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principles of Section V of the Report of the Colonial Military Contributions Committee. The Colonial Defence Committee are not aware on what title the barracks and stores at St. Anne's are held, or whether they have been bought or built at the charge of Imperial funds. Should it be decided, however, that some payment must be made on the transfer of all or any of these buildings to the Colony for the purposes of the local force, the Committee strongly recom- mend, in the interests of the general defence of the West India Islands, and in consideration of the special circumstances of the case, that the terms of payment should be as favourable to the Colony of Barbados as possible.

3. The question of the moving of the guns from Fort Charles has already been considered by the War Office, which, in a letter to the Colonial Office of the 22nd October, 1890, stated that, "while the defects of Fort Charles are recognized, it appears to be quite capable of meeting such an attack as may reasonably be expected, viz., that of an unarmoured cruizer, and the transfer of the guns to a fresh site is not recommended." The letter proceeds: “As regards the main magazine, which is understood to be the one adjacent to St. Anne's Fort, as all the ammunition for the 64-pounders and 7-inch R.B.L. guns will be stored in Fort Charles, the main magazine will apparently be used only for small-arm ammunition and ammunition for the movable armament, which would be issued, or could be removed on the outbreak of war. A new magazine, therefore, does not seem to be necessary." A copy of this letter was forwarded to the Governor on the 5th November, 1890. In this view the Colonial Defence Committee concur, and they point out that the moving of the guns would entail a loss of about 800 yards range, and that the estimate of 2,000l. for this service and for building a new magazine would be insufficient.

The Colonial Defence Committee trust that the creation of a local force on the lines laid down in the Report under consideration will be undertaken as soon as practicable, in order that on the withdrawal of the Imperial troops the Colony of Barbados may possess means of defence sufficient for its circum- stances.

(Signed)

June 10, 1891.

G. S. CLARKE, Secretary,

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Colonial Defence Committee.

PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY Y. HARRISON.—-

-11/6/91.

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