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580
BRITISHI HONDURAS.
Appendix No. 11. of these barracks. I believe such expenditure to be utterly unnecessary, and adhere to my original view that no Imperial troops are needed at Belize, and that in event of an Indian raid on the frontier posts, assuming even that telegraphic communication existed between them and Belize, and that steam commu- nication was available, both of which events are at hand, the troops at Belize could not be made of any avail. Corosal and Orange Walk are efficiently protected, but outlying settlers in the north district are merely protected by the moral force of the troops in these places, who, in the event of raids, could be made of no use. They would never see an Indian.
4. The protective forces in the Colony are :—
Belize Corosal
Orange Walk
Belize Corosal
Inspector
Sub-Inspector
:::
::
:::
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IMPERIAL Troops.
Officers.
Men.
4
76
2
50
4
107
(
VOLUNTEERS.
::|
10
210
1
81
POLICE FORCE OF COLONY.
1
1
55
Non-commissioned officers and men..
Of these, the volunteers must not be counted on as at all times available. In Belize the force is mainly composed of day labourers and store men; many of these labourers take engagements for months at out-stations and places outside the Colony, and only attend parades when in Belize. I believe that, in event of need, 50 men from this corps might be relied on to turn out for any service required, but I have always assumed they would act in conjunction with, and under orders of, the military authorities. Neither officers nor men have had any experience of real military work. Perhaps one-half of the force at Corosal would be available in event of any trouble there, which would, as else- where, be of a very temporary nature. Whether successful or unsuccessful, an Indian raid would be a matter of hours.
5. Although my opinion has not been sought, I think I shall better explain the views I have in regard to the expenditure needed, in the absence of the regular troops, by stating that if the entire strength of Imperial troops at Belize was withdrawn, and the strength at Orange Walk reduced from 107 to 75 men, and that at Corosal maintained at its present strength, the present estimate of police expenditure, of which 1,000, or nearly so, is not used, would provide all the protection required. I unhesitatingly say this, and though there will be many to object to such a reduction of the military strength, I am very confident it may safely and properly be done.
6. It is right also that I should express to your Lordship my opinion that, in the event of Her Majesty's Government deciding to withdraw all the Imperial troops from the Colony, a general panic is tolerably certain to ensue, and your Lordship will be memorialized on the subject. Such is the fear of Indians in this place--an absurd and groundless fear to a great extent-that I do not doubt the colonists, in the excitement of such an issue, would volunteer to be taxed to any extent for military protection, and the moment they had it they would rebel at the hardship of the taxation.
7. I should also mention to your Lordship that a general withdrawal of the troops would, in my opinion, be hanging out a flag to the Indians to attack the Colony; and, dependent though they are on it for trade, there are still evil spirits among and around them who would not fail to stir up trouble, and if such once begins, no one can say where it may end. I believe if the policy I have adopted be continued, there will be small chance of outbreak if the outpost stations at Corosal and Orange Walk are maintained at the strength of 75 and 50 men.
8. It only now remains to me to inform your Lordship what measures I propose in the event of the withdrawal of the Imperial troops, the probable cost, and from what funds such cost should be borne. The only means to meet such an event would be by the formation of an armed police force to occupy the forts at Corosal and Orange Walk, which should be distinct from the civil police force, though possibly under the same head, but undertake the scouting duty in the north district.
That force should, officers and men, be of not a less strength than 100, and a few more horses would be needed for patrol purposes than are now employed. The men should be drilled to use the existing armaments of the forts, which should not be removed, and should reside in the forts; and, in the event of the formation of such a force being concurrent with the reduction of the Imperial troops, I assume the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury will provide the arms and accoutrements which, in the correspondence forwarded with your Lordship's despatch of the 10th October, 1880, they declined to do unless the garrison was reduced.
9. At a rough estimate, looking at the increased rate of wages in the Colony, such a force could not be maintained much, if at all, under a cost of 5,0001. a-year; and such is the demand for labour at the present moment, that I feel sure the available number of men for such a force could not be pro- cured in the Colony. The expenditure is hardly one to fall on the colonists; the service is really of an Imperial rather than a colonial character. But should the Colony even be called on to pay a portion of the cost, that portion should, in my opinion, come from an additional land tax.
10. My impression is, and I submit it for your Lordship's consideration, that if the out-stations are left at the strength I have advised, it will not be many years before the troops can be altogether safely withdrawn,
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