364   MILITARY HISTORY OF CANADA

total membership of some 52,000. Active encouragement was given also to rifle practice by members of the militia, both Dominion and Provincial Governments giving monetary grants to the Dominion and Provincial rifle associations.

The growth of the cadet movement is startling and gratifying. It began in 1908; in 1911 there were 492 companies and 19,250 cadets; in the first half of 1916 there were 1428 companies and 57,000 cadets. Of these units 76 were affiliated or attached to militia organizations; 26,000 cadets were drawn from secondary schools, 25,500 from primary schools, and 500 were in corps fostered by municipalities or government institutions. Cadet camps were formed in 1912. These were attended by some 12,000 to 20,000 boys, who were given thorough instruction in rifle shooting.

With a view to the increased provision of arms, the Ross rifle factory was started in Quebec in 1904. This weapon differed in many respects from the Lee-Enfield, which is the type used elsewhere in the British Dominions, although it took the same ammunition. The capacity of the factory before the war was about 1,000 rifles a month, and there were about 70,000 rifles in the country in August, 1914. The Quebec factory has been greatly enlarged and orders have been issued to adapt it for the production of the Lee-Enfield.

In 1914 there was a small arsenal at Quebec, capable of turning out some millions of rounds of rifle ammunition per annum, and also of making 18-pounder shells. At the beginning of the war the Government had provided about 100 guns, mostly 13- and 18-pounder horse and field quick-firing guns, but also including a few heavy guns, 4.7-inch and 60-pounders. The supply of machine-guns was deficient and the type obsolete. Something also had been done to increase the provision of mobilization stores, i.e., clothing and other necessary equipment for the new men who would be added to various units when these were brought to their war strength.