The House of Commons has sanctioned a guarantee of 4
per .cent. on 3,000,000/. for the IntercolonialRailway of 'Canada. The vote- was resisted by Mr. Lowe, who said the Americans would . seize the railway the moment war broke out, and use it to facilitate the conquest of Canada ; that lending money was not the way to teach people independence ; and that the line would be as useless in winter as the St. Lawrence. Mr. Gladstone, however, supported -the vote, as part in reality of a treaty, in a speech in which he hoped almost openly for the independence of the Confederation. The truth is this guarantee is the price we pay-for having our own way. British Columbia has already joined the Confederation, and when the Hudson Bay Territory has been purchased, the British potssessions on the North American continent will form one State, -soon, we hope, to be one nation, strongly allied to Great Britain, but mot dependent on her.
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