Page 89 undesirable at present to disturb the existing volunteer organization, of which favourable reports have been received. In order, however, to secure that the training of the force may be improved, they recommend that a small payment should be made to compensate the volunteers for the loss of time involved in drilling, such payment not to be made unless a certain minimum number of drills were attended. They understand that the Governor, Sir W. Robinson, considers that this arrangement would be practicable, and they believe that in this way the efficiency of the volunteer force might be increased at small cost to the Colony.
Having in view the armament which they consider sufficient for present needs, the Colonial Defence Committee recommend that the volunteer force should be raised to the following strength, viz.:-
Artillery
Mounted infantry Infantry
Total
100
100
600
800
Of the existing police force, 100 should be trained as artillery, receiving a small increase of pay on this ground.
This would bring the defensive force of the Colony up to the following total, viz.:-
Artillery-
Permanent (police)
Volunteers
Mounted infantry volunteers Infantry-
Permanent (police) about Volunteers
Total
100
100
100
360
600
1,260
The Colonial Defence Committee have further considered the proposals of Mr. Fanning (the Collector of Customs) to raise a small force of naval volun- teers to the number of about fifty, recruited from the Government employés and boatmen. They consider that this suggestion is worthy of being adopted, and that such a force would be useful to man an armed local steamer for patrol purposes, and also to take charge of the signalling arrangements in the event of war. The salary proposed by Mr. Fanning for an instructor for this force is 1007. a-year, together with a quarter in the Custom-house. If the Colony is prepared to accept these conditions, the Colonial Defence Committee consider that the Admiralty should be asked to recommend a retired petty officer, who should thoroughly understand signalling, for the post.
As regards the provision of officers and instructors for the local forces, proposals have been made by Major Daniel which appear to meet the approval of the Acting Governor. With these proposals the Colonial Defence Committee concur in the main. They consider that the permanent Staff drawn from the regular forces should be as follows:---
Commandant, a Major (with local rank of Lieutenant-Colonel), Adjutant, a Lieutenant.
Sergeant-Major.
Quartermaster-Sergeant (qualified also as Infantry Instructor). Instructor, Artillery.
""
>>
Mounted Infantry. Infantry.
As the Acting Governor suggests, the above should be drawn from the regular army, and appointed for terms of five years, at rates of pay to be arranged with the War Office. The Commandant should act as military adviser to the Governor, with a seat in the Executive Council.
The Colonial Defence Committee do not consider that it is advisable that the office of Commandant should be combined with that of Inspector of Police in time of peace.
In the event of war, however, it would be within the discretion of the Governor, if he thought fit, to place the police, for military purposes, under the Commandant. Such operations as alone are probable in the case of the defence of Trinidad could not be of the nature of field opera-
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