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Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. February 3, 1896.

SECRET.

No. 129 R.

QUEENSLAND.

C.O. No. 22159.

Report by Commandant on Garrison and Defences of Thursday Island, 1895.

Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.

THE 1895 Report of the Commandant is generally satisfactory, except as regards the health of the troops. The figures he has given showing the amount of sickness in the garrison lend additional force to the Remarks of the Colonial Defence Committee, dated 21st November, 1895, in which the imperative necessity of keeping up a sufficient establishment of permanent artillery in Queensland to enable a relief to be furnished to the garrison of Thursday Island was strongly urged.

2. The Report now under consideration suggests the provision of some additional armament.

The Colonial Defence Committee do not consider such provision urgent, and as the guns now available would require the full artillery garrison-five officers and ninety-five men-that have been told off to the defence of Thursday Island in the Queensland Defence Scheme, they deprecate more guns being mounted until the artillery force, that can absolutely be relied on for working them, is correspondingly increased.

3. The Committee note with satisfaction that some action has been taken with regard to the raising of a small local corps of militia artillery, and they hope that it will eventually prove possible to provide the artillery garrison entirely from this corps and from the permanent detachment without the necessity of reinforcing it in war time from the mainland.

4. The Committee concur in the recommendation of the Commandant to erect a small alternative Fire Commander's station on a knoll outside and north of Green Hill Battery.

January 31, 1896.

(Signed)

M. NATHAN, Secretary,

Colonial Defence Committee.

PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY T. HARRISON. 3/2/96.

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