CO885-(7-8) — Page 689

223

APPENDIX IVA.

DETAILED PROPOSALS RELATIVE TO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.

216

pro-

If it were desired to maintain on the Australian Station some sucu naval force as was discussed between Rear-Admiral Sir Lewis Beaumont and Sir John Forrest, the form which the proposals of the Admiralty would bably take would be a squadron necessitating a total expenditure by the Commonwealth and New Zealand, as given in the following statement and Appendices:-

A payment by Australia and New Zealand of 367,000l. per annum, of For details, which the shares would be-

see App. A.

Australia

New Zealand

£

304,515

62,485

£367,000

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

8

would amount to very nearly 18. 74d. per head of the population of those Colonies; to which must be added the cost of the Reserves, which cannot be estimated with any accuracy but should be within 100,000. This would bring the total payment to something less than 167,000l. per annum, or a little more than 28. per head of population, see Appendix A.

This would enable the Admiralty to build and maintain at Imperial rates of pay five 2nd-class cruisers of improved "Challenger" type, three being kept in commission and two in reserve.

One or more of these cruisers in commission might be manned, as far as possible, by Australians and New Zealanders paid at special rates; and if this is accepted the additional charge per annum for each ship would be 26,000., assuming the special rates of pay to be the same as those given to the crew of the "Protector," which means an additional charge of 13d. per head of population per ship.

It is probable that the special rates of pay finally decided on may be considerably less than the above.

The ships in reserve would be manned on mobilisation by crews partly See App. B. drawn from the squadron and partly entered locally, but arrangements should for ratings be made to provide trained reserve men for this purpose; this would required. necessitate the maintenance of a reserve as follows:-

Scamen Stokers

-

P

1,100 400

1,500

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

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

the 64

These men would carry out their annual drills on board the five ships of Katoomba" class which, when relieved, would be available for that purpose and could be stationed at suitable ports for this duty.

The extra annual cost would be-

E 2152

Maintenance of five "Katoombas "

ships

•

Pay; retainers, and clothing allowance to

1,100 seanien reservists

as drill L

-

72,500

Imperial

+

-

11,265 rates.

4,000

£87,765

Kk

Pay, retainers, and clothing allowance to

400 stoker reservists