The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-12 00:00:00

summit of one of the gigantic Water Towers—an
altitude attainable by an ascent of ten floors, up a
spiral staircase of four hundred steps--six counties
are brought within the field of vision, the eye
turning at pleasure here to the Nore Light, or to
Harwich Lighthouse, there to Epsom Downs or
Windsor Castle, yonder to the metropolis of three
millions, yonder, in the exactly opposite direction,
to the solitary landmark of the Knockholt beechee
far away among the Kentish cornfields and hop.
gardens.

Viewing the Palace from wi'hin, and that, too,
from the highest coign of 'vantage that can
anywhere be there attained to that simple end—
the loftiest gallery in the Centre Transept—the gal-
lery upon a level with which Bondia, in his time,
went through more perilous feats than any samphire
picker that ever lived—that loftiest gallery of the
Centre Transept sffords the most curious
peep of all into the interior of our Palace of
Glass. The most curious, beyond any doubt, but
not by any means the most magnificent. That is
al ne obtainable from the top gallery at either ex-
tremity of the nve—presenting to view at a single
glance the whole of that exquisitely beautiful vista
of fountains—

" Shaking their loosened silver in the sun I"
of clambering verdure and unnumbered flowers, of
statuary glimpsing hither and thither among the
abounding vegetation, of everything calculated to
charm the eye in form and in colour,
down the whole of that wonderful perspec-
tive in which art and nature seem for
oncemingled harmoniously together ! A perspective
arched over and walled on either hand
by the delicate tracery of the iron frame-
Rork of an eiifice crystalline with those
25 acres of glass already referred to among the mar-
vellous items particularized in the foregoing
statistics. Vibrating as the air was on
Saturday when we gazed along the won-
derful perspective of that glorious nave from
the topmost of its southern galleries; vibrating as
the air within the Palace was with the sounds of
the grand organ rolling to us from the Centre
Transept, from the back of the Handel Orchestra,
vision and hearing seemed to be, if not satiatee, at
least fully and simultaneously filled with an ex-
quisite senso of satisfaction.

Canada—Arrival of the North American.

LIVERPOOL, Saturday.

The Canadian screw steamer, North American,
Captain Kerr, which sailed from Quebec on the 27th
ult., arrived at a late hour last evening.
The Quebec .Iformeg Chronicle publishes an edi-
torial on the proposed Federation of the British
North American provinces. It says—" The Eren•
ing Globe of St. Juhn, N. 8., conceives that those
English newspapers which have discussed the Fe-
deration movement in Canada assume that its suc-
cess must result in separation from the mother coml.
try. We really don't perceive how our New Bruns-
wick contemporary has fallen into this error. The
most we have yet seen in the English journals has
been a sketching of the prospective destiny towards
which they believe Confederation is a preliminary
step. There is nothing either novel or alarming in
this. No one for a moment supposes that the Canadas
will for ever remain a dependency ; but it is not,
therefore, a consequence that the abruption of our
British connection is at hand. Indeed, judging from
the policy of the Imperial government, and from the
doctrine of that school of politicians which it has
affieities with,it appears far more probable that se-
paration will be forced upon us than that we should
hastily seek it. And, supposing, for the sake of
argument, that the home government, adopting the
converse of its policy towards the old American
provinces, should give us notice to quit, would it
not be well that we should be somewhat provided
to assume our new position. Would it not be well
that the infant had found its legs before the leading
strings.wcre withdrawn ? This necessary self-reliance
would be found in the consoious strength, which a
Confederation of the whole North American provinces
would afford. The position would be greatly improved
under either aspect, and immensely so when that
event shall arrive which every one acknowledges
is only a question of time. Oar confrere says that
one of the first steps of the confederate colonies
would be to secure for themselves the right to make
commercial treaties with other countries.' It is
probable that the attempt would be made, but it is
much more certain that it would be disallowed.

" Our contemporary thinks that when the right
to make commercial treaties is secured, the other
privileges or rights that pertain to sovereignty will
follow. Yes, we believe so too; but we well know
that this particular order will not obtain. If ever
we get the first it will be after the latter is con-
ceded to us, and when we shall not have occasion
to seek it. The Evening Globe assumes the Eng-
lish view of a Ceef.dormtion, and asks whether we
are sufficiently advanced to walk alone, whether
we can do without the tutelage of England,
whether we are willing to do without it, whether a
closer connection with Canada will compensate for
untying the bonds that unite us to England. Who,
for example, thinks of separation from England in
connection with Confederation P Not Canada or Ca-
nadians, certainly. There would be as few amongst
us here as there would be in New Brunswick to
answer in the affirmative; there would, we can as•
lure our friend, be as few persons in Canada who
would bo willing to give up our British connection
for one with his province as would be found there
to make a similar sacrifice towards Canada. The
proposition is absurd, but because absurd and wholly
imaginary not the less dangerous. It is one of those
extraneous issues calculated to do much harm with-
out the possibility of rendering the slightest ser-
vice, the one being in no wise dependent on the
other. Tilers is, however, a much graver
question for the lower provinces as well as the
upper, than that put by the Globe, and which
when the Federation matter is fairly presented to
the provinces,' should form a part of the whole.
The question of absorption by the American Repub-
lic—whether that be accomplished by annexatio❑
or by usurpation. To defeat the Confederation of
the provinces is to endanger their British connection
by American intervention, in a very far greater de-
gree than any tendency supposed to exist in their
projected union. It is impossible to gainsay the
fact that the separate colonies are more assailable in
their isolated condition than they would be if welded
together in Confederation. It ought not, moreover,
to be forgotten that the retention of the lower pro-
vinces would be inapsosible if Canada were Ameri-
can; and no greater service could be rendered the
United States in any designs upon these provinces,
than by rejecting the overtures which the Cana-
dians are now making for a general Confederacy.
In such a uaion we believe to exist the integrity
of the empire, and the best future of British North
America, In a Confederation of the provinces we
obtained strength, a nationality, and the elements
of a brilliant career. Isolated, our see'ionalism
will make us an easy prey to the cupidity of our
neighbours."