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permit, the Commandant's recommendation to purchase a new submarine mining boat should be acted upon. The fact that at present no practice in laying out mines can take place seriously militates against the usefulness of the Submarine Mining Section.

5. The Commandant advises that the Field Artillery be increased with a view to re-establishing a second field battery, and that modern type field-guns should replace those of the older pattern. The Colonial Defence Committee dealt fully with the question of Field Artillery personnel for Queensland in their Memorandum No. 65 M, dated the 12th June, 1896. They adhere to the opinion therein expressed, that the Field Artillery of Queensland should consist of one battery of four 15-pr. B.L. 7-cwt. guns, with peace establishment of 100, and war establishment of 125 of all ranks.

6. The other improvements in the military forces recommended by the Commandant are desirable, as far as the Colonial Defence Committec are in a position to judge, but except with regard to keeping buildings in repair, they appear to be of less pressing urgency than those detailed above. Of the recommendations not involving expenditure, the Committee strongly concur in the proposal to use the terms "Regulars," "Militia," and "Volunteers" for the "Permanent," "Partially-paid," and "Unpaid" troops of the Colony; they hope that the use of the former terms, which correspond to those of the Imperial army, will soon become general throughout Australia. The Committee also concur in the proposal that the mounted infantry in the Southern District should be organized as a regiment.

7. While the inefficient state of much of the matériel and the insufficient strength of personnel still cause the defence of the Colony to be in a far from satisfactory state, the Committee note, as a most hopeful sign, the excellent results obtained at the camps of exercise held this year for the first time since 1890 in the three military districts. The fact that with an establishment of 2,825 of all ranks and actual strength of 2,547 (according to latest Returns) there was an average daily attendance of 2,027, and that during the eight days that the greater part of the men were in camp "there was evidently a desire on the part of all ranks to take every advantage of the opportunities afforded them of making their military training a reality," shows that the troops are imbued with a thoroughly patriotic and soldierly spirit, and that practically the whole of the small existing force can be relied upon in the hour of need.

8. The Committee note also that the training carried out at the camps appears to have been based on the Defence Scheme, and to have been well devised to give the maximum benefit to the troops during their combined training. The whole of the Report now under consideration, as well as the Defence Scheme considered by the Committee in February of this year, show a constant effort on the part of the Commandant to so organize and train the forces of the Colony that they may be utilized to the fullest advantage in its defence.

9. The Committee have seen with much satisfaction from the financial statement of the Treasurer of Queensland, made on the 29th July, 1896, that a general improvement in the finances of the Colony is to be taken advantage of during the current year by the expenditure of an additional 10,0007. on defences. They therefore look forward to seeing in next year's Commandant's Report considerable improvements in the directions indicated in these Remarks.

(Signed)

November 6, 1896.

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M. NATHAN, Secretary,

Colonial Defence Committee.

PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY J. W. HARRISON.-7/11/96.

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[This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty's Government.] Page 419 of 425

Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. December 1896.