A PERIOD OF MILITARY GROWTH 365

As a result of the change in purview which had come into existence since the South African War, the plans framed by the military authorities included confidential schemes for the despatch abroad, in the event of a war in Europe, of an expeditionary force comprising a division (i.e., twelve battalions of infantry, with the necessary complement of artillery and other troops, in all about 18,000 men), anda mounted brigade (about 2,000 mounted rifles). The detailed plans for the enlistment and mobilization of these forces had been carefully elaborated; the main idea being that the troops should be specially enlisted and that the existing militia organization should be employed for this purpose. No attempt was made to employ the Active Militia as such, or to enforce the theoretical liability of the militia to serve abroad. The Canadian Expeditionary Force was a New Force, raised, organized and outfitted by the machinery of the Active Militia and very largely officered and manned by the same body. The precise status of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, indeed, seems to be a little vague, and it is in a sense quite outside the Active Militia, although largely based upon that force.