The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-07 00:00:00

(From the Freeman's Journal of yesterday.)

For some days past rumours of a serious character have
been freely circulated through the city that an effort would
be made by some misguided men connected with the
Fenian conspiracy to make a hostile demonstration in
the city, but, on making minute inquiries, we were glad
to learn, from the most authentic morass, that there did
not appear in any of the police distrisis of the city
and suburbs anything to justify the repotts which
were widely circulated. But we regret to my that
the authorities have received information that efforts
would be made to create disturbances in the south, and,
for the purpose of preventing any insane attempt on the
part of Fenian raiders to interfere with the public poem,
a large detachment of dragoons were conveyed by train
from Mallow on Monday night to the town of Tipperary,
' where they arrived in due time. Yesterday a strong force
of infantry was despatched. by special train from Butte-
want to the same destination, and another detachment
was forwarded also by train to the Limerick junction of
the Great Southern and Western Railway, where they are
to remain until further orders. The 48th Regiment, which
returned to the Curragh Camp a few days since from Kil-
larney, have received orders to be in readiness to proceed
to the south at a moment's notice, and the executive have
taken measures to concentrate troops at any given point with
as little delay as possible, should occasion arise. A man
whose capture was eagerly sought for by the police was
brought to town on Monday night by the constabulary and
lodged in Chancery-lane station-house. He was arrested
at the Limerick junction, on his way to Dublin, and
turns out to be no less a person than the functionary
known as General Godfrey Massy, who, it is stated,
was invested with great authority, and had been tinkly
engaged for some weeks past in the work of organization
in the western districts of Cork and in Kerry. He had
been in the Federal army, and returned to this country
from America about two months since. He was forwarded
yesterday, under the Lord Lieutenant's warrant, to
Mountjoy Prison. It will be remembered that two men,
who gave their names as Jackson and Phillips, were
arrested by Mr. Superintendent Corr on board the
collier New Draper on the 'Cad ult., on their arrival
from Whitehaven. Jackson turns out to be ll'Afferty,
who was tried at the special commission at Cork, and was
acquitted, and Phillips is now identified as "Smuggler
Flood," in consequence of hie having succeeded some time
since in landing a large quantity of arms and ammunition
on the northern coast. Henry Quinn, arrested at Bal.
linasloe on the 28th of February, and Thomas Barr, cap-
tured in Stephen's-lane on the same day, with American
bills of exchange for a large amount in his possession,
are rewarded as most important arm* as it is stated
that APAfferty, Flood, Massy, Quinn, and Barr were dis-
trict Fenian organisers, and if permitted to remain at
large would do Immense mischief. Thegovernmeut, it is
said, are kept " well posted," and all the intended moves
of " the Brotherhood are made known by persons who
pretend to be most active and sincere in the movement,
and who in reality are only trading on the folly and
credulity of their dupes. Some excitement pervaded the
city last evening, and it was currently stated that" •
rising" would take place during last night. Whether this
feeling was participated in by the police authorities or
not we cannot say, but the constables en duty were on
bait in patrols consisting of five or six men, instead of the
usual couple. The military authorities also took unusual
precuutions ; and two special trains, consisting of ten
empty carriages to each, proceeded from the King's.
bridge Station to the Curragh, it was understood, to con-
vey troops to the scene of the anticipated disturbances.
The Hon. Major Wellesley superintended the departure of
the trains, which left at about half 'past 11 u'clock. In the
meantime, as we are informed by our special correspon-
dent, at the Limerick junction, which was to be the
scene of the "outbreak,' "all was perfectly quiet," if we
except the excitement caused by the presence of fifty
men of the 62nd Regiment, for whom accommodation
was provided in the goods store at the junction. Their
luggage was lying about in charge of sentries, and every
precaution was taken that no surprise should occur. We
earom Cork that in the course of the day the 12th
Lancers marched out, and crowds assembled who hooted
and shouted at them, crying " Dungarvan • where is
Wombwell!" No further'
manifestation of feeling,
however, took place, and the troops soon after-
wards returned to their quarters. The activity of the
detective force in Dublin was unabated last night in the
presence of what was exaggerated into " a crisis." In the
course of the day • party of the G division proceeded to
the house 21, Wicklow-street, and arrested a man named
James Fitzpatrick, boot-maker, in whose possession were
found five dozen rifle cartridges, 182 rifle bullets, 'Vb. of
gunpowder, one bayonet, two bullet moulds, and two
rifle belts. AU these articles were, it isalleged, concealed
in a basket in a hack room in the house. The prisoner
was conveyed to College-street police-station, and
will be brought up at the Head Police-office this I lay. At
a later hour in the evening a man named O'Reardon' who,
it was stated, was " head centre" for the city of Cork,
was arrested in a public-house in Capel-street, and con.
veyed to Green-street station, whence he will be brought
to-day, it is said, to Mountjoy prison. It would seem to
give some colour to the various rumours afloat that all
telegraphic communications with the south have been
suddenly interrupted at about the hour we go to
press. Yesterday a large number of arm-chests, sufficient
to load ten large floats, arrived at the North-wall by
steamer. The chests contained breech-loading guns,
which are intended, we understand, for distribution to
the military quartered in the north. A party of the Soots
Greys received the chests at the North-wall, and escorted
them through the city to the Amiens-street terminus, for
transmission to their destination in the north.

A squadron of dragoons, under the command of Cap-
tain Turner, proceeded to-day from Longford to Athlone,
on account of a report of a threatened attack on the
powder magazine. _ . _ . •

The seamen and marines of the Royal George, at
Kingstown, were prohibited from going ashore on Tuesday
evening, and the coastguards at that and other coast sta-
tions were under arms the entire night. The police au-
thorities were also on the alert.

During the night the city of Dublin was not only
patrolled by companies of the police force, bet at two
o'clock this (Wednesday) morning the military were to be
met in several parts of the city. A troop of Lancer• and a
detachment of foot artillery paraded Dame-street, Parlia-
mentotrcet, &c. Several mounted orderlies were to be
observed passing rapidly through the streets, probably
bearing communications between the several barracks.
The men of the division of the Metropolitan Police also
were on duty all night.