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Department, all that concerns his action, without having to extract it from other parts of the Scheme.
11. Page 55, para. 10.-Presumably "O.C.R.A." should read, "O.C.R.A. in the Section," and the following words "will instruct" should read "will inform."
12. Page 58, para. 11.-It should be distinctly laid down that operations by the mobile force to distant parts of the island must not be undertaken except on special instructions from island head-quarters.
(Signed)
December 31, 1894.
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W. PEACOCKE, Secretary,
Colonial Defence Committee.
PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY 7, HABRISON. -8/1/95.
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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government25 Page 282 of 425
Printed for the use of the Colonial Office.
33
SECRET.
No. 102 R.
NEW SOUTH WALES.
N. S. WALES.
No. 423.
Local Joint Naval and Military Committee Report of 1894.
Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.
THE consideration of this Report has been deferred pending the receipt of the Defence Scheme of September 1894, which it was rightly thought might furnish more detailed information on certain points than is available from the Report.
The only probable form of naval attack to which the harbours of New South Wales are liable is by cruisers, and by such minor torpedo craft as can be carried on board them. There is no reason why the cruisers which may be expected to make their way into Australian waters should be limited to second class cruisers, as specified in the Defence Scheme; they are quite as likely to be first class cruisers.
Subject to the remarks below, the detail of the proposed arrangements at the various defended ports may be regarded as satisfactory; but, in the first place, the Colonial Defence Committee desire to observe that throughout the Report there is nothing to indicate whether the severe and restrictive Traffic Regulations are to be enforced necessarily and in their entirety immediately on the outbreak of a war, or with what local authorities it shall rest to decide on the necessity for putting them either wholly or partially into operation.
partially into operation. It is obvious that to enforce these restrictions at distant Australian ports without discrimination immediately on the declaration of war between England and one of the Maritime Powers of Europe would impose delays and hindrances on friendly traffic which the actual circumstances might not warrant, nor the progress of the war ever justify. It is of vital importance to the general interests of the Empire that our trade shall, as far and for as long as possible, continue to be carried on in war-time as in peace, and that no measures in connection with the defence of any of our ports, either at home or abroad, shall be unnecessarily adopted which would interfere with their full use, or which would tend to unnecessarily alarm our shipping or deter it from frequenting them in war-time. The utmost freedom should be allowed to the ingress of our commerce into ports without let or hindrance as long as the naval conditions permit.
In the General Instructions of the Joint Naval and Military Committee it is stated, paragraph 5, clause III: "When the Senior Naval and Military Officers do not consider it necessary to put these rules into operation, or when the weather will not permit vessels to bring-to in the position selected, they shall be permitted to enter without examination, and a signal should be shown when this permission is granted;" but no general principle is laid down or instruction given as to the time, after a declaration of war or commencement of hostilities, at which it would be advisable to put in force the Traffic Regulations. The absence of such directions has resulted in the drawing up of schemes such as the present and the Melbourne Report, which apparently contemplate putting into force at a given moment the entire means of protection and defence available.
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