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Appendix No. 4.
VANCOUVER ISLAND.
I do not propose any artillery especially for the guns of position, as by the time these would be called into action the point of attack would be so far determined that gunners could be spared from the nearest sea batteries.
Engineers.-Civilian wages are very high in British Columbia :-
Rate of Pay per Day.
Trades.
From-
To-
£ s. d.
Carpenters Masons
0 10 6
0 12
Bricklayers
0 12 6
Plasterers
Painters
0 10
0 10
Plumbers (only two in Victoria)
1
1
Joiners
0 12 6
Smiths
0 10
Labourers (White)
0
6
وو
(Chinese)
(Indian)
0
5
0
5
20000 KO OLD CO Moo
040 10 10
6
6
0
6
3
0
0
40--0----000
1 1
£ s. d. 0 15 0 0
1
1 0
0 15 0 0 15
0
1 1 0
1 1 0
1 1 0
0 10 6
6 0
6
0
Sapper labour, assisted by military working parties, would be more economical than civilian labour, and the work would be better done, as the class of tradesmen procurable at Victoria are not of first- rate character. A company of Sappers should therefore form part of the garrison, and if submarine mines are supplied to the station, a section of submarine miners would be necessary.
These men could not be supplemented from any local sources.
Infantry. The proposed works, with the exception of Signal Hill, being open to attack from the rear, should not be left without the protection of infantry, more particularly the batteries on Sangster's Knoll and Rodd Point, which, cut off by Esquimalt Harbour, have no means of rapid land communi- cation with the towns of Esquimalt and Victoria, where the main body of the defensive force would be collected.
The shortest of the positions to protect Victoria from an attack by land from the north or west is not less than 6,000 yards in extent, but it is broken into smaller positions of from 1,500 to 1,800 yards by rocky heights, which, although sufficient to support the flanks of these small positions, would not prevent their being turned.
The south bank of the Portage Inlet, which would have to be occupied to protect the larger peninsula of Esquimalt from attack, is over 3 miles in length, and although it would be greatly strengthened by field batteries thrown up on the most salient points, it could not be left without the protection of infantry.
For the efficient performance of these duties not less than 2,000 men would be required. As regards the assistance in men that the province would be able to afford, the Local Acting Adjutant- General of the Militia reports that it exists in three classes: the active militia, white men who might be enrolled, and Indians who might be useful as auxiliaries.
The active militia are as follows:--
Place.
Authorized.
Actual.
Description.
Officers.
Non-com. Officers, Rank and File.
Officers.
Non-com. Officers, Rank and File.
Coco 2 ∞ CO CT
5
85
3
50
3
42
2
31
3
42
2
34
30
2
25
3
40
2
34
3
40
1
23
19
279
12
197
Victoria
22
31
New Westminster
Nanaimo
Garrison Artillery 1st Company of Rifles 2nd Garrison Artillery Rifle Company
19
19
Total
I inspected the Victoria Artillery and Rifles, who made every exertion to turn out in as large numbers as possible, but out of 9 officers, and 169 rank and file, only 7 officers, and 71 rank and file, were present on parade, which was as many as could be expected in the middle of the working season of a small population scattered through a large country, in which the cost of living is very great, and the working season, from the severity of the climate, is in many parts of short duration.
The militia artillery appeared to take great interest in their duties, were smart în serving the guns, answered very fairly questions put to them as to ranges, charges, fuzes, &c., and made most excellent practice at the targets, much to the credit of their very capable and earnest instructor, Captain Dupont, the Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. The infantry marched past very steadily, but, like all troops not constantly drilled, with a degree of stiffness. With full practice they would make good skirmishers, as, besides being intelligent, many of the men are fair shots; but they would, I think, make better assistant artillerymen than infantry, as their natural quickness and ability would then find more scope, and they would work more freely than in the more rigid infantry movements.
As assistant artillerymen would be much required, I would recommend that all the active militia at Esquimalt and Victoria should be enrolled as artillery, and that the numbers should be increased so that they could furnish at least two-thirds of the detachments, and the reserve for the sea batteries.
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