CAB9-1_PT1 — Page 61

Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. January 1889.

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CONFIDENTIAL.

No 29. R.

Local Defence Scheme.

GIBRALTAR,

Remarks by Colonial Defence Committee.

IN their Memorandum of the 27th August, 1888, on the scheme of defence of Malta, the Colonial Defence Committee drew attention to the importance of the island as the only naval base in the Mediterranean, pointing out, at the same time, the special liabilities to attack which this Station involved.

As regards the possibilities of hostile action, Gibraltar, on account of its geographical position, is practically open to the same form of attack as Malta. There are, however, certain qualifying conditions which deserve to be fully taken into account in any estimate of the defensive requirements of the former Station,

Although, unlike Malta, it is not a naval repairing base, nor a port in which vessels can coal and refit secure from hostile attack, Gibraltar is a coaling station, and a point d'appui for the fleet in a most important strategic position at the entrance of the Mediterranean. The possession of Gibraltar is, in fact, vital to our naval action in that sea in the event of war.

Although, like Malta, Gibraltar is open to a combined attack by land and sea, the relative probabilities of such an attack are greatly modified by local conditions. In any attempt to carry Gibraltar by a coup de main, mere numbers of troops could not make themselves felt to the same extent as at Malta. The accessible land-front is only a few yards in extent. On the sea-front access to the fortress can be obtained only by a few narrow entrances, through a breach caused by the fire of ships, or by escalade. If the active hostility of Spain were secured, or her neutrality were violated, siege operations limited to a bombardment would be practicable to an enemy; but, failing such an intention, the plan of attack would probably be purely naval. Against such an attack Gibraltar is far more easily defended than Malta. The great height at which a portion of the present, and nearly the whole of the new, armament of Gibraltar is to be mounted, would render the silencing of the guns almost impossible to a fleet.

While, therefore, in the absence of Her Majesty's fleet, a long-range naval bombardment of the town, dockyard, and shipping in port might be attempted with the object of inflicting as much material damage as possible, and of attempting to raise internal difficulties with the civil population, a serious attempt to reduce the fortress by purely naval attack would require time, and would involve considerable risk.

The two forms of attack to which Gibraltar is specially liable are:-

(a.) A naval bombardment in the absence of Her Majesty's fleet. This danger will be to a great extent obviated as soon as the new armament is provided. In any case, a bombardment of this nature would not be effective against the defences of the fortress, although considerable damage to the town and shipping might result.

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