CAB9-1_PT1 — Page 238

Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. July 4, 1894.

CONFIDENTIAL.

88-R

Page 238

NOVA SCOTIA.

5140.

[For consideration by the Secretaries of State for War and the Colonies and Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.]

HALIFAX.

Scheme of Defence revised to January 1894.

Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.

IN connection with the present Defence Scheme of Halifax the Colonial Defence Committee desire to direct attention to a point which they regard as of serious importance.

On the mobilization of the defences, two corps of the Dominion Militia Artillery, amounting in all to 600 men, are brigaded with the Royal Artillery of the regular garrison to aid in manning the harbour forts.

The General Officer Commanding, Halifax, is in no wise responsible for the training of these corps in peace-time, yet, when brigaded in war-time with the regular troops, the officers of these Militia corps will, it is presumed, according to the custom of the Service in such cases, take rank with the officers of the Royal Artillery merely as juniors of their rank. It may thus happen that some of these Militia officers, by virtue of their rank, the rights of which they cannot be asked to waive, may have to be assigned duties for which they have had no proper training, over the heads of properly qualified Royal Artillery officers of a junior rank.

For instance, at p. 49, paragraph 4, under the head of "Action to be taken by the Officer Commanding Royal Artillery," it is laid down that "the Officer Commanding Halifax Garrison Artillery should forward to the Officer Commanding Royal Artillery a nominal roll, with dates of commissions of senior officers mobilized, so that the Fire Commanders may be selected." Thus the possibility has to be faced of the all-important posts of Fire Commander or Battery Commander being held by Militia officers whose proper training for the duties the General Officer Commanding has no means of insuring. It is needless to point out how the efficiency of the gun defence may suffer.

The Colonial Defence Committee are therefore of opinion that if the Halifax Garrison Artillery Militia is to take its place in line with the regular troops, some arrangement should be adopted to insure that it shall be trained up to the duties that may devolve on it in war. The subject of the affiliation of the Halifax Militia with the Imperial garrison of Halifax was mooted some years ago, but no settlement of the question was then arrived at. The Committee recommend that the subject should be reopened, and that if the Dominion Government object to allow any Imperial control over the Militia, they should be invited to accept some arrangement by which the officers of the Halifax Garrison Artillery Militia shall either attend regular courses of instruction at Halifax, or, failing that, forego all claim by virtue of their rank to the more important posts connected with fighting the batteries.

W. PEACOCKE, Secretary,

Colonial Defence Committee.

(Signed)

June 30, 1894.

PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY T. HARRISON.---

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