Bakom
।
:ion
10
L
>
Remarks by Colonial Defence Committee.
THE Colonial Defence Committee have carefully considered the Report drawn up by the local Committee at Nassau. No local measures of defence appear to be practicable under the circumstances of this Colony, and the islands must depend upon the general protection which would be afforded by Her Majesty's Navy in those waters.
Except in the event of a war with the United States, the position pos- sesses little strategic value, and both on account of geographical position and poverty of resources the Bahamas offer small inducement to the visits of hostile vessels. In the event above referred to, the Bahamas would become an important base of operations, and special naval measures would then be necessary for their defence.
The Colonial Defence Committee adhere to their recommendation that the Imperial garrison should be withdrawn from the Bahamas in pursuance of the policy advocated by the Royal Commission of concentrating the West Indian garrisons at two strategic points, viz., Jamaica and St. Lucia. The Colony should, therefore, be pressed to organize a police force capable of maintaining internal order.
August 6, 1888.
G. S. CLARKE, Secretary,
Colonial Defence Committee.
PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY T. HARRISON.—7/8/88.
[515]
Page 48
Page 48
1
+
i
Rag249 of 425
SECRET
Port Jous
Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. July 19, 1888.
Reply to Defence Circular.
BAHAMAS.
Page 49.
BAHAMAS.
351. Secret.
Page 49
Report of Local Committee.
THE Committee appointed to consider and report on the Colonial Defence preparations capable of being made by this Colony have considered the matter from the standpoint of what assistance, if any, this Colony could render the Imperial forces in the event of war being declared by Great Britain against any foreign Power, leaving the question of the practicability of successful defence, and the scheme for carrying it out, to the Home authorities, as being beyond the scope of the present inquiry; at the same time, at the conclusion of this Report, the Committee offer a few remarks for consideration.
Keeping in view the duties of the Committee, as pointed out in Article 15, p. 8, of the Colonial Office Instructions on this subject, the Committee have considered the question under the various heads there pointed out, viz., (a) Commands, (b) Personnel, (c) Defences, (d) Submarine Mines, and (e) Population; and on reviewing the whole matter are of opinion that the question of what assistance this Colony could render to the Imperial forces can only be answered as follows :—
On Land. The only available organized body of men is the native police force, consisting of some thirty men, including the Inspector and Sergeant, a force which is (even if it could be spared from its legitimate duties) utterly inadequate to take any active steps in rendering assistance to a force of regularly disciplined troops.
The organization of a volunteer force appears to be out of the question with the materials at disposal, the population being of a very mixed character, principally coloured men, who could not be depended upon for action when an emergency arose, although a portion of them might be ready to enrol themselves; nor is there any means of arming them.
At Sea. The assistance that could be rendered at sea is simply nil, there being no steam-vessels of any kind available, save one steam-tug, an old flat-bottomed craft of slow speed and indifferent stability and sea- worthiness, and a fleet of small schooners-sailing craft utterly useless for any purposes of either attack or defence.
There are, however, three or four pilot gigs, fast boats, suitable for patrol work amongst the cays and in the narrow entrances, which could be made available for this purpose, and be well manned by native crews.
The crews of these boats could be depended upon sufficiently to allow of their being employed in patrol work, a very different service from active operations in the open field against an enemy, and the work of manning these boats is a part of their daily routine; moreover, the pilots themselves, being regularly licensed, are to a great extent always under control. There are no submarine mines, nor any available material for their use in the
[488]
Page 49
יי
.
3
J
T
1
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.