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reference to this despatch should be made under the heading, "General Review of Measures to be taken," to insure the simple Code laid down in the Circular being understood and acted on immediately on its receipt.
The Defence Scheme should also lay down the action to be taken on receipt of the above notification, in accordance with Clause 2, Section 189, of the Army Act, with regard to making the forces in the Colony temporarily subject to the Army Act, as if they were on active service.
12. Page 27, paragraphs 7 and 8.-It is suggested that a reference be made against the proposed action with regard to Submarine Mines and Traffic Regula- tions on the first day of mobilization to paragraph 11 on p. 120 of the Scheme, which explains the circumstances in which such action might be postponed to a later phase of the defence.
13. Page 29 (2). Signalling.-No alteration has been made in the number (33) of infantry soldiers told off as signallers which it was suggested in paragraph 14 of the Committee's Remarks No. 145 R on the last revision of the Defence Scheme should be reduced. It is possible that some of the signallers are retained to take the place of the existing administrative telephone lines which would be required at time of attack for purposes of artillery command. This does not, however, apply to all the stations given in the list on p. 29. When the artillery command lines are laid it is considered that the telephone system should require little addition by visual signalling. The authorized establishment of fourteen signallers for the infantry battalion, including supernumeraries (as laid down in paragraph 293, Section vii, Queen's Regulations), should be more than sufficient for taking the place of electrical communication temporarily interrupted, and for keeping up connection between moving units of the field troops.
14. Page 30 (3). Telephones. It is observed that all the R.A. telephone operators and one R.E. are to be replaced by infantry on mobilization. This seems an undesirable change to make at such a time. The lines utilized for R.A. purposes should certainly have R.A. operators.
15. Page 32, 6th to 9th paragraphs.-These paragraphs refer to certain action to be taken by the O.C. Troops, Penang, and the O.C. Malay States Guides on receipt of telegrams ordering their commands to Singapore. It does not, however, appear that any orders to take this action are in possession of the O.C. Troops, Penang, while those given on p. 113 for the O.C. Malay States Guides, differ materially from the instructions given to the D.A.A.G. (B). The latter officer is told that the mobili- zation of the corps will take four days, and that the C.O. will endeavour to obtain transport at Port Weld. The C.O. is, on the other hand, directed to be ready to embark on the 3rd day; nothing is said in his orders about local transport, but he is definitely told that "suitable vessels will be chartered and dispatched from Singapore immediately the state of war is proclaimed."
The two sets of instructions should be made to agree.
16. Pages 72 and 73.-The submarine mining portion of the Scheme will now require revision to meet the new arrangements approved in W.O. letter, Straits Settle- ments, 5/1584/96, dated the 17th November, 1896.
17. Page 80, paragraphs 4 and 7.—The Chief Ordnance Officer is charged in these paragraphs and elsewhere in the Defence Scheme (pp. 27 and 28), with arranging on the second and subsequent days of mobilization for the transfer of all warlike stores, not immediately required in forts and positions, from their peace storage places at Pearl's Hill to store-houses allotted to them at the P. and O. wharf. Provision has been made for this removal of stores in all Defence Schemes since 1893. The Committee would like to have information as to what these stores consist of, and the opinion of the General Officer Commanding as to whether the small risk to which they might be exposed at Pearl's Hill justifies the large expenditure of labour which the proposed removal involves.
With regard to this subject the Committee understand that the construction of new stores at Pulo Brani to take the place of the less conveniently sited buildings at Pearl's Hill is now under consideration of the War Office.
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