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While, however, further expenditure on the matériel of local defence appears to be wholly unnecessary for some years, and no hostile expedition of the magnitude apparently contemplated appears practicable, in view of the reinforcement of the Australasian squadron, the cost of which is being shared by the Colonies, it is most desirable that the outstanding question of the defence of Thursday Island and King George's Sound should be settled.

The action of fast cruizers or armed mercantile steamers against trade afloat constitutes a far more real danger than attack upon defended ports, no vessel capable of undertaking which has ever visited Australasian waters. The protection which it is proposed to provide to the two coaling stations above named will definitely aid in the protection of trade where it is most vulnerable to attack.

Finally, the Colonial Defence Committee desire to point out that the rôle which the Australian Colonies will probably play in the event of war is not likely to be limited to the passive defence of ports little liable to attack. Those Colonies will doubtless wish that solid guarantees for future security should be taken, and for this purpose the organization of the land forces in such a way as to render effective combined action posssible in adjacent territories assumes far greater importance than additions to defences already adequate to all possible requirement.

November 19, 1889.

(Signed)

G. S. CLARKE, Secretary,

Colonial Defence Committee.

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PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY T. BARRISON,— -21/11/89.

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