Guns of naval forces. 342. The following guns were in possession of the naval forces at the end of 1881: H.M.V.S. Cerberus.-Woolwich, 10-in., 400-pr. Shunt, 45 cwt., 64-pr. Naval Reserve.-Smooth-bore, 32-pr. 6 16 Small arms of naval forces. 343. The rifles and revolvers in possession of the naval forces at the same period were as follow. It will be seen that the former numbered 358, and the latter 193 : H.M.V.S. Cerberus.-Rifles-Martini-Henry 50 74 75 119 219 14 551 on defences, 1880-1. Expenditure 344. The following table shows the expenditure on military and naval defences during 1880-1. The expenditure under the heads "Artillery Corps," ""Volunteer Force," and "Naval Reserve," give an average cost per man per annum in each division respectively as £83 16s. 4d., £4 5s. 1d., and £16 7s. 3d.*: MILITARY AND NAVAL EXPENDITURE, 1880-1. *These calculations have been reckoned from the strength on the 31st December 1880, viz.,121 Victorian artillery, 3,167 volunteers, and 226 naval reserve. + For six months only. on defences, 1854 to 345. A statement of the expenditure on the establishment and main- Expenditure tenance of defences during the last twenty-seven years and a half will be found in the following table : EXPENDITURE ON THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF Year. Military Expendi- Naval Expendi ture. Total. 1881. Arms, ammunition, and stores for defences generally diture on 346. It is to be specially noted that the total expenditure recorded small expenincludes not only the cost of establishing the military and naval establishing defences. ... 47,408 139,683 Defence works. Small progress of works. Present state of works. defences but also the annual outlay incurred for their maintenance, which annual outlay is estimated by Colonel Scratchley to represent close upon seven-eighths of the total expenditure. The annual expenditure from 1854 to 1864 was unusually large, in consequence of Imperial troops serving in the colony. These troops were withdrawn in 1870. It will be observed that in 1880-1 the military expenditure was less than in the three preceding years but greater than in any other year since 1867, also that the naval expenditure was exceeded in the three preceding years, but in no other year since 1864. 347. Batteries for the defence of Melbourne were constructed in 1861-2 at Williamstown, Sandridge, and Queenscliff; but those at Williamstown and Sandridge were set aside by Colonel (now LieutenantGeneral) Sir W. F. D. Jervois, R.E., G.C.M.G., C.B.,* who visited the colonies in 1877, as unsuited to the requirements of modern warfare, which rendered it absolutely necessary to defend Port Phillip at the Heads. He therefore suggested a plan for defending the channel between the Heads of Port Phillip, which he modified in March 1879, in consequence of his having found when in England, during the year 1878, that great improvements had been made in the manufacture of, and modes of mounting, ordnance. 348. The Government adopted the plan of Sir William Jervois, and the construction of the works was commenced under the supervision of Colonel P. H. Scratchley, R.E., C.M.G. Small progress, however, was made, which Colonel Scratchley states is entirely due to "the absence of necessary authority from the Government to proceed with the works during the years 1877-8 and 1878-9, and to the insufficiency of the amounts voted during the years 1879-80, 1880-1, and 1881-2."† 349. Colonel Scratchley sums up the state of affairs at present as follows: "(1.) Point Nepean.-No steps taken or funds provided for commencing permanent work. Temporary battery for four 80-pounders quite unserviceable. "(2.) Queenscliff.-(a.) Two batteries (to be armed with three 9-inch and four 80-pounder rifled guns) nearly completed. 80-pounders mounted. Waiting for gear and ironwork from England for the 9-inch gun platforms; platforms could be altered in a month after receipt of gear and guns mounted. (b.) Defensible wall and barrack keep not provided for in the estimates; work could be commenced at once. "(3.) Swan Island.-(a.) Battery partly completed; right-face ready for two 9-inch and one 80-pounder rifled guns. Waiting for gear for platforms, as in the case of 9-inch guns at Queenscliff. Contract in progress for works to mount one additional 9-inch and two 80-pounder rifled guns, and for completion of earthworks of battery. (b.) Stockade, blockhouse barrack, and torpedo depôt, can be proceeded with at any time. "(4.) South Channel Fort.-Stone rubble ring deposited round site selected for fort. No further progress. "(5.) Torpedo Defences for South and West Channels.-No progress." Sir William Jervois is now Governor of South Australia. See Memorandum of Colonel Scratchley in "Reports and Suggestions relative to the Defences of Victoria," Parliamentary Paper No. 34, Session 1882. proposition 350. Pending the construction of a fort in the South Channel upon a Further modified design, now being prepared by Colonel Scratchley, at the for defence. suggestion of Sir William Jervois, it is proposed to provide additional floating defences in the shape of gun-boats and fast torpedo-boats of the latest designs, to act in conjunction with the Cerberus. It is also proposed to organize a system of defensive torpedoes, to be laid in the West and South Channels as occasion may arise, the torpedoes to be in charge of a corps under the control of the military commander. Colonel Scratchley strongly urges that the works be proceeded with at once. respecting 351. The Acting Commandant, Colonel T. B. Hutton,* suggests Proposition (1), the re-establishment of a permanent Artillery Corps, to consist of land forces. 125 men of all ranks; and (2), the establishment of a Volunteer Militia as follows: 352. Colonel Hutton proposes that a due proportion of officers and sergeants should be attached to each corps of Volunteer Militia, by which the total strength will be made up to 2,110. 353. He further suggests that the rank and file of the permanent Artillery be paid at the rate of 4s. per diem, and the Volunteer Militia at the rate of £10 per annum, conditionally upon a certain number of drills and parades being attended, and a certain amount of training gone through. Both corps to be enrolled under the Discipline Act 1870 (34 Vict. No. 389). See Report by Colonel Hutton in "Reports and Suggestions, &c.," Parliamentary Paper No. 34, Proposed strength of militia. Payment of artillery and militia. Volunteers. cost of land forces. 354. The present Volunteer Corps in places at which Volunteer Militia are raised, he suggests, should be disbanded; but that in other places they should be retained, so as not to exceed 680 in all. Proposed 355. The total cost of the land forces, including stores and incidentals, Colonel Hutton estimates at £64,257 per annum, viz., £3,026 for the Head-Quarters Staff, £12,500 for the Permanent Artillery, £2,135 for the Torpedo and Signal Corps, £33,762 for the Volunteer Militia, £2,750 for the Volunteers, £5,084 for the Ordnance Store Department, and £5,000 for other expenses. Government proposals for land defences. Government proposals for sea defences. 356. The Honorable the Treasurer (Sir Bryan O'Loghlen, Bart.), in his financial statement, delivered on the 30th May 1882, said that the Government intended to introduce a Bill for a total expenditure of £300,000 "to complete the defences, and to put the Port of Melbourne in an impregnable position"; the amount to be advanced from the Treasury, and paid out of the revenue of 1882-3 and the next two years. Of this sum, £80,000 is to be spent on the South Channel fort, £79,500 for works and guns at Swan Island, Queenscliff, and Point Nepean; £20,000 for torpedo defences, £5,000 for completing reserves of ammunition, £18,000 for batteries at the Western Ports, £2,500 for a battery of field guns, and £10,000 for contingencies; making a total of £215,000 to complete the land batteries, the defensive works necessary to protect the batteries from any sudden surprise, the defences at Queenscliff, Point Nepean, and Swan Island, and to construct a torpedo store, and all the necessary appliances connected with the shore defences; the balance of the £300,000 to be expended on contingencies and supplies. 357. In addition to the land defences, the Government propose to supplement the present Victorian war vessels by two gun-boats to be procured from England, one to be a 10-knot boat, to cost £25,270, and the other a 12-knot boat, to cost £39,520; also 3 torpedo-boats, one to cost £10,500, and the others £3,300 each. The expense of bringing out the gun and torpedo boats will raise their total cost to about £88,000; so that the total expenditure on military and naval coast defences will amount to nearly £390,000. Estimate for 358. The whole amount set down for defences on the estimates of defences, 1882-3. Military cadetships 1882-3 is £189,823, of which £57,285 is for the maintenance of the military, and £22,538 of the naval, forces; £100,000 is to go towards the erection of forts in or near the entrance of Port Phillip Bay; and £10,000 is for a new boiler and other works for H.M.V.S. Cerberus. 359. One cadetship at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, England, is allocated annually to students of each university in the Australasian colonies to which a charter by letters patent has been granted. This ་ |