Page image
Page image

A.—2.

62

and Well-beloved Councillor Hugh Culling Eardley Childers; Our Trusty and Wellbeloved Sir Henry Thurstan Holland, Baronet, Knight Commander of Our Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George; Our Trusty and Wellbeloved Sir Alexander Milne, Baronet, Knight Grand Cross of Our Most Honorable Order of the Bath, Admiral in Our Navy; Our Trusty and Well-beloved Sir John Lintorn Arabin Simmons, Knight Grand Cross of Our Most Honorable Order of the Bath, General in Our Army, Inspector-General of Fortifications and Director of Works; Our Trusty and Well-beloved Sir Henry Barkly, Knight Grand Cross of Our Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Knight Commander of Our Most Honorable Order of the Bath; Our Trusty and Well-beloved Thomas Brassey, Esquire; and Our Trusty and Well-beloved Robert George Crookshank Hamilton, Esquire, Accountant-General of Our Navy and Comptroller of Navy Pay; Whereas we have thought it expedient, for divers good causes and considerations, that a Commission should forthwith issue to inquire iuto the condition and sufficiency of the means, both naval and military, provided for the defence of the more important sea-ports within our colonial possessions and their dependencies, and of the stations established or required within our said possessions and dependencies for coaling, refitting, or repairing the ships of our navy, and for the protection of the commerce of our colonies with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with each other, and with foreign countries : And whereas it is expedient to consider and determine in which of our stations and ports it is desirable, on account of their strategical or commercial importance, to provide an organized system of defence, in addition to such general protection as can bo afforded by our naval forces; and whether such defence should consist of permanent works manned by garrisons of Imperial or local troops, or both combined, or of any local naval organization or other armaments and appliances : And whereas it is desirable to consider whether, and in what proportions, the cost of such measures of defence should be divided between the Imperial Government and the colonies to which they relate, or should be wholly defrayed by the Imperial Government or by the colonies : Now know ye that we, reposing great trust and confidence in your zeal, knowledge, and ability, have authorized and appointed, and do by these presents authorize and appoint you, the said Henry Howard Molyneux, Earl of Carnarvon; Hugh Culling Eardley Childers; Sir Henry Thurstan Holland; Sir Alexander Milne; Sir John Lintorn Arabin Simmons; Sir Henry Barkly; Thomas Brassey; and Robert George Crookshank Hamilton, to be our Commissioners for the purpose of such inquiries as aforesaid, and that you may offer such suggestions as may seem to you meet as to the best moans (regard being had to the works completed and in progress, and to the ordinary number of our naval and military forces voted by Parliament) of providing for the defence and protection of our colonial possessions and commerce as aforesaid, special attention being given to the necessity of providing safe coaling, refitting, and repairing stations in such of our colonial possessions and their dependencies as you may deem best suited for the requirements of our fleet and mercantile marine in time of war. And for the better enabling you to carry these our intentions into effect, we do hereby authorize and empower you, or any three or more of you, to call for, have access to, and examine all plans and designs for all works of defence now in progress or under our consideration, or any other plans or designs that may be laid before you for the same object. And we do give and grant to you, or any three or more of you, full power and authority to call before you such persons in our civil, military, or naval services, or others connected with our colonial possessions, as you shall judge likely to afford you the best and fullest information upon the subject of this our Commission, and to inquire of and concerning the premises by all other lawful ways and means whatsoever. And we do by these presents will and ordain that this our Commission shall continue in full force and virtue, and that you, our said Commissioners, or any three or more of you, may from time to time proceed in the execution thereof, and of every matter and thing therein contained, although the same be not continued from time to time by adjournment. And our further will and pleasure is, that you, our said Commissioners, or any three or more of you, upon due inquiry into the premises, do report to us, in writing, under your hands and seals, your several proceedings, under and by virtue of this Commission, together with what you shall find touching or concerning the premises. And we further ordain that you, or any three or more of you, may have liberty to report to us your proceedings under this Commission from time to time, should you judge it expedient so to do. And for your assistance in the due execution of these presents, we have made choice of our trusty and well-beloved Herbert Jekyll, Esquire, a captain in our corps of Royal Engineers, to be Secretary to this our Commission, and to attend you, whose services and assistance we require you to avail yourselves of from time to time, as occasion may require. Given at our Court at Balmoral, this eighth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine, in the forty-third year of our reign. By Her Majesty's command. M. E. Hicks Beach.

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert