even then, but the profits of that development were denied to the Ordnance, preventing self-financing of later portions of the strategy. Canadian defence was a troublesome responsibility to all Imperial authorities, especially to a department under constant assault from reforming elements in the House of Commons; elements who saw the Ordnance as dysfunctional, and who viewed colonies as burdens to be shed, ultimately by granting selfgovernment. Under these circumstances, the officers responsible for Canadian defence, from the Governor General down to the Royal Engineer officers responsible for particular projects, were driven to extract funds from a reluctant Parliament by methods bordering on fraud. Yet the plan succeeded. The legacy of the Smyth Report of 1825 on the defence of British North America could be said to be the creation of the Dominion of Canada itself. And as a bonus to this, we have an inheritance today of charming and valuable tourist attractions, each telling a part of this story while delighting visitors from around the world – including from all corners of the United States.
