?
8
"4. The Reserve companies to be called out for one month's continuous training cach year in battalions, to be paid and subsisted by England.
5. Head-quarters or training centres of battalions (5), to be selected in Ontario (London, Hamilton, Toronto, Port Hope. Kingston); in Quebec (8), (La Prairie, Sher- brooke, Quebec); in New Brunswick (2), (Fredericton, St. John); in Nova Scotia (2), (both at Halifax).
"6. The rank and file to receive 6d. a-day Reserve pay during peace, and the same treatment during war as English Army Reserve men, with grant of land from Canada added.
"7. In time of war these battalions to be recruited to 800 each, and if sent out of Canada, their places to be taken by 12 Reserve battalions formed in like manner.
"The cost of training these 12 battalions (1 dollar a-day for each man, including officers), would be about 5,0001. For this outlay the English Government would, in fact, maintain 12 battalions; or, calling out all officers and non-commissioned officers and half of the rank and file cach year, the outlay would be about 7,500l."
Sir John MacDonald reported as follows:-
"Ottawa, November 10, 1879.
"The Undersigned, to whom was referred the Confidential memorandum of your Excellency on the formation of a Royal Canadian Reserve, begs to report as follows:-
"He understands the propositions to be :----
1. To raise in the Dominion 7 battalions, containing in all 56 companies, of infantry, as a Reserve, under similar regulations to those which obtain with regard to the reserve force in England.
"2. That the enrolment of the force is to be for six years.
"3. That the force is to be clothed and armed by Her Majesty's Government, and to be paid by such Government 6d. a-day besides training pay, and a gratuity on discharge.
"4. That Canada is to assist in the scheme by allowing each Reserve company to form a part of, or to be attached to, an existing battalion of inilitia, and by giving a free grant of land on discharge.
"The Undersigned has no means of knowing whether the proposition would be favourably received and the required force enlisted, but he thinks the experiment is worth a trial, and that Canada should assist in making the trial. There is no necessity for any promise of a free grant of land, as any adult can, at any time, on becoming a settler for three years on the Dominion lands, receive a free grant of 160 acres of land. additional grant could not well be made to the members of this force on discharge without giving the same advantage to our own militia force after six years' service.
9
the offspring of their organization, an organization which, at the same time, would not be hurt by the formation of the reserve force. The details for the claboration of this plan must necessarily be matters for settlement hereafter. Sir Edward Selby Smyth, in his Militia Report early in 1879, wrote as follows :—
"An Imperial Reserve, paid by Imperial funds, officered and recruited from Canada alone, would be a strong and important support to the militia. They could, in time of war, not only release Imperial troops from Halifax, but send a contingent to reinforce the The plan upon which this organization could be adopted has been considered, and I am sanguine it would succeed.”
ariny.
I regret that Sir Edward's time of service being shortly about to expire, the Canadian militia will not henceforward have the benefit of his services in Canada, but the Dominion will still have the benefit of his experience if he be allowed to give evidence in England before any Committee whose duty it may be to consider whether, in any changes of army organization, the colonial forces may be called upon to furnish a trained contingent in time of need. Ile has largely consulted Canadian civil and military authorities during this year with reference to this scheme, and knows well their feelings and opinions on the subject.
It is true that at all times Canada would be willing to send a much larger force than any now proposed to be raised as a part of the Reserve into the field, should the Empire need their services; but it is of great importance to Canada that she should be enabled to take her part in the defence of the Empire without drawing from her own territory her militia regiments which are required at home. This object could be attained by the creation of a small reserve force, whose existence would be an encouragement to other Colonies to follow the example of Canada, would show to Britain that the Canadians, besides being better customers per head for her merchants than any foreigners, are also willing to contribute their share to lighten the burdens of war, and would prove that in dealing with Britain it is not alone with the forces of the three kingdoms that foreign
I have, &c. (Signed)
countries have to reckon.
An
Sir,
"The only objection to the scheme which occurs to the Undersigned is, that it be doubtful whether, in the case of war, the men, when called upon, would be forth- coming.
may
No. 13.
LORNE.
Colonial Office to Major F. T. Sargood.
Downing Street, May 27, 1880. I AM directed by the Earl of Kimberley to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd instant,* and I am to state in reply that Mr. Herbert will be glad to see you any afternoon between 2 and 4.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
R. H. MEADE.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TITLTICO. 885/
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
"From the proximity of Canada to the United States, service could easily be evaded by men to whom foreign service might be distasteful, by their crossing the border and residing in the neighbouring country for a time. Unless great care be taken in enrolling only men of good character, that evasion is likely to be largely practised. The danger of this would not be so great among the recruits raised in the rural districts, who would be mostly sons of farmers having a present or future interest in the soil; but there can be no sufficient security against desertions from the ranks of those enlisted in the towns. It is presumed that the men of the reserve force could not serve at the same time in the Canadian Volunteer Militia, and it may be a question only to be tested by experience, whether it would not weaken the volunteer force by withdrawing some of its best men.
'On the whole, however, the Undersigned is of opinion, for the various reasons given by your Excellency, that the proposition should be favourably entertained and encouraged by the Canadian Government.
"All which is respectfully submitted.
(Signed)
"JOHN A. MACDONALD."
The principles which should, I think, be kept in view in the execution of the scheme for the embodiment of a Canadian contingent in the Imperial Reserve forces, are:-
1. That the Canadian Active Militia should not, in any way, be weakened by the formation of such a reserve force.
2. That the Reserve should be composed of men who have served their term in the active militia.
The active militia would, in this way, be enabled rightly to consider the reserve as
No. 14.
Governor-General the Marquis of Lorne, K.T., G.C.M.G., to the Right Hon. the Earl of
Kimberley. (Received June 1.)
(Secret.) My Lord,
Government House, Ottawa, May 17, 1880. REFERRING to my despatch of the 12th instant on the question of the raising of a Canadian contingent for the Imperial reserve, the accompanying Memoranda have been sent to me by Sir Edward Selby Smyth and by Sir Patrick MacDougall. These are forwarded for the information of the War Office, but Sir Edward Selby Smyth will have opportunities, if allowed to give evidence before the Colonial Defence Committee, of stating much more fully and in greater detail his opinion as to the best manner in which the plan under discussion may be carried out.
I may observe that although Canada might in the future wish to embody regular regiments, with or without a system of an interchange of service with British regiments, that this is not at present a practical question, and I forward these Memoranda only for the sake of the observations made in them with regard to the contingent for the Imperial
reserve.
With regard to paragraphs 5, 6, and 7, I should be inclined to question the proposal that the companies formed should have officers "on paper." It is desirable to take the
• No. 10.
+ No. 12.
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