NAVIES 187 



first, or so quickly as her sister dominions the 

 danger from the second. 



For five successive years, from 1909 to 

 1 9 13, the naval policy of Canada was the sub- 

 ject of debate in parliament, press, and public 

 meetings. In 1909 the building programme 

 for the German navy brought on a debate in 

 the Imperial parliament which found an echo 

 throughout the Empire. The Canadian parlia- 

 ment then passed a loyal resolution with the 

 consent of both parties. In 19 10 these parties 

 began to differ. The Liberals, who were then in 

 power, started a distinctively Canadian navy on 

 a very small scale. In 191 1 naval policy was, 

 for the first time, one of the vexed questions in 

 a general election. In 19 12 the new Conserva- 

 tive government passed through the House of 

 Commons an act authorizing an appropriation 

 of thirty-five million dollars for three first- 

 class Dreadnought battleships. This happened 

 to be the exact sum paid by the Imperial 

 government for the fortification of Quebec in 

 1832, and considerably less than one- thirtieth 

 part of what the Imperial government had paid 

 for the naval and military protection of Canada 

 during the British regime. The Senate reversed 

 the decision of the Commons in 1913, with the 

 result that Canada's total naval contribution 



