A.—4

12

In the event of the Government of a self-governing Dominion desiring that its forces should be inspected, the Army Council will be prepared to make the necessary arrangements for the inspection to be carried out by the Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces. In such cases the duties of the Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces will be similar, mutatis mutandis, to those denned in paragraphs 7 to 10 and 13 of War Office Memorandum, dated 20th June, 1910, for the inspection of those portions of the Empire outside the United Kingdom and the limits of the Mediterranean command, where troops under the control of the Home Government are stationed. These duties would be as follows :— He must form a judgment on the efficiency of officers and men, on the handling of troops, on the standard and system of training, on the suitability of equipment, and generally on all that affects the readiness of the forces for war. For the proper discharge of his functions it is necessary that he should— (a.) By means of inspection ascertain whether the training, instruction, and preparation for war of the forces of the Dominion concerned, as laid down by regulations, are fully carried out in the various commands, and whether a uniform standard of efficiency is attained: (b.) Advise as to changes of regulations bearing on (a): (c.) Acquaint the Minister of Defence with the state of the forces of the Dominion concerned as regards both personnel and equipment. 2. The functions of the Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces should be exercised with due regard to the general system of inspection applicable to an army, this system as carried out consecutively by Regimental Commanders, Commanders of Brigades, General Officers Commanding and local Inspectors-General being of a progressive nature. In every case the object of an inspection is to ascertain the results achieved by the officer responsible for the efficiency of the unit or body of troops concerned. It is the duty of an Inspecting Officer to bring omissions and defects to notice, but this should be done without fettering the initiative or trenching on the responsibility of the Commanding Officer in regard to the training of his men. In addition to the duties enumerated above, the inspection of the coast defences of a Dominion will be included in the functions of the Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces. The Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces would report to the Minister of Defence of the Dominion concerned, forwarding a copy of his report for the information of the Army Council. Unless specially asked to do so by the Government of a Dominion, it would not be the duty of the Inspector-General to deal with questions of military policy, war organizations, schemes of local defence, the system of education of officers or similar matters, on which the local headquarters section of the Imperial General Staff are responsible for advising their respective Governments. His opinion on these subjects would not, until confirmed by competent authority, commit the War Office or His Majesty's Government. 3. The Chief of the Imperial General Staff being charged by the Secretary of State for War with the military defence of the Empire, and with the system of military training and with war organization, so far as the forces under the control of the Home Government are concerned, it would seem expedient, should the Governments of the Dominions require advice on such matters other than that to be obtained from their local sections of the Imperial General Staff, that application for such advice should be made to the War Office through the approved channel. Otherwise divergent views may be expressed and confusion may result. 4. The question of sharing between the Home and Dominion Governments the expenses incurred in connection with visits of inspection of the Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces must be considered ; and it is suggested that the following proposal would meet the case as regards inspections in Dominions in which no forces under the control of the Home Government are employed : — The Home Government to be liable for — Pay of the Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces and his Staff: Passages one way: Travelling expenses and allowances in the United Kingdom.