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Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. November 7, 1896.
SECRET.
No. 148 R.
Agent-General's No. 3422.
Q
VICTORIA.
Report of the Council of Defence, 1896.
Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.
THE Colonial Defence Committee have had before them a copy of this Report sent to them by the Agent-General on the 25th September, 1896.
2. The Reports of the Council and of the Commandant of the Naval Forces on those forces call for no remarks from the Colonial Defence Committee.
3. With regard to the military part of the Report, the Committee note with satisfaction a slight improvement in the condition of the forces since the date of the last annual statement. The total establishment of troops has been raised from 4,901 to 4,977 by bringing up the Victorian Permanent Artillery and the Army Service Corps to their former establishments. The actual strength of the force on the 1st July, 1896, was only nineteen below establishment. The constitution of a militia reserve, though, apparently, it has not at present met with success, is still engaging the serious attention of the military authorities. An officer of the Royal Artillery has been appointed Staff Officer and Instructor of Artillery. Camps of exercise were held during Easter week, and were attended by 3,803 men, or 77 per cent. of the total strength.
4. The Colonial Defence Committee still look upon the formation of an efficient reserve by which the peace establishment of 4,977 can be raised to the war strength of 9,138, laid down in the 1893 Mobilization Tables, as the most pressing military requirement of the Colony.
5. Next in order of importance, the Committee are inclined to place an increase in the establishments of Submarine Miners. These have consisted since 1890 of—
Permanent Victorian Engineers
Militia Submarine Mining Company
31 84
It
4
Total
mų d
115
They have to look after three electric light installations, with six beams and two mine-fields at Port Phillip Heads, each of 1,500 yards' average width, and the two comprising some 400 mines.
The Commandant reported last year that the question of increasing the personnel of the Submarine Miners required serious consideration, and in the Report under consideration he calls attention to the difficulties arising from the small number of men in the permanent section, and he recommends the formation at Queenscliff of an additional small detachment of militia to be recruited from fishermen. Looking to the important part played by the
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