The Express.
London, England, 1847-01-07 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, JAN. 5.
The committee of landlords having issued their
circulars, appointed a sub-committee to report on the
temporary measures necessary for the immediate re-
lief of the country. Measures of that character were
recommended in the first circular, but a fuller report
was necessary to lay before the general meeting of
proprietors. The report has been drawn up, and I
believe you will find the following outline in the
min correct : The object of the report is twofold—
let, To inquire intoithe extent of the present calamity
I and the resources of Ireland available towards its re-
lief; and, 2nd, the measures which the urgency of':
the oonsion requires. The seeond head is resolved
into four divisions—let, the means of facilitating the
introduction of food, and its proper economy; 2nd,
the distribution of relief; 3rd, remunerative modes of

employing labour ; and 4th, the funds to be charged
with the expenditure.
On the first general head, the report states the
total failure of the potato crop, which, in ordinary',
seasons, supplied from three to four-fifths of subsist-
ence to nearly five millions of the people, and the pro-
bable cost of a substitute calculated at nearly thirty
millions sterling. The estimated loss is about twelve
millions, which would afford but insufficient data fee
estimating the cost of the substitute. That, it is stated,
must be purchased at higher prices—the expense
attending a new and costly article of food, and the
machinery for its distribution, is one of the chief
reasons for the high estimate above referred to.
As to the internal resources, the result of the inqui-
ries instituted by the committee is, that the capital,
applied to commercial operations and milling power,
is miserably deficient, when compared with the public
requitcmcnts—that such capital as does exist is
chiefly confined to large seaport towns, and their
immediate neighbourhood, and that the expense, and
other difficulties of transit, oppose almost insur-
mountable obstacles to the diffusion of the benefits
flowing from such capital to the remote inland parts
of the country where distress is most severe.
The next available source is the income derivable
from the soil. Mr. Griffith has estimated the total
rental of the land at 12,000,0001., and if from this
be deducted one-third for incumbranoes, and one-
sixth for arrears, and in the present year there will
remain only 6,000,0001. to be received by the pro- 1
prietors, which is not much more than 11. per head,
if rateably distributed among the wholly destitute.
As to the second general head—namely, the mea-
sures to be adopted, the report notices the public
and private institutions of the country. The former
only are deserving of notice, which are the relief
committees and boards of guardians. It is proposed
to extend the relieving powers of the former by re-
quiring of the state to add an amount equal to that
raised by private contributions, and in districts where
the food markets are few or insufficient, that pro-
vision depots should be established Ly the govern-
ment at the point of the sea-coast next adjoining the
district. These depits to be also available, at cost
prices, to the boards of guardians. It is, with respect
to the latter, proposed diet where the house aeon s-
modation may be insufficient, either now or hereafter,
to modify the poor-law act, so as to enable the board
to give extern relief to all applicants found deserving
after proper inquiry.
The measures to facilitate the sappLiefs of food are
the abolition of the present duties on gratin, sose to
throw open the bonded warehouses; the suspension of

DUBLIN.—The beer and ale-brewers of Dublin met
yesterday, and resolved, in consequence of the great advance
in the price of grain, to raise the prices of ale and beer to
their customers—the former by six shilling., the latter by
five shilling., per barrel.
DREADFUL FIRES IN DI:MAN.—Loss oi. 'AFL—The
following details of two cases of fire, each unhappily
attended with loss of life, are given in Saunders's Ames-
/eller :—This morning (Tuesday), about half-past two
o'clock, a fire broke out in the shop of Mr. Hearts, boot-
maker, Dame-street, opposite the Lower Castle-gate, from
what cause we could not ascertain, which spread with such
alarming rapidity that in less than twenty minutes, and
before a supply of water was obtained, the entire
building was enveloped in flames. The engines be-
longing to the offices of the West of Englsnd, Sun,
Royal Exchange, National, and Pelee, ware, by the
aid of Alderman Gavin's fire-plug, under the direction of
Mr. Laurence, speedily at work, and, from the plentiful sup-
ply of water afforded, the rice was providentially prevented
from extending to the Italian warehouse of Mr. Clarke, neat
door. The parish engines of St. Mary and St. Andrew were
also present. We have the painful duty of announcing that
wo of Mr. Meares' children, and a niece who was on a visit
to him, unhappily perished in the flames. The police, under
Col. Browne, with Superintendents Walsh, Guy, and Eaton,
Inspectors Walpole and Stokes, and the fire brigade under
Serpent Maxwell, were promptly en the spot, and rendered
the most efficient service. A party of the 3rd Foot, from
Ship-street Barracks, were also in attendance.
CONFLAGRATION IN CANTLE-STREET.—TOTAL DEATRUC-
VON OF CLIFFORDR DRUG HALL—While the engines
were still playing (half-past four o'clock) upon the smoulder-
ing ruins of Mr. Meeree's establishment, the alarm sou given
that the house of Mr. Clifford, opposite La Touche'a Bank,
Castle-street, was on fire. Leaving one to play upon the
ruins in Dame-street, the remaining engines were quickly con-
veyed to Castle-street, where another terrific scene presented
itself in the lower part of Mr. Clifford's concern.. From the
inflammable nature of the goods the building was speedily
enveloped in flames, and in a short time was totally consumed,
together with the house of Mr. Cowley, trunkmaker. The
Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, with his staff, arrived at the
commencement of *the fire and was most active in his
exertions. The fire continued to be played upon
by the whole engine power of the city until a late hour is
the day. Happily it did not spread to any other premises,
and all danger is now at an end. It has been ascertained to-
day that a female servant of Mr. Clifford's is missing, arid
it is supposed she has also fallen • victim to the destructive
element. About 9 o'clock this morning, a fireman attached
to one of the engines, who hod mounted a ladder, and en-
tered the upper part of the ruins of Clifford's house, was un-
fortunately precipitated into the burning mus beneath, and
perished. It is said that a servant-maid in the house of Mr.
Meares is also missing. The premises in both cases were
insured.

CASES OF SUDDEN DEATH —Mr. Isaac Burke Bethel, a
11 member of the Irish bar, and who had for some years been
living upon a small retiring pension, contributed by his
brethren of the long robe, died suddenly last night. Mr.
Bethel was the contemporary of the Irish celebrities of the
last century, with most of whom he was on intimate terms.
His reputation as a lawyer was never very great, but he was a
convivial gentleman, andmuch relished in society. Healways
enjoyed the friendship of Lord Plunkett, of whom he was
the contemporary. Mr. John Mackay, another member of
the Irish bar, also died suddenly last night, at his house in
Leeson-street. Inquests were held this day on the bodies of
both gentlemen.
THE LADIES COMMITTEE or DLBLIN.—The ladies of
' Dublin have formed themselves into a committee, following
the laudable example of the ladies of Belfast. Over 2001,
have already been subscribed to the ladies' fund, of which
John Angerstein, Esq., contributed 1001. The proprietors
of the Freeman's Journal have contributed a sum of 601.
to the Central Relief Fund. At the last meeting of the
Repeal Association a letter was read from s Mr. -Holland,
stating that the citizens of Philadelphia, headed by the
mayor, were taking active steps towards the relief of Irish
distress, and added, that a sum of from 10,0001. to 12,0001.
would be raised for that purpose.
FERMANAOH.—The Enniskilkn Chronicle states that
most of the civil bills tried at New-town-Butler Sessions,
were for the price of oatmeal, and that the cases were not
defended. There were 1,420 civil bills entered for the dis-
trict of Enniskillen.