The Express.
London, England, 1847-10-09 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, Oct y.

The Earl of Clarendon has arrived in Dublin from
Ballinasloe ; so has Mr. Trevelyan, with Sir It. Routh,
from London.
The effect of a good example is no where more
powerfully illustrated than in the south-west of Ire-
land, and no where is the necessity of imitation more
urgent. You are aware that the British Association
for the Relief of Irish Distress has applied a portion of
the balance of 50,0001. to the encouragement of the
south-western fisheries. A very fine frigate, with
full appointments, has been placed on the station, and
many of the local boats, well equipped, have been
pressed into the service of the association,
as well as taken the sea on their own
account, under the influence of encouragement and
example. Their combined success has been unpre-
cedented en the coast of Ireland ; and to stimulate
increased exertion by opening up remunerative
markets for the produce, Newfoundland curers have
been brought over who are now preparing the fish in
large quantities. The specimens forwarded to some
of the chief English bosses have led to most extensive
orders. A gentleman just returned from Valentia in-
formed me that whole acres are covered with the
forest fish which the natives have already learned to
embalm with all the science of the New-
foundland doctors. The success of the association
has attracted other adventurers, so that nearly sixty
vessels of all sizes are now along the coast between
Dingle and Castletown. The frigate is oat to sea,
looking for the fish banks, which hitherto have re-
mained unexplored. The returns on the investment
already amount to 12 per cent. This is very gratify-
ing in the midst of the general gloom.
The gentry have been alarmed, or rather assumed
the appearance without the reality, at the expense at-
tending the preliminary investigation under the
Drainage Act. To set all apprehensions at rest,
the Secretary of the Board of Nt orks informs a Wex-
ford gentleman that the Board of Works would keep
down the expenses to the lowest point, and that the
general rate may be inferred from a single case—for
a sum of 5001. the expenses will vary between 3/. and
51., the latter to be a maximum.
Limerick, a mach smaller and more highly culti-
vated county than Cork, exceeds it in the amount of
claims under the Land Improvement Bill, which
amount to 24,6001.
The poor have taken to meetings as well as their
superiors. Agitation descends naturally from the
higher to the lower strata. We find a meeting of
the able-bodied poor of four parishes in the barony of
Deltallow, at which they passed some rather strong
aseisticas—inter alia—that relief must be had
" three* some medium leas odious than that of a
F=1:" that, considering the inability of the
; aid them, they are " fully entitled to the
support of the landlords, who have ever enjoyed the
fruits of their labour ;" and that " earned bread
is sweetest, and employment would be pre-
ferred to any other system of relief." The last
resolution is the most natural and just, and should
pierce the ears and hearts of the Kanturk guardians:
" That we are already suffering much from hunger
that we cannot live many days I;ter unrelieved; and
that we therefore, as the first l step, respectfully
apply to the guardians of this union for something to
keep us alive until some further provision can be
made." The guardians appear to have put off the
application with a promise.
A Mr. O'Callaghan writes a description of the
poor of Bantry in one of the Cork papers. The only
fact of importance it contains—and it is important—
is that two hookers had arrived from Berehaven, and
landed 240 poor creatures for the workhouse.
Heaven help the government ! how multifarious
are its uses, and how numberless the expectations
which depend upon it for life! Already it is besieged
with cries for bread and general assistance of some
sort or other. At a late meeting of the bishops of
Connaught some resolutions were adopted, and a
series of queries issued to the parochial clergy, ofl
which the chief are the following : What is the reduc-
tion of population in each parish by famine and epi-
demic disease since the Ist of Oct.., 1846?
The present condition of the population as to num-
bers, clothing, and the proportion which might be
enabled to support themselves out of the produce after
payment of rates, rents, and all other charges affect-
ing the land?
And the opinion of each clergyman as to the rela-
tive condition of the people in the present and the
past year?
These queries and the answers are intended for the
use of the National Council.

/WORM TO TRII LORD-LIBUTINANT.—The following
addrau has been presented to the Earl of Clarendon by the
corporation of Cork—with the reply of Mr. Redington, in
behalf of his excellency :