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change of arm would not be an expensive one, as there are only forty-two non- commissioned officers and men in the troop.
14. Page 24, paragraph. 12.—It is stated that "sufficient horses can be easily obtained" for the Mounted Force. It should, however, be shown, either here or in the "Orders to the Officer in charge of the Mounted Force" on pages 81 and 82, how these horses are to be obtained. Apparently, the Kentville Yeomanry will bring their own horses, and twenty-nine riding and one draught horse (see page 31) will be hired on the existing transport contract by the A.A.G. (B)'s branch.
15. Page 34, Table C (ii).-There is some confusion between the various references to the horses and vehicles of the Mobile Battery with the Field Force which occur in different parts of the Scheme. On page 34, Table C (ii) and page 48, Table D (iii) the number of horses required is given as three riding and forty-nine draught, and the vehicles, according to page 31, paragraph 2, and page 31, Table C (ii), are 6 gun- carriages, 6 ammunition wagons, and 1 water-cart. On page 43 (B), 4 store- wagons are said to be required in addition, and the number of horses is given as three riding and fifty-six draught. Also, at the head of the Table on page 72 four local carts are included, and in the Table itself two water-carts are put down as part of the equipment. The total number of horses here given is sixty-two, and this number is probably right, as there should be some spare horses for a Mobile Battery with only four in each team. The discrepancies should be removed in the next revision of the Scheme.
The strength of Royal Engineers with the Field Force is given on p. 34, Table C (ii), as 32 of all ranks. In the Table on page 13, and on p. 17, it is stated to be 31.
The strength of the infantry shown on Table C (ii), is 46 officers and 1,385 of other ranks (the heading "Rank and File," should be changed to "Other Ranks"), but in the Table on p. 13, only 732 regular and 600 militia infantry are allotted to the Field Force, or a total of 1,332.
In Table C (ii) 2 officers and 40 rank and file, Medical Staff, are shown with the Field Force. The numbers told off to it on p. 65, Table F (i), are 5 officers, 1 N.C.O. of the M.S.C., and 60 bearers.
16. Page 36, Table C (v).—The numbers given in Remark 2 at the foot of this Table, presumably all refer to horses. They do not, however, correspond with those shown on the preceding pages.
17. Page 43, 4th paragraph.-The system of signals by which the look-out partics are to give warning of the approach of an enemy, should be settled now and entered in
the Defence Scheme.
18. Page 43, 10th paragrpah.-Reference is here made to ammunition carts, to be drawn by the O.C. Halifax Garrison Artillery from the A.O. Department in accordance with instructions on page 82 of the Scheme. On this page the ammunition to be drawn by the O.C. No. 9 District, Canadian Militia, for the Halifax Garrison Artillery (60 rounds per man), is laid down, but there is no reference to ammunition carts for that corps, nor is there any on p. 74 which gives the corresponding instructions to the C.O.O. with regard to the issue of ammunition to the Canadian Militia.
19. Page 49, last paragraph.-Recent experiments show that any closed work which can be distinguished by an enemy at a distance, can be practically destroyed and its garrison annihilated by an enemy who can attack it with field howitzers and high explosive shells. Good shelter trenches would appear to meet the requirements of the positions occupied near Halifax. If closed works are, however, adopted, care should be taken that from their sites and surroundings, they are indistinguishable from any positions the enemy can occupy.
20. Page 64, 2nd paragraph.-The Committee attribute great importance to the formation of a Bearer Company in Halifax in connection with the local militia. It should be formed, however, on the lines of the Militia Medical Staff Corps in England, and not on the lines of the Volunteer Brigade Bearer Companies.
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