168 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
such a distance can only be borne on large vessels, and the draught of these 
would not permit of such a ship lying at anchor in 84 fathoms of water 
at low tide, as the risk of grounding at low water, which she would inevitably 
do, would be too great, as any injury to her serew or rudder would almost 
certainly prove fatal to her enterprise. It will be seen from the chart that 
I have taken this necessity in view all through, and thus only protected the 
channel, leaving the banks unguarded ; if, however, a light draught steamer 
was to accompany the attacking fleet, she might be sent forward to try and 
get within range of the city, and this she could only do by running the 
gauntlet of the defences, or getting over the banks north and south of the 
Koreho Channel; to prevent this, a few torpedoes could be placed on the 
banks, and with a few judiciously placed dummies, which being seen would 
make her cautious how she essayed the attempt, would, I think, be 
sufficient. One more point and I have finished with this part of my 
paper. The electrical station which I propose at the North Head would be 
two miles and 700 yards distant from the outer line of the eastern 
defence, and 23 miles from that in Rangitoto Channel, and from this point 
a gun battery would be well within range to prevent a small steamer 
running in, and also to guard the electric wires from any attempt at drag- 
ging and grappling them. It might be worthy of consideration as to the 
advisability of laying a few electric-attached torpedoes, with circuit-closing 
attachments, by which any vessel coming in would, on contact, close the 
circuit herself and thus discharge the torpedo directly under her ; two of 
these circuit-closers might be attached, floating just beneath the water at a 
certain distance on either side and above the torpedo; any ship then touching 
either would be within striking distance of the charge, and in time of peace 
the connections of the battery would be broken, or if only a weak current 
was permitted to flow, the addition of a light, deflecting galvanometer would 
give notice of a passing vessel during the night. 
But the laying these torpedoes as I have proposed is not by any means 
all that is necessary. What we require first is a volunteer company, to be 
especially trained to the work. It would not require many men, but they 
must be of undoubted courage and intelligence ; and I think there would 
be no difficulty in forming such a company of, say, thirty men, which might 
be attached to the artillery or naval force, but preferably remain intact. 
They would require to master the knowledge of the different torpedoes and 
the means of firing them ; then, with the addition of a few Harvey, two or 
three Whitehead, and some spar torpedoes, I think the port might be made 
thoroughly impregnable. The use of the small steam launch, now so seldom 
required, might be given to them occasionally, and they would thus make 
themselves thoroughly aequainted with the positions they had to defend; 
