§ VISCOUNT SIDMOUTHMy Lords, I rise to move for all the correspondence that has passed between the Colonial Office and the Cape of Good Hope Government since November last with reference—first, to the continuation of the Cape Town Railway to Simon's Town; secondly, to the extension of the works connected with the docks in Table Bay. Your Lordships are well aware that a railway from Cape Town to Simon's Town, affording means of access to and fro, is a work of the greatest importance to the colony, and one involving no very great expense. You are aware also that our own Imperial interests are very considerable there, because it is the only station which we have for our ships; for, although there is some harbour accommodation at Table Bay, we have really no accommodation there for men-of-war. At Simon's Bay we have already laid out considerable sums, and it is for the purpose of protecting this sole harbour which we have for our ships on the East Coast that we ask for this railway. I believe that a small railway comes down for about seven miles from Simon's Town, but for commercial purposes it is utterly insufficient, and the sole purpose for which the railway has been commenced is to place Simon's Town in communication with our important station in that part of Africa. In 1884, when Lord Hartington was Secretary of State for War, a Report was made on our Colonial Stations, and in that Report I think your Lordships will find that Simon's Bay is stated to be a most important coaling station. It is considered in the same light of importance as any station in the Indian. Seas. I may mention that with regard to Table Bay, the sum asked for was £92,000. The large docks, which did not exist a few years ago, have been constructed by the Colonial Government; and Her Majesty's Government, having no dockyard in that part, and 1241 having no means whatever of accommodation for ships except that station, have availed themselves of those docks for the purpose of repairing several of Her Majesty's ships. In view of the accommodation, it seems to me not at all unreasonable that the Colonial Government should ask for the comparatively small sum of £92,000 to enable them to complete the works. Contingencies may arise—though I hope they may never do so—in which the opportunity of using those stations for Imperial purposes would be very valuable, and I raise my humble protest against any policy which would tend to alienate us from our fellow subjects at the Cape. The Cape stations have acquired—in the eyes of military and naval men—a greater importance than they possessed in past years, because it is necessary to keep that route to India open in the event of the Suez Canal being stopped at any time. Naval and military experts all agree that the Cape station is one that must be maintained, seeing its value as a coaling station. I am informed that the Cape Government have determined, in consequence, as they state, of having had very little notice taken of the complaints which they have addressed to Her Majesty's Government, to complete the works at this station themselves, and they have recently passed a Vote providing that the work shall be completed at their own expense. I hope that the noble Lord the Secretary of State for the Colonies will lay on the Table the correspondence which has passed between the Colonial Office and the Cape Government since last November, so that we may see whether the statements to which I have referred are correct or not. I therefore move for that correspondence.
Moved—
That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty for all correspondence that has passed between the Colonial Office and the Cape of Good Hope Government since last November with reference—first, to the continuation of the Cape Town Railway to Simon's Town; secondly, to the extension of the works connected with the docks in Table Bay."—(The Viscount Sidmouth.)
§ * LORD KNUTSFORDMy Lords, in answer to the question put by the noble Viscount, I am told that no correspondence has passed between the Cape 1242 Government and the Colonial Office since November, and therefore I am unable to to lay any Papers on the Table. I do not know to what the noble Viscount referred when he alluded to some complaint on the part of the Cape Government that their applications have been unanswered. The last application which was made by the Agent General in 1888, and a Paper has been presented to Parliament which contains the answer of the Colonial Office to that application. That answer was given on the 23rd of March, 1888, and it shows that Her Majesty's Government are fully alive to the importance of the question of the defence of the Cape. Her Majesty's Government have already expended, or undertaken to spend, £82,000 on guns and special fittings for Table Bay; and, besides that, they have already spent in Simon's Bay, or undertaken to spend, something like £48,000. Therefore, I think it is. going outside the mark to say that the Government are not aware of, and did not fully recognize, the importance of defending Table Bay and Simon's Bay. The Government also recognize fully the good work which the Colonial Government have done in respect of Table Bay; and I think they have shown their interet in that work by proceeding on the same lines with the Cape Government as they have with all other Colonial Governments—that is to say, that the local Government shall do the work and that the Imperial Government shall provide the armaments. That has been carried out in the case of the Cape Government. But, as I have said, there is no correspondence to lay on the Table.
§ VISCOUNT SIDMOUTHWe have been expecting communications to arrive.
§ * LORD KNUTSFORDI can only say that no communications have arrived.
§ VISCOUNT SIDMOUTHThen I withdraw my application.