74 A Colonial Navy. 



marine and land forces, I will now submit what I believe to 

 be requisite for the wants of the country, and the means 

 which I propose for effectively satisfying the same. 



18. In the first place, it has long been a desideratum to 

 increase the facilities of mail communication with Europe, 

 which I purpose doing by establishing fortnightly ocean- 

 borne mails, in lieu of the present system of monthly over- 

 land mails, the time from port to pt>rt not to exceed forty- 

 five days. 



19. That the vessels employed should be built especially 

 with a view to speed as well as strength, and armed for 

 offensive and defensive purposes. That such a number 

 should be kept afloat as to always insure having three or 

 more of them in Hobson's Bay. That Melbourne should be 

 made the terminus of the ocean line, and from thence the 

 mails for the other colonies should be distributed by tenders 

 of suitable size and power. That dockyards and arsenals 

 should be formed at Melbourne, where every requisite for 

 outfit and repair could be prepared and stored. That the 

 men engaged in such dockyards and arsenals should be 

 brigaded and sworn in, to serve whenever required for duty 

 either afloat or on shore. That, in addition to the armed 

 mail boats, at least one iron-cased floating battery should 

 be stationed in Hobson's Bay, to take the lead and draw the 

 fire in offensive and defensive operations against an invading 

 force, and that a similar battery should be stationed off 

 Queenscliff, for obstructing and defending the Heads entrance. 

 That the steam ships and floating batteries should have a 

 proper complement of trained men at a peace establishment, 

 whilst the men engaged on shore duty, in the docks and 

 arsenals, should be held available as a reserve, from which 

 could be drafted the number required on any sudden 

 emergency, to fill up the companies to the proper war 

 complement, and that only such shore batteries should be 

 retained, as could throw a concentrated cross fire on an 

 enemy bringing up within shelling distance of Melbourne, 

 the shipping in the Bay, or for the cover of the arsenals. 



20. Such a concentration of service would bring the whole 

 within such compass that a small community like Victoria 

 would be able to deal with it, because, as I have before 

 hinted, it is not to us so much a question of cost, as a 

 question of men, in which we should have the greatest 

 difficulty. 



21. A service organised as above would possess a sufficient 



