CAB9-1_PT1 — Page 103

2

Page 103

difficulty as regards the provision of any transport that might be required. The Colonial Defence Committee suggest, however, that the amount of transport of various kinds required for the several units during their concen- tration, as well as for the subsequent supply of the force, should be carefully worked out in advance. The reinforcement from Brisbane of Townsville or any other threatened coast town might well be considered also, and the necessary scale of railway or other transport required for the movement laid down.

3. Supply. Although the available stores of food are necessarily ample, it would be advantageous to calculate the amount of each article required for the daily requirements of the concentrated force, and to fix the position of the "depôts" referred to by the Local Committee, as well as the amount of stores to be collected there.

4. Submarine Mines.-Except in telling off the force of submarine miners to Lytton Battery, this branch of the defence is not alluded to by the Local Committee. Arrangements should be made to lay the mines at once, and an estimate should be framed of the time and appliances required for carrying out this service. It might further be stated who would be responsible for the duty.

5. Intelligence.-Under the special circumstances of Queensland, and in view of the possibility of the interruption of telegraphic communication with Europe, it appears to be most important to obtain early information of the presence of hostile vessels off the coast. For this purpose an organized system for obtaining intelligence should be laid down. Arrangements are required which will insure that a good look-out is maintained along the coast-line, and the rapid transmission of news to head-quarters. In this connection the exposed cable crossing South Passage is evidently of great importance, and it is for consideration whether measures could be devised for affording it protection.

6. Sanitary Service.--The posts of the medical officers should be laid down, and the necessary hospital arrangements fully considered.

The matters above referred to have now been fully dealt with at the principal stations of the Empire, and the Colonial Defence Committee trust that their suggestions may be carefully considered. While they strongly deprecate any measures which would tend to hamper the freedom of action without which military operations cannot be effectively conducted, they believe that the requirements of war should be foreseen as far as possible, and that each local scheme of defence should be so far completed that nothing would remain to be worked out at a time of emergency. The need of such a scheme appears to be specially apparent under the circumstances of Queensland, where, if any hostile action were attempted, it would probably be undertaken as a surprise and at the outset of war.

December 17, 1890.

(Signed)

G. S. CLARKE, Secretary,

Colonial Defence Committee.

Page 103

PRINTED At the гOREIGN OFFICE BY T. HARRISON,-*

-20/12/90.

Page 103