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22. Page 24 (d).-It should be stated in the Scheme that before submarine mines are laid, competent naval approval, if available, will be obtained.
The various steps necessary for laying out the mines, and the time the operation. will take, as ascertained by peace practices, should be entered in the Scheme.
It is not stated who will be responsible for carrying out the field works referred to on pages 7 and 17. It can hardly be the Engineer Staff Officer, who may at the time when the works are required be employed in laying out the mine defence. The works to be thrown up when hostilities are imminent or declared should be limited to i what is absolutely necessary, but definite arrangements should be made for their construction, and a Table showing working parties, tools, materials, and time required should be embodied in the Scheme.
A similar remark applies to any additional electrical communications which may have to be provided on mobilization.
Chapter VI.--Harbour Traffic Regulations and Miscellanea.
23. Pages 27 and 28.-The Harbour Traffic Regulations require further careful consideration in connection with paragraphs 29 and 30 of the Committee's No. 163 R, and the action of the Civil Government with regard to police, fire brigades, &c., remains to be entered in this part of the Scheme.
(Signed)
M. NATHAN, Secretary,
de...
April 4, 1898.
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Colonial Defence Committee.
PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY J. W. HARRISON.—6/4/98.
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Page 80nment is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty's Governsh&P4 of 29
Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. June 4, 1898.
Pac
SECRET.
No. 187 R.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
C.O. No. 7805.
Report by the Military Commandant for the Year 1896-97.
Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.
THE Commandant at the commencement of his Report explains (paragraphs 1 to 5) the effect of "The Defences Act, 1895," and the advantages which experience has shown to result from the new conditions of service which it introduced. These benefits are no doubt considerable, but it remains to be seen, from the action that will now be taken, how far the new Act will carry out its original intention, and provide for the Colony of South Australia the effectives necessary to carry out its Scheme of Defence. In their Remarks No. 158 R, dated the 1st April, 1897, the Colonial Defence Com- mittee considered that, "roughly, a force of 3,500 men is sufficient for South Australia under existing conditions, and those likely to obtain in the near future; that of this number not less than 2,000 men should belong to the Regular Force and to the Active Militia, the remaining 1,500 constituting a reserve of men who have received training and can be relied upon to join the corps to which they have been told off immediately on mobilization.'
99
The Commandant has gone slightly beyond this recommendation in the war establishment of 3,596 officers and men, shown in Table (B), paragraph 6, of his Report.
In the more recent Table forwarded with the Returns of Resources of the Colony on the 31st December, 1897, the total number of all ranks on war footing is given as 3,808. This difference does not appear to arise from any intended alteration in the war establishment, but from a discrepancy between the two Tables which needs explana- tion. Whereas that which accompanies the Report of the 30th June, 1897, shows 3,596 officers and men, including 25 garrison artillery permanently employed, but excluding permanent staff, the Table with the Returns of Resources on the 31st December, 1897, shows 3,596 non-commissioned officers and men, exclusive of 181 officers, 25 garrison artillery, and 6 N.C.Os. and men of the permanent staff.
There are similar discrepancies between the two Tables with regard to present and future peace establishments.
Assuming, however, the figures in the Commandant's Report for the year ended the 30th June, 1897, to be correct, it appears that on that date 1,208 of all ranks were enrolled. Of this number, according to last year's Report, some 569 men were originally enrolled in the Reserve, while 598 then joined the Active force. Their two years' period of service under the Act in that force will terminate within the next twelve months, and they will automatically pass into the Reserve. If as they so pass fresh men are taken into the Active force, and the numbers of men in the Active force and Reserve are increased and regulated until the two together make up the necessary
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