The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-27 00:00:00

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

The unwarrantable attack made by Mr. SMITH
O'BRIEN on her MAJEsr!'s Ministers, more particu-
larly on the Secretary for Ireland, during the pro-

gress of the debate on the Address, called forth
from that gentleman, and subsequently from the
Premier, a vindication of the conduct and policy of
the Government, as complete and satisfactory as could
be desired. The blind and unreasoning fury of that
attack defeated its own object, and rendered quite
unnecessary the powerful reply, the perfect refuta-
tion, and the gentlemanly rebuke, that fell from
the Irish Secretary. The well-known letter, an-
nouncing the intention of the Lord-Lieutenant to
sanction presentments for reproductive works, and
the non-assembling of Parliament in the month of
November, particularly excited the bile, and raised the
indignation of the Hon. Member for the county of
Limerick, who declared that such acts merited an im-
peachment. Well might Mr. LABOUCHERE say that,
" If the Member for Limerick county was prepared
to propose that he should lie censured for having
put his name to that letter, he did not believe that he
would find another Irish Member to second his mo-
tion, nor could he find another Irish Member to
concur with him in thinking that Parliament ought

to have been assembled in November." This is, un-
doubtedly, the truth, for Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN fortu-
nately happens to be the only representative of
Young Ireland in the Senate—the constituencies of
the sister island not entertaining the same exalted
opinion of the physical force party that the bellige-
rents do of themselves.
The information conveyed by the authentic statis-
tics elicited, the explanation of the motives, on
which the Government acted, and the general

character of their intentions towards Ireland,
were all of the highest importance. The startling
fact that in ordinary times there were no less than
1,135,715 agricultural labourers, whose average
earnings did not exceed from 2s. to 2s. 6d. per week,
and that they, with their families, were out of em-
ployment and in distress during thirty weeks of the
year, must prepare the mind for a knowledge of the
awful state which any extraordinary calamity affect-
ing the means of livelihood of those -doilappy suf-
ferers must occasion. There was nothing to fall
back upon,—no superfluity or comfort that could be
cut off or given up. In the best times they obtained a
scanty subsistence, barely sufficient to support
human nature, and any deduction therefrom at once
occasioned the most pitiable distress and destitution
We have now a calculation that may be relied on as
to the amount of loss estimated at a pecuniary value,
and also at the quantity of produce that has been
abstracted from the average supply. Mr. RICHARD
GRIFFITH, the eminent civil engineer, and probably
the most distinguished statistician in the United
Kingdom, undertook, at the request of GovernMent,
to make an estimate, and we regret to say that hia
report not merely confirms the conjectures previously
hazarded, but shows an amount of damage far greater
than any yet imagined. The loss, then, in money oc-
casioned by the potato disease appears to be no less
than 11,250,0001. sterling, and by the failure of the
oat crop 4,666,0001. sterling, making together
15,916,0001. sterling, or about one-third more than
the gross annual rental of Ireland; and by weight
and measure a loss of 8,437,500 tons of potatoes, and
5,227,000 quarters of oats. These figures will show
more powerfully than any language the extraordi-
nary extent of the national calamity, and the
imperative necessity for Imperial •aid to the suf-
ferers, and a general participation in the amount
of damage, so extensive, that if stiffered to fall ex-
elusively on a single class, and that already an em-
barrassed and impoverished one, it must wholly crush
and destroy it.
The policy of the Government respecting their
non-interference with the import provision trade, and
the necessity of a strict adherence to the pledge
which the Premier was required to give in the course
of last autumn was fully justified, and the fatal results
that must have attended any other course clearly
pointed out. Lamentable and heartrending as have
been the sufferings and destitution of the people,
they would have been fearfully increased if the
Government had adopted any other line of on-
duct. A distinct and positive answer was re-
quired by the merchants engaged in the provision
trade. The simple question was, will the Govern-
ment interfere with our operations, or come into the
market in opposition to us ? We have a right to know
before we embark our capital in the speculation. If you

refuse an answer we will take it as an indication of
the intention of the Government so to interfere, and
withdraw in time from the contract. What, then,
could the Government do ? They had only the option
of giving the required pledge, or of undertaking the
task of providing,_ at any cost or expenditure, under
any difficulties, not only for the people of Ireland, but
also the people of Great Britain, who, by such a
course, would have been involved in misery nearly
equal to that endured in Ireland. They selected the
wise and statesmanlike principle—they gave a direct
and straightforward answer. We will not interfere
with the import trade or, under ordinary circum-
stances, with the retail trade; and fortunate it was
that they did so; for, otherwise, the private speculators
would have withheld their capital, and the destitution
and mortality throughout the country would have
been tenfold that which has unfortunately taken
place. And a great distinction existed between the cir-
cumstances under which the late Premier
caused the importation of Indian corn and those
of the present exigencies—that was a great
experiment which, though eminently success-
ful, could not safely have been repeated. The
gigantic efforts of the Government by the legitimate
means open to them may be judged of from the simple
fact, that there are at present over 450,000 labourers
employed on the public works, while the officers en-
gaged under the Board of Works are-74 inspecting
officers, 3G engineers, 385 surveyors, and 1,840 over-
seers ; this is the inadequate staff, the paucity of
whose numbers have been so loudly complained of.
It also appears that the almost unanimously ex-
pressed opinion of the intelligent gentlemen, both in
and out of Parliament, consulted, was that Parliament
should not be called together in November, but that
the Government should adopt such measures as they
might think necessary, on their own responsibility,
and trust to a Parliamentary indemnity.

The St. Felersburgh Journal of the 15th publishes an
account of the repulse of an attack upon the Russian
fortress of the Golowin, in the Caucasus. The enemy
is stated to have retired after sustaining a loss of 50
men. The Russians state their loss at four kille
tid and
12 wounded. The EMPEROR, as a proof of his sasfac-
tion at the brilliant defence of the garrison, has pro-
moted some of the officers, and granted decorations to
some of the privates.
The St. Petersburgh journals publish a royal re-
script, conferring on M. LEVERRIER, the astronomer, the
order of St. Stanislaw; of the second class.
Committees have been formed in Russia for inquiring
into the condition of the peasants on the seigniorial ter-
ritories, in order that a statute may be prepare for
their amelioration. In 29 governments there are 21d ,148
landowners who have not more than 25 peasants, while
others have only a single portion of land without pea-

cants. The Government has deeidA upon tram:Tim-A-
ing these reduced nobles to the lands belonging to
.the
Crown in the governments of Simbirslc and T0h01,1,.
One of the sons of each family will be brought up in the
battalions of the military cantons.

The Swiss Federal Gazette of the 21st January
says—

"We learn that the French Ambassador, M. de Bois-le-
Comte, who had resided at Zurich since his arrival, but who
left a few days ago to take his seat in the Chamber of Peers,
will, on his return, fix his residence at Berne. On the other
hand, the Ambassadors of Prussia and Bavaria will follow
the example of those of Russia and Austria and leave Berne
(or Zurich. The French Ambassador was not a party to the
note addressed by the Ambassadors of Russia, Austria, and
Prussia, to the Vorort of Berne; but it is supposed that the
French Government approves of the views of the three
Northern Courts relative to the federal duties of the Vorort

Madrid papers of the 19th have arrived. The reports
of an approaching change in the Ministry still con-
tinned rife in Madrid, and it was even said that the
Ministry would be dissolved before the debate on the
Address could come on in the Chamber of Deputies. The
KING, it was said, had shown to Senor ORTEGA, a Deputy
in his confidence, a letter written by the QUEEN, in
which her MAJESTY expresses her wish for the forma-
tion of a more constitutional Cabinet.
The debate in the Senate still continued, and on the

18th there was a " scene" between General SERRANO
and Senor ISTURITZ, in which the personal recrimi-
nations which were exchanged were of so violent a cha-
racter that it was supposed a hostile encounter would
have been the consequence. On the 19th several Sena-

tors attacked the Ministry for their connivance at the
ttng out of the Flores' expedition, when Senor
ISTURITZ in the most emphatic manner denied, in the
name of himself and his colleagues, all participation i❑
or connexion with that enterprize. A telegraphic dis
patch announces the election of Senor CASTRO Y Oaozco
as President of the Chamber of Deputies. The Clamor
Publico of the 18th states that very alarming accounts
had been received from Navarre, where the Carlists had
been successful in exciting a strong feeling against the
law of recruitment and rousing the people in favour of
the Count. Dm MONTEMOLIN by pretending that he would
respect thcirfueros. Scenes similar to that which had
been witnessed at Pampeluna had taken place at Tafalla,
Sanguesa, and Estella.
Maann) BoasA, JAN. 19.—The Three per Cents. were
done at 31% for cash; the Five per Cents., at 20.3i1 ; the
Coupons, at 18%; the Vales, at 8%; and the Debt without
Interest, at 64.

We have received the Pal; papers of Monday.
The Presse has the following announcement :

" We must do Lord Palmerston the justice of acknowledg-
ing that he has perseverance in his designs, his cupidities,
and his hatreds. He has not abandoned his projects of 1840
upon Egypt; he has only modified them. He has no longer
the idea of taking forcible possession of Egypt, but of buy-
ing it I Offers have been secretly made at Alexandria and
Constantinople for the inheritance by England, on the death
of the Viceroy, of all his royal spoils, on terms discussed and
settled. If these offers should be accepted, what will be
done by France—isolated France?"
The meaning of this we take to be, that Lord PAL-
ISIERSTON has discovered and circumvented the intrigues
in which the French Government has for some years
past been engaged, in order to get possession Tither by
fraud or by force of Egypt. The French Government
has " never abandoned its projects upon Egypt—it has
not abandoned them to this hour, although there is more
caution in the conducting them at the present moment
than was necessary, during the hybernation of Lord
&ABERDEEN at the Foreign-office.
The Journal du Havre announces the arrival in that
port of 35,000 barrels of flour by eight yessels,fr9m the
United States. This, it says, forms part of -100,000
barrels that have been shipped in the United States for

Th. Commeve has- the following on the subject of the
prices of bread and bread-stuffs :
"We said yesterday that, the price of bread in Parii,
would probably be raised to fifty centimes ,the kilogramme
from the Ist of next February. The medium price at the
Halle yesterday has stilt further raised the price of flour,
which regulates the price of bread, and brought it to
'sBf. the price rise sixty-five centimes more, the price of
bread will be 51c. Fortunately, this does not appear to be
probable. In the principal markets in the neighbourhood. of
Paris there has been, it is true, a new augmentation of price,
but to-day we receive more satisfactory accounts from Havre,
where the arrivals of corn and flour from America are daily
increasing. At Havre prices have fallen very considerably
because arrivals are expected, which are estimated at
100,000 barrels of flour. On the other hand, the vessels
loaded with grain for Marseilles, which were detained in the
Bosphorus or Mediterranean by contrary winds,' begin to
arrive at their deStination, and their number is said to be
from 400 to 500. The news from the west is also better.
There are no new outbreaks. With tranquillity the markets
will be supplied with grain, and the prices will become
moderate."

According to Emancipation of Toulohae, the du. thori-
ties have received information that on the night of the
18th inst. CAnannA slept at a chateau near Faryeaux.
For several days the gendarmerie have been scour-
ing the country in search of the redoubted Carlist
chief, who, however, has hitherto managed to escape

capture_
The Minister of Marine has ordered all money due by
his department to be forth" ith paid both in Paris and
the seaports. It is supposed that the money thus thrown
into circulaion for contracts, arrears of pay, &c., will
serve to alleviate the present pressure on trade and

manufactures.
General FLORES has arrived in Paris.
The Corn Importation Bill was introduced into the
Chamber of Peers on Monday.
"The calculated expenses in the Budget of 1848, for the
department of war, amount to 331,510,506 francs. The
effective of the army amounts to 342,767 men, and 83,851
horses; 282,767 men, and 68,361 horses, being for home ser-
vice; and 60,000 men, and 15.490 horses for Algeria. In
the budget of the marine, the sum demanded is 140,934,819
francs."

It will be seen that the fall of prices in London occasioned
a similar, though not So extensive, a movement in Paris on

Monday, on which day the Three per Cents. closed on the
Paris Bourse at 77f. 50c. ; the Five per Cents., 117 f. 20c. ;
the Orleans Railroad Shares, 1,212 f. 50c. ; Rouen, 872 f.
50c. ; Havre, 670 f. ; Great Northern, 607 f. 50c. ; Avignon,
827 f. 50c. ; Vierzon, 570 f. ; Bordeaux, 537 f. 50c. ;Basle 210 f.
Paris and Strasburg, 468 f. 75c. ; Nantes, 470 f. ; Paris and
Lyons, 487 f. sCar. ; Lyons and Avignon,4Bof.
MARSEILLES, JAN. 20.—Marseilles and Avignon, 833 E
75c.; Northern, 615 f. •
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT. THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, JANUARY 26.

Boulogne and Amiens, 14% —Dutch Rhenish, 334—Great Southern
of Madras, !4-Luxembourg, 2—Northern of France, 12% —Orleans
and Bordeaux, 7%—Paris and Lyons, 7% —Sambre and Meuse, 6%

NUMEROUS FIRES SINCE LAST

NIGHT.

Four serious fires have occurred in different parts of the
metropolis since half-past eleven o'clock last night. The
following are the particulars :
In Connaught-terrace, Edgware-road, at fifteen minutes
before twelve, upon the private premises in the occupation of
Mrs. Sarah Silby. The fire, which was caused by the copper
flue, obtained considerable hold of the board timber in the
party walls. The firemen had much difficulty in staying the
progress of the flames, and this was not done till much of
the wood work and the walls were removed by cutting away.
Supposed to be insured in the Alliance.
AT LIMEHOUSE.—About half-past one this morning, a de-
structive fire was discovered upon the premises in the occu-
pation of Mr. Samuel Edwards, brewer, &c., Church-
passage and Frederick-street, Salmon's-lane, Liinehouse.
The brewery was nearly destroyed, and the dwelling com-
municating therewith burned out, with the bxception of the
front room on the first floor. Building and contents insured
in the Phoenix. The adjoining house in Rhodeswell-road, in
the occupation of Mr. Tedman, hairdresser, was damaged in
a trifling manner—not insured.

AT NEW Cucts.— Shortly before three, upon the pre-
mises, the property of J. Trimnell, Esq. (the occupier) situate
in St. James's-place, New Cross. This fire was not extin-
guished until the basement floor, and flooring above, were
severely damaged by fire, and the valuable furniture mate-
rially damaged by heat, smoke, and water. Building in-
sured in the Licensed Victuallers' Office, furniture in the
Atlas. The adjoining house, ja the occupation of Mr. C.
Bryan, was also damaged.
IN TIDE OLD KENT-ROAD —Just before five o'clock the
fourth fire broke out in the building occupied by Mr. J.
Hoxton, baker, Mason-street, Old Kent-road. In conse-
quence, it appears, of a defect in the crown of the oven.
Fortunately the fire was extinguished before any very ex-
tensive damage was done, except to the lofts immediately
over the bakehouse. Contents not insured; building un-
known.

MR. WILSON'S NIGHT FOR THE HIGHLANDERS.—
The Princess's Concert Room was last night crowded to the
ceiling, and many persons were reluctantly compelled to leave
the doors without being able to procure admission. Mr.
Wilson's generous act was therefore well seconded by the
public, and he may well be proud of the crowd that his talent
drew round him in so praiseworthy a cause. He was most
enthusiastically cheered when he -made his appearance, as
much as to say, "We honour you for the noble example you
have set to all other performers." Mr. Wilson gave his en-
tertainment on the melodies of the Highlands, than which
there could have been nothing more appropriate for the oc-
casion. He introduced a beautiful song, written by Mr.
James Ballantine, of Edinburgh, entitled "The Highlanders'
Farewell to Home," which seemed to touch the hearts of the
audience. Ile was in capital voice, and gave all the songs
with his accustomed excellence. Before Mr. Wilson com-
Tepees his campaign for the season in London, he is to visit
Edinburgh, Glasgow, and also Paris, where he is to sing in
March. lie has our best wishes for his continued success.
EXPERIENC.US OF A GAOL CHAPLAIN.”-A great
deal of interest has of late been, and continues to be taken in
the very important subject of prison discipline, and the re-
clamation of criminals, and several works have been written,
which, to say the truth, have communicated much general
information touching this matter. But general treatises,
however elaborate, have not half the effect, and consequently
are not nearly so useful, as particular facts. It is for this
reason that we hail " The Experiences of a Gaol Chap-
lain," just bublished by Mr. Bentley. It is indeed a dark
page,from life's volume, but which, whilst it is one of the most
valuable disclosures ever made as to the economy of our
prisons and the moral condition of their inmates, is one of the
most interesting collections of narratives ever published.
ROYAL NAVAL SCHOOL.—Yesterday a special ad-
journed meeting of the supporters of this institution was held
at the School, situate near New-cross, Deptford, for the pur-
pose of electing a president in the room of Admiral Sir
Charles Ogle. Lord Prudhoe had, it was understood, suf-
fered himself to be put in nomination, but when the time
for the election came his Lordship communicated his inten-
tion of declining the honour and duties of the office. In
consequence no election took place, and the meeting again
adjourned.