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Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. December 20, 1894.

CONFIDENTIAL.

99-R

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

No. 18391.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Report by the Military Commandant for the Year 1893-94.

Remarks by Colonial Defence Committee.

OWING to this Report having been submitted, as explained by the Commandant, at an unusually early date in the year, it has almost overtaken the Report of 1892-93, which reached the Committee rather later in the year than usual. As little change appears to have taken place in the interval, the Colonial Defence Committee think it unnecessary to add to their remarks of the 28th August last on the previous Report.

They note with satisfaction that, in spite of many adverse circumstances, good work in general has been done throughout the period under report, and that measures are being taken to increase the supply of small-arms ammu- nition. They regard the appointment of the new Local Defence Committee, which is announced in the Report, as an important step in the right direction, and they look forward with interest to receiving in due time the outcome of its deliberations.

The proposals for replacing with more effective weapons the obsolete guns of the Field Artillery, and for providing a proportion of quick-firing and machine guns are fully concurred in, and it is recommended that those requirements should be regarded as the first to be met by the funds which will become available from the sale of the two 9.2-inch B.L. guns, which it is hoped may be successfully negotiated.

With regard to the remark under the heading "Ordnance" at p. 6, it seems a questionable policy to carry out the whole of the practice with obsolete guns.

It is suggested that the lines laid down for the Imperial Artillery in regard to annual practice should be more closely followed, and that a certain number of the rounds available should be fired with the guns of the regular armament as is the custom in combined regimental and station practice in the Imperial Service. The number of rounds need not be large to familiarize the detachments with the different natures of ordnance, mountings, and ammunition.

As regards the remarks at p. 9 on Australian Military Federation, there is reason to hope that the conference of Australian Commandants lately held at Sydney may have an important influence in promoting the accomplish- ment of this most desirable measure.

(Signed)

December 18, 1894.

W. PEACOCKE, Secretary,

Colonial Defence Committee.

PRINTED AT The foreign offiCE BY T. HARRISON.—20/12/94.

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