The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-27 00:00:00

THE WEATHER.—Sox OPTICS, AUGUST 27.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
68—highest since noon yesterday.
56—lowest this morning and during the night.
66—this day at noon.
BAROMETER, 2948—rising.
The mercury fell yesterday three-quarters of an inch in
24 hours. The storm from the South-West was excessive,
and sometimes very violent gusts did great damage.
WIND, W.SW. to W.NW.—Fresh breeze, with plenty
of scud.

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LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 1853.

An excellent Report has been drawn up by the
Select Committee of the House of Commons ap-
pointed, some time back, to inquire into the
present state of railway and steamboat communi-
cation between London and Dublin via Holyhead,
with a view if possible to the suggestion of certain
desirable improvements. It has long been felt
that in this direction there has existed admirable
scope for changes of a comprehensive character,
affecting both the speed of the mails and the
convenience of passengers. Conjectures were rife,
a considerable time before the appointment of
the before-mentioned Select Committee, that along
the important line connecting the capitals of Eng-
land and Ireland the arrangements have latterly,
instead of advancing in excellence, actually and de-
plorably retrograded. Those suppositions have been
confirmed, as unhappily but too justifiable, by the
Report here specified. That document goes even so
far as to assert that "during a period when immense
advances have been made in the science of steam
navigation, and while all other important lines of
communication, such as the Cunard to New York,
and the Peninsular and Oriental Company's lines
to the East, have greatly improved, that with
Ireland alone has deteriorated." Remember ! it is
the declaration deliberately made by a Select Com-
mittee of the House of Commons, that the line of
communication between the metropolis of Ireland
and the metropolis of England has not merely
failed to keep pace with the advance in the science
of steam navigation, but that it has even positively
deteriorated ! And this assertion is embodied in
the report just printed, after the closest examina-
tion into the evidence brought under consideration
of the members appointed to inquire into the
matter by order of the Lower Branch of the
Legislature. After this it must be sufficiently
obvious that the movement thereby adventured
upon, is one by no means premature or uncalled
for by circumstances.
The extraordinary importance of facilitating by
every means within our power the intercommuni-
cation between the chief cities of the sister islands
across the waters of St. George's Channel, would
of itself have justified an inquiry into the possibility
of carrying out some substantial measure of im-
provement. This--supposing even that no evils
in the existing scheme were in any way appa-
rent. Consequently, the labours of the Committee
must be regarded as peculiarly welcome at this
moment, when it is borne in mind that there have,
for a long while past, existed manifest reasons for
securing to the public at large the advantages of
greater speed and ampler accommodation. Every-
body who has ever travelled between Loudon and
Dublin via Holyhead, is perfectly conscious that
much remains up to this moment to be attempted
in the way of securing increased rapidity to the
posteinterchange, as well as in commanding
something like reasonable comfort to those who
are compelled. to traverse even the narrowest por-
tions of
George's Channel. What says the
Committee in referenceh to the last-mentioned con-
sideration?
mail y'
(lit says that " the inadequacy
of both the
a peexpress boats for the present
both
of traffic is Perpetual source of complaint."
It adds, that " ladies
n,
being obliged to lie on the
described as frequently
floor in such numbers
as to render it impossible to
move about the over-
crowded cabins"--this, moreovee
distressing concomitants of sea-siekr' with all the
selers in this
Co
for the suggestion of some beneficial cel:i I if only
particular, the appointment of the
tee of Inquiry, could not be otherwise °llama-
s,
than re-
garded with peculiar satisfaction.
Beyond all other reasons, however, nowada
y
that of the present extravagant and needless lom
of time calls the most loudly upon the Imperial
Legislature for improvement. According to
existing arrangements the interval consumed in
passing to or fro between London and Dublin,
via Holyhead, is estimated at from 14 to 15 hours
on the average. Now this interval might be
forthwith reduced to merely eleven hovers—as
we find here distinctly asserted in the Report of
the Select Committee. Eleven hours instead
of fourteen or fifteen ! A saving of from three to
four hours—a matter, surely, of no trifling cord.
sideration. It must be recollected, for exanrple,
in illustration of the value of this economy in
time, how many reasons there are for rendering
desirable the utmost practicable facility in the
moving to and fro along that grand trunk line of
intercommunication. Consequent .upon the Union,
there istherepeatedly recurring niJcessity for the at-
tendance of the Irish Peers and Members of Parlia-
ment in the Legislative Palace at Westminster.
There is the perpetual pressure. of business connect-
us,
• " involvin ed with privatebells, as the Report reminds
g the
attendancees
'
men in London, and witnesses of professional
inconvenience." Then there at great cost and
stances resulting from the fact fetee circum-
Lords having obtained over the Rouse of
Irish Courts of
Law, the privilege, the responsibility, or has
- You