lay stress on the principle that the officer responsible
for commanding troops in peace should be the Officer who
will exercise command over them in war. Even, however,
if
13
there were no Commandant but independent Volunteer Officers
commanded the Artillery and Engineer units these Commanding
Officers would not be in charge of their units on mobiliza-
-tion, the Artillery Companies being broken up into
detachments told off to the 4 sections of the defence and
the Engineer Company being split up into small parties
detailed to the different engine rooms and electric light
emplacements. The appointment of a Commandant does not in
itself involve the violation of the principle on which the
Committee lay stress while it is a distinct advantage that
there should be a Head Quarter Volunteer Staff to raise,
equip, and train the additional Volunteers that will come
in and to organize the Volunteer Reserve Association as a
fighting unit when its members are enrolled in time of war.
7.
I am addressing Your Lordship in
a separate Despatch on the matter of filling the appoint-
-ments of Commandant and Staff Officer of Volunteers.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient,
humble servant,
9.813 Y
M. Battersby
Governor,