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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

SECRET.

No. 459 M.

\Printed for the use of the Oversea Defence Committes.

C.O. Nos. 30150 and 12372/12. W.O. No. 79/Australasia/7.

II.

AUSTRALIA.

Preparation of Defence Schemes.

Memorandum by the Oversea Sub-Committee of the Committee

of Imperial Defence.

THE Colonial Office have referred to the Oversea Defence Committee a despatch, dated the 14th August, 1912, from the Governor-General of Australia relative to the preparation of Schemes of Defence for the Commonwealth.

The despatch and an enclosure are printed as an Appendix to this Memorandum.

2. The Committee have also had before them a despatch, dated the 18th March, 1912, from the Governor-General of Australia, explaining the decisions arrived at by the Commonwealth Defence Department in consequence of the recommendations contained in the Committee's Memorandum No. 438 M, dated the 26th May, 1911, and Remarks No. 551 R, dated the 8th December, 1910.

The Oversea Defence Committee propose, however, to defer making any observa- tions on the detailed arrangements referred to in this despatch until the revised Australian Defence Schemes are received for examination.

3. In their Memoranda No. 429 M, dated the 24th February, 1911, and No. 442 M, dated the 3rd May, 1911, the Oversea Defence Committee deal respectively with the Scale of Attack on Australia under existing conditions and with the Strategic Situation in the Far East in the event of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance being determined. The principles therein expounded have been generally concurred in by the Commonwealth Council of Defence.

4. The Governor-General states that separate Defence Schemes are being prepared to record :-

(a.) The duties of the headquarters staff in each district, in connection with the mobilization and concentration of the troops allotted to the field army and defended ports.

(b.) The measures of protection to be taken at each defended port.

A general Defence Scheme for Australia is also being compiled: and this Scheme is to show the organization and distribution of all the troops available for the defence of the Commonwealth.

5. A record will thus be kept of the detailed action to be taken in time of emergency by everyone belonging to the military forces of the Commonwealth.

Moreover, since a separate Defence Scheme will be provided for each purpose, each Scheme can be so compiled that it will only contain such details as must necessarily be known to the officers using the Scheme: and in this way it is possible to obviate,

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