Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1844-06-27


to which.wiIh reference to its topography
and the means Of annoyance which may
be employed against US, that prolonged
frontier would be exposed. Nothing
could be more imposing-nothing could
be better adapted 20 its object, than the
extraordinary and magnificent plan of in.
terror commune atoms which the British
Government is fast fastening to its com.
pletion. At London, which is on the
Thames, about Que hundred miles eas
from Detroit, they appear now To- have
their great military depot /; it seems to be
a local point of concentration for their
military force. From London, less, be-
lisve, than one hundred miles still further
east, to Lake Ontario, great macada-
mixed. or plank road is being finished
From London westerly three great roads
are being extended one coming IN at
Maiden; one at Windsor, opposite the
city of Detroit and one. as have said,
to Port Sawney,' on the straits of St.
Clair, about seventy miles above Detroit.
Of the manner ofIhe construction of these
splank roads, you will see descri ption
in the report recently printed from the
Patent Office; and reading that descrip-
ton, you will at once perceive their ad-
mirabIe adaptation to all military purpo-
ses. see no reason, indeed, why, for
temporary use at least, they may not be
converted into railways as rapidly as ap-
propriate rails may be spiked down up
on them.
But the works have mentioned consti-
tute part only, and a very small part, of
their gigantic system ; system which.
when now shortly it will have been fully
accomplished, will not only secure to our
powerful neighbors the inestimable advan-
tage of uniting their achole military and
naval force on either Of the two lakes,
through their enlarged WeIland canal
but will give to them the power also, thro'
their Beauharnois, Lachine, and other of
thei. st. Lawrence canals-canals of i'm.
mense structure and dimensions--to throw
into the Upper Lakes their war steamers,
and other vessels of war, at pleasure from
the ocean.
Sir, do not over estimate the magni.
tude of these works, nor are the dangers
l alude 70 ideal. | have here, sir, the
report of their Board of Works made to
the last Canadian Parliament, and which
shows at once the vastness of their plan,
aud the rapid progress making towards
its completion. In all the year lS45, it
seems. these magnificent works are to be
accomplished. An accurate and Curl
Gus observer, in rejecting upon so bold a
policy, will not fail TOO, TO notice the re-
cency of its commencement, and the ener-
gy and rapidly with which these great
works are pressed forward. / think
can form fair conjecture as 10 the origin
of that policy. You will recollect, sir,
that few years ago there existed thro'
out both provinces of Canada certain re-
evolutionary movements, which for time
threatened very seriously the safely ofthe
Colonial Governments. The strong arm
of the parent country, indeed, was found
necessary to put them down. In the con-
dition of things which then existed dis
play Of military force at different and re-
mote points seems TO have been deemed
necessary-to give rapidity 10 its move
ments seemed equally essential. The Ut
ter inadequacy of the ordinary roads of
the country, especially in the Upper Pro-
vince.was made clearly apparent. 1t was
then, fancy, that the project was first
seriously entertained of commencing the
works of this description. The en'ang-
led condition of the relations between the
English Government and this anterior to
the treaty of Washington, and the strong
indications of national war which GER
tainly then existed, accelerated the adop-
ton of the policy, have no doubt, by the
: Home Government and led also 10 the
enlargement of their plan. As that plan
has been devised and prosecuted, nothing
could be more admirable with reference
to its object; for. whether that object
were offensive or defensive war, it gave to
them the surest guaranty ofsuccess which
it would seem possible for them to obtain.
And now, sir, are you to look upon all
these formidable preparations with cold
Indifference? While your own country
IA countrv for the defence Of which II is