The Express.
London, England, 1852-09-01 00:00:00

IP. ELAND.

DUBLIN. AUGUST 31.
The Cork Eranainer states that within three
months a line of telegraph will be completed be-
tween Dublin and Cork, thus bringing the south of
Ireland into instantaneous communication with Lon-
don by the submarine telegraph to Holyhead, and
with Glasgow by that between Portpstrick and Do-
naghadee.
'the Freeman', Journal of this morning publishes
a letter from "the Reverend Doctor Cahill," occu-
pying two columns and a half of that newspaper.
In the following loyal and enlightened strain he en-
larges on the future prospects of the empire:—
, Ah, Lord Derby, your government can belly and perse-
cute, and spoliate and infideliso, when your victims are
chained, and unable to offer resistance to your cruel tyranny
and your sceurned oppression; but, Heaven be for ever
praised, the Name is at length beginning to change. 'the
sun of Great Britain is fast descending horn its culminating
point; your day of unrivalled away is certainly drawing to
a close ; your national character and prestige are beyond all
doubt gone ; your nation is now universally branded as de
ecitful and degraded ; you have decidedly forfeited the con
flame° of Europe, and you are hated, & *plied, and ab-
horred by the whole world; your two successive govern-
ments have eapooeat England to the contempt of mankind ;
you have made her • jester at St. Petersburg, • revolutioa-
ist and • base cringer at Vienna, a time-server at Paris, an
infidel at Itome, a traitor at Naples, a burglar at Madrid, a
perjurer at Lisbon, • persecutor at Berne, a tyrant at
Athens, a coward at Washington, a hypocrite at home, and
the devil in Ireland.

-.-.---.
The following morceau is a tolerable specimen of
the spirit of the letter:
When you malign the Jesuits, we point to Hungary,
where the Emperor is now employed in placing these pious,
exemplary, and learned men over all the schools of his
subjecta. When you speak of the success of your Bible
societies, we tend you the judicial decision of Austria and
Naples, where an English protestant missionary is ordered
from these countries within fifteen days, under penalty of
public and forcible expulsion. When you talk of your pro-
testant liberality, we call your uttention to Naples also,
where no protestant teacher would be permitted to superin-
tend any public clam, in consequence of the interminable
calumnies which these creatuns are ever introducing against
the catholic faith. English travellers, Engliali tourists, arc
now stopped,
i questioned, and trammed throughrut
re Europe as if they wentriguing villains. disseminating
rebellion and infidelity wherever they no. The correspon-
dents of the English journals are hunted like felons from
every city in Europe ; their letters examined, and them-
selves ordered to quit in 40 hours, when their occupation of
Blander and infidelity is known.
Considerable excitement has prevailed among the
shopkeepers of Dublin for some time past, in conse-
quence of the invasion of the drawing-room of a re-
spectable grocer and trader in spirits, and the expul-
sion of his guests, on a Sunday evening, by a ser-
geant of police, under the authority of the existing
laws affecting that class of traders. A deputation,
headed by the Lord Mayor, appointed at a recent
public meeting, at which his lordship presided,
waited on the Lord-Lieutenant on the subject yes-
terday, at the vice-regal lodge. his Excellency ad-
-1 witted the hardship, and promised to confer with the
authorities on his return from his approaching visit
to Belfast, to see what could be done towards putting
the matter on a better footing.
The following is from Saundere's Nors Letter
under the appropriate heading of "a jury of priests :"
An occurrence has lately taken place hers which displays
their eternal tendency of the revolutionary spirit in the
strongest light, and to which the verdict of Sizmile-bridge
has given a very peculiar significancy. The coronership
had become vacant in the county, and it being the only
office which, besides being judicial in its character is at the
same time filled by the suffrage of the people, the priests
saw in it a bait too tempting to be resisted. Seven or eight
candidates had presented themselves, all we believe Roman
"catholic., but some of them hail made themselves obnoxious
to the clergy by voting for Grattan at the recent election.
They at all events must be got rid of, and the following plan
Is hit upon. It is proposed to the four candidates
who voted for Lucas, that in order to ensure the success
of one of them, the most eligible of them alone should stand
and the other three retire from the contest, thus throw-
ing the whole weight of that party into one scale. They
agree, and accordingly a jury of twelve priests assembled,
and "sat in calm council" to elect a coroner for the county
of Meath. The candidates are ordered to bring in their
votes, and Mr. Marmion produces 600 ; Mr. Hanway, 300;
Mr. Markey, 70; and the fourth, 17. The numbers may
not be perfectly accurate, but at all events they are relit-
tively correct. Mr. Marmion has twice as many votes as
Mr. Hanway, and is fully qualified in every way; but
although he voted for Mr. Loess at the late election' he is
known to bee man of independent spirit, a thing by no
means to be tolerated. Ou the contrary, Mr. Ilanway, a
man of a very different stamp, is the priests' very obedient
*errant, and acconliegly Mr. Hanway is chosen, and Mr.
Manalou is called upon to retire. Happening, however, to
possess tbe independence for which his clergy gave him
credit, he repudiates their decision, and in a printed placard
calls upon his friends to rally round him in the contest
which be is still determined to prosecute.
The Rev. John E. White, clerical secretary of the
Irish Society of London for promoting the education,
&c., of the Irish poor, publishes a letter of some
length on the subject of the missionary efforts of
that society, among the Roman catholics of the west
of Ireland. The following extract is worthy of note :
At Belmullet, during the election of members for the
county Mayo, a few days before, the town had been swept
by a mob, and much damage done to the protestants, en
the presence of the Roman catholic priests. Several boau,
filled with Roman catholic., surrounded the life-boat of the
Eerie fishery settlement, with its crew of oonvertboye, with
the avowed purpose of burning her to the water's edge but
were providentially prevented by some of the coest-Lnaridd
coming to the rescue, and remaining on
till the danger was over. At Bangor, the windows
of the cottage inhabited by the missionary of the
Irish Society, the Rev. A Tate, were smashed by
the mob, because he had been the means of converting
from Popery some 40 or 60 of the inhabitants of the village.
Prom Kilmore-Ems the Bev. John Hewson writes, " Four
converts were so intimidated that they left the country
two were deterred from presenting themselves for confir-
mation by most horrid threw. The others who did attend
are bitterly persecuted ; one of them was mercilessly kicked
by her own father ; another of them had her life threatened ;
and all are continually exposed to, and enduring contumely
and insult. Could we protect them under such trials, their
gratitude would be unbounded; and many otherswbo are de-
terred by their sufferings would gladly come out of Popery."
The Dublin Ewen" Mail of last night publishes
the result of an inquiry into the conduct of Head
Constable Reddy, and the police of Clara, King's
County, under his charge, in permitting for a long
time past the singing of indecent and libellous
ballads and the assembling of riotous mobs, who fre-
quently assaulted peaceable protestant' whom they
happened to meet. Reddy was sentenced to be re-
duced to the rank of constable for six months, and
removed to the county of Mayo, for the neglect of
duty of which he was convicted.
The Lord Lieutenant and Countess of Eglinton
will leave the vice-regal lodge to-morrow morning,
and proceed by special train, at half-past ten o'clock,
to Belfast, to attend the meeting of the British Asso-
ciation, which commences on Wednesday. His Ex-
eellency.and suite will (preceded by the Mayor and
corporation) go in procession through the principal
streets of the town.

The reports of the progt of the harvest are in
general very favourable. The damage to the potato
crop appears to be much less than what was antici-
pated. The Clonmel Chronicle writes:
The weather continues beautifully fine, and all hands are
=employed at harvest work. The late rains did some
Amoy ve the heavy wheat and oat crops, but on the
whole av brave has not much reason to complain. We
hear as seers remplaints about the potato disease, and we
therefor, baps our fears as to a total failure were not war-
ranted by the extra of the dreaded evil.
The Ballinasloe &ar has the following:
In oats there will be an sbundant yield; even though
"lodged" very much, the damage isnot considerable. The
hay will suffer more than an other description of produce ;
at present there is great diMculty in saving it, but the
callow meadows are seriously injured. Potatoes are
coming into our market as fine as we have ever even them,
and people generally declare that the disease is not extending.
The Dundalk Democrat writes as follows:
A great quantity of oats and barley has been cut and
stocked. The oat crop is one of the best we have seen for
many years. We have heard no additional intelligence re-
tarttitawgattrir otfotchme pirodWucee bewlill'yncotithrett irordi:ifiumtaedn
food. In some district, a larger quantity may be calculated
on, but in rich lands not more than one•third will berate.
The Meath herald gives the following:
Harvest work progresses in this district with a rapidity
such as we have seldom witnessed. An immensity of oats
has been cut down during the pan week, which promises
to yield above an average quantity. Potatoes are improving
in quality as the season advances, and we have little doubts
but that the supply will double that of last year. Onus
grope are doing well.
The Halway Vindicator says:
Our advice. this morning from all parte of the province
agree in the improved condition of the potato crop, and no
doubt is entertained that we shall have a autficient supply.
Tho progress of disease appears to have been arrested, and
the gloomy anticipations of a total failure have vanished.
The potatoes in general about loam are holding nut well,
and the virus has evidently spent itself. Whilst it must
be admitted that some patches are rather badly affected,
in many cues scarcely a tainted cue in 100 can be found.
The Roscommon Journal writes:

We never witnessed so luxuriant a harvest at the pre.'
sent, and the fineness of the weather contributes much
towards reapin &c. We have some fins samples of new
oats in our market to-day. It gratifies us much to per•
wive that the potato crop is recovering from the effects of
the blight, and we arc certain we will have fully an cverage
crop.

THE
AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS.

PROSPECTS OF THE HARVEST.

TO THE IMOD OP Till DAILY seas.
Sin,—At this juncture I cannot refrain from ad-
dressing you for tho purpose of letting before your
readers, without exaggeration or pm ty bias, some
account of the present aspect of our clops, and the
hopes and fears of farmers with reference to the re-
sults of the present harvest. I was not amongst
those who, some four or five weeks ago, indulged in
tho most sanguine anticipations of an exuberant
harvest, for 1 have long observed that such a cold and
backward spring as that of the present year is seldom
if ever favourable to the development of wheat, and
is almost invariably the precursor of a wet and pi e-
carious harvest season ; and that has been literally
borne out this year. Besides, the season, in the
south of England at all events, it liar been obvious
must be a late one, and a late seven scarcely ever
proves one of great yield, even should the weather
for the ingat tiering of the crops be favourable.
I will just trace the progress of our crops, noting
the great and extraordinary variations of tempera-
ture and weather they have been subject( d to, acid
no one practically acquainted with husbandry io this
climate will then feel surpriseJ that the flourishing,
but, as I hold, illusory promises, so ninny of ouragri-
cultural reporters held out, have not been fulfilled. a
After a dry autumn, which admitted of wheat
sowing up to an unusually late period, we had in
the latter part of January and the early part of
February several weeks of heavy lain. So dry was
last autumn, and I may say the whole of last year,
that at Christmas the ponds and springs were lower
than they had been known for very many years. A
neighbour of mine, who had a deep well, going down
to the main spring through a great depth of clay,
found his well quite dry, and he had to send some
distance for water for the use of both house and
farm, and many similar cases came within tar own
observation. March was a dry month, scarcely any
rain having fallen, and though not severely trusty
there were keen cold winds. During the W 110! of
April wo had a succession of easterly nimbi and a
total absence of moisture. Indeed, April of this year
has been noted in the farmers calendar as one of ens
most extraordinary months on record, its usually
showery character being considered. Througlictit
England the want of rain was at that time most
severely felt. In the gracing districts, where farmers
usually look for out-door keep for their stock, them
was nothing of the sort in April, and many graziers
were compelled to sell many of their beasts and sheep
for what they would fetch; the stock of hay had
become short, turnips were generally exhausted, and
all sorts of provender for stock rose
.greatly in price.
Yet this state of things was not without its advan-
tages. All the spring work of the farm was got
very forward—the spring corn was sown under most
favourable auspices. The wheats were then looking
well though lute, the plant being very short, bat
from the dryness of the season barley and oats had
come up irregularly, whilst; sharp night fro.ta
checked vegetation, I may say kept it suspended in
an extraordinary manner. It was doting this month
that in some places the clovers were a good deal
injured, the plant having the appearance of
having been scorched up; this was attributed I
think rightly to the easterly winds. At this time
too the growth of beans, especially winter beans
which previously had been very luxuriant, received
a check, and as it subsequently appeared an injury
which resulted in serious consequences to this crop.
Potatoes were then ascertained to have been exten-
sively planted, the previous year's produce having
turned out to be profitable. Stocks of wheat in
farmer's hands were at this time considered to be
low, though my own observations led me to the con-
clusion that about an average ,;quantity remained
unsold by the growers. Prices of grain were then
low, foreign importations having fallen to nothing,
but towards the end of April prices somewhat ad-
vanced. During this time, however, feigners were
hopeful, manifesting much activity, and in spite of
the incitements of the adherents of the Derby admi-
nistration were acting upon the rational conviction
that they must look to their own exertions fur
profit and not to any system of artificial prices.
In May, the wind changed to the west and north-
west, and towards the end of the month some rather
copious falls of rain occurred, and these, with a more
genial temperature, produced a rapid and sudden
luxuriance of vegetation we seldom see in this coun-
try. For upwards of three months, in many districts,
no rain of any appreciable value to agricultural crops
had &Ilea, and farmers pulled long faces, in expecta-
tion of light crops and a late harvest. With !hernia
confidence in the future arose great and sanguine in
proportion to former anticipations of evil, and in the
extraordinary progress vegetation made in a few
weeks was seen reason for hope that, after all, the
season might not prove a very late one. As is com-
monly the case in rural matters, the fears and the
hopes of the farmers went in each alternation of
weather somewhat beyond the truth. Pastures
became well covered for feeding, but the hay crop
was thought likely to be very light, especially in
those districts from which the London markets are
supplied. The price of hay rose in consequence
higher than it had been for some years, and large
quantities went into London by all the canals and
railways.

Still there were complaints that the barley had
come up irregularly, and upon the lighter soils
similar complaints were heard with respect to oats.
The wheat, which throughout the season had been
well planted, continued to be regarded as most
flourishing. On the heavy soils, in particular, the
wheat plant was very vigorous, and foreseeing far-
mers began to apprehend that with much wet wea-
ther it might become too strong, and liable to be-.
come lodged. Beans at this time were looking re-
markably strong and healthy, and in some quarters
ms had appeared in full blossom. This, the end of
May and commencement of June, wag perhaps the
time when the hopes of the agriculturists ranged
highest, though the season was yet regarded as a
backward one, and many an old farmer shook his
head and said " I don't like a late season." Though
the improved aspect of the crops consequent on the
first rains damped the corn markets in a measure,
there was still a pretty general belief amongst farmers
that before harvest was completed we should see a
considerable advance of prices; and so much did this
impression prevail that the wealthier farmers with-
drew their wimples from the principal corn markets,
and altogetherabstained from thrashing wheat. Barley
and oats of English growth almost ceased to come to
market, and for a time our working horses through-
out the country mainly depended on the supplies of
foreign eats. Barley became almost scarce—so much
so that the prices of barley and wheat were nearly
equalised. During the whole spring live stock had
done well, and wherever the owners hail not been
compelled by want of provender to sell prematurely,
the stock promised to be a profitable branch of the
year's farming. A finer lambing season had seldom
been known, while the prices of fat and store sheep
and lambs, as soon as the rain had removed fears of
scarcity of keep, became satisfactory and "remunera-
tive." Wool, too, sold, as it still continues to sell.
well; and farmers have recently made great efforts
to increase their flocks, feeling the immense value of
sheep in modern husbandry, both for the sake of the
indirect profit they afford by manuring the land as
well as the profit of direct sales.

Throughout May the potato fields were regarded
as presenting the most satisfactory appearance, and,
from the great breadth planted, an immense produce
was confidently anticipated. At this time the only
complaints of the condition of winter beans—now a
very general, and usually a very productive crop—
were that the straw, from the excessive drought, was
short, in many instances not more than nine inches
high, and had come prematurely into blossom.
Whatever may have been the disadvantages of the
dry spring in other respects, it is admitted on all
sides, and is plainly seen in all districts, that the op-
portubity thus afforded for preparing the land for
turnips and other roots has been such as cannot fail
to produce good crops. The farmer who has not
cleaned his turnip fallow, this year must be an in-
veterate sloven ; yet I grieve to say that 1 constantly
meet with not a few dirty fields of turnips, fields in
which, since the wet weather set in, the weeds and
the turnip plants have been contending forsuperiority,
' with " long odds" ou the weeds. In the hop-grow-
ing districts, during May, the blues were healthy,
though backward.
. ,
During the first three weeks of June
go44W
great and unusual abundance, so much for;
mere who had been suffering from the prenprialr :'•
drought began to be seriously uneasy r Wit j
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'72
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