The sun., 1899-04-03
CANADIAN DEFEN CE.
Some Sharp Comments on Our Neighbor's
Military and Naval Policy.

MONTREAL. March 30.-The Parliamentary
windmill at Ottawa is still hard at work swing
Ing its arms round. but as yet II has turned out
no Rrist. nor. II one may Judge by the Speeches.
whether Of the big men or the little men. is it
likely to. No matter what the Importance OF
the subject Of which the speakers treat. the
only object seems to be to obscure the situation
and keep the people in ignorance OF what is
going on.
According to the public accounts there has
been handsome surplus OF revenue over ex-
pendture yet every one knows that there is no
surplus. but very much the reverse Figures
have been jugged with. 1t has been obtained
by tho simple process Of charging things to
capital account properly chargeable against
revenue, then figuring out balance on the right
side and calling the result a surplus. The con-
sequence will be to raise a long and vehement
discussion In Parliament that will confuse the
public without producing any effect except to
waste time. which is precisely what the Gov
ernment wants.
The trade and navigation returns for the
past year have also been presented by the
Minister OF Customs. and give interesting de-
tails with regard TO the currents OF Canadian
trade and the revenue derived from It, Britain
takes the great bulk OF the exports and the
United States supplies the larger share OF the
imports. Tho imports from Britain were
S32,5O0.9l7 In value. yielding S664a.42S in
duty. being an increase OF 100000 over 1897.
The imports OF American goods were valued
at S7s105.59O. yielding duty to the amount OF
S9.a41.e2 against $a147.O75 in 1897 The
exports to Britain were S104. .aaS.sIa. and TO
the United States sSa s45;7o5sss The trade
ss that to 9G %e Sst wnh @
s7.421 .4b2 The trade with Newfound.
land and south America increased by 'a63H about
CHINA cGn aDa sat Uh U sbons ths
i % r. $S:S
origin and how much Of, the latter was for for
American use is not stated in either case. but
exports we're not OF Canadian production. A. The ri,
total customs receipts amounted to. 500
on his %1ot wso Gaba5ng GFatSf
ana,s as the most, most important I'M in The STATE ate
Tor the defence ' Of III" ' roner GTis on and S oow
ing the precedent set in higher places. he
speaks Of the money spent on guns and war
ncuded in the ordinary cost of n the mai national 10 al
army: This army he describes as intended to
soil and to ie,|nd the rshs and iberies ansse% Of
the Canadian "a, people. whic, would arpoar to be
should say unmentionable. and mysterious
quarter, Sensible people shruC heir shoulders
and an a! smile when they read in official print that
place Canada in position Of unparalleled
dignity and influence among all the possessions
OF the Crown" The force that is to do this
we're % Wholly % or partay f fn Fl IN TaHa ia
1t is proposed to make Montreal the military
centre OF Canada. which. of course. meets with
favor here. as It means gayety and expenditure
OF public money: The defence OF the lakes. is
naval brigade. The object is said to be to
educate the scafaring population and improve
the shipping interests OF the inland waters OF
Canada. 1t was probably from motives OF dell
6i, billy OF Tor2n9 or some Of the other lake
hattleships. England being happily at peace
with those countries Just now. In re-
to the likelihood OF Gen. Hutton ''eIa oltains ns
ing the money required for the patriotic OBJ
ject he has in view. he said that it all depended
on whether Sir Wilfrid Laurier Thought it
right In passing may note. that of the fifteen
regiments OF the militia. none. have been given
over in charge to French Canadian battalion.
cance of this fact; taken in connection with the
race feeling which Is being continually stmu-
lated by the Ontario Jingoes and their allies
hero In the United Empire League.
The Toronto Navy League which COMPRISES
militia colonies and. believe. one professional
sailor among lts members has decided that
the safety OF Canada calls for the Immediate
oTGssniEzatiion org E i Of naval force c"mmensurate
empire, They are fortified in this by tho
written opinion OF Lord Charles Beresford
who is going to bring the subject to the atten-
ton Of the British Parliament. II is in this
and other wayS that our patriots are dvertinG
themselves and amusing others during the in
terva between the break up OF winter and the
seeding time OF spring.