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Chapter VI.-Rules for Examination Anchorages, &c.

26. Page 55, paragraph 1.-This paragraph which is referred to in the Commandant's Minute, printed as Appendix (C) to these Remarks, meets the recommendations contained in Report XIX of the Joint Naval and Military Committee on Defence with regard to putting in force the Traffic Regulations.

27. Pages 55 to 57.-The Remarks (No. 142 R) of the Colonial Defence Committee, dated the 31st May, 1896, on the "Further Report of the Local Joint Naval and Military Committee of January 1896, will by this time have been received in New South Wales, with "Report XXIV of the Joint Naval and Military Committee on Defence." As these Remarks deal with the Traffic Regulations as they stand in the Defence Scheme under consideration, it is unnecessary for the Colonial Defence Committee to do more than call attention to them and to point out that they involve considerable alterations in, and simplification of the present Regulations and examination arrange- ments.

M. NATHAN, Secretary,

Colonial Defence Committee.

(Signed)

April 29, 1897.

Approved by the S.S.W. in

APPENDIX (A).

266

Austral cor.

6.

19.5.97

Minute by the Major-General Commanding the Military Forces of New South Wales on the Remarks of the Colonial Defence Committee, London, dated February 28, 1895.

Head-quarter Staff Office, Sydney, July 26, 1895.

THE approval of the Colonial Defence Committee for the "Scheme of Defence of New South Wales has been communicated to the members of the Local Defence Committee and to the officers of the General Staff.

2. The Chapters in the Defence Scheme which were shown to be incomplete in the first edition of the Scheme are now in hand, and will be completed shortly. They will be embodied in the revised edition of the Scheme of Defence to be submitted to the Colonial Defence Committee, London, in September next, in accordance with their directions on the subject.

3. The Remarks of the Colonial Defence Committee have been conveyed to the Local Defence Committee at their last meeting. The system of "full" or "partial” mobilization, indicated in clause 8, then formed the subject of special consideration.

The strain upon the Colony of a "continuous mobilization," as indicated in the clause above named. has been well considered, and, in the event of the military forces of the Colony being mobilized in the case of national emergency, war, or imminent prospect of war, I should propose to gradually mobilize the forces of the Colony in the following order :---

(a.) To call out the troops allotted to fortress defence, viz., Port Jackson, Botany, Wollongong-Bulli, Reserve of Sydney, and Newcastle, upon peace footing. The Reserve belonging to each unit to be warned at the same time for immediate service when called upon.

Four companies of the 4th Regiment, included in the "Reserve of Sydney," will not be included.

(b.) To call out and mobilize the troops allotted to the "movable column” and the "Reserve of Sydney" complete on peace footing.

The Reserves belonging to each unit to be warned at the same time for immediate service when called upon.

(c.) The Reserves to be mobilized, and to join the head-quarters of their respec- tive units as required with their arms, where they will be clothed and completely equipped.

The Reserves will first be concentrated at the head-quarters of the unit in each district, and will then join their various units when ordered.

(d.) In the event of a condition of war, but with no immediate probability of actual hostilities, it will be possible to delegate to the Commandants of districts power to dispense with the continuous service of a portion of their fortress troops, and they will be empowered to make local arrangements to provide that a proportion-not less than one-third-shall be continuously on service, the remainder-not less than two- thirds-being available for immediate service at three hours' notice or thereabouts, given by a gun or other signal.

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