Prepared islands and defensive depth

Pacific islands could receive port works and concrete structures that served commercial purposes while preparing sites for later fortification. Storage spaces could accommodate port supplies in peacetime and ammunition after mobilisation. Guns could remain in a naval warehouse at Sydney until a merchant ship carried them to the island with engineers and naval or Royal Marine personnel. Those teams would install the guns on the prepared sites. A light railway could connect the port, ammunition dump, and batteries while also carrying plantation produce. Wood-fired locomotives would reduce dependence on imported petrol, and concrete sleepers would avoid timber rotting in tropical conditions.