The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-24 00:00:00

"A SUN PORTRAIT."

The Photographic Curiosity announced by us,
some time since, as in active preparation, is at
length, we are rejoiced to say, completed, and
completed, we will add, most successfully. The
difficult task of its production—by means of an
entirely new application of the wonderful art of
photography—has been delayed until now solely
by the unpropitious state of the weather, that is
to say, by the unusually lengthened continuance
of a murky and misty condition of the atmosphere.
One bright day, however, has at length put an
end to the difficulty—the result aimed at being
now completely and triumphantly accomplished.
An all but microscopic facsimile of the front page
of The Sun newspaper of MONDAY, the 2d of
January, 1865, has--in other words—been pro-
duced by this hitherto undreamt-of application of
the photographic art. It is hereby announced in
fact as ready for publication, on Monday, the 3d
of April, upon which day a copy of this Miniature
Photograph, entitled " A Sun Portrait,"
will be presented gratuitously to every purchaser of

Mitt un
of that evening—the Photograph being accom.
'Allied by a Supplement reproducing the from
page of our Journal of Monday, the 2d of January.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tins DAY.—Monaing, 11h. 40m.—Afternoon, h. m
To-31onnow.-Morning, 12h. 14m.----Afternoon, 12h. 40m,

ranks of the armies towards which we profess such
a profound neutrality. Earl RUSSELL'S speech is
altogether unsatisfactory when we consider the im-
portant interests which it referred to ; and it is not
likely to allay the indignation felt here and ex-
pressed in some parts of America. The noble lord
declares that the United States are justified in giv-
ing notice of the termination of the convention with
respect to the armament of the lakes. Even with
respect to the Reciprocity Treaty he finds excuses ;
and indeed it would be difficult to say what the
Washington Government could do or say, and what
the Congress might not approve of, which he would
not be dexterous enough to account for in a satis-
factory way, or give a plausible turn to. The eulogy
passed upon Lord LYONS by the noble Earl was
well deserved, and will meet with the concurrence
of all who have observed the prudence displayed
by our Minister at Washington in trying circum-
stances.

The debate of last evening upon the defences of
Canada will be read with the greatest interest, not
only in this country, but in the American provinces,
and the result will be as satisfactory to English-
men as it will be gratifying to the colonists. The
remarkable feeling of unanimity which was dis-
played by the majority of the speakers, and which
the faint attempt at opposition only served to ren-
der more conspicuous by submitting the motion to
the test of a discussion, will, of itself, give fresh
strength and courage to the colonists. It will
show them that whatever a few politicians may urge
as to the extravagance or folly of retaining such
outlying portions of our Empire under our own
protection their views are altogether exceptional,
and the sentiments of the great body of English-
men of all ranks are fully in accordance with the
action of the Home Government. The question at
issue is one which every man can readily under-
stand. It needs no extended acquaintance with the
principles of political economy, no knowledge of
the intricacies of state craft, or the subtleties of
diplomacy. It is a plain question which addresses
itself directly to the common sense and right
feeling of every man who has sufficient reason and
education to give an opinion. It has been sometimes
debated whether or no colonies give strength to a
nation, though when we look at the table of our
exports and imports and see how largely our
colonies figure among the consumers of our articles
of trade and manufacture, we can hardly hesitate
to acknowledge that they are an important source
of commercial wealth. The immense increase of
our commerce is principally due to the vast increase
of our possessions, for it is a well known fact that
colonies always deal principally with the mother
country. If there are two opinions as to the ad-
vantages of retaining"our dependencies, there is now
at least but one as to the folly and injustice of the
course pursued by GEORGE in and Lord NORTH in
attempting to enforce their subjection, and that
blunder is hardly likely to be repeated by any
English statesman at the present day. But it has
never before been said that a great and powerful
country did well to cast off a colony before that
colony was self-dependent, to be the first to say to
a young and struggling colony, " You must stand
alone, and if you prove unable to defend yourself,
we will take no further responsibility. We will
not regard your territories as under our charge,
nor your population as fellow-subjects. Rather
han incur a certain expense and a possible risk, we
prefer that you should be absorbed by some other
power, more inclined to take the trouble of defend

ing you."

The debate of last evening, we are happy to say,
was more worthy of Englishmen, and the general
tenour of the speeches was such as to reflect
credit on our House of Commons. Mr. LOWE took,
indeed, what Lord PALMERSTON happily called " a
very low ground ;" and Mr. BRIGHT, as usual, in-
dulged in some theories which had nothing to re-
commend them but their novelty ; but the
main part of the speakers showed not
only sound common sense, but a considerable
knowledge of the subject. Lord BURY, who
has a personal acquaintance with the colony,
strongly supported the proposal of the Government,
and declared his conviction that the Canadians
would do everything in their power to defend them
selves. Mr. HALIBURTON'S opinion was of even
more value, since, as he told the House, he had seen
sixty winters in Canada before he settled in this
country, and he very positively asserted that a pro-
longed winter campaign in Canada was a simple im-
possibility. But argument and illustration alike
failed to convince Mr. LOWE. He resolutely main-
tained that he at St. Stephen's knew more about
Canadian winters than a man who had seen sixty of
them, and wishing perhaps to acquire distinction
by eccentricity. The impossibility of defending
Canada is his great argument. Englishmen,
who are not fond of admitting impossi-
bilities, will be surprised at this argument,
but perhaps still more surprised at the schedule of
their duties which the right hon. gentleman pre-
sents to them. We are bound, he thinks, to tell the
Canadians that we are willing to defend her to the
utmost of our power, but that we do not think we
are able to defend her, and that, if she thinks it bet-
ter
-to stand alone or to join the American States,
she is free to do so. The "forty years' peace"
which so marvellously increased our population and
our resources, has certainly diminished our military
skill and spirit, if the England of 1805 and 1815
confesses herself unable to assist a brave and united
people to defend themselves against a nation in-
ferior to England in number if larger in extent, when
that nation would come to the war with exhausted
finances, and a population already reduced by four
years of a tremendous war! The American' giant
which Mr. LOWE thinks this " small country" so
unable to face will soon be in the enviable position
of deciding what to do with his enormous debt. Mr.
DISRAELI, in the course of an address which was
worthy of his reputation and his ability, briefly
touched
Americans n this
must dilemma
Either, he said, the
Amfaith with the national Os k
cre-
ditor, in which case they will be oppressed by taxes,
or they will repudiate their debts, in which case
they will sacrifice their credit. The giant,,, too,
with his " strong nerves" and " bloody hands," is
obliged to reinforce his armies from the despised
small country. But Mr. LOWE, as we have seen,
quietly puts aside acknowledged facts, and reiterates
again and again that we cannot defend Canada.
Why not ? Can we defend Australia ? Can
we defend Ireland ? Can we defend the Channel ?
Perhaps 111 r. LOWE thinks not, and would advise us,
in case of a threatened invasion,lto make an immedi-
ate surrender. Certainly we are improving. A
few months ago it was impossible for England to
risk offending forty millions of Germans, now it
would be certain destruction for our troops to face
the Americans. If there could ever have been an

doubt of the courage and military ability of our
Anglo-Saxon kindred, the experience of the last
four years must have totally dispelled it, but it is
by no means a consequence of our admission of
their soldierly qualities, that we should cry quarter
before a blow is struck. America, with all her
armies, will scarcely match Napoleon's veterans
led on by "
his marshals,
the and even by himself, and if
small countzY " emerged triumphantly from a
direct encounter with one of the greatest generals in
ancient or modern history she need scarcely be over-