Page 283
ری با لفین باسم السلام
3
1
Name of Work,
255
TABLE I.
Present Armament. Proposed Armament.
New Guns.
Redistribution.
Remarks.
Mount Siloso
3 7-in. of 63 tons 2 64-prs.
2 9-in. of 12 tons 4 7-in. of 6 tons. 2 64-prs.
9 9-in. of 12 tons
#12
e
Passir Panjang
Nil
+
f
29-in. of 12 tons 1 64-pr.
29-in. of 12 tous
17-in from Blakang Mati
East.
1 64-pr. from Mount Palmer.
a
Blakang Mati South
Nil
1 9-in. of 12 tons
1 9-in. of 12 tons
3 7-in. from Tanjong Katong.
***
3 7-in. of 7 tons.
Blakang Mati East
140
4 7-in. of 6 tons... 2 64-prs.
4 9-in. of 12 tons...4 9-in. of 12 tons 3 64-prs.
OSTRO OH
Mount Palmer ...
Total number of works 5; and 2 redoubts, 1 at Mount Imbeah, the other at Mount Sera- pong.
3 7-in. of 6 tons 2 64-pra.
3 7-in, of 6 tons 29-in. of 12 tous.
29-in. of 12 tons
A14
1 64-pr. from Mount Palmer. 1 7-in. transferred to Mount
Siloso, and 3 7-in. employed
on Government steamer for defence of roadstead.
1 64-pr. transferred to Passir Panjang, and 1 to Blakang Mati East.
Total present armament
16 guns.
f
Total proposed armament.
27 guns.
11 9-in. guns.
New armament
...
***
e
e
OOT OF OD
е
1
e
a
Name of Work.
Number of Gurs.
TABLE II.
Largest Number thati Can he fought at
once.
Number
Number of Men with Guus.
of Men for Miscel-
Number
lancous
of Men for Reserve.
Total Number in
Battery.
Number of Infantry.
Number of Artillery.
Remarks.
Dutics.
e
***
n
I.
Passir Panjang Mount Siloso . Mount Imbeali Blakang Mati South. Blakang Mati East
Mount Serapong Mount Palnier Tanjong Katong Government steamer
Total Infantry Artillery
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VILI.
IX.
X.
covei as
amai ori as
3
6
3
Pob: 68: 2
24
13
56
28
49
40
48
12
***
24 19ă i
::
16
2.1
031391888
26
18
42
126
84
42
50
50
72
48
24
108
72
36
25
25
00
60
30
36
108
72
36
12
12
⠀⠀
::
::
417
198
22
r
11
›f
n
do
e
(Secret.)
as
e
1,
it
d
it
10
Le
20+00 AR
722
1,
d
it
Page 283
Inclosure 16 in No. 74.
The Defences of Singapore.
THE Secretary of State for the Colonies having informed me by telegram that he thinks it more desirable that, instead of presiding over the Defence Committee, I should place my views before it, I will do so very briefly, and submit them for what they are worth.
2. I had no sooner arrived at Singapore than the question of defence engaged my attention as it had in other colonies. The existing scheme of defence, already authorized, appeared to me to be insufficient to meet the object in view. That object I take to be, primarily, to protect the coal depôt and coaling wharves; secondarily, to give such protection as may be possible to the town and shipping, against such force as may probably be brought against them.
3. The force that may be assumed as likely to be brought against Singapore may be put at, say, two iron-clads of medium strength, and four or five lighter vessels.
4. The defence should be rather over than under-estimated as regards the coal depôt and its surroundings, while the defence of the rest of the town and of the roadstead may be considered of secondary importance.
5. Land attack should be provided against by earthworks, rifle pits, and detached redoubts or New Zealand "pals," extending inland from a point on Singapore Island named Passir Panjang to Fort Canning, and encircling the coal stores and wharves and part of the town.
6. I think light rifle pits, or covering trenches, should also be thrown up on emergency at eligible points for field guns and infantry to command approaches to the other parts of the town and suburbs, for instance, from the direction of Changi, Kranji, or Tanjong Katong. The best positions for making a stand or demonstration to check the advance should be selected carefully beforehand, but the works themselves, being light, might be constructed in a very short time, and need not form part of the permanent design, or be executed at once, as much would depend upon the number of the garrison, and whether any auxiliary force-Sikh police, police, or Volunteer Corps-was in existence to man them, to check the attack and advance, and to threaten the rear and communications of the enemy's landing force.
7. In considering the problem of the defence of so large an area as that of this port, comprising many scattered islands and points of vantage, a great difficulty presents itself. It is undoubtedly a great disadvantage that so many more or less isolated batteries and points of defence are, I am afraid, requisite, and the number of garrison will be, consequently, necessarily large. To multiply these
Page 283
144
Appendix No. 4.
SINGAPORE.
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