PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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C.O.
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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being no longer tenable, it was proposed by the military authorities and the Ordnance Department, that a new barrack should be built, at the cost of near 30,0001. But as it appeared, on investigation, that there were barracks in other parts of Canada sufficient for the accommodation of the whole force in the province, and that the presence of the troops in Montreal was required entirely for the protection of the town against local disturbance, the Governor- General was informed, that unless the town would provide the barracks that were required, the troops must of necessity be withdrawn; and after consider- able discussion, when it was found that this measure would certainly be carried into effect, accommoda- tion was provided for the troops at the charge of the Provincial Government, in a manner which the Commanding Officer has reported to be satisfactory.
A copy of the despatch in which this result was Appendix, No. 2.
communicated is appended to this paper.
In the West Indian Colonies the commercial dis- tress which has existed, and which has been attri- buted, however falsely, to the alteration of the sugar duties, has formed a complete obstacle to any pre- sent attempt to require from these Colonics any contribution towards their military defence. But the military expenditure in them has been diminished by withdrawing two regiments. At the Cape, the British force has been largely diminished, partly by the formation of corps of Caffre police at the charge of the Colony; and a-further contribution from the Colony, by undertaking the expenditure for barracks, 'as in New South Wales, is contemplated, as soon as the arrangements now in progress for creating a
a Representative Legislature are completed. It has also been distinctly explained to the colonists, that they are not in future to look to this country to pro- tect their property from the incursions of the neigh- bouring tribes. The other Colonies are chiefly either garrisons, such as Malta and Gibraltar, or else already contribute largely to their own military expenditure, as Mauritius and Ceylon.
Other arrangements have also been made, with the view of gradually diminishing the military ex- pense of the Colonies; of these one of the most important has been that for sending out pensioners instead of detachments from the regular regiments
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of infantry, as convict guards, and for settling enrolled pensioners in New Zealand and Australia.
I am persuaded that if the policy which I have thus slightly sketched is followed up, and if the Colonies, as they become better able to bear the charge, are required to take upon themselves a larger share of the military expenditure, this expenditure may at no distant period be reduced to a very incon- siderable amount; but when it is remembered that it is only about three years since the first steps were taken towards the adoption of this as a regular system of policy; and that during that brief period the disturbance of our Commercial relations with the Colonies has imposed upon us the necessity of avoid-
ing any husty proceedings,-I think it must be admitted that no inconsiderable progress has already been made.
Having thus stated my views as the general prin- ciples of our Colonial Policy, I will now proceed to give, as a sequel to the paper of last year, a slight sketch of the principal occurrences which have since taken place.
I. In Canada and the North American Colonies it must be admitted, that affairs are not in so satisfac- tory a state as last year. In Canada the violence of party spirit has been very great. The history of the Rebellion Losses Bill and of the subsequent riots in Montreal, and burning of the Parliament House, must be too fresh in the recollection of the members of the Cabinet, to make it necessary to do more than observe, that the only objection made upon this subject to the course adopted by the Government, has been, that it did not interfere to overrule the decision of the Provincial Parliament in favour of a Bill which was carried by a large majority of the Assembly.
The truth is, that this Bill was not the true ca'ise of the violence which has been displayed, but only an occasion which was seized by a party, which, by the legitimate working of a Representative constitution, had been deposed from the power it had long almost monopolized, to vent the anger and disappointment created by this change in its position. The pressure F