CAB9-1_PT1 — Page 239

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

CONFIDENTIAL.

HALIFAX.

NOVA SCOTIA.

5140.

Scheme of Defence revised to January 1894.

Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.

1. THE main defect in this Scheme as it now stands is that sufficient distinction has not yet been made between the preparations required to place the fortress in a condition to meet a sudden raid by a naval force and the additional preparations which might be required should a serious land attack be imminent. The necessity for this distinction was pointed out in para- graph 2 of the remarks of the Colonial Defence Committee on the previous Scheme, and it should be clearly drawn at the next annual revision. As previously explained, the measures necessary in the former and more probable case would have to be set on foot from the first outset of a war, and are independent of those required in the latter, which would only be necessitated by certain conditions. It is of importance that the former should be laid. down separately, so as to avoid the waste and possible alarm which would result from undertaking the larger measures unnecessarily. Perhaps the clearest arrangement would be to divide all the Chapters, except the Strategical Considerations and Civil Administration, into two corresponding distinct portions. This is the main point to which the Committee invite attention at the next revision.

2. Section (D), Modes of meeting various Attacks (p. 18), makes no mention of the measures to be taken to meet a naval attack. A distinction having been first clearly drawn between the preparations against attack by sea and a regular siege, as explained in the preceding paragraph, the actual measures to be adopted on the occasion of a naval attack should also be briefly explained.

3. The Committee fully concur in the change of the head-quarters of No. II, Harbour Defences, Section from Fort Ogilvie. York Redoubt appears to be the most suitable place for them for the reasons alluded to in their remarks on the Local Joint Naval and Military Report.

4. The action to be taken by the A.A.G.'s (B.) branch requires further elaboration. The amount of transport provided (p. 36) appears to be in. excess of requirements. For example, there can be no real necessity for leaving 140 horses at the disposal of the C.R.A., as it is improbable that the whole of the movable armament will be moved at once to its positions.

References are made in the Scheme to the officers in charge of transport and of supplies, but it is not apparent which officers are to undertake these duties. This point, however, will be made clear when the recommendations of paragraph 4 of Memorandum No. 46 of the Colonial Defence Committee with regard to the Head-quarter Staff have been complied with.

5. Forage for 790 horses has been provided in the depôts (p. 44), but according to Table (B), p. 36, only 378 horses are required.

6. Page 49, paragraph 4. It seems most undesirable that officers of the Halifax Garrison Artillery Militia should have assigned to them the posts of

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