DEFENCE OF THE COLONY.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1069, 16 May 1878, Page 3

DEFENCE OF THE COLONY.

An important telegram was received by the Governor from the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the subject of the defence of New Zealand in the event of Great Britain becoming involved in war. Unfortunately the wording of the message, owiDg to errors in transmission, is in several respects so obscure that the Government have telegraphed back to have the message repeated, and unluckily the line broke down just at this very critical period. This much, however, is clearly learned from Sir Michael Hicks-Beach's telegram. The Imperial Government, on the first symptoms that war was imminent, instructed a special committee of military and engineering officers to report on the best means of defending the British Colonies in the event of England being compelled to go to war. This Committee has reported with reference to New Zealand that, upon careful consideration, they have came to the conclusion that a defence of the Colony by sea is utterly impracticable, and should not be attempted. On the other hand, they recommend a system of land batteries at the four principal ports of New Zealand—viz., Wellington, Auckland, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers, by which they consider those ports practically could be defended against any class of vessels at all likely to be despatched by a foregin power to these seas. They further estimate that 22 guns—viz., 11 seven-ton guns and 11 64pounders, of the same pattern as used on board Her Majesty's ships of war—would be sufficient to provide an adequate armament for the batteries above mentioned. Ministers have resolved to telegraph instantly to have the _ 22 guns forwarded to New Zealand by the earliest opportunity.