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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

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

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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authorities. Fortunately, however, the Colonial Defence Committee have for years been givei, aunually an opportunity of criticising those schemes, and the constant supervision of that body has ensured the observance of sound general principles and the maintenance of a uniformi system of defence. The selemes are all based on the general principle that Australia will be protected by: the Navy from organized attack on a large scale. They look only to the protoction of the important ports in the temporary absence of His Majesty's ships by means of fixed defences and molérate garrisons, and to the provision in each Colony of a field forve fo pd any attempt to land on the undefended eðast-life,

9. The possibility of co-operation between the forces of the various Australima Colonies in. external enterprises in war has, however, heen for more than ten years in the minds of the military authorities in Australia.

*DfMay 1890, the Colonial Defence Committee pointed out that “ the rôle which the Australian, Colonies will probably play in the event of war is not likely to be limited to the passive defence of ports little liable to attack. These Colonies will donhtless desire that a solid guarantee for fotitre seurity should be taken, and it is evidently essential to success in this sense that their latef forres should be organizer on a common basis, so as to be capable of being brought together for concerted action. The possibility of being able to take a vigorous offensive at the outset of war against points which might subsequently prove menacing, would be a strategic advantage of the first importance,”

This suggestion was carefully considered at conferences of the Commandants of the Australian forces held in October 1891 and January 1896, and a provisional scheme was drawn up under which certain existing units were selected from each Colony and allotted to an "Australian Field Force," which was thus built up to a strength of one mounted brigade and one infantry division. The mounted brigade included three regiments of mounted rifles, a battery of artillery. ammunition column, mounted detachments, engineers, &c., its total war establishment being 2,670, The division included a brigade division of field artillery, a company of engineers, and depart- mental details, having a total war establishment of 9,526.

In their recent Memorandum No, 254 M. which was specially drawn up on the 3rd April, 1901. for the guidance of the Commonwealth Ministry in carrying out the federation of the military forces of Australia, the Colonia! Defence Committee again drew attention to this matter, and pointes out that federation will make it now possible to provide a homogeneous and efficient forec "which can to solue extent undergo combined training in prace and which will be capable of rapid mobilization in war."

In a subsequent Memorandum, No. 281 M, dated the 1st November, 1901, on the armament of field artillery in Australia and New Zealand, the Colonial Defence Committee have further suggested that, as the Australian has proved in South Africa his special aptitude for the rôle of tuounted rifleman, the Federal Field Force should be organized in two mounted brigades and one infantry brigade; that the mounted brigades should be drawn from the pastoral districts, where the physical qualifications of the inhabitants fit them specially for this work; and that the infantry brigade should be built up from general service companies raised from those members of certain corps who would be willing to undertake liability for extented service in time of war.

These anggestions have been recently approval by the Secretary of State for War, and transmitted to Australia by the Colonial Office,"

10, As yet no further practical steps have been taken in Australia to complete the organi- zation of the Federal Fichl Foree proposed by the Colonial Defence Coromitter, but there are grounds for hoping that the general principles involved are acceptable to the minds of Australian statesmen, and that as soon as the working machinery of an Australian Head- qarter Staff has been set in motion the question will be definitely taken up and the necess Mary legal powers obtained from the Commonwealth Legislature.

Having regard, then, to the principles already submitted in sub-paragraphs (2) anul 154 of paragraph 5, we shall do better if we utilize and adapt to our purpose these ideas, which we have developed almost to fruition in Australian minds, than if we attempt to thrust upon. them fresh proposals. A force of two mounted brigades and an infantry brigade wonkl probably give a total strength of about 9,000 net. In time, Australia may fairly be expectral to considerably increase this.

}

11. As regards Australin, therefore, it is submitted that it should be the policy of His Majesty's Government to encourage an organization for Imperial service on the following

Jines -

(1.) The field force of the strength above suggested, viz. two mounted brigades and one infantry Brigade, to be at the disposal of the Imperial Government for general service, in the case of war between Great Britain and one or more European Powers, as soon as the naval authorities are in a position to undertake the responsibility for the mov- ment of troops by sea.

(2.) This contingent to be termed the Imperial Australian Force:" its officers to he nominated by the Governor-General on the advice of his Ministry and granted by the King temporary rank in the Army: the right to be reserved to His Majesty to appoint, on mobilization, a General Officer to take supreme command and à Head- quarter Staff, but the latter to be selected, in the main, from Australian officers. (3.) Officers and men belonging to the force to be trained in peace time on the same system

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as that adopted for the partially, paid forces of Australia, but to engage for periods of not less than two yours to serve in war wherever required. In masieratiku of this agreement, all'officers and men who carry on the raditi as it plicir gymtal waarse of training to be given a retaining for tin addition to their military pay,

1.) All units of the farre to be inserted in the field annually by the Genital Officer Cons anding in Australia, and his Report to be forwarded by the Commonwealth. Mindstry for the information of the Comininder-in-Chief.

(53) Ofligers and ven, on mobilization, to receive jay at the same rates asaine, glöpted for the qe manent forces of Australia. When serving outside Australia they, will be subject to the Army Act,

6,5 Mobilization stores, to enable the force to take the field fully equipped, to be maintained

locally in Australia.

(7) All other distails of organization to be settled by the downl authorities, but so ji os possible the ollivers and men should be organized in peace in the battalions, regiments, fad brigade divisions, or at least in the batteries, companies, and squadrons to which they would belong in war, The scheme for bringing these units together into a higher organization on mobilization must be engefully worked out in je are, and be complete in every detail.

12. It will be olsaya dilme time above Buss un såggested as those on which the Cpuutumn-- wealth Ministry should be anomangel to work. How and in what form these sugg stious yan b. best hid before the Australian Ministry is a delicato matter which needs areful outsideration. It is believed to be the policy of His Majesty's Govern ut not to press the self-gyverding Colegies in snel nutters, but to bol mther to the Colegios to take the initiativo. It is maderstoel, bowever, that the subject of colonial conqueration in buspegial defence is likely to be mentioned at a Contierence of Colonfil Premiers, which will probably in Foll tiga odusion of the King's Coronation : if so, this won't for an addunivalede opportunity for the free voltage of the views of His Majesty's and the Colonial Ciagraments. The barter is, however, ou com which it is desirable that the Colonial Cal should be consulted, and possibly it may beads - thought expedient dat the details of this hos Apopht be ref med to ik. Colonial Defene ti Så für easilera-

tion.

J

Now Zealand,

15. The military forces of New Zealand consist of—

(1.) Permanent militia.

(2.) Militia.

(3.) Volunteers.

',

2

Fero (2) comprises all made inhabitants (except volunteers and sentem between the ages of 17. and 55, and is liable to an annual training not exceeding 168 hours in the year, but at present it. is neither trained nor organized.

The strngth of the trained forces of the Colony was as follows a the 1st December Jast :-

Permanent

Volipiteers

Tulai

→

All Ranks,

200

17.00

17.88!

The New Zealand forces larve, in training, organization, and discipline Loon in past years solewhat behind the Australian Colonies. Nevertheless, New Zealand hay take great credit in that it is the first "anel, as yet, the only Colony be the Empire to emet 1 gishtina promifting the eurolment of e-boists as an Imperial reserve, The section of The Now Zealand Defener Act Ameminem Act, 1902 ereating this Reserve, is printed in the Appendix of Memorandum No. 271 M, of the Colonial Defence Remittee, which disensses in detail the effect of this measure.

It will be observed that the Committer recommend that the Reserve shouldk

Te organized as a seperate Field Force on the same lines as the Australian Field Force,

The Secretary of State for War has approved of this recommendation, and it may thereforu Le assumed that the same policy should be adopted as regards the treatment of this question in New Zealand as hus laen alvendy proposed for Australia. The contingent from this Colony might be termed the Imperial New Zealand Fores,” and the conditions suggested in pamgraph 11 might be applied mutatis imetandis.

The present war les caused a remarkable, military revival in the Colony, and during the last year the Mounted Rifles increased in strength from 1,194 to 6.474. mul the Infantry from 4,997 to 7878. If these figures are maintained, it would seem possible to organize, for Imperial service a mounted brigade and two battalions of Infantry, say in all about 4.000 men.

DAF

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