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4. The Local Committee in their present proposals do not include a fixed beam from Queenscliff directed towards Pope's Eye.

The Colonial Defence Committee consider such a beam necessary to ensure warning being given of hostile vessels about to enter the mine-field.

5. Since the date of the last recommendations of the Colonial Defence Committee, an extensive series of trials with divergent beams has been carried out in England, with the result that it is now considered that dispersed beams with 16 degrees or even 10 degrees divergency are often of greater value than concentrated beams in detecting the passage of a vessel.

The Committee, therefore, recommend the trial of such beams at Nepean towards Lonsdale Light, and at Queenscliff towards Pope's Eye.

6. The recommendations of the Local Committee are otherwise concurred in and should, subject to the above modifications, now be embodied in the Defence Scheme.

(Signed)

March 7, 1896.

M. NATHAN, Secretary,

Colonial Defence Committee.

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PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY T. HARRISON.-—

-10/3/96.

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