COLONIAL DEFENCE.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 97, 20 November 1878, Page 3

COLONIAL DEFENCE.

A deputation of gentlemen residing in Christchurch, Lyttelton, and the neighbourhood, Avaited upon the Defence Minister, the Hon Colonel Whitmore, on 1 riday la t, in order to obtain, if possible, some information on the subject of the defence of New Zealand ports, and particularly of L ttelton. The deputation asked for information on the following points : Whether the heavy guns, for which an appropriation has been made, have yet left England, and avljcii they may reasonably be expected to arrive. When the Avorks ncc ss uy for the hafierics would be undertaken, ami under vdiose supervision they will be constructed. How many guns woulu I e pla el at Lyttelton, under what system, and by what force the ba’tei’ies would be Avorked arid kept in order, and who - .ou!d be appointed to select the positions • for the batteries. Colonel Whitmore, in his reply, stated that a ! l that had passed between the Homo and Colonial Governments with respect to these heaA'y guns Avas of a confidential nature, but be AAmnhl give tbe deputation as ranch information as he could. According to the plans of the Commission Avdio had sat at London, there were uoav coming to the Colony—though lie had not received a telegram from S:r Juans Vogel to that exact eff ct —not only eleven 7-ton guns and eleven uoav 64 pounders, which Avere 3-ton guns, muzzle loaders, but also a complete torpedo apparatus for tbe working of submarine mines. It Avas found that the first system of torpedoes invented was no use, but the present system of submarine mines, exploding by electricity, aacas highly effective and destructive. It was intended to project the lolloAving porls Avith these mines-:—Aivkland, Webingt<m, Lytte'ton, Dunedin, and Ne ! son. There would he also a number of other guns supplied to the Government for the protection of such harbours ns the Bluft, Oamaru, and Timaru. The gnus won't! have been out hero before now but that the Home Government delayed, in order to send out guns of improved pattern. The guns Avould at any rate he here this year" He could not say how many guns would be placed at Lyttelton, but the five principal harbors he had mentioned Avonld b ive the large guns divided among them, and Avould be fully protected by submarine mines. He was quite certain that there would be no stint, in the gnus or other warlike materials. As to the system of working the batteries, it av.-is proposed to put the artillery volunteers into one distinct organisation, with the I same dress, dri 1, &c., so that in the event of a misfortune, and the artillery of one harbor being rendered useless, the detachments could be brought from any other part of the colony by rail or otherwise, and could at once fall in and take their pla e. It av.-is not proposed to keep anv permanent force, but if the men Avere called out for active service then they would be paid in the same way that the volunteers nf the North Island Avere when they were called out. With such an or. ganisatie-n as was proposed, he did not see how it avus possible that a naval attack could be ma le upon their harbors. He did not think it likely that an ironclad Avoir d visit these shores, and no other vessel but an iron-c : ad could hope to make its way into our h arboi’S acainst su-b guns and sm-h torpedo lines of defence as Ave shouhl have here before long, and if they bad trading steamers altered to act as privateers they Avould run a very great risk of having their boilers and machinery destroyed from the vertical fire of the guns, or even from a steady horizontal one. A shot fired in such a way would quickly destroy such a vessel. Referring to the fears of bombardment, Colonel Whitmore said that for his oavm part he considered the danger greatly exaggerated. Still, to prevent themselves from being insulted, and to make themselves respected, be thought they shoukl have proper guns properly mounted, and for the protection of their coasting craft. These were the reasons why he thought they should fortify their coasts, 'or he did not think there- Avas the slightest fear of the colony been bombarded. With regard to the coming to the town and levying mail upon it, no captain of a man-of-Avar of a civilised power would think of doing - it. Modern warfare Avas totally opposed to that. He Avould remain at sea, and take liD legitimate spoils ihere. Any interruption of the intercolonial and local shipping trade Avould be quite fair, but the other wo.dd not. He did not think an intruding enemy’s A'essel could do ranch harm, flhe merchantmen could rim her down, and where they had one or two big guns she Avould soon bo knocked to pieces. With regard to big fighting vosao's like the Alabama, Raaois hardly likely they wou'd venture into harbor. As to the selection of sites for the batteries, it had been resolved to get the highest professional authority, viz, Major Scrateldey, to report on this question of harbor defence, and by the time the guns had arrived that gentleman- AAmuld be at their disposal. With regard to the guns, he could only say they would be hero tins year, and as Colonel Scratchier was very busily employed, they should not eend for him until the guns actually arrived. He Avas at present in the pay nf New - South Wales, and it avus a sort of favour to get him at all.

The foregoing is compiled from the report of the meeting in th<* Christchurch • Press.’ Tliat journal, in a heading article. eond"mns very strongly Colonel Whitmore’s light treatment of what is generally felt to be the real danger—that of a single fast ship coming un our harbour, levying a heavy contribution under a shower of shell, doing what injury it pleases upon tin* inhabitants at its mercy, and sailing away before anything could be done to pursue i;.