CO885-5 — Page 38

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference -

TLCO 885 /

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

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14

I repeat, we must carry the goodwill of the active force and the general population with us in this new movement very carefully, else through the press and the people's representatives they may, and probably would, stir up an insurmountable opposition.

They will understand and apply themselves to further a project originating with and administered by their own Government, and carried out by their General Officers Commanding militia and staff. But they would view with some suspicion and jealousy a plan requiring officers and men who would annually drill with their active militia, to be afterwards re-inspected by the General Officer Commanding the regular army.

*

The Imperial reserve would thus have two superiors, each irresponsible to the other, and so a divergence or conflict of opinion might sometime occur.

Each might probably be equally capable officers, but for the time being not imme- diately subordinate to the same source of orders,, though no doubt each equally animated by the same public spirit and military allegiance.

The General Officer Commanding militia, being selected by his Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding-in-chief, would presumably be an able and capable General Officer; it would then only be incurring a possible friction to admit the dual command during peace.

When the reserves are required for service out of Canada, then, of course, hand them over to the Imperial General Officer Commanding.

12 and 13. I wrote those paragraphs advisedly, and after consulting opinions with which I have reason to concur. It militia officers suspect that the Imperial reserve (a new movement to them, which they hear of with some hesitation) may in any degree tend to embarrass their own recruiting, they will oppose it with fatal result. After all, the term reserve militia is but the name for every able-bodied labourer and peasant in Canada between the ages of 18 and 60.

20. The unattached list is that referred to; there are plenty of good officers of active years upon it, and I concur that Lieutenant-Colonels should be appointed perma- nently; but, as I said before, they will require emolument in reserve pay, because some time would be occupied which would otherwise be devoted to their daily business or calling.

I likewise know several good and capable officers of the active force; but in this project I contemplate and provide against a state of war, and so I desire to maintain the militia, efficient especially in the commanding officers of battalious, who should not therefore be liable to sudden removal,

I do not forget that England at war with a maritime Power such as Russia would call for all the energies of Canada to protect her exposed and vulnerable seaboards on both Atlantic and Pacific, as well as probably to guard against an incursion of Fenians along a tremendously extensive and unprotected frontier. Experience has proved this in former years, and three years ago the threat held out was ready to be realized.

If Canada were nowhere exposed while England was at war, then many thousand officers and men could be readily and safely sent away without regard to the efficiency of the militia; but Canada must look at home in every military entanglement, Imperial or otherwise, and maintain her active militia intact, and independent of the Imperial reserve.

When alluding to the selection of commanding officers by the Deputy Adjutant- Generals, I of course infer they should submit names for approval of the General Officer Commanding militia. There being twelve military districts embracing the entire Dominion between both oceans, it follows the General Officer Commanding would naturally have the selection from all Canada.

21. Adopts the views I expressed, and which must be those of every military officer.

The remedy I proposed was that which I have pressed for five years and a half, viz., three or four embodied companies as training establishments for young officers and non- commissioned officers, as the gunnery schools are for the artillery, and a small subsidy might be given in aid by the Imperial Government.

It is a mistake to suppose that the Royal Military College could undertake such additional responsibilities. I again this year advised the addition of 100 men to each of the royal schools of gunnery, to form brigade schools of instruction for all arms, save Engineers, who as such could be taught at the Military College; and I again urge and press strongly the adoption of my suggestion.

Without well-trained drill instructors, the Imperial reserve could not be made efficient in Canada.

E. SELBY SMYTH, Lieutenant-General.

Ottawa, April 24, 1880.

(Signed)

15

No. 15.

Governor-General the Marquis of Lorne, K.T., G.C.M.G., to the Right Hon. the Earl of

Kimberley. (Received June 2.)

Citadel, Quebec, May 21, 1880.

(Secret.) My Lord,

1 SUBMITTED to my Government a copy of Sir Michael Hicks Beach's Circular despatch of the 21st February last,* inclosing a copy of a letter from the Foreign Office and inclosures, regarding the strength of the Russian squadron in the Pacific, and I have now the honour of forwarding a copy of a letter from the Secretary of State for Canada, covering a copy of one from the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, who was instructed to furnish any information which might reach him regarding the movements of the fleet.

I have, &c. (Signed) LORNE.

Sir,

Inclosure in No. 15.

Ottawa, May 18, 1880. ADVERTING to the Secret despatch of the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies of the 21st February last, and its inclosures, relative to the strength of the Russian fleet in the Pacific, I am directed to transmit to you herewith, for the information of his Excellency the Governor-General, a copy of a despatch from his Honour the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, in reply to a communication addressed to him on the 17th March last by the Secretary of State, requesting that he would report confidentially any information which might reach him respecting the Russian flect, and that he would, to that end, cause instructions to be issued at ports along the Pacific coast to.be on the look out, and to convey to him confidentially any news they might obtain with regard to the movements of that fleet.

The Governor-General's Secretary.

Sir,

I have, &c. (Signed) E. J. LANGEVIN,

Inclosure 2 in No. 15.

Under-Secretary of State

Government House, Victoria, April 29, 1880.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 17th ultimo, requesting me to furnish you with any information I may obtain respecting the reported reinforcement of the Russian squadron in the Pacific, and to cause instructions to be issued at ports along the Pacific coast to be on the look out and to report confidentially to me any news they may obtain with regard to the movements of that fleet.

The number of ports on this coast is very limited, and all, excepting a few trading posts of the Hudson's Bay Company, are within a comparatively short distance of Victoria.

I consulted the chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company on the subject, and he informs me that the only port at which a fleet could touch is Fort Simpson, and that

the agent of the Company there would report to him any arrival of this nature.

The ports of this province where there are any officers of the Government do not reach north of Comox, and we can even learn if any stray vessels are seen in the vicinity of the Gulf of Georgia.

I sent a copy of the despatch to Rear-Admiral Sterling, Commander-in-chief of the fleet on this coast now at Esquimalt.

Should 1 receive any information respecting the Russian fleet, I will at once communi-

(Signed) A. A. RICHARDS, Lieutenant-Governor.

cate it to you.

The Hon. the Secretary of State, Ottawa.

No. 137 of Miscellaneous No. 39."