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14. Page 23 (H.), paragraph 2.-It is for the consideration of the General Com- manding whether the provision of additional nurses on mobilization might not be put on a more satisfactory basis by registering the names of those who would be willing to serve in this capacity in war, and holding regular classes for their instruction in peace.
15. Page 25 (J.), paragraph 7.—To the list of detailed schemes for transport which have to be kept up by the O.C. Army Service Corps, there should be added the transport to be provided for moving telegraphists, telephonists, and signallers to their stations in accordance with the orders given in (F.), paragraph 2, and (G.), paragraph 3, on page 23.
A reference should also be made to the provision of "carrozini" for the conveyance of small bodies of infantry towards threatened points in accordance with (E.), paragraph 7, on page 31.
16. Page 25 (L.), paragraph 4.—It would seem that Table (II) on page 41 should show the infantry companies told off as Military Police, located as they will be in the first instance, viz., two in Valetta, one in Sliema, and two on the eastern side of the Grand Harbour, within the Cottonera lines. Otherwise, the Officers Commanding Units, who are instructed (page 29 (A.), paragraph 5) to march their men to the places indicated in Table (II) will not have instructions as to where to send those told off for police duties.
17. The Committee understand that since the date on which this revision of the Defence Scheme was submitted the Traffic Regulations for Malta have been further revised, in accordance with instructions received from the Admiralty, and that the revised Regulations will be embodied in the Scheme when next submitted. They are dealing in a separate Memorandum with the question of support to the examination service from guns on shore.
M. NATHAN, Secretary,
November 15, 1898.
(Signed)
Colonial Defence Committee.
.
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PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY J. W. HARRISON.—18/11/98.
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Page 269 his Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty's Ganeytolf 290
Printed for the use of the Coloniai Office. January 13, 1899.
SECRET.
No. 200 R.
?
ST. LUCIA.
ST. LUCIA.
C.O.
No. 14,085, Secret.
Defence Scheme revised to May, 1898.
Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.
Covering Letter of General Officer Commanding, Barbados.
Page 1, paragraph 2.-In their Remarks, dated the 30th May, 1894, on the St. Lucia Defence Scheme of January 1891, the Colonial Defence Committec stated as follows:-
"
It is true that, at present, there are no foreign torpedo-boats within striking distance of St. Lucia, lant Fort de France, Martinique, only two or three hours' run from Port Castries, is a sufficiently mudete naval base to maintain a torpedo-boat station, and, though ample warning would be given efore it could be established, from the necessity of sending the torpedo-boats across the Atlantic in pence-time, and under the necessary precautions, it is yet a form of attack which should be considered.”
46
The Committee went on to point out that,
so long as an enemy's ships can keep the seas, Port Castries must be considered liable to attack by cruisers and by the smaller class of torpedo-boats or launches that can be carried on board them,”
and that
**
a proper measure of defence against a surprise raid by torpedo-boats is necessary at Castries if our war vessels are to lie there at night in safety.”
A Local Joint Naval and Military Committee, which reported in February 1894, stated, with reference to torpedo attack on Castries Harbour, that an increase in the number of Q.F. guns, and the provision of a system of electric lighting, was very desirable.
This was concurred in by the Colonial Defence Committee in Remarks on the above Report, dated the 13th August, 1894. They stated that, in view of the possibility of some first-class torpedo-boats being posted at Martinique in the case of a war with France,
“such portion of the defensive measures as would be required to meet a first-class torpedo-boat attack, and could not easily be improvised on an emergency, should be provided as soon as the naval establish- ment at Port Castries is completed. A boom to close the entrance to the harbour could be improvised at short notice, but not so the Q.F. armament and the electric light installation to illumine the field of fire of the Q.F. guns. These latter should be provided beforehand. Moreover, they would be a useful help to ships in harbour in repelling second-class torpedo craft."
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