[This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty's Government.] Page 90 of 290
Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. August 9, 1897.
SECRET.
No. 166 R.
HALIFAX.
W.O. No. NOVA SCOTIA.
Defence Scheme revised to January, 1897.
Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.
266
3
Covering Letter of the General Commanding in Canada.
IN one important matter the General Commanding has not seen his way to adopt the suggestions of the Colonial Defence Committee, contained in their Remarks No. 141 R, dated the 30th May, 1896, on the Halifax Defence Scheme revised to January 1896. In paragraph 2 of his letter, covering the present revision of the Scheme, he states that the small establishment of R.A. Officers in proportion to the forts and guns to be manned makes it impossible to constitute a Fire Command in
No. I Section.
Though the Committee think that this difficulty might have been overcome, they do not desire to press their former recommendation on this subject. They are willing to accept the arrangements now proposed, which has been embodied in the approved Chain of Artillery Command (pp. 56 and 57 of the Scheme), and according to which Forts Charlotte and Clarence, each under a Battery Commander, come under the Fire Commander at York Redoubt, while the Citadel, which only mounts muzzle-loading medium guns, is under a Battery Commander acting as Fire Com- mander.
The Committee would, however, point out that with the arrangements that have been adopted the advantages of having a sectional organization, such as they formerly recommended, practically disappear, and it is for the consideration of the General Com- manding whether it would not be advisable to revert to the regimental organization. This would not involve any very considerable alterations in the present scheme. It would enable the Colonel on the Staff, O.C.R.A., B.N.A., to take his proper place on the staff of the General Commanding, while the Lieutenant-Colonel O.C.R.A., Halifax District, would be Fire Commander directly under the Fortress Commander. The troops stationed in the various works would be under the Battery Commanders of those works, while the detachments of infantry and field-guns near York Redoubt, on McNabs Island, &c., would be under the Senior Officer present, who would take his orders directly from the Fortress Commander through his staff.
2. Page 3, paragraph 4; pages 4 to 6, Enclosures 1 and 3.-The General Com- manding forwards letters from the Naval Commander-in-chief and from the Pre- sident of a Local Joint Naval and Military Committee, advocating the appointment of an Executive Naval Officer attached to the Dockyard as a permanent Queen's
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