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This scheme, which has been drawn up with great care and ability, reflecting much credit upon the local officers, contains a mass of valuable information showing how thoroughly the question of defence has been studied.
The Colonial Defence Committee observe, however, that it is not put forward under the authority of the General Officer Commanding, but merely transmitted in the form of a Report. They consider that, in the case of all the fortresses abroad, the General Officer Commanding should be solely responsible for the local scheme of defence, which must necessarily represent the measures which he would take in the event of emergency, and, pending any changes suggested from home, would embody his intended lines of action. In preparing such a scheme, it is most important that the form should be such that if any change in the command were to occur shortly before a fortress was placed in a state of defence, the new comer can be acquainted with his duties as quickly as possible. The scheme should therefore be based upon existing resources only, and be entirely independent of future modifications of either works or
armaments.
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The Colonial Defence Committee understand from the Report of the Inspector-General of Artillery, referred to them by the Adjutant-General on Nova Scotia 5, that steps have already been taken with a view to ascertain the practicability of reinforcing the garrison of Halifax by local militia. As already stated, they consider that it is of the utmost importance that this question should be definitely settled; since not merely might the great deficiency of artillery pointed out by the local authorities be thus remedied, but under certain contingencies the despatch of an infantry battalion from England might well be avoided. In order to secure the maximum advan- tage from a reinforcement by local troops, it is evidently necessary to affiliate the units selected for the purpose as closely as possible to the Imperial garrison, and more especially to train the local artillery to the use of the fighting armament of the fortress. So soon as definite arrangements have been made with the Dominion Government the local scheme will need corresponding modifications.
The Colonial Defence Committee are of opinion that the legal power of the military authorities to acquire land for military purposes ought to be clearly defined as suggested by the local Committee (Part II, section 9.) The Colonial Office might be asked to deal with this matter.
They also agree with the Inspector-General of Artillery that it is desirable to maintain a reserve of small arms at the station, and they suggest 1,000 stand.
Turning to the details of the scheme of defence, the Colonial Defence Committee do not consider the probabilities of land attack to be serious for the reasons above given. On the eastern side the landing-places appear to be available only in an offshore wind, and it is difficult to see what advantage would be gained by moving on Dartmouth with the object of shelling Halifax by a few light field-guns, whose fire ought to be easily kept down by the heavier armament of the citadel. A force landing on this side and attempting to reach Halifax by passing round the head of Bedford Basin would have a long line of communication utterly indefensible. On the western side Shad and Margaret's Bays offer convenient landing-places, but the roads of approach are few and narrow, and the intermediate country is studded by lakes and marsh and so broken and rugged as to be practicable only with great difficulty for infantry, while all wheeled traffic would be confined absolutely to the roads. Herring Cove is considered by Captain Byles, R.N., to be the most probable landing- place, but the country round is specially difficult, and so long as York Redoubt is rendered incapable of being taken by assault, comparatively little object would be gained by advance from this direction. Moreover, the mouth of Herring Cove will be well defended at moderate range by the new battery to be built on McNab's Island.
It appears, therefore, that the local Committee have attached too much importance to the possibility of land attack, and that the scheme of defence, which is estimated to require one month and an expenditure of 79,000l., might be somewhat curtailed. The Colonial Defence Committee agree with the views of the Inspector-General of Artillery that the Geizers Hill position need not be occupied. This site is a mass of large rugged rocks and trees. It could be
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