631 



genera], a surveyor-general, arid several other 

 officers of the crown ; but the amount of their 

 salaries, and indeed the whole civil list, is de-* 

 frayed by Great Britain, without the smallest 

 encumbrance to the province. For the defence 

 of this extensive country detachments of regu- 

 lar troops are stationed in it, assisted by a se- 

 dentary militia, enrolled in the same way as 

 that of Lower Canada, and which, upon paper, 

 amounts to 11,000 men: from among these the 

 battalions of incorporated militia, when ordered 

 to be embodied, are filled up by ballot; but, 

 spread over so wide a space as they are, it is 

 rare that, upon cases of emergency, more than 

 a few hundreds have been brought together at 

 one time; the chief reliance, therefore, must 

 be placed upon the former, and the navy on 

 the lakes. Of the troops no permanent number 

 can be mentioned, being augmented or reduced, 

 as circumstances require, or the amicable rela- 

 tions with our neighbours will permit. The 

 defence of this large and rapidly improving 

 colony becomes, in the present day, a subject 

 of much importance, and demands more than 

 ordinary attention. If the actual state of this 

 country and that part of the United States 

 bordering upon it be critically examined, and 

 taking into consideration the superior popula-* 

 tion of the latter, with the easy means of access 

 by the large rivers that fall into the St. Law- 



