Topic: Canadian Militia
Rates of Pay, The Canadian Militia, 1867
Infantryman, Canadian Volunteer Militia, 1863-1870
This volunteer wears the full dress uniform authorized for the Canadian Volunteer Militia in 1863. Few units would have worn the shako shown in this image, substituting the inexpensive (and far more comfortable) forage cap. The style is generally similar to that worn by British regular infantry, with the white-metal buttons and badges commonly used by militia units within the British empire. Reconstruction by Ron Volstad. (Canadian Department of National Defence)
Fixes the rate of pay and allowances for the Force called out on Service as follows, viz:—
| Ranks. | Rate of pay per day. | Daily rate of allowance in lieu of Barracks, rations, and all other allowances. |
|---|---|---|
| Lieut. Colonel | $4.87 | $1.00 |
| Major | 3.90 | $1.00 |
| Paymaster | 3.05 | $0.90 |
| Adjutant with rank of Lieutenant | 2.44 | $0.90 |
| Adjutant with rank of | ||
| Ensign | 2.13 | $0.90 |
| Surgeon | 3.65 | $1.00 |
| Assist. Surgeon | 2.43 | $0.72 |
| Quarter Master | 1.94 | $0.76 |
| Captain | 2.82 | $0.76 |
| Lieutenant | 1.58 | $0.72 |
| Ensign or Cornet | 1.28 | $0.69 |
And the rates of pay for each non-commissioned ofllcer and man shall be as follows, for their prospective grades:
| Rank. | Rate of pay per day. (cts) |
|---|---|
| Serjeant-Major | 50 |
| Quarter-Master Serjeant | 45 |
| Paymaster's Clerk | 45 |
| Orderly Room Clerk | 45 |
| Hospital Serjeant | 45 |
| Pay Serjeants | 40 |
| Serjeants | 35 |
| Corporals | 30 |
| Buglers | 25 |
| Privates | 25 |
And the non-commissioned officers and privates shall receive either free lodgings, and rations; or an allowance in lieu thereof, as may in different cases be deemed most advisable; and in cases where an allowance is granted the rate for such allowance will be for Volunteers who have not been moved fom their Company or Battallion Head Quarters forty cents per man per day, and fifty cents per man per day for all Volunteers who have been moved from their homes.
Purchasing Power
The Bank of Canada online book "A History of the Canadian Dollar," by James Powell, details in Appendix A (page 88) the purchasing power of the Canadian dollar. The specific example is given to estimate that $1.00 in 1870 is equivalent to approximately $26.70 in today's money.
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