CAB9-1_PT1 — Page 199

3

Page 199

All projectors should be provided with interchangeable lenses, to allow of the beam being concentrated in thick weather.

7. The proposals with regard to-

Port Authority;

Berthing vessels in harbour; Regulations for native craft; Petroleum ships;

Removing petroleum store on shore;

Signal stations ;-

are concurred in, and the Colonial Defence Committee strongly indorse the recommendation of the Local Committee that the signal-stations at present established should be worked by British signallers.

8. The steam-tug referred to at p. 8 is a matter for local provision.

9. The final suggestion of the Report, viz., that a coast-defence iron-clad should be stationed at Colombo cannot be entertained. The proposal belongs to a policy long since condemned, and never likely to be revived. Such vessels were, it is true, once stationed at some of the places named, but, excepting the case of Bombay, this was only a makeshift provision pending the completion of the permanent defences. Irrespective of the cost of main- tenance of such harbour defence ships, and of the cost of periodical renewal, both of which items would be a source of heavy expenditure, it is to be remembered that the object of all defences at our naval bases is to set free our naval forces for their legitimate action at sea. To devote any portion of our naval resources to the defence of special localities would be to lessen, by dividing, our means of offensive resistance. Even if manned by local seafaring men, such vessels must be commanded by naval officers, who would be more usefully employed on board sea-going ships.

TRINCOMALIE.

Trincomalie is only liable to the same form of torpedo-boat attack as

Colombo.

1. Mine-fields.-The outer mine-field is unnecessary and should be abolished. The inner mine-field alone should be retained, being strengthened in depth.

It is essential that our vessels shall be able to enter by night as well as by day.

In war time the harbour will be largely used by our ships of war, which must not be delayed. It may also be used as a port of refuge by our merchant- vessels, and any accumulation of ships outside the port, owing to difficulty of entry, would furnish special opportunities to an enemy's cruisers. Therefore, if the friendly channel is too narrow to permit of entry by night, as stated at p. 14, it should be widened. Its width was fixed originally in consultation with the Navy, but there can be no difficulty in giving it any desired width.

The entry and departure of native boats and coasting craft may, however, be restricted to daylight as proposed.

The remark at p. 14 as soon as the friendly channel is safe" is not understood. The friendly channel is always safe.

2. Examination Anchorage.-The abolition of the outer mine-field will render it possible to fix the examination anchorage closer in. Its limits should be the line between Elephant Point and Clappenberg Point on the north, and the line between Elephant Island and Grommet Rock on the south, any vessel crossing the former line without a permit to be treated as an enemy and fired on by Fort Ostenberg. It will not then be necessary to station the examina- tion staff on Round Island: the examination steamer will simply leave harbour to meet any vessel that is sighted.

All vessels (except British men-of-war) must anchor, not merely bring-to, in the examination anchorage. In the case of British war-ships, all that is requisite is for them to make the prearranged signal. This signal should be answered at once allowing them to enter the harbour.

best be done by means

3. French Pass may be closed. This probably can of wire hawsers or chains. The provision of this obstruction need not, however, be considered for the present. When it becomes necessary to

Page 199.of 425

Page 199

I

ar