The Express.
London, England, 1847-12-11 00:00:00

IRELAND.
Dumas, Dac. 9.
Since the institution of the police that body has not
displayed so much activity or been so successful
in its operations as at the present period. In the
disturbed districts patrols are out at all hours, and
experience directs their footsteps to the places where
crime has been committed, or troubled spirits are in
motion to that end. Since the advent of coercion this
activity is especially alive, and gauging the success
of the polies under the present laws, by the " new
rules " which are to come into operation, we can guess
at their future triumphs. Most of the country papers
report cases of this exuberant and laudable zeal.
The deputy inspector of constabulary, Major Brown-
rigg, has proceeded to Limerick, for the purpose of
ascertaining the true condition of that county and
Tipperary, preparatory, it is supposed, to the imposi-
tion of the new act. Although the Lord-Lieutenant
is armed with absolute power to proclaim and punish
disorder, he will adapt his coarse to the state and
opinion of the district. Some idea will be formed of
the condition of Limerick, from the fact that fifty
crown witnesses or approvers are now maintained at
the public charge, and in the safe keeping of the
police.
There was a meeting of the Irish council to-day,
the first since the tenant-right debate. The proceed-
ings were of some importance. A report was adopted
suggesting modifications in the poor law, including
the question of a maximum rate, beyond which local
taxation should not go; that all expenditure beyond
that should be borne by a general rate in aid; and
that the local rate for support of the infirm should be
distinct from that of the able-bodied.

The Earl Fitzwilliam, although an " absentee,"
is not inattentive to the wants of the poor on his
Wicklow estates, as well as to the necessity of keep-
ing down the rates, by affording employment remu-
nerative to proprietor, occupier, and labourer. The
noble lord, who is well seconded by his prosperous
tenantry, has joined with them in a voluntary rate
for the support of the unemployed for four months.
The subscription is one pound on the poor-law valua-
tion. The rate having been collected, a list was made
out of all who required support and were able to
work. Their names were then drawn by ballot, and
assigned to the subscribers in proportion to their sub-
scriptions. If a proprietor has not work, he may
assign his right to any person he pleases. There is a
re-ballot of labourers each week, which gives the sub-
scriber a fair chance. An indifferent workman one
week may be replaced next week by a better.
By the returns of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
to the Lord-Lieutenant, it appears that 14 dignities,
13 prebends, and 61 parochial benefices, have become
vacant within the year, up to the Ist f August last;
of which 20 are liable to taxation. The amount

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appropriated to church works has been 21,8891., of
which one-fourth has been set apart for the comple-
tion of some and the commencement of other works;
2,0001. has been expended on the external decoration
of churches in the south and west; 1,0001. for the
maintenance of fences, and the residue to the neces-
sary repairs of ecclesiastical buildings. The aggre-
gate receipts of the commission during the year
amounted to 103,4741.