The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-07 00:00:00

CANADA.

There is much needless display of anxiety as to
the threats of Mr. Seward with respect to an
attack on the province. Now, Mr. Seward merely
talked of annexing Canada as usual, forgetting
that there are two parties to a bargain. It is well
known that the British and French Canadians are
united in their contempt of the institutions of the
vaunted Republic, which have long degenerated into
mob law. The Canadians of French origin adhere to
the Roman Catholic religion. The Church possesses
a great amount of real property, which the priests
and the people well know is safe under British
laws, but would be confiscated under Yankee Puri-
tan rules ; they don't forget the burning of the
convent at Boston, and they describe the Yankees as
brigands. They remember how, when Canada only
numbered half a million of British subjects, they
thrice repulsed invasion, and took Generals Scott
and Cass prisoners. They are now two-and-a-half
millions of people full of loyal to the British Crown,
Troops, arms, and ammunition can be sent to St.
John's, New Brunswick, and on by rail to Frederic-
ton, and then by sedges to Riviere du Loup, the
terminus of the Grand Trunk Railway. In the
middle of December the St. Lawrence is closed by
ice, and, although open in the middle of the stream
as low as the Island of Bic. ice forms out for about
a mile from the shore. The only inconvenience
Canada would suffer in winter would be the delay
in despatching mails to St. John's, instead of Port-
land.—Liverpool

THE VOCAL ASSOCIATION.—The Right Hon. the
Earl of Dudley is expected to preside at the annual general
meeting of the Vocal Association during the present month,
His lordship,who is always a liberal patron of the fine arts, has
contributed greatly to the success of this society since he has
consented to become the president, by the establishment of
the annual convcrsazioni, which is certainly one of the most
brillian' and interesting of the season. The society com-
mences its rehe Arsals for the season, 1862, under the direc-
tion of M. Benedict, immediately after the general meeting
is held.

NEW LIFEBOATS FOR SPAlN.—Yesterday some
satisfactory experiments were made with three powerful
lifeboats in the Regent's Canal Dock, Limehouse. They
were built by the Messrs. Forrest on the plan of the
National Lifeboat Institution, for the Spanish Government.
The boats are respectively 35 feet and 32 feet long. The
usual qualities of self-righting and self-ejecting of water of
this class of lifeboat were most satisfactorily accomplished
in the presence of a large number of persons, including the
rector and curate of Limehouse and some members of their
families, the Secretary of the National Institution, the
Messrs. Forrest, and the Meests. Ritherden and Thornton,
the lifeboat surveyors of the Spanish Government. The
boats are to be stationed forthwith at Corunna and two
other places on the coast of Spain. Messrs. Forrest are
building three additional lifeboats for the Government of
that country. They have also in hand six or seven life-
boats for the National Lifeboat Institution. It is earnestly
hoped that the Emperor of the French will, over his sea-
board, extending about 1,000 miles, follow this very laud-
able example of she Queen. of Spain.