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35. Page 10 (III), paragraph 2.-The strength and composition of the Flying Column should be detailed in these Orders. The local authorities should comesandante Mree with 4p mellideg fee niv

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36. Page 40 (III), paragraph 3.-This Order should specify the direction from which the enemy is advancing when the line mentioned is to be taken up. It is presumed that Solomon's Pen here mentioned is the same place that is called Batten's Pen in the last paragraph on page 14.

37. Page 40 (III), paragraph 4.-The meaning of this Order is not clear. It would seem to infer that barracks exist at every point where the troops may have to take up a line of defence.

38. Page 40 (III), paragraph 5.-The amount of S.A. ammunition to be issued should be stated.

39. Page 10 (III), paragraph 6.—It is not clear why only the wounded from Stony Hill should be transferred to the Base Hospital.

CHAPTER V.

40. Page 43. -These Orders are useless to the Commanders of units unless they are supplied with copies of the Defence Scheme, which would not be the case.

41. Page 43 (II) and (IV).—There is no reference in the Scheme as to the steps which would be taken to call out the Militia, nor to the time that would probably elapse before they could be assembled.

CHAPTER VI.

42. Page 47 (1), paragraph 2.—The Harbour Traffic Regulations should make it clear that the responsibility of identifying every arrival from seaward rests, in the first instance, on the examination vessel, who should direct the stranger to bring to. Should the incoming vessel, from ignorance or treachery, attempt to evade the examination vessel, the latter should signal to the batteries, and they, irrespective of the position the ships 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 the harbour, may be presumed to be hostile, and must be brought to by the batteries, and as soon as she reaches the examination line she must be treated as an enemy.

A suitable gun in the battery from which the examination line proceeds, i.e., Rocky Point Battery, must be constantly in readiness both by day and night, to take action against a vessel attempting to enter the harbour, by fraud, and to give alarm to the remaining defences.

It should, of course, be clearly understood that armed vessels, recognized as hostile, should be fired at as soon as they come within effective range, whatever be their position.

It is presumed that the possibility of light draught vessels attempting to enter the port by the South Channel has been considered by the Senior Naval Officer.

The reference to the erection of a boat-slip and shelter for boat's crew at the end of paragraph 2 is reproduced from the previous Defence Scheme and the Report of the Local Joint Naval and Military Committee of July 1895. It is inferred that this is only to be carried out on mobilization. The Colonial Defence Committee consider that it would be better that this work should be done now, or, if this is not possible, that definite arrangements should be made for doing it on mobilization.

43. Page 47 (I), paragraph 4.—The fact stated in this paragraph does not con- stitute a Harbour Traffic Regulation.

44. Pages 47 and 48 (II), paragraphs 1 (1) and 1 (2).-The use of such indefinite terms as

"shortest notice" and "a certain notice "should be avoided if possible.

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