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attention of the War Office to the advisability of giving the Native battalion small arms using the service ·303′′ ammunition.
The cartridges S.A., ball, M.H. rifle, rolled case should be withdrawn; it is understood that the cartridges S.A., ball, M.L.M. black powder have already been withdrawn.
18. Page 38, paragraph 15.—The system of electrical communication between the various military posts is not yet entirely satisfactory. The head-quarters of the General Officer Commanding should certainly be in direct telegraphic or telephonic communication with the Section Commanders.
19. Page 38, paragraph 16 (2).—It would be well to connect the Signal Station on Mount Ory by telegraph or telephone with Port Louis, especially as it is stated that "clouds frequently interrupt heliographic communication." This has already been suggested by the Colonial Defence Committee in paragraph 18 of their Remarks dated the 9th August, 1895, on the Revision of the Scheme to January 1895.
20. Page 39, paragraph 18.-The necessity for largely increasing the supernumerary signallers at Mauritius will have disappeared, at any rate in part, now that the trained signallers of a battalion of Native Infantry have become available.
21. Page 39, paragraph 19.--The Committee recommend that the proposals con- tained in the Scheme for additional signalling equipment should be considered at the War Office.
Chapter III.
22. Page 44, paragraph 7, and page 52, paragraph 28.—It would appear that it is intended to proceed with the laying-out of the submarine mine defence immediately notification is received of impending hostilities. In this connection attention is called to the following extract from Report No. XIX of the Joint Naval and Military Com- mittee on Defence, and to the necessity for modifying the arrangements in the Scheme, both as regards the laying out the submarine mine defence and putting the Harbour Traffic Regulations into force in accordance with the principles there laid down:-
"The time after a declaration of war, or commencement of hostilities, at which it would be advisable to put in force the Traffic Regulations, must vary with the distance of the port from the base of the enemy, the nature of the attack to which it is liable, and other special conditions which would be known at the time at each place, but if the great importance of maintaining and protecting our trade is accepted in principle, it would indicate that though immediate mobiliza- tion is essential to an effective state of defence, the protection derived from the examination and exclusion of vessels, may be considered as a second phase of the defence dependent upon the enemy's vessels being in certain particular waters, and that in the same way, the use of submarine mines should not be resorted to unless there is a reasonable prospect of attack. At the least it should be understood that neither the Traffic Regulations, nor the laying of submarine mines, should be put in operation without competent naval approval, whenever such is available.
23. Page 47, Table C (i).—The numbers of carts shown in Columns 7 and 8, do not agree with the numbers given on pp. 45 and 46, paragraphs 14 to 16, including those required for taking out medical equipments to defensive stations; 46 will be required for the existing garrison, and 71 when reinforcements arrive from the Cape.
The numbers of carts for artillery and Army Medical Staff, shown in the 2nd Remark on the Table, appear to have been transposed in error, and the number of mules and drivers for the latter should be shown as 60 instead of 160.
24. Page 49, Table C (ii).-"India" should be substituted for England in the heading to Column 7.
25. Page 51, paragraphs 23 and 24.-The artillery manning details should be embodied in the Scheme under the heading "Action by Officer Commanding Royal Artillery."
It should not be necessary for the artillery to hand over to the infantry on mobilization, the machine guns to be used by them. They should be in infantry charge in peace time. The Committee are informed that a General Order is shortly to be issued with regard to this.
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