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the coaling of Her Majesty's ships at Gibraltar in time of war require to be worked out in in detail.

A local Joint Naval and Military Committee reporting on the 25th January, 1894, on "Defence against Torpedo Craft," after alluding to the extension of the New Mole, went on to say :-

Pending the construction of some such works, the most that can be done is to protect the Dockyard and the ships alongside the New Mole by constructing on the outbreak of war a barrier of coal hulks, extending from near the Ragged Staff to the head of the New Mole; the same to be flanked by the fire from the movable quick-firing and machine guns now available in the fortress.

This boom would take a considerable time to complete, so that the Dockyard would be exposed to grave risks at the commencement of hostilities.

This proposal did not appear to commend itself to the Governor, who, in forwarding the Report on the 30th January, 1894, stated :—

With regard to the formation of a barrier of coal hulks, I should draw attention to the fact that this would be a very tedious and costly business. On this point I would refer to the statement of the Senior Naval Officer, dated the 13th August, 1891, attached to the Scheme of Defence, in which it was estimated that it would take fifty practical seamen to move one hulk per day, if the weather were not unfavourable. If, however, the services of a squadron of British ships were available, the moving of the hulks might no doubt be carried out more speedily.

The latest revision of the Defence Scheme, now under consideration, refers to the hulks in the following terms :-

These are fifty-four in number, of which thirty contain coal, and they occupy all the north-west portion of the British waters. They are greatly exposed to an enemy's attack, and, if sunk, would not only encumber the anchorage, but we should lose all the coal they contain.

The best mode of dealing with the hulks in case of war would probably be to land all the coal, and then run the hulks up as close to the north-end of the bay as possible; or, if attack were imminent, to run them ashore. This, however, is a question which so largely concerns the naval authorities that any arrangements suggested here must necessarily be subject to revision by them.

3. The Colonial Defence Committee concur in the opinion that this is a matter which mainly concerns the naval authorities, and as such they desire to press its consideration on the Admiralty with a view to the issue of definite instructions with regard to it, so that the local preparations necessary to facilitate the coaling of Her Majesty's ships at Gibraltar in time of war may now be worked out in detail.

(Signed)

M. NATHAN, Secretary,

Colonial Defence Committee.

August 9, 1895.

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PRINTED AT TAS FORRIGN OFFICE BY T. HARRISON.—12/8/95.

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