CO885-24 — Page 22

4.

92

BRITISH HONDURAS.

I wish to take advantage of the present wet weather, so as to get a crop There is no time for of corn and beans ready for gathering in the dry season. this if the land has to be cleared, and the only land suitable for immediate ploughing is private property, which will, therefore, be taken compulsorily, on terms which I think are fair to the owners, whose lands would otherwise be unprofitable to them.

5. Next year land will be cleared and more corn put in-more than the Colony will require for its own consumption. I have ascertained that there will be a market for it. I think it quite likely that on a two years' campaign the Government may make a profit on these undertakings. I have entered into an arrangement by which the loss or profit on some 300 or 400 acres will accrue to the Government. In respect of another 500 acres, the gentlemen in charge will receive no profit of any kind until the Government has been recouped what it has advanced. In both these cases the Government is advancing the necessary expenses, other than supervision.

I have. &c.,

Enclosure 2 in No. 22.

WILFRED COLLET,

Governor.

Attorney-General's Chambers, Belize,

A BILL

entitled

AN ORDINANCE

7th October, 1914.

To enable the Governor to provide holdings for agriculturists who agree to grow food or other crops thereon during the present war, and to enable the Governor to hire land for that purpose.

I hereby certify that in my opinion the Governor's assent may be properly given to the above-mentioned Bill.

R. H. FORNESS,

Acting Attorney-General.

83

BRITISH HONDURAS.

5. Want of funds prevents me from taking every possible precaution against surprise; but arrangements have been made for signals from English Caye and for messages from telephone stations down the coast.

6. I have already informed you that it is impossible to mine the channels, and as some of the German cruisers do not draw more than 16 feet it would be possible for them to bring their machine guns to bear on the town.

7. My chief endeavour will be to secure that any enemy cruiser coming here shall derive no practical advantage from it. There is very little coal in the Colony, and most of that is 18 miles inland. The gold is being removed and by the end of the year will, I hope, have all left the Colony. Should we be visited before then I hope to be able to prevent its being seized. After then, if an enemy ship comes, it may, out of spite, destroy the town, but it will be unable to obtain any advantage for itself.

8. I cannot exactly estimate what the war expenditure of the Colony will be. The cost of the wireless receiving station has been charged to this head, as I had it erected in order that, if possible, I might receive warning from one of His Majesty's ships. I have obtained an operator from the Tropical Radio Company, who receives the same remuneration that the Company gives to its shore operators, viz., $150 per month and quarters. This gentleman is not merely an operator but understands the erection and management of the apparatus. When the transmitting apparatus 18 erected it will be available for commercial purposes, and the maintenance should no longer be regarded as war expenditure. I would not, in fact, have incurred the expenditure if I did not expect it in the long run to be remunerative.

9. A good deal of money has to be spent in equipment for new members of the force. The last return of expenditure made by the Commanding Officer amounts to $6,752; but this includes a good deal of non-recurrent expenditure; and some of it would have been incurred in peace time. Roughly speaking, I expect to spend about $1,000 a month in addition to the usual peace expenditure.

10. It would, perhaps, be invidious to make special mention of any of the Volunteer officers, when all have shown such keenness. Major Elphinstone, as Commanding Officer, has not spared himself, and has gained the confidence of the whole force; while he thoroughly deserves this, the volunteers do not, perhaps, fully appreciate the fact that much of their evident improvement is due to the frequency of, and full attendance at, parades. Special mention may be justly made of retired Captain Schnarr, who has returned to the force during the war, and has raised » new company, consisting largely of former volunteers.

47694/8

No. 23.

I have, &c.,

WILFRED COLLET.

Governor

། 2། ། །

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

19

Reference :-

mimic.O. 885

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 1st December, 1914.)

(Confidential.)

SIR,

Government House, Belize, 12th November, 1914. I HAVE the honour to inform you that, owing to the war, the strength of the Volunteer Force has been raised to 378, of whom 24 are actually mounted, and 15 (two officers, one sergeant. and 12 men) are in charge of the maxims.

2. Afternoon parades are held three times a week, in addition to the usual squad and recruits drill. Besides these there are occasional tactical exercises to make the force familiar with the various ways in which a landing may be attempted and resisted. I regret that at the first of these exercises Private McCord suc- cumbed to the effects of the sun and the exertion. The Legislative Council has voted an annual allowance to his family. All volunteers have now been medically examined.

3. The force is, unfortunately, not well armed, and, by reason of the scarcity of ammunition, cannot have the musketry practice it should. But what can be done is being done in the way of aiming drill, miniature rifle shooting, and short range (100 yards) with Winchester carbines.

4. For the ordinary parades and drills the men are not paid. Pay is given for the tactical exercises, and for men who are on guard or outpost duty, privates receiving 50 cents a day, corporals 75 cents a day, and sergeants $1 a day. All men when away from their usual work receive an ample ration.

14417

SIR,

(No. 35.)

No. 24.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 27th March, 1915.)

Government House, Belize, 4th March, 1915. I HAVE the honour to forward copy of a message, approved by the Legisla tive Council, setting forth the terms on which Messrs. Colpoys and Craik are carrying out agricultural operations at Stann Creek in conjunction with the Government.

They 2. I have already alluded to these operations in earlier despatches. have been undertaken for the double purpose of finding employment for unem- The price of flour is ployed labourers and of ensuring a food supply later on.

I have had to prohibit the export of the very high, and so is that of Indian corn. latter, and may have to fix maximum prices and perhaps even take possession of stocks. This state of things may last till October, but when the harvest of the Government farm comes in a good supply at low rates will be assured. A certain amount of beans will be grown also.

D