The Express.
London, England, 1848-08-01 00:00:00

AFRICA.

We have received thefollowing, by electric tele-
x raph, fiom Southampton : "There is news from the
Guinea coast to the 4th May. Since the assassination
of Thcvenard acd his companions some more French-
men have been killed, in consequence of which a joint
expedition, French and English, burned several vil-
lages, occupied part of the country, uud irnpris ued
the Icing."

IRELAN D.

COLLISION BETWEEN THE LNSURGENTS

AND_

POLICE.-EXTENSION OF TILE PEACE

PRESERVATION ACT.-FURTHER ARRESTS.
In a portion of our last evening's impression we
were enabled to announce the fact,that a collision had
taken place between the insurgents and the police in
the vicinity of Ballingarry, upon the borders of the
counties Kilkenny and Tipperary, which resulted in
the total route of the former, with some loss in killed,
variously estimated, and several persons wounded, in-
eluding one of the leaders, understood to be Mr.
Dillon. We have now more authentic accounts of
what actually transpired, from which it ap:ivars that
the conflict took place on the common of Boulagh,
close to Ballingarry, and that the police manif,st...d
throughout the most determined courage, as will ap- (1
pear by the following, written from the immediate j
vicinity, at a late hour on Saturday night :
On receipt of intelligence in Kilkenny that O'Brien,
Meagher, Dollen'', and Dillon had been proclaimed traitors„
Mr. Blake, the county inspector of constabulary, tesolved ;
to undertake the duly of the arrest, and having
matured his plans, he started from Kilkenny shortly after
daybreak this miming, and reaching flarleypuk, where lie ,
ascertained that Smith O'Brien and the others Lad passed
the night among the colliers of Boulath-common, Mr.
Blake immediately sent messengers to Callan, where the con- ,
stabulary of the surrounding districts had been concentrated,
and ordered 50 or 60 men, under the command of chief-
constable Trent, to march ou Boulagh, a distance of ten Irish
miles. Mr. Blake also despatched a measeng.r to Mr.
Greene, the r. side nt magistrate of Kilkenny, requesting him
to move a strong military force to the same point. Proceed-
big by Ballyphilip, Mr. Blake received further information,
in roost quei ce of which he proceeded at once to Thurlea,
and, h eying secured military reinforcements from
that place, and by the aid of several messengers from
Fethard, Clonmel, Templemore, and Cashel, he hail
these all concentrated on the spot which had been
pointed out to him as the headquarters of the rebels. While
all these preparatiens were iu progress, the small band of
policemen from Callan had already penetrated to the very
centre of disaffection. On arriving upon the common at
Boulagb, they found Smith O'Brien and his associates sta-
tioned there with an overwhelming force, ready to give them
battle. The bell of the nearest lt'man catholic cnapil had
been rung as soon as they woe seen appro idling, and
crowds of p rums were momentarily flocking to the ranks
of the insurgents. Finding himself in danger of beimr sur-
rounded and cut off, Mr. Trent threw his men into a pith-
stanti I slated hey..., where the party were speedily assailed
by the armed neh and their leaders. Mr. Smith O'Brien,
it is said went up to the window with a brace
of pistols in his hands, and called on them to sm.
render their arms, promising them that if they com-
plied their persons would be safe. While this was pro-
ceeding, straw was piled against the door, in order, by
igniting it, to fire t e premises, so that the police were com-
paed to fire, but they slid not use their mu-sets till several
shots had been bred at them, and stones thrown in through
the window. 'They discharged a volley, and two of the
rebels were killed died on the spot a third expired shortly
after. It is also minerals saported that one of O'llnen's Breeds
(so i.e say Dillon) seas wounded in the knee. The effect of
I this deti loathed conduct was that the crowd retreated, and
I although, according to report, Smith O'Brien urged them
I over and over a :ain to pull down the house, they would not
attempt it. The Roman Catholic clergyman of the district
arrived at this time on the scene of suite, and implored the
people to abstain from violence. Smith o'l3:icii then an-
pean to have go- diseueted, and, declaring that as the people
would nut stand by him he would not stand by them, he fled
across the country on a policeman's horse, rumour says,
in the direction of Uthitglord. By this time, a reinforce-
recut of eons•ithulary nad arrived from Cash. 1. 1,1114
er strong b idles of the regular troops, cavalry, artillery,
and infantry, came p-uring in from every quarter; but by
that time the utmost tranquillity prevailed, and the military
bivemacki el on the open field.
The hollowing is another version of some of the
circumstances connected with this affair, taken from
the Dublin Freeman of yesterday :
We have receive d the billowing epecial repel from our
own correspondent in Kilkenny —"Early on fiatunli.y
morning, sub-hispector Trent, of the Callon station, count; !
Kilkenny, with between forty and fifty men under his com-
mand, proceeded to the neighbourhood of Billingarry,
on the borders of the county of Tipperary, and twelve
miles from the city of Kilkenny, to as-tat in arresting
Mr. Smith O'Brien, who was reported to be in the
mountains of that locality, eurratinsied by • large body of
armed peasantry. Some time afterwards a mounts S police-
censtable, named Carroll, was sent from the Maudlin-street
station, Kilki nay, with a despatch for Sub-Inspector Trent;
but on arriving at a pert of the county between Ballinearry
and a place cailed Commons, he heard several eh it. fired,
and was soon ane tweeds taken prisoner by some armed
country people, several of whom were for shooting him,
saying, as I have been informed, " If this man Bete hack
he will hang us all." The others, however, declared
they would no: take Carr 11's life. The constable was
in coloured clothes. lie was taken into the presence of
Mr. Smith O'Brien, who, it appears, wore a cap with a
peak and silver band, and carried a stick in his hand. Mr.
O'Brien, addressing Carroll, formally said, " You are one of
the mounted police 2" The constable at once said he was,
being aware that he was known to persons in the neighbour-
hood. Mr. O'Brien then turned round and asked the people
I whether ho shou:d give himself up, but they advised him
net to take such a step, upon which he w liked about for
lemma time, and then' mounting the constable's horse, rode
away. Carol' was detained in the custody of four men.
I During this time Sub Inspector Trant and his men were
shut up in a house, to which they bad retreated, sur-
rounded by the country people, upon whom they fired from
the window's. After r lapse siitwo or three hours Carrot was
left in the charge, of one in in, who allowed him to take his
departure. On his road back Carroll encountered Mr. Smith
O'Brien. who had chanted his dress, and now wore a hat.
Mr. O'Brien, who was on horseback, stopped the constable,
but the latter remonstrati d with him and told him it was
foolish to think of holding out against the force that
would be brolight against him, especially as the priests were
exhorting the p ople not to join in resisting the authorities.
Mr. O'Brien app ared to think deeply or what Carroll
said, and ohsei yet that Cr twenty years he had been en-
deavourieg to serve his country, but that if the people did
not stand by him he might as well give up the attempt. He
ehortly attetwards gave Carroll his stick and rode off. On
the constable's return to Kilkenny, orders were given
to the military to march to Mr. Irent's assistance, and
at half-put 8 o'clock the city was thrown into a dreadful
state of excitement by the marching of a iormidahle mili-
tary farce towards Ballingarry. Amongst the body was
• trocp of the 4th L•ght Dragoons. They were
Ifollowed by a lame body ot police, and then tame 300 in-
fantry, headed by the resident magistrate, Mr..l. Green.
The nu was brought up by another body of police, making