SECRET
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Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. October 20, 1896.
No. 147 R.
GIBRALTAR.
GIBRALTAR.
C.O.
No. 541. Secret.
Defence Scheme revised to April 1896.
22.
Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.
Civil Administration.
THE Colonial Defence Committee consider that the Scheme now put forward deals more satisfactorily than has previously been the case with the important question of the disposal and regulation of the civil population of Gibraltar in war. The Scheme, as stated in paragraph 13 of the Governor's covering despatch, is not exhaustive of the subject, but the principles on which it is based appear to the Committee to be sound, and they should, in so far as they affect action to be taken locally in war, be expanded and embodied as definite instructions in the General Defence Scheme for the Fortress.
2. These principles may be summarized as follows:—
(i.) Judicious efforts should be made in peace by legislative and other means to permanently reduce the civil population of the Fortress, especially that part of the population that could not be made use of for defence.
(ii.) At time of anticipated attack all persons not required for the defence who are aliens, families of officers and soldiers, inmates of asylums, and long- sentence prisoners should be sent away.
(iii.) Persons not required for the defence, but not coming under the above categories, should be encouraged and assisted to leave.
(iv.) Persons not required for the defence should not be allowed to enter
the Fortress or to re-enter it having once left.
(v.) So long as the Governor considers it necessary in time of war or of anticipation of war all persons remaining in Gibraltar should be under direct military control.
3. As regards (i), the recently promulgated " Ordinance to Regulate the Trade in Tobacco at Gibraltar " (No 9 of 1896) by stopping smuggling into Spain will, doubtless, to some extent, remove attraction to residence in the Fortress, and the extension of the provisions of the Aliens' Order in Council to British subjects will, if decided on, help to prevent growth of the population from outside, especially immigration from Malta. The Colonial Defence Com- mittee attach great importance to this proposed extension of the Ordinance.
4. As regards (ii), the proposals contained in paragraphs 7, 8, 15, and 16 of the Scheme are concurred in as regards ordering away foreign Consuls and aliens, and transporting to England officers' and soldiers' wives and children, lunatics, and long-sentence prisoners.
It is not clear whether the coalheavers, referred to in paragraph 12 of the Governor's letter as mostly living in Gibraltar, are wholly or partly aliens.
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