In treating of the forces which exist for the defence of our Colonies, it appears only natural and fitting that Canada should receive the first attention.  The vast extent of the Dominion - something like three and a half million square miles - is in itself a sufficient pretext for the distinction of

Some Canadian Army Chiefs

The central figure in the picture above is that of Colonel the Hon. Matthew Aylmer, the Adjutant-General of Militia, a post which he has held for about two years, after serving on the staff in Canada for a long period.  He was formerly in the City of London Regiment, and served in Canada during the Fenian raids of 1866 and 1870; but he left the regiment in 1871, as lieutenant, on obtaining the post on the staff of the Canadian Militia, and there he has been ever since, steadily climbing to the top of the tree.  The other officers are Major Evans, of the Royal Candian Dragoons, to the left, and Captain McDougall, of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Infantry - both regulars, as we shall see.  All these officers were in England for the Jubilee last year.  Colonel Aylmer acting as chief of staff to the whole Colonial contingent, and Captain McDougall as adjutant to the Canadians.  In noticing the various regiments, etc., precedence is naturally given to the cavalry, and, among them, to the Royal Canadian Dragoons, mustering 145 all told, one being stationed at Toronto, and the other at Winnipeg.  One point which will be very much in evidence in our Candian pictures is the close resemblance which all the uniforms bear to corresponding branches of the British Army.  The military authorities in Canada appear to have set their faces against the picturesque but somewhat fanciful dresses which have been so largely adopted in our other colonies, and gone in for good old fashioned dragoon and hussar, infantry scarlet, and rifle green uniforms.  They have been influenced, perhaps, in this choice by their string loyal and conservative spirit, and also possibly by some desire to emulate the British Army in their general efficiency of turn out.  In this latter respect no one who saw the cavalry paraded with their fine mounts at Chelsea Barracks would hesitate in saying that they succeeded; and most of the infantry men were nearly up to the standard of guards - picked men, of course, both cavalry and foot; but if they have plenty more of the same kind in Canada, they will prove awkward customers for any invader to tackle.  The Royal Canadian Dragoons were originally raised as a Troop of Instruction in 1884, but with the development of the permanent force they were given, some years later, the title of Canadian Dragoons; and in 1893 they were placed on their present footing, and received Her Majesty's permission to assume the prefix of "Royal", and to wear the Imperial cipher V.R.I. on the uniforms and mountings.  They are commanded by Major Lessard, who is also an Inspector of Cavalry on the Headquarter Staff.  Some of the officers appear in our next illustration; there are, however, ten officers in all, including surgeon and veterinary surgeon.  There is also, as will be observed, a strong staff of non- commissioned officers more than are really necessary, under ordinary circumstances, for the complement of men.  

Officers, Royal Canadian Dragoons          Non-Commissioned Officers of the Royal                                                                  Canadian Dragoons

The Dragoons are, however, still utilised as an instructional body, though they have attained to a more honourable title, and a certain number of non-commissioned officers are required for duties in this connection.  Three of the sergeants come, indeed, from the Imperial cavalry, to wit, Sergeant-Major Baxter, 4th Dragoon Guards, Sergeant-Instructor Dingley, 15th Hussars, and Sergeant-Instructor Charlwood, 7th Dragoon Guards; and the presence of these men is a guarantee that the Royal Canadian Dragoons, and other cavalry which may be trained by them, will preserve the best traditions of our fine cavalry regiments.  In the picture of the squad on parade below, it will be noted that the men carry lances.  The practice has been adopted in Canada, as at home, of arming some of the dragoons with lances - the front rank men as a rule - though there are no lancers, properly so-called, among the Canadian Militia regiments.  The horses are very good, serviceable animals, ranging from 15.2 to 16.1 hands, and very much the same type as those of the Imperial cavalry, though they are said to be more hardy, and to stand the severe winter better.  We must not forget our sentry in the second illustration below.  His rig is not exactly a Dragoon's turn out, though he makes a fine picture of a soldier, and is nonetheless efficient as a sentry on account of being adequately protected form frost-bite.  Even the Imperial regiments who are called upon to serve in Canada are glad to some such dress during the winter, for when the mercury runs out at the bottom of the thermometer appearances must be sacrificed to expediency.  Canadians complain, however, that their climate is much maligned in England, and maintain that, as a matter of fact, the clear dry atmosphere renders quite pleasant and bearable a degree of cold which would be intolerable in England.  This is perfectly true no doubt, and it carries with it another truth, and that is, that a greenhorn may have his ears or his nose partly frost bitten before he realises how cold it is!

A Squad of Royal Canadian Dragoons on Parade   Royal Canadian Dragoons - Sentry in                                                                                  Winter Uniform

Also while their summer lasts - which is most places quite as long as ours does - it beats our record in the upper register as much as the winter does in the lower; so that, on the whole, there is no lack of "weather" in Canada such as we have been twitted with who dwell, it is said, as regards climatic consistency, in a land of "samples".  Of actual fighting, the Royal Canadian Dragoons can scarcely be said to have seen any; they were engaged in the expedition sent to quell the rebellion in the North West Provinces in 1885, and rendered excellent service in scouting and keeping open communications, which can scarcely be over rated, under the circumstances, though they may not have been actually under fire.  The expedition was undertaken in March, when the weather was still bitterly cold, so much so that a man falling accidentally into a stream became on emerging immediately frozen as hard as a board.  A long day in the saddle under such conditions is not precisely what would be selected as a treat; and the Royal Canadians had many such days, acquitting themselves with characteristic courage and hardihood.  Indeed, the conduct of a campaign of any description under such circumstances must of necessity demand a higher degree of fortitude and discipline than is entailed in a brush with the enemy in hot blood, and those who come out of it with credit are good men. The Royal Canadian Dragoons were represented in England last year by eight men, including Sergeant Dingley.  In our next notice it is intended to deal with the remainder of the cavalry.

The rumours which are rife as to the possibility of war in more than one quarter of the globe, render the question of colonial defence a peculiarly interesting one at the present moment.  Should England unhappily be involved, it would behove us to have every available man at his post, and the Canadian Militia would of necessity be called out to maintain the integrity of our vast North American Dominion.  The first corps in precedence among the Militia Cavalry is the Governor-General's Body Guard, raised in 1855.  The headquarters are at Toronto, and the regiment numbers about 230; the uniform being blue with white facings, a white plume on steel helmet, and silver lace.  The first and second pictures represent members of this fine corps, the troop sergeant-major in full dressand the officers in undress, with white helmets for warm weather.

              Troop Sergeant Major                                     Officers of the Governor-General's     Governor-General's Body guard                                               Body Guard             

They are a city corps of militia, putting in, no doubt, a large number of drills in excess of the compulsory amount, and ready to turn out promptly on any emergency, as they proved on the occasion of the North West rebellion in 1885, when they were among the first to present themselves in service trim, with a full roll-call, and were attached to the column under Colonel Otter.  They were not required, however, to go to the front, but were stationed at Humboldt, being employed, no doubt, in keeping communications open and assisting as escorts to transport trains.  The Militia Cavalry consists, in addition to the Governor-General's Body Guard, of the following :- 1st Hussars, 2nd and 3rd Dragoons, 4th Hussars, 5th Dragoons, 6th and 8th Hussars, King's Canadian Hussars, Manitoba Dragoons, Montreal Hussars.  Independent troops: Princess Louise's Dragoon Guards, Winnipeg Dragoons.  The regiments usually consist of 226 rank and file, though the 8th Hussars muster 350; a squadron is eighty-five strong as a rule, and a troop forty-five.  The total number of Militia Cavalry available is therefore about 2,350, exclusive of the 145 regulars.  The uniforms, as has been stated, follow closely the lines of the Imperial cavalry, the Hussars almost exactly resembling that of the 13th Hussars, but with white helmets except in the case of the 8th and the Queen's Own, who wear busbies.  The 3rd Dragoons wear red with yellow facings, yellow metal helmets, black and red plumes.  The Manitoba Dragoons have red with white facings and white helmets.  The remaining dragoons are dressed similarly to the 6th Carabiniers, namely, blue with white facings.  The tall young sergeant of Hussars represented in the next picture is wearing the laced forage cap, which is common to all.  he certainly looks very juvenile for a responsible position as sergeant, but doubtless in the Canadian Militia, as in our own regular Army, young men sometimes come along who rise very rapidly.  

Sergeant of the Canadian Hussars

The last illustration contains some examples of several cavalry corps, both Hussars and Dragoons.  The four nearest men are all Hussars, and wear the braided tunic which has become characteristic of them.  The two first, with white helmets, belong respectively to the King's Canadian Hussars from Nova Scotia, and the 1st Hussars from London, Ontario.  The next two, with busbies, belong to the Queen's Own Canadian Hussars from Quebec, and the 8th from New Brunswick; the latter being the strongest cavalry regiment in Canada.  The other men represent the Royal Canadian Dragoons (described in our last notice), the Princess Louise's Dragoon Guards from Ottawa, and the 3rd Dragoons.  The right hand man is of the North West Mounted Police, of whom we shall have more to say later on.  The other picture below shows the animated scene at Montreal on the 22nd June last year, when a grand review of the Militia was held in honour of the Queen's Jubilee.  There was, unfortunately, a strong breeze blowing - as will be gathered from the attitude of the large flag at the saluting point and the elegant curve described by the flag-staff - and the dust it carried rather tended to damp, or perhaps to dry up, the enthusiasm of the spectators.  The Militia turned out, however, in force, and made a brave show, though it is stated that some of their uniforms afforded evidence of the long duration of "piping times of peace", having obviously suffered from being put away too long.  The old idea that if you put a shabby coat away long enough it will come out new does not apply to uniforms, or at any rate not to scarlet ones.  The moment at which this picture is taken is during the passing of the A Squad of the 6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars; and it is interesting to learn that, only a month afterwards, this was made an independent squadron, under the name of the Montreal Hussars.  The reason for detaching this squadron from the 6th Hussars - which are presumably filled up to their former strength - does not appear, unless some explanation is to be found in the fact that A Squadron came out at the head of the last efficiency return, and w2as therefore selected for special distinction.  However this may be, the amputation of the squad is a fait accompli, and it is commanded by Major F Whitely.  

        Various Canadian Cavalry Types                   Squad of 6th Duke of Connaught's                                                                            Royal Canadian Hussars

The Governor-General's Body Guard dates, as has been stated, from the year 1855; and this was in fact the year in which the military force of Canada was first instituted in anything like its present organisation, being divided into two bodies, the active and sedentary Militia.  The latter consists of all those of eligible age who have not come forward to join the colours and go through their drills; so that every man in Canada is, if only in a negative sense, a militiaman, whether he likes it or not.  In those days, however, matters were on a very different footing from that of the present day, for a considerable force of Imperial troops was always maintained in Canada, and the Militia consequently was not of the same importance or efficiency, though there was always an excellent spirit, and no difficulty was experienced in filling the ranks.  In 1870 came a momentous change; it was determined to withdraw the Imperial troops, except those at Halifax, which has to be protected as a coaling station for the fleet, and to throw upon Canada the responsibility of maintaining her own defences.  This, as will readily be realised, was a radical step, and it was carried out in a radical manner.  The withdrawal was so complete that the stores were sold, the guns passed over to Canada, and even the sentry boxes were shipped for England; which latter might have been interpreted by ingenious pessimists as typical of the complete desertion of the colony by the Imperial Government, and the withdrawal of all protection.  Whether the pessimists had their say about it or not is not related; but the point which most concerns us is the fact that a large proportion of the Militia Cavalry regiments, as now existing, date their organisation from 1872 and the few succeeding years, which affords convincing proof that the Canadians had no intention of sitting down and wringing their hands over the departure of the Imperial regiments, though it was undoubtedly a great blow to them, both socially and commercially. To enter more into detail, the 1st Hussars, 2nd Dragoons, and Princess Louise's Dragoon Guards date from 1872, the King's Canadian Hussars from 1874, the 3rd Dragoons and 4th Hussars from 1875, the 5th Dragoons from 1877, the Winnipeg Dragoons from 1878, and the 6th Hussars from 1879.  The 8th Hussars and the Queen's Own Canadian Hussars - the only wearers of the busbies, it will be recollected - have an older date, going back respectively to 1869 and 1856; while the Manitoba Dragoons came later, in 1893.  Being left to their own resources, the Canadians at once commenced to improve and extend their organisation.  While the British troops were among them, it had been customary to permit individual officers and men who desired to perfect themselves to spend a short time with various regiments for that purpose.  The departure of the Linesmen was followed by the institution of military schools, and subsequently of a Royal Military College at Kingston, which is conducted on the model of Sandhurst, and four commissions are given annually by the British Government to successful competitors.  The Imperial troops, however, had some work found for them before finally departing.  Canada was passing through an interesting phase of its history just then, and one event led to another.  In 1867 was passed the Act of Confederation of the British North American Provinces by which all were included in the Dominion of Canada; and the consummation of this Act had the effect of drawing attention to the territory in the North West, then almost entirely in the hands of Hudson's Bay Company; and following on the precedent afforded by the cession of India and the extinction of the East India Company, it was considered that the time had arrived for a similar policy in the North West Provinces.  It will be necessary for us to go a little into the history of these occurrences, in explanation of subsequent events which compelled the Dominion Government to call out part of her Militia, assisted in the first instance by some Imperial troops, though in after years they "ran the whole show" themselves, and with credit, as will be seen; but the details must be reserved for a future number.

Officers of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Infantry. (1896)

A Parade of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Infantry. (1896)

Gunners of "A" Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery Equipped for Winter Service. (1896)

Troopers of the Royal Canadian Dragoons (Hussars) (1896)

Two non-commissioned Officers and a Private of the 10th Grenadiers (1898)

The Black Tulip by Philip West (B)