CO885-5 — Page 64

(Confidential.)

Sir,

64

No. 117.

Colonial Office to War Office.

Downing Street, January 17, 1881. I AM directed by the Earl of Kimberley to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 10th and 18th December* with reference to the question of raising a Canadian contingent for Imperial service, and I am to request that you will state to Mr. Secretary Childers that Lord Kimberley proposes, with his concurrence, to submit the whole of the correspondence on the subject for the consideration of the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, and I ani to inclose a draft of a despatch which, with Mr. Childers' concurrence, his Lordship proposes to address to the Governor-General of Canada, informing his Lordship of the course which it is proposed

am, &c.

to take.

I

(Signed)

R. H. MEADE.

63

The question raised in your despatch is a very large one, involving the decision of principles affecting the Colonies generally, as well as the future organization of the military power of the Empire, and it appears impossible to deal with it as an isolated proposal. Her Majesty's Government have, therefore, decided to submit the whole of the correspon- dence for the consideration of the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

KIMBERLEY.

No. 121.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference -

C.O. 885/5

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

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

Sir,

No. 118.

·

Colonial Office to War Office.

Downing Street, January 22, 1881. WITH reference to your letter of the 17th December last,† I am directed by the Earl of Kimberley to transmit to you, to be laid before Mr. Secretary Childers, copies of two letters from this Department to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Posses- sions and Commerce Abroad, requesting to be informed of their views upon the question of the command of Colonial troops when associated with Imperial troops, together with a copy of their reply.§

I am to state that, beyond suggesting that the telegraph should be resorted to in the probably rare occasions of any real difficulty arising, it does not appear to Lord Kimberley possible to propose any more definite arrangement than was suggested in the letter from this Department to the War Office of the 4th November last.||

am, &c.

(Signed)

No. 119.

ROBERT G. W. HERBERT.

War Office to Colonial Office.

Central Department, War Office, January 25, 1881.

Sir,

IN reply to your letter of the 17th instant, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that Mr. Childers concurs in Lord Kimberley's suggestion, that the whole of the corre- spondence on the subject of raising a Canadian contingent for Imperial service should be referred for the consideration of the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Posses- sions and Commerce Abroad, and also in the draft of a despatch which.it is proposed to address to the Governor-General of Canada, informing his Lordship of the course which is to be taken in the question.

I have, &c. (Signed)

No. 120.

RALPH THOMPSON.

The Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley to Governor the Marquis of Lorne, K.T., G.C.M.G. (Confidential.) My Lord,

Downing Street, January 27, 1881.

I DULY received and I have had under my consideration your Lordship's Confidential despatches of the 12th and 17th May** with reference to the proposed organization of a Canadian contingent for the Imperial reserve. The Secretary of State for War has also given these despatches his careful consideration.

• No. 102 and 108.3

+ No. 107.

No. 117.

Nos. 97 and 110, § No. 113.

**Nos. 12 and 14.

|| No. 92.

Colonial Office to the Secretary to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad. (Confidential.)

Sir,

Downing Street, February 1, 1881.

I AM directed by the Earl of Kimberley to transmit to you, for the consideration of the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, a copy of a correspondence* which has taken place between the Governor-General of Canada, the War Office, and this Department with reference to the proposed organization of a Canadian contingent for the Imperial reserve.

Sir,

No. 122.

I am, &c. (Signed) R. H. MEADE.

Colonial Office to the Secretary to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad.

Downing Street, February 18, 1881. WITH reference to your letter of the 15th October,† I am directed by the Earl of Kimberley to transmit to you, for the information of the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, a copy of a Circular despatch‡ which his Lordship has addressed to the Governors of Colonies having Parliamentary Government with regard to the great importance of securing uniformity of armaments in the Imperial and Colonial services. I am also to inclose a copy of a Circular despatch§ which has been addressed to the Governors of the other Colonies, inclosing a copy of the first-mentioned Circular despatch for their information and guidance.

I

am, &c.

(Signed)

R. H. MEADE.

No. 123.

Lieutenant-Governor Broome, C.M.G., to the Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley.— (Received February 22.)

(Secret.) My Lord,

Government House, Mauritius, January 24, 1881. THE military authorities here having reported to this Government the arrival in the Colony, per steam-ship "Ebre," of seven steam launches and boats for submarine mining purposes, and having stated that the boats in question have come addressed to the Com- manding Officer, Royal Engineers, unaccompanied by any instructions for their disposal or custody, I have complied with a request made by the officer in command of the troops (Major-General Murray, C.B.), and have directed the Port Department to take charge of the launches and boats, until precise instructions shall have been received from the War Office as to their final disposal and custody.

2. Captain Crawfurd, the Harbour-master, has applied for “adequate remuneration, and a staff of men to keep these boats and steam launches in thorough working order and repair." The Colonial Government are quite ready to undertake any duties in connection with the defence of the island which it may be thought desirable to impose upon them, but your Lordship will perceive that some precise instructions are required both as to the

• Nos. 12, 14, 25, 102, 108, 117, 119, and 120.

[58]

+ No. 79.

‡ No. 98.

$ No. 99. S

66

allocation of the expenses connected with the boats, and as to the responsible authority to be vested with power for their use and safe keeping.

3. The boats are: two 42-feet steam launches, one 42-feet sailing launch, one 30-feet cutter, three 14-feet dinghies.

4. Though, in conformity with previous defence correspondence, I mark this despatch Secret, I apprehend that the arrival and purpose of these boats are generally known.

I have, &c.

F. NAPIER BROOME.

(Signed)

No. 124.

Colonial Office to Admiralty.

(Confidential.) Sir,

WITH reference to your letter of the 13th October, 1879,* and to the Confidential

Downing Street, March 1, 1881. letter from this Department of the 14th January last, I am directed by the Earl of Kimberley to transmit to you, to be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a copy of a despatch from the Lieutenant-Governor of Mauritius, reporting the arrival in the Colony, per steam-ship "Ebre," of seven steam launches and boats for submarine mining purposes, and requesting precise instructions as to the allocation of the expenses connected with the boats, and as to the responsible authority to be vested with their use and safe keeping.

powers for

The Lieutenant-Governor points out that the boats in question were addressed to the Commanding Officer, Royal Engineers, but were unaccompanied by any instructions, and I am to state that Lord Kimberley assumes that, if necessary, the Lords Commissioners will communicate with the Secretary of State for War with reference to the inclosed despatch.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

R. H. MEADE.

X

• No. 36 of " Miscellaneous No. 39.1

+ Not printed.