The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-07 00:00:00

fold. We are now engaged in constructing railroads.
'Within a few weeks one great line—the Great Western
of Canada—has been opened, and already its traffic re-
turns have exceeded the most sanguine expectations of
the promoters. In a few weeks about 390 miles of the
Grand Trunk of Canada will be in complete operation,
and we shall then have direct communication with the
Atlantic from the great commercial cities of Quebec
and Montreal. It is idle to talk of the present returns
from these roads, for, highly remunerative as they may
be, such is the increase of population and of the
products of the soil, that what is remunerative to-
day will in five years be immensely profitable.
I trust, my 'lords and gentlemen, you will excuse me
for seizing this opportunity of referring to our great
internal improvements, and of endeavouring to show
how important it is to our provincial credit that full con-
fidence should be placed in the stability of our institu-
tions. If such confidence has been established I believe
that to your distinguished guest we are indebted for it ;
and I have no hesitation in affirming that the success of
his lordship's government has been caused by his strict
impartiality. (Hear.) His lordship had only been a few
days in the province when, in answer to the first congra-
tulatory address presented to him, he announced the
principles on which he would administer the government,
and from those principles he has never swerved in a sin-
gle instance. During his lordship's government our pro-
vince has had to pass through many trials. Wo bad se-
vere commercial distress ; we suffered fearfully from the
disastrous emigration of 1847; we have not been without
our political excitement; but throughout all these trying
times, as well as during our period of prosperity, the
Earl of Elgin and his amiable countess have been to her
Majesty's Canadian subjects all that her Majesty has
been to the people of the United Kingdom. -(Cheers.) I
would say here that, though I shall not occupy your time
by, repeating what has been already so much better said,
I entirely concur in all the sentiments expressed regard-
ing the United States by your noble guest, and by the
noble earl (Ellesmere), and the Duke of Newcastle. The
Canadians entertain towards their brethren in the neigh-
bouring republic the most friendly feelings, and I know
that those feelings are reciprocated. My lords and gen-
tlemen, a high honour has been conferred on me in giving
me permission to propose the health of our distinguished
chairman, the noble lord who is one of the representatives
in Parliament of this great metropolis. It would be
wholly out of place on such an occasion as this to re-
fer to the public services rendered to his country by
the noble lord, and, even were it otherwise, it would be
most presumptuous in me to attempt to enlarge on them,
But, as a Canadian,. I may in connection with the cause
of our meeting, remind you that it was during the period
when the noble lord held the seals of the Colonial de-
partment, that the great measure of the union of the
Canadas was determined on and carried, and that it was
in his lordship's despatch of 1840 that thefirst indication
was given of the new sistern of colonial government that '
was to be carried. (Cheers.) If his lordship entertained
any doubts as to the success of the great experiment
which he had determined on trying—and as a -wise states-
man he must have had some doubts—how gratifying to
him must be the proceedings of this evening, and the
complete success of the policy which he was instrumental
in carrying out. lam sure that his lordship would think
me guilty of ingratitude if I did not on this 'occasion
refer to the services of a deceased statesman who co-ope-
rated with him, and whose loss we must ever deplore.
The honourable gentleman concluded by proposing "The
Health of the Noble Chairman." (Drank amidst cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN rose to respond to the toast. He begged
to return his grateful thanks for the honour which had
been done him. On the question of colonial policy he
did not feel himself called upon again to speak, as the
subject bad been already commented on. He now begged
to propose-the health of Lady Elgin, whose kind influence
and 4iniabte character were fully appreciated by all who
knew her ; and he begged to couple with her ladyship's
;name the ladies of Canada. (Drank with three times three.)
The noble lord then left the chair, and the company
separated at half-past twelve o'clock.

THE WAR PREPARATIONS.

The 95th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Smyth, left
their quarters in Portsmouth garrison yesterday morning
at half Past 10, played out by the band of the 42d High-
landers, and marched through the streets to the dockyard
amidst the most enthusiastic demonstrations of the spec-
tators, to embark for the East. The Medway, Royal
West India mail packet, was moored alongside the dock-
yard jetty, from which the troops marched on board. In
the afternoon she left the harbour, amidst the cheers of
the crews of the ships fitting out, and the hearty fare-
wells of the shore population congregated on the steam-
boat piers and the walls of the garrison. She proceeded
direct for the East. The weather was beautifully fine,
and the sea innooth as a lake.

The Cumberland, 70, Captain Seymour, is receiving
sea stores, provisions, &c., at Spithead ; her crew will
be paid three months' wages on Saturday, and she will
sail on Sunday to reinforce the fleet under Sir Charles

Napier.
The Alegmra,, 6, screw troop-frigate, Commander
Johnson, is refitting in the machinery department. Her
crew were paid wages to-day, and were granted ten
days' leave.

Her Majesty's frigate Meander, 44, Commodore
Talbot, is hourly expected from the Cape of Good
Hope. Ou arrival her officers and crew will be turned
over to the screw steam-ship Algiers, 91, fitting at that
port. She is now in dock at Keyharn, and the artisans
have been ordered to work extra, hours to expedite the
fittings, so that she may be taken out of dock on
Monday.
The screw steam-ship Nile, 90, Commodore Martin,
got up steam in Harnoize on Wednesday, and made a ,
satisfactory trial of her engines.
The steam-tug Jasper is being fitted for service as a
gun-boat in the Baltic.

Mr. Watemap. of Anderton, who has lately supplied
the Government with two flat-bottomed boats for land-
ing troops, is now constructing two more for the same
purpose..

A. Dutch war frigate, from Batavia for Rotterdam,
was off Fowey at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, under her three
royals. Wiud, westerly ; light. An American paddle-
wheel barque-rigged steamer, with checkered sides and
a man figurehead, was close into the Bolt at 4 o'clock
yesterday morning, under fell steam and canvas.
The Rhadamanthus steam store-ship, Master-Com-
mander Jahn Belam, arrived at Woolwich on Wednes-
day °veiling, from Portsmouth, and reports that-there
was not a single ship-of-war or war-steamer at Si:Ahead
when she left for the eastward. She passed the St.
George, 121, and the Prince Regent, 90, in the Downs,
where the St. George was daily joined by a number of
seamen for service iu her with the Baltic fleet, and she
will soon fill up her required number.
The Volcano paddle-wheel steam-sloop, recently re-
turned from service on the West Coast of Africa station,
and at present in the basin at Woolwich, has been
surveyed to ascertain her fitness to be employed as a
floating factory for the engineers to work on board of
her, and accompany the Baltic fleet, to effect any repairs
that may be required for the steam-vessels of the Royal
Navy in that sea.
The City of London steam-vessel was taken out of the
basin at Woolwich yesterday, and left for the Mediter-
ranean with a number of officers and horses of the Staff
of Lord Raglan and a company of Royal Sappers and
Miners on board.
A number of workmen are employed in erecting ad-
ditional compartments for horses to be embarked in the
Emperor steam-vessel, and she will leave on Saturday
for her destination.
A number of the workmen in the carriage department
at the Royal Arsenal have been engaged at 7s. per day,
to join the Artillery branch of the expeditionary force to
the East, and will accompany the batteries to the held,
to effect promptly such repairs as may be found neces-
sary, in the event of the gun-carriages or ammunition
waggons being injured.
Active preparations are being made at Dublin for the
embarkation of the draught of cavalry regiments ordered
on service now in Dublin garrison, or quartered in pro-
vincial barracks. The remaining sections of artillery in
Ballincollig (Cork), and other localities, have received
orders to hold themselves in readiness for immediate
service abroad. Arrangements have been entered into
for the accommodation of the horses belonging to the
several artillery troops as they arrive, and for their
conveyance by troop-ships direct for Malta.
Bodies of recruits continue to arrive at Aldborough-
barracks, from Beggar's-bush and other depots, and a
system of active drill is carried on every day.
The merchant steamers trading to Dublin have been
fitted with requisites in every necessary case, and arein
readiness when required for the transport of troops.
Between 1 and 2 o'clock p.m., Wednesday, a body of
,50 men, rank and file, together with four non-commis-
slimed officers (volunteers from the 90th Regiment) em-
barked on board the City of Waterford Com
PuY n es screw
steamer Sylph, bound direct for Dover, in
order to join
the Rifle Brigade about to proceed on service to the
East. Among these volunteers are -a number of ser-
geants and corporals, who have resigned their rank as
non-commissioned officers, and have joined the Rifle
Brigade as private soldiers. This Corps, after having
been inspected at barracks, marched through the city
and alone. the North-wall to- the place of embarkation,
headed by a fall band, and accompanied by crowds of
citizens, who cheered them loudly as they passed.
Captain Jernin
gharu wase
expected to arrive in Galway
oil Wednesday evening, for the purpose of enrolling
volunteers for the coast defences.

NAVAL APPOINTMENTS,reonHA (1850) to the
Lieutenant. —Hon. • A.
Vhcenix screw steam-sloop at Woolwich, fitting to pro-
ceed to the Arctic regions.
Surgeons.—John H. CFruthers (1841) to the Algiers,
61, screw steam-ship at Devonport ; John Thomson.
M.D. (c.), .(1.8161 to the Eurydice, 26, at Portsmouth ;
David Thomson (u.), M.D. (1845), to the Gladiator,
steam-frigate at Portsmouth.
Midshipman.-- W. Evans to the St. George,
121, in
the Downs on her way to the Baltic.
Naval Cadet the Manners Yorke, to the Han-
Bibal, 91, screw step.ra-ship,'at Woolwich.
Mr. John Trickett, assistant to the chief engineer at
the factory at Woolwich dockyard, is appointed chief
engineer of the new factory works at Keyham, near
Deyonport dockyard.
Mr. David Patridge, first-class chief engineer since
January, 1850, and at present serving in the Penelope
steam-frigate, just returned from service as flag-ship on
the west coast of Africa station to Portsmouth, is ap-
pointed assistant to the olli4 engineer at Woolviia
61C'ck:a:1) vic TriCliett,
. A A