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been concluded with the Canadian Government as to the affiliation of this body with the garrison of Halifax. The former matter has been strongly commented upon by the Major-General Commanding the Canadian Militia, who states of the Snider rifle and carbine: "In the condition in which it exists in most of the regiments of the active Militia, it has no claim to be classed as an arm of precision. A large number are of the earliest mark of converted Enfield rifles. Their sights and rifling are completely worn out, and it is no exaggeration to say that in many cases a smooth-bore musket would be a more accurate weapon." The importance of an affiliation between the Halifax Militia and the Imperial garrison has been frequently urged by the Colonial Defence Committee. They suggest that the Colonial Office should be asked to press these two questions upon the Dominion Government.

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4. The estimate of the population given on p. 60 does not agree with that on p. 69. In the first case also it is pointed out that emigration and immigra- tion in the event of threatened hostilities would "about balance one another; while, in the second case, it is stated that "it would probably be safe to assume that fully half the civil population would leave the town." A certain forecast cannot be made, but it is desirable that these two portions of the scheme should not appear to conflict.

5. The Colonial Defence Committee consider that the important question of the regulation of harbour traffic might well receive fuller treatment. It appears desirable that the General Officer Commanding should be supplied with copies of Colonial Office Circular despatches of the 13th April, 1889, and 28th November, 1890, the latter of which contains the opinion of the Admiralty as to the importance of keeping British ports open as far as possible. The Colonial Defence Committee point out that the proposal (§ 5, p. 34) that incoming vessels should be made to lie-to off Portuguese Cove is not in accordance with the principles recently laid down by the Joint Naval and Military Committee, which has also decided that booms, where required, shall be made by the navy.

6. With regard to the remarks of the Commanding Royal Engineer on pp. 19 and 20, the Colonial Defence Committee desire to point out :-

(a.) That the road originally proposed, connecting the position near Kearney's Lake with that at Governor's Road, was pointed out by the General Officer Commanding as a "very formidable" work. On this account, and also because the position taken up appeared to be too extended for the means at disposal, the construction of the road was not recommended. The present proposal is of a different nature, and appears advantageous to the defence.

(b.) That the original intention to make a considerable work at Chain Lake West, which it was suggested should be of a permanent nature, appeared to go beyond the requirements of the case. All that seems necessary is to construct a strong field post in view of the somewhat improbable event of an attack from this quarter. The proposal to erect block-houses as a precaution against injury to the line of pipes has already been recommended by the Colonial Defence Committee in their remarks of the 14th July, 1890, in which it is stated: "If the line of pipes is protected as proposed" (i.e., by block-houses) "all necessary conditions as to the protection of the water supply will be met.

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The Colonial Defence Committee recommend that a copy of the printed scheme of defence, as revised to September 1891, and of their remarks, if approved, should be forwarded to the General Officer Commanding at Halifax.

(Signed) G. S. CLARKE, Secretary,

Colonial Defence Committee.

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June 30, 1892.

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PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY T. HARRISON,-1/7/92.

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