CANADIAN CONDITIONS. 11

expenditure of half the revenue upon army and
navy, is a condition which has not reached this
Western continent. Canada has little fear of
armed aggression except from the foes of Britain,
from whom she may reasonably expect Britain
to defend her. Therefore the necessity for warlike
Preparations on a large scale does not exist for
her. The soldier of Canada is the citizen soldier.
There is a permanent corps which consists chiefly
of garrison and field artillery. The officers are
trained at Kingston Military College, where the
training given is such that it fits a man equally for
civil or military life, and many young men go there
who have no intention of entering the permanent
corps.

A statute to enforce compulsory service in the
militia has been in existence for a long time, a
legacy probably of a time when there was thought
to be danger of war with the United States. Now
that danger is passed it is a dead letter, as sufficient
numbers offer themselves for voluntary enlistment.
Any attempt to enforce it would undoubtedly meet
with violent opposition, especially from the French
Canadians, and still more from foreigners of European
 origin, many of whom have emigrated to
Canada to avoid the compulsory military service
of their native countries. As it is the Canadian regards
 with something akin to horror the militarism
of Europe as being opposed to his ideas of freedom
of life, and this is one of the chief obstacles to any
suggestion of closer Imperial union. Voluntary