§ THE EARL OF ELGINsaid, I have a question relating to a matter of the utmost importance to put to the noble Lord the Secretary for War, but of which I have not given him notice; and therefore, if he should prefer it, he can answer it on another 1143 evening. I think it is most desirable that it should be made known, whether the rumours which are abroad with regard to a large increase in our military forces in Canada being in contemplation, are or are not correct? As I have given no notice of the question, I will abstain from adding a word of comment.
§ LORD PANMUREAlthough my noble Friend has given me no notice of his question, yet as I believe that there is a general impression out of doors that it is proposed to send a large military force to the British North American provinces, I think it right to say it is true that it is the intention of the Government to send back to British North America a certain number of regiments, which were taken from the garrisons of those provinces at the commencement of the war; and it is not improbable that in the new organisation of the army by divisions and brigades, there may be spread over the whole of the North American provinces a number of men amounting to a small addition to the British army; but the report that these troops are being sent out for purposes of aggression is entirely without foundation. It has also been stated—and I am glad to have the opportunity of explaining this too—that large quantities of gunpowder and munitions of war are about to be sent to British North America. The fact simply is this, that at the commencement of the war we drew from those colonies almost the whole of the munitions of war which were in their stores, and all that is now being done is to replace what was drawn from thence.