We are a strange people. If the Federal Government were
to fire on an English ship the nation would be clamouring for war, but because everything points to peace we are getting into a panic. On Thursday night Lord Elcho roused another debate about this never-ending defences-of-Canada question. His object was to show that there had been no agreement between the Governments of Great Britain and Canada on the subject, and he certainly did show conclusively that Canada expecte what it will not get, namely, a guarantee for its share of the expense of forti- fications. The Canadian Ministry are coming to England to settle this and other questions, and meanwhile Lord Elcho protested against expenditure on the fortifications of Quebec. He held that Canada could not be defended, and would therefore not waste national resources on useless works. He would fight for Canada, but not on Canadian soil. SirJ. D. Hay expressed the same opinion, so did Major Anson, who has seen a good deal of hard service, so did Mr. C. Buxton, who pressed strongly the argument that the Canadians themselves did not wish to be defended by land. Mr. Cardwell replied on behalf of Government, showing that the Canadians had on the whole behaved well, and General Peel spoke boldly in favour of the possibility as well as duty of de- fending the colony. - The Marquis of Hartiugton also spoke closely to the point when he said that if England could hold Quebec, and Canada Montreal, conquest, however easy, would not be worth an enemy's while. The vote was not taken, and a fourth debate is possible, a large party having evidently satisfied itself that the British Government is undertaking an impossible task.
Previous page
