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8. Page 46. Signals and Telegraphy.—It is stated under this heading that "no additional works are to be executed in connection with the system of communication." The Committee note, however, that in the plan of the Military Circuits forwarded with G.O.C.'s letter A/695 of the 14th March, 1896 (received too late to be embodied in the Revised Defence Scheme), a field telegraph is shown running along the south coast from Whale Bay Battery to Knapton Hill, with telephone stations at Whale Bay Battery, Church Bay, Great Turtle Bay, Crow Lane, Hungry Bay, Devonshire Bay, and Knapton Hill. The Committee look on an adequate system of electrical communications as an important element of the defence, especially in view of the Report contained in G.O.C.'s letter A/645 of the 9th January, 1896, which disclosed somewhat unsatisfactory results obtained from visual signalling at the manœuvres carried out on the 28th December, 1895. They consider that however necessary and satisfactory such signalling may be in extensive field operations over large areas of mountainous country, it should seldom be necessary within a fortress, where permanent communications may be elaborated at leisure.
9. Page 46. Action to be taken by the P.M.O. on Mobilization.—In paragraph 7 of the G.O.C.'s covering letter (p. 3) he states that "the action to be taken by the Principal Medical Officer has been rewritten, corrected, and added to.” The only alteration of importance that can be traced in this part of the Scheme are references to Tables showing the camp equipment available and required for field hospitals and dressing stations. These Tables do not, however, accompany the Scheme.
10. Page 50. Action to be taken by the S.O.S.O. on Mobilization.—It should be stated in each case of M.-H. ammunition to be issued whether it is required for rifles or carbines. It should also be stated with regard to issue of R.E. tools, &c., whether they are held in reserve by the Ordnance Store Department, or are to be purchased locally by that Department on the emergency arising.
11. Page 77. Rules for the Regulation of Maritime Traffic.-In the final paragraph of G.O.C.'s covering letter (p. 4) he alludes to the Report of the Local Joint Naval and Military Committee of April 1895. This Report was dealt with by the Colonial Defence Committee in their Remarks of the 9th July, 1895, since concurred in by the Joint Naval and Military Committee on Defence, and approved by the Secretary of State for War and the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. The submarine mining portion of the Scheme and the Regulations for maritime traffic should now be amended in accordance with the above-mentioned Remarks and those of the Colonial Defence Committee, dated the 7th May, 1894. An alteration should also be made at the end of paragraph 8 of the Regulations, so as to make it clear that a vessel is told off from the outset of hostilities for the purpose of examining ships desirous of entering the ports.
May 16, 1896.
(Signed)
M. NATHAN, Secretary,
Colonial Defence Committee.
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PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFIOR BY T. HARRISON.-19/5/96.
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