REPORT TO AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 336, 11 March 1910, Page 2

REPORT TO AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT.

! NUMBERS, DIVISIONS, AND COST, f CAMP AND HOME TRAINING. (By Telegraph—Government Memo.) Rotorua, Last Night. The following is a copy of parts oi FVkl-Xlurshai lord Kitchener's Australian report, wnieh is embodied in hu reoort furnished to the New Zeaiani Government on the defence ot the Do-

minion: — _ , "It is an axiom held by the Lntisl. Government that the Empire'* cxistenc( depends primary upon the mam-ten anee of adequate and efficient _na\.i forces As long as this condition is ful filled, and as iSng * British superior* at sea "s assured, then it is an acceptu nrinciol" that no Britisn dominion cai rtf-lly and.permai.ntly con nuered bv an organised invasion fron oversea, but in applying this pnncip to Australasia, considerations of tin an 1 space cannot be disregarded. ,conduct of a great war depends upo the calculated and proper combmatio

of naval, military, and diplomatic forces, and it is quite conceivable that in the future, as in the past, national considerations may require the concentration of British na^a l forces in one or other theatre of operations. It follows that in seas remote from such a concentration, ' V: 'V THS BRITISH NAVAL FORCES may find theiustlves for the moment inferior in force tn an actual or potential enemy. In such a situation, although

our ult : mate superiority at sea might i not he a metier of doubt, some time , must elipse be'iore our command of the j sea was definitely assured in all matters. Jt therefore becomes the duty of all j se'f-governing dominions to provide a | military force adequate not only to | deal pr jniptly with any attempt at in-1 vasion. but also to ensure local safety and public confidence, until our superiority at sea lias been decisively and comprehensively asserted. 'For this -.eason it has recently ?ieen ■agreed that the Home forces of thf | United Kingdom shall bo so organised |

as to compel an enemy contemplatin? an j( . invasion to le.ike the attempt on such a i ! scale as to be unable to evade our naval forces. The same arguments apply to Australasia, and its land forces should , be calculated and organised on this j scale. In estimating the strength of i the land forces necessary to meet this I requirement. three principal factors I should be cons'dered— | "(a) The c>r'ent ocean distances which ! lie between Australia and the territory o'i anv possible enemies; "fb) The arced strength and power I of transportation over sea of anv conceivable hostile nation; "(e) T he vast extent and railwav communication (f the Australian continent, wliich covers an area of 2.948.3(50 snuare miles ar.d possesses a coast line of 12.210 miles, as contrasted with the ! smallness of its population —4,275,000 souls, of which 1,295,000 are males of fighting ace. j

THE FORCES REQUIRED. "Consideration of these factors leads | me to estimate the land forces required j at 80,000 fighting troops, and of these numbers hal* would be required to cure the larger cities and defended ports from attack and so to maintain the public consideration and national credit, while the other half would be free to operate as a mobile striking force anywhere la Australasia, but the best defence is generaiiv by taking the defensive, and there should therefore be no difference in the enrolment, organisation and equipment of any unit. In my .opinion the force should be organised as 21 brigades of four battalions each, 84 battalions of infantry, 28 regiments of light horse. 49 four-gun field batteries, jand sevm four-gun heavy and howitzer batteries, the whole totalling 324 guns seven communication companies, and 14 field co'iipaiiies of engineers, depart mental troons to be provided in proportion. Tr: this connection I wish to explain t'.fit while taking the Defence Acts of 190*4 n,rd 1909 as the basis of •mv proposals, I have departed from ; ' THE TRAINING PERIODS

therein prescribfd, because (a) while the cadet training is invaluable as a preparation it cannot in my opinion re place recruit training, which is a neces s'ary preliminary to the production of ai efficient "itizen soldier. For this reasoT I class the 18-19 year men as recruits over and above the peace establishmen' of 80,000 but liable to be put in thi ranks ir. war; (b) soldiers to be efficien should be exercised in camp annually otherwise the fen lose the incentive t< home triining. the habit oi working ii wnits, of mo ing and living in numbers and of ready otedience to orders. Fo this reason I advise that camp trainin in time of peace should be extended, an I consider that having regard to th natural military aptitude of the Au ; tnlian, favored by the conditions c his .civil life. t!'p training should eonsis 'of six clear days annually, that : i from a Monday to a Saturday, inclusiV ' In addition to s-11 home training, I a. of opinion that if fully utilised undi thoroughly competent officers, this tra Ing will meet requirements up to t ; twenty-fifth yt-;a\ In the 25th-2l j year a muster parade would suffice, i I * ' The training required by law o' j ! and above home training would tl j 'stand —for junior cadets, 12 to 14 yei I 120 hours; for senior cadets, 14 to', 1 years, equivalent to 18 days; rect 1 training. 18 lo 19 years, 16 days, eib I of which to be in camp; trained soldi 119 to years 16 days, eight of wli I *o rie in camp; 20-21 years, 21-22 ye ! 22-23 years L'3-k4 years, 24-25 years,* 1 days in camp; ?5-2G years, muster ! ade only, af'er which they will ber j the period mentioned in clause fiO ofe i Act available us reservists. The : t i and imperative principle for the el-, ! mtnt and maintenance of these SW I 1 men as an elhcient citizen 'force is it ! the nat : on as a whole should ta a ' oritle in its defenders, insist I organisation being real and desisrneor ' wa" purposes only, and providehe j for properly educating, tnng I

' ind eqviinpißir their officers and?" | | Unless these requirements be m(_uo | i military system can he devised icli ! will he other than an illusion i a j source r,f wnste of public funds. | PART OF THE NATIONAL Is. j j '"The second principle for a sucsful j 1 citizen force is a complement the first. The tMce must be an i;j"al porcion of tt.e national liie. Tciti7,en should be .brought up from "hood to look for war] to the day he will be enrolled as fit to defend ltoun- • trj, and he should be accustd to ; practise habits of self-dd, of devotion to and emulation in execution of his duty, of reticencid oi l prompt obedience to lawful which are essential to the forron 01 patriotic and efficient citizen'diers. These considerations show h completely a cit'ien force should kept outside parti po'itics. In my?Jue««the only way to satisfactoril'jranise and tra'.n a citizen force of nature about t,.! be rreated in Aust', is to divide Ihe country into a from j w'll'eh the national force will drawn. Kacli area shcmH be designedP rov ''je a refini'" prt portion of a fipS unit,

- ami should ho. in eltarsre of a»roiishlv I trained permanent, instruct! oflk-er, ! assisted l>v one or two no'i-mission-f; p,i ofTici-fs. J'y this moan tra>n«<! " ! f '7 to ?; upntlv amongst a definite of iho r citizen force whflso prolific will <;n-

'I t.irelv <l<"ien! oil hi? effof" asii ; t I them in home tvnininsr. 1 ms.int.nin'ns the militarv s of ?e,T L ' denial and e=oril de corps.'nsrst. not " onlv tji»=p who are under "ins. -'"it also the who'e eomnumit'iich w <ll

" I thus lie readilv availahl' nil noy\ easterns to assist both thaeers awl ' I men in his yrea in theit<eavor to n render them* Ives efficienr>nder< of their country and when unit ™ a , " he has trained ioins its ilion- a^ut

e the battalion its brisrartej) will mo (1 ivilh the other and in thfr nroTno-e p a healthv spirit of emuls a™/ 0 " 1 ' " i petition >n the force, wbvill foster n and encourage true and rmciency.

DIVISION OF DISTRICTS. "After consideration of these prill eiples, [ have come to the conclusion that in Hie cities two. and in the country tlnw "areas" should be allowed per battalion of infantry, with a due proportion of other arms. A project based on the information now available lias been pr:-oared, showing the division oi Australia into 215 areas. It is morel v an example of what might be done, and on further investigation variations will probably b P necessary. To these there is no objection, provided there is no departure from ihc guiding principle that the "area" produces its definite quota of the force, and is the sole charge of one permanent officer. In the area, detailed in?triit t: ons for the guidance of area officers shou'd be drawn up and should, amount other things, require a monthlv statement from each area of the progress made in registration, enrolment. organisation, equipment and home trainim of the citizen forces under his charge. Tlie essential importance o'r these duties to the nation will make the area officer,the kevstone of the citizen forc-e. whos< organisation and fitness for war wi" ciieflv depend unon the education and training received in the

"area." th.Ur this system it is cvi denf thnt tlie responsibilities of the area offief - *»i!J make it a national no ce«sitv tlist lie should be a carefullyselected nan. thoroughly grounded and trained ii l profession, and scientifically edi-nted Xo social considerations, no inflii«ic n . nothing r out efficiency should V,enD" , ved to affect the selection and pi".',notion of these officers. Their work shuld be jndsred by results alone. tt-h fouxdatiox-stone. The seletiom and education of suitable I men for these instructional duties will I thus be the foundation of a proficient I citizen orct. They should be taken ! young, jven a complete military educatioi calnlated to make them good leaders, strt disciplinarians, and thorough Ily come ten' officers, brought up to I realise 'hat their career depends upon I the abtfv to do their duty and on that I alone. T should advise that Australia I can oiy expect to produce officers or the tye required by the establishment of a jilitnry college. My recommenda tion i that a staff corps be formed to provie the officers for all these requireieuts, aieie district and headquarter Siffs and permanent troops. This staff orps should be entirely drawn from the ailitarv college, and its numbers : shrill, further, be sent abroad to study ! and r oe attached to the other land j fores of the British Empire, so that an I offiT of this staff corps would be the j equi if not superior in military educa- ;' tiorto the officers of any army in the woil. If nmn of the right stamp are 1 to e attracted to the corps the pay ' j of ich rank must be good, and in this ' coiection i+. must be remembered that ', thcirc'imstimces of an officer's services | pv(ent--an.l rightly so—his partieipat- " - in(in commercial ventures. While the " i stf corps will provide the trained in- ; J st.etor the leadership of units of the 1 c i;en force will depend on the citizen j ofer, and it is therefore all importa; thar he should be of the most proe I wing -mateml available, chosen young . | al selected solely for his canacity for .. 1 klership and military knowledge and 1 potion t.i duty. T agree with the

n -jnciple laid down in tlie Defence Art n fct in the <i ; izen forces all promotions s i cm Id be from the ranks, but in order .J 1 . offt- young officers T advise that for pjlis purpose service in the ranks of 'nior cadet< should count. After pa«s'ir the nPC'-.i-rv tests, their names 0 rcnld be submitted through tlie u«inl n flannels fo- commissions, which would s ie "ranted on the declaration of the offithat hj" is willing to serve for lcl twelve Tears. 'e ' OTHER POINTS. c The cost of the college in full working order is estimated at ClojoOo per /annum. , Stress is laid on the advice that political interference in the management; of , the college should be strictly avoided. 1 Candidates for .training at the college are to be selected from the most cap- : able of the senior cadets, j A cadet having joined, his parents are ;to pay £BO per annum for board and j lodging, instruction, etc. Upon the completion of his course the ««det is to he given his commission, and ' sent either to I'.ndia or England. It is' recommended that the citizen ofl'icer should be selected from the nio9t promising material procurable. The sole qualities in selection laid down are youth, capacity for leadership, military knowledge, and devotion to duty. Lord Kitchener agrees with the' principle laid down in the Defence Act that in the citizen forces all promotions ! should be from the ranks. Continuance of tlie organisation of the military districts, with their commandants and stalfs, is also recommended.

I Lord Kitchener accepts the military board system as lie finds it, but saysi j that the work needs careful allotment. He lays it down that no subject other I than a matter of military policy should j be put before the board. | Suggestions are made as to the duties of the Inspector-General, which appoint- , ment is to be continued. I By the addition of £IOO,OOO for misj cellaneous services. Lord Kitchener esi timates the cost of the whole scheme at fi1.584.000 annually.