carriages. The four 7-inch guns are arranged, at intervals of 80 feet apart, in two faces, having an angle at the salient of 148 degrees, whilst the 64-pounders are mounted one on either flank.

Appendix No. 4.

SINGAPORE.

26. There is no main magazine, but the ammunition is distributed throughout the battery in large For general details stores of suitable design in the traverses between the guns, shell and cartridge stores alternating and see Report dated supplying their particular kind of ammunition to the guns on either side. The ammunition for the September 14, 1878. 64-pounders is supplied by lifts to the emplacement levels from magazines below. In my Report of the 14th September, 1878, I have fully described the details of construction of this battery, so that I will now touch briefly on Mount Palmer Battery.

27. Before doing so, I may observe that Mount Serapong Redoubt is a small infantry work cut out Mount Serapong of the summit of the hill to prevent its occupation by hostile riflemen. It has a command of 160 feet Redoubt. over battery Blakang Mati East, and is distant from it 800 yards,

28. Mount Palmer Battery is constructed on a hill 110 feet in height, situated near the town of Mount Palmer Singapore, at the entrance of the New Harbour. The whole hill is of the shape of a boomerang, and it Battery. is on the southern limb of this hill (the sea-front of which consists of a cliff 66 feet in height) that the battery has been constructed. The northern limb is being removed for reclamation purpose, and will leave the battery surrounded by steep scarped ground on all sides, except on the immediate front, where, however, the déblai of the works has been accumulated to form a narrow glacis swept by musketry and artillery fire. This déblai comes, for the most part, from the terreplein, which is cut out of the reverse of the hill, the parapets consisting of the solid ground itself.

29. The armament for which emplacements had to be provided were three 7-inch muzzle-loading Disposition of arma- rifled guns of 6 tons on naval slides running on "A" sweep-plate racers and two 64-pounders ment. on "D" racers. These 64-pounders are put one on either flank, the 7-inch guns being arranged on the arc of a circle of which the chord, from centre to centre of the 64-pounders emplacement, is 297 feet, and the versed sine 62 feet. Arrangements have also been made to mount here the three 13-inch mortars, now in the retired position of old Fort Canning, situated behind the town. The whole battery is of strong design, and well provided with musketry fire, as will be seen from the drawings which accompany a full Report thereon, and which I sent to the War Office from Singapore.

CC

Tanjong Katong

30. This is the only battery on the eastern side of the roadstead which it is intended to defend in connection with those constructed at Mount Palmer and Blakang Mati East. In design it is quite Battery. different from the other batteries described above, being from its situation in a low-lying cocoanut plantation of essentially an elevated type, surrounded by a wet ditch. It is constructed to receive three 7-inch muzzle-loading rifled guns of 7 tons on D" racers, and firing over a parapet 7 feet high from Armament, &c. the emplacement level in front. It is closed on the gorge by covering traverse and brick wall of suitable trace. The site was a difficult one for constructional purposes, but the details will be found fully described in my Report dated 20th March, 1879. With this short description of the existing works, I shall now proceed to consider points 2 and 3.

II

Considerations of

31. The purpose for which the existing works were constructed was primarily to defend the New Harbour, and secondarily to defend the town itself. With the armament supplied, the latter object defence. could be only imperfectly attained, for it will be seen from the chart attached, that the town lies upon Defence of the town. an open bay, and that any system which could at the time be constructed with the means and funds available could not save it from distant bombardment. By the plan which was adopted, however, of providing a subsequent vote for a self-defensible battery at Tanjong Katong, security was afforded Value of Tanjong against cruizers taking up a position on the eastern side of the roadstead, out of range of Mount Palmer Katong Battery. and Blakang Mati East batteries, and bombarding the town with impunity at a comparatively close

range.

fire.

32. I have shown on the chart* in a continuous green line the area embraced by the fire of the Areas of effective 7-inch guns, at the extreme effective range of 4,000 yards, at which range they would be given an elevation of over 10 degrees. I have also shown, by a dotted red line, the area embraced at a range of 3,000 yards by all the guns at which range the garrisons could make certain of hitting a vessel.

33. At Singapore a mist hangs upon the water in early morning, but this soon disappears, when

Clear atmosphere and the atmosphere is beautifully clear and bright. Wind is of very rare occurrence, the monsoon little wind at being felt very gently. Everything therefore is favourable to good shooting and visual signalling Singapore. connected with range finding and method of fighting the guns as most advantageous to the defence.

34. It will be thus seen that the 4,000-yard zone will keep an enemy's cruizers (not anxious to Extent of 4,000-yard run the chance of being disabled by engaging with the batteries) outside the outer shoal at a distance zone. of 4,500 yards from the town and harbour. If they be more adventurous, and approach the 3,000-yard line, they will be exposed to a fire which increases in severity as they get nearer to the harbour. Thus, coming in by the eastern channel between the outer shoal and the shore, a vessel is, in the first place, Fire within the exposed to the fire of the three 7-inch guns at Tanjong Katong. On arriving at the eastern part of the 3,000-yard zone. anchorage, the left 7-inch gun of Mount Palmer comes into play, and by the time she reaches the position shown in the chart by the western anchor, its 64-pounders will be firing at her. Just past this position, the Tanjong Katong end on fire will be ineffective, but its place will have been taken by Blakang Mati East Battery, whose 7-inch guns will be bearing on her.

35. At length, at the point marked 8 fathoms, at the extreme point of concentration of the 3,000- Focus of maximum yard fire of batteries Mount Palmer and Blakang Mati East, she would be exposed to the fire of all the fire. guns in those batteries, viz., to that of seven 7-inch guns and four 64-pounders. By the time she arrives at the submarine mining field, she would be out of fire of the left 64-pounder and left 7-inch

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* Not printed.

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