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Electric lights should be provided at the former battery and at Tanjong Pagar, where, I may remark, lie most of the coals which have to be defended. All the other wharves together have not half the quantity stored at Tanjong Pagar. Here also are the coals of the Government Contractor, the coal stores at Pulau Brani having been recently abandoned by the Admiralty.

V.

Appendix No. 4.

SINGAPORE.

88. As already stated in p. 247, a heavier and larger armament should be provided at this isolated Tanjong Katong position. The emplacements, as constructed, will take a 9-inch gun, so that I recommend that this Battery. armament be substituted for the 7-inch guns which I have proposed to transfer to Blakang Mati Armaments. South. The mangrove piling should be faced by a strong masonry escarp surmounted by loopholed Improvements. screen wall to present a greater obstacle to a storming party, and to make the present broad berm act as a chemin des rondes. The requirements mentioned at p. 247 should be provided, as well as a draw- bridge, and a glacis should be thrown up on either flank to give greater cover.

89. Instead of emplacements for three guns, as at present constructed, I consider that there should Position and size of be at least six such emplacements, the additional three guns being of the same nature as those just new works. recommended. The heavy expense which would be entailed prevents me from proposing that a site for the new work should be reclaimed on the 2-fathom shoal. Such a project would bring the guns 1,600 yards nearer to the channel and improve the defensive position generally, but the outlay required compels me to abandon its consideration.

90. A work similar to the existing battery, with its proposed improvements, should, therefore, be constructed immediately on its right, the two batteries firing alternately by salvoes, as the presence of the cocoa-nut trees and the probable absence of wind will make the smoke hang and be prejudicial to independent firing. This new work will cost somewhat more than the existing work, as the site will require to be made up about a foot more all over.

Site of new work.

91. To close the gap between Tanjong Katong and Mount Palmer, I recommend that the floating Defence of dead angle resources of the Colony should be made use of. The present Government steamer-the “ Pluto," in front of the road- employed for conveying the Governor and high officials to Penang, Malacca, and the native States-- stead. is a small iron boat, which it is proposed to get rid of for a new steamer to burn less coal and give a higher speed. I would propose, therefore, that the Crown Agents for the Colonies be communicated with, with a view to their procuring a steamer to draw not over 10 feet of water, and fitted to mount, in time of war, the three 7-inch guns of 6 tons available from battery Blakang Mati East. The steamer should have two fast launches to take officials up the shallow rivers of the peninsula on ordinary service, and to act as torpedo boats in time of emergency.

92. The annual cost to the Colonial Government for the maintenance of the "Pluto's" crew is Training of crew. about 2,5007., and I would propose to train a portion of this raw material (by drilling them at Mount Palmer Battery) to aid in fighting the guns (when taken on board) under the direction of skilled artillerists from the shore. To protect the steamer from the fire of the enemy, I recommend that a screen, similar to a breakwater, be constructed in the shallow water, in front of the position which she Breakwater-screen. will take up at Singapore. This will be a very inexpensive work, for rough weather is almost unknown, Nature of the work. and is even then of a very mild description. In a depth of only 2 fathoms on a hard bottom, this useful parados could be constructed with a concrete face and back above low-water mark, filled in with ballast discharged from ships, or with laterite from the shore. This screen should be twice the length of the steamer, one-half being some 8 feet higher than the other, so that she can fight or lie behind either half-length at will according to the state of tide.

93. Mantlets, &c., should be fitted to protect the gun detachments from splinters of concrete. The Protection of vessel. vessel itself should lie some 20 yards behind the screen, which should be provided with returns united behind the steamer by a stout boom with suspended crinoline, to insure her safety from cutting-out parties and torpedoes. An electric light should be provided on board, and another at Tanjong Katong Battery.

94. Taking the penetration of 6 inches of armour by these 7-inch guns to be possible at 1,800 yards, Zone of protection. we see by the chart that the whole space to the outer shoal is defended.

95. An advance submarine mining field may be, therefore, established in the fair channel between Advance submarine the outer shoal and the eastern anchor of the roadstead, to correspond with the proposed extension at mines, &c. the western end (see p. 250 and chart). On the shoal itself, nets, rattan ropes, timber rafts, and other passive obstructions may be organized.

96. Thus, by the scheme proposed, the town is defended from sea attack by the addition to the Total increase of present armament of six 9-inch guns, making a total addition necessary for the effective defence of both armament. harbour and town of seventeen 9-inch guns, the total number of pieces being increased from nineteen, as existing, to thirty-six, as proposed.

VI.

97. Upon this section I need say but little. The general question of the defence of the British Empire is such a wide one, that purposes such as that contained under this head must, of necessity, be an affair of the future. By that time armament, ships, the conditions of attack and defence, will, in all probability, have undergone a change, and any scheme now projected in detail would be abortive.

future extension.

98. A broad indication of the future policy will, therefore, alone be suggested. The existing works General scheme for in the condition proposed will have to be strengthened to meet with the times, and emplacements pro- vided for heavier guns and in greater numbers. Rifled howitzers will be mounted in such position as Mounts Imbeah and Serapong to bring an accurate vertical fire to bear on attacking vessels. Satellite torpedo boats and single-gun gun-boats will be provided to skirmish with the enemy and harass him. An advance line of works will have to be constructed from St. John's to Tanjong Katong, as shown in yellow on the chart,* and as long-range indirect fire improves in accuracy, this line of works will have * Not printed.

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