1859- 60.
VICTORIA.
DEFENCES OF COLONY. ,
REPORT OF CAPTAIN F. B. ~EYMOUR, R.N.,
OF n.M.t>. "I'BLORUS,"
IN REGARD TO THE DE FE ~CES OF TIlE COLO.!. · Y; TOGETHEH WITH A
REPORT ON TIlE EFFICIENCY OF U.~f.C.S.S. "VICTORIA."
PRESENTED TO BOTH nOUoES OF PARLLumNT BY ms EXCELLE CY'S COM. fAN]}.
1J!1 •• utfiotitl/:
JOHN FEIUU.", GOVER!\MB.'iT PRlNTlo;Il, lU:LnOURNE.
NO.3ol.
(COPY.)
Memorandum JOT the Hono'l'able the Chief Secreta?'Y.
I am de. irous of bringing the accompanying communication from Captain B au- Enclosure.A.
champ Seymour, R.N., of H.M.S. " P elO'l'U8," under the consideration of the ctrnet, ill connection with the previous Reports of the Defence Commission.
Though unaware of the feeling of the Honorable the Chief Secretary and his colleagnes on the subject of expenditure for the defence of he Colony, I presume that some grant will be asked for from Parliament for the purpose of gradually carrying out the recommendations of the Uommissioners.
It was the intention of my late advisers to place the sum of £60,000 on the Estima.tes of 1860 for the fortifications proposed ; and s1 ould some such amount be devoted to them for the next two or three years, there seems no doubt tllat the harbor and town may be rendered secure against any possible attack.
The great point seems to be at present to decide what portion of the work ought to be attenJ ed to first; and a Captain Seymour's suggestions, though of a most valuable and llracticnl character, involve con 'derable outlay, it wi ll be well for the Honorable the Chief Secre tary to bring them at once formally to the notice of the Defence Commis~oners,
with a view of eliciting their opinion upon this point.
I ft ail myself of this oppOl'tuuity to forward likewise a Report which Captain Enclosure B.
Seymour has been good enough a.t my request to furnish upon the team sloop" VictO?-ia," which n \\' :-;taIllls on the Estimates unu r the head of Defences of the Colony, of which she ull <1lleslionably forms .tIl important part, though her utility for pacific purposes is likewise very aplmrent.
It must Le gmtifymg to the Government of Victoria to perceive in what high terms h r efficie CJ as a man-of-war is attested by a. very competent a IthOrity, arul 1 ,mall be most 113PPY, thus supported, to make any representations thut may be deemed advisn,ble to the Imperial Government, with a view of obtaining for her a more decided and permanent recognition by the Lords of the .Admiralty, and of p1'lcing hor in all respects on ilie same fuoting as the I ndian navy.
(Signed) H.B. 15 III 59.
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REPORT.
E NCLOSURE A
H.M.S. "Peloru8," Sm, Hobson's Bay, lOth November, 1859.
The eourtesy of the Government of this Colon', whlCh placed the stcrun sloop " Victoria J} at my disposal on the 18th ultimo, having enabled me personally to .inspect the poin at which it is proposed to erect works for tho defence of the entrance of Port Phillip, I have the honor to inform Your Excel1ency that I concur generally in the Report made by my colleagues of Llle Defence Commission on the 14th July last, and that I re uest that the few observations which I shall now submit may be cOD...udered 8.'; supplementary to thnt document.
1. In the 4th paragraph of their Report it is recommendeJ. that application should be made to the Home Government for the services of a steam blockship [ one of tho permanent defimccs of Hobson's BaJ. I believe that I am correct in statillg it is tmlikely that this appl"cation '11 be acceded to. Such being the case, and (n" I helieve :is universall conceded) n, force afl.o~Lt is requisite ill addj 'on to the propo~ed fo at 18
Heads and earthworl{s at H obsou's Ba , tbe ehoice remoins between gunboafs 'IUd floating batteries.
2. Having commanded one ()f tho flonting batteries which were smt to lh erim a. in 1855, 1 consider mrdf competent t o form an opicio a:'l to their 'ea-going qrullities. and I can assure Yonr Exccli -ncy that I do n OG think it. pl)~sible to bring f1oati.ug hattcrie' here from England. F rom thf,' lature of their conffi'rnction, the - <Ll'elJelpI.-s in a her~vy or even moderate sea ; sai l hus no effect on them, and IhpJ would have to be towed tho entire distauce. There is no part of the world where so constant a succes~ion ot' had weather, or more violent seas are experienced, than that (xpause of ocean wllich lay between the Cape of Goou. Hope and Austmlia. I do not think it woul,) be po sillIe to tow vessels of such construction and of :illch weight so great <1 distance whatevvr precautions seamanship migh dictat.e ; and 11ere I speak advi. e 11y. '1'he expense of constructing batteries here would l)e so enormous, that I flo not think any Government would sanction their being laid down, and therefore it is to gunboats that we shall eventually have to look as the flo ting defences of this h a.rbor.
3. There are four classes of f,runboats in H er Majesty's service ;-N o. 1 consi~tl; of vee, . cIs measuring 300 tons, of 80· horse power, drawincr 8 feet
wat r, and mounting two 68-pounders of 95 ewt" altd two 12-pounder howitzers each.
No.2 is the most numerous cl , and the ve:<sels compofilllg it are bout 240 tons measUI ment, of 60-horse power, dmw on an Dver; ge i, feet, and mount one S8-pounder of 95 cwt., one long 32-pounder of 5t ewt., and a 24-potmder howitzer each.
No. 3 contai.us about eight vessels only, which am of about. 210 tom, 40-liorse power, draw 5~ feet, and mount ono 68-pounder and Olle long 32-pounder each.
No.4 consists ()f nine Vi ssels, each of which is of 20-horse power, draw bout 4t feet, and mounts one 68-pounder.
Of these I consider the class N o. 1 to be best suited for scrvic in these waters : they are good wholesom vessels, arc provided with trunks for rai~ing their RCl'eW, and when fitted with bilge pieces, RO feet by 2, are not defioient in stability, or remarkable for rolling. They would be fairly efficient on the tempestuous coasts of Australia, where lesa powerful vessels would he useless.
4, .A."" therefore, neith r lockships nor floating b ttencs are likely to bt> availa.ble, I beg to suggest th::tt tue Government. of Victoria should issue tenders in EnJlund fur tIle construction of twelve vessels of this class. Her Majesty's Government woultl doubtl
No. 34, a
G
undertake to provide the ordnance and stores for them, and the expenditure likely to be incurred on other heads would be as follows :-
3600 tons of Shipping, at £15 per ton ... 12 E ngines of 80-horse power, at £40 pel' horse
Total
£54,000 38,400
£92,400
The e~gines to be non-condensing, and ~~ted so that the spare gea,r of each vessel would be avaIlable for any of her consorts requITIng refit.
5. I am aware ~f the magnitude of the ,sum which I here propose should be expended, and that a flotilla thus called into existence could not be mainta,ined for nothing; but when I look to what would be the result of hOHtile cruisers crettincr within range of Melbourne, and tllat W!leU once England is on the eve of' war it will be t~o late to procure gunboat.s from her shIpyardR, I earnestly hope that the Government of Victoria will not postpone the adoption of energetic measmes for providing for the defence of the Colony.
6. Assuming, then, that the measure I advoca,te is approved of, I should suggest that the gunboats be sent from England under sail, and that the following amount of ordnance stores be demanded from the War Department for their issue :-
Guns, 68-pounders .. 95 ewt. :. Fot· gunboats '"
Spare
Guns. 32-pounders, 58 cwt. (new pattern)-spare Howit.zers, brass 12-pounders, 10 cwt. ... Round shot, solid, 68-pounders Shell, common
" Moor'som's ... ... Rocket TubE'S, 24-pounders .. , Rockets, 24-pounders .. .
24 6
30 18 24
2,400 2,400 2,400
24 1,200
I propose that the eighteen 32-pounder guns of 58 cwt. should be sent for, as in the event of the g'unboats being engaged within the waters of Port Phillip, they would easily carry a 32-pounder gun in addition to their regular armament. The gunboats which were in action at Sweaborg in 1855 having done so, though of slighter scantling and construction than the class known as No.1 in Her Majesty's service.
7. On the arrival of the gunboats in Hobson's Bay, I would suggest that, witb the exception of two or throe which might. be required for loca.l purposes, they should he hauled up on a patent slip, to be constructed nea.r the dockyard at Williamstown, on the principle of that near Gosport, in England. Here the expense of looking after them would be trifling, and they would be exposed to far less lleterioration than if they were afloat. Once a year they should be put in the water and manned from the" Victo?,ia" and by the naval brigade from W'illiamstown; sent to the Heads in rotatioll, to exercise for two or thre days. There would be no occasion to mast them on these occasions, as the principal object of their being exercised would be to ascertain that their engines and armament were ready for ~el'vice.
8. I will now suppose that intelligence of England being involved .in a war with a maritime power has reached Victoria. No time should 1)e lost in taking up the whole of the buoys which mark the South Channel, as by so doing the Western Channel would alone remain available for vessels unprovided with pilots. F ew people would attempt to enter it in vessels drawing more than eigMeen feet of water, which at once precludes the pOS5-ibility of Hobson's Bay being approached 1JY ships larger tha.n the steam corvettes of the present day, if by them. The gunboats having been fittod out and manned by volunteers entered for a certain pel'iod (of whom there would be no lack, providing proper inducements were held out to men to enter), should be sent down to the anchorage under Swan Point, and a regular scheme of stationing them for rlefensive purposes (of whioh, if called for, I should be happy to give an ontline) be drawn up. Notice should be given to the pilots, that every vessel above the size of coasters will be compelled to anchor under Shortland's Bluff (in a position where she would be exposed to the fire from N epean Point and the Lighthouse Battery) until her character had 1Jeell ascertained; and the officers in command of the batteries should be instmcted to open fire wit,hont further notice, on any vessel infringing this regulation, whatever colour~ she might be under; for if this order were promulgated and enforced no hann would result, even if pilots were decoyed on board an enemy's vessel. And as the great object to be attained is to prevent an enemy from approaching Hobson'. ' Bay, ve~sels laden with stone must be held in readiness for sinking at the north-east ends of the Western and of Symonds'S Channels.
9. Your Excellency will perceive that in these suggestions no allusion is made to the probability of ~hips belonging to the Royal Navy being available for defensive purposes. As so much would depend upon whom the enemy wa.'> with whom we had to deal, it is better not to ca.lculate upon an Imperial ship being in port, when, if that enemy
.. I
had colonies nnywhere within reH~oIlable distauce, t he d i l l,. of H er Mnj , ~ty's ~erv~mts would be to seek him in his own ports, and to initiate, not await, an at 'wk; anel it, is in c(lllsiucr<Ltion f such being tl e case, that r propose the force of gunboat s to bt, proviued tihoulrl be such as, If well hauJlerl. and' conjuction with the batt€nes would prov· ,LdeqUlLt e to the defence of the Heads.
10. I shall conclude these observations by proposin g tha,t, in addition to the work OIl Short land's Bluff, a covered way, connectmg it with a knoll to the Houth-we t of til!' lowel' lighthouse, shonld be eomtructed along the face of t.he clift; nn ll au e: rlhw Irk to TIl0Ull t two 112 cwt, 68-poumlers bo throwIl np to t,he right f the knoll, th ftre (rom which being v ry li ttle abo e the level of the se~l, :mel rJ il'ectl..y raking the passage. \I ould prove most, effective against veR."els .l!tempting to foroe an entratlcc.
Telegraphic communication )!hould l)e eHlahli~hed with Cape Schank; lU( 111111'
nlterntiou must be made in tile position of the lower lighthouse a t Short land',:; Blutl' or otherwule it wit! mask t he £'1'e from the !;1ett face of th t ower which is to be bllih !'Ound the upper lighthouse.
11. I have the honor to submit theRe oLservations to YOill' E xcellency with the Iltmost deference, and am
Y our Excellency's very obedient Servant ,
(Si", d) F . BEAUCHAMP SEYMOUR, CaptaW.
To His Excellency Sir Henry Barkly, K C.B., &c., &c., &c.,
Governor of Victoria.
ENCLOSURE B.
ll.M.S. " PelO?"'Us," Sm, H obson's Bay, 5th Novemher, 1859.
I have t he honor to aelrn wledge the receipt of Y 1IT ExceUency's noh: df the 3rd instu,11 t, and have great l)leasure in compI ring with the re ue~t it coutains,
Having recen tly been eig t days ou buard H.M. Colouial steam sloop" Vi.ctO'l La," alllpl ,-~ oppor tunity has Leen afforde(lruc of . udging of hel capahiliLles u!; [t ship, IlIId of funniug> all op inio.u npon the other points adverted tinY our Excelleu('y'iS communicatioll
I con'ilier the " Vidm-1..a" to h < a most effieien' vessel ~ven way, an I to l)e extl'emdy well commanded, well officered, and (as reg~rds tlw quaVity of her crew) well rnan nerl. T lw sial(' of her J iscipline i'l such os to reflect the utmost cnxlit on Cnmmll rier N orman and Iter exe nt-ive office . She is admirably clean, Dd well u(11.pted for the (luties she hflS Lo perform, and I consiller ibat her presence il1 lhest~ wntf'rli i..; mo j
heneficial to 1;1le C lony of Victoria, There l re, however, one or two l}oints on which, with Y our Excellency'S penni ion,
I will uffer some suggestions, which may tencl to make her more dnck'nt, viewing her OB,
wh at IShe is, a man-of-war. I allude more particulurly to the way in whiel) she is mannen, ;l1ul mn lecit! Jl
of opimoll tb t her olllplement of working hands should he incre.1sed, as the nnmhl'r 011
Loan of her j barely suffif' ien t., even with her pre~ent a,rmamC'lli, to do t,11e dntil's of tho ,.;ltip, I consider the position flf hoI' Commander d officers is an annmalol1f1 0111', and t:UlllIot 11erceivc that nny ndvRntu.gt> is derived from their hemg uuder tue clirectiflIl, (a. r(;ganls di~ciplill e ami the r~.q)enditure of stares) of a department cntirel,Y Ullconncct d with mari time affhir', and in aU probabili ty not conver.>ant mU the practices '1lld di cipline of :ships of war. I think it would bo to the II vant.age of th ' senicf' w,),P. til(' " Victol'itt " removud from the control of the Police Department, ilud placf'd direetlr IIHdl'r t 1 HlL uf tlll Chm Secretary t t) Government. ; lilln with regard to Comm ander N 01"'111111 and hi~ officers, I should suggest thai, Y our Excellency Sh01 dd furnish them wi tl commissions lrude!' the sea.l of t,he Colouy ; while with Tegn.rd tu the crew, i t is rov OPlDlOll that til y should 1)e ent ered under the tenm; of tht; llf utJinV A ct, for a perioel of not le,,~ than th ree y e(l. ['~.
Under the present systPll1 of granting them their dischn.rg , at the expiration of a yenr'!'1 service, 1ll( 'U are consta tly leaving the ""V-ictoria" j URt ::IS the} IJ[tve becomp pl'oficieut m gunnery anll the l L..;e of the rint' and the same clrud,ger) of teaclllng merchant seamen their exercises ha~ to be gOllO oyel' again and again with ~\ ery fresh entry. I hay~ pemse,l with mnch a ttention that por tion of the vidence given heron the Dt'f(~n . CommiSS10l1, which rela teR to the armament of the " Vict07W ;" and observing t.hat on . witn ss proposes to put 95 cwt. fiB-po under "nn.'l on hoanl of her, I beg to e~1>ress my opinion t hat to do s would ue most injutlicious. She is fully capt\ble of C:\rryin/T the
8
guns with which she was originally intended to be armed-namely, two long 32-pounders on pivots, and six broadside guns of 25 cwt.; but without great and expensive alterations in the positions of her funnel, hatchways, and davits, she could not be fitted to carry heavier guns; and considering the very bad weather she frequently encounters on this coast, I think that if it is decided to place the five additional guns ordered from England on board of her during peace time: it would be better that the aftermost gun should be mounted on a common carriage, as a shifting gun, and when not in use, be stowed amidships just abaft the funnel, and secured to span shackle-bolts let into the upper deck. l AB ' the records of this Colony bear ample testimony to the usefulness of the "Victoria," and as it ca,n hardly be doubted that a Colony of this importance should be provided with a vessel of its own for Colonial purposes, I shall conclude this letter by expressing my hope that she may be maintained in the most efficient state possible, and
I have the honor to be, Your Excellency's very obedient Servant,
(Signed)
To His Excellency Sir Henry Barkly, K.C.B., &c., &c., &c.,
Governor of Victoria.
F. BEAUCHAMP SEYMOUR, Captain.
H.M.S. "Pelol'U8," SIR, Hobson's Bay, 29th November, 1859.
Since I had the honor of addressing Your Excellency on the 8th instant, on the subject of the defence of Port Phillip, it has come to my knowledge that a plan of rifling ordnance, the invention of Mr. Bashley Brittain, has been thoroughly tested at Shoeburyness by the Ordnance authorities, and found to be in every way successful It can be applied to all the larger calibres of guns now in use in Her :Majesty's service, and was tried in the instance I quote on a 32-pounder sea-service gun of 56 cwt., the projectile used being a conical shot weighing between 50 and 60 Ibs. A very great increase of' range and accuracy of fire was attained; and I beg to suggest that reference be made to the agent employed in England by the Government of Victoria for corroboration of my statement, and that he should be instructed (should it prove an accurate one) to cause the guns now ordered for service in this Colony to be rifled by the Brittain process without loss of time.
I have, &c.,
(Signed)
To His Excellency Sir Henry Barkly, K.C.B.,
F. BEAUCHAMP SEYMOUR, Capta,in.
&c., &c., &c., Governor of Victoria.
By Authority: JOHN FERRES, Government Printer, Melbourne.
