The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-23
THURSDAY MORNING.. FEBRUARY 20, 1865


A London journal mentions a rumor,
in English political circles, that the
British Government intends to abandon
Canada, thereby removing q cause of
war which might arise hereafter by tho
Yankees seizins upon that province.
A brief sketch of the great colony
which England is said TO contemplate
surrendering will enable the reader to de-
eide for himself the degree of probability
Of that rumor.
The surface of Lower Canada is about
quarter o! million of square miles,
or hundred and sixty millions Of acres,
not including the surface covered by the
lakes and rivers Of the province. In the
fertility Of large portions Of its soil in
tho pastoral lovcliness Of other portions,
which are said to emulate the finest
scenes of England; in the grand and
beautiful features Of it's mountain, river
and lake scenery, it is worthy to be
itself an empire. That grand life givcr
Of the country, the St. Lawrence river,
is surpassed in length by few, and
cqualed in magnificence by no other
river of the world. 1t runs course of
| nearly three thousand miles, varying
from one to ninety miles broad, two thou
sand miles of which are navigable by
large ships, and the rest by vessels up to
sixty tons burden The groves, Or
chards, corh-felds, lakes, Of this won
derful land, have always been looked
upon with an eye Of affection by the
people of the United States. Quebec
has been pronounced the Gibraltar Of
the New World, but it may be ques-
toned whether a sudden rush Of fifty
thousand American troops might not
dispel that illusion. Lower Canada, if
fully peopled, will be equal to the largest
European empire, except Russia; and it
is said that no country in the world af-
fords more adequate means for putting
the whole Of it's surface at the disposal
of the population.
Upper Canada is nearly twice tho size
of Great Britain, inhabited principally
by an English population, with a singu'
larly fertile soil and comparatively mild
climstc-its noble lakes tempering the
severity of the latitude, and securing
general communication. These lakes
and the canals of the United States with
which they unite, enable vessels from
Canadian ports to communicate inlane
with the Gulf of Mexico. The quantity
of good soil is said to be proportional
to that of any other country of tn
globe. and in some places fifty bushel
Of wheat are frequent produce. Iron
conner and coal are found and these
in the hands of English energy, can &C
complish anything. The winters ar
; severe but healthy, and seem to afford
holiday, instead of a period of suffering
to the population. Great Britain ha
expended vast sums in the military az
onisition and defence of Canada, and
) grand system Of internal improvements
:: besides which, she is now laying th
Atlantic cable, with one end on the Br
tish province of Newfoundland, whic
does not look much like sunder1ng HI
: connection with any of her Norther
possessions ON this continent.
. It has also become evident to Brits
5 statesmen. or ought to be by this tim
Il that it is to her own colonies, and not Il
trade with independent States, that 81
must lock for the means both OF upnol
ing her maritime superiority and obtai
ing subsistence or employment to d
numerous and rapidly-increasing pop'
= lation. The North American eolonle
;. with population scarcely a tenth To
= Of the old United States, employs s
! times more British tonnage than Il
; United States. No matter how rapid
> her trade has increased with Amefi
or anv other independent country, tn