§ MR. W. H. SMITH (Strand, Westminster)I wish to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether adequate steps have been taken by the Government for ensuring the safety of naval and coaling stations of Simon's Bay and Table Bay against attack by an enemy; and if there is any truth in the report that proposals made by the Cape Government to connect the fortifications by a railway have been negatived by Her Majesty's Government?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. CAMPBELL-BAMERMAN)&c.) (Stirling,With regard to Simon's Bay the approved permanent defences are being proceeded with rapidly. Those at Table Bay are still the subject of correspondence between the Home avid Colonial Government, and, in the meantime, the provisional defence of Table Bay is considered fairly effective. With regard to the latter part of the Question, no final decision has been arrived at as to the conditions under which this railway should be constructed; but there is no departure from the opinion that the railway is indispensable for the military defence of these two important coaling stations.
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI should think so.