The Press.
London, England, 1856-08-09 00:00:00

pulant.

THE GREAT COMET OF 1556, if the accounts from
Limerick are to be credited, after an absence of three
centuries, has made its predicted reappearance in the
south of Ireland. The Observer of Saturday says :

753

A gentleman of the highest respectability has just in-
formed us that he saw last night, for the third time, what
appesrs from his description to be the long-expected comet
of 1556, the reappearance of which this year has been so
lon,; foretold ; astronomers, however, guarding their cal-
culations by the proviso that a difference of three years
might possibly tccur, although there was every reason to
expect that the great comet, which takes three centuries
to complete its orbit, would be visible about the month of
August, 1856. Our informant thus describes the object
which attracted his attention for the first time last Wednes-
day night :—He was standing near the salmon-weir, on the
platform before the mills of Corbally, about half-past ten
o'clock, when his attention was attracted by what appeared
to be a fire rising on the top of the Keeper mountain, due
east of his position. He remarked the object to a gentle-
man who was with him, but, as the tire rose and cleared
the top of the mountain. his friend suggested that it must
be a lantern suspended to a kite. It had then the appear-
ance of a globe of fire as large as a good-sized orange, with
a broad tail of light extending about eighteen incites from
the body. The two gentlemen watched it for an hour, and the
watchman on the weir observed it also. On Thursday
night they all saw it again. It rose a few moments later, pre-
senting the same appearances, and was high in the heavens
at haltpast eleven o'clock, when they went home. At
that hour one of the gentlemen pointed it out to his sister.
Last night, from the same place, the same persons again
saw it rise about twenty minutes before eleven o'clock, and
then it first occurred to one of them (our informant) that
it might be a comet.. He ceased to watch it about mid-
night, but the watchman observed it up to half-past one
o'clock this morning. It did not seem so large as on the
previous nights, but still far exceeded the most brilliant
form in which the planet Jupiter has ever been beheld.
As the greatest comet on record is really due about this
time, and as tit.: extreme sultriness of the weather would
seem to warrant the belief that such a celestial visitor is
near at hand, we shall be glad to hear if any other persons
have observed the appearance which has thrice risen upon
our astonished friends.

Mn. Mrwrwr, the Master in Chancery who con-
ducted the private examination of James Sadleir,
explains and justifies that proceeding in a paper
placed on the file of the records of the case. He
says :

The official manner and his solicitor were appointed on
the 17th of March. On the came day they attended in
chamber and represented the importance of Mr Sadleir
being immediately examined, under the foregoing circum-
stances. It was then suggested to me, most properly,
that the proceedings in this cue were analogous to those
in bankruptcy, in which, at the instance of the assignee ,
private examinations are constantly bad. At their in-
stance, and upon fall consideration, I assented to the pri-
vate examination. Mr. Sadleir accordingly attended on
March 19. His examination occupied about five hours ;
it related to the matters above referred to. It had nothin.
whatever to do with the frauds afterwards in question
The examination resulted in James Sadleir handing over
to the Mlles' manager the deed above referred to, and
giving other useful information. lam satisfied that this
private examination was bond fide, prudent, and uselhl,
and that it would have been a weak and unworthy aban-
donment of my plain duty not to have acceded to it. It
was contended before me, on behalf of the official
manager-Ist. That no fraud on the part of James Sadleir
had been alleged. 2nd. That it had not been proved.
Upon a most careful consideration of this point of the
case I arrived at the conclusion (which I still consider to
be correct) that although there were against James
Sadleir strong grounds for suspicion, there was not before
me sufficient legal evidence to sustain the charge ; and I
accordingly find that the terms of my original judgment,
which is now before me, and from which I copy them,
are—" On this point I am of opinion that, as between the
alleged and admitted contributories, the fraud, as imputed
to James Sadleir, has not been sufficiently established
by strict legal proof so as to form a ground for legal
decision."

THE Tipperary Free Press states that Clonacooty,
the residence of James Sadleir, near Fethard, has
been very recently visited by the authorities, who, on
one,occasion, were said to have been close upon the
trail of the fugitive. The Free Press also states that
the rumour of James (and even John) Sadleir being
still in Ireland is daily gaining ground and becoming
more generally credited.
THE COURT MARTIAL upon the Tipperary rioters is
still sitting.