The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-24

Sshon VI the seventeenth regiment, stationed At
Quebec, contains large number Of Englishmen;
but the Irish and Scotch form the majority. The
Thirtieth regiment of infantry, at Toronto, has
good deal over the half Of It's number Englishmen.
The Forty-seventh is almost exclusively Irish, and
in the Sixtysecond and sixty-third the Irish have
heavy preponderance
The Royal Canada Rifles and Royal Newfound-
land Corps are local organizations, enlisted under
royal warrants from the Horse Guards; but in both
there are large number Of Irish colonists, more
particularly in the Newfoundland Corps. of which
men Of Irish birth or Irish parentage make up the
greater bulk.
THE WEST INDIA ISLANDS.
Designation Ci0sifcation. Stations.
First battalion (white
FIRST West India regi ''''''
ment (colored). Infantry Barbados
26th company (white
sath regimen. white : '''' '''' 90 ''''
ID % Wss. India regimen; Infantry Bermuda
(colored). Infantry Bahamas.
Sd West India regiment
\coiored)........ Infantry. 5000. jamaica
The white force in the West India Islands con-
tains, on the whole, majority Of Englishmen; but
in the Thirtyninth regiment the Irish prevail.
The colored regiments highly praised for their
appearance and drill by the British officers.
The latest European dispatches by the Edinburg
dated in London on the 18th inst, report that the
press of the Continent was becoming alarmed at
the prospect of war between England and the
United States. The most influential journals in
Havre, Marseilles and Bordeaux advise the Empe
ror of France to observe strict neutrality during
the contest Some of the Paris papers recommend
an energetic mediation, and direct proposal for
Notwithstanding to the agreement of the
Paris Conference of lS56-to Napoleon, while the
Opinione Rationale, the organ Of the French
liberals" asserts that he should not fol.
low England's example should she recognise
the South. The Constitutional says that
q strong Ango-French alliance should be made
The news selected from the Canadian journals
and published in this mornings HERALD shows the
Intensity of the war feeling which exists in that
province as far as it is manifested by the calling
out of the sedentary militia, the fitting out of gun
boats for the lakes, the fertilization of various
ports supposed to be in danger, the drilling ofthe
regulars and volunteers, or active militia &c.
General Williams, the Commander-in-C Chief of the
forces in Canada, accompanied by his staff has
been engaged rapidly moving about the country
from Windsor on the extreme west to Gaspe on the
extreme east. from Collingwood on the north
to the lakes on the south, for the purpose
of locating Notifications and other defences
in consequence of the crisis. Turin newspaper
warns England that Napoleon will at once inter-
fere in the East when she is engaged with Ameri-
ca, and the Austrian papers of opinion that he
commenced here.
1t was rumored in England that Commodore
Burnett, of the Royal Navy, was to hoist his flag
on heavy frigate bound for the Australian wa.
tiers.
The British ships Nile (fag) Disdem and Spite
fnl, were at Bermuda, West Indies on the 18th
inst. The frgate Mersey had left for Jamaica, and
the transport Himalaya for Barbados. The Chal-
lenge, Bulldog and Steady were at Nassau, Mp.
The gunboat Nimble left Bermuda on the sth inst.
for Havana.
The regular troops have been transported from
their nominal stations to others on the borders,
and old and almost disabled forts have been or are
to be furnished up, % to make them with regard
to actual service, almost as good as new. At
Collingwood, which is situated at the head Of
Notifications erected, doubtless for the purpose of
threatening Chicago and other places along the
American shore of Lakes Superior and Michigan.
Ammunition and arms have been distributed along
their coast as to be ready for use when wanted,
and artillery companies have been sent from the
interior to exposed points, for the purpose it is
said, Of repelling invasion.
In connection with the Canadian news it in as
well to state that our government has not been
unmindful of the condition Of the defences aIonr
our own border. A portion of the regular army
who were liberated by the rebels on their parole
not to fight against them, have been sent to the
Canadian frontier where their services are required
to make the necessary preparations to defend our
own lines from foreign invasion, and where such
services can and will be used without involving
breach of parole on the part Of the men thus re-
leased from imprisonment by the rebels
CONGRESS-.
Both houses Of Congress yesterday passed q
bill increasing the duty tea to twenty cents per
pound; coffee to five cents per pound; on sugar
two and half, three, five and eight cents per
pound, according to quality, and on molasses to
six cents per gallon. This action of Congress ia
in accordance with suggestions contained ia the
report Of the Secretary Of the Treasury. II is
believed that the increased duties on these articles
will yield between seven and eight million dollars Of
revenue.
In the Senate yesterday, Mr. Garrett Davis. the