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Finally, the Colonial Defence Committee were of opinion that "a draft Proclamation to the civil population" should be prepared, as has been done at other Colonies, and that "the question of hospital arrangements should also be considered." The Local Committee state that "a Proclamation would be issued," but do not allude to the question of hospital arrangements.

Under these circumstances, the Colonial Defence Committee cannot regard the defence scheme of Mauritius as at present adequate or satisfactory. In accordance with the existing arrangement, a revision of this scheme will be made up to the 30th September, 1891, and they recommend that a copy of these remarks should be forwarded to the Governor of Mauritius, who should be requested to cause the Local Committee to consider them in conjunction with the Memorandum of the 1st November, 1886, and the remarks of the 15th April, 1888, and to draw up a complete scheme supplying the deficiencies pointed out.

The matters to which the Colonial Defence Committee desire to draw special attention are as follows:---

1. The scheme should deal effectively with all matters capable of being worked out in time of peace, in order that, on the outbreak of war, the neces- sary measures may be taken at once without confusion, loss of time, or the omissions which want of preparation entails.

2. For this reason, it is desirable to consider what are the most probable forms of attack, and what definite measures, as regards distribution and move- ments of troops and works of defence created or improved, may be taken to meet them.

3. Such considerations will necessarily serve to bring out the real require- ments of the Colony, and the adequacy or inadequacy of the available resources of the defence.

4. Garrisons having been told off to existing works, it will appear what remainder is available for purposes of land defence, and how such defence can be reinforced in the event of the coast batteries not being called into play.

5. The general scheme should include the arrangements proposed for land defence, and should show clearly how the work would be carried out, and the men, time, tools, and other matériel required to complete it.

6. Such questions as transport and supply, hospital arrangements, &c., should be dealt with in as much detail as is practicable. For example, the amount of transport required to meet definite contingencies should be esti- mated, and the arrangement under which it would be procured and controlled should be laid down.

7. It is not sufficient to state that a service will be carried out, but to show what the requirements are, from what sources the requirements would be met, and who would be responsible for the actual work.

8. Finally, as regards the proposed removal of the light-ship off Port Louis, the Colonial Defence Committee point out that this measure would be of little or no disadvantage to an enemy, but might be extremely injurious to British interests, and appears to conflict with the instructions issued by the Admiralty and communicated to the War Office.

Having above noticed some of the deficiencies of the existing scheme, and indicated the general requirements which such a scheme should fulfil to enable its advantages to be felt in the event of war, the Colonial Defence Committee have no doubt that the Local Committee in their approaching revision will be able to lay down arrangements as complete and satisfactory as those which have been made in other Colonies.

June 25, 1891.

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(Signed)

G. S. CLARKE, Secretary,

Colonial Defence Committee.

FRIFTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY T. HARRISON.— -26/6/91.

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