PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.
Reference :-
8855 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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The volunteer forces were reorganized in 1878. The changes introduced briefly comprised the consolidation of comparatively independent companies as far as possible into administrative regiments, the establishment of an educational test for first commissions, and a higher standard of examination for officers, standards of height and fitness for service for the men, the appointment of professionally-trained adjutants and staff non-commissioned officers, paid to devote their, whole time to their duties, and the conduct of drills by daylight.
The officers of the volunteer forces are mostly colonial gentlemen, but there are a few re- tired Queen's officers among them, who appear to adapt themselves readily to the conditions of colonial service. Volunteer officers are appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommen- dation of the Commandant, but they are virtually elected by their corps.
The men, who are mostly drawn from the labouring class, are provided with uniform, and are paid 127. n-year, receiving that sum in three payments, one for attendance at drill at the rate of 5s. a-day, the second for the continuous training at the rate of 108. a-day, and the remainder for efficiency at the end of the year. Non-commissioned officers are paid a little higher, at rates up to 177. per annum. This system of payment is said to have greatly promoted the efficiency of the force.
The volunteer artillery, though not equal to the permanent artillery, are fairly trained. and capable of rendering valuable assistance. Besides frequent drills and practice with the smaller guns, they have their six days' continuous training every year with the permanent artillery in the batteries. They are under the officer commanding that force and are organized in batteries, trained respectively to the service of field guns, guns of position, and heavy or garrison guns,
The engineers are mainly composed of high-class artificers, and receive special instruction in field works, &c.
The torpedo and signal corps, consisting for the most part of employés of the Government Telegraph Service, are commanded by the head of that Department, who went through a course of instruction in submarine mining at the School of Military Engineering in England. They have constant instruction and practice in their special duties, and are said to be very efficient. They go into camp every year with the artillery.
The volunteer infantry during their training are quartered in the barracks formerly occupied by the Imperial troops. They are armed with Henry rifles, firing Martini-Henry ammunition, and have frequent practice and drill.
The volunteer naval brigade is commanded by a retired officer of the Royal Navy. For want of a ship, the men have hitherto been only exercised on land; but they have been steadily drilled, and in the event of war would find employment in the batteries and torpedo defences, if not required for service afloat.
The whole of the volunteers, including the naval brigade, are under the Volunteer Force Regulation Act of 1867 and the Regulations of 1878. The Governor has power to call them out for service in certain contingencies of war, when they pass under the provisions of the Imperial Act and Articles of War.
We were informed by one of the witnesses that the whole question of defence is thoroughly popular, and that the Colony was unanimous as to the necessity of possessing an adequate permanent force as soon as there is sufficient population to support it. This feeling on the subject is, if anything, on the increase, and it is in no sense a party question. Such a measure as sending out an officer of rank and distinction periodically to inspect and advise on military matters would, he considers, be very well received in all the Colonies, and they would willingly bear the expense. It was stated that, so far from there being any difficulty in bringing the forces of two or three of the Colonies together for a week or ten days on such occasions, the proposal would be warmly taken up.
It was asserted that the time is approaching when the question of combining the naval and military defences of the Colonies with those of the mother-country should be taken up; that it is the duty of the Colonies to provide and maintain the fortifications, armaments and forces necessary to give protection to their own ports, and also to the Queen's ships whenever they require to have recourse to them, and that the mother-country should defend the trade of the Colonies as best she could, either in Australian waters or elsewhere. But considering their rapidly increasing prosperity this witness is of opinion that the Colonies are getting ripe for undertaking a share in the naval defence, and that the question ought to be brought forward and discussed between them and the Home Government. He is confident that if made more generally and better understood, there would be a determination on the part of the Colonies to take joint action with the mother-country. He further gave it as his opinion that it is impossible to separate Home from Colonial naval defence, and that the real defence of Australia may be effected by the action of Her Majesty's fleet at a distance from Australian shores-in the China Seas for example, or in the Red Sea, or at the Cape of Good Hope. The naval force on the spot is small, and he regarde it simply as a police force for the South Sea Islands. Admitting to the fullest extent the liability of the Colonies for a share of the defence of their interests at sea, he believes it to be impossible that they should have ships of their own, and considers that if the defence is to be efficient, the only centre of command should be with the Home Government and that all ships employed should be Queen's ships in every respect, and at the full disposal of the Admiral în command. Holding these views, he has suggested that each Colony should contribute, on the basis of population and wealth, say the cost of a ship, or that two of the smaller Colonics should contribute the cost of a ship between them; that they should, however, have no voice in the disposal of the ships, but leave the naval authorities to do their best with the means provided for the protection of the Colonies and their trade. Though such a calculation would necessarily be rough, and therefore present openings for criticism, he is of opinion that the principle would be
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readily accepted. A somewhat similar arrangement was recently concluded with regard to the duplication of the telegraph cable. The two leading Colonies took the matter up, and the others were brought in by their influence. He gave it as his experience that questions of this kind require a little ventilation at first to be properly understood, and that unless judiciously opened. prejudices are apt to be engendered which are not easily removed. He would, therefore, recommend that, before any action is taken publicly, a discussion should be commenced through the Governors with the advice of their ministers, and that the Governors might meet with a view to arriving at a common understanding.
Upon this point we may observe that Sir William Jervois has strongly urged the Government of New South Wales to purchase an iron-clad ship, partly for the protection of local commerce and the minor harbours along the coast, and partly with the object of securing Sydney from bombardment by a ship lying outside the harbour defences. For this duty he recommended a vessel of a particular class, armed with three guns, two of which would be of 18 tons, and protected with 10 inches of armour; and proposed that she should be manned by a small permanent naval force, supplemented in time of war by men drawn from the Volunfeer Naval Brigade. The cost of such a ship he estimated at 150,0004, and the annual expense of manning and maintaining her during peace at 10,000. This proposal was so far entertained that in July, 1877, the Colonial Government submitted to the Now South Wales Parliament a resolution to purchase an iron-clad vessel. "An amendment, however," says Sir W. Jervois in his Report of November, 1879, was carried, directing the local Government to arrange with Her Majesty's Government for obtaining and maintaining, at the expense of the Colony, an iron-clad for local defence, the intention being that such ship should be an Imperial instead of a Colonial vessel of war, but that the cost of maintenance should be borne by the Colony. After the carrying of this amendment the proposition was withdrawn 'pending further consideration,' and nothing has since been done with respect to it." In this report, Sir W. Jervois has again drawn attention to the necessity which he conceives to exist for the provision of local defence by naval means, and states his belief that it is desirable that Her Majesty's Government should suggest the principles which in their opinion should guide the Colonies in any future steps which they may take in reference thereto.
Victoria.
The scheme of defence proposed by Sir William Jervois, and fully explained in his Reports, was accepted by the Government of Victoria in 1877, and in the same year the estimates for carrying his proposals into effect were sanctioned by the House of Assembly. Political differences arose, however, between the two Houses of Parliament which, notwithstanding the practical unanimity which prevailed upon the question of defence, prevented the passing of the Bill at the time. Ultimately the total amount of 380,0007--of which 350,0004, was for Port Phillip, and the remaining 30,000 for the defences of the harbours of Warnambool, Belfast, and Portland-was voted and included in a public loan for 5,000,0007, which was authorised to be raised. In the years 1878 and 1879 a sum of 70,0007, including 21.0007 for the conversion of her Majesty's Victorian ship "Nelson," and 17,000. for naval armaments, was appropriated on account. With this sum a commencement was made upon some of the permanent works, which are now being proceeded with.
We were informed that it was the intention of the Government and Parliament in Victoria to push on the works with all reasonable speed. Colonel Scratchley, in his report of September 30, 1881, stated his belief that it was the intention of the Government to provide, by annual votes, for the completion of a portion of the scheme the defence of the West Channel and Port Phillip heads; but towards the defence of the south, or main channel, which it was intended to provide for by a fort in the sea, nothing has been done beyond the formation at a cost of 10,0002, of a circular breakwater of rubble-stone round the selected site.
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The heavy armament already in the Colony consists of six 9-inch guns with carriages complete, which, however, are not mounted, and twenty-three 80-pounders. The additional 10-inch guns recommended by Sir W. Jervois and the iron-work for the forts have not yet been After the withdrawal of the Imperial troops, towards the maintenance of which the Colony largely contributed, the existing volunteer forces were supplemented by a small paid body of artillery, locally raised.
The permanent artillery force until recently employed in manning the old sca defences, which will be superseded by the new works on the completion of the latter, was disbanded at tho beginning of the year 1881. It was objected that it had become little more than a nursery for the police, so that practically the whole body changed every three years, while it cost the Colony upwards of 15,000l. a-year. The abolition of this force had been some time in contemplation, having been suggested by the Royal Commission which sat in Melbourne in 1875 to consider the whole question of the volunteer forces of the Colony. It was recommended, however, at the same time, that application should be made to the Imperial Government for two batteries of Royal Artillery to replace the Colonial Artillery, and half a battalion of Infantry to serve as a nucleus for the volunteers. We are informed that the colonists still wish to replace the disbanded force with Royal Artillery, but that should they fail to obtain them upon satisfactory terms they will probably