CO885-(6-7) — Page 531

537

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

192

The Premier of Canada should be urged to press on his Ministry the necessity of a similar scheme for the defence of the Canadian frontier, and of giving effect to the recommendations contained in paragraph 6 of the Colonial Defence Committee's Memorandum No. 59 M., dated the 27th March 1896, on the defence of the Dominion.

The Premier of Western Australia should be asked to hasten on the preparation of a Defence Scheme for that Colony, and the organisation of its military resources for the defence of Albany and Freemantle, as recommended in the Colonial Defence Committee's Remarks, No. 146 R., dated the 19th August 1896.

Similarly, a Defence Scheme for Tasmania should be pressed for. None has been received since 1888. The Colonial Defence Committee last drew attention to this in their Memorandum, No. 58 M., dated the 5th March 1896.

The attention of the Premier of New Zealand should be drawn to the inefficient military organisation of that Colony, as pointed out in various remarks and Memoranda of the Committee, and most recently in their Remarks, No. 153 R., dated the 1st February 1897, on Colonel Fox's Report of 1896. A Defence Scheme should be drawn up, and the forces organised for the protection of the four defended ports of Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin.

The Committee consider that the importance of these schemes cannot be over- estimated. Not only does their preparation enable the strategic conditions of the Colonies to be correctly appreciated and defects of existing organisation and deficiency of existing personnel and matériel to be clearly perceived, but as soon as a Colony is in possession of a complete and satisfactory scheme, it will be saved from panic and consequent loss in the event of war or anticipation of war, by the knowledge that all its resources for defence can at once be brought into play.

8.3

V.-Interchange of Military Units between Great Britain and the Self-governing Colonies. This subject was originally brought up with regard to Canada by Colonel Herbert, then G.O.O. Canadian Militia, in a Memorandum dated the 10th May 1894, printed Appendix I. hereto, in which he proposed that a battery of Canadian Permanent Artillery should be stationed in England, and that a field battery of Royal Artillery should take its place at Kingston, Canada. The suggestion has not yet been acted upon. It would probably be desirable that the subject should be officially mooted in the first instance, by Canada, but if the proposal is likely to be entertained by Her Majesty's Government, it might be informally discussed with Mr. Laurier.

The Committee are in favour of this scheme, which, if adopted, would be a practical step in the direction of Imperial unity. They foresee many difficulties, but they are difficulties which it should be possible to overcome. With regard to the financial arrangement, the most simple and satisfactory would be for the lending authority to continue to pay wholly for its own corps. Thus the British unit in Canada would receive pay and allowances from the Imperial Government on the same scale as corps now stationed at Halifax. In the same way, it would be easier for the Colonial corps in England to keep up their distinctive pay and allowances if the Dominion bore the charge. With the small permanent force at present kept up by Canada, exchange of batteries would probably be more convenient than exchange of battalions. If the latter became possible, the recently expressed wishes of the Colony might be met by sending there again the "Royal Canadians.”

If the interesting experiment of an exchange of units with Canada succeeds, it will be for later consideration as to how far the principle can be extended to other self-governing Colonies,

VI.-Federal Defence.

8

The Premiers of the five Colonies of Australia and of Tasmania should be urged to and make definite arrangements for the adoption of the scheme of Federal approve Defence that has been agreed to by the military representatives of the Colonies in two Conferences, in so far as it deals with each Colony detailing a portion of its troops as Federal contingent, and preparing this portion for combined offensive or defensive action The Colonial Defence with the contingents of the other Colonies in the event of war. Committee have shown generally how this may be done in recent remarks on the Defence Schemes of South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. When the principle has been accepted and worked to in each Colony, it will be easy to modify the details of its contingent as may be found necessary for various reasons, at periodical Conferences of Commandants.

193

There seems no reason why the definite adoption of the scheme, as regards the necessary action within Colonies, should await their general federation, though undoubtedly the combined action of the Colonies in war is likely to be more effective if their troops have been controlled by a central staff before they are brought together for purposes of actual operations.

The enrolment of men for service outside the limits of their own Colony, as provided for in the South Australian Defence Act of 1895, is obviously a necessary preliminary to the formation of federal contingents, and is recognised as such in the Second Resolution of the Inter-Colonial Conference of Ministers, held at Sydney, in March 1896.

The Committee believe that some additional strength might be acquired by the South African Colonies by the organisation of their local forces with a view to combined action under certain contingencies; this matter they have now under consideration.

VII.-Military Manufacturing and Educational Establishments in the Colonies. The establishment of a cordite factory in Australia, stated in the Fourth Resolution of the Inter-Colonial Conference of Ministers of March 1896 to be "a matter of urgent importance," will probably be mentioned at the Conference of Premiers. In view of the undoubted importance of Australia being independent of over-sea transport for her warlike stores in time of war, the Committee recommend the proposed establishment of a factory; they suggest also that New Zealand should obtain the material for her ammunition from this factory.

The establishment of a central arsenal for Australia might also be suggested. A note on this subject by the Artillery Adviser to the Inspector-General of Fortifications is printed as Appendix II. to this Memorandum.

The greater efficiency that would be derived from officers of the Australasian forces from the establishment of a central school of instruction on the lines of Kingston College, Canada, might be impressed on the Premiers of Australia and New Zealand. If such a college were started in Australia, the Imperial Government would doubtless assist towards its support by giving regularly to its graduates a certain number of Commissions in Her Majesty's Army. The establishment of a similar college for the Cape and Natal would also seem worthy of the consideration of the Governments of those Colonies.

The Colonial Defence Committee understand that Her Majesty's Government have now under contemplation the granting of a certain number of civil Colonial appointments to graduates of Kingston College, Canada, and would point out that, judging from the proved efficiency of Royal Engineer officers coming from that college in carrying out engineering works in Africa, Colonial engineering appointments might be included among those for which its graduates might be made available. The Committee consider, however, that the main support for the Canadian College should be derived from the Dominion Government, which should make the fullest use of it by giving to its graduates all Commissions in the Permanent Active Militia. As far as they can learn, this is not at present the case. All graduates of the College given civil appointments in Canada should belong to a reserve of officers.

VIII. Regulation of Civil Population and Utilisation of Private Property in case of War.

It was proposed by the Colonial Defence Committee, in their Memorandum, No. 50 M., dated the 21st November 1895, that a general Act to give the necessary powers with regard to the above to all Colonial Governors should be passed by the Imperial Govern- ment, but it is now understood that there would be difficulties in the way of passing such an Act, and no action in the matter bas yet been taken.

In their recent remarks, No. 152 R., dated the 31st December 1896, on the last revision of the Cape of Good Hope Defence Scheme, the Colonial Defence Committee suggested that a copy of the Secret Orders in Council of the 26th October 1896, should be sent to the Governor of the Cape, with instructions to communicate them, should he consider this desirable, confidentially to his Ministers, and to confer with them as to the advisability of passing an Act through the Cape Parliament to give to the Governor in the event of attack or anticipation of attack on the Colony special powers similar to those which Orders in Council confer on the Governors of certain Crown Colonies. The Colonial Office, in sending the remarks of the Committee to the Governor, stated that no action should be taken for the present on this paragraph. It was thought that the subject might more conveniently be discussed with Sir Gordon Sprigg when in England.

B 97837.

B b

9

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO