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Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. December 31, 1894.
CONFIDENTIAL.
100-R
TASMANIA.
TASMANIA.
No. 12397.
Report of Military Commandant, 1894.
Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.
THE Colonial Defence Committee have considered this Report in conjunction with certain observations lately made by the Naval Commander- in-chief on the station on the Defences of the Australasian ports. Speaking of Hobart, the Admiral comments on the possible risk to property and capital, and to the shipping which would frequent the port in time of war owing to the inadequacy of the existing Defence measures. He instances that at Hobart the artillery would about suffice to man a single battery.
The present and the established strengths, all ranks, of the Tasmanian Defence Forces, omitting general staff and bands, appear to be as follows:-
Hobart.
Launceston.
Totals.
Estab- lished Strength.
Actual Strength.
Estab- lished Strength.
Actual Strength,
Estab- lished Strength.
Actual Strength.
Permanent, Paid-
Artillery
Torpedo and Artificers
Militia, Unpaid-
Artillery
Torpedo Corps Rifle Regiments
Totals-
Defence Force proper
Auxiliaries-
::
:::
::
::
Rifle Companies at various places through the Island
11
3
***
11 3
::
11
11
3
3
222
75
299
120
23235
75
100
89
68
322
143
43
75
43
259
112
558
232
610
252
359
180
969
432
1,500
1,165
2,469
1,597
24
Thus the present strength is much under the authorized establishment, which, it is to be remembered, has been fixed as a minimum. Omitting the Rifle companies the Defence Force proper now numbers less than half the establishment, and the statement of the Naval Commander-in-chief with regard to the artillery appears to be amply justified: even with the whole of the Launceston Artillery, the numbers would be insufficient to man the Hobart forts.
A considerable expenditure was incurred by the Tasmanian Government prior to 1887 on works and guns at Hobart and in organizing a Defence Force for the protection of the Colony, but the interest in Defence measures has apparently slackened in late years. No attempt has been made to keep the armament at Hobart revised up to date, and the personnel, without which
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