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Government. Purely military aspects of defense will be the responsibility of the Local Joint Military Defense Sub-Committee.

16. The Governor, as representing British Sovereignty, is vitally interested in the maintenance of the integrity of the Territory and its security against aggression. When, therefore, in his opinion, the Territory is threatened, he will seek the advice of the Senior Military Commanders on defense measures and will have the right, subject to confirmation of the Governments concerned, if time permits, and otherwise by agreement with the Senior Military Commanders, to declare a state of emergency and to issue orders for putting into force such civil defense measures as he may consider appropriate to the situation. If these authorities are unable to agree, the question at issue shall be immediately referred by the quickest method to the responsible Governments for decision.

Unity of Military Command.

17. Unity of Command shall be put into effect in the following circumstances:-

(a) On instructions from the Governments of both the Associated Powers. Such instructions shall be sought by the respective local authorities by the quickest possible method in the event of an attack on a territory developing or when the Governor and the Senior Military Commanders agree that an attack is threatened.

(b) On the Associated Powers becoming mutually associated in a war against.

a common enemy.

18. Unity of Command in the defense of a Territory shall vest in the commander of Combined Local Defense Forces the responsibility and authority to co-ordinate the operations of the participating forces of all the combatant Services by the organization of task forces, the assignment of missions, the designation of objectives, and the exercise of such co-ordinating control as he deems necessary to insure the success of the defense. Unity of command does not authorize the commander exercising it to control the administration and discipline of the forces of the combatant Services to which he does not belong, nor to issue any instructions to such forces beyond those necessary for effective co-ordination.

The Commander of the Combined Local Defense Forces.

19. On one of the circumstances as set out in Article 17 arising, a commander of the Combined Local Defense Forces, who shall be designated before- hand, shall assume unity of command of the Local Military Defense Forces, and the Commanders of the Local Defense Forces of all the combatant Services shall be responsible to him for the execution of the Local Defense Plans.

20. The nationality of the Officer to assume command of the Combined Local Defense Forces shall be determined by the general considerations of the strengths of the forces involved in the defense of the Territory, combined with the tactical or strategic importance of the locality to each of the Associated Powers respectively.

21. Initially the commander of the Combined Local Defense Forces shall be an officer of the United States armed forces at Great Exuma, Bermuda, Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia, Trinidad and British Guiana, but the situation at any or all of the Territories named shall be reviewed at any time at the request of either of the Associated Powers.

Co-ordination of Operations of Naval Local Defense Forces.

22. When the commander of the Combined Local Defense Forces assumes unity of command, the co-ordination and direction of operations of the Naval Local Defense Forces shall be exercised by that Naval Officer commanding Naval Local Defense Forces of either of the Associated Powers, who is senior in rank, if of equal rank, of time in grade.

23. Initially, it shall be arranged that the naval officer exercising command at Great Exuma, Bermuda, Antigua, St. Lucia and British Guiana shall be a United States Officer, and the naval officer exercising command at Jamaica and

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