The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-23 00:00:00

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yond its due limits. I can assure your
I spend many a sleepless hour at ni :lordship that
'-'
of the uneasiness which I feel nt in consequence
Inadmiviudnudaelsr
as w
as to the tran_quil f apprehensions which
!atiof the country. Humble
we come here representing
thousands.; thouuswael i
s are awaiting our return, looking
with anxiety as to what may be the result of our mission.
Sir JAMES cf.' NBERSON, Bart., said that no language
could l'.;Sequately describe the misery of the Irish people
in consequence of the destruction of the potato crop. That
he had made it his business to visit the poor in their
wretched hovels, where he had learned to demonstration,
not only their privations, but also their fortitude and
Christian resignation. No other nation had set such au
example of practical philosophic patience. Though many
of the poor were living on it for food, the small remain-
ing portion of the potato crop, being in a rapid state of
d
snb uro set taebdne, a
hwn
aco
den.
estuth eet he
peo
starve,omp ipel c
beingaat
ne dd
ndwi ttoehreedsues
without
iettmo cp opl
our
yel
decomposition, had become totally unfit for human
dr ee rs Under
ell nv
det that ar
not
ment, and,consequently having no money to purchase
serves the lives of their young children and aged parents,
they would, unless speedily relieved, resort to the cattle,
sheep, and corn of their wealthier neighbours. He felt
it his duty to society at large to make Lord John Russell
acquainted with the determination of his countrymen,
expressed to him as one in whom they confided, and
urge on his Lordship's attention the dreadful conse-
quences that must arise unless prompt measures were
taken to-insure the peace of the country by affording
adequate and productive employment to the working
classes now on the verge of starvation. Owing to the
patriotic press of Ireland, the people were well aware of
those who had uniformly advocatad liberal measures, and
that as his Lordship had been.consistent in politics, be .
held a high place in public estimation. The people re-
membered that his Lordship had on all occasions voted
for Roman_Catholic Emancipation. They knew that he
gave to Great Britain the Reform Bill, but they did not
forget that that great measure, the second Magna Charta,
would not have become the law of the land had not his
Lordship received the support of the Liberal Irish Mem-
bers,
the members of the people. On this account alone
the Irish consider they are fairly entitled to the most
liberal assistance from the present Administration.
Viewing the magnitude of the calamity with which it
had pleased Providence:to afflict his country, he thought
Government could not be aware of the universal distress,
as the means of relief afforded to a starving nation were
totally inadequate. His Lordship caused 20,000,000/ of
money to be granted to relieve the blacks from slavery.
The Irish people thus were aware that the Ministers, on
great emergencies, had the power of using the public
money to promote the good of the nation—and bearing
in mind that the absentees had taken from Ireland since
the Union upwards of 240,000,0001., and that the largest
portion of this most enormous sum had been spent in
England—they felt that they had a legitimate right to
expect that the Government would unhesitatingly cause
large loans to be granted to the landed proprietors and
others possessing real property, for the purpose of
affording permanent, useful, and profitable employ-
ment to the working classes ; and lest that money so
lent should not be applied to the purposes intended
without the employment of the people, the Go-
vernment ought to have the power of superintend-
ence, so as to secure the money reaching the pockets
of the labourers. Thus the working classes would
receive the full benefit of the loans. It is absolutely
necessary that the wages of the labourers should be in-
creased to one shilling a day, as one of the greatest
causes of the poor Irishman's miser), is the very small
amount of money paid to him for his day's work. By
bold, honest, and decided measures your Lordship can
ilium the permanent happiness and comfort of the Irish
people—you possess the power of introducing capital
into Ireland, all the country wants to make her a great
and flourishing nation. As the loans would be for the
benefit of the people, they should be made the first claim
upon the land and other property—thus may the national
peace of Ireland be secured for the future, and the misery
and wretchedness of the Irish be for ever removed with-
out augmenting the taxes of the British nation. The
lasting gratitude of the Irish will be your Lordship's re-
ward—and by acting fairly by a brave and loyal people
you will make Ireland the right hand of England's
strength, in place of being a thorn in the Ministerial
side, which she willcontinue to be until ample and liberal
justice be done to her.
Lord J. RUSSELL, in reply, read a paper before him
describing the nature of the measures which have just
passed through Parliament, which he thought should be
sufficient to meet the present emergency. He acknow-
ledged they had no power of compelling presentment ses-
sions to pass works, but he did not think, under the pre-
sent state of the country, they would attempt to refuse
them ; for such sessions were not only responsible to the
Government for the faithful discharge of their duty, but
they were subject to a higher responsibility, that of the
county demanding such works. His Lordship was
deeply, very deeply sensible to the permanently dis-
tressed social condition of the country ; he acknow-
ledged that Ihe measures just.,passed ;were not calculated
to meet it, and promised that the subject should
receive the earliest and deepest consideration of
the Government during the next session of Parliament.
There were subjects of great difficulty to be encoun-
tered in legislating for a country circumstanced as Ire-
land was. Those lands in the hands of Government
might be at once improved, but the case was different
with respect to those that were the property of indivi-
duals. Still his Lordship did not shrink from the neces-
sity or duty of Government interfering, even in such
cases as these ; neither did he deny, that while property
had its owners and rights, that such ownership and
rights should not be llowed to interfere with the opera-
tions intended to develope the resources of the soil and
improve the social condition of the people.
The Rev. Mr. GIBSoN directed the attention of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer to the rules of the Lords of
the Treasury, requiring that the .wages in connexion,
with relief works shall be 2d. a day under the general
wages of the district.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER defended the
rule on the principles of political economy, and referred
to cases where harvest work had been interfered with,
and also to the case of men leaving work on the Shannon,
where they were receiving Is. 6d. a day, for 10d. a day
on relief work.
Rev. Mr. Gipson denied the truth of such state-
ments, and said that landlords and farmers were com-
bining to keep down wages; that this was one reason
for the opposition public works experienced at pre-
sentment sessions; that the Government did not
approve of combination in the labouring men and
mechanics to raise wages, and that it should not
therefore be set the example by combining with Irish
landlords and men of properties, to keep down the
wages of the people; that he could not look upon the
rule of the Treasury respecting wages as anything short
of combination to depress them. That the great evil of
the country was the low rate of wages, and that the
social condition of the country would never bo improved
till wages were improved. Mr. Gibson proposed that
wages should in no case be under 10d. a day.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that 10d.
was a high rate of wages generally in Ireland.
Mr. Grnsost replied, that if it were the opinion of
English gentlemen that 10d. was a sufficient daily, remn-
neration for the Irish labourer, God help the people!
The CHANCELLOR—" God forbid we should think so;
I merely mention 10d. as a high rate of wages in the
country. I think the wages should be improved; and
the minute of the Lords of the Treasury, requiring that
the wages should be 2d. under the standard of the coun-
try, is not the law, and, if necessary, it may be modified."
- —Cork Reporter.

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S U N
THE RIVER PLATE. t,:e*;7lil
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(From the Gazette of last Evening i.'',N.,,4,:::?,,a.14:0
ADMIRALTY, SEPT. 2 •6N., •-„c:7 itr
L.,,,,.
Dispatches have been received at this office, fr •
Admiral Inglefield, in the River Plate, address ' ::-----t-
Secretary of the Admiralty, of which the follow
TAI 1

copies

S Ny SEPTEM?_;ER 23, 1846. PRICE SD.

Her Majesty's ship Vernon, off Monte
17th June, 1846.

easmatt

Sir,—Adverting to my letter, No. 94, of the 9th inst.,
I have now the satisfaction of 'forwarding to you, for the
information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admi-
ralty, a copy of the report I have received from Captain
Sir Charles Hotham, of her Majesty's ship Gorgon,
acquainting me with the successful passage of the con-
voy (of 110 vessels) under the protection of the English
and French vessels of war, named in the margin,* past
the batteries which General Roses had caused to be
erected on the heights of San Lorenzo, in the river
Parana, for the express purpose of obstructing the pro-
gress of the convoy down the river.
Although this success, owing to the grounding of the
British barque Caledonia, was not perfectly complete,
yet I feel persuaded their Lordships will give the
fullest credit to Captain Sir Charles Hotham, and
his colleague, Admiral Trehouart, for the able and
judicious manner in which their arrangements were
made, and also to all the officers, seamen, and royal
marines serving under their orders, for the cool and
steady manner in which this difficult service was per-
formed, fortunately without a single casualty in any of
the men-of-war or merchant vessels, a circumstance
which, considering the strength of the position of the
Buenos Ayrean batteries and continuous fire, cannot but
be regarded as quite providential.
I trust their Lordships will permit me to call their
attention to the names of the officers whom Sir Charles
Hotham especially brings under my notice, as having
occupied situations more prominent than others.
Their Lordships will be gratified by learning, that the
unanimity and good understanding which existed be-
tween Sir Charles Hotham and Admiral Trehouart, and
the respective vessels under their orders, from the com-
mencement of the expedition, has continued, without in-
termission, to subsist between the two squadrons, a re-
mark which, I am happy to be able to assert, is equally
applicable to all occasions when English and French
have been acting together, during the time I have had
the honour to hold this command.—l hare the honour
to be, &c.
(Signed) S. H. INGLEFIELD.
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.
The Secretary of the Admiralty.

NAV AL INTELLIGENCE.

P4RTSMOUTH, Ajax, a 74 reduced to
a 56, and converted into a steam guard, or " block" ship,
was undocked this day at Cowes, where her metamor-
phosis has been worked under the superintendence of
Mr. Fineharr., jun. This ship, one of the class denomi-
nated " th.e 40 thieves," was built in 1809, from designs
of the then surveyors of the navy, by Messrs. Vigram
and 'Green, of Blaekwall, admeasured 1,761 tons, and
Win commanded by theDlate Admiral (then Captain) Sir
Robert Waller Otway, orroulon, in Sir 11. Blackwood's
partial engagement with the French squadron, and sub-
sequently in covering the siege of San Sebastian in 1813.
When formerly loaded, we are told she weighed 3,028
tons, but it is now expected that her weight, caused by
her conversion to a steam guard-ship, will be increased.
The reduction of stowage room, by the occupation of
much of that space by her machinery, will, of course, be
considerable, although not so much as to preclude her
carrying more than six weeks' provision for 400 men, as
has been stated. The following are her dimensions and
intended armament:— .

ft. in.
176 0
47 6

Length of gun-deck
Extreme breadth

Depth in hold
ARMAMENT.

Quarter-deck 1 56-pounder 85 cwt.
2 8-inch 65 cwt. each.
Forecastle
Upper-deck
Lower-deck 26 42-pounders 66 cwt. each.

Total 56
If mounted and manned as above reported, she will
prove a formidable ship, and yet do a little " honest"
work. The Echo tug, with the Assistant-Master. At-
tendant and Foreman of Shipvrrishts afloat of this
Dockyard, went to Cowes this morning to tow the Ajax
to this harbour, where she will remain until her services
are required.
The Fairy royal yacht, as soon as her Majesty had
landed this morning at the Clarence-yard, was brought
alongside the Dockyard and dismasted, preparatory to
being docked, a leak having been discovered somewhere
in the vicinity of her screw-propeller, as was the case
some time since. The dock not being quite ready, she
will not go in until to-morrow.
The Rattlesnake, 28, fitting for surveying service,
under Captain Owen Stanley, was undocked this morning.
The Lightning steam-vessel, Pettey, master, left this
afternoon for the eastward, taking supernumeraries.
The Scourge steam bomb-vessel, Commander Caffin,
was removed from the jetty to-day, to make room for the
Fairy to get her masts out. She came alongside again
immediately afterwards, and is now embarking the
baggage of the two remaining companies of the 74th
Highlanders, for Leith, with whom she will leave to-
t morrow.

Her Majesty's Ship Gorgon, Obligado, June 7.
Sir,—l have the honour to inform you, that the con-
voy of merchant vessels of all nations, amounting to
110 in number, have passed the enemy's batteries and
obstacles in the Parana, in comparative safety.
The severe treatment which her Majesty's ships Alecto,
Lizard, and Harpy experienced from the batteries and
infantry stationed on the heights of San Lorenzo, in
their respective passages up the Parana (as exemplified
in my dispatch of the 20th ultimo), rendered it incum-
bent upon Admiral Trehouart and myself to adopt
every precaution which might tend to obviate disaster.
The heights or barrancas of San Lorenzo are sixty
feet above the river, the face is nearly„perpendicular, and
the ground, from the edge of the cliff, recedes ; a table
land, of five or six miles in length, extends from one end
to the other, presenting a dead level, with every facility
for transporting artillery on travelling carriages to any
required point.
At the north end of this barranca, the cliff projects
and tends westerly, thus offering a salient point for a
battery commanding from N.W. to S.E.
Half a mile to the southward, a position, nearly
similar, had been selected for a second battery, and
parapets, with embrazures, had been erected for single
guns along the remainder of the barranca; the general
breadth of the navigable channel is about three-quarters
of a mile, widening gradually from the north-west en-
trance, with a current of three knots per hour running
through.
It was obvious that the nicest gunnery could alone
drive the enemy from their guns ; the immense thick-
ness of the embrazures and parapets protected them
from a flanking fire, and such was the character of the
ground, that even with a spy glass nothing could be seen
but the wheels of a carriage or muzzle of a gun.
Having carefully weighed these difficulties, Admiral
Tiohouart and I decided upon the following plan of
attack, as best suited to the protection of our convoy.
That the heavy steamers of both squadrons should
anchor and engage the batteries during the time the,
convoy were passing, and that a masked rocket battery
should be prepared on the island in front of the second
battery, distant about one thousand two hundred yards :
the convoy in the mean time passing at allotted distances
under cover of the sailing ships and small steamers
named in the margin.t
Accordingly, being favoured with a breeze from the
northward, at 3.30 A.M., on the 4th instant, I made the
general signal for the steamers, Gorgon, Firebrand,
Alecto, Gassendi, and Fulton to weigh. At 10.20 A.M..
the Gorgon opened her fire; and the Firebrand and Gas-
sendi, having reached their appointed station one thou-
sand yards from the north battery, anchored in an enfi-
lading position.
The three remaining steamers, Gorgon, Fulton, and
Alecto, proceeded past the batteries and anchored nine
hundred yards from the barrancas abreast, and two
thousand from the first battery.
On the first gun being fired from the Gorgon, the
rocket party unmasked their battery, and opened a
heavy and effective fire, which helped to divert the
enemy's attention from the three steamers, who were
passing within grape and musket range:
At 10.40 A.M. the action had fairly commenced bee
tween the batteries, field pieces, infantry, and the
steamers of the combined force, and the English rocket
party ; a channel five hundred yards wide was left
between the steamers and the islands for the convoy.
At 11.50 A.m. the Dolphin, leading the convoy, passed
the Gorgon, the respective divisions sailed by in their
proper order, about twenty only remained, when I was
sorry to see the British barque Caledonia, uninjured, and
with the wind dead aft, run on shore on a small bank
off the point of the second island. In soill-assorted and
numerous a convoy of all sizes, badly equipped, and
lumbered with enormous deck cargoes, I confess I cal-
culated on the loss of some, but I had hoped to have
been spared the pain of witnessing a fine English barque
handled in a style by no means creditable to those
on board, and grounded without any reason under the
enemy's fire.
I immediately signalised Alecto and Lizard to proceed
to her assistance. At 12.50, the convoy having all passed,
I made the general signal to weigh.
The Caledonia still remaining immovably fixed, she
had beaten over one bank, and lay on her port side, with
her bottom exposed to the enemy's fire, through which
six or seven shot had already been put, and the officers
sent on that service being unanimously of opinion that
she could not be got off' without discharging her cargo,
by my direction she was set on fire to prevent her falling
into the enemy's hands, and two coasting vessels, simi-
larly situated, were also destroyed.
This was the only drawback to a most satisfactory
day ; the arrangements answered even better than my
colleague or myself had dared to anticipate. The enemy
brought into play from sixteen to twenty guns ; during
five months they had prepared heated shot and studied
every stratagem to secure themselves and punish us, in-
stead of which we dismounted some of their guns, and
drove them repeatedly from others.
We selected the steam force in consequence of the ad-
vantage which their pivot guns give, and it is difficult to
imagine finer gunnery than they displayed. Marvellous
to say, that although each of these vessels were hulled
and hit repeatedly, and that more than three-fourths
of the convoy were severally struck, there is not a man
killed or wounded amongst us. I have received
every assistance and support from the officers of this
squadron, but some have occupied situations more pro-
minent than others, and I feel it my duty to bring them
to your notice.
The officers in command of the rocket party were
Lieutenant L. B. Mackinnon, her Majesty's ship Alecto;
First Lieutenant C. L. Barnard, Royal Marine Artillery,
her Majesty's ship Firebrand ; Mr. David Ilmn, gunner,
her Majesty's ship Alecto ; the party were. obliged to
remain two days and nights concealed unter the enemy's
nose, and they, with the marine artillery and seamen,
deserve credit for the discipline and skill with
which they conducted their operations, and I consider
that they rendered us most essential service. I have
repeatedly derived advantage from the ability and zeal
of Mr. Henry Baker, Master of this ship, during my ab-.
Bence from the Gorgon; he made a most excellent chart
of the passage and channels near San Lorenzo, and he
piloted this ship, leading the steam force past the bat.,
teries, much to my satisfaction.
Monsieur Mazires, Lieutenant commanding the
French steamer Fulton, on seeing the disastrous stets
of the Caledonia, hastened to her assistance, and I hops
this officer will permit me to thank him for his uniform'
and effective co-operation.
In all my communications I have alluded to the great
satisfaction I have derived in having Admiral 'rat.
housrt as a colleague ; during eight months we have
acted together, and I make bold to say that more perfect
harmony and unanimity has never existed than between;
the two commanding officers, to whom yourself and Ad-
miral Lain 6 entrusted the direction of the service in thes
Parana.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) CHAS. HOTHAM, Captain.
Rear-Admiral S. H. Inglefield, C. 8.,
Commander-in-Chief.

The Moozuffer, Hon. Company's steam-frigate, Cap-
tain Ethersey, sailed from Spithead this afternoon, for
Bombay.

APPOINTMENTS.

Dr. Thomas. Graham, Assistant-Surgeon, to the Ma-
dagascar.
Coast Guard—Lieut. Everard Digbv, Chief Officer.
Sir Thomas Bourchier, K.C.8., Captain, to the I'oic-
tiers, and Captain-Superintendent of Chatham Dockyard,
Owen Stanley, Captain, to the Rattlesnake.

* English—Gorgon, Firebrand 3 Dolphin, Fanny, Lizard
Harpy, Alecto.
French—San Martin, Fulton, Gassendi, Coquette, Procida.
t English—Dolphin, Fanny, Lizard, harpy.
French—San Martin, Coquette, Procida.

SHOWER OF BANK NOTES.—We have frequently
seen extraordinary showers, such as showers of but-
terflies, frogs, fishes, and such " small beer," chronicled
in the newspapers ; but really the most wonderful of all
is that which took place in Paris on Monday last, be-
tween five and six in the evening, at which time the
passengers in the Place Vendome were astonished by a
shower of I,ooof. and 5001. bank notes, which fell on Use
bonnets of the ladies and under the feet of the horses.
It turned out that a capricious puff of wind had sud-
denly whisked this windfall from off the desk and.
through the window of a hotel in the place. The notes
were all safely picked up, the most part by the public,
and at once returned to the owner. The notes picked
up in the street amcunted to 123,0001. Two notes, ena
of 500 f. the other of 1,0001., completing the 125,000 f.
(9,0001.) in the bundle, had been borne by the wind to
the roofs of neighbouring houses, but were recovered by
two honest chimney sweepers who happened to be in the!
place.
SECESSION FROM THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH.-. 4
Mr. Caswslis One of the junior members of the University
of 07.c,0rd, was a few days ago received into the Roma;
Catholic Church at Prior Park, near Bath.

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