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of aggression. The dispositions against a raid of unknown strength must provide for manning the coast defences to the full extent of the available garrison, and nothing more can be done in the event of a serious naval attack.
The limited Scheme referred to in paragraph 2 above should therefore with one important exception be put into operation on the imminence or outbreak of war with the United States or any Great Maritime Power. The one exception is that no measures of defence in connection with the port should be unnecessarily or prematurely adopted which would interfere with its full use, or which would prevent our shipping from frequenting it. On this subject the Joint Naval and Military Committee on Defence have recently (Report XIX) stated as follows:-
"The time after a declaration of war, or commencement of hostilities at which it would be advisable to put in force the Traffic Regulations, must vary with the distance of the port from the base of the enemy, the nature of the attack to which it is liable, and other special conditions which would be known at the time at each place; but if the great importance of maintaining and protecting our trade is accepted in principle, it would indicate that though immediate mobilization is essential to an effective state of defence, the protection derived from the examination and exclusion of vessels may be considered as a second phase of the defence dependent upon the enemy's vessels being in certain particular waters, and that in the same way the use of submarine mines should not be resorted to unless there is a reasonable prospect of attack. At the least, it should be understood that neither the Traffic Regulations nor the laying of submarine mines should be put in operation without competent naval approval, whenever such is available."
6. Reverting to the important question of sectional organization, it is noted that on pp. 13 to 20 of the Scheme, the three sections into which the fortress is organized, are shown divided into 16 sub-sections; of these, the 4 sub- sections of No. III section, need not, under the circumstances detailed in paragraphs 2 and 3 of these Remarks, be further considered. No. I section comprises the town and barracks as one sub-section, and the positions at Blockhouse Hill and Chebuctoo Road (including Bones' Mill) as two other sub-sections. It is thought that these two sub-sections might conveniently be combined in one, as the Halifax Neck position.
No. II section is shown as divided into 9 sub-sections, each of which practically consists of one fort or battery, with the exception of No. 3, which has no fixed armament, and No. 6 which includes the Submarine Mining Defence only. It does not appear that this sub-division into sub-sections is, in this case, either necessary or advisable. The general principle should be followed, that one artillery fire command should not be included in more than one territorial division or "section." The batteries and forts in one fire command, should, for artillery purposes, be battery commands, under the direction of the fire commander, who will take the general orders of the Section Commander; the submarine miners and engineers will be directly under the latter's orders, as also the infantry who may be detached by him to the protection of any particular fort, battery, or position.
In rearranging his scheme to fulfil these conditions, it is for the conside- ration of the General Officer Commanding whether a slight modification of the sectional organization might not be advisable, so as to make No. I section to include a fire command, consisting of the works firing over the inner waters, viz.: Forts Charlotte and Clarence, and the citadel, as well as a separate land command, including the works across the Neck, and along the North-west Arm, and the advanced position for the defence of the water supply. No. II section would remain as at present minus Forts Charlotte and Clarence, and there would also be the independent field force for the defence of any threatened point.
7. Passing to the details of the Scheme, as now submitted, the Committee offer the following remarks:-
Page 13. Divisions of Command.-Before describing under this heading the sub-division of the fortress into sections the Head-quarters Staff should be detailed, the war appointments of officers being given with reference to those they hold in peace.
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