The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-06 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, JAN. 4.

The charge to be delivered by the Chief Justice to-
day is expected with much anxiety. His lordship is
well prepared to read disaffection a grave and im-
pressive lesson, having had experience in that pecu-
liar department of a crown officer's duties.
The state of the calendar in Clare is almost as heavy
as in Limerick. The total number of prisoners is 104,
iof whom 11 are chargeable with murder, 20 robbery
of arms, 20 housebreaking, 10 shooting, 20 attacks
lon dwellings, 4 arson, with other less serious offences.
It is supposed a large balance will remain over for
the spring assizes after the termination of the com-
mission in both counties. . . . .

Society is not firmly constituted in the north-west,
as appears from the disorganisation presented at the
Bailieborough sessions, Cavan. The number of civil
processes served for the quarter session now in pro-
gress are 3,000, of which Loa° have been entered.
In addition to the civil enormity there are 70 crown
prosecutions.
The case of the parish priest of Strokcatown
appears again on the stage, and with strong claims
on public attention. A memorial appears, signed by
I nearly 40 inhabitants of the town, all traders with
the exception of a Mr. Cruise, who is described as" a
private gentleman." They stated that they have been
in the constant habit of attending at chapel on Sun.
days and holidays, and have one and all a distinct
recollection of " All Saint's Day," to which the " Irish
Peer" so significantly alluded. On that day they
add that the Rev. Mr. 31'I ermott " did net
open his lips or address a single word to his
flock." It will be remembered that the " Irish
Peer" charged the Rev. Mr. Wllermott with' a
. qualitypaat peculiar to his order, and that he jesuitically
over the " Monday" en which the denuncia-
tion took place. The memorial certainly strikes at
I the root of that charge. Further, they state, and
are ready to corroborate what they say upon oath,
that the Rev. Mr. M'Dermott never used the words
attributed to him by either Lord Farnham or the

" Irish Peer;" and furthermore, that he never used
" words of a similar import or meaning." If any
reliance is to be placed on language, the inhabitants
of Strokestown have absolved their priest from the
heinous charges in which he is involved.

New Durraicre PIIOCLAIMED.—The Lord-Lieutenant
held a Privy Council at the Castle yesterday, which was
attended by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Duke of Lein-
ster, the Bishop of Meath, Lord Cloncurry, the Master of
the Rohs, Lieut.. General Sir E. Blakeney, Baron Lefroy,
Mr. Justice Ball, Mr. Justice Moore, the Right Hon. Ft
Keatinge, the Right Hon. It. W. Greene, and the Chief
Secretary, Sir Wm. Somerville. Proclamations were ordered
to be lamed, and which appear in on Extraordinary G4Zette
'issued this morning, extending the act for the Prevention of
Crime in Ireland to the following districts, from and after
Saturday next, the Bth of January:—Barony of Longford;
the parishes of Ballynakill, Clonrush, Cuniry, Tynsgb, and
that part of the pariah of Inniscaltra, situate in the hardly
of Leitrim, all in the county of Galway. The barony of
Clanawley, county of Fermanagh. Barony of Tullyhaw,
and the parish of Drumlane, in the barony of Lower
Leughtee, county of Cavan.
OFFICIAL AYI.OINTMENT.—Sir Nichols Fitzsimon, a
police magistrate of Dublin, bas been appointed Inspector-
General of Prisons in Ireland, in the room of Major Cotting-
ham, deceased.
A DISPAIITINO LANDLOED.—Sir C H. Ceote, Bart., one
of the most extensive landed proprietors in the Queen's
County, is about departing for Italy with his family, in con-
sequence rf the state of Ireland.

SCOTLAND.

EDINBURGH, J 4N. 4.

From a recent commercial circular it appears that
in Glasgow the number of bankrupts during 1817
exceeded 100. In the grain trade the liabilities were
reckoned at 400,0004 in manufactures at 1,328,0001.,
in East Indian shipping and colonial interests at
1,208,0001., which with the Ayrshire Iron Company
made a total of 3,156,0001. Numerically the whole
bankruptcies in Scotland in 1847 were 523; in Eng-
land 1626. As England has a population six times
as large as Scotland, the bankruptcies in the latter
being so many as one third of the former, this return
would seem to indicate a greater proportional amount
of mercantile disasters in the one country than in the
other. But this conclusion would be erroneous, as
Scotland has hitherto escaped better than England.
The explanation appears to be that while in England
the smaller class of bankrupts take advantage of the
Insolvent Debtors Act, the corresponding class of
individuals in Scotland are forced into sequestration.
Some discussion is being carried on in Glasgow, in
the form of anonymous advertisements, regarding the
management of the National Exchange Company. In
reply to the indignant queries of a " Shareholder," as
to " reserved fund" and " capital," propounded much
in the same way that Richard 111. was questioned as
to his many victims, a " Director" answers that these
two important items are to be found in the debts of the
company. He says the directors lent money to " men
of moderate means but of adventurous disposition," on
the security of railway shares now much depreciated,
" the proprietors of which have not only to want their
money for a long time without receiving any return,
but are subjected to continual calls for payment of in-
stalments while the railways are in progress of for-
mation ;" and he adds, " were it possible to realise the '
whole of these, the reserved fund and the capital
would both be forthcoming."
A "director in another exchange company" gra-
tuitously enters the arena, and addressing the share-
holders by way of commentary on the above, says :
In other words, your money has been lent to worthless
specu'ators who had not a farthing to lose, on the security of
scrip shares equally worthless ; and you are coolly insured
that it you can make these men solvent, and the shares of
the value that your directors thought proper to put upon
thew, your capital and reserve fund will re appear, wishing
you to believe that your directors have only acted as the
directors of such other companies hare done. I trust you
will not be blinded by such a paltry and wilful misstatement
of the tact. Ace pt the offer your director mikes, and exa-
mine your securiues, and it you do so I think y..ti will find
plenty of advances made as he describes, and also on P crip of
railways winch never were in actual existence at all, and
probably never will be. I deny that such was the nature of
the business your directors were appointed to conduct, and
it is for you to consider whether thy have adhered to your
con•ract of copartner•hip.
In matters architectural, Jedburgh Abbey is under-
going the process of restoration, at the cost of the
Lothian family, and not of the Commissioners of
Woods and Forests, as has been erroneously stated in
some of the newspapers.
The statistics of the Edinburgh and Glasgow in-
firtnaries have just been published, and the compari-
son is unfavourable to Edinburgh. Of 7,816 patients
admitted to the Edinburgh institution in 1817, 1,059
died; of 7,891 admitted in Glasgow, death cut off
1138. Taking into account the greater population of
Glasgow over Edinburgh, and the fact that while at
the end of the year only 382 patients were under
treatment in Glasgow, 702 were in the Edinburgh
welds, the balance is clearly against the metropolis.

INSTALLATION OF COL. MORE, M.P., LORD RECTOR
OF GLAMIOW URIVERRITY.—On Tuesday, the installation of
Col. More, of Caldwell, ALP., the recently elected L rd
Rector of the University of Glasgow, an appointment re-
garding which so much interest has been excited, took place
in the Common-ball. Tho Lord Rector was accompanied
by the Earl of Eglintoa (the newly-appointed Dean of
Faculties) ; Lord Robertson, of the Court of Se•sion ; Sir
Charles Fergusson, of Kilkerran ; all the professors, and a
ili,tiuguished party of 'mongol. The Common-hall war
densely crowded, several hundred ladies being present.
SHERIFFDOM OF AUERDEEN.—MT. James Crauford, ad-
votate-depute, is understood to have received this appoint-
ment, vacated by the primotimi of Mr. Gorion to the
sheriffdom of Edinburgh.