CAB9-1_PT1 — Page 279

Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. January 8, 1895.

Page 279

CONFIDENTIAL.

101-R

JAMAICA.

JAMAICA.

No. 503.

Defence Scheme revised to January 1894.

23

Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.

1. THE form in which the Scheme has now been drawn up, and the general method on which the defence is to be conducted, may be regarded as satisfactory. Certain portions of the detail, however, require more ample treatment, and the text, in general, would be the better for careful editing, with a view to greater conciseness. For instance, para. 3, p. 3, or the portion of para. 7, p. 3, "As Port Royal, &c.,

is provided with works of defence," might be suppressed without in any way interfering with the clear- ness of the Scheme.

•

The Colonial Defence Committee have lately dealt with the Report of the Local Joint Naval and Military Committee, and have furnished their remarks on it direct to the War Office. They consider it unnecessary to refer again here to the different subjects treated of in that Report. When the joint decision of the Admiralty and War Office reaches the station the neces- sary amendments should be made in the Scheme.

2. Page 4, paras. 9, 10, and 11.-The question of the provision of the high-angle fire battery to command the water east of Plum Point, and the discussion of the best site for it, and for the P.F. cells and other accessories required in connection with it, are out of place in a Defence Scheme, which should be confined to the question how to make the best use of such means as are at the moment available. This matter has not been lost sight of by the War Office; but it is to be remembered that the provision of this particular battery is one of a number of somewhat similar requirements, the relative importance of which has to be carefully considered by Her Majesty's Government with regard to the funds at disposal. If the General Officer Com- manding desires to specially urge the importance of this service, it is open to him to make a representation to that effect in a separate communication through the ordinary channel. Meanwhile, if the Local Committee are of opinion that such a battery is of importance, they should set themselves to consider how this alleged gap in the defences can be best met by the means at disposal.

3. Page 5, para. 13.-The highly improbable case of an attack by the portage of boats across the Palisades has been considered by the Committee in their remarks on the Local Joint Naval and Military Committee's Report.

4. Page 5, para. 15.-Attack on any of the outports of the island would almost to a certainty be limited to attack on the port itself. Attack even of this nature is extremely improbable except as a feint, and would be sufficiently

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