The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-30 00:00:00

AMERICA.

The Montreal Ocean Steamship Compaßy's screw
steamer Norwegian arrived in Liverpool yesterday
afternoon from Quebec, whence she sailed on Satur-
dal, the 18th inst. She was detained by fog for
12 hours in the river St. Lawrence.

The following is the text of Mr. Seward's answer
to the Governors of States relative to the fortifica-
tifm of the seaboard :

"Department of State, Washington, Oct. 14.
" To his Excellency, Governor of the State
of New York.

" Sir,—The present insurrection had not even re-
i'ealed itself in arms when disloyal citizens hastened
to foreign countries to invoke their intervention for
the overthrow of the Government and the destruc-
tion of the Federal Union. These agents are known
to have made their appeals to some of the more im-
portant States without success. It is not likely,
' however, that they will remain content with such
refusals. Indeed it is understood that they are in-
dustriously endeavouring to accomplish their dis-
loyal purpose by degrees and by indirection. Taking
advantage of the embarrassments of agriculture,
manufactures, and commerce, in foreign countries,
resulting from the insurrection they have inaugu-
rated at home, they seek to involve our common
country in controversies with States with which
every public interest and every interest require that
it shall remain in relations of peace, amity, and
friendship. lam able to state for your satisfaction
that the prospect of any such disturbance is now
less serious than it has been at any previous period
during the course of the insurrection. It is, never-
theless, necessary now, as it has hitherto been, to
take every precaution that is possible to avoid the
evils of a foreign war, to be superinduced upon those
of civil commotion which we are endeavouring to
cure. One of the most obvious of such precautions
is that our ports and harbours in the seas and lakes
should be put in a condition of complete defence,
for any nation may be said to voluntarily incur
danger in tempestuous seasons when it fails to show
that it has sheltered itself on every side from which
the. storm might possibly come.
" The measures which the Executive can adopt
in this emergency are such only as Congress has
sanctioned, and for which it has provided. The
President is putting forth the most diligent efforts
to execute these measures, and we have the great
satisfaction of seeing that these efforts are seconded
by the favour, aid, and support of a loyal, patriotic,
and self-sacrificing people, and are rapidly bringing
the military and naval forces of the United States
into the highest state of efficiency ; but Congress
was chiefly absorbed during the recent session with
those measures, and did not provide as amply as '
could be wished for the fortification of our sea and
lake coast.
u In previous wars the loyal States have applied
themselves by independent and separate activity to
support and aid the Federal Governmen. t in
_a
its
arduous responsibilities. The same disposition has
been manifested in a degree eminently honourable
s
by all the loyal States during the present insurrec-
tion.
u In view of this fact, and relying upon the in-
crease and continuance of the same disposition on
part of the loyal States, the President has directed
I
me to invite your consideration to the subject of the