In Readiness for War.

Manawatu Herald, 12 April 1904, Page 2

In Readiness for War.

GREAT STOREHOUSES CONSTRUCTED. Mr Arnold-Porster, the Secretary for War, is busy carrying out the promises of his recent Liverpool speech. His present work is directed towards the provision of an absolutely complete outfit for two Army Corps. Every article that would be required by the Ist and 2nd Army Corps is to be stored and ready for immediate issue. The mobilisation stores of the Ist Army Corps,, formerly distributed in many parts of the country, will be collected at Aldershot, while those for the 2nd Army Corps will be kept ready for distribution at various points of concentration in the command. Not only is the equipment of the men to be ready, but adequate provision is to be made so that transports can be fitted out at a moment's notice. For this purpose great storehouses will be constructed at Deptford and Gosport at a cost of about £70,000. Here the winter blankets and the thousand and one other necessities for a hastily equipped troopship or transport will be stored. The Admiralty and War Office will jointly carry out this service. An interesting proposal for the storage of coal is now being considered by the authorities —namely, to store it under the sea at convenient points. Experts assert that no deterioration is likely / to take place in the quality of the coal, while a very large saving in money and space would result. The sites chosen would, of course, be in protected water.