CAB9-1_PT1 — Page 68

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Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. April 8, 1889.

CONFIDENTIAL.

31R

NOVA SCOTIA. 5.

3878.

Report of Local Committee.

HALIFAX.

Remarks by Colonial Defence Committee.

THE Colonial Defence Committee have had under consideration the Report drawn up by the Local Committee of Halifax.

The scale on which the station has been fortified was largely affected by the impression created by the development of the United States' navy during the civil war, and Halifax has since been regarded as one of the four Imperial fortresses abroad, notwithstanding that the conditions have somewhat changed.

The geographical position is necessarily important. The harbour is easy of access at all periods of the year, and provides, by means of the Intercolonial Railway communication with Canada, a through-route across the continent by the Canadian Pacific line. Moreover, Halifax is within easy reach of the coal-fields of Cape Breton.

On all accounts, therefore, the position is valuable to the navy as a coaling station, and the completion of the dock now under construction will greatly add to the repairing facilities it provides. In the event of war with the

United States, Halifax would become a base of naval action on the Atlantic seaboard, but hostile operations would be conducted mainly by land across the Canadian frontier, and, unless the States' navy had received a great development, any serious attack on Halifax by sea would be practically out of the question.

In the case of all other Powers, the nearest base of action is 3,000 miles distant, and the difficulties of carrying on naval operations against coast defences under these circumstances are necessarily enormous. Further, the advantage to be derived by any Power other than the United States by attack- ing Halifax would be indirect, by depriving Great Britain of a naval base; rather than direct, by gaining for its own purposes a similar base to be used against our maritime interests. The utilization of the Canadian Pacific Railway in connection with operations against France in the China Seas might, however, conceivably suggest an attempt to injure the station as the terminus-during the winter months only-of this line.

As against land attack, Halifax possesses the special advantage that it would always be practicable to reinforce the garrison by local militia. The Colonial Defence Committee consider that it is of the utmost importance that definite arrangements should at once be made with this object, since the possibility pointed out enters largely into the question of the garrison required for the station. If such arrangements are properly matured in peace time, it should be possible to reinforce the Royal Artillery by local militia, who could be actually trained to the guns they would be called upon to man.

Under the above considerations, the Colonial Defence Committee, while fully appreciating the value of Halifax as a coaling and repairing station for the navy, regard the probabilities of attack as less than in the case of any other such station except Bermuda. It is against the United States mainly that Halifax must be defended, and the standard of its defences should, therefore, be regulated by the development of the navy of that Power. Any advance of an American force against Halifax by land can only be regarded as extremely improbable, and the prospects of land attack are therefore limited.

Having above laid down the broad aspect of the probable conditions of attack, the Colonial Defence Committee proceed to consider the scheme drawn up by the Local Committee.

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