13

A.—4

The Dominion to be liable for — Passages one way: Travelling expenses and allowances in the Dominion. In the case of a Dominion, such as South Africa, where troops under the control of the Home Government are stationed, it would save time and money if any desired inspection of the Dominion Forces could be carried out when the Inspector-General was visiting the Dominion for the purpose of inspecting the Regular troops ; the liability of the Dominion Government being then limited to any extra expenses due to the inspection of their own forces. 5. By the Ist November in each year the Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces submits, for the approval of the Army Council, a programme of his inspections during the following year, beginning on the Ist April. In the event of the Government of a self-governing Dominion desiring its forces to be inspected, it will be convenient that application should be made to the Army Council not later than the Ist August in the year preceding that in which it is desired the inspection should take place. (Conclusion.) The Committee recommend the acceptance of the terms proposed. (F.) —The Education of Officers at the Staff Colleges. The following memorandum by the General Staff was laid before the Committee : — There is one important matter connected with the education of officers which, in the opinion of the Army Council, should be discussed in detail with the representatives, and that is the question of the entrance of officers belonging to the forces of the Oversea Dominions to the Staff Colleges at Camberley and Quetta. In the first place it is essential that officers selected for a course at one of the Staff Colleges should possess sufficient military knowledge and general education to enable them to profit fully by the instruction given there. This is ensured, as regards officers of the Regular Army, by requiring them to prepare, by a course of previous study, for the work they would have to do at the Staff College, and to give proof that they have done so by qualifying at the entrance examination. Canada and Australia now require admission, and it is desired to submit for the consideration of the representatives of the other Oversea Dominions that, in their own interests, equal demands should be made on their officers. In regard to this question it is necessary to remember that it is intended that the p.s.c. certificate shall be regarded as a qualification for employment on the Imperial General Staff, so far as professional requirements are concerned, and it is essential that no officer should be appointed to the Imperial General Staff whose attainments have not been proved to come up to the required standard. For this reason, if officers of the forces of the Oversea Dominions are to be admitted to a Staff College without having proved their fitness to profit by the course of instruction there, it would be necessary to consider the introduction of an examination for them before they left the college, upon the result of which their inclusion in the list of Staff College graduates would depend, provided that the report of the Military Board was satisfactory. The full course at the Staff College is of two years' duration, and, in the interests of the forces of the Oversea Dominions and of the proper training of candidates for the Imperial General Staff, it is not advisable, as a general rule, that any period of instruction less than two years should be recognized as qualifying an officer for the p.s.c. certificate. Although a very limited number of officers of the Regular Army below the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, who are considered specially qualified by approved service on the staff in the field, are permitted to undergo a one-year course at a Staff College, it must be remembered that such officers have had the advantage of at least from fifteen to twenty years' experience with troops, in addition to having given proof of having reached a high standard of military knowledge and aptitude. The