DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 138, 16 July 1880, Page 3

DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND.

Colonel Scratciiley’s report on the Defences of the Colony is now before Parliament. In dealing with the subject he says: —The minor harbors of the Colony are Akaroa, Nelson, aipj

Picton, but there are several roa >- steads, such as Timaru and Oamaru, on the east coast; and Hokitika, Greymouth, and Westport, on the ■west coast, where breakwaters are being constr .ctcd to shelter vessels in all weathe 3. The only places of sufficient importance to require local protection at present are Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and possibly Invercargill. Ho doubt an enemy might occupy one of the minor harbors, such as Itusscl, Tauranga, Nelson, Picton, and Akaroa, with a view to making special preparations for an attack upon one of the large ports above referred to —or he might issue from them to capture passing vessels—or again, he might lie off such roadsteads as are to be found at Gisborne, Napier, Timaru, or Oamaru, for the purpose of levying contributions. After an inspection of the several harbors of the colony, he finds that the conditions, under which the question has to be considered in each case, are very nearly similar, and that there are four lr odes of attack open to the enemy:—(l.) He may endeavor to force the entrance in order to take up a position inside a harbor, from which he will command the town and shipping. (2.) fie may attempt to land a body of men with the object of overcoming the resistance of the local troops assembled to resist his advance ; and, if successful, he might either levy a contribution and retire, or attempt to capture the batteries with a view to the permanent occupation of the h bor. (3.) He may bombard the town and shipping from positions at sea, conveniently for the purpose. (4.) He may blockade the entrance to the port. Although the first and second modes of attack can be easily met by the proposed system of defence —batteries, torpedoes, and land forces; the third and fourth opei'ations would be best dealt with by naval means. For the defence of Nelson, Timaru, Oamaru, and other places—which are not large enough to require local defences —I propose that small bodies of riflemen, provided with field artillery, should fulfil the double purpose of keeping hostile vessels at a distance from the shore with their guns, and also of resisting pedatory attacks on land, undertaken with the object of levying contributions. The fact of such organizations being in existence would probably be in themselves a security against any attempt jof the nature contemplated being made.

DEFENSIVE MEASURES. Having discussed the requirementof each locality, together with the description and strength of the forces necessary for the system of defence proposed, the following being a brief summary of these recommendations: — The four principal harbors of the Colony (Auc' land, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Tort Chalmers), to be defended against naval attack by batteries armed with the ordnance, now in the Colony, supplemented by spar torpedo boats which are to be purchased.

Additional guns and submarine mines to be added, in the future, as the places increase in importance. The protection of Dunedin from bombardment off Ocean Beach to be effected by a battery-—armed with guns available for the purpose—a second battery being provided at some future time; or, if money is not available, the construction of these batteries to be deferred for the present, and reliance to bo placed on the battery of field artillery attached to the field force which it is proposed to maintain at Dunedin.

The cities of Auckland, Wellington Christchurch, and Dunedin to he protected, against attack by land, by means of field forces, maintained for the purposes and organized from the existing Volunteer Force. The protection of Bluff harbor by local defences to be deferred, and a field force to be maintained instead at Invercargill—which would be ready, in time of war, to be moved by rail to the Bluff—-for the purpose of repelling any attempt made by an enemy to land, with the object of destroying the shipping. If it should be decided to defend the minor harbors and settlements along the coast, local companies of infantry, with field guns, to be maintained for the purpose. Naval brigades to be formed at Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers, and a company of volunteer artillery at Dunedin if required. ■The infantry corps at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin to be consolidated into battalions, and field forces oganised at those places A torpedo corps, and a school of gunnery for the constabulary to be established at Wellington. Additional field guu's, a torpedo equipment for experimental purposes, and four electric lights to be purchased. The changes necessary for the better government, inspection, and general organisation of the volunteer force throughout New Zealand, togethei with the expenditure required for its maintenance, to be enquired into. The .forces to be maintained —in time of wai —for that portion of the defence scheme, which I propose to carry out forthwith.