Dear Mr Wingfield,
War Office,
16th June 1895
Mr Campbell Bannerman thinks that the adoption of the alternative in paragraph 60 instead of that in paragraph 58 of the Report of the Committee on Lands etc., as suggested by Lord Ripon, might form the basis of a satisfactory arrangement, provided other Colonies accept it as Singapore has already done. The Undertaking of the Colonial Office to urge upon Colonies the provision of properties essential to their defence would not by itself be a satisfactory substitute for an acknowledgment by the Colonies themselves of their general liability to provide for this service. In the absence of any such general acknowledgment by the Colonies each particular transaction might give rise to misunderstandings between the Departments, and to prolonged discussion with the Colony concerned, while the object of a general agreement is to avoid such complications in dealing with particular cases.
It might, I think, make the proposal more palatable to Colonies, if, after the word "arrisons" in line 4 of paragraph 60 (Paragraph 7 of your Circular of June 1890) the words "to the extent that their means will permit" were added. This would be a warranty against large demands being made without a Colony being heard as to its capacity to meet the cost.
Mr Campbell Bannerman thinks that any arrangement that may be come to between the two Departments had better be submitted for confirmation to the Conference appointed to consider this question.
Truly Yours,
(Signed) Arthur Haliburton