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Appendix No. 4.

GAMBIA.

66

30. I regret very much that the short time I had available for the preparation of the above Report and the few plans and sections appended thereto, did not allow me to go more fully into details; and I beg to express the hope that, when it is kindly taken into consideration that I have at present to superintend the work of three principal Departments, the limited amount of details contained in my present Report will be found pardonable, since it was only when not fully engaged on Departmental duties that I could devote short and intermitting periods to the preparation of this Report.

I have, &c

(Signed)

J. C. BAUER, Colonial Engineer

No. 9.

Sir,

War Office to Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad.

War Office, April 15, 1882.

I AM directed by the Secretary of State for War to transmit, for the information of the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, the accompanying Report, dated the 28th March, 1882, by Colonel G. Philips, R.E., on the defence of Bathurst, and referring also to Moota Point on the Gambia.

I am to request that the inclosures may be returned to this Office when done with.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

T. L. GALLWEY, Inspector-General of Fortifications.

Sir,

Inclosure 1 in No. 9.

Lieutenant-Colonel Philips, R.E., to the Inspector-General of Fortifications.

Madeira, March 28, 1882.

I HAVE the honour to forward herewith my Report on the defence of Bathurst, at the mouth of the River Gambia.

2. While at the Gambia I proceeded to inspect Moota Point, about 36 miles up the river, which is referred to in your printed Confidential Memorandum on the Gambia, 8th April, 1881;* but I have made no reference to it in my Report, as I could only speak negatively about it.

3. The whole of Moota Point, as well as the banks of the Gambia in the neighbourhood, are so densely covered with mangrove and other bush, the roots of which hang over the banks and grow into the water, that it is almost impracticable to effect a landing, and when such is done, no view can be obtained or movements made.

4. There is a small clearing on the river-side at the east of, and close to, the Point. On this I landed, and found it used merely as a cooking-place by natives on their passage up and down the river; but no path led away inland.

5. Not much could be observed beyond the fact that the ground is hard and sandy, quite level, and about 3 feet above ordinary high-water mark, and under water in the rainy season, at which time the sand appears to be washed on to the surface from the river. The soil seems to be a soft red rock, which crops out at the banks. In addition to the bush, the ground is thickly wooded with large trees.

6. In my letter of the 20th instant† I omitted to state that while at Ascension I received every possible assistance from Captain Roe, R.N., who is in command there.

7. As before reported, I expect to reach St. Helena on my return about the 15th April.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

G. PHILIPS, Lieutenant-Colonel, R.E., and Colonel,

Commanding Royal Engineer, St. Helena.

Inclosure 2 in No. 9.

Report on the Defence of Bathurst, at the Mouth of the River Gambia.

r

THE printed Confidential Memorandum on Gambia " by Colonel J. H. Smith, R.E., dated War Office, 8th April, 1881,* issued by the Inspector-General of Fortifications, is taken as the basis of this Report.

2. Bathurst is built on a sandbank, formed by the joint action of the sea and the River Gambia, Nothing but sand, discoloured more or less by vegetable matter, &c., is found in excavating the soil; borings made by the Colonial Engineer in various places to a depth of 40 feet have brought to view nothing but sand, not a stone, however small, having been found.

3. The general level of the island (omitting the fringe of ground along the north and east shores) is about that of ordinary high-water mark, and apparently no part is more than 3 feet above that level. The fringe of ground along the north shore (about 5 feet above high-water mark) appears to have been formed by the joint action of the sea and the wind. The surf, when heavy, throws up a belt of sand above high-water mark, and the wind at times blows this sand inwards, and thus raises the adjacent ground to a moderate extent. At the present time the sea has a tendency to encroach on the north

* No. 10.

Inclosure in No. 11.

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