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16. Page 26, Table (C), Column of Remarks.—It would appear to be for consideration whether the making of loopholes could not be more rapidly and satisfactorily executed by skilled masons than by infantry working parties.
17. Page 27 (E), paragraph 5.—It is not clear whether there is already an establishment of Homing Pigeons at Malta. In addition to the advantage that might be derived from them in obtaining information from British cruisers at sea, as indicated in the Scheme, they might further be used for communicating, in the event of the cables being interrupted, with the British Consul at Syracuse or Catania, as recommended by the Local Joint Naval and Military Committee in their Report of December 1893. The Colonial Defence Committee would draw attention to the suggestion con- tained in their Remarks, dated April 20, 1894, on that Report, to the effect that the Foreign Office should be consulted confidentially on the subject.
18. Page 27 (E), paragraphs 6 and 7. Page 28 (F), paragraph 4.--The respective responsibilities of the Intelligence Officer and the District Signalling Officer for communicating intelligence from the Look-Out Stations are not very clearly defined. The latter is to arrange for communication between these Stations and the Head-quarters of Sections, while the Cyclists of the Royal Malta Militia are placed at the disposal of the Intelligence Officer to aid in watching landing-places.
It is thought that the whole arrangements for conveying any infor- mation that may be desired from the Look-Out Stations or elsewhere to the various Signalling Stations should rest with the Intelligence Officer. The list of Look-Out Stations should be embodied in his orders as well as detailed arrangements for manning them from the Maltese Coastguards, the Cyclists of the Royal Malta Militia, and from Members of the Local Cyclist Club, and arrangements for carrying information from the Look-Out Stations to the nearest Signalling Stations.
19. Page 29, Table (D).-The initials E. L. and M. N. in the column of Remarks are not understood.
20. Page 32 (G). The Colonial Defence Committee consider that a local Company of Medical Staff Corps should be organized at Malta in time of peace to meet the requirements of the garrison in case of war.
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21. Page 34 (VII).—The reference to "paragraphs 189-200, Regula- tions for Army Medical Services 1894,'" should be altered to "Regulations for Army Medical Services, Part II.-War." Queen's Regulations should be substituted for "paragraph 198" in line 4, and "Non-Com- missioned Officers" for <<
Corporals," in the last line but one of the paragraph. "Under paragraph 193" in the last line should be omitted.
22. Page 40 (H), paragraph 5.—A Table (K) of extra supplies obtainable at short notice is mentioned as a secret Return kept at the office of the Chief Staff Officer.
This Return should accompany the Defence Scheme.
23. Page 41.-The figures given in the table on this page show con- siderable variations from those in the similar Return for 1895. For instance, under the heading of supplies which would be procured from Mediterranean ports are entered
Coffee Sugar
Cheese
Fish
::::
1896 Scheme.
1895 Scheme.
Ib.
369,600 Nil
lb. 1,191,400
996,003
411,040
907,305
224,000
425,975
An explanation of these differences should be given.
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