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dated 29th March, 1898. If these views are accepted these two Proclamations will disappear from the Scheme and the arrangements made to enable officers to take action by the authority of the Governor under the Order in Council of the 26th October, 1896, should be given in their place.

34. Page 79, paragraph 11 (b).—It is suggested that a reference to section 6, (2), (a) of the Army Act should be added to this sub-paragraph.

35. Page 79, paragraphs 11 (d) and (e).—In regard to offences under sections 7 (4) and 14 (2) of the Army Act, it is the duty of a soldier coming to the knowledge of any actual or intended mutiny or sedition, or being cognizant of any desertion or intended desertion to report the fact to his commanding officer." Civilians should be informed by Proclamation or otherwise as to whom they should make this report.

**

36. Page 79, paragraph 11 (e).—Section 12 (a) of the Army Act which deals with the offence of deserting or attempting to desert Her Majesty's service would seem to have no application to civilians and has apparently been referred to in this sub-paragraph

in error.

37. Page 80, paragraph 17.—The Committee desire to call the attention of the Colonial Office to the statement that as vacancies occur in the establishment of police officers "the Council of Government and the local press urge the appointment as officers of native-born men who are of French African or French descent.” The Committee consider it of great importance that these appointments should only be given to persons whose loyalty to England, in the event of war with France, could not be doubted.

38. Page 81, first line. It is presumably intended that the train here referred to should be at Port Louis Station, but this should be stated.

39. Pages 81 and 82, paragraph 21.-With regard to the time at which the Harbour Traffic Regulations should be brought into force, see paragraph 22 of these Remarks. The Regulations given in the present revision of the Defence Scheme are generally a repetition of those in the January 1895 revision, except that certain restrictions as to examination and quarantine have been removed in the case of British men-of-war entering the port. The restriction as to British men-of-war anchoring in any particular part of the harbour should also be removed; they would be under the orders of the Senior Naval Officer present, and not of the Harbour Master.

The Traffic Regulations, as embodied in the 1895 revision, were considered by the Colonial Defence Committee in their Remarks dated the 9th August, 1895, to be satisfactory. They rightly put the responsibility of identifying every arrival from seaward, in the first instance, on the examination vessel, which should direct the stranger to bring to.

It is now thought that some further precautions are necessary. Should the incoming ship, from ignorance or treachery, attempt to evade the examination vessel, the latter should signal to the batteries, and they, irrespective of the position the ship may have arrived at, would bring her to, either by a signal in the shape of a shot across her bows, or, if this was ineffectual, by firing at her. In the event of no signal being received from the examination vessel, or, in her temporary absence, any ship proceeding at speed towards the inner waters of a harbour, may be presumed to be hostile, and must be brought to by the batteries, and as soon as she reaches a certain line-con- veniently termed the examination line-she must be treated as an enemy. The examination line should be drawn from a battery to prevent any mistake as to the position of the approaching ship, and so that the crossing of the line may be instantly followed by the fire necessary to stop or sink her.

The Local Defence Committee should now consider from which battery or batteries the proposed examination line or lines should proceed and the bearings of the line or lines. It would also seem advisable that the Scheme should embody further details with regard to the examination service such as the names of the vessels which will be employed on it and the manner in which their crews will be provided.

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