The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-13
DRYDoCK AT EsQUIMALT.

should betake himself behind Clover Point
or to Ross Bay. he could keep out OF the
way OF British guns and destroy Victoria;
or by landing very moderate party of men
he could enter the batteries from the rear
and either spike the guns or tumble them
over the bank.
Several years ago Colonel Lowell of the
Royal Engineer Corps was sent by the In
parial Government to report on the de-
lenses of British Columbia. In one of his
letters of instruction from the English Sec
rotary OF State for War, Colonel Lowell was
told that ANY views he may form generally
on the measures to be taken for the defense
Of her MHjesty'S dOmnions in the event of
war, bearing in mind its distance from any
established naval arsenal. aud the diff
culties which must, therefore. attend hostile
operations objected against it." would be
gladly received.
A SERIOUS MISA PPREHENSTON.
Lieutenant Colonel Strange Of the ROYAL
Artillery. who accompanied Colonel Lowell,
and whose report appears in the Canadian
Blue Book, very pontedly calls attention TO
the mistake in the British War Office letter
as u the British possessions on the Pacific
Coast being so distant from any established
naval arse nal as TO make hostile operations
against them very difficult. He points out
that the United States not merely have a
large government establishment at and near
San Francisco. but they also have immedi-
ately available the resources Of that city Of
$4,000 people, city which General Laurie
pOluts out as one whose industries are largely
devoted IN the provision of machinery
for the great mining districts of California,
Nevada and Arizona. ana to the supply and
reftting of the enormous shipping that en-
ters the Golden Gate, consequently specially
suited TO equip maritime expedition, while
the overland railroad would bring the almos,
unlimited supplies of men and material OF
the highly developed Eastern States in from
three to six days travel to strengthen an
expedition which might be there fitted out.
SAN FRANCISCO AS A BASE.
Referring to this city as a base Of opera
tons for an attack upon Victoria, General
Laurie says: THE United States Govern
ment recogni yes the Importance Of San
francisco as possible base of operations
for although the squadron there is small,
indeed but nominal, San Francisco is the
military headquarters OF the West, and
large barracks and strong Notifications
show that they recognize the necessity for
preparing for eventualities." lie then in
dOrses what Colonel Strange so emphati-
cally points out-that "the difficulties OF
defense are under present conditions much
greater than tue facilities for attack, and
that the bases OF hostile ore: atoms are
much nearer than is Implied in the War
Office letter"
General Laurie next considers how far
Esqumalt is capable Of defense. Upon this
point he says
AN EAfOSfb NAV AL YARD.
q" / have already pOi1ted out that. in its
present position, the naval yard at Esqui-
malt is very exposed. being but few hun
drcd yards In the rear of the battery on
Brothers Island, the most advanced point
on which gun could be placed so that
any hostile cruiser, lying IF at such q dis
lance as would expose II TO but small risk of
injury from the 9-tOn gun at Brothers ISL
and. could put shell into the naval yard and
utterly destroy II, as It, at extreme ranges.
would present far larger mark than a
single small vessel; or, in the event of a
nearer approach, one gun could be held in
check and its attention occupied, while
other guns did the required mischief to the
dOcSyard."
The general next contends that IL Esaul-
malt were retained as the port the dockyard
buildings must be removed and re-erected
at the inner end OF the bay. lie holds, how
ever, that Esquimalt is vulnerable from
more than one point. Situated as il is on
peninsula surrounded by bays it is approach
aole, he declares, on all sides. On this
phase OF Esqulmalts defense, he says:
THE WHOLE COAST OPEN.
IAN expedition large or small could land
anywhere at from one to three hours
march from the dockyard The whole
coast Is open Tor the landing OF daring
boats crew. The depot produces nothing
worth continuous retention, its stores
would be of enormous value to our SQUAD
ron, OF comparatively small use to others :;
II is their destruction, not their appropri-
alton, that an enemy would seek but if the
object were TO Seize and hold by a
stronger force. from Sooke Inlet
to the westward, all the way round the
coast to Saanich On the north. are bays and
beaches where the hotlla could lie Mt
anchor and an expedition be landed at ease
In the neighborhood of Sooke the country
is not very practicable, being heavily
wooded, but troops could work their wav
through 1t IL time was not an object. From
| all other points the country is open and
| practicable everywhere"
LITTLE HOPE FOR EsQUDiALT.
The conclusion which General Iauria
reaches is that to provide properly for the