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Engineer Scheme (Part III, F). This, however, as now printed, does not contain them, though it is believed that they have been worked out in previous editions of the Scheme. All that is now required to complete the Scheme is that the details of the whole of the works to be erected, working parties, tools, materials, &c., should be attached, in the form of Annexes, to this part of the Scheme.
These Annexes can be so arranged that they can be put into the hands of the officers told off to execute the works, who would find in them sufficient information to enable them to proceed without further reference to superior authority.
17. The Table on p. 59 shows the total tools required, but does not distinguish those existing from those which are to be procured. It appears from Table (A), p. 94, that some of the articles required are available in the Ordnance Store reserves; it is desirable that this information should be given in the Table in the Royal Engineer Scheme.
In the case of the materials to be purchased, the firms capable of supplying the various classes of material should be recorded locally, and a statement should be made in the Scheme that this has been done.
18. The arrangements for submarine mining defence may require modifica. tion in accordance with the principles lately approved by the Joint Naval and Military Committee, and communicated to the General Officer Commanding,
40261 with Horse Guards letter No. of the 11th November, 1893. 36
19. The signalling arrangements (p. 77, &c.) must be brought into accord with the resources available. At present it is proposed to establish an extensive system for which the personnel available is admittedly insufficient. Here, again, it would appear that provision has been made for the require- ments in case of an investment of the place. There are two conditions which the signalling arrangements should fulfil, viz:-
(1.) To give timely notice of a hostile approach.
(2.) To enable intercommunication to be carried out during an attack. It is improbable that these two conditions would have to be fulfilled simultaneously. The proposals should, accordingly, be reconsidered, and should be limited to what can be carried out with the available personnel and material.
The stores required for each post have been laid down in tabular form, but it is not stated whether the quantities required can be supplied at the station, nor does any arrangement appear to have been made for their issue on mobilization. Similarly, although the personnel required for the station has been estimated, nothing appears to have been done with regard to detailing the corps, &c., to furnish them. These steps are essential if this portion of the Scheme is to partake of reality.
20. The medical portion of the Scheme requires considerable elaboration. The additional buildings which it is proposed to utilize for hospital purposes should be selected beforehand; and all the steps necessary for their equipment and for fitting them for use as hospitals should be given in detail. It should be made clear how and whence the requisite equipment is to be procured, and how the necessary alterations are to be effected.
21. The steps to be taken to increase the personnel should be given, and the distribution of the personnel thus increased should be shown in the Scheme. At present this has been done in a partial manner; there is no general Table showing the responsible officer (the Principal Medical Officer) how the personnel under his orders is distributed, nor exactly of what it consists.
22. The equipment of certain dressing-stations has been laid down, but it is based on the assumption that certain articles will be supplied which are at present not forthcoming. The Scheme should proceed on the assumption that only such equipment is available as is actually on the spot, or procurable from local resources.
There is no evidence in the Scheme that any effort has been made to utilize the local resources to supply the wants of medical equipment.
23. Many of the articles of the medical equipment, which is said to be required from England, are such as are suitable only for mobile troops acting in the field at a considerable distance from their base of supply. This, however, is an improbable contingency, as the functions of the garrison of
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