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castle. They are not yet connected by railway, but if communication between the two were interrupted, coal could be obtained at Hartley, about 60 miles west of Sydney on the Bathurst line. There are also coal- fields on the Southern Railway, but they are not worked yet. Coal crops up close to the surface just beyond Berrima, about 90 miles south of Sydney (3480-3487).
There are large beds of coal in Queensland. Coal of excellent quality is got at Redbank, on the River Brisbane, about 12 miles above the town. There is also coal in the interior of Tasmania, and traces of coal are found in Victoria (3545-3555).
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Naval Defence. The military question is national rather than local. The colonial forces would only be wanted if the mother country went to war, and then all through the Empire a patriotic feeling would be stirred up.
In case of war with a powerful enemy Great Britain must withdraw her ships from the southern seas and concentrate her defences close at home. The Colonies would have to depend upon any assistance in the shape of a naval force which the Home Government could afford. The Australian squadron is little more than a police force for the South Sea Islands (3499, 3500, 3558). The duty of the Colony would be to provide fortifications, armaments, and a land force sufficient to protect the Colony itself, and any of the Queen's ships that might come into pert to refit or for shelter. On the other hand, the mother country would defend colonial trade as she best could by means of the Queen's ships, whether immediately on the coast of Australia or it might be many miles away. The Colonies are getting ripe for taking a share in the naval defence of the Empire. The question of com- bining naval and military defences ought to be brought forward and discussed between the Home Government and the different Colonies. If it were better understood, there would be a determination to take joint action with the mother country. The best way to
commence the discussion is through the Governors, who might meet for the purpose, with the advice of their Ministers. These questions require ventilation at first to be understood. If properly managed, the desired end is smoothly and easily reached, otherwise prejudices, proceeding from ignorance, are apt to be engendered, and are hard to overcome (3504– 3508). It is fairly well understood that it would be impossible for each Colony to have a ship of its own. The only centre of command should be with the Home Government. The ships should be Queen's ships in every respect, and their disposal should be under one head to make the defence efficient. It is impossible to separate home defence from colonial defence. For instance, if the Red Sea were left open to an enemy, it would be as bad as leaving the Cape route open, but if the Red Sea were shut up at the southern end, the only way an enemy could reach Australia would be by the Atlantic route. The Colonies would in that way be defended, and would be equally so if the enemy were blockaded 10,000 miles off. coming down by China would be met by the China squadron, and any ship coming that way would have consumed most of her coal and food by the time she reached Australia, and would be helpless unless she could replenish. Au enemy would never attempt to come that distance to land a force. Australia is so far off, and is growing so fast in population and strength, that anything like an invasion becomes less likely every year (3507, 3556, 3557).
An enemy
The practical way of including the Colonies in a system of defence would be for each Colony to contri- bute, say, the cost of a ship, or for two smaller Colonies to contribute the cost of oue between them. The disposal of the ships should rest exclusively with the naval authorities, and should be arranged so as to protect the Colonies as far as possible. The amount of the contribution can only be calculated roughly on the basis of income and population combined. Tasmania could not bear the same strain as New South Wales, Victoria, or Queensland. Trade, which is to a great extent regulated by external circumstances, and by the
commercial policy for the time being of the Colonies, would not of itself afford a satisfactory basis. In the case of the subsidy to the Telegraph Company, which is now being arranged, the Colonies contribute in pro- portion to their population. It is difficult at the outset to arrive at an equitable settlement, but when two of the leading Colonies take the matter up, they bring the others in by their influence. There is less jealousy between them than is generally supposed (8507, 3509-3514).
are
Munitions of War.-All munitions of war brought from England. A good stock ought always to be kept on hand in case of war: this is one of the points that an inspecting officer should see to and advise upon (3519-3522, 3529). If necessary, muni- tions of war could be manufactured, though roughly, in the Colony. There are fine engineering establish- ments at Sydney and Melbourne, and colonial me- chanics are very expert, and would soou fit up machinery for the manufacture, at least, of small-arm ammunition (3522, 3538). There is no manufactory of gunpowder in Australia, but powder would be made immediately if the necessity arose. At present the cost of transport between Great Britain and Australia is so low, that gunpowder is cheaper to import than to manufacture (3523-3527). The demand for sporting purposes and the consumption by the volunteers, though large, are not sufficient to enable a local manufactory to compete with the imported articles (3539-3544).
There is some difficulty as to the storage of gun- powder, looking especially to the danger of bush fires. For many years it was kept in a floating hulk; now the magazine is on Goat Island, but a large town called Belmain is growing up near it, and many people dread an explosion. There is a reserve magazine in addition at Spectacle Island, and another at Fort Denison. Now that there are railways, gunpowder might be stored inland (3530-3536).
June 1880.
Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY, K.C.M.G., C.B., Governor of Queensland.
Defence of Brisbane.—The progress of the defences of Brisbane is correctly described by Sir W. Jervois in his Report of 1879 (3561–3569).
Land Forces.-There is no permanent artillery force. The entire force consists of volunteers enlisted for a period of not more than four years. They are con- tinually changing. As soon as a man gets the grant of land, to which he is entitled for certain services, he leaves (3570-3574). The artillery are superior to the infantry; they have more frequent drills, and the service is more popular (3574, 3575). The volunteers, numbering about 1,000, are drawn from the labouring class. None of the towns, except Brisbane, muster more than ninety men. There is no difficulty in keeping up the numbers (3576, 3578, 3585). Drills are usually conducted by moonlight; the dearness of labour making it difficult to have drill by daylight (3577).
Officers. The only paid officers are the Com- mandant and the Adjutant (3598, 3599). The officers on the whole are drawn from the upper classes, and the position confers some social advantages upon them. They are required to pass examinations, which, how- ever, are of the lightest character (3600-3605). The officers are elected by the men, and are often unfitted for the calling (3593). The names are submitted by the Ministers to the Governor, who appoints; but if he dissented, the posts would be left vacant (3593-3597). There have been several Commandants of late, none of whom have had military training, or have been fit for any military occupation. The present Commandant, who is temporarily engaged at a salary of 6001. a-year, was formerly an infantry adjutant (3586, 3598). In 1879, the Governor was authorized by the Colonial Ministry to apply for the services of a Queen's officer,
but at the last moment Parliament refused to vote his salary, except from year to year, and of course the officer would not come out on such terms. The Oppo-
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