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 Men of this class are far beyond the average immigrant in every respect. They all men of respectable education (otherwise they would be of no use in either artillery or engineers) and of considerable intelligence. They are of good character, otherwise they are not retained in the service. They all have some pensions, so that there is no danger of their ever becoming a charge upon the public. They might be made available in many branches of the public service, where steady, respectable, and intelligent servants are required. They might be most usefully employed in the ranks of the police, or the railways; in the Telegraph Department, Post-Office, and in other offices in various capacities, according to their merits and intelligence. But suppose, however, that such men are induced to come here with no other prospect beyond that of a short term of service in a local defence force, the certainty of three years' employment in a new and prosperous country would in itself attract many. The time it would give to an industrious man, with some small means, to turn himself round and become acquainted with the circumstances and resources of his new home, and the opportunities it might offer to his enterprise would be invaluable to him. If, then, it is worth the while of the other colonies to offer inducements to such men to settle there, it cannot be to our advantage to stand aloof. Just now, in fact, it would be policy on our part to some extent to outbid them. They have their defences already constructed and their forces organised, whilst we have nothing but some war material, without the men, and, therefore the means, to turn it to account.

The Indian artillery has long been looked upon as almost the best in the world, and if we could induce, as we easily might, say a hundred or a hundred and fifty men to come here, we should soon solve the problem of a colonial defence force. They would occupy the place of regulars, and from their skill and experience would instil confidence into any volunteers who