The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-02-21 00:00:00

THE MILITARY RESOURCES OF NEW
SOUTH WALES.

News from Sydney states that extraordinary enthu-
siasm has been excited there by the news that the
Home Government has accepted the offer of troops
from New South Wales for service in the Soudan, and
a Cairo correspondent says the contingent from New
South Wales consisting of a battalion of infantry 500
strong and a battery of artillery, is expected to arrive
there about March 18. This fact makes it interesting
to inquire what are the military resources of the
oldest of our Australasian colonies. Notwithstanding
that Australia was discovered by the Portuguese in
the middle of the sixteenth century, little was
known of it until 200 years later. It
was in 1770 that the whole of the eastern
part of the gigantic island received the name of
New South Wales from its first explorer, Captain
James Cook. In 1836 South Australia was carved
out of New South Wales, a similar process being
adopted in 1851 with regard to Victoria, and in 1859
with respect to Queensland. The parent colony
originated in a penal settlement formed by the British
Government now nearly a century ago, when Captain
Arthur Philip, its first governor, arrived at Botany
Bay with between 700 and 800 male and female pri-
soners condemned to transportation for life. The
gallant officer subsequently conveyed his living freight
to Port Jackson, which he deemed more suitable for
the new settlement; so that the British ensign was first
hoisted at the spot where Sydney now stands as the
capital and seat of the Government of a colony nearly
three times the size of Great Britain and Ireland. In
forty years the population almost reached as many
thousand, and, the increase continuing in a much
larger ratio, in 1871 the number of inhabitants
attained a total of half a million. Four years since
the population had grown to three-quarters of a
million, and at this moment the total cannot be less
than 850,000. The prosperity of New South Wales
dates from the commencement of the present cen-
tury, when the introduction of merino sheep, by
Captain Macarthur, rapidly led to the settlement of
the country for pastoral and industrial pursuits. It
was forty-four years ago that the colony was relieved
from the transportation of criminals, and in 1855
responsible government was established and pro-
claimed.

Unlike Canada, the Australian colonies have no
foreign Power contiguous to them, the entire island
of Australia being practically occupied by English-
speaking people. But a military force has been
created, and fortifications have been constructed here
and there along the coast to enable the colonists to
protect themselves in the event of the mother country
being involved in hostilities with a foreign foe. New
South Wales had the nucleus of an army prior to the
Crimean War, and having since been gradually
developed, the body is now by no means
a despicable one. The first branch of the
force is called the "regular army : " but
although so designated, it does not ordinarily
consist of more than about 400 men. It is commanded
and officered by gentlemen who formerly belonged to
her Majesty's service; and it is from this arm,
strengthened by volunteers from the other branches,
that the contingent for the Soudan will probably be
i taken. The volunteers are a far more mportant
body. Numbering over 2000 men, they include
artillery, infantry, engineers, and a torpedo and
signalling corps; but notwithstanding that they
are styled volunteers, they more closely re-
semble the militia in this country, inasmuch as
they reoeive a GOTOMMent 41kowative as py

Their equipment is provided for them; they are
compelled to go calm/ to camp or barracks at
regular intervals during the yes.r ; and when so called
out they are subject' to martial law. The infantry
are armed with the Martini-llenry rifle, and the
artillery, as well as the fortifications, are supplied
with guns of the most modern type, some of them
being also of large calibre. According to the latest
official return, made in 1883, the infantry comprised
1800 men, stationed under the new organisation
chiefly at Sydney, the rest of the colony being
divided into the western, northern, and southern
districts. The artillery was composed of about 300
men, stationed at Sydney, Newcastle, and Wollon-
gong, whilst the Engineers were sixty strong, and
the Torpedo and Signalling Corps eighty, both
stationed at the capital. The Naval Brigade, with a
strength of about 400, were distributed between Syd-
ney and Newcastle. There were 124 guns of various
calibre mounted, and forty-seven dismounted, and the
weight of shot and shell on hand was 1429 tons. A
corps of infantry under the partial payment system,
and two reserve corps of infantry and one of artil-
lery at Ulladulla, Mudgee, and Bull were in course
of formation. The Torpedo and Signalling Corps,
consisting principally of men belonging to the
Electric Telegraph Department, was regarded by com-
petent judges as a most efficient body.
With reference to the fortification on the coast, at
Port Jiackson, probably one of the finest harbours in
the world, extensive fortifications have been erected
at great cost, not only at the entrance, but also at
different points in the interior. Botany Bay, ten
miles south, has been treated in a similar manner, as
has also Newcastle, the chief coaling port in New
South Wales. The coal supplied to all the shipping
proceeding to the several colonies is procured from
New South Wales; and, as two and a half million
tons of coal is raised annually in Australia, it skill be at
once perceived that the defence of the coaling ports is
a matter of prime importance. The chief employ-
ment of the British naval squadron in Australian
waters is the suppression of the lawless traffic of the
South Sea Islands. The station has recently been
converted into an Admiral's command, with the head-
quarters at Sydney, where the colony has, at a great
outlay, established a naval depot. Two fine graving
docks have already been constructed there,and another
is being made, large enough to hold the biggest war
ship afloat—indeed in process of time, Sydney will be
one of the most complete naval stations in all the
British possessions. As indicating the passionate
feeling of loyalty towards the mother country which
prevails in New South Wales, in common with other
colonies, it should be mentioned that last Monday Sir
Saul Samuel, the Agent-General in Great Britain,
received a telegram from the Government stating that
a patriotic fund had been started presumably in aid
of the wives and families of the troops about to be
despatched to the Soudan, and that contributions
were flowing in most liberally.