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These figures show a falling-off of 42 per cent. in total establishment, and 45 per cent. in total strength, in about four and a-half years, and a reduction of 66 men in establishment and 275 men in strength in the last four months.

At this rate the defence forces in Queensland will soon cease to exist. The total number of troops for which arrangement has been made on complete mobilization, taken from the Table on p. 17 of the present revision, is 2,661 against 2,927 which appeared in the corresponding Table of the March 1894 Scheme. This number includes 439 police out of about 500 said to be available on p. 6, and against 323 police told off to military duties in the last revision. The balance of 2,222 soldiers have to be supplied from the defence force and volunteers, of which the total present strength is 2,272. Table (F) on p. 17 shows the troops distributed between the three defended places in the Colony. It includes 1,038 men as mobile field-forces at Townsville and Brisbane. According to the second paragraph on p. 3 of the present Scheme, it is intended that these forces should, under certain circumstances, join hands for such purposes as may be required with forces of other Colonies. If this were done, there would remain at most 2,661 – 1,038 = 1,623 troops for local defence in the Colony.

The reduction in numbers of the troops told off to the three defended places, the increased proportion of police to be used as soldiers, the small margin of the present strength of the troops over the reduced numbers laid down as necessary for mobilization, and the non-existence of any considerable reserve force, all justify the opinions expressed by the Governor and in the Scheme as to the insufficiency of the land forces for the effective defence of the Colony.

2. Temporary reductions of establishments would be of less grave importance if facilities existed for bringing all corps on mobilization up to their war strength with men who had been well trained, and who had not been allowed to lose the benefit of such training. In the Report of the Com- mandant on the Queensland Military Forces for the year 1894–95, he drew attention to the fact that there was in reality no reserve of men, although thousands had passed through the ranks of the defence force and volunteers, and that a small annual payment would probably suffice to keep eligible men in touch with the active force, and insure their return to the colours in case of emergency. The Colonial Defence Committee, in paragraph 2 of their remarks, dated the 21st November, 1894, on the revision of the Defence Scheme to March of that year, stated with regard to this :-" Apparently no record or registry of these men (i.e., men who annually leave the defence and volunteer forces) is kept, and unless this is done, and a hold obtained over them by means of a retaining fee, carrying the obligation of certain periodical drills, the Colonial Defence Committee cannot concur in regarding them as a real reserve which could be relied on to appear when wanted, or which would be fit to take their place in the ranks on emergency.

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Some action appears to have now been taken in this matter, as the Governor, in his letter, states that, in his opinion, the recent sanction given for the enrolment of a small reserve of trained men for the Moreton Regiment is an excellent step, and one which he trusts may be considerably extended if the experiment now to be tried is successful.

The formation of a considerable reserve would doubtless be beyond the power of the Queensland Government at the present time owing to the financial depression which still exists in the Colony, but this is no reason why the necessary preliminary steps should not at once be taken in the matter. Such steps would be the preparation of careful Returns of all men passing through the defence force, the compulsory registration of their addresses and changes of address, and the organization of arrangements by which they can be promptly called to the colours in time of national

emergency.

3. The Colonial Defence Committee consider it most advisable that the following recommendations contained in the Governor's despatches should be acted upon as soon as funds become available, viz., that-

(a.) Paid Adjutants should be restored to the infantry regiments.

(b.) Each man should have kept in reserve such articles of equipment as may be held to be necessary for field service.

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