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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Sir George Turner.] I mean we are sending our Secretary of Defence through for the purpose of consulting here with you on the whole subject.

The Earl of Selborne.] Is it a question of some private firm setting up a factory, or is it a question of the Colonial Premiers asking for the advice of the Colonial Defence Committee as to whether the factory should be established by Government or a private firm ?

Captain Nathan.] They have not asked for advice.

Sir H. M. Nelson.] We are told that Nobel has bought out the factory in Victoria ?

Sir George Turner.] No, they bought out some factory, but it is not the Colonial Ammunition Company with which we have the contract.

Sir H. M. Nelson.] I thought it was.

Sir George Turner.] No, it is some other. It is some blasting com- pany.

Captain Nathan.] The Colonial Defence Committee suggest to the Premiers of Australasia the establishment of a central school of instruction on the lines of Kingston College, Canada.

Mr. Seddon.] Has Kingston College in Canada been a success ?

Captain Nathan.] It has been a success in one way that I can speak of; it has turned out some very excellent officers for the Imperial forces.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] I can say I think that the Military College has been a great success until a few years ago, but I am sorry to say that the man we have had at the head of the College allowed it to go down a little. We hope that with new management it will be restored to its former standard, which was very good, I believe.

Captain Nathan.] It certainly was good in the sense of turning out some excellent officers.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] That is all you can ask for.

Captain Nathan.] Yes.

Sir George Turner.] Is it not far better for us, instead of having an establishment ourselves, to send every year a certain number of men to the best establishment here where they then get all the latest information and bring it back and impart it to our other men, cheaper for us and better for them? I should have thought so.

Mr. Reid.] You would educate a smaller number by that means than by having a college.

Sir George Turner.] They get all the latest information and the practical working here which we could not give them. Look at the distance they would have to travel in our country to any central establishment.

Captain Nathan.] Kingston College is not for training officers in military duties, but for training boys to be officers. They may also learn to become engineers and to do other work.

Mr. Reid.] A sort of preliminary college.

Captain Nathan.] Yes, it corresponds somewhat to the Royal Academy at Woolwich in this country, as regards the training of boys to be officers and to be engineers.

The Earl of Selborne.] They need not all necessarily be professional soldiers as well.

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Captain Nathan.] Oh no. The Earl of Selborne.] They may enter private professions or join military forces.

We

Captain Nathan.] Yes, and there is a matter arising out of this that has been under the consideration of the Colonial Defence Committee. cannot quite understand here how it is that the appointments in the permanent force are not necessarily given to cadets of Kingston College, and it seems to us that the Dominion ought to encourage the college in the same way as the Imperial Government does.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] I should believe so. On general principle that would seem natural enough; but I could not give you any satisfactory answer, and, in fact, I am not posted at all.

Mr. Kingston.] Is this Kingston College a Government institution ?

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] Oh yes, it is maintained altogether by the Government.

Mr. Kingston.] How much does it cost you, about ?

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] I could not tell you.

Mr. Kingston.] It costs a pretty large sum.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] I could not tell you exactly the cost.

Mr. Kingston.] Could you give us an approximate value ?

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] No, I could not.

Sir John Bramston.] It appears in the Estimates.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] If you get the Estimates I could find it. Captain Nathan.] That is all I have to bring before you.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] Will you pardon me, Mr. Chamberlain. Another We have never discussed it in matter has been brought to my attention. Canada, I must admit, but it has been brought to my notice by an application made to me by the city of Toronto; not by the city, but by the citizens of Toronto-to have a recruiting bureau in the Colonies. I will tell you—I will repeat what I said a moment ago, that it has never been discussed in Canada, so far as I know. Different citizens of Toronto have written asking me to bring the matter to the attention of the military authorities here; this is as good an occasion as any. They would find ample and very good material for recruiting the army out of the northern and large cities in Canada,

The Earl of Selborne.] At English wages?

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] At English wages. I cannot give any information upon the matter, but I was asked to bring it to the attention of the military authorities, and I would ask you to consider it.

Sir John Bramston.] What is the cost of a passage first.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] For a man ?

Sir John Bramston.] For a man.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] I suppose 30 dollars-67.; it is a very low price.

Sir John Bramston.] That adds, of course, to the cost of recruiting. The Secretary of State.] We have always thought that in the Colonies, where wages were so much higher, they would not look at the English shilling.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] There is a condition of things existing, I am sorry to say, which I believe would induce many men to enlist. In all our large cities at the present time you can always find ample and good material, I think, for recruiting.

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