The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-23 00:00:00

IRELAND.
THE DUBLIN INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

()1011E CC'S SPECIAL

IDENT.)

Dreux, DiAT 21.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY OF IRELAND.
The exhibitors of linens and of poplins, which may
be considered the staple manufactures of Ireland,
have not yet arranged their goods sufficiently to be
examined, bat there are other minor branches of ma-
nufacturing industry, either peculiar to the country
or which are struggling to be introduced as a means
employment,of which well deserve considera-
tion. It is an interesting fact, which the Exhibi-
tion serves to make known more extensively,
to English visitors at least, that for some years past
there has been a gradual improvement in the indus-
trial occupation of the people, promoted by a num-
ber of societies and by private individuals in differ-
ent parts of Ireland, and some of the results of these
praiseworthy exertions are now displayed. Among
the societies that have been labouring in the good
cause are the "Society for the Promotion of Irish
Manufacture and Industry," the " Ladies' In-
dustrial Schools for Ireland," the " Sempstress
Society," and numerous schools established with
similar objects in various parts of the
country. The
.products from these institutions
will be viewed with much interest, as indications of
success in the endeavour to promote industrial habits
and to introduce suitable branches of manufacture

among the female population, to whom these effort;
appear to be limited. The manufacture of lace has
been introduced with great success. The Ladies' In-
dustrial Society in Dublin have established a normal
lace school for the instruction of teachers to be sent
to schools in the country, and already 20 of these
teachers have been so sent out, principally to the
southern and western counties. The same
' desire to introduce the manufacture of Va-
lenciennes and Honiton lace is manifested by
other institutions. Perhaps the most interesting
products exhibited are those from the National
School of Belfast, which was the first ragged school
established in Ireland. Specimens of lace borders
made there by children under twelve years of age,
and none of whom had been taught lace-working
for more than ten months, would not discredit an
experienced Honiton lace-maker. The kind of work
of which there are the most numerous specimens
from these industrial schools is Limerick !ace, which
manufacture consists in embroidering plain net, or
muslin, and in imitating by this means the appear-
ance of point lace. Some very elaborately worked
specimens of this kind are supplied from the National
Schools of Ireland and the Adelaide Schools at Cork.
There are also exhibited articles of ladies' dress in
what is called " Irish pearl tatting," a species of
needlework similar to Limerick lace, that has a beau-
tiful effect. Among the contributions from the Ban-
don Industrial School, is a piece of workmanship that
may be considered rather as a curiosity than as a
product of manufacturing industry : it is a parasol
cover, made from the fibre of the ox-eyed
daisy, resembling open net-work. Another kind of
ornamental work, in which the peasant girls of Sligo
have been instructed, is the manufacture of necklaces,
brooches, bracelets, &c., in horsehair, and the
specimens they have sent will bear comparison with
similar ornaments displayed by London jewellers in
the central hall.

One of the peculiar manufactures of Ireland, of
which there are numerous specimens, is carving in
bog oak. This material is dug out of the bogs, where,
it is stated, on the authority of one of the exhibitors,
it was " buried at the time of the flood."
Tho wood does not take a polish; some of the oak
thus extracted retains all the fibrous character
of the living tree. The works executed in bog oak
are intensely Flack, and some small ornaments re-
lieved with silver look well; but the material is
scarcely suited to such purposes as " pie coven?' or
"book stands," of which there are specimens. It
is the general practice to attempt to enliven the
black surface by the profuse introduction of " Irish
diamonds," but the pale lustre of these diamonds
looks two funereal for the purpose. Either
the cutting or the setting of most of the
Irish diamonds in the Exhibition is defective,
for they are totally minting in the iridiscence of the
real diamond, which even glass ornaments exhibit.
Rock crystal, from which these " diamonds" are cut,
is found among the primitive rocks in the west of Ire-
land, and being composed almost entirely of silica, it
approaches the diamond in hardness. Good speci-
mens, when well cut and set, refract the rays of
light into [heir component colours, and glitter with
brilliancy nearly equal to the gem, but none such are
to be seen here. It may be with this as with other
articles of native produce, that the Irish workman
has not yet learned how to develop its capabilities.
Tourists to the Lakes of Killarney cannot have
failed to admire the arbutus-covered islands, and no
doubt they have relished the salmon broiled before a
turf fire transfixed with an arbutus stake; but it is
not so certain they were aware that the arbutus may
be otherwise useful as well as ornamental. Though
known is England only as a shrub it arrives at the
dignity of a tree in the Lakes of Killarney, and the
wood, which is handsomely variegated, bears a high
polish. Several articles of cabinet work made of this
wood are in the Exhibition. It is questionable whe-
ther it is sufficiently hard for general furniture, but
for ornamental works it presents a rich variety that
may serve to bring it into extensive use when more
generally known.
Pigs are eminently objects of Irish produce, and
may rank indeed as staple export commodities; it
would, therefore, have been a blameable omission
had there been no adequate representative of them
among the works of industry. At the Great Exhi-
bition a pig eared entire was conspicuous in
the provision department ; and to have placed a
atmilar hamified grunter in the Exhibition in
Dublin would have been • servile imitation ;
yet, as living specimens were inadmissible, how
eoold the animal he otherwise so well represented?
Irish ingenuity has overleaped the difficulty by a
contrivance which combines at the same time a spe-
cimen of a work of art and a fitting representation
of an important article of national produce—there is
exhibited a well-executed figure of a pig cast in its
own lard.

The work at the Great Industrial Exhibition pro-
ceeds most favourably; and although fresh packing-
poses are still arriving with contributions from ven-
oms quarters, the arrangements are now so forward
that everything in the interior of the building is
beginning to assume a finished shape. There has
been no considerable change in the number of''
visitors, the number yesterday having been :
Season ticket holders, 4,449; visitors who paid ss.
eieh, 332 ; excursion ticket holders, 114; total,
UPS.
The Freeman, referring to the offer of a baronetcy
to Mr. Daman, says
We cannot refrain from expressing our satire concur-
rence In the opinions of our contemporary, the Everting
Mail, that the offer of the government to confer high
honour en Mr. Darya is an act of which they may feel
Judy proud, and Is r makable to their judgment as is
Mr. Dartton's refusal ahameterissie of hie singleness of per-
pose. The recognitioa by the government of such services
as those rendered to the public by his. Dugan, as services
that merit the meat Motinguished henours, marks • new
'era. As an *iodinate tbot services to the path of honour-
'able Industry aro Imeasearth to take the highest rook, this
act et the goveonsionit te worthy of mote than a pealing
notice. ft itch, leveret, were too often reserved as the
bribes Ul *be paid to those to whom baser metal was not as
object. and we do feel that the present government has
true a 'great public service, as well as paid a just tribute
ational benefactor, in placing such honours at the
MIA fa man whom claim to exalted recognition is bated
ugAil on his industrial efforts.
A respeetable Roman catholic priest, of the King's
eounty, the Rev. Mr. M'Mahon, of Kennetty, writes
thus to the Weekly Telegraph in support of the in-
come tax, and of the budget generally :
The question of the income tax, as I am led to consider
it, is whether the cottager, the farmer, the man of a large
family, but of small means, are to have cheap tea, and
other articles of consumption, at • cheater rate than they
have them at present, en condition of an income tax, •
halfpenny of which they are not called on to pay.
Could they, then, be such fools as to petition against
it? No tax can ever be very popular ; but where • choice
must be made, that ought to be selected which directly
reaches those who ate best able to bear it, and thereby
transfers no inconsiderable share of the necessary taxation
from the millions to the wealthier and higher clauses—that
so the hard working and industrious man may bare cheap
sugar, cheap tea, cheap soap, and cheap clothing ; for one
I of the effects of repealing the snap duties will be to lower
the price of calico, cotton, and other articles of dress is use
among the people. Ought we hesitate to pays trifling tax to
purchase such advantages for the poorest and worst treated
people in the world ? I should nut like to debar them of such
advantages, particularly when, at sir h small sacrifice to the
man of income as ad. in the pound, such advantages arc ob.

•
faired both for 11:naself and for others. The people here—l
speak of the people pf my thee* parialleo-no far from being
Inclined to petition against the budget, on the contrary, look
un it as the greatest boon that could be, uader the circuit-
status, vouchsafed to them. Built& they are not disposed
at this moment, smarting us they are under the effects of
political revenge of the meanest description, to tight the
battle of the bad landlord, who will come off the worst In
this business, and they knew too well the materiels that
animal is composed of to have the sliehtest sympathy with
him. They rather reiiice at the piospeet now afforded
of having him saddled with an onus he should have long
since borne. Still less are they inclined to wage a paper wet
for Daffy and Lucas; they are satisfied to leave that to the
Mail and the l'acka. Daffy and Lucas are praised in these
papers, and that is enough. O'Connell used to say that the
greatest censure was praise from such a quarter, ani the
people here arse old fashioned enough to cherish a recollec-
tion of the modes as well as a veneration for the memory
of she great leader. You have called for an expression of
opinion on the question alluded to. As far es regards the
opinion of this quarter you have it. And now let me tell
you, the people here have seen nothing, as far as matters
have proceeded up to this, to justi y them in regarding the
Aberdeen ministry as deserving of the tierce and factious
hostility which they an now obliged to encounter from
some, and not a few of our Irish liberalmembvra. Are they
not at least entitled to a trial ? Why, it is very much to
be feared that even if they should bring forward (and wo
have no reason to think they will not) that which is most
of all needed (or the country—a good Landlord and Tenant
Bill—the spirit of faction and division will, if it can, 6nd a
pretence for quarrelling therewith, in order to gratify its
hatred of the government, and to play once more the game
of the Orangeman.

DRAMA.

FRENCH PLAYS.-ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
FRENCH _ .

One of the moat delightful entertainments fur-
nished by the above theatre this season was the performance,
on Saturday evening, of Mimes' celebrated comedy, Les
Demoiselles do St. Cyr, unquestionably (one of the most
sterling productions of the modern French stage. It is not
new to the English public, having been performed here in
former seasons, but lever, we think, with so complete an
ensemble, or so great an effect, as now. The conjunction of
Regnier in Didionloy, Wont in St. Berens, ltldlle. Brohan
in Charlotte de Melia°, and *dente. Emma Fleury in Louise,
gave the charm of nove.ty to the principal scenes, trout the
fire and spirit with which they were acted. The two young
ladies, the tender and sentimental Charlotte, and the
laughing Louise, were charmingly contrasted ; the youth-
ful representative of the latter part showing qualities which
must Wee her to a very high rank in her profession. The
arirtocratic Vicomte, too, was admirably paired with the
young financier, whose etourderies Regnier made most
amusing. Leon was exceedingly good in the character of
the King of Spain, and all the subordinate parts were sus-
tained with that propriety for which French actors, even
in the inferior grades, are distinguished.
The present strength of the company has given us the
gratification of witnessing some of the great standard
works of the French stage. We have had, among
others, the chefid'ecurre of Moliere, the inimitable
Tartuffe ; the poet's matchless picture of saintly hypocrisy
being embodied u Regnier alone, of all living performers,
can do it. This great actor's Tartuffe is indeed the very
triumph of art; he seems inspired in it with Moliere's own
spirit Regnier, too, like most great comedians, possesses
the gift of versatility. In the classical drama, in the
lightest modern comedy, in the broadest farce, he is equally
at home. Ills Tartuffe is not better than his Bonhumme
Julie, or his Medecin malgre Lui. It is with great satis-
faction that we observe that his engagement is prolonged
during the whole time of the approaching visit of Rachel.