Esquimalt in the mid 1800s was seen as a prospective bastion of the British Empire, and the naval base was established there to serve as part of a worldwide network of coaling stations for the Royal Navy. This was due to the effort of individuals like Admiral Sir Henry William Bruce, who was instrumental in bringing this about. 39
It was first recognized as a Royal Navy shore establishment in 1865. A naval hospital, a magazine, recreation grounds and a naval cemetery with a chapel were built near the dockyard that had been there since 1855. There were 46 buildings in all by 1873 on an area of 30 acres. The drydock was completed by 1887. 40
The Royal Navy however, quite suddenly abandoned the base in 1904. As a result of the RN’s withdrawal from the Canadian stage, the Canadian government assumed responsibility for the dockyard facilities and in 1910 the newly created Naval Service of Canada reopened them. 41
From that point on and during the war years, the main purpose of the dockyard was for provisioning and coaling, and the drydock was used to refit and repair ships. The Royal Naval Hospital reopened to look after convalescing soldiers and the Royal Naval College of Canada operated at the Esquimalt base from 1918 – 1922. 42
by Catherine Gilbert