CO885-(1-2) — Page 46

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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C.O. 8

885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON,

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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men each, and to be distributed as shown in the margin :* and in my reply, dated August 24. 1836, it was suggested that the best mode of effecting the proposed augmentation would be to add two companies to the existing establishment of the 2nd West India Regiment, and to station them at the Baliamas, in addition to the five companies then quartered there.

It appears also that in your letter to me, dated December 15, 1838, inclosing a copy of your letter to the Treasury, dated June 19, 1837, that it is therein stated, "that Lord Glenelg does not consider that there is at present any probability of a reduction of the strength of the garrison at the Bahamas, and that the amount of force hereafter to be kept up must be calculated, not with reference solely to the beneficial change which has been effected in the social condition of the negro population, but with reference chiefly to the provision, which should be made for the protection of the Colony against foreign aggression."

And further, in your letter to me above alluded to, December 15, it is stated, "with regard to the amount of force to be kept up at the Bahamas, Lord Glenelg sees no reason to alter the opinion which he expressed to the Lords of the Treasury on the 19th June, 1887, and sees no sufficient reason for making any change in the amount of force or in ita distribution."

In conclusion it only remains to observe that the whole matter having been thus fully brought before the Secretary of State, it will remain with His Lordship to determine whether the force in the Bahamas is to be permanently reduced from six companies to three companies, as in such case the augmentation to the 2nd West India Regiment would be as above alluded to, viz. five companies, whereas if the force is to remain as at present. and no reduction to be made in the force at the Bahamas, the augmentation to the 2nd West India Regiment must be extended to eight companies, so that the proposition of the Lieutenant-General as regarding Jamaica may be carried into full effect.

Should it be thought advisable, in accordance with the opinion of the Secretary of State above referred to, that the garrison at the Bahamas should not be reduced, and that consequently eight companies should be added to the Black force, the General Command- ing-in-Chief would recommend as the preferable mode of effecting it, that a third regiment of eight companies should be added to the two West India Regiments now existing.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

J. Stephen, Esq.

My Lord,

NORTH AMERICA.

CANADA.

No. 22.

Lord Durham to Lord Glenely,

FITZROY SOMERSET.

Custle of St. Lewis, Quebec, October 30, 183R,

1 HAVE the honor to inclose your Lordship the copy of a despatch, which I have this day received from His Excellency Sir George Arthur; I shall not fail to confer with Sir J. Colborne, on the suggestion respecting the rations, which it contains. I expect his arrival this day from Sorel.

It will be my duty, on my arrival in England, to call your Lordship's attention to another subject affecting the comfort and contentment of the soldiers serging in North America: I allude to the stoppage of a portion of their pay for the purpose of providing extra necessaries and clothing required for this severe climate.

* One Company at

1st. Shrimp Bay, Bury Island.

2nd. The South Binnie.

Gulf of Florida.

3rd. Harbour island.

4th. Green Turtle Bay, Abaco.

5th. The Cay Sal.

tith. Tarpour Bay, Eleuthera.

Companies at the Head Quarters of Guver: -

thent.

One Company al

Posta at

Crooked Island to furnish

1st. Great Harbour, Long Island.

2nd. Rum Cay.

3rd. Ragged Island.

4th. Exuma.

One Company at Grand Bay, Turks' Island, to

furnish Posts at

11. Salt Cay.

1st Hen qua.

61

I have been told by many intelligent officers of high rank, and believe it, that the debt with which the soldier is thus loaded, on his arrival in Canada, is one of the main causes of the desertion which unhappily takes place.

I have, &c.

The Right Honorable Lord Glenelg,

(Signed)

Inclosure in No. 22.

Sir George Arthur to Earl Durham,

DURHAM.

My Lord,

Government House, Toronto, October 24, 1888. NOTWITHSTANDING your Lordship's intention of immediate departure from Canada, I take another opportunity of conveying to your Lordship information of the actual state of this province.

In addition to the information contained in the communications from Mr. Fox, of which he inforns me that he has inclosed your Lordship a copy, I transmit a deposition, made by an Englishman of most respectable appearance, and whose sincere and candid manner, together with the extraordinary coincidence of the facts detailed by him, with intelligence long since received, and with letters coming from friends, as well as from enemies, whose letters have fallen into our hands, leave now no room for doubt of the serious intentions of the enemy; but that an extensive secret organization has been in progress ever since the time of the destruction of the Sir Robert Peel, at which time we had the first rumour of it.

Your Lordship inay readily conceive in what a difficult situation I am placed, in a military point of view, with the small force at my disposal, which is necessarily detached for the protection of the exposed frontier, from Point à Bodette, on Lake Si. Francis to Saut St. Mary, a distance of 1,000 miles, which the threatened invasion is sufficiently formidable to require concentration of the troops, or, at least, their combined movement in the field.

So long as the enemy confines himself within the United States, although he is in perfect security, he has, nevertheless, to act with some degree of secrecy, real or affected, this prevents the assemblage and perfect organization of his force; but his object undoubtedly is, to take possession of some point d'appui, and when he succeeds in this object, there is no calculating to what extent he may increase his force, as he has an immense population morally at his disposal, together with the formidable military resources, which can be derived from a people almost universally armed and accustomed to the use of arms.

The enemy must therefore be prevented, at all cost, from holding for any length of time a position in any part of this Province, which would enable him to form a large army of invaders, to call the disaffected to his Standard, and overawe the timid and indifferent; for, although I should not by any means doubt but we should succeed in beating him, a sanguinary and protracted struggle would take place; the effect of which upon the population of Lower Canada, as well as upon the unprotected portions of this Province, may readily be imagined.

I have, therefore, most reluctantly felt obliged to incur the responsibility of arming at once a portion of the Loyal Militia, to the number of 5,000 men, with some cavalry and artillery for the purpose of co-operating with Her Majesty's troops.

It has been represented to me and my own opinion concurs in the representation, that it would be exceedingly difficult to induce good men to enlist for a shorter period; and, also, that when the expense of raising and equipping, and disciplining a force is once incurred, it would be impolitic to lose the benefit of the measure by making the period of service too short, when there is no reason to expect that the time of trouble and agitation, or at least of necessary precaution, will be over for some years.

I have, therefore, ordered the enlistment of a portion of the militia for a period of 18 months, so far, as four Regiments are concerned, the remainder may probably be engaged for a shorter periol.

I most earnestly entreat your Lordship to use your influence with the United States Government to act with far more vigour, than it has hitherto done. It is really very hard upon the British Government, and this Province, if not altogether unprecedented, that England should be at the expense of keeping in check, and resisting the inha- bitants of a friendly nation. It is a strange anomaly that a separate peace should be made with a Government apart from its people, and one which in the nature of things cannot long exist.

The desertion of so many of the regular soldiers has given me the deepest concern: it arises in some measure, undoubtedly, from comparison of the allowances and pay with the ordinary wages to be obtained in this and the neighbouring country.

It is impossible to raise a militia force upon the same terms as the troops of the regular army, the Militiamen, consequently receive their rations free of expense, and a jealousy most hurtful to Her Majesty's service, on the part of the soldiery, must be an inevitable consequence.

It is to be considered that the soldiers speaking the same language with the people of the United States, and having many countrymen, and even near relations in America,

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I have been told by many intelligent officers of high rank, and believe it, that the debt with which the soldier is thus loaded, on his arrival in Canada, is one of the main causes of the desertion which unhappily takes place.

The Right Honorable Lord Glenely.

My Lord,

have, &c.

Inclosure in No. 22.

(Signed)

Sir George Arthur to Earl Durham.

DURHAM.

Government House, Toronto, October 24, 1898. NOTWITHSTANDING your Lordship's intention of immediate departure from Canada, I take another opportunity of conveying to your Lordship information of the actual state of this province.

In addition to the information contained in the communications from Mr. Fox, of which he informs me that he has inclosed your Lordship a copy, I transmit a deposition, made by an Englishman of most respectable appearance, and whose sincere and candid manner, together with the extraordinary coincidence of the facts detailed by him, with intelligence long since received, and with letters coming from friends, as well as from euemies, whose letters have fallen into our hands, leave now no room for doubt of the serious intentions of the enemy; but that an extensive secret organization has been in progress ever since the time of the destruction of the Sir Robert Peel, at which time we had the first rumour of it

Your Lordship may readily conceive in what a difficult situation I am placed, in a military point of view, with the small force at my disposal, which is necessarily detached for the protection of the exposed frontier, from Point à Bodette, on Lake St. Francis to Saut St. Mary, a distance of 1,000 miles, which the threatened invasion is sufficiently formidable to require concentration of the troops, or, at least, their combined movement in the field.

So long as the enemy confines himself within the United States, although he is in perfect security, he has, nevertheless, to act with some degree of secrecy, real or affected, this prevents the assemblage and perfect organization of his force; but his object undoubtedly is, to take possession of some point d'appui, and when he succeed■ in this object, there is no calculating to what extent he may increase his force, as he bas an immense population morally at his disposal, together with the formidable military resources, which can be derived from a people almost universally armed and accustomed to the use of arms.

The enemy must therefore be prevented, at all cost, from holding for any length of Lime a position in any part of this Province, which would enable him to form a large ariny of invaders, to call the disaffected to his Standard, and overawe the timid and indifferent; for, although I should not by any means doubt but we should succeed in beating him, a sanguinary and protracted struggle would take place; the effect of which upon the population of Lower Canada, as well as upon the unprotected portions of this Province, may readily he imagined.

I have, therefore, most reluctantly felt obliged to incur the responsibility of arming at once a portion of the Loyal Militia, to the number of 5,000 men, with some cavalry and artillery for the purpose of co-operating with Her Majesty's troops.

It has been represented to me, and my own opinion concurs in the representation, that it would be exceedingly difficult to induce good men to enlist for a shorter period: and, also, that when the expense of raising and equipping, and disciplining a force is ɔnce incurred, it would be impolitie to lose the benefit of the measure by making the period of service too short, when there is no reason to expect that the time of trouble and agitation, or at least of necessary precaution, will be over for some years.

I have, therefore, ordered the enlistment of a portion of the militia for a period of 18 months, so far as four Regiments are concerned, the remainder may probably be

ngaged for a shorter period.

most earnestly entreat your Lordship to use your influence with the United States Government to act with far more vigour, than it has hitherto done. It is really very ard upon the British Government, and this Pro.ince, if not altogether unprecedented, bat England should be at the expense of keeping in check, and resisting the inha- bitants of a friendly nation. It is a strange anomaly that a separate peace should be nade with a Government apart from its people, and one which in the nature of things 'annot long exist.

The desertion of so many of the regular soldiers has given me the deepest concern: t arises in some measure, undoubtedly, from comparison of the allowances and pay with

he ordinary wages to be obtained in this and the neighbouring country.

It is impossible to raise a militia force upon the same terms as the troops of the egular army, the Militiamen, consequently receive their rations free of expense, and a ealousy most hurtful to Her Majesty's service, on the part of the soldiery, must be an nevitable consequence.

It is to be considered that the soldiers speaking the summe language with the people of the United States, and having many countrymen, and even near relations in America,

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