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Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. June 6, 1888.

CONFIDENTIAL.

21 R

New South Wales Defences.

Report by Major-General Schaw, C.B.

Remarks by Colonial Defence Committee.

THE Colonial Defence Committee have considered the Report drawn up by Major-General Schaw, C.B., on the defences of New South Wales which As has been referred to them by the Secretary of State for the Colonies. regards the details of the proposed scheme, they do not desire to offer any opinion. Such matters can be most satisfactorily dealt with on the spot. With respect to some of the points raised, however, the Committee believe that their views may be of use to the Colony in adjusting the standard of their defence to their real requirements, and thus avoiding unreproductive expenditure upon objects which the circumstances of the Colony and of the Empire do not appear to need.

The nature and strength of the attack which could be made upon the Australasian Colonies must necessarily rule the measures of defence adopted, and this question has been much considered at various times.

In a Memorandum of the 25th March, 1880, addressed to Lord Normanby, Commodore Wilson discussed the possibilities of attack from the naval point of

view. He then stated :-

"It has been suggested as possible that during war a squadron of fast frigates, including even an iron-clad, might escape the vigilance of our fleet and make a descent on the Australian coast; there is no doubt that such is possible, but I cannot allow that it is reasonably probable, and it appears to me that we have to deal with probabilities more than possibilities. But to examine this branch of the subject it must be remembered that in these days of steam and telegraph communication the locale of every war-ship in the world is known, and that, as a matter of fact, the moment war is declared each and every ship of any Power would be watched by our cruizers. Still, there is the possibility of enemy's ships evading our vessels, or we may be beaten in action, and so leave them uncontrolled; but even then it is by no means clear that regular war-ships could or would make an attempt at attack."

After considering the difficulties under which ships of war would labour as regards procuring a certain coal supply, without which combined operations are impracticable, Commodore Wilson arrived at the following general con-

clusions:-

"1. That war ships could only be dispatched from enemies' ports within a limited distance, say 2,000 miles.

"2. That armed merchant-ships can practically come from any distance." Sir W. Jervois, in considering the same question, expressed his opinion that, "whilst the bulk of the enemy's naval forces would be occupied in the immediate scene of action in Europe or America, he might no doubt dispatch one or more cruizers to operate against our maritime commerce or make a descent upon

one of the Australasian ports.

""

The permanent addition of seven ships of war to the Australasian squadron for service in those waters only will materially change the whole

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