180

306.

a local or a colonial army
employed to garrison it? "(Such
was the meeting of the former
New South Wales Regiment in
1808)." Yet that is what we
must look to if the army is
to be employed as mere Colonial
troops, and never to quit the
Colonies from the day they enter
the Service. I should therefore
entreat the Committee to lay
that plan aside altogether."

7. After some remarks
as to the inferiority of the
Officers in Colonial Corps to those
in the Regiments of the Line, the
Duke of Wellington concluded in
these words:-
"I should say that I am
quite sure that the putting the
British army on the footing
of a Colonial Corps would be
very injurious."

8. I have ventured
to revert at some length to
this important subject, because
I have observed with regret
that the formation of local
corps for service in the Australian
Colonies, in the place of
Regiments of the Line, has been
recommended in certain quarters.
It is, nevertheless, certain that
the adoption of such an
arrangement would be highly
impolitic; and calculated eventually
to impair, by its results, the
happy relations now Existing
between the Colonist and the United
Kingdom.

307

See: Sir G. Bowen's
despatch No 30
of 4th April, 1860

His Grace
The Duke of Newcastle
&c &c &c

Kingdom.

9. The great majority of men
of sound judgement in Australia
are convinced that the true
principal of Colonial defence are
those laid down by Mr. Fortescue,
on the occasion referred to above.
It will be seen, by turning to
the Minute already transmitted,
that those principles are strongly
advocates by the Executive Council
of this Colony. We wish to have
in Queensland a detachment of
troops of the Line periodically
relieved, and provided with
Colonial Allowances, quarters &c.
at the expense of the local
Government, in accordance with
the rules sanctioned by successive
Secretaries of State. The presence
of this detachment would foster
what may be called the
Imperial feeling, and it would
be at the same time, a nucleus
for our Volunteer Riflemen, and
for the Reserve which might
be formed, in case of need, from
the retired Officers and men
of the Queen's Regular Forces,
whom it is proposed to settle
on the public lands, in pursuance
of the provisions of the enclosed
Act.

I have &c.
Signed / G.F. Bowen