, 1862-07-13

The London Tines of June 10Th ult., ievotes
3 leading article to discussion Of the project
now before Congress for opening ship canals
for war purposes. Concciying that the imme-
date object Of this plan is essentially military
the Times regards the movement at threat
against Canada, and adds:
Some fifty years ago it was agreed By treaty
that the vast Inland lakes, the possession Of
Which in case Of war would be of such decisive
Importance, should be practically neutral,zed
Neither country was to keep any force ut al
there Equality OF weakness was to be sub
stituted for equality ofstrcugth, and that un-
de,stanaing has been faithfully observed. It
followed, OF course, that in the event Of q war
the advantage would lie with that power
which could most rapidly collect OF eXtempo-
rjZc 4 naval force, and it Was easy discernab1c
that at certain periods OF tic year the chances
would be in our own favor, and Others in favor
Of the Americans Had war, for Instance, re-
resulted froEi the affairs Of the Trent in De-
ct1nbcr last, the federal States would probably
have had an advantage over us for 4 time. at
that season there was no ACCESS to the lakes
from the sea, and, as Americans were superior
to the Canadians On the spot in popu..
likelihood have put superior force
:ioat. AS soon, however. as the break
ing up OF the ice had opened tile navigation Of
The st. Lawrence nc could have poured 4
whole fleet OF gunboats through that river into
the lakes, whereas no such channel would
| have been open to the Americans. 1t WAS
i al the prospect thus disclosed that the Amer
] lclns took alarm. Though peace was happily
! maintained, var, for some weeks, had been
! discussed as 4 probable contingency, and the
| advantages secured to us by the possession of
| the St. Lawrence were contemplated with
| great pneasiness. Especially was this anxiety
1elt in the State Of New York, the legislature
| Of which province passed an act in April last
| for ''adapting the canals Of the State to the
| defense OF the northern and northwestern
| lakes" This act forms the gronndwork OF
| the comprehensive project to which wc now
| invite attention.
II is not improbable that the federal gov
ernmcnt may discern some domestic advan.a-
ses in the scheme just opened, but it is pro-
posed and recommended exclusively with
rsference to Canadian war, aud is, ia-
| 1ecd, designed as d measure of uationaI
defense. The object is to provide facilities for
the lakes in as short 3 time as possible, aud
this object might be attained, it Is said IS re-
CARDS :the two eastern lakes, within single
year. The execution Of the plan would uu
doubtedly modify the relative positions O
: Great Britain and America, on tie Canadi II
frontiers, but We do not know that anything
more can be said on that point. The Treaty
Of Client would not close these canals to the
| | Americans any more than it closes the St
lawrence to Us; in fact, the federa1s woult
I'robohly say that the new project Was re
quircd to put them on a level with ourselves
The chief security Of Canad7 will b.
: found, not IN frontier arseuals or fortrcsses
, but !u the spirit with which its population i
an:matcd. The period OF suspense which fol
| lowed on the Trent affair disclosed to tn
| Americans the uuwelcome and apparently sur
prising fact that Canadians Of all classes an,
| parties we're resolved to bear the brunt q
t ! unequal war rather than be absorbed in tn
great republic. We fcar it cannot be assume4
that ! taste Of Wa1 will leave the American
with . desire for peace. ltsecns, on the con
trary, as Il they Ecre already reconciIed to ii
| the evils which war brings il its train, aud a
if they preferred military glory with all it
| cost to tranquility and ease. Still, it viii ut
doubtcdly be felt tlst to attempt the conques
I Of hardy and courageous people is 4 yer
+ different thing from aunexing willing pro,
inec. The federals, even if they should Pre-
cover that rebel1ious subjects are more trouble
tome than Independent 1eighbors, and that
will hardly be worth their while to repeat
3 the North an attempt which has cost them 3
| | dearly In the South. While it was believe
, | that Canada wanted only m opportunity t
become part Of the Union it was not1r.
enough for Uufonfst statesmen to speculat
+ oa the chances Of the acquisition. bnt no1
& that the feeling Of the Canadians has bee
The Americans will, probably, thin
d twice, before they attack Canada; and the
& may be perfectly assured that We have not tt
h temotest intention Of attacking them. The
can build as many gunboats as they pleas
but We think 1t would best consist with Ii
IS good sense as well IS the financial advautag
IS o1 DOH countries if the understanding whic
. has E1'herto 60 successfully prevailed raspec
ing the neutrality Of the lakes should be Ie
= undistutbeG.