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24. Page 42, Table (N).—The demands for supplies from England shown on this table should be limited to what is absolutely necessary to enable the fortress to hold out for four months without undue strain on the garrison and civil population. On this basis it would appear that the daily scale of rations might be considerably cut down. Half-a-tin of Erbswurst daily for each man of the garrison does not seem necessary. The scale for vegetables and potatoes is given as 8 ozs. and 1 lb. respectively, while the authorized field-ration per man is only lb. of fresh vegetables. The allowance of soap and tobacco should be reduced to 1 lb. of cach per month. As regards the civil population it is not clear why each man and woman should have 14 oz. coffee and pint of wine per diem, when the soldier only gets oz. of tea and oz. of coffee.

By reducing the scales of rations, and by utilizing neighbouring ports, as was apparently contemplated in the 1895 revision of the Scheme, the demands on England should be capable of very material reduction in the items of coffee, sugar, potatoes, soap, tobacco, and rice, while Erbswurst might be struck out altogether. The largely increased demands for magazine candles and essence of beef require explanation as well as the necessity for sending out 2,330 [P lb.] of disinfectants.

25. The Supply Scheme would be more complete if a table similar to that given in the 1895 Scheme, headed "Table (J), Extra Supply Tables A.A.Ğ. (B)," were furnished.

26. The Colonial Defence Committee recommend that the War Office should make inquiries of the Colony with regard to the above points con- nected with supply, and should deal with the question of stores from England on the lines indicated.

27. Tables V. to Z.-The Colonial Defence Committee do not consider the Ordnance Store Tables as embodied in this revision of the Scheme to be satisfactory. Many of the articles entered appear to them unnecessary, and they suggest that, as in the case of the Supply Tables, the War Office should communicate with the Colony on the subject with a view to revised tables on a more satisfactory basis being included in the next revision of the Defence Scheme.

Part IV-Instructions to Commanding Officers on Mobilization.

28. In the Orders to the three Section Commanders they are informed that if they should require assistance reinforcements of infantry will be sent to them from the Central Reserve, but in the Orders to the Officer Com- manding the Reserve he is specially charged with the duty of acting as a reserve for the two Land Sections, and no reference is made to assistance that may be required in the Central Section. This discrepancy should be removed in the next revision of the Scheme.

29. Page 69 (C), paragraph 7.—The position of the boom should be stated.

Part V.-Civil Administration.

30. The Regulations for the control of the harbours, and for the entry of vessels into them, as proposed by the Local Joint Naval and Military Com- mittee, in their Report of December 1893, modified in accordance with the Remarks of the Colonial Defence Committee, dated April 20, 1894, should be embodied in this part of the Defence Scheme.

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