The Express.
London, England, 1847-02-02 00:00:00

rsentiments]

f s ~. and of interests, but the great m ,jority
of the provincial papers accept the programme as a
sound searching, and comprehensive scheme of policy.
T le chief doubt hangs about the poor-law. Its ten-
dency is rot understood, and the fear of additional
taxation excludes all other considerations. The dif-
fusion of the relief system, and the dcfmyal of a por-
tion of the expense by the government are much
approved of. When the s) stem of social regeneration
is more fully before the country, and undergoes the
proc WI of popular inquiry, its beneficial consequences
will be the more appreciated. The Tipperary Vin-
dicator, which represents the opinion of that cele-
brated county, thus speaks of the premier's statement :
—" The speech of Lord John Russell will amply re-
pay perusal. It is replete with matters of the deepest
importance. If that portion of it which recommends
out-door relief and the extension of the poor law ma-
chinery be immediately carried into operation, it
would stay the slaughtering hand of famine. But
Lord help the landlords. It is intended to spread the
rate over the unions uniformly, by which the exter-
minator cannot escape."
The government have sanctioned the earth-works
of fifty miles of the Waterford and Limerick Railway.
The Limerick t'Aronicle ascribes this to the " Irish
Party "—it may, with as much reason, ascribe it to
the " Council of the Irish Confedemtion."

I have heard it stated that cert,,in London capi-
talists are about to send over Mr. Robert Stephenson
to inquire and report on the state and prospects of
the Irish railway system, with the view of investing
largely in tr.e present depressed state of the Irish
market, sheuld the report be favourable.
The markets are still receding. In Belfast the
dulness was unusual, and a further decline is antici-
pated. The general feeling, however, according to
the Northern Bliy is, that the reaction can only be
temporary, arising from late wil.ds causing largo
arrivals, and the suspension of the corn-laws throw-
ing a quantity of bread staffs en the market. The
same journal says of Friday's market, "The farmer's
supply of grain was quite unequalled in °stoat for a
long time past, and buyers were not very keen even
at the rates quoted." The following were the last
Belfast quotations :
Wheat, white, 16s. to 17s. 3d. per cwt. ; red, len. to 175.;
oats, 12s. to 13e 6d. per cwt.; barley, 124. to 13e. &L ; oat-
meal, 20s. 6d. to 22e. 6d. per cwt. ; Indian corn, white,
171. lbs. per ton; yellow, IS/. 10e. pre ton; ditto meal,
white. 161. ; yellow, 191. bs per ton. (Belfast mills)
superfine flour, per cwt., 295. ; bakers' first, 275.; ditto se-
cond, 235; third, 234.; fourth, 20s. ; bran, 10s. per cal.
Limerick appears to be an exception to the rule of
falling markets, for though the quantities of corn
offered for sale have increased each day during the
last fortnight, the Limerick Chronicle informs us that
prices have been gradually advancing, and on yester-
day wheat and oats were firm to the closo of the mar-
ket. Barley declined Is. 4d. per barrel.
Oatmeal has advanced, and the price is now 271.
per ton.
The grass corn around Limericklooks very healthy,
and six inches over the ground. The local journals
add, that the extent sown is fully one-third less than
last year.