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Sir,
APPENDIX.
Letter of Military Commandant, Queensland,
Head-quarters, Queensland Defence Force, Brisbane, May 20, 1897. I HAVE the honour to submit the following remarks with reference to Colonial Defence Committee Memorandum No. 92 M, dated 1st February, 1897 :-
1. In paragraph 5 the Colonial Defence Committee desire to be informed as to whether the addition to the Garrison Artillery shown on the Estimates for the current financial year is due entirely to the re-establishment of the Cairns Battery, and as to the arrangements proposed for rapidly transferring that force to Thursday Island in the event of war. The additional Garrison Artillery referred to above was proposed to be raised in two half-batteries, one being at Cairns, and the other at Thursday Island. So far it has not been found possible to raise the Cairns half-battery, and new arrangements are contemplated in connection therewith for the forthcoming financial year, but that at Thursday Island has been successfully formed with a total strength of thirty, nearly all of which attended a camp of continuous training for eight days at Easter, and the general progress seems most satisfactory. It will be seen that consequently the strength of Thursday Island has been considerably increased.
2. In paragraph 6 of the same Memorandum, inquiry is made as to the nature of the four guns by which the Queensland Field Artillery has been recently increased, and the following is an extract from the same paragraph:
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It would appear as if the present peace establishment had been designed as the nucleus of two field batteries, and it is suggested, for the consideration of the Colony, that fifty-one men are an insufficient number to satisfactorily man a 4-gun field battery under any conditions, and that field artillery cannot satisfactorily he brought up to strength by untrained men enlisted only when the guns are required for war purposes."
3. A reply to this paragraph may conveniently take the form of a summary of the local and other conditions in consideration of which the Queensland Field Artillery has been organised on its present basis.
4. The total matériel available in the Colony for Field Artillery purposes is as below:-
4-12 pr. B.L. guns.
2-
12
waggons converted from 9 pr. R.M.L. 8-9 pr. R.M.L. guns.
2-
J
waggons.
The above matériel has been utilised for the formation of :-
1--12 pr. B.L. battery of 4 guns with 2 waggons.
I-9 pr. R.M.L.
دو
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1-9 pr. R.M.L. section of 2 guns for the school of instruction in connection with
"A" Battery, Queensland Permanent Artillery.
The remaining two 9 pr. R.M.L. guns may be considered as a reserve. At present they form part of the armament of Magazine Island, Townsville.
The above list is, of course, exclusive of the four 9 pr. R.M.L. guns with two waggons at Thursday Island. A complete establishment of ammunition for all the field guns is kept in the Colony.
5. It will be seen from the above that not only is there no reserve whatever of matériel for the 12 pr. B.L. Battery, but that it is short of two waggons, forge waggon, ammunition and store waggon, &c. In the event, therefore, of one or more 12 pr. B.L. guns being lost, disabled, or otherwise put ont of action, the effectiveness of the field artillery would be most seriously diminished. As eight 9 pr. R.M.L. guns with ammunition, &c., are available in the Colony, it is considered desirable to provide a second battery of 9 prs.
Personnel trained solely to the use of 12 pr. B.L. equipment, could not be expected to efficiently work 9 pr. R.M.L. matériel, especially as the reserve of field artillery would be required in time of war, and on the shortest notice.
6. It should, too, be made clear that all field artillery guns are, in Queensland, drawn by four- horse teams, and that waggons are not ordinarily used during peace training. Financial considerations are responsible for this. Further, in view of the fact that Parliament provides pay for but twelve days in each year, it is submitted that the present peace establishment of the batteries is sufficient for the training of the personnel and great difficulty would be experienced in training the personnel of a larger establishment. It is considered that an increase of 25 per cent. would be sufficient for the war establishment of these batteries, and as good remounts can be supplied in large numbers at 67. each, there would be no difficulty in increasing the establishment of horses, or replacing casualties.
7. As to ammunition supply local tactical considerations seem to point to the improbability of the Field Artillery (which is for local defence, and does not form part of the suggested Federal Force), being moved much further than twelve miles from the capital. The waggons and limbers, it is intended, would be replenished from the selected depôts by means of two horse-carts, of which plenty are available, and it is therefore believed that any funds which may in the near future be devoted to Field Artillery matériel, would be better expended in the purchase of guns and limbers, than of ammunition waggons.
8. The healthy rivalry, and consequent increased efficiency, of two batteries, forms no mean factor in connection with the training of partially-paid troops in Queensland, from whom only twelve days
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