The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-01-04 00:00:00

THE FENIANS (IN THE IRISH

COAST.

The summate' attack on the martello tower at Foto, the
rumours actively circulated y • class td journals of Fenian
privateers di the coast of Munster, and the supposed fresh
indication of the existence of the Fenia,i society in Dunlin,
in the depin Pang of conibustililes in the post-office receiver,
have C,M.thled .a-ri•es a correspondent; to revue a general
apprehension of further aneoyance tiering the winter front
the constdracy which unti y had wished to believe all but
extinct ip Ireland. One or two facts are to he added to the
first tele,,ratna published with respect to the attack on the
Martello toner. The railway train for Coi k from Queens-
town passed rota bridge before ten o'clock on the night of
the assault, and the guard and passengeis heard firing •' of
muskets and field-pieces" One of the three gunners of the
tower .115 seen on the ton of it waving a lantern as a sign for
assistance. Tile sounds of tiring wore heard for miles, awl
caused alarm, the people not being able to Impute them to
any cause. They are said to have lasted more than half at)
hour. It is 11111110,1 that the assailants reached the door it
the tower by standing on each ether's shoulders. It is pretty
certain that they landed from boats.
Another account says that "The Eyelets assault was so
well planned that the gunners in charge, who were sitting at
tea, did not know of the presence of their enemy until one
of the Fenians presented himself at the door of the tower.
Five of the enemy immediately sprang into the apartment,
and presenting Instills at the emitters heads, informed
them that 110 harm would come to them if they quietly
give tip their arms and ammunition. Sentries were placed
over the artillerymen And the key. of the magasine demanded.
Over twenty toe)) mitered it, and, took front it between
"25011, and 300111 of gunpowder, a quantity of fuses mid
'appliances for Sheila they also made a close but ineffectual
starch for h•tri-grenades, of which they said they were in
-need. The Fenian.) remained over two home, and searchmi
,every part of the f,rt, talung away also the men's carbines
end bey.inete. They chatted freely with the gun.
sheen, describilig themselves as soldiers who had fought
thrungh the' 'American war: one of them said he
hail. attained distinguished rank ill the American
army lie was the apparent leader, and of
stature. It, carried an uousually fbe twelve-chambered
revotver which he exhibited to the gunners and their families,
'explaining its peculiarities The sentries, pistol in hand,
however, never left the artilletymeu during these converse.
times. Before leaving, the Fenlans administered an oath to
the gunners not to stir from the fort tor a certain time, or
ever attempt to identity their visitors on pain of certain death.
After they left, the gunners made signals Irons the roof,
which were observed by the men of another fort nearer to
Queenstown, who gave the alarm there. The Fenians
either crossed Lough Mahon by boat or approaelted the
tower by the single ilarrow by-road which leads to it. Each
had sonic sort tit disguise, arid all wore large mufflers, and
had their imps drawn down over their eyes. Two of the at-
tarking party call be identified, sod are known, The
Martello towera along that portion of the vomit have been
reinforced in comequence of the attack both by artillerymen
and a detachment of the 81st regiment, now statiomd at
Cork. Such a 'surprise,' therefore, cannot be repeated."

Six men having the alanearance of artisans were brought
before the Dublin magistrates on ttaturilay, on a charge of
Fenian drilling. They were marching Into at night In the
stretts, two deep, and singing a well known Fenian drill-
sing, "Tramp, tramp, the buy& are marching." They stand
enianded.

According to a timer'ek correspondent of the Freeman's
Journal, ••the authorities are apprehensive of something
minoring in the localty of the Lower Shannon." All the
martello towers between Limerick and Real Point are being
reinforced, and a port on of the 52n.1 Regiment goes imme-
diately to Tarbent. It le also stated that • regular system
of eon,niannnaic,taona by signal has Iron arranged, to be kept up
Mail further Indere, between the forts along that line. The
posting of inthunmatory placards at Innimanwav, county
Cork, and the excited and expectant condition of some of
the popit,Act in and about klitcheistown, have lad to the
sending at drafts of tro“pe to that district. Parties of the
65th and Slot Regiments have been sent to snots in the neigh-
bourhood of Cork and Queetotmen which appeared to Le
open to Ott ink, and the forts nit DiibTn hay, and along the
toast near Behest, have been strengthened.

It Is votive,' In Dublin that, as was the ease at about the
same time last winter, when the Fenian alarms sprang up,
the Holyhead le ate !row K tigstown have been within the
last few days cr.,. de I with passenger. leaving Dela* t, it Is
supposed hi spend the rest of the winter in England or
abroad,

The constahulary of Sligo having arrested fifteen young
01,n, on a belief that a Fenian mertit g nes to he held in
the town, on TIIVIIi3y the n,a P.irates sat In private ; and,
alter a long investigdlori, discharged thirteen of the pri-
soners. retarning in custody, however, two of the ',umber,
one of whom is supposed to be a F. idan heal centrc, who
was engaged in the service of the conspiracy in Sligo.

The report of a " design on the Atlantic cable," which
was current in Dublin on Tuesday, rested on no stroneer
foundation than a " comniunication from Kerry," in the
t'teeinun'e Journal hut it cleated some illumines. Aco•rd-
ing I. the writer (name, !late, or exalt place from which the
innirtnation came, was not given+, the report prevailed "in
Kerry id the existence of a " conspimey to destroy the
Colic, f which, it WWI added, the "Uoveininent had been
salts Vol."