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(Secret and Confidential.)
-40
No. 94.
Colonial Office to War Office.
Sir,
Downing Street, May 13, 1878. WITH reference to the letter from this Office of the 26th ultimo,* on the subject of the recommendations of the Colonial Defence Committee for the defence of New Zealand, I am directed by Sir Michael Hicks Beach to transmit to you, for the information of the Secretary of State for War, the accompanying paraphrase of a telegram from the Governor of New Zealand in reply to the telegram which was communicated to you in that letter.
The refusal of the Government of New Zealand to avail themselves, in common with the other Australasian Colonies, of the assistance of Sir W. Jervois in considering the subject of the defences of the Colony, and their omission to make earlier provision for those defences, make it especially important that the armament of which they have now agreed to undertake the expense should be sent out with the least possible delay; and I am to request that you will move the Secretary of State for War to give immediate directions with that object.
Sir M. Hicks Beach will be glad to be informed at what date these guns may be expected to be ready for shipment, in order that he may prepare the Governor for their arrival.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
R. H. MEADE.
No. 95.
Admiral Sir A. Milne, Bart., G.C.B., to Colonial Office.
(Secret and Confidential.) Sir,
Committee Room, Whitehall, May 14, 1878. WITH reference to your letter of the 29th ultimo† to the Under Secretary of State for War, in which you state that Sir Michael Hicks Beach concurs in Mr. Secretary Stanley's suggestion that the question relating to the formation of a local force at Malta should be referred to the Colonial Defence Committee, I am requested by the Committee to forward the inclosed report, which embodies their views upon this subject.
(Signed)
I have, &c.
ALEX. MILNE, President.
Inclosure in No. 95.
Report.
THE Committee having had under consideration the reference made to them in accordance with your letter of the 29th April to the War Office, relative to the formation of a body of militia in the Island of Malta, have examined the correspondence on the subject, and have also had before them a Memorandum on the defences of Malta, dated 22nd February last, made by the Inspector-General of Fortifications, after a visit of inspection last winter, in which he also treats of this question.
They find that the Governor has repeatedly urged upon the consideration of the War Department the advisability of forming a local force to supplement the garrison of British troops for the defence of the Island, for the following reasons:-
The garrison requisite for its proper defence, when the works now in course of con- struction shall have been completed, is from 10,000 to 12,000 men, of whom at least 2,000 should be artillerymen; and the question the Governor raises for consideration is whether England, in the event of war, will be able to spare 12,000 or even 10,000 men for this garrison? Foreseeing the great difficulty that would be experienced in sparing such a force, the Governor considers that a local militia should be looked to for assistance, and accordingly prepared, in 1873, a scheme, into the merits of which, however, the Committee are not in a position to enter.
* No. 52.
+ No. 56.
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