CO129-557-10 Naval Volunteer Force 2-3-1936 - 23-3-1936 — Page 11

this provision in the Colonial Naval Defence Act

1931 may not be fully appreciated. In no circum-

stances would the Board of Admiralty seek to enforce

this liability in time of peace; the intention was

simply to make it possible for a Colonial Government,

if it should at any time so wish, to employ its own

Naval forces on service outside the Colony as, for

example, to deal with native risings or with piracy,

either in conjunction with the Royal Navy or

independently if none of H.M.Ships should be present.

My Lords desire me to make it perfectly clear that

the question whether a Colonial Naval Force should be

so employed in time of peace is a matter for the

Government of the Colony alone.

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6. When, in the event of war or in an.

emergency which threatens war, a Colonial Naval Force

is offered to and accepted by the Admiralty for

general service, the normal duty of the force will be

to keep open the sea approaches to the port and

assist in the local defence of the Colony and in all

ordinary circumstances it would be contrary to the

policy of the Board of Admiralty to employ it in any

other manner. But it is impossible to foresee all

the....