CO129-429 - Public Offices & Others - 1915 — Page 272

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The same view appears to have been

taken by the Colonial Defence Committee,

Whom

the off of thi

the were responsible for the drafting of the

was submitter for approval

Order in Council of 1895. On November 13th,

1894, Major Peacocke, Secretary of the Committee,

submitted a memorandun on the Ceylon Defence

Scheme which contained the following

observations:-

"There was no intention on the

part of the Colonial Defence Committee to

suggest that the Governor should in the

smallest degree be superseded by the General

Officer Commanding. Such a suggestion would

have been entirely outside their province.

3

The Civil power must be superme,

superme the Governor,

on his part, giving the fullest support to

the General Officer Commanding, who is his

professional adviser and executive officer in

all matters relating to the defence of his

Colony."

While in a memorandum dated the 24th of

(Ceylon/No.10)

DRAFT.

11/94 Ceylon Secret

October, 1894, dealing also with the

Ceylon Scheme Major Peacocke stated

X

the views of the Committee as follows:-

"The Committee can see nothing in

paragraph (22) of their memorandum,

No.46, of the 3rd May, 1893, which even

implies that the General Officer Command-

ing is to acquire and exercise the

special powers to which General Justice

refers in his letter. The only refer-

ence therein to the acquisition of any

special powers by the General Officer

Commanding is merely "such as are

required for securing sites for works,

occupation of buildings, requisitioning

of supplies and transport" all these

being minor measures which directly

concern the military action of the

General Officer Commanding in war time

and for the due execution of which it is

manifest

Uctober