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Appendix No. 4. yet to be proved whether these men, however good they may be at bush fighting, could be utilized as
artillerymen.
FIJI ISLANDS.
Engineers.
Infantry.
Should it be proved hereafter that the Fijians could be trusted in a battery of heavy guns, the number of regular artillerymen could be diminished, only providing from the Royal Artillery an officer commanding, and, say, twelve non-commissioned officers and men to instruct and drill the natives.
Six non-commissioned officers or sappers (Royal Engineers) would be required to direct the sub- marine mining operations, and, to insure the efficacy of the mines, it would be very desirable to have an officer of the Royal Engineers at the station.
The natives are good boatmen, and could easily be trained to do the necessary boating and labouring work.
To watch the eastern side of the harbour a force of, say, 300 men would be sufficient. These should be militiamen under local officers.
We understand that the cost per head of each native soldier if enrolled for continuous service would be:-
Barracks.
Pay
·
Per Year.
£
5
6
Food and clothing
And, as barracks for them would cost but a nominal sum, the annual cost per man would be about 12%., exclusive of arms and accoutrements, and pay of adjutant and instructors.
The total garrison would, therefore, be :-
Batteries-
Officers, R.A.
Men, R.A.
Natives
Submarine mines-
Officer, R.E. Men, R.E.
Natives
Land defences→→
Natives
:::
-
:::
::::::
:::
:::
2
50
85
NO0 108
:::
6
30
300
TOTAL.
Officers from the regular army
Men
وو
Native militia with local officers
3
56
..
415
The officer of the Royal Engineers would be also available for duty connected with the infantry levies.
Permanent accommodation would only be required for the European troops; native houses are of slight construction, and cost but little.
A sum of 8,000l. should provide for all that is required.
The total cost would be approximately :-
Battery Submarine mines Barracks
Total
:::
:::
£
150,000
..
8,000
8,000
166,000
See Return (A), attached.
Lauthala Harbour.
Namuka.
Island Battery.
6 10 4-in. B.L.R.
guns.
Cost-
Battery
£ 50,000
Armament 28,100
As the requirements of the defence of the harbour would necessitate the construction of a work of an expensive character not anticipated by the Royal Commission on Colonial Defences, and as Fiji at the present time is a place of such small commercial importance that, if any fortifications are built there, they can only be intended to secure a coaling and refitting-station for Her Majesty's ships in Australian waters, this station need not necessarily be at the capital itself, though it will be advisable to have it as near as possible.
We therefore thought it advisable to examine the adjacent coast with the view of finding whether a suitable situation requiring less costly works of defence could be obtained.
Lauthala Harbour to the eastward is not adapted to the purpose, owing to the large extent of muddy foreshore, but in Namuka Harbour, about 4 miles to the westward of Suva, we found a conve- nient site on the north of the Island of Namuka, where stores could be built on low ground covered from seaward, and where ships could lie within 150 yards of the shore.
This island, which is about 800 yards in length and 300 yards in width, is situated on the northern end of the reef forming the eastern boundary of the entrance to the harbour.
This channel is about 400 yards in width and 2,200 yards long, and can be flanked along its whole length by guns mounted on the island, where good sites could be obtained for six 104-inch breech- loading rifled guns.
The guns on the west end of the island might also be arranged to bring a fire over the tortuous and narrow entrance into the harbour inside the reef on the west, though there are several places where this channel could be easily obstructed, and in any case it is unlikely that a hostile vessel would Total 78,100 attempt to pass through it. Garrison, 135 men.
The Island of Namuka, which is the property of Government, would be large enough to contain all the buildings required for naval purposes, and at high-water there is communication for boats inside the reef between it and Suva Harbour.
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