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Covering Despatch of Governor.

IN paragraphs 2 to 4 of his covering despatch the Governor alludes to the present strength of the Imperial garrison, and to a suggested increase in the Colonial artillery. He also draws attention to the unsatisfactory feature of the Scheme, which involves the partial denuding of the Cape Peninsula of its Imperial troops on outbreak of war.

The Colonial Defence Committee have recently made detailed recom- mendations to Her Majesty's Government, in accordance with which, should the proposals be approved, the whole Imperial garrison. for the Cape Peninsula will be permanently stationed there. The Committee have also been informed that the Government of the Cape Colony have now under their consideration an increase in the Colonial forces available to take part in the defence of the Peninsula.

2. Paragraph 5.-The Committee understand that the War Office have now under consideration the improvement of electrical communication to the various tactical points which come into the Scheme of Defence. They attach great importance to the substitution, wherever possible, of telephone lines for a signalling system, as by this means a surer means of communication will be obtained with a reduction of personnel. The Report of the G.O.C., South Africa, on the defence operations in the Cape Peninsula, October 1895, drew attention to the uncertainty of visual signalling there, on account of the mists which frequently envelop the slopes of Table Mountain.

3. Paragraph 6.-The Governor states that a solution of the question of command as between officers of Imperial and Colonial forces is still awaited. The Regulations on the subject are contained in paragraph 1 (d), Section II, Q.R., 1895. They provide for field officers of the Imperial forces having command over all field officers of the local forces if so ordered by the Governor, and otherwise for all Imperial officers having precedence over Colonial officers of equal rank. They do not, however, specially provide for a case, that might well arise, of a Colonial Major, who had not specially qualified himself for the post,

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