Complex sentence: The Canadian and British governments did not reach a defence agreement on the matter until 1893; during this time, the old guns and emplacements were still Victoria and Esquimalt's only fixed defences against attack.
Split into simpler sentences: The Canadian and British governments did not reach a defence agreement on the matter until 1893. During this time, the old guns and emplacements were still Victoria and Esquimalt's only fixed defences against attack.