The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-30 00:00:00

has regarded the condition of the:lrish labourers and
the comparative stagnation of Irish commerce.
Hitherto, however, an accumulation of evils
and a succession of emergencies have diverted
the attention of the Legislature in a di f•
ferent direction, and left the matter altogether
in abeyance. It was, consequently, with peculiar
satisfaction that we observed, on the evening of Lord
JonN RUSSELL'S memorable statement, that the Noble
Lord the Member for Lynn announced his intention
to bring the question immediately under the con-
sideration of Parliament ; and it was with still more
peculiar satisfaction we observed the Premier con-
gratulating himself upon that promise from the lips
of Lord G. BENTINCK. On the evening of the 3d inst.
the Noble Lord the representative of Lynn will intro-
duce a "Bill to stimulate the prompt and profitable
employment of the people by the encouragement of
railways in Ireland."
The advantages resulting from some such arrange-
ment for the construction of railroads in Ireland are
wholly incalculable. By multiplying the means of
transit in the manner proposed, the moral condition
of the people would ultimately be improved pro-
portionately with the improvement of their physical
condition—the interests of civilization would be pro-
moted equally with the interests of commerce—the
intellectual capacities of the community would be
developed simultaneously with their bodily capacities.
It is estimated by Mr. 'W. R. COLLETT that,
providing the Government acceded to the wishes ex-
pressed by Lord GEORGE BENTINCK, 150,000 persons
would be actively and profitably employed within 48
hours from the announcement. But this instanta-
neous benefit, vast as it is in importance, is scarcely
worthy of a moment's thought, when its ulterior con-
sequences are considered. As far back as 1838 a
report was laid before the House of Lords in refer-
ence to the prosecution of railway enterprise in Ire-
land. That report, voluminous in its nature, and re-
markable in its inferences, has received the sanction
of the Legislature in a very peculiar manner by its
having been the perpetual authority in relation to
the statistics of Ireland ever since the period of its
publication. It was the production, as will be re-
membered, of the Commissioners appointed in October
1836, in consequence of a motion of the Marquis of
L ARSDOWNB, representing the advisability of exa-
mining the opportunities afforded for the
establishment of steam-transit in Ireland, and
the nature and extent of the advantages
resulting therefrom. It was then the
subject of comment by the present Lord Presi-
dent of the Council, that those advantages would
necessarily include the incitement of agricultural
enterprise, the increase of employment, and the
enlargement of the mercantile industry of the popu-
lation by opening the western ports of the island
directly to the trade of America. Had the Noble Mar-
quis extended his survey to the future, instead of re-
stricting it to the present, the line of sober Parlia-
mentary deduction would still have remained un-
crossed. He might have enlarged, not merely upon
the advancement of husbandry, the fruitfulness of the
crops, and the prolific multiplication of the live stock,
which would be the inevitable effect of such a legis-
lative interference, but he might also,with full reason,
have speculated upon the moral and social im-
provements which would by necessity accrue from
that determination. In 1845, no less than 3,251,901
quarters of grain and meal were imported to this
island from the Irish harbours, the importation
having risen to that amount, since 1817,
from 699,809 quarters. Upon a proportionate
ratio of increase, calculating the greater facilities
of communication, and the establishment of a direct
intercourse with the United States, what might not
be the extension of agricultural exportation beyond
what would be necessary for home consumption ?
Besides this, the fisheries as well as the corn-fields,
the manufactories as well as the farm-yards, would be ,
afforded a wonderful stimulus by the opening up of
fresh markets for the produce of each. Above all, 1
the diffusion of railway enterprise would ensure the
happiness and enlightenment, as well as the wealth
and prosperity of Ireland ; it would place Ireland in
the midst of that flux and reflux of civilization which
flows continually between the two hemispheres.

At a time when so much of public attention has
been drawn to the expediency of fostering the .old
established, and creating fresh nurseries for British
seamen, one is naturally led to consider any one of
the causes which have led to the limitation of our
resources, so desirable to have at command, in the
event of aLy national and hostile emergency.
Owing to the introduction of steam, which Las
stimulated other countries to increase their
natal power, and necessarily induced corre-
sponding exertions on our part for the aug-
mentation of our maritime force, a natural and
considerable demand has arisen for the services of
British seamen ; and more than once of late years,. :and
when we have been critically circumstanced w ith
foreign powers, great difficulty has been experienced
in obtaining the requisite number of hands for ei "fi-
ciently manning our ships. Formerly, we had an able
body of seamen in reserve, wbo were engaged. in
the once flourishing and profitable trade of
whaling. They formed an admirable source
for recruiting our squadrons, in case of need. Du ring
the last war we drew a force of nearly 10,000 c om-
petent seamen from the Greenland fleet of whaling
ships, and were thus enabled to keep the enemy in
check, who threatened our coasts, during theunaN
able absence of Lord NELSON. From a variety- of
causes, which might have been easily counteracted: by
due reflection upon their nature, this invalu ible
British trade—particularly the Southern Wh ale
Fishery—has been reduced to the narrowest lino. its.
Both as regards the ends of national profit and. the
purposes of national defence, this result is much to
be deplored. In 1790 Mr. PITT pronounced. the
Southern Whale Fishery to be a "source of inume use
treasure." The loss we have suffered in the :II 'ove
respect is the more to be regretted, seeing that whilst
our trade has rapidly declined, the American has in-
creased in a surprising ratio, so much so
that, reviewing the whale fishery from its
commencement to the present time, our sitiips
scarcely average one- tenth of those which have l ,een
actually employed by our enterprising rivals in this
branch of commerce. Through gross neglect -and
mismanagement, the natural incentives to foreign and
colonial competition, we have been shouldered co it of
important maritime advantages, which we had the
credit of originating, and for a long time aln lc .st
exclusively held. The several reasons to be assign ed
for our having been thus disarmed of so powe rf ul
an element of national prosperity, are traced wi th
great ability by Mr. CHARLES ENDERBY, in his a d-
mirable reply (which has been recently publishe d in
the form of a pamphlet, and to which we recomrr t 'nd
our mercantile men to give a careful perusal) to a It 4 ter
which was addressed to him by Mr. PRESTON. on
behalf of parties connected with the British shipyi 'ng
interest. To the inquiry, whether a systent of
superior efficacy could not be devised for resuscitali ng
our cetaceous trade, and to an extent not ol ily
beyond what we formerly enjoyed, but beyond t hat
to which it has at present been carried by ofw her
states, Mr. ENDERBY has satisfactorily replied in the
affirmative. This gentleman has elaborated
tistics, which are conclusive as to the errors of c ur
past policy, and full of promise in favour of his : re-
generative project. He has shown that this wide _% Id

of maritime enterprise, looking to the vast distem ce
between England and those seas which are chic 32 ly
frequexted by the monsters of the deep, cannot, be

successfully compassed by individual efforts ; thatt a

company ought to 131 chartered by the Crown, .tu id
that their operations should be centred in the Auc; k-
land Islands, which, situated in the South Pacii is

ocean, a distance of 160 miles from Stewart's Isla d,
the southernmost of the New Zealand gran: p,
render them highly eligible for the purposes of a
whaling station. These islands were first discovers d,
in 1806, by the captain of one of the whaling slai ps

belonging to the firm of Mr. ENDERBY, which led to
their being secured to the British Crown. To tl ie

former extension of the whale fisheries have we bef

indebted for accessions of geographical knowledge

and the establishment of new channels of trade.

We have not at present space for more filar,
a cursory notice of this important subjiect.
We shall take another opportunity of :re-

urning to it.

The benefits that would_ ,at-

tend the adoption of any well-devised wheal e
for raising the British whale fishery from its,depressed
condition are too numerous and too national to be