The Sun.
London, England, 1822-08-16 00:00:00

IRELAND.

(From the Dublin Evening Post.)
During the period of our suffering, we have
been relieved and sustained by the people of
England. This should never, and shall never,
while the Press of Ireland exists, be forgotten.
But it is not by the Press alone—the feeling
will be propagated and prolonged from the Pur-
pit and the Altar. We subjoin an instance ;
namely, the Circular Letter of Doctor O'SHATJGII,-
NESSY, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Killaloe,
to the Priests of his Diocese. We should pity
the man who would stop to criticise the simple
and unpretending language of the venerable Pre-
late, while reading the following pious and grate-
ful effusion :

"DEAR Sta—You will mention from your altar, on Sunday
next, that Dr. O'Shaughnessy, Roman Catholic Bishop of
Killaloe, requests that the pastors of the districts of said diocese
should, at their respective chapels, excite their flocks to unite
with the clergy in expressing their heartfelt and everlasting gra-
titude, for the unexampled, necessary, and timely relief admi-
nistered to them, through the paternal influence of our beloved
Sovereign—by the kind generosity of the Government—and by
the numerous donations of our benefactors in Ireland; but
above all, by our truly charitable Protestant benefactors and
fellow-subjects in England.
" This work of mercy originated with our generous and com-
passionate friends in England, by whose zeal and piety im-
mense sums poured in on the London Tavern Committee of
Management, by whose anxiety for our relief all possible
means were adopted—Charity Sermons, Benefits of Balls and
Theatres—and having tried all other measures, collections from
door to door were resorted to with considerable success.

" In the history of the world is there to be found an instance of
such benevolent feelings as are now manifested—and by whom ?
--by the illustrious English Protestants, in favour of the desti-
tute Roman Catholics of Ireland.

" As the apprehension of famine must he soon done away,
by the prospect of an abundant harvest, this same great Nation
is turning its thoughts towards a supply of night and day
covering, for men, women, and children, of our half-naked
peasan try.
" Heavenly God ! can those wretched poor people ever for-
get such kindness.—(Here let the Congregation kneel down.)-.
Therefore, with our heart and our voice, let us offer our fer-
vent prayer to the Throne of the Eternal God, humbly and
earnestly beseeching him, that every spiritual and temporal
happiness and prosperity may be the reward of this unheard of
munificence, in favour of the destitute Population of our un-
fortunate Country.
" August 3, 1822."
As to the gratitude, the lasting gratitude of the
Irish Poor, none that knows any thing of their
character will doubt. Some instances of their feel-
ings to their Benefactors will be found in the co-
lumn to which we have already referred. We al-
lude to the feeling expressed towards the poor
Englishmen, residing at Ennis. When the case
was mentioned by the Priest from the altar, his
Congregation broke forth into an exclamation,
that whatever they might endure, the Engi•ish-
man at least should know no want ; and the
Committee subscribed ten pounds from the funds
towards his relief. But it is to the conduct of the
Poor in the neighbourhood of Tuam that we
would principally solicit the public attention.--
It appears from The Tuam Gazette, from which
we copy the account, that. the gratitude of
these poor people to the charitable Archbishop
showed itself in the only way in their power.
—They proceeded en masse to cut down his
corn. The work concluded, they pa-
raded through the town, and- stopped at the
Palace. His Grace ordered food and refresh-
ment—these they refused. What the Arch-
bishop's feelings were at the sight, it would be
impossible to describe. This .we are sure of,
that such an hour was worth an age of ordinary
existence,--its memory will descend with his
Lordship into the vale of years, and shed upon
the evening of his life a ray that will light him
on to that which is to come.

DESTRUCTIVE FlRE.—About eight o'clock yes-
terday morning a most destructive fire broke out
in the hat-manufactory of Mr. Townend, in
Sheepey -yard, Ilaydon-square : when discovered
by the watchhouse-keeper it raged furiously,
and in a short time consumed the greater part of
Mr. Townend's stock, (the man obstinately re-
fusing to accept the proffered services of those
whom the melancholy occurrence had drawn to
the spot)—it then communicated to the coffee-
warehouses of Messrs. Fry, of St. Mildred's-
court, in the Poultry. Notwithstanding the
almost immediate attendance of at least about a
dozen engines, they were unable to take full ail-
vantage of a plentiful supply of water, in conse-
quence of, the very defective state of some of
their pipes ; and the destroying element made so
rapid a progress, that in three quarters of an hour
the whole of these extensive premises were con-
sumed ; fortunately, however, by the extraor-
dinary exertions of the warehousemen of Messrs.
Fry, together with the volunteered assistance of
many who were casually present, arid the inde-
fatigable attention of the firemen to the imme-
diate object of arresting the progress of the flames,
that respectable firm were enabled to rescue up-
wards of 3,0001. worth of property from the con-
flagration. At about half-past nine, the wind
setting directly in the east, and the windows of
a house in the square (belonging to Messrs.
Hayes and Wheeler, cornfactors) being open,
flakes of fire entered, and catching some loose
papers, spread to the furniture, and but for the
instant exertions of the firemen, that side of the
square would in all probability have been de.
stroyed. It is remarkable that this house was at
least a hundred yards from the warehouses.
The loss has been considerable, but we learn that
most of the property was insured. The Direc-
tori of the imperial Assurance Office have called
for the names of those firemen who distinguished
themselves by their timely and active assistance.

FATAL. EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING.--(Christ-
church, Aug. 13.)—The awful effects of a thun-
der storm were experienced here yesterday.—
A bout five o'clock in the evening the sky became
suddenly obscured with dense clouds, from one
of which, nearly vertical, and highly electrified,
issued an extremely vivid flash of lightning, fol-
lowed at an interval of about three seconds by a
tremendous and lengthened peal of thunder : the
electric fluid struck the chimney of Mr. FORD'S
house at Ilford, about a mile from hence, passed
through the roof and out of the doors and win-
dow, knocking down four persons in its progress
—two, we are sorry to say, never to rise more.
The one a son of Mr. J. Ford, five years old, and
T. Barnes, a labouring man,'N ho has left a wife
and seven small children to lament his loss.—
Inquests have been held on the bodies, and ver-
dicts returned of---" Died by the visatation of
God."