7

A.—4

Relationship between the Chief of the Imperial General Staff and the Chiefs of Local Sections, and the Best Method of keeping Touch between them. So far as is practicable at this stage of the development of the Imperial General Staff, efforts have been made to apply the principles recommended in the memorandum of the 7th December, 1908. There are difficulties, however, in establishing that close connection which, without interfering with complete local control, will still enable the central section to indicate what are the correct general principles in purely military matters and assist local sections in obtaining such advice as they may need. In fact, the necessity for some personal intercourse between central and local sections has been felt. With a view to meeting this requirement the Chief of the Imperial General Staff is now in touch with the chiefs of local sections by means of a direct system of semi-official correspondence on subjects, such as routine and training, on which direct correspondence has been approved by the Governments concerned. But it would appear that the further development which is so essential must be largely dependent upon the formation at Headquarters of a Dominion section on the lines suggested in the memorandum of the 31st August, 1910, on the subject of loans, attachments, and interchanges. Appendix (A)* shows the extent to which the principle of loans, attachments, and interchanges of officers has been carried out in recent years. Appendix (B) shows the officers belonging to the self-governing Dominions who have undergone a course at the Staff College. From these appendices it will be seen that progress is being made towards providing for future requirements of the central and local sections of the Imperial General Staff. (Conclusion.) The Committee accept this statement, and desire to express their satisfaction at the progress that has been made. (C.) —Examinations for the Promotion of Officers of the Permanent Forces of the Dominions. The following memorandum by the General Staff was laid before the Committee : — A short history of how the overseas Dominions have gradually adopted, for officers of their Permanent Military Forces, the same examinations for promotion as those laid down for officers of the British Regular Army, is set forth hereunder. In order to show the progress that has been made in those examinations since their adoption, a table of results is attached, Appendix (C). For the purpose of comparison, this table also includes the results of the examination of officers of the British Regular Army. Canada. 2. On the 10th September, 1903, a despatch was received from the GovernorGeneral of the Dominion of Canada on the subject of the examination of officers of the Permanent Forces for promotion. In it Lord Dundonald expressed a desire that officers of the Permanent Forces of Canada should undergo the same examinations for promotion, and at the same time,, as those laid down for officers of the British Regular Army. This request was agreed to, and papers were forwarded on the 14th October, 1903. At this time the examinations of lieutenants and captains were almost entirely theoretical. 1904. The syllabuses for the examination of officers of the British Regular Army, which had undergone revision and assumed their present lines, came into operation. Canada adopted this revise.

* Interchanges between the forces of the self-governing Dominions, of which the War Office has no cognizance, are not included in this Appendix.