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close the eastern entrance to vessels of heavy tonnage. The harbour thus assumes the form of a long narrow navigable basin, which, with but little difficulty, could be closed against hostile vessels.

Existing Defences.

The existing works of Singapore are weak and insignificant. Built many years ago, they were only intended to meet local requirements, and were constructed without reference to the importance of the place as an Imperial naval station. They are five in number, viz., Fort Canning, crowning the hill at the hack of the town; Fort Fullerton, situated on the low projecting spit at the entrance of the Singapore River; Mount Palmer Battery, constructed on the steep sea-face of the hill of the same name; Mount Faber Battery, situated on the south-eastern extremity of that ridge at a height of 132 feet, and a battery for two 13-inch mortars near the site of the flagstaff, at a distance of about 900 yards from the last-named work, and at a height of about 300 feet above the level of the sea. The position of these defences is shown on plan.

Appendix No. 4.

SINGAPORE.

Fort Canning is a long narrow straggling work, 450 yards in length by 80 yards in mean width, Fort Canning, its trace approximately following the top contour of the hill on which it is built. It is unprovided with flank defence; the parapets are weak and badly proportioned; the ditch is shallow and insignifi- cant; the scarp and counter-scarp are for the most part unrevetted; the glacis are only partially swept by musketry fire from the parapet; the magazines are not bomb-proof and are much exposed; and there is, moreover, little or no bomb-proof cover for the garrison. The armament in its present condition is practically unserviceable. Most of the smooth-bore guns with which it is armed require reventing, and the wooden carriages and platforms upon which they are mounted have all suffered from exposure to climate.

At the southern end of the fort is an outwork called the South or Seaward Battery. The terreplein of this battery is at a somewhat lower level than that of the main work, and its gorge is closed by the main parapet. It is armed with seven 68-pounders--smooth-bore guns of 95 cwt.- only one of which is at present serviceable. Five of these guns, however, are repairable. The main work is armed with eight 8-inch smooth-bore guns of 65 cwt., mounted at intervals at the salients, together with three 13-inch L. S. mortars of 36 cwt. on its south-eastern face. In the centre of the terreplein stand a barrack and offices, originally built to accommodate two garrison batteries of Royal Artillery. They are now occupied by the head-quarters of one battery of Royal Artillery and by a company of infantry.

Fort Canning is too retired to be of service for the defence of the roadstead, even if the work were remodelled to receive a heavy armament of long range. A fire from this work, moreover, would not only be ineffective in itself, but would draw an enemy's fire on the town. The fort, however, occupies a position from whence Singapore is well commanded on all sides, and, in case of an insurrection of the coloured population, it would be a valuable place of refuge for the Europeans of the Settlement, whilst its fire would overawe the town and prevent the insurgents from maintaining possession thereof. If properly armed, its western faces would command the valley which extends towards Mount Faber, and with a work-to which I shall hereafter refer-on this point, the intervening country would be swept, and an enemy prevented from advancing on the land side to attack the establishments in the New Harbour.

Fort Canning should, therefore, be maintained, not as a work to aid in the defence of Singapore to seaward, but to combine with a work on Mount Faber, and an itermediate field redoubt, in sweeping the valley between itself and Mount Faber; also to command the chief quarters of the town. It should, therefore, undergo such alteration and receive such armament as would secure these objects. I would recommend that four rifled guns of small calibre-say 64-pounders Palliser converted muzzle- loadi $5 rifled guns-should be mounted on the western faces; that the 8-inch smooth-bore guns, which form part of the existing armament, should be revented and redistributed in the most conve- nient manner to command the town; that the glacis should be cleared and levelled, and the profile of the work so altered that the musketry fire from the parapet should sweep the ground in front; that a palisade be constructed along the centre of the bottom of the ditch, and that flank defence be provided therein. I would also recommend that the southern part of this work should be cut off from the long straggling main work by a flanked ditch and wall. This interior retrenchment would not only serve as a redoubt for the whole work, from which an artillery fire could still be maintained on the town, but would provide for the probable contingency of its having to be defended by a small garrison only.

Fort Fullerton, a weak battery à fleur d'eau, has been partially dismantled to make way for the Fort Fullerton. Government Post Office, but it still has an armament of nine 68-pounders of 95 cwt., six of which are mounted. Eight of these guns, however, require reventing, and one is unserviceable. This work was formerly intended to assist in the defence of the roadstead, but its retired position and want of command render it very unsuitable for this object. Like Fort Canning, moreover, a fire from this work would draw the enemy's fire on the town. Fort Fullerton would, however, owing to its position, be a useful post in case of a rising of the native population, and I would recommend that it should be retai ed with reference to this contingency. With this view, the guns mounted on the sea-face should be removed, the embrasures filled up, and the parapet provided with a banquette. The gorge of the work should also be closed by a loopholed wall, in connection with the Post Office.

Mount Palmer

This battery is constructed in the shape of an elongated horse-shoe, 100 feet in length by 40 feet in mean width. and is armed with five 56-pounders smooth-bore guns of 98 cwt., three of which only are now Battery. in position, ad these require reve eting; the remaining two are dismounted and unserviceable. There is no bomb-proof accommodation, and its magazine, which is situated in the gorge of the work close to the guus, is weak and much exposed. This battery occupies a commanding position, however, and was constructed with a view of bringing a cross-fire to bear on the roadstead in connection with Forts Canning and Fullerton. Owing to its small extent, the guns are placed very close together, and but

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