The Express.
London, England, 1851-04-28 00:00:00

IRELAND.

APUIL
The requisition for the "aggregate meeting of the
catholics of Ireland," to be held on Tuesday next.
has made its appearance, and presents a formidable
array of names, at least in point of number. It is
headed by three of the four Roman catholic arch-
bishop, and eighteen of the bishops, and contains the
signatures of a great number of the Roman catholic
clergy ; but the effort has been made to give the pre-
ponderance to the laity. I understand that the reso-
lotions to be proposed at the meeting will not go the
length of calling on the Irish meinlx.ris to vote
against Lord John Russell's government on every
question, and will amount to little more than a
strong vote of want of confidence in the whin,' govern-
ment in general, with, of course, a most explicit con-
demnation of the anti-papal measures.
A painful sensation has been created Ly the dia-
-1 holiest attempt to murder a gentleman named Billing,
which was perpetrated on AVednesday evening in a
intherto peaceable district of the county of West-
meath. A local journal gives the following details:
On Wednesday about one o'clock, pin., Mts. Busby,
accompanied by a lady and her nephew, Mr. Billing, were
proceeding on a jaunting-ear to Billuran, and when within
a few miles of that town, and nut fur trout lirackffn, two
men with their faC.Ol blackened, sod handlierchiels tied
over their heads, the better to conceal their ttures, sud-
denly sprang into the road, one of them seined with a
cudgel, and the other with a blunderbuss. One of the fel-
low+ caught hold of the horse and the other walked up
deliberately to the side of the ear on which Mr. Billing
sat, placed the muzzle of the blunderbuss against that
gentleman's breast and pulled the trigger. 1110 blunder-
buss missed lire, upon which Mr. Billing seized it by the
barrel, and in the struggle which ensued was dragged off
the or. Ile still, however, retained his hold of the
weapon, and had almost overpowered the assassin, when
the other villain left the horse, and hastening to the as-
sistance of his companion, struck Mr. Billing a severe
blow with a bludgeon on the back of the head, which
stunned the unfortunate gentleman SO much that he
was obliged to let go his hold, upon which the fel-
low again levelled the blunderbuss, and discharged it
within three feet of Mr. Billing's person, lodging the con-
tents in the unfortunate gentleman's side. The whole
transaction was but the work of a few minutes, nail the
servant who drove the car was so bewildered bribe sudden-
ness of the attack that he could make no effort to assist Mr.
Billing, and remained on the car until the unhappy gentle-
man was left weltering in his blood upon the road. After
the shot was tired the murderers decamped, and a third
party, who had not made his appearance previously, was
I seen to issue from a part of the hedge on the road-ide,where
he had been concealed, evidently watching the work of
murder. Mr. Billing was instantly conveyed home, and
• Dr. J. Ferguson, our excellent county surgeon, immediately
sent for, who was promptly in attendance, and rendered
the sufferer every assistance. From 11 to 20 large leaden
slugs were lodged in Mr. Billing's side, some of which were
extracted by Dr. Ferguson, but such is the dangerous na-
ture of his wounds that very slight hopes are entertained of
his recovery. The district in which this desperate outrage
occurred has been long considered one of the west Un-
proved and peaceable in the county Westmeath, and the
circumstances which led to the horrible occurrence are en-
veloped in complete mystery, unless that a rumour of Miss
Busby having appointed her nephew agent over her estate
in that neighbourhood may have indueedithe parties to per-
petrate it.
'the Banner of Ulster says: "On Tuesday last,
the '22nd inst., the poor law guardians of the New-
townards Union held a special meeting, of which
due notice had been given beforehand, and, nt this
meeting, Sir W. Somerville's new Valuation Bill
was taken into consideration. The result was the
unanimous adoption of a petition to the house of
Commons, in reference to the inequalities and ano-
malies of the proposed measure, together with an
earnest appeal for their correction."

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SCRGEONS.—The following
gentlemen having undergone the necessary examination.
for the diploma, were admitted members of the College at
the meeting of the Court of Examiners on the Tith inst.:—
Messrs. J. E. Tenon, Harley-street ; T. IL. Taylor, Han-
bury, Gloucestershire ; IL. J. Walker, Sheffield, Yorkshire;
J. Turle, Holloway; H. Osborn, Southampton; F. P.
Capin, Digs, Norfolk; J. T. H.. Dunn, Whit,tablc, Rent;
and 11. Cracker, Launceston, Cornwall.
- • - •

NATAL AsSISTANT-StRGEONS.—The partial and in- 4
sufficient execution, by commanding officers, of the Ad-
miralty order issued in consequence of a resolution of the '
House of Commons,. to the effect that " the accommodation I,
provided fur the assistant-surgeons on board her Majesty's
ships is inadequate for securing the full benefit of their pro-
fessional senates," is about to be brought under the notice
of parliament." The wording of that part of the order re-
garding the aecommodatiuu unfortunately left it in the
power of the commanding officer to evade its main '
object. Under such eircumsUunes it was hardly reason-
able to expect a liberal or even a just interpretation of '
the order trout men who had systematically opposed the
claims of the assistant-surgeon. The result has been
just what might have been expected. The assistant-
surgeons are but too frequently told that there is no
room for accommodation fur them, and in many Cases
where the cabins are granted they are told that they must
give them up in the event of a superuuwary lieutenant
joining the ship, and this in direct various with her Ma-
jesty's printed instructions, which provide that no officer
borne on the strength of a ship shall be displaced from his
allotted accommodation by any supernumerary. Tu this
unwise and ungenerous system of opposition there are, how-
lever, some highly honourable exception.. In a frigate of
50 guns, with an admiral and all his retinue on board, space
is found for cabins for both assistant-surgeons, a fart which
fully realises what Mr. Home said when wand of space WAS
urged against granting cabins to those officer,,—" where
there's a will there's a way.." With this ease before us,
when we are told that a,sistant-surgeons of ships-of-the-
line, not flag-ships, are refused cabin, on the plea of " nu
room," we can easily understand how far the sympathies of
commanding officers with assistant-surgeons extend. Nothing
short of a peremptory order to provide cabin accommodation ;
for assistant-surgeons, from the moment they enter the;
naval service, can ever stay the present discontent, or na,et
the requirements of the public service.
THE BIRMINGHAM ASSOCIATION FOR PROMOTING
TUE REPEAL or THE TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE have pre-
pared a memorial to the Chancellor of the Exchequer which I
has already received upwards of six thousand signatures, '
including the mayor, members of pardament, high and low
bailiffs, and many of the clergy and members of the town
council. When completed tt is expected to have fifteen
, thousand genuine signatures, and will be 700 feet long.
SUICIDE IN ST. JANIE-9'S PARK.—Yesterday morn-
• ing the body of a gentleman of fair compl.•xion, about 30
years of age, and attired in black, was found in the ores-
mental water of the park. It was removed to St. Mar-
garet's workhouse for an inquest.