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The Colonial Defence Committec in their Remarks on these recommendations, dated the 31st October, 1893, stated:-

"It is satisfactory to note that no great expenditure is recommended on new works or heavy armament, and that the proposed programme is mainly confined to the completion of works under construction, and the provision of the necessary equipment and accessories for them and the submarine mine defences."

At the commencement of 1896, on a reference to the Committee by the War Office on the subject of the defence of Auckland, they further stated as follows:~~

"Looking to what has been done in the way of providing defences at the four principal ports of New Zealand, the Committee do not recommend any further expenditure on works of defence beyond what is necessary to keep those existing and their armaments.in a thoroughly efficient state.

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"In view, however, of the special importance of Auckland by reason of there being at that port the only dock accommodation available for Her Majesty's ships in New Zealand, they think that, in returning the above-quoted remarks (those of the Committee, dated 20/12/95, on Otago Harbour Defences) to the Colonial Office, the War Office might advantageously point out that in the Defence Scheme to be prepared by the Colony this special importance should be borne in mind in the allotment of troops and other defence resources.'

This recommendation was approved by the Secretary of State for War.

3. The sites of the existing defences of the four ports are as shown on the plans prepared in the Colony in 1894 and 1895. Their armaments, taken from the most recent information available, are given in the Appendix to these Remarks. All the B.L. guns are mounted on hydro-pneumatic disappearing carriages. The. arrangements for ascertaining and communicating ranges to them appear to be defective.

Submarine mine defences have been provided for Auckland and Wellington, but it would seem that there are no special submarine mining vessels at these ports. At Port Chalmers, where it was intended there should be a submarine mine defence, it is stated that there is not sufficient plant.

Electric light installations exist at all the ports, but are not in complete working order anywhere.

There is one 2nd-class torpedo-boat at each defended port, but they are of old pattern, and it is stated that "it is hardly safe to drop torpedoes from them in moderate weather owing to their tendency to capsize."

4. The Commandant's proposals as regards armament, works, submarine mines, electric lights, and torpedo-boats contained in the Report now before the Committee, may be summarized as follows:-

(1.) Wellington.

(a.) To provide 2-4.7-in. Q.F. guns, to be mounted at Somes Island, to command the channel between Ward Island and the mainland to the east as well as the main channel, to cover with fire the water to the east of Somes Island, and to support the existing works to the west of it.

(b.) To provide 2-12-pr. Q.F. guns in substitution of the 2-6 prs. at Fort Balance for mine-field defence.

(c.) To mount 1-8-in. B.L. gun, available from Dunedin, and the 2-6-pr. Q.F. guns from Fort Balance in a new work at Melrose Point, whence fire could be directed on a ship attempting to shell the Newtown end of the town from near Island Bay, and also a ship making for the Heads.

(d.) To provide a submarine mining-boat for the mine-field between Fort Balance and Ward Island.

(e.) To provide an engine, for which a building has already been constructed, to work the defence lights at Fort Balance.

(f.) To provide a new torpedo-boat for the port in substitution of the existing one, which would be useless in anything approaching a heavy sea.

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