A.—7

Sess. 11.—1887. NEW ZEALAND.

DEFENCES OF THE COLONY (REPORT ON), BY MAJOR-GENERAL SCHAW, C.B., R.E.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency

No. 1. The Hon. Defence Ministeb to Major-General Schaw. Sib, — Defence Department, Wellington, sth November, 1887. I have the honour to state, for your information, that the Government of New Zealand are desirous of receiving from you a report respecting the numbers, description, and localisation of troops required to be maintained by the colony for defence against external aggression. The Government also desire to have a report from you as to the organization and administration of such forces. They further wish to obtain the benefit of your opinion as to what is necessary for completing the defences which have already been determined upon at the four principal ports, viz., Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin. In view of the present absolute necessity for retrenchment, the Government would like also to have a report as to the lowest absolute number of men that would be required to keep the forts in order. I have, &c, Major-General Schaw, C.8., E.E., Wellington. Thos. Fekgtjs.

No. 2. Major-General Schaw to the Hon. Defence Ministee. Sir,— Wellington, Bth November, 1887. In compliance with your wishes expressed in your communication of the sth instant, I have given my most earnest attention to the subjects referred to in that letter, and, as I understand that you wish to obtain my views generally as early as possible, I have the honour to enclose a memorandum giving in outline what appear to me the present needs of the colony in the matter of defence. Since I arrived in New Zealand in March last I have had opportunities of visiting most of the works of defence constructed or in progress at the principal harbours, and, with the aid of the plans and the very full information supplied to me by Major-General Sir George Whitmore and his staff, I have been able to form an opinion as to the number of troops now required, and as to a suitable organization for them. This opinion is embodied in the enclosed memorandum. The comparatively hasty inspections of the works of defence which I have hitherto made have not enabled me to state with absolute confidence what is necessary for completing them ; but, judging from what I have seen, and from the plans and estimates shown to me, I have reason to believe that, if the designs of the works remaining to be executed are slightly modified, it will not be found necessary to exceed these estimates. The modifications to which I allude will be explained in a separate report, dealing with the details of the works of defence. The permanent force I have recommended is absolutely needed for the due care and proper use of the guns and war material provided or ordered; but, until the whole of the material ordered has been supplied and the guns mounted, a portion of the permanent force may still be profitably employed in building the defence works —a corresponding saving being made in the cost of the works. A further saving in the Volunteer portion of the defence force may be effected temporarily by allowing capitation to only two-thirds of the numbers given in the annexed estimate. This will suffice for the ensuing year, and possibly the full numbers required may not at once be obtainable at the points where they are needed, more especially at Wellington, where I observe the Volunteers are not so numerous as at the three other ports. I cannot refrain from congratulating the colony on the good progress which has been made in providing the needful fortifications and war material, and on the opportunity which is now being