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Imperial restrictions on the admission of foreign transports and Russian men-of-war into Colonial ports were withdrawn by the Colonial Office despatch of the 21st July, 1893.

3. Page 5, paragraph 1, 5th sub - paragraph.-Port Arthur (2,700 miles from Singapore) should now be substituted for Vladivostock as the nearest Russian

base.

4. Page 10 (C) (1).—It is suggested, for the consideration of the War Office, that it might be advisable to supplement the existing communications at Singapore by a road from near Mount Faber Redoubt, No. 1, in a south-westerly direction to the Passir Panjang road. The suggested communication would facilitate reinforcing the Alexandra Position from the Central Reserve. It is intended to construct it on mobilization (page 38), but it would be better if it could be made beforehand.

5. Page 17, 1st paragraph.-The reference here should in future be to Mr. Cham- berlain's Circular despatch of the 26th July, 1898, instead of to Lord Knutsford's of the 2nd July, 1891.

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6. Page 17, 5th paragraph from end. This paragraph, relating to the laying of the submarine mines, is not understood. If it is intended by it that the mines in the south channel of the eastern entrance are to be laid on mobilization without competent naval approval being obtained, then the action proposed is not in accordance with the principle laid down by the Joint Naval and Military Committee. In any event it would seem better not to deal with the laying of the mines and the putting of the Traffic Regulations into force under the heading of the first three days of mobiliza- tion, but to refer to these operations in a separate paragraph at the end of the

General Review of Measures to be taken."

7. Page 19, II, (1) Signalling.—In view of the statement contained in paragraph 12 of the covering letter of the Local Defence Committee (page 2), the Colonial Defence Committee do not propose to press for a further reduction in the number of signalling stations, though they observe that these are all at places in telephonic communication with each other. The map facing page 20 which shows twelve signalling stations requires correction to accord with the reduction that has already been made. It is observed that on this map no signalling station is shown at Scrub Hill, nor is a station there given in the list on page 19, though it is stated in the penultimate paragraph of page 13 that one will be established at Scrub Hill, which is not included in the telephone system.

8. Page 20 (2), Telephones.-If, as certainly should be the case, the Senior Naval Officer is in telephonic communication with the Fortress Commander, his office should be added to the list of those given in the Table under the above heading and the communication should be indicated on the map and diagram facing page 20.

9. Page 23, Table C (i) and page 28, Table C (v).—There are discrepencies between the establishments of European troops for whom transport and rations have to be provided as shown on these Tables, and the establishment, as shown on Table B (i), page 11.

The numbers in all cases should be those shown in the W.O. Table of the Approved Garrison, dated the 1st April, 1898. It is presumed that the Malays, Madrassis, and Chinese, for whom transport and rations are to be provided, are all native labourers engaged in connection with the Defence Scheme, with the exception of fifty of the Malays, who are the submarine mining auxiliarics shown on Table B (i).

10. Page 23, Table C (i).--The S.A.A. carts, referred to in paragraph 6, on page 73, should be shown under the heading of existing transport establishment in Table C (i). It is suggested that this Table might now be modified to meet the special local conditions and to show the number of bullock carts and separate pairs of bullocks that would be required and hired for the various services (1) during the preliminary stages of mobilization, and (2) for the whole period during which the station is mobilized.

11. Pages 35 to 55.-It is scarcely necessary that the detailed orders to all the

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