Anniversary Address. xxv. 



the assumption that that supremacy is, as it undoubtedly will be, 

 maintained. 



In the event of Great Britain being engaged in hostilities with 

 any great maritime Power, the enemy would retain the most powerful 

 portion of his fleet in European waters, or in the Atlantic, for the 

 protection of his country, or for operations in the immediate neigh- 

 bourhood of hostilities. If he sent his fleet, or any considerable 

 portion of it, on an expedition against the Australasian Colonies, a 

 sufficient part of our Home fleet would in turn be set free to 

 intercept it ; and our squadrons in the Pacific, on the China, the 

 Australasian, and Indian stations, might, if necessary, be concentrated 

 to oppose it. 



But, whilst the bulk of the enemy's naval forces would be 

 occupied in the immediate scene of action in Europe or America, 

 he might no doubt despatch one or more cruisers, and possibly an 

 ironclad, to operate against our maritime commerce, or make a de- 

 scent upon Australasian ports, which, if undefended or insufficiently 

 protected, would offer tempting objects of attack. Eluding our 

 cruisers, and appearing suddenly on the coast of New Zealand or Aus- 

 tralia, the enemy might capture the merchant- vessels in the harbours ; 

 or — under threat of bombardment, or after actually firing into one of 

 the towns — demand and obtain payment of money. Or this object 

 might be attained by an enemy landing a small force in the vicinity 

 of a town, if steps were not taken to meet such a contingency. 



Of late years the Governments of the several Australian Colonies Action of 

 (I do not include Western Australia) have incurred considerable -colonies 

 expenditure in providing defences for their principal ports. In 1877, defences. 

 accompanied by Colonel (now Major-General) Scratchley, at the 

 request of the several Governments concerned, I visited all these 

 colonies, and proposed measures for the defence of Port Phillip, Port 

 Jackson, Newcastle, Brisbane, Port Adelaide, Hobart, and other 

 places. I am glad to say that — thanks to the zeal and energy of 

 Major-General Scratchley, who was charged with the carrying-out of 

 the works — the recommendations made by me are now far advanced 

 towards completion. 



At Port Phillip batteries have been constructed and armed for the 

 defence of the entrance and the West Channel, and a torpedo esta- 

 blishment has been provided with a view to applying torpedo defences 

 in suitable positions in the channels within "the heads." 



A design for an important marine fort, which forms part of the 

 system of defence — with reference to which, accompanied by Major 

 Cautley, I reeently held a meeting at Melbourne with all the authori- 



