The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-17 00:00:00

PIiOCESIIO-VS.

The committee by whom the intended procession
at Killarney had been organised issued the following pia-
card announcing its abandonment :
" Fellow-Countrymen—The government have issued a
proclamation announcing their determination to prevent,
if necessary by the employment of armed force, the funeral
procession which was fixed to take place in Killarney on
next Sunday. It was our intention to have emulated, and,
if possible, to have excelled, by the quietness, order, and
solemnity of our proceedings, the patriotic example set us
by the men of Cork, Dublin, and Limerick. The slightest
disturbance of the public peace would have defeated our
objects; and such disturbances could only have been
planned or executed by a traitor. The government know
this well. So far from having any grounds whatever to
anticipate a violation of public tranquillity, they had in
the funeral processions held elsewhere so many guarantees
that our procession of next Sunday would have been a
model of order and decorum. The proclamation, then, is
not sent forth to maintain the security of life or pro-
perty, for neither were in the least degree endangered ;
but its sole aim is to prevent the Irish nation from mani-
festing its horror of the policy which carried out the Man-
chester executions. Fellow countrymen. yielding to the
threats of armed force, but under solemn prote.t, we will
not hold our intended procession ; but while we take this
course as the most prudent, and under the circumstances
the most patriotic, we wish all the world to know that no
power no earth can eradicate from our heart.; the love of
Ireland and of those who serve her faithfully. We may
rest satisfied with having done our duty so far, and with
having proved that amongst the millions of true Irishman
the men of Kerry 'spired to a foremost place.
(Signed) " O'Dogoonug, Chairman.
" JOHN J. Ilgamr, Secretary of the
Committee."

COMPETITION IN THE DOCEYARDS.—The half-
yearly open competition of boys for the situation of ap-
prentice in the government dockyards, and engineer stu-
dent in the steam factories, has just been held at the
various yards hy the Civil Service Commissioners There
were 172 candidates for the former class of situations, and
75 for the latter. At the same time the large annual
competition amongst the dockyard artificers for promotion
to the higher grades took place. These examinations
are now also, at the request of the Admiralty, conducted
by the Civil Service Commissioners, the test consisting
partly of exercises in arithmetic, ke., and partly of prac-
tical questions prepared at the Admiralty. The number
of competitors on the late occasion wee 649.
Sr. LAWEENC!. GRESHAM-STREET. —There will be
a choral marries this evening at eight o'clock, when the
Bishop of Illinois will mach a farewell sermon previous to
his leaving England. The offertory will be given to the
relief of the distress in the metropolis. It will be remem-
bered that Bishop Whitehouse, of Illinois, preached the
opening sermon as the recent Lambeth conference. The
bishop leaves on Wednesday.
RAILWAY BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.—The nine-
teenth half-yearly meeting of the above institution was
held yester&y, at the offices of the Great Northern Rail-
way, King's-crow, 14r. W. Grinling in the chair. Mr.
Mills, the secretary, read the report, which stated that.
notwithstanding the continued depression in railway and
mercantile affairs, the institution has made a fair progress
in the pest six months. The further corn of 1,000/. has
been added to the inveAted fund, which now stands at
15,800/. At the oorrespondingperiod of lot year the amount
was 13,7001. The receipts from all source@ amount to
1,4251., being 751. more than in the half-year ending
October, 1866. The claims upon the funds have also in-
creased, the amount distributed being 517/., as against46Bl.
The whole of the interest derived from the accumulated
funds of the society will be absorbed in the payment of
the annuities already granted, and the board cannot there-
fore recommend that any further additions be made at
this meeting to their permanent liabilities ; but they
are glad to state that all applicants have received
temporary awistanoe, to an amount equivalent to an
annuity, out of the current income. It is
proposed to alter the rules, so that " annual "
be anbstituted for " half-yearly" meetings. In June
next the tenth year of the institution will be completed,
and the alteration suggested, if it meet with the acqui-
escence of the members, will defer the general meeting
from June, 1868, to June, 1969. The New Year's-day
collection will be held as usual, and afford an opportunity
for a general effort to increase the funds. Nearly 11,09)
railway servants contributed last year to the casualty fund,
but the board feel justified in urging all station-masters to
increased activity in making known the objects of the
collection, so that a considerable addition may b mole to
the number of members in BM. The financial st,te-
meets showed the total income for the half-year, including
3881. donations and 6021. subacriptions, to be 1,425/.. and
the total expenditure, including 212/. paid to widows,
134/. to members, and 170/. to children of ditto, to
825/. The report was adopted.