CHAPTER XVIII THE MILITARY WEAKNESS OF CANADA No greater contrast can be conceived than that between the western and the eastern terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway, Vancouver and Quebec-Vancouver more English than England, Quebec more French than France; Vancouver a pushing, bustling, crowded seaport town, Quebec the old-world survival of a medieval stronghold, the scene of one of the most romantic chapters in French and English history, which will keep alive for all time the chivalrous memory of the two great rival soldiers who fell outside its walls. The purpose of this chapter, however, is not to indulge in historical reminiscence, but to investigate the conditions under which Canada of the present day is taking her place as the largest, nearest, and most powerful of the confederated colonies of Great Britain. What are the military resources and armed strength of Canada? how far are her frontiers secure from attack? and to what extent are the Canadian people responding to the calls of Imperial defence? During the past thirty-five years the policy of the Home Government has been to require all self-governing colonies to provide for their own local defence, Imperial troops only being stationed in colonial territory when their presence was required by strategical objects other than those of local concern. In Canada up to the present year, when they were replaced by colonial troops, Imperial garrisons were stationed at the fortified harbours of Halifax on the Atlantic, and at Esquimault on the Pacific coast. Till recently Halifax has always been regarded as an important Imperial naval base, large sums of money having been expended from time to time to bring its fortifications and armament up to date. When, under Sir John Fisher's redistribution scheme, the North American and West Indies squadron was reduced to five cruisers, the Admiralty decided that it was no longer necessary to maintain two naval stations in the North Atlantic Ocean, and as Bermuda occupied a more central position for general naval purposes than Halifax, the latter was given up. Both dockyard and fortifications have now been handed over to the colonial authorities. Since Canada has no navy, the gift was in the nature of a white elephant, and, failing other use, the dockyard establishments have been given to the Department of Marine and Fisheries, to serve as a base for its operations in connection with aids to navigation.'1 The British nation certainly places Extract from Lord Grey's speech at the opening of the Dominion Parliament, November 22, 1906. more trust in Admiralty than War Office administration, since the most powerful maritime fortress and naval base on the American Continent has been abandoned by a stroke of the official pen without a single word of justification being demanded by the public or offered by the Government. Esquimault is an easily defended natural harbour situated on Vancouver Island about two miles west of Port Victoria. When the Canadian Pacific Railway reached the coast in 1885, Esquimault was selected as a naval base, batteries being constructed and barracks built to accommodate the garrison of regular troops detailed from England. It will be within the recollection of most people that the cost of fortifying Esquimault formed part of that expenditure on coaling stations to which |