The Press. — London, England, 1854-08-19 00:00:00

AUGUST 19, 1854• (6rtlanl3. A MEETING was held in the Court-house of Armagh, his Grace the Duke of Leinster in the chair, yesterday week, to hear a paper read by Mr. John Andrews, of Comber, on the cultivation of gal. The lecturer chiefly referred to the flax crop as a part of the rotation on a small farm, and dwelt upon its suitability for admitting an after-sowing of turnips, rape, or vetches, preferring this course to a sowing with grass and clover seed. He objected to the axiom that large farms only could be profitably conducted, and produced a balance-sheet of the management of ten Cunningham acres, showing a profit on the produce of 110/. in one year, and 1201. in the next, much of which be attributed to the occurrence of flax in the rotation. He dwelt upon the advantage of saving the seed, whether for sowing or feeding, and adduced instances of profits derived by him from this practice. Some discussion took place on the views proposed by the lecturer, whose communication was ordered to be printed in the transactions of the Royal Flax Society. CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS have commenced in Dublin in the case of Mr. Edmund O'Flaherty. Mr. H. Lazarus and Mr. Salomans, of Dublin, appeared on Saturday, with their solicitors, before the sitting magistrate at Capel-strtset Police-office, and, producing bills which they hold, and which are alleged to have been issued by Mr. E. O'Flaherty, late Special Com missioner of Income Tax, swore informations to the effect that Mr. Godley and Mr. Gregory, whose names appear on the documents, have repudiated the said bills as forgeries. Application MIS then made for summonses to compel the attendance of Mr. God ley and Mr. Gregory, and accordingly the former of these gentlemen attended in the police-court on Monday before Dr. Kelly, and swore an information to the effect that two bills, one at three months for 4501., and the other for the same period for 701., drawn on him by his late colleague, Mr. Edmund O'Flaherty, were forgeries, and that he neither di rectly nor indirectly authorised Mr. O'Flaherty to attach his name to these bills. This information was received and registered, with a view to ulterior proceeding. The charge of forgery was again inves tigated on Tuesday, when Mr. Keogh testified that his name written on the back of one of the bills was a forgery. It was stated in the court that Mr. O'Fla herty has gone to Copenhagen, having selected that place of residence because of the non-existence I.)f any international treaty between Denmark and Eng land relative to the giving up of fugitives from justice. THE CONTINUANCE OF UNSETTLED WEATHER and falls of heavy showers on Monday and Tuesday last caused a rise of prices in the Irish grain markets, and at Tuesday's Dublin Corn Exchange an advanced currency was readily maintained, with rather more business done in foreign wheat and Indian corn. The reports from the country are meagre as regards the condition of the potato crop, but do not lessen the fears already entertained of a partial failure. Notwithstanding the unfavourable state of the at mosphere, the general harvest has commenced in the county of Kilkenny; and wheat, oats, and barley are being cut in various directions. The wheat promises to be a fair crop, and the oats and barley to give an abundant yield. A BARBAROUS AGRARIAN MURDER has been Com mitted in the vicinity of Nenagh, in the county of Tipperary, a young farmer, named Mullowney, having just died from the effects of a brutal bearing inflicted on him by seven men after the fair of Ne nagh on the Ist inst. Two of the ruffians who per petrated the outrage have been fully identified as the principals, and four others have been arrested. A dispute about land is believed to have bcen the cause of the murder. THE FAMILY OF MR. WILLIAM SMITH O'BRIEN have received a letter from that gentleman, dated the last week in May, from Van Diemen's Land, when he was preparing to avail himself of her Majesty's gra cious pardon, and to leave the colony for Europe. Mrs. Smith O'Brien and other relatives will meet the liberated exile at Brussels, where it is probable he will reside. Mr. O'Brien accepted with the best feelings his Sovereign's spontaneous clemency in remission of the penalty for his political offence. THE LAYING DOWN OF A TELEGRAPHIC CABLE between Holyhead and the Irish coast was com menced on Tuesday last. THE Provincial Roman Catholic Synod of Con naught, convened by John M'Hale, of Tnam, was opened in the Romish Cathedral of St. Jarlath's on Tuesday. The usual ceremony of inauguration having been gone through in all the pomp and form of the Romish ritual, Dr. M`Hale delivered himself of a long and eloquent address, which terminated the ceremony. AT a meeting of directors of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, held on Wednesday, it was decided to recommend a dividend for the past half year at the rate of 31 per cent. per annum, and to add to the surplus brought forward from the previous half year. THE PRESS. RAILWAY PROGRESS. THE periodical report to the Board of Trade has just been presented by Captain Galion, R.E., presenting an official résumé of the progress and proceedings of the railway system in England during the year 1853. During that period, he states, the length of new lines of railway sanctioned by the Legislature was 940 miles, which amount is very considerably greater than that sanctioned during any year since 1847. Of this amount 589 miles was in England, 80 miles in Scotland, and 271 miles in Ireland. The most important of the new lines appear to be the following, viz. line from Strood to Canter bury, by which the communication by railway along the south bank of the Thames will be rendered continuous as far as the North Foreland ; the Portsmouth Railway, by which a direct communication will be afforded be tween Portsmouth and the metropolis ; an extension of the Midland Railway from Leicester to Hi chin, on the Great Northern Railway, by which a second line of com munication will be afforded from the Midland districts to the metropolis; and the Worcester and Hereford Railway, by which a more direct route will be opened between the midland counties and South Wales, In Ireland the most important line would appear to be the Londonderry and Coleraine Railway, by which a direct route will be afforded between Belfast and Londonderry ; and the Londonderry, Coleraine, and Sligo Railway, which will afford a direct railway communication from Sligo to Londonderry and to Dublin. The total length of railway which has been authorised by Parliament to the end of 1853 is 12,688 miles ; of this number of miles 7.686 have been opened fortraffic, leaving 5,002 miles to be completed ; but the compulsory powers of 2.838 miles have expired without being exercised. The length of railways for the construction of which parliamentary powers exist is 2,164 miles. The length of railway opened previously to December 1843 was 2,036 miles. The length opened in the year 1844 was 201 miles ; in 1845, 296 miles ; in 1846, 006 miles ; in 1847, 803 miles ; in 1848, 1,18-2 miles ; in 1849, 889 miles ; in 1850, 625 miles ; in 18.51, 269 miles ; in 1852, 440 miles; and in 1853, 350 miles, making the total length then opened 7,686 miles ; of which 5,848 miles are in England, 995 in Scotland, and 843 miles in Ireland. The length of the narrow-gauge railway, including the Irish gauge of 5} feet, is 0,905 miles, of the broad gauge 620 miles, and of the mixed gauge 95 miles. The amount of capital invested in railways at the end of 1852 was 263,165,6801., of which 161,400,2561. consisted of ordinary capital, 38,700,7551. of preference capital, and 64,064,0881. of loans. The amount raised by railway com panies during 1E353 has not yet been returned to Parliament, but it may be assumed not to have been less than that raised during 1852, and it is probable that the whole sum raised to the end of 1853 is not less than 281,000,0001., of which about 42,000,0001. may be assumed to have been preferential capital, and nearly 70,000,0001. borrowed on the security of the undertakings. The number of miles of railway in course of construc tion on the 30th of June, 1853, was 682 miles, and the number of men employed on them was 37,764. The num ber of miles open for traffic at that date was 7,512, and the number of men employed 80,409. The number of men employed on railways open for traffic was 9 . 5 per mile in 1852, and 10 . 7 per mile in 1853. The total number of passengers conveyed on railways in the United Kingdom in the year 1853 amounted to 102,286,660 ; the number in 1852 had been 89,135,729. The total receipts from all sources of traffic amounted in 1853 to 18,035,8791., and in 1852 to 15,710,5541. In England the mean length of line opened during the year has been increased from 4,355 miles in 1849 to 5,730 miles in 1853; and the total number of passengers con veyed has increased from 49,879,302 in 1849 to 84,212,901 in 1853, being au increase of from 11,450 per mile in 1849 to 14,695 per mile in 1853. The numbers conveyed of each class bear very nearly the same relative proportion to each other in each year. In 1853 the number of first-class passengers was 12'76 per cent., the number of second-class was 37'8 per cent., and the number of third-class 49 . 42 per cent. of the whole number carried. The receipts from passengers have increased from 5,146,5181. in 1849 to 7,326,1061. in 1853, being an increase of from 1,2551. per mile to 1,2791. per mile (the amount received during 1851 having amounted to 1,3301. per mile). The receipts from goods have increased from 4,750,5041. in 1849 to 8,112,4771. in 1853, being an increase of from 1,0901. per mile in 1849 to 1,4151. per mile in 1853; and, while the receipts from pas sengers in 1849 were larger than the receipts from goods in the proportion of 53'42 to 46'58, in 1853 the contrary was the case—viz., the percentage of the passenger traffic was 47 . 45, and of the goods traffic 52'55. In Scotland the progress of traffic has been similar. The mean length of railway in Scotland open during the year has increased rom 793 miles, open in 1849, to 987 miles, open in 1853. The number of passengers conveyed in 1849 amounted to 7,902,228, and in 1853 to 10,999;44, which represents 9,993 per mile in 1849, against 11,246 per mile in 1853. The receipts from passengers increased from 640,770/. to 697,7121.; or from 680/. per mile in 1849, to 713/. per mile in 1863, and from goods from 650,6401. in 1E449 to 1,068,0161. in 1853. In Ireland the mean length of railway open in the year 1849 was 428 miles, and in the year 1853 it was 771 miles. The total number of passengers conveyed in 1849 amounted to 6,0.59,947, or 14,142 per mile ; and in 1853 it amounted to 7,074,475, or 9,175 per mile. The receipts from passengers have increased from 290,6041. in 1849 to 537,2591. in 1853 ; and from goods from 127,4621. in 1849 to 294,3101. in 1853. Since the year 1849, while the number of miles in the United Kingdom had increased 34 per cent., the number of passengers had increased 60 per cent., the receipts from passengers 36 per cent., from goods 71 per cent., and the total receipts had increased 53 per cent., or from 2,115/. per mile in 1849 to 2,4081. per mile in 1853. The proportionate increase in the number of the lower class of passengers conveyed by railway is greater than that of other classes, and the proportion which the receipts from that class bear to the receipts from other 789 classes is greater for It*3 than it was for 11349. The re ceipts from goods are also largely increasing, and they bear every year an increasing proportion to passenger trattic. glisttilanta. THE NEW BRIBERY ACT, which receive the royal assent on Thursday week, is now printed. It is entitled "An act to consolidate and amend the laws relating to bribery, treating, and undue influence at elections of members to serve in Parliament." There are thirty-nine sections in the act and two schedules. The preamble states that the laws in force for pre venting corrupt practices at elections have been found insufficient, and that it is expedient to consolidate and amend such laws, and to make further provision for securing the freedom of such elections. The new law repeals to a certain extent a long number of acts from the reign of tie°. IL to the sth and Oth Vic. Bribery, treating, and undue influence are defined, and the parties offending are to be deemed guilty of a misdemeanour. The names of offenders are to be struck off the register by the revising barrister, and to be inserted in a separate list. No cockades or ribbon are to be given at elections. Voters are not to serve as special constables during election. In cases of private prosecutions under the act, if judgment be given for defendant, heis to recover his costs from the prosecutor. Within six days after the passing of the act the returning officers are to appoint an officer, to be called " Auditor of Election Expenses," to act at elections. Bills of election expenses are to be sent in within one month, and to be forwarded to the election auditor, and no payments are to made except through that functionary. The candidates are to pay personal expenses and expenses of advertising. The expenses are to be made out and published by the election auditor. He is to have 10/. from each candidate for his services, reasonable expenses, and two per cent. on the payment. Candidates and agents may make payments before the day of election. In actions for penalties the parties are to be competent witnesses. Candidates declared guilty of bribery to be incapable of; being elected in the then Parliament. Refresh ments to voters on the day of nomination and polling are illegal. The short title of the act is " The Corrupt Practices Prevention Act 1864." There is an interpretation clause, and the act is to continue in force one year, and to the end of the then next session of Parliament. ON Friday the 10th inst. the Emperor and Empress of the French visited Cambo, in the mountains, near Biarritz. They went to the church, where they were received with great pomp by the clergy, and where the Domene salon"; was chanted in their presence. After leaving a sum of money for the poor, their Majesties went to the sulphu rous spring and tasted the water. The Emperor made inquiries respecting the qualities of the water, the state of the population in the district, and the yield of the crops. He also inquired why there were such large tracts of land left uncultivated, and was told that the reason was that too great numbers of the population emigrated to Montevideo. Their Majesties subsequently visited another spring and tasted the water, and then partook of refreshments. After wards the Emperor and Empress spent some time in gazing at the magnificent scenery, the Empress seated on a bench, the Emperor on the grass. The Emperor, seeing a boat on the Nive, jumped into it, and rowed himself and M. Laity, one of his orderly officers, to the other side, where he again admired the scenery. On his Majesty's return he left with the Empress, but they frequently stopped to admire different points of view. Their carriage was sur rounded by a number of young people of both sexes, dressed in the picturesque costume of the country, and they accompanied their Majesties to the limits of the commune. Next day the Emperor and Empress took an excursion on board the Assfralie. The sea was magnificent, and the sun shone gloriously. The Audralie went towards the south along the coasts of Spain, and examined the mouth of the Bidassoa. She afterwards stood out to sea, and then re entered the Adour, where their Majesties landed. THE OPENING AND PROROGATION OP PARLIAMENT are always field-days at the electric telegraph stations, owing to the general desire throughout the country to receive the royal speech with the utmost possible despatch. All the officials are on the qui vire; picked hands are appointed to work the instruments communicating with the principal stations ; and:a spirit of friendly,rivalry prevails amongst the manipulators as to who shall transmit correctly the greatest number of words within a given time. Upwards of 140 clerks are generally engaged in forwarding, receiving, and transcribing her Majesty's address ; and on Saturday, for the first time, the services of the female clerks, or " lady telegraphers," now employed at the Electric Telegraph Company's Central Station at Lothbury were called into requisition. They forwarded the speech with remarkable rapidity, in one or two instances equalling if not surpassing the speed and correctness of their more experienced male coadjutors. It may not be generally known tha t the Elec tric Telegraph Company have established departments for young girls, under a matron, with a view of affording a wider and more intellectual scope for female employment; and the experiment promises to be highly successful. The greatest rate of speed attained on Saturday was thirty.five words per minute. The transmission to the Continent rid Hague) was effected in twenty minutes. THE ADMISSIONS TO THE SYDENHAM CRYSTAL PALACE for the week ending Saturday, August 12, were ;—N umbers, including season tickets, 61,594; received for admisaior, 8,4441. 108.0 d. 4 .•••• county o being cu to be a f abundat A Rod mined Tippers having inflicted nagh o. petrated the prix A dispu Cause o THE have re last wei was pre cious Mrs. S liberau will re feeling remiss. THE betwee mence THE naugh opene, Tuesd havinl of the of a lc cerem AT Yorks to rec rate numb