Aug 8, Esquimalt Naval Dockyard
“A great many people asked yesterday why The Colonist posted unconfirmed bulletins. Possibly very few people understand how news reaches The Colonist office and that of our evening contemporary… All the papers guarantee is that is that the bulletins are genuine telegrams sent and received in good faith.”
The Victoria Daily Colonist, Aug 8, 1914 page 4.
“ On Thursday evening the evening paper printed the following paragraph in its editorial columns:
‘Providence is kind, it gave Germany the Kaiser: also British Columbia Sir Richard, as a sure defence in time of trouble. We might enlarge upon the theme, but out of deference to the circumstances, refrain for the present.’
Yesterday we asked our contemporary to retract what it said because it was a cold blooded insult to the Premier of this Province in view of the fact that the British Empire is at war with Germany…
The Victoria Daily Colonist, Aug 8, 1914 page 4.
PRIME MINISTER BORDEN TO PREMIER MCBRIDE EXPECT THAT RAINBOW AND TWO SLOOPS MAY BE CAPTURED TODAY OR TOMORROW STOP PLEASE USE CONNECTIONS IN SEATTLE TO LOCATE SUBMARINE MINING EXPERTS STOP
“This business about the submarine minefields is rubbish,” said Lieutenant Jones.
“Yes, I know,” said Premier McBride cheerfully.
“That equipment was built in the 1890s, was questionable in the first place, and has been sitting in storage for 15 years, with no maintenance for the last 8, becoming more obsolete with every passing day.”
“ I couldn’t agree more,”
“And the place that it is supposed to guard is the very spot on the coast that is already the best defended. There are 14 guns covering Esquimalt harbour.
“ I am very aware of that fact.”
“Then why are we even wasting this moment talking about it?”
“Because…” drew out McBride “In the absence of the deadly submarine minefield, something else has to shake loose to save the citizens of the province. I am going to mobilize all the militia. I need approval from the District Militia Commander and the Minister of Militia and Defence, the nutter. The Prime Minister has somehow latched onto this nonsense of the submarine minefield, and I am not going to disabuse him of it. I need him to bring the others on board. If the submarine minefield can’t save us, the militia will have to. My colleagues in the advertising racket call this bait-and-switch.
“But I thought you opposed mobilizing the militia,” replied Jones quizzically.
“Of course I do, but what I want does not matter. The people want the militia. A presence they can see, who will hold their hand in these troubling times. Who am I to deny them? And by God they need something. They are going off their heads.
“Have you heard the banks in Victoria are making plans that in the event a cruiser parks off shore and demands a ransom, they are going to burn the paper money. Burn the money! So next thing that will happen is a rumour will sweep through town, the bankers will light a match, and then they will have to say, I’m sorry, we’ve just burned all the money!
“The Germans don’t need to come anywhere near. If we lose our nerve, we are perfectly capable descending into anarchy all by ourselves.
“Excuse me, I must go write my speech welcoming the militia.”
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