The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-01 00:00:00

THE WRECK OF THE SIRIUS.
INQUEST AT CLOYNE.
On Tuesday as inquest was held at Cloyne, before Daniel
Geran, Esq., coroner, and a respectable jury, for the purpose
of ascertaining by what moans two persons, names unknown,
whose bodies had been washed on shore at Ballycotton, and
who were supposed to have been passengers
' inthe Sirius,
came by their deaths. Several county magistrates were in
attendance, and on the part of the steam-packet company
Mr. Walsh (barrister), Mr. B. N. Parker, and Mr. M.
Conway.
The first witness called was Thomas Murphy, labourer,
who deposed to having found one of the bodies on the strand
xL Ballycotton, a short distance from
,where the wreck lay.
Mr. Charles Lightford, of London,
..cs atsheex7rTuisneedn, rerd
lastde-
posed that he had been. a passenger in S
Witness detailed the circumstances of the vessel's
voyage.
striking three times on the rocks.
.Did not hear any direc-
tions given by the captain. The chief mate, Mr. Byrne, was
giving a great many directions. Did not at this time see
the captain at all. There was great confusion, and the cap-
tain might have been near him without his seeing him. A
boat was let down from the sea side of the vessel which
witness understands was swamped. Captain Cameron let
down another boat, which capsized. Captain Cameron got
on the rock. By his exertions and those of the chief mate
several of the passengers were attached to the life buoy. The
peasantry swarmed down to the vessel, and took away every-
thing they could. The conduct of the mate was cool and
seamanlike.
Edward Byrne, chief mate, examined—Captain Moffatt
was on deck for an hour and a half before the vessel struck.
The captain was perfectly sober and collected at the time.
Steering the usual course, as they were, they considered
themselves before the occurrence to be four miles off Bally-
cotton. All necessary directions were given to have the
boats in readiness. Lad the boats been launched under his
directions, they would have been sufficient to save the lives
of all on board. All orders were given by the captain. Wit-
ness tried several times to make the captain leave the vessel.
He would not leave it until after one o'clock in the day. Wit-
ness bad not tasted any liquors that day. When the fogcame
on, did not heave the lead, as witness did not think there was
any necessity for it.
Richard Prendergast, sub-constable, deposed as to the fact
of the loss of the first boat launched. This witness's state-
ment disagreed with that of the chief mate, both in respect
to the launching of the boats, and the time the captain left
the vessel.

The jury returned a verdict of "Found drowned."—Cork
Examiner.

LOSS OF A VESSEL WITH PRO-

VISIONS FOR IRELAND.

PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 25.—A brig called the Gipsy was un-
fortunately wrecked on the Wolseners Shoal yesterday, and
one of the crew, a boy, drowned. The calamity is more to be
lamented. as this vessel was loaded with provisions of various
sorts for Ireland, from Hull, the cargo having been purchased
by the subscribers to the fund raised in that port for the re-
lief of the Irish. Findingill hope of saving the brig gone,
the master, and the rest of his crew, took to the long-boat,
and made for Hauling Island; but from the fury of the gale
and the heavy sea it upset, and with great difficulty they
got on shore—one man was nearly exhausted. The exertions
of the officer and men of the coast-guard were highly praise-
worthy in rescuing them. The Gipsy is a total wreck, and
her cargo quite lost.

REPEAL OF THE WINDOW-TAX.

DEPUTATION TO LORD JOHN RUSSELL.
On Friday a very numerous deputation of Members of
Parliament, and delegates from various parts of the metro-
polis and provincial cities and towns, waited upon Lord John
Russell, at his official residence in Downing-street, for the
purpose of urging upon the Noble Lord the necessity for a
total and immediate repeal of the window-tax.
Lord Duncan introduced the deputation to the Noble Pre-
mier, who received them with great courtesy.
Mr. G. DANIELL said, as chairman of the metropolitan
delegates, he was instructed to state to his Lordship, that in
the present state of Irish affairs they had no desire to harass
the Government by pressing for a repeal of the window-tax,
but they were prepared to show that the people of England
had a right to claim an exemption from this tax, as well as
others which were not inflicted on the sister kingdom of Ire-
land. What they proposed in lieu of a window-tax was, that
the Government should bring in a property-tax for Ireland,
and tax the landed aristocracy of Ireland, who not only did not
attend to the wants of their own poor, but who paid no taxes
whatever. Mr. Daniell then proceeded to show the baneful
effects of the tax in a sanatory point of view, and declared
that any sanatory measure which omitted the repeal of those
duties was extremely inefficient.
Mr. Hume, M.P., referred to the position in which the
question of the window duties stood when the present Go-
vernment were last in office, when he (Mr. Hume) withdraw
a motion he had given notice of for the total repeal of the ,
window-tax, on a promise being made by Lord Althorp that
in the following year half the tax should be abolished, but
which, on account of the low state of the finances of the
country, was not carried out.
Sir De Lacy Evans, M.P., the Hon. Mr. Berkeley, M.P.,
(Bristol), Sir Benjamin Hall, M.P., Mr. Roebuck, M.P., and
Bowie other members of the deputation, having severally urged
the propriety of the repeal.of this.tax,
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, who listened to the remarks addressed
to him with the most profound attention, observed that
what had fallen from the members of so highly influential
and respectable a deputation must necessarily command his
serious consideration. He could assure them his attention
should be directed to all the arguments adduced with the
greatest care. He would, however, only remark that lie feared,
if he should repeal this tax, there would be other parties
pressing upon him, declaring that other taxes were equally
obnoxious.
The deputation then withdrew.

RAILWAY RETURNS,
ItAiLwAY TEAFFIC.—The following are the Total Receipts of Rail-
ways for the past week—that is to say, up to the date to which the
respective returns are made, together with the receipts of the same
week In the previous year:—

Week
ending

Last
week.

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