'The Treasurer of Victoria, who is also the Minister of War, has given instructions to the commandant to construct a battery at Queenscliff, consisting of three 9-in. Armstrong guns (300-pounders). The Victorian Artillery, under the command of Captain Stubbs, have been hard at work for about three weeks, and with the assistance of the Volunteer Engineers, who gave up their Easter holidays to do a portion of the work, the battery was nearly finished at the last dates from Melbourne. The upper battery, which previously consisted of only four 68-pounder smooth bore guns, has been strengthened by the removal of these obsolete weapons, four 80-pounder Armstrong guns being put in their places. The new battery is a creditable piece of work, and the guns being able to traverse over a range of 130 deg., will prove serviceable in deterring an enemy from attempting to run through the heads. Since the Easter holidays, Lieutenant-Colonel Scratchey has returned to Melbourne from Tasmania, and has fixed the site for another battery of four 80-pounder guns on Point Nepean. The guns have been rafted across to the Point, but they have yet to be got up to the top of a cliff about 60 ft. and mounted. The construction and armament of two forts near Port Adelaide, for the defence of the South Australian Coast line, has been undertaken by the South Australian Government in accordance with the recommendations of Sir William Jervois and Colonel Scratchley.'