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ports; a proceeding which would hardly have been carried out by the War Office unless their inclusion with commercial ports at home had been known to be intended.

It should be noted that none of these decisions precludes the use of submarine mines in unfrequented waters which it is wished to deny to an enemy.

4. As the result of these decisions of the Committee of Imperial Defence a Memorandum was prepared by the Colonial Defence Committee for the information of the Dominion Government, which contained a definite recommendation that the submarine mining defence at Halifax should be discontinued (C.D.C. Memorandum No. 359-M, dated the 22nd January, 1906). The reasons for this recommendation are contained in the following paragraph :-

"Submarine mining defences are being removed from all the Home and Colonial ports at which the defences are in Imperial charge, and similar action is about to be taken at the Indian harbours. They now remain only at some few Colonial ports, of which the most important is Halifax.

"The British submarine mining service has always been a very technical one, and in the past it has been possible to draw on the experience and ability of a numerous personnel employed at many defended ports for the highly qualified administrative and experimental staffs which have been indispensable for its direction. But, even with the very complete system of instructional manuals and circulars issued from army headquarters, it has been found difficult to secure uniform efficiency at some of the outlying Indian and Colonial ports to which the central inspection and control did not fully extend. It is scarcely necessary to point out the disastrous effect on our maritime trade that would be produced in time of war by any untrustworthiness, or even suspicion of untrustworthiness, of the submarine defences of ports frequented by our shipping. Nothing but the highest degree of efficiency would suffice, and all experience goes to show that this could not be maintained at a small number of isolated ports, even with selected personnel of high individual capacity.

"The Colonial Defence Committee therefore recommend that the submarine

mining defence at Halifax should now be discontinued."

The Memorandum by the Colonial Defence Committee was approved by the Admiralty (Admiralty letter M. 0173 dated the 7th February, 1906) and the Army Council (War Office letter Canada 5/27 dated the 13th February, 1906), and the decision to abolish the submarine mines also received the concurrence of the Canada Militia Council (letter from the Governor-General, dated the 15th March, 1906).

5. In view of the deliberation with which the conclusions to abolish submarine mines were arrived at, and having regard to the fact that the Dominion Government abolished the minefield at Halifax five years ago on the recommendation of the British Government, it appears open to question whether it is expedient to recommend to the Dominion Government, even in vague and general terms, that submarine mines might with advantage be employed at Prince Rupert, without first considering very carefully the reasons outweighing the arguments previously adduced in favour of abolishing this form of defence. Such a course might, it is suggested, tend to shake the confidence of the Dominions in the advice of the Committee of Imperial Defence.

6. This question is raised without prejudice to the general problem as to whether submarine mines should again come into general use for the defence of ports or not. If it is thought that the time has come to reconsider the policy adopted in 1905, it is suggested that the general question should be raised as a separate issue.

C. L. O.

April 20, 1911.

PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY J. W. HARRISON. 29/4/1911.

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