The scenery from the Kalk Bay station to Simon's Town is very
picturesque. A bold sea stretches out on one side of the road, and the
mountain on the other. Amongst other things which attracted my attention
at Simon's Town was the Dockyard, which embraces about a mile of the
foreshore, and contains appliances for repairing modern war vessels, a
repairing and victualling depot, and a patent slip, capable of lifting
vessels of about 900 tons displacement. I went with the Admiral, and a
party of ladies to have luncheon on board the Steam Corvette _Archer_.
Simon's Bay is very sheltered, excepting from the south-east, with good
holding anchorage ground. It seems a quiet, secluded spot, well-adapted
for a naval station in this part of the world, although I have heard
that an opinion prevails that the fleet should be at Cape Town instead
of Simon's Bay. The _Raleigh_ is the flag-ship; I saw also some other
vessels of the Royal Navy at anchor in the bay. The fortifications which
are now in progress for the protection of this important point in our
chain of defences will, when completed, render the place practically
impregnable from sea attack.
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