The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-02 00:00:00

PANAMA RAILWAY.

The following paragraph appeared in the Sew
York Daily Times of the 13th 'ult. The informa-
tion which it contains is Correct :

"I learn that the Secretary of the Navy has
just concluded arrangements with the Panama
Railroad Company for the transportation across
the isthmus of an entire crew for the sloop-of-
war St. Mary's, and the return to the United
States of her present crow by the same convey-
ance. The officers who aro to join the sloop
have just received their orders, and, as may
readily be supposed, are happy to be relieved
from the tedious voyage round Cape Horn. The
supplies for the St. Marys are also to go across
by the same railroad. This commendable enter-
prise, initiated by Secretary Dobbin, is calcu-
lated to produce an entire revolution in the sys-
tem of conducting our Pacific and East Indian
squadrons. The Mare Island Naval-yard in
California. will probably henceforth become the
station for repairing and refitting all our public
vessels in Pacific waters. This arrangement and
the exchange of crews and transportation of sup-
plies via the Panama Railroad are likely to do
away altogether, or nearly so, with all necessity
for doubling the Cape. A United States vessel
once ill the Pacific will be apt never to return
to the Atlanhic, unless upon some extraordinary
exigency. The frigate Wabash, Captain Engle,
bearing the flag of Commodore Paulding, will
sail from your city in a few days for Aspinwall,
to take out the new crew of the Si. Marys and
bring home the old one, whose term of service
has expired. While too new' arrangement is au
economical one for the Government, of course it
will be a paying one to the railroad company."
By this step the Isthmus is placed under a
sort of surveillance, and • the repetition of the
scenes of last summer rendered improbable.

GRAND TRUNK OF CANADA.
The completion of this rail way from Montreal to
Toronto, and the great system of railway communica-
tion which extends from the State of Maine to Canada
Weet, a distance of more than 800 miles, was celebrated
on Thursday, Nov. 13, by a great banquet at Montreal,
at which 5,000 persons, consisting of the leading men of
the proviee; the military, merchants and farmers, and a
number of invited guests from the United States, sat
down to a table extending over a mile and a half. The
festival is described as having been a very graud affair.
At 2 o'clock p.m. the Governor-General, Sir Edmund
Head, arrived, with a guard of honour. Tne chair was
taken by Mr. H. Starnes, the Mayor of Montreal. At
the riget hand of the Mayor sat his Excellency, and on
his lett sat Sir William Eyre, Commander of the Forces.
Amongst the other distinguished guests were—Judge
Day, of the Superior Court, the Lord Bishop of Mon-
treal, Colonel Tache, the Canadian Premier, Senator
Wilson, of Massachusetts, and Hon. John Rose, Presi-
dent of the Grand Trunk Railway.
The toast, " The health of the Governor-General,"
was responded to by his Excellency, who stated that he
met the citizens of Montreal on this occasion with pecu-
liar satisfaction, because he knew that this day was a
great epoch in the history of Canada. He felt assured
it was one upon which the future historian would look
back with satisfaction—that it would make a bright page
in Canadian history. It was in 1839 that Lord Durham
made his report on Canada ; and how did he describe
it ? He stated that, except in a few spots, the country
was all wild and desolate, and only possessed about 15
miles of railway, between Lake Champlain and Lap-
rairie. But now what was the condition of Canada ?
Pat the traveller down at St. Thomas, and let him
go through to Stratford by railroad, see the condi-
tion of the country and pronounce if it is waste
and desolate. The country now produced not
only enough to supply its own needs, but exported
to the United States and to Europe. And all this
progress had been made in the brief space of 17
years, since Lord Durham *wrote his report. In-
stead of the 15 miles of railway that then existed there
were now nearly 1,500 open. The whole country was
opened up, and the markets of Europe rendered acces-
sible to its people. Montreal was the centre of that com-
merce and that railway system, and such a position as
assured its commercial greatness. The former tedious
journey from Quebec to Montreal was now performed in
5 or 6 hours, and the traveller might go from one end of
the province to the other in 24 hours. The Victoria
Bridge would render Montreal famous for one of the
moat wonderful works of the world. It was a great work,
which would connect the great West with the South and
the seaboard, at a period of the year when masses of ice
obstructed navigation, creating obstructions which it re-
quired genius to overcome. That work would also con-
nect Montreal and the West and North with their
Southern neighbours, with whom he hoped they would
ever remain fast friends. Lie then alluded to the great
valley of the Ottawa, and stated that he knew the citi-
zens of Montreal looked with peculiar interest to its de-
velopment. The settlement of that great tract of territory
he considered was of great importance to the whole
country. Canada wanted breadth, and this the settlement
of the Ottawa region would afford. The Ottawa was of
further interest, as affording a fink between the Great
West and the St. Lawrecce at Montreal. It was not for
him (Sir E. Head) to decide which was the best means of
opening up that route. That would properly be decided
by the civil engineers who were now surveying it. Mon-
treal would receive the traffic of the Ottawa, which alone
afforded assurance of its commercial greatness. The
Victoria Bridge would also 'connect that region with the
South. In conclusion, he proposed the health of the
chief magistrate of the United States.
Senator WILSON responded to this toast on behalf of
the citizens of the United States. I am sure, sir, I speak
the sentiments of every American here to-day, when I
say that we not only thank you for proposing a toast to FIRE IN SptoßZDlToil.—On Sunday night, about 10
the chief magistrate of our country, but I thank you for o'clock, a fire happened on the premises belonging to Mr.
saying that you trust that the people of the United Samuels, a tobacconist and water•proofer, 18, Swan.
States and the people of British America will always yard, Shereditch. Tse lerieade tried all they could to
meet as friends. (Cheers.) Difficulties, it is true, have save the adjoining houses, in which they succeeded, but
arisen between Great Britain and the United States. the fire was not extinguished until the premises of Mr.
These difficulties, sir, between our Governments, we all Samuels and all they contained were totally destroyed.