The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-02 00:00:00

CANADA.

The warlike feeling in Canada runs very high, as
may be seen from the following :
(From the Montreal Gazette, Dee. 9.)
We said a few days ago that the Grand Trunk
workmen at Point St. Charles were mooting the
idea of forming a military organisation, and that it
was probable that they would organise into an
artillery battalion, or several batteries of artillery.
We now learn that 380 of the men have agreed to
serve under whatever military organisation their
superiors may deem them fit to assume, and that
these gentlemen are awaiting the return of his
Excellency the Commander of the Forces from his
Western tour of observation to take his advice upon
this important point. We are further informed
that 100 of the company's workmen at Queen's
wharf, - Toronto, have likewise volunteered their
services, subject to the same conditions, and that
the directors of the movement are daily awaiting
information from the company's workmen at Quebec
and vicinity, conveying the intelligence that they
also have volunteered their services in large num-
bers. It was stated a few days ago that the Vic-
toria Rifles had organised by requesting Mr. 0.
Smith, late of her Majesty's 39th Regiment, to
accept the captaincy of the corps, and Mr. J. G.K.
Houghton, late of her Majesty's 17th Regiment, to
act as lieutenant—both, by the way, Crimean offi-
cers. The idea of forming this company originated
among a few young men, principally of the Beaver
Lacrosse Club. Each individual founder recruited
among his friends, and in a few days they obtained
upwards of 100. A meeting was then called and
Messrs. Urquhart, Beers, Woods, Huddell, and
Stimson, with the officers commanding and the
secretary, Mr. Middlemiss, were appointed a com-
mittee to manage the company's affairs and decide
on a suitable uniform. This, we believe, is to be of
Canadian gray cloth, with red facings. A commu-
nication was then sent to the Deputy Adjutant-
General, tendering the services of the corps, but no
answer has yet been received, although a fortnight
has elapsed since its departure. A large number of
merchants have joined the company, and it promises
to be one of the first, if not the crack company, of
the city, The bank managers and clerks, also, it is
said, propose to form a rifle company, but no definite
steps have as yet been taken in the matter, Another
rumour is to the effect that the members of the Mon-
treal Hunt Club are entertaining the idea of form-
ing themselves into a body guard to the commander
of the forces. A contemporary stated on Saturday
that the Government had leased the Point St. Charles
machine shops, for the purpose of rifling the heavy
ordnance on St. Helen's Island and other arsenals.
We have made inquiry into the facts of this state-
ment, and learn that some officers merely inquired
of Mr. Shanty, the manager of the Grand Trunk
Railway, whether, in case of necessity, the com-
pany would be disposed to lease its works for that
purpose, and that he replied that there were other
works in the city equally well fitted for the rifling
of ordnance—Mr. Cantin's marine works, for in-
stance.

(From the Toronto Leader, Dec. 9.)
The military spirit of our people is evidently be-
coming aroused. On every hand measures for self-
defence are being adopted. The active Volunteer
force is receiving Large accessions to its numbers ;
new companies are being formed everywhere and
old ones filled up ; the privates are most assiduous
in mastering the details of the drill, and the officers
are directing their attention to the study of military
tactics of a higher order. The sedentary force, too,
is awaking from its slumbers—the influence of the
Leader and other journals, whose patriotism has
not been set aside for the purpose of squinting to
Washington, is beginning to be felt throughout the
country, and showing itself in meetings of officers
for drill and a greater desire among them to be-
come possessed of the qualities necessary to com-
mand. All these are cheering signs which prove
that the country is fully alive to the danger of be-
ing lulled into false ideas of security, and that its
spirit is fully equal to that which imbued the men
who, in 1812, turned out to repel the boastful in-
vader. In Toronto this spirit is manifested every-
where, and among all classes, showing itself in the
military musters which are held every day. Sa-
turday, for instance, was a busy
day among our
embryo soldiery, and at night /unitary
matters
formed almost the sole theme of conversation in
public places.

(From the Niagara Correspondent of the Lead(r.)
"The topicin Canada West, especially
along the
consideration of our defences
absorbing
frontier,sorbing is a
and our means of repelling a sudden invaE ion in case
of war. I will not enter into details, but will state
in general terms that in view of the total want of
preparation, without a fort or battery, without a
single regiment of militia that is possessed of the
first rudiments of drill—without, in short, one
single means of defence to rely on in a sudden
emergency, a feeling of intense anxiety prevails
among all classes. We see the western portion of
the province, with all its accumulated wealth, its
loyal population, its towns, villages, and happy
homes exposed to a possible irruption from the nu-
merous and vindictive foe, and liable to be overrun,
plundered, and devastated before our means of de-
fence are organised. With the best material in the
world to defend a country, our actual capabilities,
for want of organisation, are about the worst.
Should a war break out suddenly, nothing we have
at present could prevent Western Canada being in-