3
Under Colonel Fox's scheme the numbers are:
Permanent Volunteers
Total
to be employed and distributed as under :-
Auckland
Wellington.
Christchurch.
Dunedin.
Artillery and submarine miners
211
262
172
197
63
905
Infantry (4 battalions)
504
504
504
630
126
2,268
Mounted infantry and cavalry
167
317
184
117
785
Field artillery (4 batteries)
70
70
70
70
280
Engineers (3 companies)
53
53
53
159
Staff and Departments
40
40
40
40
162
1,045
1,198 1,023
1,107
191
4,559
It will be seen that these numbers are but little different from those recommended by General Schaw and by Major-General Edwards, and, as far as the Committee are in a position to judge, a force of the proposed strength, if well trained and efficient, should suffice for the needs of the Colony. Bearing in mind, however, the existing difficulties of communication between the chief centres, and also that, with the exception of the 150 police, there is to be absolutely no trained reserve of any sort, the Committee are inclined to think that the proposed establishment should be regarded as a minimum, but until a regular scheme of defence, such as now exists in nearly every Colony of the Empire. is prepared and tested by periodical practice, these numbers must be regarded as experimental.
8. The Committee approve of the recommendation to concentrate the defence under present conditions at the four chief centres of Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin, with a minor measure of defence for Nelson and the coal port of Westport. A similar minor measure of defence seems desirable for the coal port of Greymouth also, in order to prevent an enemy obtaining coal there. A small force of rifles would probably suffice.
9. At p. 4 it is proposed to utilize as "guard-boats" the four torpedo- boats which are said to be unserviceable as torpedo-boats, retaining them at their present stations for that purpose, viz., one at Auckland, one at Wellington, one at Lyttelton, and one at Dunedin.
These boats will be useful in time of war in the harbour service of those ports in connection with examination anchorages, boarding vessels, and furnishing permits to enter port, guiding ships when necessary through the friendly channels of mine-fields, &c.; but if it is the intention to use them in this way, it would be well to suppress the term "guard-boat," and substitute a less misleading designation more indicative of their real use.
Various experiments of late years have led to the conclusion that guard- boats or patrol-boats in connection with mine-fields are rarely of practical use, as they are apt to mask the fire of the shore defences, require specially skilful handling, and no satisfactory recognition signals have yet been devised for them. Moreover, the instances are rare in which hostile cruizers have the means for, or are in the habit of practising, counter-mining.
If used as inshore patrol-boats to give notice of an enemy's approach, the experience of the Navy has shown that in this case also they are of little use. In dark nights, or thick weather, they can rarely, if ever, give even a short notice, and in clear weather a much more extensive area of water can be overlooked from moderate heights on shore.
* 368 if police reserve is included.
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Westland.
Totals.
218*
4,341
4,559
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