The Express.
London, England, 1847-12-24 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DTIBLIN..DIc. 22.

A slight improvement is reported to-day in the
chancellor's health, but it is greatiy to be feared, and
equally lamented, that there is no indication of de-
cided recovery.
The " sparse" state of the Four Courts, with its
few loitering wigs, is not favourable to rumour as to
the new assistant•barristership. I have before stated
that the vacancy is likely to be filled from the north-
east bar—a result which will very probably be
realised. . . _

The total nett tram of advances by the relief com-
mission to Irish unions amounts to 1,673,317 L, of
which 718,3301. was an absolute grant, and the re-
maining sum of 954,9871. is to be repaid.
-

The character for quiet which has hitherto signal.
ised Mayo in the meat of much misery has been
stained by an act of outrage. Threatening notices
abound in the barony of Tyranly, but few could be-
lieve that the district in which residue Sir R.
O'Donel should be visited by those missives of dis-
order. Even Sir Richard himself has been the reci-
pient of one of those billets, or rather his lady, in the
absence of Sir Richard. While the latter was nego-
tiating for a loan of 12,0001., to improve his estate and
give employment, two menacing notices were for-
warded—one declaring his life to be in danger, and
suggesting the propriety of looking to the "family
undertaker" for his coffin ; the other, ordering a
rise in wages, or the destractien of his flax and other
property. On his return from Dublin, Sir Richard
met the menace as befitted a fearless man, and con-
scious of no wrong. At the Newport petty sessions,
be addressed the people with good sense and courage:

Here has been (said the hon. baronet) during my absence In
Dublin, where I was trying to get employment for several hundredsof
the population, Terry alt letters sent to my honer, one of them threat-
eningmy life, and the other my property. Now, for nineteen Team
you have known me as yam landlied, and as a magistrate, and you
ought to have learned that • Terry alt threatening letter will Dot
frighten me—if you do imagine DO, you were never more mistaken in
your lives. We are metering from the eelamity which In the wisdom
of Ood has been inflicted on on. Let as depend on ourselves and on
one own exertienl, wad we will get over our difficulties—let us but
work like men, instead of unlawful combinations—let no combine to
dig the land and prepare for seed time—let 11A help ourvelves and each
other, and the Almighty will blew our efforte, and I trust we shall be
tetter off next year than at present. !give you dila advice*" your friend,
bat don't suppose that I care for these wicked notices. They stall not
deter me from the pursuit of my duties, and my business by night
and by day ; and no threat+ nor llolly Maguire notice. shall drive me
trout this place nor from this country. No, my Mew* lam deter-
mined to remain with you, and help you if I can. I ray each (relish
wort will injure yourselves, so I am aware you all know who are
gam' about disturbing the country; and I now tell you that the Bret
man who arrestsaTerryalt, and beteg. kern to me, I will give bim tot.
for a reward out of my awn pocket. There is no man in linerishoole
who weasel) bard as Ido by sight and day. You have plenty of
room to most in tilling your land, and preparing for an oats and
potato crop lac neat year, when please Providence wt, will all sae an
abundance. I my, then, courage and exertion; but no more of your
threats, for they are thrown away on me.
The Mayo Constitution states that the threatening
notices were served upon Sir Richard two days after
he had been denounced at the chapel of Newport,
for having cleared out two townlanda.
The ecclesiastical commissioners have forgiven a
large arrear due off Bishop's lands, in the county of
Kilkenny. The commissioners must have been ac-
tuated by a compound motive, for a remarkable bene-
volence does not attach to them in their corporate
character.

A philanthropic attorney suggests to suitors the pro-
priety of proceeding by action of debt instead of as-
sumpeit,
which, in the small matter of costs, will
effect a saving of 20 per cent. Mercantile men, he
remarks, are loud in their complaints of costs in-
curred in suing. on bills of exchange. " Men often
wander abroad in search of a remedy which is to be
found at their very doors." The direeors and ma-
nagers of banks are specially invited to his cheap
nostrum for all the ills of bad bills.

THE WRECK OFF SKULL.
The vessel which was yesterday reported as having been
wrecked off this port is the Charlotte, East Indiaman.
The following account is supplied by Captain Thomas, who
has already distinguished himself by his zeal and activity
during the out year in the establishment of the Coeheen
fishery on the west coast of Cork :
" The Charlotte, Captain John Hawkins, from Bombay,
for Liverpool, laden with cntton,guist. &c., made the Crook-
haven light about seven on Friday morning ; but, owing I.
the violence of the gale and the haziness ot the weather, the
light was seen but indistinctly; it was, however, unfortu-
nately again mistaken for the Old Head of Kinsale ; and the
channel coarse steered accordingly, when in a sheet time
land was discovered ahead. The captain endeavoured to
wear the ship, but in vain; be then had no recourse to
save the vessel and the lives of the crew but to cast anchor
and cot away ell the masts and rigging, which in going
overboard injured the deck of the vessel. She fortun►tely
nut anchor in good holding ground between Long
Island and the Western Calf. The coast guards attempted
in the course of the day to board her, but owing to the vio-
lence of the gale were obliged to put back; on. of the boats
from our fishing establishment also got so far as Long Island,
but there being a tremendous sea outside it could proceed no
farther. The poor fellows, however, being encouraged by
lay son to persevere In their endeavours to give assistance to
the vessel end crew, seinucled about 12 o'clock at
though at the peril of heir lives, in getting on boud, and
after some time the captain came on shore and stopped the
remainder of the night at my cottage. roar boats and

twenty men from the fishery are cow tearing the Charlotte
into Long Island ChennaL It is rather a singular coinci-
dence that the Charlotte, like the ill. fated Stephen Whitney,
never saw the Cape Clser Light. Nor was the Rack Island
Light marked on Capt. Hawkins' chart, which is another
proof, if proofs were required—that the Cape Clear Light is
useless, and the Rook Island Light much worse.
" On Thursday, the 16th, Capt. Hawkins made an observe.
tion, and was enabled to ascertain his exact position ; but
from that time until he indistinctly saw the Crookhaven or
Rock Island Light at seven in the morning of Friday, the
17th, he saw neither sun, moon, nor stun—it blowing a gale
all the while, with heavy rain and thick hazy weather.
Agreeably with Capt. Hawkins' last observation and rate of
sailing,the light seen at seven a m. on Friday morning should
have been the Old Head of Kinsale Light, and he cannot cc.
ceunt for the difference, as to distance, &c., except by the
influence of a northerly set or current occasioned by the vio-
lent gales and storms of the last few days. Had the Cape
Light been visible he would no doubt ere this have
reached Liverpool, and it is also probable that many
others wh.-, within the last few days, have found watery
graves, would have entered their destined havens in safety.
Capt. Hawkins has been at sea 33 years and commanded an
East Indianian 15 years, and when he was obliged to cut
away the mute and rigging of the Charlotte as the only
' chance left of saving the vessel and the lives of the crew
it was only right months and two days from the time of
her having left England. He is now safely moored in
Long Island Channel, by the Conehern fishermen. It was
discovered on weighing the anchors that the stock of one
was gone, and had it continued blowing before she wu re-
moved from her perilous poaition, no human efforts could
have prevented her being dashed to pieces either on the
Western Calf or Castle Island. Precious to the Charlotte's
being seen in her disabled state, the Cooshcen fishermen had
secured the principal part of the unfortunate vessel that was
wrecked near Lemoon, but my son ordered them at once to
let it go, and thus the poor fellows will lose, no doubt, a con-
siderable amount of salvage, so that they might proceed to the
disabled vessel, and render every possible assistance to her and
the crew. The freight of the Charlotte, independent of the
value of her cargo, ameents to 4,0001. Up to the present
date, Captain Hawkins has been • successful and fortunate
navigator, this being his first misfortune.
ANOTHEY VESBkL, the Mary Jane marked on her stern,
but from what port unknown, laden with deals, railway
sleepers, and staves, went on shore yesterday morning at
Gun Point near Lemcon and became • total wr,ek. It is
supposed that her crew must have been taken off to another
vessel so none of them were seen. liar st. en, a quantity of
deals, sleepers, and timbers, have been picked up and lodged
in a place of safety by the Combeen fishermen. It appears
that several other vessels have bean lost on this coast, but
I Lave not yet been able to learn the particulars relative to
the crews. . .

I have now been informed by my son that the captain,
mats, and cook of another veorl were picked up in the
course of the day, ',vita of Cape Ciear, by the Coast Guard,
after bring driven at the mercy of the waves in a small boat
for 34 hours and nothing to eat or drink. I hare not been
able to ascertain the fate of the remainder of the crew.

STATE Or THE COUNTILY.—The state of the country, as
would appear from the journals of to day, in not suggestive
of alarm, for there are no deeds of violence recorded. There
in, however, an indication of a disposition to avenge the
imaained short-comings of the poor law on guardians,
which must a bad effect. On Friday night last an armed
party visited the house of a Mr. Berne, sn elected guardian
of the Nenagh union, to threaten him for an attributed dis-
p whims to limit its operation to the relief of the destitute.
Nothing can be more unjust or unreasonable than such con-
duct. Tne truth is the gur d JAM of Nenagh union have applied
to the commisainnen for permission to give out-door relief;

but the latter, using due Precaution and Are fur the property
of the country, take time to make inquiries, and to perfect
forms which prevent immediate compliance. It is hard to
reason with hungry men, 'in true—and, aaoth to say, the
descriptions in the Dublin journals show thar, in Nenagh,
hunger is severely felt by the poor ; but this violence will
only ileierit its own object, even in Nenagb, and will neces-
sarily emharrua the operation of the law, and injure the
cause of the poor is other places. Toe guardian. of Ni nigh
cannot be much blamed if, after this, they decline to dis-
charge their functions.