1276 ADMINISTRATION AND LEGISLATION [PART Vv 
would be discharged beyond the limits of Colonial waters ; 
and I thought it advisable to invite the Admiralty to make 
a further reference to the Law Officers respecting Colonial 
vessels intended for harbour defence or other local services 
to be performed entirely within the waters of a Colony. An 
opinion was received that Colonies possessing responsible 
government are at liberty independently of an Act of the 
Imperial Parliament to provide and equip armed vessels 
for harbour defence, and police and other like purposes 
within, and their use being limited to, the waters of such 
Colonies respectively ; and the Lords Commissioners of the 
Admiralty have informed me that they would be prepared 
to sanction the use of the blue ensign (with the badge 
of the Colony thereon) and the blue pendant by vessels 
armed and fitted for harbour defence, police, or other like 
purposes within the territorial waters of the Colony, pro- 
vided that such vessels are commanded by officers holding 
Commissions from the Governor or Government of the Colony. 
10. I have thought that the above information may be of 
service to your ministers, and I shall be glad if you will 
rommunicate this dispatch to them. 
Later Orders in Council of December 30, 1884, and January 
24, 1885, were issued to approve the maintenance of the Pro- 
fector by the South Australian Government under Act. No. 
307, 1884, and of the Gayundah by the Queensland Govern- 
ment under Act No. 27 of 1884. But in the main the further 
vessels equipped by the Colonies were equipped under the 
zeneral legislative power of the Colonies for local defence. 
[n 1900 under ss. 6 and 7 of the Act of 1865 a gunboat, its 
crew, and volunteers, were accepted for service in China. 
In 1887 some further steps were taken to secure the defence 
of Australia.! It was then agreed at the Colonial Conference 
of that year, that it would be right and proper for the Colonial 
Governments to make a contribution towards the cost of 
the maintenance on the Australian Station of an impor- 
tant force, in addition to what forces would normally 
be stationed there in the interests of Imperial defence. It 
was agreed that an auxiliary squadron should be created 
bo consist of five fast (7.500 horse-power) third-class cruisers 
t See Imperial Act 51 & 52 Vict. ¢. 32; Quick and Garran, Constitution 
of Commonwealth, pp. 116, 562 ; Parl. Pap., C. 5091, pp. 489-511,