NELSON VOLUNTEER NAVAL ARTILLERY COMPANY.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 279, 22 June 1860, Page 2

NELSON VOLUNTEER NAVAL ARTILLERY COMPANY.

The following correspondence on the formation of this justly popular and peculiarly English force, will be of considerable interest to many of our readers in these exciting times of wars and rumors of wars. They were addressed to the Sec- • retary. , . . ■' .i Motueka, June 4,1860. ' Dear Sib,—l have just been told that a letter is~on - its way to ask, me. if I '■.will .genre jn the,Nav.al Brigade of Nelson, and also that yout meeting was not assisted by any one who professed any knowledge. of the subject. As there is no chance of my receiving the letter for some days, I will reply to^the report I have heard at once. . .. : ..-,...

I do not believe in gun-boats, for this reason—they will not carry guns of sufficient bialtbi'e, arid if they will, what could three or four boats do against a steamer ? A shot striking her would do some damagf , but it would iink a boat. A gun boat in action is end on to the enemy, and therefore enfiladed .by his rifle-, men ;—you could not board a »teamer, but she could run the boats down. A steam gun boat would" be very well, but the chances are, she would be too small to bring the enemy to action. An enemy's steamer would burn the town, with shell, hot shot, and rockets from a great distance, therefore; Nelson, has to defend herself at long range^ and with very few men. Incase of ah enemy landing, our riflemen would have very fine practice at the crowded boats, and might be competent to cover the-retreat of tha women and children; on the other side the «nemy would pull to the shore under cover of a heavy fire . from the ships, several of the boats also using their 12 and 24-pounder howitzers-, which onlariding would bo mounted on field carriages—once landed they would have the advantage of field-guns-against which we could only bring rifles. The question is how to combine the defence of the (town with "the defence of the non-combatants;. The measures now (taken ar« for the defence of the latter, but are very incomplete .avithout a field battery,: that is, guns, thai eanmov© with infantry, and it is in thia that saitor* excel all others, as Lucknowy ■ Sebastopol, and many other places can testify. This, I believe, is the way in which the seafaring men of Nelson can render beet service to the State. If you will allow me to offer an opinion, I would say—form a Volunteer Artillery Corps,,and apply for Armstrong's orWhitworth's 12 and 24-pounder field guns; these can be moved to a.iypart of the coast, render the Rifie Corps'doubly efficient, and behind an earthwork »'t the point with their long range be-very, far from useless against an enemy's steamer. When the Government thinks fit to throw up batteries for heavy guns, the Artillery and Rifle Corps could work them till forced to me«t th« enemy on shore, and thus combine the defenc* of the town with that of their families, if forced "to"abandon it. I hope the Government will encourage the formation of artillery corps in all the districts. -As regards myself, I regret that the distance will prevent mo joining any such scheme »s a Volunteer, but beg you will inform your committees that I shall be gltd to render them any assistance in my power. lam eoinjr to Auckland about the end of July. You can make any us* ot this letter you please. Tours truly, 0. W.Pocook, Lieut.; R.N., and Gunnery Officer,

„ .." ."' ■ Nelibn, Juhfe 8^ 1860. Dear sib,—l did not explain this evening the reason for arming the Artillery Company us proposed, the drag rope men not being employed when engaged can assist the battery with their, rifles, and in case ot close quarters, can use the butts of thiir pieces The gun numbers would ionly use their arms under the same circumstances, to defend their guns. In fact in case of surprise, this corps will probably be a popular one, and it might be * good plan to advertise a request for people desiring to join to put their names down at once, so that you may know how mtny gum to apply for. Four or five guns are quite tnough for a battery, so 1 should advise the formation of two distinct batteries, East and West—one at the Port to defend the town on that side, the other somewhere near the New Government Buildings, so that both approaches to the town will be defended by guns on the spot. I should say that five guns in each would be ample. The rivalry between them also would b» very beneficial.

Yours-truly,

■■•--■■ C, W. Pocook; A meeting of this company will tak« j)kce at the Trafalgar Hotel this erening| to 'filf tip the vacancies with new members, and to consider 'the rules, which have been printed, and are done up ■ih a neat cover, so that members* and those that are about to become members, may read, mark learn, and inwardly digeßt what they are going about. ' ' ■ ■