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reason of the proclamation of Martial Law. One of the Rules prescribes that the Governor should warn them against this error, in the manner best suited to the circumstances of the Colony.

The concluding portion of our Rules refers to the coercive action of the troops. We have endeavoured, it will be seen, to provide against any avoidable injury to non-combatants, women or children, and against any unnecessary destruc- tion of property.

With respect to the punishment of offenders, we are aware, of course, that persons who are not soldiers are not subject to the Mutiny Act or Articles of War; but assuming that for the immediate protection of the loyal inhabitants and the suppression of the insurrection, summary punishments must be inflicted by military autho- rity, we have deemed it advisable to follow, in essential respects, the rules which obtain in Her Majesty's army in time of actual service in the field. We have accordingly proposed that a Provost-Marshal, with Assistants, may be ap pointed, armed with similar powers to those speci- fied in the 164th Article of War, for the imme. diate punishment of offenders whom they may discover in the act of committing crimes. In other cases we propose that offenders should be tried by Courts-Martial, framed after the model of a Detachment General Court-Martial, as de- scribed in the 12th section of the Mutiny Act, and we have provided several rules for the guidance of such tribunals; one of the most important of which is, that they shall not take cognizance of any offences committed before the

breaking out of the insurrection. We have also provided for proper Returns of all punishments inflicted either by the Provost-Marshal or by sentence of Court-Martial. And we have suggested that the officer convening the Court- Martial may reserve any offender who has not actually received punishment for his offence to be tried by the civil tribunals.

In conclusion, we have only to suggest that if the proposed regulations should meet with your Lordship's approval, they should be submitted for the concurrence of the Secretary of State for

To the Earl of Carnarvon,

&c.

نم

&c.

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War, and the Field-Marshal Commanding in chief, in order that so far as they may be eventually adopted, they may be issued equally for the guidance of Civil Governors and of officers

in command of the troops in the Colonies.

&c.

We have the honour to be,

Your Lordship's most obedient,

humble Servants, EDWARD LUGARD, Under-Secretary of State for War. WILLIAM PAULET,

Adjutant-General:

HENRY K. STORKS,

Lieutenant-General.

T. FREDERICK ELLIOT,

Assistant Under-Secretary of State for

the Colonies.

VERNON LUSHINGTON, Deputy Judge-Advocate-General.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

PELTC.O.885

3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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