The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-31 00:00:00

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LaND()N, TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1849.

A novel project fur the amelioration of Ireland was
introduced to the notice of the House of Commons,
on Friday evening, by The OVAtmAN MAR();
which should awaken the anxious attention of all
who feel an interest in the improvement of that suf-
fering land—a project calculated to startle almost
into incredulity the uninitiated in the wonders of
chemical science, but which comes not upon us with
such miraculous surprise. We have frequently

directed the public attention to the various advanta-
geous uses to which the peat, or bog-land, of Ire-
land could be converted. We noticed the project,
proposed in 1847, by the Rev. GEORGE HENRY STOD..
DART, in a letter to Lord J. RUSSELL, " for cutting
and drying turf, and converting it into charcoal,"
which could thus be prepared at one quarter the usual
cost, and which would enable the British manufac-
turer of iron to use charcoal in the smelting and
working thereof instead of coal, which contains a
quantity of sulphur, from which has arisen the infe-
riority of British manufactured iron. By this admir.
able plan much good could be effected. The poor
would be profitably employed, our manufacturing in-
terests would be materially benefited, and a large
area of fertile land would be brought into cultiva-
tion. Mr. JASPER ROGERS, an eminent civil engineer,
had brought forward a definite plan on this subject,
which had elicited the warmest approbation of the
most distinguished scientific men in this country, and
which had been adopted by the Irish Amelioration
Society as the basis of their operations. We subse-
quently noticed the admirable letter of Major-
General BRIGGS to the Marquis of LANSDOWNE, en-
titled " How to Improve the Health of the Metro-
polis, and Feed the People of Ireland." In that
letter satisfactory proofs were given, from the most
authentic scientific sources, of the superior effects of
peat charcoal as a deodorizer, and its use was strongly
recommended for the purpose of neutralizing the foetid
gases and noxious vapours which poison the atmo-
sphere and generate disease throughout the me-
tropolis and the large cities and tovtns of
England. The relative efficiency of the va-
rious known " deodorants " have been subjected
to the most stringent tests, and the superiority of
peat charcoal has been already demonstrated to the
perfect satisfaction of scientific men. We have,
therefore, no doubt of the vast advantages that might
be effected by fully carrying out the plan of
Mr. ROGZIIS, and in the application of peat fuel and
charcoal to manufacturing, agricultural, and sanitary

purposes.
acres of bog land, varying from .0u1r.,.0
There are in Ireland no less than mtiyllifoenest
in
depth,so posNsistehs
lan
osubstratum, r
eggeuniesfi
taels
for profitable
eh
ir-al3'
cultivation.il,
There is, therefore, plenty of
seope for carrying out the several benevolent
projects. Each has the same laudable cbject in
view—the amelioration of the sister kingdom, the
development of its industry, and the providing re-
munerative employment for our Irish brethren. We
hail, then, with the most unqualified delight the last
great discovery announced to the House of Commons
by the talented and energetic Member for Ennis.
It is not our custom to grasp at every high sound-
ing theory which promises a panacea for the
afflictions of Ireland. But the present gigantic pro-
ject comes before us in a shape so unquestionable,
and under such high scientific authority, that we are
induced to believe that the true cure for the
ills of Ireland has at length been discovered,
and that, if this discovery be energetically worked
out, it will go far to regenerate that prostrate land.
We give the results of an analysis of one hundred
tons of peat, which cost 8/, and about Si. more for
the labour of converting it by chemical process with
the following useful and valuable substances, viz. :
s. d.
Carbon of Ammonia, 2,602 lbs., value 32 10 2
Soda 2,118 lbs., value 8 16 6
Vinegar ••• ••• 600 lbs., value 7 10 0
Naptha 30 gals., value 7 10 0
Candles ... 600 lbs., value 17 10 0
Camphine Oil ... 600 lbs., value 5 0 0
Common Oil ... 800 lbs., value 3 6 8
Gas ... ... value 8 0 0
Ashes ... value 1 13 4

Total ... .„ 91 16 8
Thus we have, for an outlay of about 161., the
greater portion whereof is expended in payment of
labour, the enormous return of 911, 16s. Bd. worth of
articles of general consumption, in every day use.
Seeing such almost incredible results from the distil-
lation of common Irish peat, we cannot feel surprised
at the anxiety of the talented and patriotic Member
for Ennis to establish, by all the authority within his
power, the soundness of a project calculated to be of
such vital importance to his country. Ile produced
the authority of Dr. WATERS, Of Professors LIEUIG
and HODGES, all gentlemen of high scientific fame.
The benevolent Lord ASHLEY bore testimony to the
character of Mr. OwEN, the patentee of this great
discovery, in the strongest possible terms. His
Lordship said—
" A more discreet, sober, generous, high-minded, and
religious man it had never been his fortune to meet with.
He had enjoyed his friendship for many years, and ages•
tleman more incapable of making exaggerated state-
ments he had never known."

Mr. OWEN'S experiments have been in operation
for more than twelve months, and have been tried on
thousands of tons of peat s‘ith the most successful
results. He has invested large capital in the under-
taking, he is receiving ample remuneration ; and, in
the emphatic language of Lord ASHLEY, "he is ready
to stake his character and fortune on the success of
the issue." His Lordship also said—
"He wished to add, that after the peat was cleared
away the soil beneath was found fruitful beyond all
description, being actually saturated with ammonia, and
const quently, riot only would the country be benefited
by the conversion of peat into valuable materials, but the
soil itself would afterwards be fc►und in a far more cul-
tivable condition. It might be said that these represen-
tations must be received with great allowance; but if
half only were true, everybody must allow that some-
thing great had been discovered, the result of the expe-
riments being .that persons who had expended a large
capital had received a large return. He thought the
House would agree with him in thinking that one hun-
dred thousand acres of Irish peat would be worth more
than the entire region of California."
These, indeed, are happy tidings for our poor
suffering fellow-subjects in Ireland. Their country
now possesses within itself the means of its entire re-
generation. This is no delusive scheme of some
crafty money jobber, but a great practical plan of
national interest. The light of science, in this age
of progress, has produced no invention of greater im-
portance than this is likely to prove to Ireland and to
the empire. The capitalist will now have an oppor-
tunity, by a small investment, of realising an im-
mense return. The philanthropist, at a small expense,
can exercise his benevolence in conferring blessings
upon thousands now in abject misery for want
of employment. By working out this plan on
a large scale the resources of Ireland will
be fully developed. She will be then what
she ought to be—a source of wealth and strength to
England. Her people will become peaceful, con-
tented, and happy—no longer a burden upon our
charity, but a rival in our greatness. We trust, for
we sincerely sympathise with those who lament the
afflictions of Ireland, that the Honourable and Learnd
Gentleman who introduced this important subject to
the House of Commons will concentrate the energies
of his active mind in carrying this great project into
full and general operation, and thus earn for himsel

he well-merited blessing of his grateful country.

From some remarks made in the course of the de-
bate on Saturday last, it would seem that the Prime
Minister, the leader of the Opposition, and the
Speaker, three competent authorities, are not quite
satisfied with the mode of conducting business, which
has been pursued this session, which, after the "in-
quiries" and the " resolutions," which preceded it,
should have been a paragon of celerity and a source
of unbounded satisfaction. Alas! for the disappoint-
ments which wait on all things human. Every
opening session gives rise to the same hopes, which
at every prorogation are confessed to be vain and
delusive. Here is a case in point. Last February,
a code of well-considered resolutions pro-
mised greatly to facilitate the dispatch of
the public business, and here, at the end of July, on
one of the last days of the sitting of Parliament, we
find " the SPEAKER agreed with Mr. BERNAL. So
many Bills came down from the Lords at this late
period of the session that but little opportunity was
afforded the House to consider them." Moreover
"Lord J. RUSSELL confessedh that the business before
owing in some degree tothe:samvTyallof late.
the House had been very
Thus
sa
last
tt
would
oe
year This
was
progress the louse
House
made in the commencement.
with all their investigations ofh
progress rldana theirea
of
celebrated
in Ctohrnei;
"Night Thou
good resolutions of this, the
mons have made little
purpose.
mode of management. Like the
procrastinator mentioned in the
they " resolve and re-resolve," but to no
What is done cannot be undone (unfortunately), and
the time lost in March cannot be found in
July .
Recrimination within doors and fault-finding without

are alike vain and vexatious now. The hours of
Parliament are numbered, and whether or not they
have been rightly exercised, senatorial responsibility
will now be joyfully laid aside, and blue books, and
division bells, and mis-reported speeches, and the
thousand and one minor miseries of a Member's
life, may be for a time forgotten. This is not the
moment to dilate upon past short-comings. We must
be content to let the matter drop for the present, and
look for better things next session—next session,
which is to witness the realisation of so many hopes
deferred. Before that next session commences, it
may be, that the liberal struggle which now
engrosses Europe will be brought to a triumphal
conclusion, and before next session closes, it

must be, that that more tranquil struggle of liberal
principles among ourselves will have achieved some
satisfactory success. At home and abroad there is
much
_to engross the attention and :stimulate the
hopes of patriots and philanthropists. Parliament
closes under better auspices than on some recent
occasions; nevertheless a vast majority of the popular
and reformatory measures which the people look for
at the hands of the Parliament are yet—even yet—
among the things to he. We have shown good
reason to hope and expect that next year, at least,
our representatives will exhibit a little more energy
in the dispatch cf our business before they go about
their own.