The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-28 00:00:00

During the week which is now just expiring an
Irish deputation, headed by Lord MONTEAGLE,
waited upon the Commission already mentioned as at
present sitting to decide upon the most available
route to America, in connexion with the linking to-
gether of the Atlantic and the Pacific. On this oc-
casion it appears that Mr. Hows, the Honourable
Provincial Secretary of Nova Scotia—a gentleman
whose arrival in this country we have before this more
than once alluded to—was present as a spectator.
Although participating in no way in the proceedings,
Mr. HowE was ultimately induced to address a few
words to the Commission in the presence of the Irish
deputation, baying been induced to do so by a direct
reference to the fact of his presence made in the
address of Lord MONTEAGLE. The Honourable
Gentleman observed " that, as Lord MON-
TEAGLE had done him the honour to mention his
name, it might be proper for bim to say that he had
come to the commtnission by invitation of one of the
gentlemen who took an interest in the proceedings,
only as a spectator, and to show that the general
question involved deeply concerned the provinces he
represented. He had come to this country to endeavour
to interest her MAJESTY'S Government in a scheme
of policy and public works, by which an extension of
the English and Irish railroads would be carried al-
most immediately through the North American pro-
vinces, remotely, perhaps, to the Pacific. His first
duty was to place before the Right Honourable
the Colonial Secretary the views of his Government.
He was discharging that duty, and would much pre-
fer that the Commission should have those views in a
condensed form, to which Earl GREY would probably
not object, to encumbering their minutes with dis-
jointed evidence. The first result of the policy he
advocated would be to secure to British subjects and
British seaports the conveyance of passengers
and letters between Europe and America. The
next, the establishment of cheap steamers for the
middle and working classes ; and, thirdly, the filling
up the waste lands of the provinces with industrious
and prosperous people. The territory which Great
Britain owned in North America was as large
as the whole United States-.as large as
all Europe—with noble harbours on the At-
lantic and Pacific coasts—rivers and lakes
of great magnitude for internal navigation—rich
and extensive mines—the best fisheries in the
world, and a bracing and healthy climate. There
was a home and a freehold estate for any English.
man, Irishman, or Seotchman that wanted one.
The best test of the resources of the coun•

try was to be found in the last five
years' experience. The potato rot had been as de-
structive in North America as in the United King-
dom—the fly during the same period had west( d
much of the wheat. In the mother country thou-
sands had died of starvation—in the North American

provinces, not one ; nay, he did not believe that one

man, woman, or child had during these five years
gone without three meals a day. England
supported last year about GO,OOO able-bodied people
upon her poor-rates. North America could, with a
little judicious preparation, take them all ; and once
removed there, after the first year they would never
know want again. It was not for him to say what port
in Ireland or elsewhere should be selected for purposes
of emigration ; various ports would be convenient, as
Glasgow for Scotland; Belfast, Cork, or Galway, for
Ireland ; Liverpool or Southampton (or both), for
England. He might observe, howevar, that for
the transmission of letters, telegraphic mes-
sages, and commercial passengers, a great
mistake would be made if the shortest
route vi as not selected. Suppose they selected
the wrong port, for a time, perhaps, the bounty which
the Government gave of 145,000/. a year might defy
competition with the right one; but remove that
bounty, and he would form a company in a week, who
if they would save ten hours in the transmission of
letters, commercial travellers, and telegraphic ales.

who have no characters while things are straight,
but who are taken on to supply the places of honest
men if a strike occurs. A strike, therefore, throws
respectable men out of situations ; and I know
many men who, though insufficient, are depend-
ing on what they think our over-sufficiency?'
He added, and with much truth, his belief " that
strikes can always be avoided if proper precautions
are used," and that he, " for.one, would never advocate
a strike, because he thought things could be amicably
settled without it." The men at Bedford bad exhibited
a similar spirit, and illustrate the accuracy of our as-
sertion, " that a majority of the men themselves, if
they ventured to express their own views, would
coincide with the public generally." A resolution
was ultimately carried, recommending a compromise,
but the time for a compromise has passed. The direc-
tors must and will stand firm. They have now the
game in their own hands, and they will not throw it
away. We cannot conclude without imploring the
misguided men to reflect on the fearful consequences
of continuing in their unreasoning obstinacy, and to
avail themselves of the locus penitentice that is still
afforded to them by the leniency of the directors.

A striking illustration has again been afforded of
the evil consequences resulting from the preference of
the longer over the shorter route from England to
the North American continent. The circumstance
to which we would here direct attention is the more
significant at the present moment, seeing that a Com-
mission is now sitting to decide upon the best line of
intercommunication between the Pacific and the At-
lantic, as well as between the eastern and the western
hemispheres. Considering the enormous sums of
money expended upon the maintenance of the
route to New York, considering, moreover,
the immense importance of expediting the voy-
age as much as is practicable, and in ad-
dition to all this, considering the circumstance that
the vessels going to New York pass by llalifax on
their way to the United States without putting in—
it is really a matter of some moment to resolve upon
the line to be_ definitively established as the passage
course to the New World from England. As re-
cently as the 3d instant, according to the advises re-
ceived in this country among the last North Ameri-
can intelligence, the Government steam-ship Asia
passed the capital of Nova Scotia in the manner in-
dicated, namely, on her way to New York, without
pausing to communicate with that province ;
whereas an hour would have been amply
sufficient to allow of her putting in to
that harbour, in which case the news from
Europe might have been transmitted on the
wings of lightning over the length and breadth of the
civil:zed portion of the American continent (by means
of the electric telegraph) forty-eight hours earlier
than it could possibly be effected according to the
existing system of arrangement. In consequence of
this blundering regulation it happens actually that
letters and packages, after passing close by our North
American possessions, are conveyed to a die'ant part
of the United States and then sent back again by
land (paying tribute, observe, to the Republican Go-
vernment, for so doing !) to their original destination.
Was ever anything, we ask, more absurd than this ?
Was ever anything more shortsighted or extravagant ?
Yet such is habitually and systematically the case
now-a-days—now in these times of steam and electri-
city, when the longest possible distances are travelled
over in the shortest possible time ! The origin of all
the evil is the arrangement not long since come to
that the steam-packets shall alternately proceed to
New York and to Halifax, in connexion with which
preposterous and unsystematic regulation we are now
paying no less a sum than 145,0001. per annum to the
Cunard line from Liverpool!
Supposing either Halifax in Nova Scotia, or St.
John's in Newfoundland were made the calling port,
all these difficulties would be effectually obviated
and a variety of other benefits would accrue, not only
to ourselves, but to our Transatlantic possessions. As
was observed as far back as the 31st of July last, by
a merchant of Portland, you would by this means be
enabled to leave the starting point with less coal, in
which event " your boat will be lighter, and she will
steam faster and make the voyage in one or two days
less time." The consideration, though apparently
trifling, is in these times of rapid locomotion of no
little importance. Besides which, the same intelligent
observer continues---" you will have more room to
carry dry goods, which pay well, and I presume large
quantities will be shipped by this route for Canada,
the States, and lower provinces." Innumerable other
advantages might be calculated upon with readiness,
but enough has already been observed to suggest to
the mind of the reader the value of such an inno
vation.