The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-06 00:00:00

IRELAND.

Dustix. Simi. 5.
The presidents' reports of the Queen's Colleges in
Cork, Belfast, and Galway, have been issued this
morning by her Majesty's printers. These docu-
ments are very voluminous, and afford abundant
evidence of the benefits likely to be conferred on the
middle classes by the sound practical education
placed at their disposal in such excellent institutions.
Front the evidence given by the Roman catholic
Deans of Residence, it does not seem that there is

any great probability of the " faith and morals" of
the students being ►ong injuriously affected.
The Northern Whig has the following remarks in
reference to the prospects of agriculture in the pro-
vince of Ulster:

Spite of the gloomy vatieinations of the protectionists and
the self-dubbed " farmers' friends," that, under free trade,
agriculture would go to the dogs, and agriculturists to the
workhouses, we can point to the anniversary shows of the
several farming societies of Lisburn, Carrickfergus and Kil-
root, Dunmurry, &c., for the most gratifying proofs that
the position of the agriculturist is improving, unless where
other obstacles than want of protective duties stand in the
way. We can refer to their proceedings for evidence that
agricultural science is being spread more widely, every day,
amongst the farming classes; and we have the satisfaction
of being able to refer to the report, in our last publication,
of the Doagh Farming Society's cattle show, which came
off on Monday, for a further proof of these assertions.
This society was founded so long back as the year 1818,
under the presidency of the Marquis of Donegal, coun-
tenanced and supported by the neighbouring resident gentry.
It included, among its members, men engaged in prac-
tical farming pursuits, not surpassed by any in the United
Kingdom fur intelligence, industry, and a self-reliant
spirit; and it is not, therefore, to be wondered at that it
signally succeeded, and that the emulation created by the
periodical displays of stock, and skill, and produce, effected
the most beneficent results. Twelve years ago, a gentle-
man well acquainted with the locality, and possessed of the
best means of information—one, too, whose opinions arc
beyond all value, from the sterling good sense they exhibit
—thus described the changes even then brought about:—
" The barren waste, the bracken mountain' and the false
morass have been transformed, at the touch of industry,
into a garden, comparatively verdant and beautiful." On
Monday, we looked upon the fields, so reclaimed and im-
proved, and we can say, in all sincerity, that what was true
in 1839, is still more obviously apparent in 1851 ; while the
very obstacles in the way of advancement, which the people
there have successfully encountered, have added to their
theoretical knowledge of their particular pursuits.
_ _

Alluding to the progress of the Catholic Defence
Lssociation, the Freeman's Journal says:
- - - • •

We understand that several communications have reached
the committee from parties who wish to be informed when
the Association will cuter on its practical operations. It
will be in the recollection of our readers that at the aggre-
gate meeting a committee was appointed, consisting of pre•
latea and members of parliament, to draft rules, and draw
up an address to the catholics of the empire. Thls com-
mittee met on the day after the meeting, and appointed a
sub-committee to prepare the rules and address, the sub-
committee to report to the committee on Wednesday, the 17th
instant, and a few days afterwards the first meeting of the
Association will be held, at which the rules and address will
be brought forward fur adoption by the general body. The
enrolling of members has been progressing rapidly since the
aggregate meeting, and at the first public meeting the
names of the members will be brought forward.

The following letter has been received from that
steady and consistent friend of civil and religious
liberty, William Sharman Crawford :

Crawfurilabum,,.Sept..3, 1841.

Oentlemen,—l have had the honour of receiving your
letter, informing me of a vote of thanks having been passed
at the lute aggregate meeting to me and other protestant
members of tho house of parliament, who sustained the cause
of religious liberty in their opposition to the Ecclesiastical
Titles sill. I can assure you it gives me great satisfaction
that my conduct with reference to that bill has met the
approval of the eatholics of Ireland. I have always been of
opinion that the security of the protestant ?eligion can alone
be based on the full extension of the perfect freedom of con-
science to every other religious sect.—l am, gentlemen,
your obedient servant,
WILLIAM SHARMAN CRAWFORD.
John Sadleir, Esq., ALI'. ; 0. 0. Higgins, Esq.,
; James Burke, Esq.

CORONER'S INQUEST.—HORRIBLE HEATH.—J.
E. Ilyndman, Esq., held an inquest yesterday, at Rich-
mond Hospital, on the body of a boy named Thomas Cum-
barton, aged nine years, who came by his death in the
manner detailed in the following evidence :—l'olice-con-
stable Henry Egan, 21 D, deposed, that, being on duty the
previous evening, a little after six o'clock, in Church-
street, he saw persons running into a dairy-yard at 146,
Church-street, belonging to a man named Waters, 61,
North King-street, and, having followed them in, he saw
the deceased running about the place naked, and heard him
roaringthat he was in great pain; a man was pouring oil
on him at the time ; he was immediately conveyed to the
hospital, and having asked him what had happened, he said
he fell beadieremost into a tub of hot wash; he was semi-
ble, but appeared dreadfully scalded. Thomas Donegan,
1, Sackville place, stated that he brought a barrel of hot
wash into the yard, and, after emptying it into the tub
which was sunk there, had gone to his horse to take him
away, when he heard a moan behind, and turning round,
saw a boy standing in the vessel, with his hands on the
edges ; he took him out immediately ; he was not more thaw
a minute in altogether. William \V. Peebles, resident
pupil, deposed that the child died about four hours after
being brought to the hospital, from the effects of the scald-
ing. Verdict accordingly.—Daily Express.

SPORTING.