CHAP. X] MILITARY AND NAVAL DEFENCE 1271 
New South Wales. In 1893 the gunboats were put out of 
commission, but in 1899 the service was again expanded. 
South Australia, also in 1884, commenced naval defence. 
They. secured the Protector, a heavily armed though small 
cruiser, specially designed for service in territorial waters, 
which was permanently commissioned with a three-fifths 
complement and exercised in every way as a ship-of-war of 
the Government. At the time of her arrival in the Colony 
the Protector was a vessel of substantial armament. In 1893 it 
was placed in commission in reserve, and the permanent crew 
and officers, excepting the Commander-in-Chief, engineer, 
and instructional staff, were retrenched. Tasmania had 
no naval force except a second-class torpedo boat, which 
was finally transferred to South Australia, and Western 
Australia had no naval force at all. 
These naval forces were controlled entirely by the Govern- 
ments of the Colonies under Colonial Acts. There could be 
no doubt as to the legislative powers of the Colonies to 
provide such forces for local defence. On the other hand, 
it was a question how far the Colonies were in a position 
to legislate with regard to matters occurring beyond the 
territorial limit, and, moreover, it was obviously important 
that there should be no doubt as to the falling of these 
vessels under Imperial control in any case of the undertaking 
of warlike operations. It was, however, after consideration 
decided to pass an Imperial Act, 28 & 29 Vict. c. 14,in 1865 
relating to naval defence, which would permit the Imperial 
Government by Order in Council to take over a local force 
which the Colonial Government were ready to place at the 
disposal of the Imperial authorities, and, after such taking 
over the local force would fall to be regulated entirely by 
the Imperial authorities, and the men and officers would be 
governed by the Act for the time being in force with regard 
to discipline in the Royal Navy, and would fall under the 
terms of the Nawal Discipline Act! (27 & 28 Vict. c. 109). 
The important provisions of this Act were as follows :— 
3. In any Colony it shall be lawful for the proper legislative 
authority, with the approval of Her Majesty in Council, from 
Amended by 47 & 48 Vict. o. 39 and 9 Edw. VIL c. 41.