The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-24 00:00:00

A COMIC DAGUERREOTYPE.

Under the title of " A Shareholder's Pour
Phases " being a species of Comedy of Errors,
a strange sort of broadsheet has just been
published from original photographs. The engrav-
ings represent the same countenance under four very
different aspects—namely, when receiving " The allot-
ment," when hearing there is " No allotment" when
finding " Shares down," and last of all when
" Smashed up." The effect is ludicrous enough, but
would be somewhat more agreeable if the face of the
individual portrayed were not so abominably ugly.

NORTH AMERICAN 'RAILWAY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR, —I am pleased to notice in your excellent paper
of the 12th instant that you are favourably disposed to-
wards the projest for constructing a railroad to connect
with the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, to which subject
I have devoted exclusively more than nine years, but
you say, " we coincide with the view expressed to the
effect, that Mr. Whitney is altogether incorrect in as-
serting the greater facilities of carrying the proposed
railway through the United States than through the
British territory." I should not remark upon this had
I not already declared to the English public that " a
route from near to Quebec in a line almost direct to the
Rocky Mountaine, as quite as feasible as on the Ameri-
can side." I have also publicly expressed my fears that
during the present season the lands on the American
side may be so fee occupied by the rapid settlement
which is there taking place as to defeat the work, and
then there could he no hope for its accomplishment, ex-
cept on the British side, where I believed my plan might
be carried out, though with more difficulties!: A little
examination of the facts connected with the subject
must, I think, satisfy the practical mind that I am right.
In the first place, the lands, though the soil may he
equal, are not as well adapted to settlement; all to be-
yond Lek° Superior the country is covered with heavy
timber. To partially clear an acre for a crop would cost
10f. or 2/. The emtgrants aro unaccustomed to such
clearing, and could not do it ell to acy extent, and be-
sides the ciicaste is not so favourable as on the American
side, where, too, the country is mostly prairie, ready for
a crop, end where the tide of emigration is setting
with a force not easy to ha checked;er diverted, and is
now drawing from the Canada side probably one-half of
all who go there from this ceuntry. The settlement on
the American side is such that there can he no doubt
the sale of lands would furnish e means for the work
quite as fast as it would be wanted. This settlement is
au rapid, and extending west and north so fast, that the
work must now be commenced several hundred miles
rattail of where it might have been done five years ago.
The number of acres located by actual purchase, and for
eulaiers' bounties during the last year. and nearly all in
this direction, exceeded 5,000,01,0. The settlement in
'Vhasousin, between lekeeelichigan and the Mississippi,
has for several years exceeded 100,000 souls per annum;
in lowa, south of the Mississipiir,o7rcd 1ine,50,000 there annumand in Minisota, north of the ptops
settle-
ment for last year was estimated at over 50,000. From
these facts, who can doubt, if the work were commenced
on the American side, that it would go on from the pre-
sent momentum of settlement with certainty and great
rapidity? Capitalists and practical business men, both
hero and in the United States, have confidence in my
plan, and though there is to be no stock and no divi-
deeds to look to as a reward for investment, still the
land, under the plan proposed, is considered to be the
vary best basis of means, and immediately available to
any necessary amount; because, so fast as sections of the
road could he completed, the sale of the lands would
commence, the avails of which would be subject to the in-
vestment made upon them, and the security always in-
creasing, from the increased value which the road and
settlement would impart to the remaining unsold lands. The
public mind both in Europe and America seems to
have settled that this road must be constructed, and that
y plan cart accomplish it, without cost to a nation or
to the world. Now it is clear that two roads cannot be
constructed were two commenced, one on the British
and the other on the American side; the better climate,
the better adaptation of the lands to settlement on the
American side, would with the already formed current
of emigration draw from the British side to it.
b y A s
next the
let
au
re: n
andfer
no
hoe
(Ie
ilnwme
oepurrilocdpa
on se
ssueiedd gtoost mustthabt
undertake
it might emii
gthe
construction of the road,
be as well to wait to that Cale. And I will repeat what
I have before sei that " this is a work for the world;
rt
iasn 11:y. hdeerer,eant: ht oittthrul :he
highway. The lands are the only mace of means for
veryyb,eac:olnsid ered es the world's
it
much fear, be no
te longerterritory.—Respectfully
Londonr _. availableJaneiteu 2
r eine:
u.iyl;lBy owns country, then it is the desire
of my heart that it rney be accomplished through British
.31iours,
ASA WHITNEY.

The diamonds worn by the Marchioness of Lon.
dortderry, at the costume hall, were Of the 'value of 10,C00I,