The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-29 00:00:00

LONDON, TFIURSDAY MORNING, APRIL 29, 1847.

IRISH AND SCOTCH DISTIT_ESS.
We still receive painful corninunicciens respce:ng
the need of food, seed, :Ind clothes; and, at the request
of t':e seer-tart' of the linited Relief Asso2iati, n, we ,
give i e,er,i,,T, to the followino. let•ers re2ently received:

H.M.S. Scourge, Greenock, N. 8., April 19, 1847.
MY DEAR SIR—You will justly charge me with being
very remiss in not h-vinz acknowledged your kind note
nclosing Miss Colvin 1/., and the 4/. from your asso-
ciation for poor Mrs. Ga • hle of Surg,eview.
I have just returned from the neighbourhood of Sligo,
having been there with seed corn for Sir Ito'.:. rt e
Booth, and I only received your letter on my arrival, and
at the same time one from Mrs. Gamble, acknowledging
the receipt of the 5/., and, with much gratitude, begging
of me to express her thanks. lam happy to say 201.
has been set to her.

I must thank you to acknowledge the very great kind-
noes of my unknown friend "E.'s" gift for the same
family. Should you have occasion to seed her any more
a letter directed to •‘ Mrs. Gamble, Surgeview, to the
care of Mr. Rowe, postmaster, Bellmullet," will reach
her in safety.
lam very gird the association hes taken up the seed
question so earnestly. Ido hope it may be met by the
people, and yet I fear in many cases it cannot, as the
poorer landholders have no money ; and the landlords
will not or cannot advance upon the growing c ops. I
think in some cases they may hold back from fear, as,
from the fact of the sowing being so restricted, the
opinion has taken deep root that if they sow others will
reap ; yet this would be removed if sowing became
general.
In the neighbourhood of Sligo Sir Robert and Lady
Gore Booth have done much good, and it would be
well for Ireland if all the landlords took as much
personal interest in their property as he does.
There is a degree of cleanliness and comfort
throughout his estate which speaks more than
words could do of the care taken of the tenantry. Lord
Palmerston's property adjoins Sir Robert's, and he. too,
has bee❑ doing a great deal of good. A healthy looking
man, or a strong horse in the neighbourhood, is at once
said to come from " Lissadele." A portion of Sir Ro-
bert's property (not more than 1,000 acres) is a sands,
isthmus, the send of which extends over about 2,000
acres, the half of which is the property of J. Gethins,
Esq. On this sand reside about 60 families (numbering
about 300 souls). The sand is a moving mass, and the
drift hrs been so eTeat that many of the cabins are hid
from view altogether. the sand being on a level with the
tops of the chimney-hole. Sir Robert has got an emi-
grant ship (which his brother has bought) on her way to
Sligo Bay, intending to pack off 300 of his tenantry if
he can, with the view of enlarging his farms to 15, 20.
and 25 acres. I believe he intends also to send those of
his tenants who may have their habitation upon this
sandy district. I went into the cabins in one of the
villages, called Ballyconnels, in the parish of Drum-
eliffe, barony of Carberry, belonging to Mr. Gethins.
The (hilt sand caused a cleanly appearance to both out-
side and in. The entrance resembled that of a rabbit
burrow, and you had to crawl upon hands and knees
to accomplish the task of gett:ng inside. There
was misery within the walls, A poor man sat on one
ride a small peat fire, and an old woman on the other;
upon a log of wood. The old man was quite naked, and
a skeleton form he certainly displayed. His bed rug was
the only thing he had over his shoulders; this was his
only covering by day or night. His limbs were much swol-
len at the extremities, and his tongue was like a piece of
raw beef. I saw this poor old man the day before (Sir
Robert having taken me), but on the occasion I speak
of the surgeon was with me. He said he was he
yond medical interference. :However, I insisted upon
their getting him some rice, not with any hope of the
poor old man recovering; he is past that. In another
and an adjoining cabin lay a poor old woman in bed,
literally skin and bone, her legs, her arms, her chest.
were frightful; her stomach was swollen very much.
and she said she was in much pain; indeed, whilst stand-
ing by the side of her one of her paroxysms of pain came
on, distorting her features fearfully. We desired them
to get her rice, and feed her by small quantities at a time.
These poor creatlrEs are in great destitution, and ought
not to he allowed to exist in such habitations, or on such
a wilderness. I have no doubt there would be great diffi-
culty in +Ming them, but I am strongly of opinion
some other place sh -mid be provided for them. In each
of the cabins we visit-id, one or two such cases were to
be found, confined to the aged and the children ; those
of the family who were able to work were out on the
roads or planting bent (a sort of rus% which grows on
the sand. end prevents its drifting.) The district was
very healthy ; na fever or dysentery.
I am now going to the Shetland or Orkney Islands
with meal, and sail to-morrow. I have a great many
letters to write, which must plead my excuse for this
hurried one to you.—With many thanks to your com
mittee, believe me, my dear Sir, very truly yours.
J. CRA WFORD CAFFIN.
The Rev. G. 11. Stoddart, &c.

Singort Manse, Portree, Skye, March 30, 1847.
Sir—l am advised to apply to your society for relief
for this parish, consisting of upwards of 3,000 souls.
almost all now in a state of destitution, greatly aggra-
vated by the prevalence of measles and typhus.
Some Christian friends in England placed small sums
of money at my disposal, with which I have been enabled
to relieve a great amount of suffering by giving food,
medicines, and paying sick nurses and other attendance.
I am called on also very frequently to assist, and in some
instances to defray the whole expense necessarily in-
curred in burying the dead.
Every one acquainted with the Highlands mast re-
member that the funds for the benefit of the poor were
intrusted to the minister end his elders for distribution ;
and though the case is now altered, in consequence of the
poor-law having come into operatic n, still those in dis.
tress think the minister is the only person to whom they
should apply, and from this circumstance, coupled with
the unfortunate state of the parish, were it not for the
kindness of some clergyme❑ of the Church of England,
would sooner leave my people altogether than be obliged
to witness, not only daily, but hourly, sufferings which I
could not alleviate.

The supplies of oatmeal, the only food sent us by the
central board, have been hitherto limited and irregular,
and in the intervals between each supply the people have
suffered severely. I could describe scenes I have wit-
nessed that scarcely would be credited in England.
The famine is likely to be prolonged far beyond this
year, for the want of any seed of any kind to he laid in
the ground. There are hundreds of poor families in this
parish, who have patches of land for potatoes, and which
must be waste for want of seed, The potato crop being
an entire failure none can be got for love or money in
this island. Can your society do anything to alleviate
our distress? If so, let it be done speedily; seed time is
now passing away, and though we have applied in dif-
ferent quarters no help is held out to us. May God
send us help, and that right early. Leaving our cause ,
in his hands, whose is the silver and the gold, and who
can turn the hearts of those who are more favoured than
we are towards us in the time of need.

I sin in great haste, your obedient servant,

ANGUS MARTIN.
The Rev. G. H. Stoddart, M.A., Secretary,
United Relief Association, 40, Leicester-square.

Romelee, Kanturk, Ireland, April 8.
Dear Sir,—l have the pleasing duty of returning to
you and the United Relief Association heartfelt thanks
for the benevolent donation of 5/. for the relief and
clothing of the destitute children and females of my
vicinity. This enables me to add many a sufferer to
list this morning. May it please the Almighty to return
a blessing fourfold to those generous benefactors of the
destitute who so literally fulfil the desire of their Lord—
" When I was an hungered ye gave me feed; naked, and
ye clothed me."
Already the altered appearance of the children who
have been for some months fed at the school, and taught,
is remarkable. As those who have received new clothes
come to the window to be reviewed each morning, it is
indeed a pleasing sight; and I bless God, who has en-
abled me, assisted by the sympathy of the humane, to be
of some use in this afflicted country. There is nothing
more necessary now for the poor than clothing; most of
their wretched garments are threadbare.

F I propose shortly (D.V.) giving an extensive order
for home-made flannel. This will give employment, and
render clothing less expensive. Irish•made flannel is a
most durable article, well suited for the poor.
I have thus trespassed on your time, knowing that you
are generously interested for the suffering poor of this '
much afflicted country.—l have the honour to remain,
Sir, your faithful and obliged servant,

MARGARET NEWMAN.

Elm Cottage, Cheam, Surrey, April 16
My dear have been urgently requested by a
friend in Mallow to supplicate your committee for a
grant of clothing to the ladies' female relief association
of that t,-)vrn. My correspondent, who is their secretary,
is the wife of Richard Barret, Esq., J.P., chairman of
the board of guardians, &c.
With your permission, I will make a few extracts
from her letter to me, on the subject of the prevailing
eiitress.
Speaking of the fever which is now raging in Mallow,
she says, "several of the poor people are walking about
literally dying. and when you recollect that those who
recover are obliged to creep about in their old, disease-
infected clothes, you will not be surprised at the rapid
spread of disease. Only imagine to be lying day and
night in the same miserable rags, without any
change whatever, when, if there could be a
change of clothing provided for those few who
recover, their old rags might be burned. Instead of
this, the pestilential covering of the dead is eagerly
grasped by the living, to cover their emaciated frames.
If we could but procure some clothing for them, it
would b 2 the greatest boon. An old cotton gown,
without any under garments, is all such poor skeletons
wear. Were I writing to a lady, I might tell of such
wants as would amaze the women of England. I assure
you that nearly everything in this house which could
be converted into clothing—such as sofa covers, cur-
tains, old carpets, coverlets, &c.—have disappeared long
since.

Our committee is trying to give employment to a
number of poor women, and we hourly witness such
scenes as no pen can describe. Our funds are so small
that we cannot afford to give away gratuitously. I see
by the advertisement of your valuable committee that
they propose to make grants of clothing. They little
know the incalculable benefits that will arise from this
branch of their b. nevo!ent exertions.

Idyou bear
of the poor in this neighbourhood, nor c iut.
id
worse is
I am not capable of delineating the deplorable state
to hear it. Yet all this and a thousand 0
_ell __ow.
the actual experience of multitudes of our f
creatures.
You will bear with me while I implore of you to use
your influence with your truly valuable committee to let
ine have a grant of clothing for distribution by our
ladies' committee
amongst these poor people,
to whom
we are endeavouring to give employment. I assure you
that in many cases it is dangerous to come into contact
with them; and even our servants, though genettily

anxious to assist, are often unwilling to approach them.
Now all this we ul I be greatly nitrated, if not entirely
removed, by cleanliness; but this, of course, we cannot
insist on when the poor, wretched creatures have not a
single rag beyond 'hat which hags on their emaciated
bodies. Whole families are fourd by the visitors in bed,
or rather, I should say, covered up in filthy straw for
want of clothes of any description.
I would willingly pay the eirriage of any parcel or
bale the committee may b? kird enough to grant us.
The state of our poor children at the parochial
schools is truly distressing. They are all iu rags. We
shall have very few left after this grievous sickness.
One word of comment from me on this harrowing tale
of misery would be wholly superfluous. I shall only say
that I earnestly commend this case to the humane and
generous attention of your committee.
I remain, may dear Sir,
Very faithfully yours,
The Rev. G. H. Stoddart. J. D. HARE.

ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSIONS
(IRELAND).
The following is an abstract of the annual report of
the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for Ireland to the Lord
Lieutenant, for the year ending August 1, 1346. (Just
issued by order of Parliament) :
We, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for Ireland,
whose hands and corporate seal are hereunto annexed,
beg leave to report to your Excellency, pursuant to the
provisions of the Act 3d and 4th William IV., c. 37, the
proceedings of the Commissioners for the year ending
the Ist of August, 1846.

The repairs of the parochial churches, the greater
number of which are old and dilapidated buildings,
necessarialy absorb in each year a large portion of what-
ever moneys may be available for Church works ; and
although many churches require rebuilding, did the
funds admit of it, the Commissioners are able, from time
to time, to select such only as are most pressing, and to
defer the others as long as the buildings can be upheld.
Out of the sum of 23,6871. 18s. appropriated for Church
works within the year, 175/. only has been allocated to
the purposes of enlargements. By this small expendi-
ture, aided by private subscriptions, increased accom
modation will be afforded for 335 persons, in the churches
of Desertserges in the diocese of Cork. Kilfithmore in
the diocese of Cashel, and of Drumgooland in the dio-
cese of Dromore. 2,736/. Is. 7d. has been allocated for
completing the rebuilding of five of the churches men-
tioned in the last report ; 4,000/. to commence the re-
building of eleven churches which were urgently required ;
and 12,771 L 9s. 9d. is in the course of being expended
in the repair of 888 churches.
Of the residue of the sum appropriated to church
works, 1,000/. has been expended in repairing the en-
closing fences of 131 churches; 305/. 63. Bd., in the
erection of stoves and bells; 2001. in the internal clean.
ing of churches; and 2,500/. in external painting.
An advantage resulting from a distribution of this
kind is, that th Commissioners have obtained, in aid of
these several objects. contribtrioos sme•upting t(
8,4651 7s. 10d., viz., for the purpose of enlarger]) nts
445/ ; of rebuildings, 7,1441. 6s. 3d., of which
2,841/. 13s. Sd. has been received within the year; for
external painting and cleaning. 324/ Bs. 64.; expended
by the parishioners, and for the providing of stoves, Sze
551/. 13s. Id.; the subscribers thereby manifesting their
desire to co-operate with the Commissioners in the works
undertaken by them. •
Connected with the preservation of the churches, se-
veral matters continue to engage the particular attention
of the Commissioners, which are more important than
may at first appear. A system has prevailed in thi=
country of interring bodies close to the fabrics, and the
effect has been to engender damp, and rot the flooring
and adjoining woodwork; this, together with the almost
general want of gutters, pipes, and sewers to carry off
the water, has caused considerable injury to the
churches and expense to the funds of the board. The
enclosing of churches by suitable fences has been in
some cases wholly neglected, and in others the en-
closures have Eeen so insufficient, that the demands on
the Commissioners under this head are increasing very
considerably. It is only by degrees that these matters
can be attended to ; but the Commissioners have the
satisfaction to state that they are in the course of being
remedied as opportunities present themselves and their
funds will admit.

The following' churches, rebuilt by the Commis-
sioners, have been opened for ce':bration of Divine ser-
vice within the year :—Loughguile, in Connor diccese,
capable of accommodating 320 persons ; Enniscorthy,
in Ferns diocese, for 880 ; Gallen, in Meath diocese,
for 220 ; Charleville and Cloynepriest, both in Cloyne
diocese, the former capable of accommodating 264. and
he latter 90 persons ; and Dysertenos, in Leighlin dio-
cese, for 120 persons.
And the churches now in progress of rebuilding, or
for the rebuilding of which, although not yet oommenced,
funds have been provided, either wholly or in part, by
the Commissioners, are 23 in number.
In some of these cases, as in those of Ballyhalbert and
Whitchurch, the Commissioners have only contributed
about one-fourth of the expense, the parishioners having
undertaken to provide the remainder; but the works are
carried on under the superintendence and direction of the
architect and directors of' tha board. In other cases, where
funds have been provided for one or two years, the Com-
missioners have not been able to commence the buildings
from the difficulty experienced in procuring new sites and
obtaining the necessary consents. These delays are not
attributable to the Commissioners, and are occasioned by
circumstances over which they have no controul.
In relation to the moneys arising under Bishop Gore's
will, from the inappropciate title of Cahir parish, in the
diocese of Lismore, of which the Commissioners, by order
of the Court of Chancery, have been made trustees, a
separate account has been opened, by which it appears
that a sum of 2,4461. 11s. 4d. stood to the credit of the
trust on the Ist inst.; as the testator's will limited the
bequest to the rebuilding and repairs of old ruined
churches in the dioceses of Waterford and Lismore, the
Commissioners have, with the approbation, and under
the direction of the Bishop, appropriated thereout the
sum of 2,0001. for the rebuilding the parish church of
Drumcannon, in the diocese of Waterford, and a plan to
afford accommodation to 500 persons has been prepared
and submitted to thefißveishporpebEconrdsh,isaanpdprfiovftayl.
deiageneitbieesc'ame vacant within the year, of which
It appears by the returns of promotions and otherwise,
parochial
benefices,
nine are liable to tax, and the rest are not liable. In
respect to the dignities and prebends, the Lord-Lieu-
tenant and Privy Council have, on the recommendation
of the Commissioners, been pleased to suspend the ap
pointments of clerks to the treasurership of the cathedral
church of Ardfert, of the annual value of 48Z 19s. 9d. ;
to Taghsaxon and Kilmeen, Prebends belonging to the
cathedral church of Tuarn, the former of the annual
value of Si. 12s. 6d., and the latter of 116/. 8e 11d. ; and
to Kilcooley prebend, belonging to the cathedral church
of Elphin, of the annualpvearlpueetteiftyB4pLulrcl
hs.ases, 46 appli-
catilornitsh respect
opspureccht purchase tlhiaeve been received from immediate
tenants, and 52 from sub-tenants. Of the applications
from the sub-tenants, so many as 44 related to property
comprised in one lease from the see.
Purchases have been completed to the amount f
3,7781. 2s. I Id., of which sum 2,4991. 10s. Bd. has been
paid into the Bank of Ireland to the credit of the perpe
tuity purchase fund, and the residue has been secured by
way of mortgage. '['he smallness of the amount re-
ceived within the year, under this head, was occasioned
by certain inquiries made by the Privy Council, in re-
lation to the calculations of the Commissioners, which
caused the approval of the terms of purchase in twenty-
two cases, amounting to 9,923/.lls. 6d., to be delayed
for several mouths. A sum, to the amount of
8,9241. 4s. 2d., has also been lodged in the Bank to the
credit of the fund, in liquidation of mortgages heretofore
granted on former sales. And from these payments a
further instalment to the amount of 10,000/. has been
paid to the Board of Public Works, in liquidation of the
loan of 100,0001. advanced by that Board to the Com-
missioners under the provisions of the Act 4th and sth
William IV., c. 90. And the residue, after defraying the
necessary expenses, has been invested in Government
securities.

Under the provisions of the Acts 3d and 4th William
IV., c. 37, and 6th and 7th Victoria. c. 99, the sum of
2,338/. Os. I Id. has boon paid to the Bishops of Cork
and Kihnore ; 6,362/. 15s. 4d. has been paid to curates,
vicars-choral, and diocesan schoolmasters. And under
the provisions of the 3d and 4th Victoria, c. 101,
930/. 7s. 10. has bQen paid in augmentation of' small

benefices, exclusive of the sum of 4,451/. 2s. 101 applied
under Primate Boulter's Bequest to augmentation pur-
poses, thereby making the total payments made within
the year on these several accounts amount to the sum of
14,0821. 6s. Ild.

An account of the receipts and disbursements of the
Commissioners to the Ist instant is annexed to this re-
port, showing the sources from whence the receipts have
arisen and the specific purposes to which they have been
applied.

(Signed) JOHN G. ARMAGH.
RICHARD DUBLIN.
EDWADD MEATH.
R. DERRY, &c.
HENRY MEREDYTII.
JOHN C. ERCIC.
GYM. C. QUIN.

LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY EVENING.—The packet-
ship Mary Ann, Captain Brown, arrived in the Mersey this
morning with advices from Boston to the 6th inst. inclusive,
bringing intelligence of considerable importance from Mexico.
Later dates per Ashburton have, however, superseded the
advices by the former ship.
INVEIGLING AND ROBBING A SURGEOW.—At the
Court of Justiciary, held at Glasgow, on Thursday, two per-
sons, James Ford, and Jane Livingston, were sentenced to
fourteen years' transportation, for having inveigled Mr.
Black, a surgeon, into their lodgings under the pretence that
his services were required for a sick person, and then as-
saulting and robbing him.
M. Dietz, whose name has been so repeatedly
mentioned in the domestic affairs of Portugal, arrived in
London on Tuesday.
THE COMMISSARIAT ESTIMATES.—The Net total
amount required to meet the expenses of the Commissariat
Department during the year 1847-48 is 494,433/., against
397,2C31. in 1846-47.
GRAY'S INN, Aram 28.—The under-named gen-
tlemen were this day called to the degree of Barrister-at-
Law, by the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn—viz , Ed-
ward Jo..epli Powell, Esq., Peter Borthwick, Esq., and Wil-
liam Frederick Higgins, sq.
THE TALLOW CHANDLERS' BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.
—The anniversary festival of this charity took place Oil
Tuesday at the London Tavern, and was well attended by the
members of the trade. Lord 11. Grosvenor presided, and
Alderman Challis, Sir G. Larpent,
Alderman Farncomb, and
Mr. W. Hawes, were among the guests present. The bene-
volent objects o; the charity are the relief of indigent and /
incapacitated tallow chandlers, their widows, and others
connected with the trade. From the report it appe:rs that
the society, although only in its infancy, has already been
the nie •ns of much usefulness; and the increasing amount
of donations, exceeding this year the sum of 300/., gives
every reason to believe that it will be enabled materially to
extend the sphere of its operations. The dinner and its ac
companying arrangements were all that could be desired.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF CHANCERY, April2B.
The Lord Chancellor sat in his Court at Westminster to-day.
MOSELEY v. ALSTON.-JUDOMENT.-TIIE NARROW V. THE