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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
NEPLEC.O. 885
be sent out to the Federated Malay States, but that their appointments should not be confirmed till they had passed a further test locally.
The Committee were of opinion that the present arrangements, as applied, for example, in the case of Ceylon, were sufficient to satisfy the requirements of general education and a proper grounding of technical knowledge, but it was agreed that it would probably be desirable to have a test examination at the end of the Southampton course. Colonel Close agreed to write to Colonel Jackson, and to ask him to put forward officially through the High Commissioner his views on the subject of the future supply of candidates.
V-ANNUAL REPORTS.
The Committee agreed to a form of circular despatch which they recommended should be sent to all Colonies in which a substantial amount of survey work was carried on, and a list of these Colonies which had been prepared by the Secretary was approved.
VI. STANDARDIZING OF MEASURES OF LENGTH.
A Memorandum was read explaining the arrangements which the Director- General of the Ordnance Survey was prepared to make for the accurate comparison of standards of length on behalf of Colonial Governments. The Committee were of opinion that work of this kind should, wherever possible, be carried out in this country, and they recommended that a circular despatch on the subject should be sent out. It was also observed that in many cases scientific instruments were obtained from firms abroad without sufficient enquiry as to whether equally good instruments could be obtained in this country, and the Committee recommended that care should be taken that such enquiry should always be made when requisi- tions for the purchase of instruments were received from Colonial Governments.
VII. ELEMENTARY SURVEY COURSES FOR COLONIAL OFFICIALS. Colonel Grant pointed out that it was very inconvenient to the Ordnance Survey to arrange a course for one or two men and, although he did not propose to revert to the original plan (which did not prove satisfactory) of having classes at fixed dates, he asked that as long notice as possible should be given of applications to attend in order that it might be possible for him to arrange for a considerable number of officers to undergo instruction at the same time. The Committee recom- mended that a further despatch should be sent on the subject in which it should be laid down (1) that an application to attend must be received before the officer's arrival on leave; (2) that he must be prepared to go to Southampton at any time during his leave; and (3) that it must be understood that he will not be given facilities for instruction unless there are a sufficient number of others available for instruction at the same time. It would clearly be desirable, in order to ensure instruction, that when an application is received for permission to undergo instruc- tion, the names of other officers of the same Colony or Protectorate who could be instructed at the same time should be sent in to the Secretary of State.
3. Lord Crewe will be glad to receive from you at any time any suggestions which you may wish to offer regarding the course of instruction at Southampton.
I am, &c.,
R. L. ANTROBUS.
43
No. 5.
SOUTHERN NIGERIA.
COLONIAL OFFICE to THE DIRECTOR OF MILITARY OPERATIONS.
[Answered by No. 10.]
The Under Secretary of State for the Colonies presents his compliments to the Director of Military Operations, and begs to inform him that the Secretary of State for the Colonies has had under his consideration the question of the organisation and work of the Survey Department of Southern Nigeria. The attention of the Secretary of State has been directed to the fact that although in the last few years large sums of money have been devoted to survey work in the Colony and Protectorate-more particularly in the Western Province no results have been produced which can be printed except in a provisional form, and he considers it most desirable that an early opportunity should be taken to obtain an inspection of the Department by an independent officer.
Sir F. Hopwood will be glad if Major-General Ewart is able to recommend a suitable officer for this purpose, and he would suggest that Major E. H. Hills, C.M.G., who has recently conducted similar inspections of the Survey Departments of the East Africa Protectorate, Uganda, Ceylon, and the Federated Malay States, should be asked whether he would be willing to undertake the work.
In the event of Major Hills being selected, the Secretary of State would propose to offer him the same terms as on the occasion of his previous tour of inspection, that is to say, he would be provided with first class passages during the voyages and free transport while travelling on duty in the Colony, and he would receive an allow ance at the rate of £100 a month from the date of leaving England to the date of his return, but no other allowances.
It is presumed that there would be no difficulty in arranging, as on the last occasion, for Major Hills to draw the allowance mentioned without prejudice to his pension from Army Funds.
It would be convenient if he could arrange to leave for Southern Nigeria in the course of April next.
Downing Street,
43
17 February, 1909.
45004
SIR,
No. 4.
COLONIAL OFFICE to MR. P. D. WARREN.
[Answered by No. 7.]
Downing Street, 12 February, 1909. I AM directed by the Earl of Crewe to inform you that he has carefully considered the proposal contained in your letter of the 7th of December,* that the services of a retired officer of the Ceylon Survey Department should be utilised for the training of aspirants to appointments in Ceylon and other Colonies.
2. Lord Crewe is, however, advised that it is not necessary, at least for the present, to supplement the existing arrangements for instruction at Southampton, especially as the Director-General of the Ordnance Survey has intimated his readi- ness to make any alterations in the course which may be thought necessary.
• No. 142 in Miscellaneous No. 210.
د
No. 6.
SOUTHERN NIGERIA.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE ACTING GOVERNOR.
[Answered by No. 18.]
(Confidential.)
SIR,
Downing Street, 17 February, 1909. WITH reference to paragraph 4 of my confidential despatch of the 31st of December,* I have the honour to inform you that, as a result of a further recommenda- tion from Sir W. Egerton, I have caused the note of which a copy is enclosed to be sent to the Directors of Military Operations on the subject of the selection of an officer to inspect the Survey Department of Southern Nigeria.
2. I shall communicate to you in due course a copy of the instructions given to the inspecting officer. They will be general in character, and will leave him entirely free to form his own opinion on the working of the Department. At the same time I think it well to stâte, for your confidential information, that I shall,
↑ No. 5.
• No. 149 in Miscellaneous No. 210.
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