The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-18 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN. DEC. 17.
Last evening the chairman and directors of the
Midland Great Western Railway entertained his
Excellency the Earl of Clarendon and a numerous
and distinguished company at dinner, to celebrate
the completion of their line and of their splendid ter-
minus at Broadstone harbour.

Mr. ENNIS, chairman of the company, presided, and in
proposing the health of the Lord Lieutenant, he expressed
gratitude to Lord Clarendon, on behalf of the railway in-
terest of Ireland, for the assistance he had given them on
all occasions.

The LORD LIEUTENANT, in returning thank', said that
he had felt it to be his duty to demonstrate to the govern-
ment that a railway from the metropolis to the west of
Ireland was indispensable, and that without it that great
tract of country, notwithstanding its vast natural
advantages, would remain comparatively isolated and
unproductive, and unable to compete, not only with
the south of Ireland, but with England and Scot-
land, which are more fortunately circumstanced than
ourselves with respect to railway communication.
In fact, every argument which could be generally used
with respect to the advantages of railways, seemed to him
to apply with ten-fold force to the Midland Great Western
Railway. (Hear, hear.) Having adverted to the success
which had attended that project, his excellency concluded
as follows:—Gentlemen, allow me to take this opportunity,
which I trust you will not consider an improper abuse of
your time, to say one word of congratulation on the signs of
improvement which I think are visible throughout the
country, end to which railways have so much contributed,
and from which I hope they will derive much benefit.
(Hear, hear.) I must at the same time say that I never,
even in the darkest days, despaired of the prospects of Ire-
land—l never brought myself to believe that, surrounded
u she is by all the elements of wealth, and having some of
the choicest blessings of Heaven showered upon her, she
would continue to remain poor, and prostrated, aod discon-
tented. (Hear, hear.) And although it is • matter of
regret to look back and think that, while other
nations during the last 30 years have been steadily
cultivating the arts of peace, and achieving those
triumphs of industry and skill which elevate the moral
character of a people, and promote their happiness and
comfort ; while it is melancholy to reflect that during that
time Ireland has been engaged in the pursuit of dazzling
phantoms—neglecting what was real, and attracted by
what was impossible—it is also cheering to skink that a
better spirit has been evoked, and that this phase in our
history has now gone by, I trust, to return. (Loud
cheers.) Oa every aide we see the symptoms of renewed
vigour. We see men, who are now relying on themselves,
pursuing the science of agriculture with a success hitherto
unknown; the distinguished position occupied by the pro-
ducers of Ireland, in competition with the whole world,
shows what your manufacturers can do, and how little they
require from fore' assistance, if their own powers were
properly exerted. ( gnHear, hear.) Go where you will, you
hear the cheering declaration that Irish difllculties can only
ibe vanquished by Irish industry. I believe the manifesta-
tion of this spirit is almost without parallel in your history,
and I entertain from all this the cheering hope that the re-
generation of Ireland has commenced, and that her future
abounds with hope and promise. (Loud applause.)
The company wu also briefly addressed by Lord
Gough, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Mayor, and
others, and the proceedings were altogether of a very
gratifying character.