24 The Fishery Question : 



scheme of Imperial Federation which is now the dream of 

 poHtical enthusiasts should ever reach the arena of practical 

 discussion, the question of defence will be one of the first subjects 

 of deliberation, but if that scheme in its entirety should prove 

 impractical)le, it ought at least to be the patriotic aim of the 

 ])ublic men of England and her semi-independent colonies to 

 unite for common commercial and defensive purposes. It is 

 quite clear that the old times, when England took part in 

 aggressive wars, as in the days of Louis Quatorze and Napo- 

 leon I,, are over, and that her policy will be henceforth to confine 

 herself to the protection of her widely extended dominions. A 

 I)oIicy of defence that will combine all the resources of her 

 dependencies is one calculated to maintain her prestige and 

 prevent the disintegration of her vast Empire. The triumphs 

 of steam and electricity are effectually surmounting the difficulties 

 of distance, and should render more practicable what some 

 persons persist in believing to be mere visions of a united 

 Empire. In any plan of Imperial defence Canada must hence- 

 forth perform an important part. On her Atlantic and Pacific 

 coasts are the finest harbours of the world, and enormous 

 deposits of bituminous coal available for steam purposes. 

 Halifax is a strongly fortified port, with a large dock3?ard ; and 

 at Louisbourg — now desolate, but once a famous fortress of the 

 French — could well be established another important station for 

 a naval squadron. Both at these places and in British Columbia 

 can be formed those coaling stations which, as Captain Colomb 

 has pointed out, are essential as strategical positions. The 

 present Governor-General of Canada in a recent speech referred 

 to the important works tl«at are now in course of construction 

 on the Pacific coast for purposes of defence. 



You have here at Esquirnalt (he said) a naval station likely to 

 become one of the greatest and most important strongholds ot" the 

 Empire. You have a coal supply sulHcient for all the navies of the 

 world. You have a line of railway which is ready to bring that coal 

 up to the harbour of Esquinialt. You will shortly have a graving- 

 dock capable of accommodating all but one or two of her Majesty's 

 largest ships. You have, in short, all the conditions re<iuisite for what 

 1 beheve is spoken of as a j)lace (Valines; but until now that j)la':e 

 d'armes lias been inaccessible except by sea. We shall henceforth be 

 able to bring supplies, stores, and material of war, by an alternative 

 route, direct, expeditious, and lying for more than half its way over 

 British territory." 



An astute statesman, the Marquis of Lansdowne, fully 

 appreciates the Imperial importance of the Canadian Pacilic 

 Railway as a meaus of keeping open the communications between 



