The Sun. — London, England, 1829-07-09 00:00:00

PARISHES of ST. MARTIN, and COVENT GARDEN, versus . MORALITY and DECENCY. May I, Mr. Editor, be permitted to inquire why the *bore parishes suffer (nay, it is feared after the numerous eiPosiires, connive at) the existence of certain infamous brothels in a court running from the.east iide of Catherine-street. I trust ere long thia4uestion will be answered in the only way to aSord eatisfaction. The case lam about to detail is for the benefit of such youth whose sight it may happen to meet, and should its perusal cause in one !matinee only the happy conviction and saving reso lution that experience has wrought on my friend, then, in' his own words, " it will have been indeed m eh eaPlY bought." " Ab ou t ten in the evening of wediiesday,last, returning from Fleet-street down the Strand; I was accosted by one of the many unfortunate: who perambulate this thoroughfare ; I should not, perhaps, much err, did I say she was pretty; but meekly interesting she certainly con trived to appear, set off by numerous dark and shortly -curled ringlets round her forehead. As much, Cert ainly (I would not say more), from an inclination to 'befriend her than from any other feeling, I assented for five minutes to talk with her in her nice little apartment.' I must own, when 7 . Lreached thi s said court, my feelings said wide; but n ever h av ing given credence to the herrible tiles and scenes perpetrated in these dens * or when I have in part, it was uniformly under the supposition of insignificance, or the ab sence of natural strength in the sufferer giving the wtvstitage. Thus natural fears were overcome. We reached a house near the top of the court on the left hand side, and entered a room on the first fl oor, which even exceeded description, nay, sur prised me from the goodness of its furniture, con trasted with the lowness of its situation. A pint 'twine and tarts were called for, and provided, but nekth er did I touch ; and after a few minutes, on moving to depart, my eyes were opened to the sort or house, I h a d entere d, b y payment b e i ng d eman d e d f c ' air - t 4le room • it was paid 55., and Bs. for the re -lehinent-; b ut having satisfied these demands so 1.1 ° 4 0i, I NUS not to be permitted to escape so elP t s ilY• -Under the pretext of a promise having been mace to the female of a present of 4/. or 54, my further prog ress was stoppe d by t h e entrance o f two vocif erat i ng women. Had t h ey b een men, I s hould hav e k n o wn h ow t o ac t, a t a ny rate should : scieasily have parted with the sum required as d id: 3/. 17 8 . 6d. was g i ven , a ll I happened to have r a •li T. Maung about me, happy to get from a scene never before had, and never shall again, put my self a situation to witness. On passing the threshold into the court, I met the watch man; it occurred to me I had been exceed 'ugly silly in suffering myself to be robbed as I had been, I therefore desired him to re turn with me into the house—he did so readily, and the trio were not a little astonished at t uY sudden appearance so accompanied. Had I done right, I perhaps should have demanded the return of the whole of the 3/. 17s. 6d., but I only desired two, which sum (taking out my watch, and allowing one minute) I peremptorily insisted on and got, after an hesitation, rendered more slight Perhaps, by my threat of having the whole party removed to the watch-house, than it otherwise would haVe been. A threat I now regret I did not put in execution.", I have given the case in my friend's own words —and most heartily reiterate his regret that he did not execute his threat, by which the real ' wi shes and intentions of the above-named Parishes would have been ascertained. PROTECTOR. ROME, JUNE 6. ivir s• connection with the young Italian nobleman does, I can assure you, continue, and is oven a matter of public notoriety. I passed them in t he Via de Condotti no later than yesterday. I know not what will become of the unfortunate woman, ,_deservedly abandoned by her husband, wh en th e Marehese's curiosity shall have subsided, and when lie family shall have their authority and requisitions secoaded by an arbitrary Government, always ready to attend to similar applications, and active in pu nishing its own subjects when slidden into similar indi scretions. another Englishman, has recently been a subject of eule or comment. An acquaintance of a friend a f during the late season, passed in the street ser n a le) very elegantly dressed, in whose air he de toile" something that tempted him to turn and a t • t ° l 7 her. The young man observed that she rang door of a house occupied by a certain hospi haible and accommo d at i ng l a dy, sufficiently known to to rn and hi s y oung a ssociates, and was imm e diat e ly it ' cn itted. Availing himself of the rights of an old r:quaintanee, he rang the bell, and was promptly th eelY ed. The lady of the house informed him ~,a t th e f a i r un k nown was t h ere b y appoint ment with one o f hi s own countrymen; but, by way of not bein g peccant u p on th e score of punctuality, ha d anticipated the time of assignation by a quarter ,tan hour, which he might employ as he could best u s e• s He was not a person to mistake the hint ; and declares that he had sufficient reason to be Fateful to Madame C. for imparting it, as well as to t h e complaisance of the Transalpine expectant. Her acne cannot be told ; and I sincerely hope it may re main unknown to those who are acquainted with her W anderin gs to and in the Via Margatta. d can also assure you that Mr. has at length or quitted Rome—whether upon compulsion vr, not i s var i ous ly i n q u i re d or asserte d. Th e nevoli, °' course, remain, as also some of his associates, who til aY continue to disgrace natior al character until so me excess of presumption shall constrain this Go l'er.nment to act with befitting, and, according to efleral accounts, long deserved severity. The e acher, another of the gang, still remains here, and tliPears every where unabashed and unpunished. 'at% ge to say, the first information of his infamy ~ , , " 5 5 brought to and made known in Rome by a fe -141e---no less than the too celebrated Mad. I Cannot answer your queries relative to the Jesuits Otherwise than by telling you of it having been whis pered that Pius VIII. has observed that they are t li zeful, but not necessary." He does not appear t o hav e hitherto distinguished them by any mark of 4011 r. We were mistaken when we said Mr. WALKER p 4l :been appointed the third Commissioner under Mr. ikes M e t ro p o li s P o li ce A c t. Th e C om mi s si o n er s, as St Act now stands, are to be only two, although the Winger originally mentioned was three. Mr. WALKER . 4 , n ominated to succeed Sir D. WILLIAMS on the Bench -` the district of Whitechapel.--Morning Chronicle. )t Mr. P EEL h as a p po i n t e d Li eu t enan t-C o l one l and Mr. MAYNE, a Barrister on the Northern I ' e uit, to the two offices which have been recently consti „ e 4 by the Metropolitan Police Act, for the organization k 4 superintendence of the new system of police. Mr. t 'kY has been appointed Receiver under the Act. i• l t 4 said that Mr. SPRING has resigned the tlt:ttion o f b ox b oo k-k ee p er at D rur y-lane Th e atr e , a nd t M. cHARLzs WRlGiur is to be his successor. :the East India Company's ships Marquis r t ,: 4 en• and Orwell arrived on the 7th instant, the for e' off Dover, and the latter off Deal. The Marquis 11 4 den sailed from China on the 11th February, and St. : I , e rt on the 24th May. The Orwell left China on the k til of the same month, and St. Helena on the 27th of 4 11 1) j' The Lowther Castle, outward-bound, was all well 24th of May, in lat. 10. S. long. 32. W. l eft o n Tuesday a party of seven or eight persons T tills city i n a b oa t fora water excursion flown the river. be t Were a ft erwar ds seen off Walton, below Clevedon, 41) 44 0 ut 15 miles from Bristol ; singe which time no tidings I :een heard of them. Another party, who left on day, and on whose account the apprehension of their were excited, returned at seven o'clock on Friday C 4 ng aft e ncountering a stormy passage.—Rath ron , IL Pr passage.—Rath t r Notwithst a ndi n g the repeated st a tem e nts of i Z t4 thances i n t h e coun t y o f Tipp e r a ry, th ere are at p re - CI t ) but 47 prisoners for trisl at the ensuing Assizes of ofell, which are expected to commence about the 1 t h nmonth.—Dublin Morning Register. PUBLIC WORKS (IRELAND.) REPORT OF MR. NIMNIO ON THE WESTERN DISTRICT. 1328. TO TUE RIGHT HON. LORD FRANCIS LEVESON GOWER. Spring Gardeng, June 17, 1829. MY LORD,--I have the honour to submit for the information of his Excellency the following statement of the progress of the Public Works of the Western District, in the season of 1828. I have formerly observed, that with the moderate sum voted for the prosecution of these works it was impossible to proceed with them all in a beneficial manner, as the charge of management would form too heavy an item in the general expenditure; and that I had recommended, and been allowed to sus pend, proceedings on those in the northern and eas tern parts of my district, until the heavier works in the uncultivated parts of the west were nearer com pletion. It has not, however, been in my power to dis pense with these extra charges to the extent I ex• pected, as the demand made by the Commissioners of Public Accounts for vouchers of expenditure, of a different description from those I had at first deem ed sufficient, laid me under the necessity of continu ing the services of the several pay-clerks and assis tants, and also of incurring a considerable expence for their travelling charges. . . . The success which has attended their exertions is greater than I could have expected after six years' delay, and among a population liable to so much movement; but as there are still a variety of items for which I have no means of obtaining other vouchers than those I at first accepted, I have to request his Excellency will consider the urgent cir cumstances under which this service was at first un dertaken, the inexperience of the several agents em ployed, and the uncertainty by whom or in what form the accounts were to be audited ; since this has been ascertained, I have caused the accounts and vouchers to be made up in strict conformity to the principles under which the Commissioners pro ceed. But in the earlier periods of 1822, I had the payments made by my own clerks in the presence of respectable witnesses, who signed the list ; but could not exact the same caution from several re spectable country gentlemen who had been intrusted with the management of the various charitable funds, and to complete whose operations I made advances of money. From these persons I must look only for an affidavit of expenditure ; but this system, al though allowed by the Board of Accounts, I could not approve of in general, having seen too much of the recklessness with which affidavits are made in Ireland to place any reliance on them without cor roborating evidence. From the most accurate in vestigation I have been able to make I have no rea son to think that any fraud or peculation has been allowed to occur. Another cause which has retarded the general progress of these works in the last season is the ex pences of repair of roads already constructed, which has been done in pursuance of the instructions of Mr. Lamb, of date 14th October, 1827. The heaviest charge on this account is the restoration of sundry bridges, &c. on the Erris road, swept away by an extraordinary water-spout in June last, and which did other very material damage; the importance of this line called for the most prompt and efficient attention, and of course the works on some of the new lines had to be deprived of part of the funds at first intended for them. I have not yet learned whether the expenditure on this head is to be re placed by the funds appropriated for the purpose of repair under the management of the Directors of Navigation. COUNTY OF MAYO. The Road above-mentioned is the principal work in hand in the county of Mayo; it is nearly 60 miles in extent, and has been opened to the public for se veral years, forming the only inlet to the extensive peninsula of Erris ; we have since kept it in a gene ral state of repair and gradual improvement. In the month of June last a sudden water-spout fell in the district south-west of Nephin Mountains, bringing down trees, hay, masses of bog, and gravel, to a most surprising extent, into the lake of Beltra. The river of Genesland was raised fifteen feet above its usual level, glutted and carried off the bridge of Bunavan, although substantially built on solid rock, those also at Beltra, Gregeen, and Glen castle, of about twenty feet span, were destroyed, besides several small arches; they are now all re stored, with the exception of Beltra, which I had to put off for a season, bnt have replaced ad interim, by a ford, so as to maintain the communication. Four houses at this place were swept away; one person's life, and much property in cattle, potatoes, and furniture, lost. I have cleared the road and river-courses that were choked with gravel, &c. and made the new bridges of greater waterway; most of them had been built by the county presentment before I took charge of the line. The improvement of the country laid open by this road continues to proceed rapidly. After passing the Nephin range we come out on the great bog plain of Tyrawly ; and here we are first struck with the operations of Mr. James Nolan, who has taken a large tract of the waste near the Deel river, and in less than three years has built a substantial farm house and offices ; has thirteen stacks of corn from reclaimed bog this year in his yard, and proceeds rapidly with improvements in reclaiming, draining, and planting. At the large bridge of Corrick I find a comfort able inn just completed, and considerable agricul tural improvement all through the glen to Bangor and Belmullet, and various branch-roads made into the neighbouring farm-villages, in most of which the lands heretofore held in common are being inclosed and laid under crop. At Belmullet the advance is quite surprising: this place only commenced four years ago; it now counts about seventy respectable houses, two or three genteel cottages, with inclosures planted with trees, &c. I gave in a former report a return of the com mencement of its mercantile transactions, and sub join a few particulars of the business done last year, by which the rapid progress of agriculture may be also perceived. Mr. Ivers loaded five ships; exported 500 tons of grain, 12 tons kelp, &c.; imported 85 tons salt, 13 tons of rod and other iron, six tons metal, 150 bundles of hoops, 20 tons of coal for kilns, made and sold 19 boats, orders for 40 more, and in progress expended in building 1,300/. He is also postmaster and stamp-office keeper, and states that the receipts are wonderfully increasing; and one fact, viz. 35 newspapers coming weekly to his office, is itself a convincing proof of the state the country has ar rived to. Mr. Davis sold 9001. worth of wine and spirits; 7001. oats, and 4501. on hands; bought and sold 1,0001. of shop-goods, iron, leather, tea, sugars, &c. &c.; made and sold eighteen boats, five more build ing ; expended in building 3001. Mr. Reilly bought sixty tons of oats, and 1001. worth of hides, and 2,000/. worth of shop-goods. Mr. Casey, (only built this year) bought twenty-six tons grain, 40/. of shop-goods, and expended in building 300/. Mr. Minahan, 1801. for spirits and beer, 3001. for cloths and calicoes, and 801. in building. Mr. Scott, 3004 for spirits and beer. Mr. Loftus, 3001. ditto ditto. Mr. Jordan, six tons of oats, eleven on hands, be sides buildings, &c. &c. Mr. Ivers mentions, that on his commencing in 1823 he could not get 100 tons of grain to buy in the country ; now, by the communications opened, he and the other dealers can have 2,000 tons. The activity of the coast-guard and revenue, have done much towards the suppression of smuggling, and of course to the increase of agricultural export; and the good order and example shown by the coast guard, have done much to improve the habits of the country people; there is still however in the dis tricts not pervaded by the roads, a good deal of illicit distillation. Binghamstown continues to advance, though not so remarkably as Belmullet, to which it is too near, and has not the same advantages of situa tion ; it now counts 111 houses roofed, twenty-three unfinished. At Tarmon Pier, the extremity of the line, the coast-guard have formed- a kind of little town, and from this place carts frequently were met going with herrings all the way to Castlebar. Nothing could so effectually extend to the sup pression of smug ing in this district as the com pleting the roads along the eastern side of Blacksod bog, and on tle- n pith coast from Broadhaver► to Killala. These hoes we have been obliged to allow to stand over, for the reasons before given, but from what has already been done on the Killula side much benefit has accrued; the village of Ballycashel is as suming quite a new appearance, and at Belderrig, to which there is now access by horse, a little town is rising, with some shops already in existence; the po pulation, crowded heretofore in the narrow vallies, are fast settling along the new line. KILLALA TO SWINEFORD. From Killala to Ballina, Foxford, and Swineford, an excellent new road of thirty feet wide, made with stone, was opened and delivered to the care of the commissioners for repairing those roads two years ago. lam sorry to find that the plan of repair adopted, viz. by a contract, at so much per lineal perch, is not likely to be attended with public ad vantage; the contract, though taken at a low price, has been sub-let still lower, and, as might naturally be expected, this most important line is getting into disorder, and its stock of materials rapidly diminishing. I have not been able to get at the particulars of the increase of trade in Ballina and Killala since the opening of this line, but all accounts agree that it has been very great, and must have been attended with a proportional increase of agriculture in the in terior; the great extension of buildings, especially at Swineford and Ballina, are a manifest proof of the importance of this communication. ROAD THROUGH COOLCARNEY, AND FROM CLARE TO HOLLYMOUNT. These roads stand over for the reasons before stated; the portions of road executed between Clare and Westport, and between Ballinrobe and Holly mouut, have been kept in repair, and are consider able thoroughfares; the extension of these lines is anxiously desired. NEWPORT INTO ACHIL ISLAND. This road is completed as far as the sound, though the portion of old country road next Newport would require considerable amendment. I had suspended the part within the island, though very near comple tion, except so far as to complete a path for horses into the centre of the island; but it is painful to see the poor people carrying their corn on men and women's backs over cliffs of 1,500 feet high, and along a wild track of mountain, bog, and strand, to get at the line which has thus been opened; and I know no part of my district which would sooner rise into consequence than this, if once laid open by roads. ROAD FROM WESTPORT TO KILLERY. This road, which forms the only carriage-line be tween the towns of Mayo and the districts of Mo risk, Joyce Country, and Conamara, is now made passable by closing the bridge of Errive, though the parapets are not yet laid. A variety of improve ments have been made in the western part of the old county-road which this joins, and the eastern next Westport would require material alteration ; the people along that line now making extensive use of carts to carry in turf and produce to Westport, and return with limestone, feel that even the best parts of their old bridle-roads are a serious obstacle to their business. I have had surveys made of this part, with a view to its improvement, to Castlebar and Ballinrobe, and may possibly obtain aid from the Grand Jury for the purpose. COUNTY OF GALWAY. At the Killery Head we enter Galway by a dan gerous narrow road, along a precipice, this line has been fenced, and in parts widened, and levelled, or altered to the commencement of the line from KILLERY TO CONG. This road has been opened for public use some time ; the difficulty of access into that quarter in 1822 having prevented the necessary inspection by the engineers; several mistakes had occurred in laying out this new line, which would have defeated its object as a carriage-way. I have been obliged therefore to correct it, especially in the passage over Cluggam Hill; this improvement is now completed, and the whole line has received a general repair and additional gravelling. The end next Cong would require a further extension for about a mile, to ter minate properly in the plains of Mayo and Galway, which has been some time contemplated, but not yet begun ; as also a small quay near where it leaves the side of Lough Corrib, which is much wanted by the neighbourhood. ROAD TO KILKERRAN BAY. From the middle of last-mentioned, at the head of the lake, a new road passes across the river, and into the centre of the Conamara district, to Kilkerran Bay, to join the line of coast-road. This forms the main opening into the plains of Mayo, and also from the south of Conamara to Westport. From the head of the lake to the central Conamara road at Shendela, this line has been opened two years. It has this season received an additional gravelling. A substantial bridge has been built on the Tiernakill river. The large arch at the head of Lough Corrib is just completed, and preparations are making for turning the river this summer; this has been a work of some risk and difficulty, the river being twenty feet deep at lowest water, and the bog forty, or fifteen feet below low water of the sea. From this place the lake is navigable to Galway thirty miles, and from its central position at the junction of several of the new lines; and besides some of our heaviest works, I found it the most convenient site for our principal office, store, and workshops, in that quarter, the want of accommodation for which had in several instances subjected us to much inconvenience, loss, and expense. Not deeming myself authorized to construct any permanent buildings at the public expense, and having in other places experienced the inconvenience of want of tenure, I thought it most advisable to take a de mise of this place for thirty years from the proprietor, and construct the requisite accommodations at my own cost and risk, so as to make them convertible into a small inn, much wanted in that country when the roads shall be opened. By this meaes I get rid of any interruptions, or claim for damages from the occupiers, which threatened to be enormous at this bridge, and charge only a small rent for what is in the occupation of the Government. This is likely to be a great thoroughfare; it is already much fre quented by foot and horsemen, even with the incon venience of crossing the river. The portion of the line south of the central road to Commas, or head of Kilkerran Bay, has been mostly formed and fenced, and part gravelled this season. THE CENTRAL CONOMARA ROAD. I have in former Reports given the reasons for recommending to Government to grant aid towards the completion of this line, even if the parallel por tion of coast-road should be suspended, and stated also the terms under which it was let by contract. The contractor has this season made considerable progress, chiefly in the bridges; he has received two instalments from the county-funds, and I trust will be enabled to finish it creditably, though the work seems likely to be delayed beyond the time specified, viz. August 1829- Various repairs were made along this line towards Oughterard ; all the new part is at present in good order, but the old portion would require some amendment. Until the new contract line be ready I found it absolutely necessary to preserve the com munication, to give some repair also to the old bridleway from Shendela by Ballinahinch. The portion next Clifden was improved some years ago, and is under a county contract to Mr. D'Arcy. By a short branch of good road made some years ago, and lately repaired, the central road communicates with the coast-line at the bridge over the Ballina hinch river, and thus gives access to the harbours of Roundstone and Birterbay, and from this the new coast-road is completed to Clifden, with the excep tion of the bridge aforesaid, the completing of which, after much delay and disappotntment, I have now let by contract. The new line is also open from the same place to the fishery-quay at Roundstone, where the village mentioned in my last Report proceeds with consider able spirit. An extension of this line to the more practicable part of the old road leading towards Slyneltead is much wanted. I have had surveys and estimates made for this purpose, but hitherto made no arrangement for its execution. The coast line recommences at some distance north of Clifden, and has received this season a general repair as far as Cleggan pier and Dernyiaver pier on the north shore of Ballynakill Bay; a portion of the county road has been put in order, and completes this to the sea at Renoyle or Tully, where Mr. Blake has begun a village or market-town that promises we ll. A patent has been lately obtained for fairs and markets at this place. The improvement near Clifden, men tioned in my Report of September last, has not taken place, Mr. D'Arcy having declined taking it at the estimate. The connecting this road with that at the head of the Killery, which is the subject of a memorial from Mr. Blake, is a matter of great importance and of some difficulty. At present the communication is maintained by a hilly bridle-road, which can hardly be passed by any carriage. As proposed in my let ter of September last, I have had the lines regularly surveyed and estimated, and find that by Lough Feo it would cost £.5,000 Ils. By Kylemore As either of these would make a very material ad dition to the sums already appropriated to this dis trict, I have not deemed it advisable to proceed fur ther with them until I receive the orders of Go vernment. I find also that the widening and improving the bridle-road from same place to Galway would cost about 1,0001., I have therefore only directed this to have a temporary repair until the preceding be decided. COAST ROAD TOWARDS GALWAY. I have already stated that this line from Birterbuy Bay to Kilkerran Bay has been suspended for the present, to permit the transference of the funds to the central road, which is parallel to it. The rest of the line to Galway has had nothing done to this season from want of funds, with the exception of the rock cutting at Cloonisle, which is completed, and the road there carried a little farther to obtain supplies of gravel. I have lately inspected the line through this Peninsula to Moynish island, made at the county charge, by a loan of public money, and nearly com plete; some further extension or improvement of the old line is necessary, to connect it with the cen tral road. A village is rising at Castello Bay pier. The bridge of Barna having been abandoHed by the contractor formerly employed, I have, after some delay, made a new a g reement for its completion by a different person. By the construction of this bridge 70 acres of land will be gained from the sea, and it may be a question worthy of attention how it should be disposed of. The contiguous proprietors are Mr. Lynch of Barna, and Mr. Browne of Castle Magarret. The state-pier has received same repair this season, its parapet having been slightly injured by a storm, which however showed completely the great improvement which it has produced in the harbour of Galway. Nothing further of importance has oc curred in this part of my district. NORTH EAST DIVISION. I have already stated the reasons for suspending operations in this quarter. During the last season little has been done, excepting some portions of work which were proceeding by contract ; I shall however give a brief statement of their present condition. DRUMAHAIR AND CETTINAVEENY COLLIERY ROAD. This road runs along the coal-field near the sum mit of Corslieve Mountain, county of Leitrim; it was laid out so as to serve, if necessary, as a rail road, and descends gently to Lough Gill, which is navigable into Sligo. The portion through Cettina naveeny and Tullynaha Coal-pits, at the southward, has been made available to the Irish Mining Com pany these three years past, thence for six miles it is a narrow road, and all the materials are ready pre pared for spreading, excepting at the glens where the excavation has been reserved for filling the bridges. From hence to the Bonnet River, eight miles, are formed and fenced, and nearly all the mate rials are laid on ready for spreading, part of which is done; very few of the bridges are made; the por tion from Drumahair to the Lake has been some time, and would now require some repair. Although little of this line is yet available, it is surprising to see what an improvement it has excited in that mountain district; numerous houses are rising along the road, and tillage finding its way to the summit of the hill; if finished it would be of infinite service, as limestone could be then easily procured by the return-carts sent to Sligo with produce. GEEVA TO MOUNT ALLEN COLLIERY ROAD. In the adjoining mountain of Bralieve a road through the collieries, to connect the old roads of the Roscommon side with those of Sligo, has been opened some time; it is now in need of repair. An intermediate portion of old county-road in Ros common would also require improvement, and I have expected the proprietors would get this done by the county. I have also made a line from the high level of the coal-road aforesaid, across several deep dingles to the plain between the Arigna and the Shannon, to connect these with the Leitrim county-road, and give access to the Shannon navigation. The opening of this road was delayed in consequence of disputes with the occupiers, but this difficulty is now removed, with an exception, which I hope to settle as soon as I can visit the place. This road will not only be of great service to the Arigna Iron Company and the coal-owners, but has already produced an extensive agricultural improvement, especially at the north end of the hills, by the introduction of lime, &c. &c. CASTLEREA TO BALLYMOE. This road, which has become a great thoroughfare, was made with broken stone, and, from the distance of the materials, has been more than usually expen sive. I delivered it up to the Commissioners for repair; but as they made objections to it in that state of roughness, and the great extent of traffic was throwing it into disorder, I caused a general repair and dressing of gravel and turf-mould to be given to it, and it is now in good order. Nothing else of any importance has been undertaken in this division. THE COUNTY ROADS. Of the improved County Roads proceeding by loans from Government, in which I act as an over seer, that in Leitrim has proceeded slowly, but is now likely to be resumed with more vigour since a further advance has been obtained. That from Elphin, or Shankil to Boyle, has also made great progress, but the mail-coach-line from French Park to the canal to Tarmonbary, has been a sub ject of great disappointment. This line was presented by the Grand Jury of Roscommon in 1827. On finding the Commis sioners in Dublin bad no disposable funds, an appli cation was made to the Commissioners of Exchequer bills in London, and as they had scruples about their power of lending on a grand jury presentment, an Act of last session provided for the application of a portion of their funds to that purpose, which has been transferred to the Commissioners for the issue of money in Ireland ; these gentlemen conceived a new presentment to be necessary for this purpose, which was lost by a vote in the grand jury last spring; and although this was corrected by an unanimous vote at summer assizes, they found the money above mentioned had by that time been all appropriated; in the mean time the treasurer has been levying the respective instalments, and a con siderable sum is now at the disposal of the grand jury, but which (until they have some assurance of being able to borrow the remainder) they cannot venture to apply. The completing of this road is really a national object; for, independent of its facilitating the intercourse across the province, its connection with the Royal Canal would tend powerfully to the promotion of agriculture. I beg leave to append to this Report a note of the revenue derivable in Clifden, and the two new villages rising on the west of Conamara, than which nothing can more completely prove the good effects of the public aid, which has within these few years been applied in that quarter; before 1822 it cer t,tifily paid nothing whatever in the way of revenue; bid the improvement in trade is manifest in all the West of Ireland since 1822. I know, for one item, that the Customs receipt of the port of Galway have doubled since that time. I also annex the general abstract of expenditure and receipt in 1828, And have the honour to be, my Lord, Your Lordship's obedient servant, ALEXANDER MMMO. FINE ARTS. Amongst other works of art about to be intro duced into the King's new residence, in St. James's Park, are four bas-reliefs, which"are to be placed on the four sides of the great staircase, in compartments prepared for their reception. The subjects chosen by Mr. Stothard, R.A., to whose care the design has been entrusted, are the Four Seasons and of these Spring is already so far completed as to be in a fit state for the moulder. The execution of the designs and the preparations of them for their final destina tion are under the core of Mr. Alfred Stothard, who appears, as far as he has gone, to have fully imbibed the spirit in which the original drawings have been conceived. Spring, which, as we have already stated, repre sents a beautiful female, whose liveliness of counte nance and elast'city of motion are typical of the sea sons she embodies. On one side of her Earth is re cumbent at her feet, and the little minions of her will are about to crown him with a wreath composed of those flowers which nature, in obedience to her ordinance, has released from the bondage of winter. On the other side of her Venus appears stepping from her cell, as though she had just quitted the sea, again to visit, hand in hand with the smiles of Spring, her favoured haunts on earth. Beyond these figures again are seen groups of dancing Fauna and Dryads, the lightsomeness of whose action well pourtray that they have already drunk of the sweets which Spring sheds upon the whole created world. From this sketch of the design it will be per ceived that it is replete with fancy, and that the sub ject has been treated in a manner well suited to the gaiety of the allegory. We are happy also to be able to afford equal praise to the style in which Mr. A. Stothard has executed his father's design, as it appears to be full of the spirit originally brought to bear on the drawing of the artist. Summer and Autumn, two of the other designs, are also in progress, and promise to be close rivals of Spring; as far, however, as we can judge from the design of the artist, Winter seems to hold out much greater hope than any of the others. In this design the figure that represents Earth is placed in the cen tre, in a crouching posture, as though asleep, or rendered inert by the influence of the strange being that is hovering over him, and about to envelope his frame in an icy cloak; on one side the fierce hunter and the fiercer dogs are in full cry after the panting deer; on the other, Age and Youth are close ga thered over the fire that they have kindled to sub due the cold—both of which situations have been worked upon by the artist with considerable skill, and in themselves afford, by the strongest contrast of repose and activity, a noble field for the talent of the designer. DEATH OF LORD HENRY FITZGERALD. —Died, yesterday morning, at Boyle Farm, Surrey, Lord HENRY FITZGERALD. His Lordship was brother to the late Duke of LEINSTER, and was born in the year 1761, and married in 1791, to CHARLOTTE BOYLE WALSINO HAM, now Baroness DR Roos. He had enjoyed good health till within the last few months, when his disorder made the most rapid progress. At an early period of his life he entered the army, and served in the We►t Indies with the present Earl of HARRINGTON. Endowed with a good understanding, united to principles of the highest honour, his manners were the most engaging. To his other excellent qualities of a cheerful mind, he added the true character of a perfect gentleman. He was sur rounded by an affectionate family aid numerous friends, who were sure to find under his roof the most cordial re ception;and all that was hospitable and convivial. Long will his loss be felt by those who knew how truly deserv ing he was of the estimation in which he was held. We are happy in being able to contradict, from indisputable authority (Sir H. HALFORD), the idle rumours that have recently been set afloat (doubtless to serve some sinister purpose) concerning the health of the Duke of CLARENCE. The truth is, that his Royal High ness has not for these ten days past enjoyed better health than at present. The report, however, has served to prove to the Illustrious Duke the ardent respect and attachment to which he has entitled himself from all ranks of the ho nourable profession to which he belongs, and to which it has been his chief pride and happiness to serve. The anxiety that has been felt on the occasion throughout the Navy has been largely manifested by the innumerable at tentions his Royal Highness has in consequence received from his brother Officers, to whose disinterested and grate ful minds there could be no higher gratification than the knowledge assured to them in return of the falsehood of ru mours, which no small pains seem to have been taken to disseminate and support. In confirmation of the above, we have to state with much pleasure, that his Royal High ness presided, with all his wonted urbanity and excellent spirits, at the Anniversary Dinner of the Elder Brethren, at the Trinity House, on Thursday last. The diabolical practice of spoiling ladies' dresses by throwing oil or powerful acids over them, still continues in this city.—Bath Chronicle. Count de MONTHOLON, who acquired ho nour by uniting himself to the fate of NAPOLEON, and who obtained from that unfortunate Prince a great fortune as the reward for his devotion, after having dissipated his property in silly extravagances, has just been condemned by the Court of Correctional Police to imprisonment, for having unduly appropriated to himself the sum of 33,0001. It is melancholy to see thus tarnished a reputation acquired by a noble act. Poor VIDOCQ, the Prince of modern thief takers, has been himself for some time in durance vile at St. Pelagie, in Paris; his habits are expensive, and he has embarked in speculations which have not succeeded; an unconquerable passion for play is also said to possess this renowed ex-police-man, whose talents, acquirements, ad ventures, and exploits, leave our TOWNSENDS, PLANKS, et id genus time, at an immeasurable distance. During the tour of NAPOLEON and MARIA LOUISA in Holland, in 1810, the burgomaster of one of the towns which they visited caused the following in scription to be placed on the triumphal arch through which their Imperial Majesties were to pass:— " Il n's pas fait une Sottise, " En epousant Marie-Louise." NAPOLEON no sooner read the inscription than he in quired for the burgomaster, and addressing him thus—. " So, M. le Maire, they cultivate the French muses in Holland ?"—" Sire, I write a few verses." "Ah ! you are the author, then. Here, do you take snuff ?" (pre senting a snuff-box surrounded with diamonds)—." take this, and _ _ " Quand vous y prendrez une prise, " Rappelez voue de Marie-Louise." A new aspirant has appeared on the scene in the person of a mason, of Normanby, named PORTOLZRE, who claims to be Louis XVII. He bas been arrested. COUNTY OF GALWAY REGISTRY.—The registry was finished at Tuam a few days ago, when the names of about 100 freeholders were entered ou the books of the county.— Connaugl,t Tournal. It is said that the practice recently introduced by certain legal characters, of laying aside the judicial costume, has been noticed with marked disapprobation in a high quarter. The price of lead is very low at present, which occasions the miners to utter load complaints. At one time it sold as high as from 351. to 401. per ton, and now it is down to 141. 10s. or 115/, which is little more than the cost of the workmen in getting h.—Sheffield Iris. Two young gentlemen, in military.atore, through St. Ives, by the coach, on Saturday last, a b ou t four o'clock, and reached Wishech about nine. They did not remain there long, but returned in a post•chaise, with a young lady of fortune, and were at St. Ives again by eleven o'clock, on their way to town, whither they pro ceeded most rapidly. They ordered relays of horses on their way down by the coach...--.1 . /I . 4ntinydon Mercu7. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. The French Government seems to be visited by a futile apprehension of the public press. The Keeper of the Seals has transmitted a circular to the Departments, reciting what he conceives to be the offences of the press, and calling upon the Prefects to watch, and, where the law permits, to prosecute it with unrelenting rigour. Undoubt edly there may be publications addressed to the passions of ignorant men, and consisting not of reasoning or instruction, but of direct incentives to violence and rebellion, which must be put down by law, unless we are satisfied that the law should be put down by them : at the same time such instances are rare, and are rather exceptions to the safe and wise rule of Government, than examples of it. In most cases the feeling of society preponderates so powerfully on the side of public order, that libellous fury is suffered to burn itself out without endangering any valu able portion of the political edifice. If the rabble be told that the existing laws are only made for the rich,—that the legislature and monarchy deserve to be overturned,—that King George is a tyrant, his people slaves,—the taxes so iniquitous and so misapplied, that the nation, instead of paying, ought to rise one and all and abolish them,—there is no question whatever that the authors of such execrable propositions might be brought to condign punishment under the penal code of any civilized state in the world. But there is an equal certainty that nothing, could be more absurd in any decently well-go verned state, than an attempt, except at some great crisis, to inflict such punishment. There is something in extreme violence which tends to defeat itself. It is obvious that in England an appeal to the country to make war upon the King's Government and destroy it, would have no effect but that of deciding nine tenths of the nation to rally round the King's throne, and to defend their Sovereign at the risk of life and fortune. But it is not much less Mani fest, that a worrying persecution and chastise ment of libellous extravagance, however mis chievously designed, produces a qualified re action in favour of the culprit, and weakens that sentiment of proud and confiding loyalty which would eagerly sympathize with an official con tempt for libels. General abuse of public men, or assaults upon the reputation of a Govern ment, are unworthy of notice by the Crown, be cause they make no impression on society. The 'ease with which loose and vague charges can be brought is so notorious, and a broad contradic tion is so easily resorted to, that they fall quite innoxious to the earth. If there be no previous disposition on the part of public opinion to ac quiesce in strong but unspecified inculpations of the Government, a political incendiary may as well hope to pluck the moon from heaven as to affect the State by his calumnies. It may be otherwise if the executive power be already odious, or suspected by the people ; but in a free country there is always among the middle classes, as well as the upper, a dread of the evils originating from an abuse of freedom ; and pro secutions, though it be for open sedition, will no more secure a Government from the conse quences of its own wrongs, than libels, unre buked by law, will deprive it of the estimation which has been justly earned by its virtues. The French Keeper of the Seals has got some wrong notions upon this point. He will not tolerate in his circular, as it appears, a literary abuse of the taxes, which his Excellency construes into au incitement of the people " not to pay the taxes." This is surely an unfortunate mistake. When the Times newspaper, after the close of the last war, expressed a little of that " ignorant impa tience,' —not of taxes generally, but of a certain income tax, which was not peculiar to us of this office, but shared with us by the whole people out of doors, and, as was proved shortly after wards, by the legislative itself,—it never entered our thoughts, we are sure, to advise our country men against " paying" the said tax to the col lectors, nor did it occur to the " English Keeper of the Seals," that he ought to direct the At torney-General to prosecute us for an assault upon the taxes. If the policy or equity of an impost be not amenable to free discussion, then is there no political discussion which deserves to be called free. If the principle of a tax is not to be questioned, then can we not question any branch of that policy which rendered taxation in the abstract necessary, or induced the choice of this or that particular impost. The French Keeper of the Seals forgets the great charac teristic of that species of government which the charter conferred upon France—a Government representing not property only, but the opinions of proprietors, and resting for its only sure sup port on the correspondence between its acts and the feelings of the French constituency, If that public sentiment be with the Administration, it follows inevitably that the laugh will be against the libeller; and if the spirit of the community be averse to Ministers, libels will be called for, and can never be repressed. It is different where persons or actions are inculpated which are withdrawn from the public eye, and which may be misrepresented at the will of the libeller, without the possibility of applying to his calumny that corrective which the impartial observation and general opinion of mankind are so well cal culated to administer in defence of slandered Governments. If a private citizen be dragged before the world, and placed in a criminal or odious light, there is no redress for him but in an appeal to the law of the country—that is to say, to public opinion brought into operation in the only way in which it can be made to take any remedial cognizance of an individual not in office. If A or B be reproached with an evil deed, the stigma, so far as regards the public, which is a stranger to the suffering party, cannot be removed but by a public investigation of the truth. So, if a man in office be char g ed with specific acts of such a na t ure , t h at if iey had been really perpetrated, the commission of them must have been secret, or confined to few, there is nothing but evidence, stronger than that of the accuser, which can satisfy the world of the absolute falsehood of the accusation. An ex eilrl d c e o e u p r e s r e : b a e n c da u dids h ne t might. N tu hreeiti:tylahl:aeeenr itditiheas there. an officio information on he part of a man in office will never vindicate him from a charge, however ca lumnious ; on the contrary, it tends to fix the a stai b n ol s d t action for damages in all cases decisive as to the tn p i o a fi r uc t ar y . :: nHfae iilconsciousnesssi:dteileedcthh charge thereby iiss own e disprovede sp o j b u y s_tif i y t , is sh o o n u l l y d , a l se the thi k scotchfit itot ; but say, ,en not if and if the thun?.tr ts not es be exemplary, the slan derer huts of it as a triumph. The true wisdom is, to move for an information, and to found the motion on qifidavits declaratory of the utter foulness and falsehood of the libel ; since there, even should the verdict be " not guilty," the in nocence of the prosecutor stands recorded upon oath. How it can 'be honestly asserted that an attempt at the destruction of private character