The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-09-28
cANADA's DEFENcEs.
Taking Over Halifax and EsquimaIt
StronqhoIds.


Taking Over Halifax and Esquimat
StronghoIds.
Canada has assumed the entire f.
nancial and military burden of main
tanning the naval defences of Halifax
and Esquimalt.
With the assumption of this re-
sponsibility, a new policy of possibly
far-reaching effect in the relationship
between Canada and England will be
instituted. 1t may be regarded, in
fact, as one of the most important
steps toward nationalism THAI the Do
minion has ever taken.
This new policy is the outcome of
years of discussion and agitation as
to the obligation resting upon the
colonies to help bear the burden of
the British Empire in its policy OF
the worlds seas, and the results
therefrom will be watched with keen
interest by not only the countries i'm.
mediately concerned, but by the
United States as we'll
Canada will man the two strong
holds with her own sons and pay the
cost thereof, which will be total OF
100000 year, bringing the total
expenditure of militia and defence up
to 100000 a year.
Some months ago the British Ad-
miralty withdrew it's fleets from Hall
fax and Esquimalt. leaving behind
only small vessel or two of the Sec
ond class. This radical move on the
part of the British government is in
line with the new concentration pol
icy of Sir John Fisher, the Senior
Lord of the Admiralty, by which the
main fleets will be kept intact in the
waters of the British Isles, ready to
re dispatched on short notice to any
distant scene of action.
AS yet it has not been decided what
disposal will be made of the British
| garrisons in the Halifax citadel and
the Esquimalt barracks. The men
will probably get leave to continue
service under the Canadian govern
ment. Eighteen hundred men have
constituted the British force at Hall
fax.
The Dominion Minister of Militia,
SIR Frederick Borden, has not only
committed his government to the
| placing of Canada upon a self-depeni-
| ent basis in the matter of the two
| forts referred to, but he brought be-
fore Parliament, at it's recent session,
other schemes of defence. In his
| opinion the best service Canada can
render the empire will be to equip all
the defences of the Dominion as thor
| oughly as possible, and to that ex-
tent indirectly relieve the taxpayer
| of the home country. The minister
| favors the establishment of chain
of military depots across the CONT
nent. Large guns and new rifles
have been ordered for the militia de-
| partment, Dominion arsenal and
small arms factory having been estab-
lished for the home manufacture of
munitions of war. A musketry school
has been started, an army medical
corps organized, an intelligence de-
partment created and an engineer
corps formed.
| In addition new body of men, to
be known as the Strathcona Horse.
will shortly be organized in the
Northwest. Radical changes are be-
| ing made in the annual camp meth
DDS, and permanent camp is being
selected in the northern part of On
tario The first line of defence of the
| Canadian militia is fixed at 100000.
The militia force now numbers 49,
600. Great armories are being built
in many centres. and in many ways
there is unusual activity In this de-
| partment of the government service.
Furthermore, repairs are being
made to the historic citadel of Que
bee. While they are under way the
citadel garrison is housed at the two
large forts erected a few years ago
near Lewis, opposite Quebec. The
visitor is surprised at the size and
extent of these earthworks and their
extensive barrack accommodation.
While they have not been equipped
with large guns, these could quickly
be placed in position, when they would
| command long distances both up and
down the st. Lawrence and effec-
tually protect the ancient city.
The militia department of Canada
is also expropriating land for the con-
struction of additional Notifications
at Lewis, Quebec, at a point two miles
below the Lewis craving dock. The
guns, therefore, have already been
received and will be mounted as soon
as the emplact ments are completed.
The elevation win be $50 feet ~