The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-03 00:00:00

_ _ ~~

am satisfied, that if the Government had undertaken
the task of supplying generally, and on a great scale,
the markets of Ireland, they would only have aggra-
vated the evils which they desired to alleviate.
It is obviously impossible, for any length of time, to
maintain prices here at a lower level than prevails in the
marketsof England and of the continent of Europe, with
which there now exists analmost unrestricted trade in the
main articles of food ; and an attempt to do so must
speedily recoil in increased scarcity and deranged mer-
cantile transactions. _ _

" These considerations will not preclude the Govern-
ment from continuing to take such precautions as they
may consider absolutely necessary with regard to the
supply of food in particular districts of Ireland ; but our
main reliance must be on private enterprise, conducted
through the ordinary transactions of trade, and any
measures that have the Gant of discouraging its exer-
tions must soon produce the most fatal consequences.
I have desired that a copy of your memorial should
hp transmitted to Sir Randolph Routh, the Commissary-
General, who will be able to judge whether any special
ciren mstances may rL quire particular interference in your
instance.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient
servzint, "11. LABOUCHBRE.
" Edward Ash, Esq.. Macroom."

THE FAMINE, AND NAVAL FORCE
ON THE COASTS OF IRELAND AND SCOT-

LAND.

Last week H e gave as account of the vessels placed
by the Admiralty at the di-posal of the Government for
the relief of the distressed Irish. since then the 'Admi-
ralty have added to the former number the steam vessels
leamnpe
d.ljyreeld in thealid,; surveying
iiidscotan e
Scotland,
Sarridvihce oaven thenia coasts
destichaorrf Eantgige:
merits for carrying into effect the propositions of the
Government, that whilst the vessels will be employed in
the conveyance of Indian corn, meal, and other priovi-
sions, they will preserve their character and efficiency as
men-of-war, and will thus be always at hand to assist
the civil powers in preventing outbreak, and in the pro-
tection of life and property. The prompt manner in
which so many vessels have been made available for the
service required of them, affords a striking proof of the
condition of our naval resources, and of the judicious
application of them, without in any way distressing or
interfering with the regular Admiralty service. Were
the surveying-vessels not required, very soon they would
have been ordered into port to be laid up for the winter.
As it is, the captains, commanders, and others specially
engaged in the surveys will bring their drawings on
shore, whilst their steamers will be more usefully em-
ployed than they have hitherto been.
By the number of men-of-war steamers now available,
the operations of relief can be extended to the western
coast of Scotland, where the distress, it is reported, is
pressing equally hard on the poor population.
The Government victualling establishments are, we
understand, to be set to work to grind corn and to manu-
facture bread. Some of them are already in active
operation, grinding so many as 100 quarters a day.
The following is a list of the men-of-war steamers
employed in the above service on the coast of Ireland,
together with the hulks fitted and being fitted fordepOts:
MEN. OF-WAR STE•MERS.—The Stromboli, sloop, 280-
horse power, Commander Fisher, employed on the
general duties of the station.
The Rhadamanthus, 220-horse power, Master-Com-
mander Aylen, employed in conveying meal to various
parts of the coast, and in the movements of troops, when
required.
The Dee, 200-horse power, Master-Commander
Driver, ditto, ditto.
The Myrmidon, 150-horse power, Lieutenant-Com-
mander Jenkins; the Pluto, 100-horse power, Lieutenant-
Commander Lowe, and the Alban, 120-horse power,
being of smaller draught of water, are employed in the
conveyance of the corn meal to the several ports from
the larger ships, and also to places up the rivers to which
the larger steamers could not proceed.
The Swallow, 70-horse power, Master-Commander
Bryant, tender to the depot ship Madagascar, in the
Shannon.
The Comet, 80-horse power, Lieutenant-Commander
Johnstone, conveying specie for several ports in Ireland.
The Tartarus, 136-horse power, Captain Wolfe, now
ssutartiveoyn.ing, to be employed in the general duties of the
The Lucifer, 180 -horse power, Commander Frazer,
now surveying the Saltees, between Wexford and
tsh'eatsetraftoiordn: to be appropriated to the general duties
of
The Blazer, 120-horse power, Captain Washington,
now surveying at Harwich, to be dispaitThed to Ireland
immediat..ly for the conveyance of provisions.

--ihe Dasher, 100-horsepower, Captain Sherringham,
now surveying the Southampton Waters, to be sent
from Portsmouth to Ireland, immediately, for the same
pttrpcse.

STonnsuirs.—The Madagascar, 44-gun frigate, 1,100
tons, Mastor-Commander Burney, a depot• vessel,
moored at the island of Foynes, in the Shannon.

'lle Andromeda, a 44-...tu;'l frigate, 1,290 tons, fitting
as a d-pOt at her Majesty's dock-yard, Devonport, and
ready to rt ceive the gear of the Madagascar, to be navi-
gal ed to Ireland.
The Andromache, a 26-gun fripte, ;To tons, also
fitting as a depot at Devonport, for Ireland.
Thus we have twelve men-of-war steamers. of 1,756
collective horse power, 5,864 tons, and 720 officers and
men, and shall have three depots of 3,000 tons and 100
men. The above, together with two ordnance lighters
also employed, make 17 sail of nearly 9,000 tons and
above:Bso men, on the coast of-Ireland.
COAST OF SCOTLAND.
On the west coast of Scotland, as the distress is not
supposed to have been so early or to be so general,
fewer vessels have beeen appropriated. They are, how-
ever, the following :—The Firefly, 220-horse power,
Captain Beechey, of late employed in surveying the
rocks, and the Shearwater, 160-horse power,
Commander Robinson, employed on the Scottish coast.
They rendezvous at Oban, and follow the directions of
Sir Edward Coffin, the Commissary-General. Additijnal
assistance is in reserve, and will be given should it be
required.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
WOOLWICH, OCT. 2.—The Scourge steam bomb-ves-
sel, Commander Coffin, arrived at Woolwich this morn-
ing at ten o'clock, from Leith, having on board a large
quantity of provisions.
The Gladiator steam-frigate, Captain Robb, will be
completed by the dockyard workmen to-morrow evening
The Acheron steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander
Dunlop, is ready for service, and will leave to-morrow
for Ireland. _ _ _ .

The Diligence transport-ship, M. Martin, master,
sailed on Saturday last for Gibraltar and Malta.
The Aurora, Sardinian corvette, Captain the Marquise
Spinola, left this port this morning, and was towed down
the river by a steam-tug.
POSTPONEMENT OF THE NAVAL RETIREMENT.—The
contemplated naval retirement has been postponed until
the Ist of November next, there being at present only
140 captains who have signified their wish to accept it.
Vessels in the Harbour—William and Mary yacht ;
Sidon steam-frigate, Captain Henderson, C. 8.; Scourge
steam bomb-vessel, Commander Coffin ; Lightning
steam-vessel, Master-Commander Petley ; the Dwarf
and Charon steam-vessels, not in commission ; and the
Plover surveying-vessel, Captain Collinson, C. 8., to be
paid off at Woolwich on Monday next, on her return
from China, 'East Indies, and Cape of Good Elope.
In the Basin—Gladiator steam frigate, Captain Robb;
Sphynx steam-vessel, Commander Cragg ; Medea,
Eclair, Vixen, and Site steam-vessels, not in coin,-

mission.
In the Docks—The Violet, Dover steam-packet, and
the Monkey steam-vessel.
CHATHAM, OCT. 2.—The Mutine, 12-gun brig, fitting
for sea in dock, will be completed in her rigging this
week. An order for commissioning her arrived here
yesterday, and Commander Robert Tryon, who is ap-
pointed, hoists his pendant in a few days.
The Gloucester, 50 guns, fitting in dock for commis-
sion, is completed. She will go out of dock next spring-
tide to be placed in ordinary.

THE NAVAL RETIEEMENT.—In the scheme pro-
mulgated on the 31st of August by the present Board of
Admiralty, it was intimated that officers not in Europe,
who might be desirous of accepting the retirement,
would not be excluded in consequence of their letters
not reaching England before the Ist inst., as a reasonable
time would be allowed for such . applications. Although
the number fixed as the retired list (200) has, we believe,
within a very few, been completed, the Board, •ttcting
with becoming good faith, have extended the period
during which officers ma) intimate their desire of ac-
cepting the retirement to the lsf.of November; the re-
tired pay commencing from the Ist October, as origivally
intended. The scheme includes officers of fifty years of
age, who from wounds or ill-health are incapable of
service. We cannot help thinking the terms offered and
this extension of time most liberal' ow the part of the
present Board of Admiralty, and we trust those for
whom it is designed will avail themselves of an arrange.-
ment so honourable to them and doubly beneficial, as it
will enable a younger and not less deserving set amen
to be brought forward in our naval service.—Tintes.
.00
THE ARMY.—Colonel Boldero, an old Waterl,
Guards, after a service of thirty-seven yearl. . .
hese to the majority
and Peninsular officer, has retired from the Gsriern
John
Guards,
Ord Honyman succeeds by purc
Dragoons,
stationed vacated.
atT The
mCboaryn,e tve
Foster (sentence of a couct-martial), has been given to
Lainnt Lightbthyethle4tdhiamissai
Quartermaster Cornea of the 53d Foot, ideo statioßengal. It is understood the local companies of pen.•
tted at
sioners in Ireland will be held in readiness to support
the civil power during the ensuing season. The late
Duke of Athol was, up to the day of his densise, a half-
pay officer in the 3d Regiment of Foot, which he joined
in 1797, having retired in 1800.
THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.—The weather
has altogether changed during the past ten days—
rain has been very plentiful. The hopes that we al-
luded to last week and the week previous, of the sup-
plementary crop of potatoes, continue to be indulged
in even here, where the disease was soonest observed,
and where its ravages have been the most extensive
In
one-third the
t o
wthiell neighbourhoodbneorstahv eedf.o H
if t
,T Huntley, t li es y
c,
aalenudlat edd i
setotherthat
et dis-
trictsianbeu
the
threatenedin
turnip crop is fast disappearing. There are, in general,
not more turnips found irremediably injured than in
ordinary years. The disease is said to have been
nothing more than a mildew or rust, that covered and
discoloured the leaves, preventing them from exercising
their functions, and thus stopping the growth of 'the
plants. The same disease was apparent in 1826. Al
most all traces of it are said to have vanished tact'
the late rains, and it is expected. that the crop willfet.
recover. The grain is very higlrat present. The millers
have none in their possession, as, the farmers bare pas-
ture in great plenty, even as much ,as in the tnonth of
June, and, of course, standing in no need of fodder; are
not inclined to thrash out any portion of their crop. -It
is, however, hardly expected that the present prices will
be long maintained.—Aberdeen Herald.

SIR RI MIARD BONNYCASTLE'S NEW WORK.
Now ready, in 2 vols., price 21s. bound,
C ANADA AND THE CANADIANS
In 1846.
By Sir RICHARD BONNYCASTLE, Lint.,
Lieut.-Colonel Royal Engineers, and Militia of Canada West.
Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marity,rough.street.

TIIE COUNTESS OF BLESSINOTON.
Nov ready, at all the Libraries, in 3 vols , post Bvo.,
lONEL DEERHURST;
I 'Or, FASHIONABLE LIFE UNDER TIIE REGENCY.
EDITED BT THE COUNTESS OF BLESSINGTON.
Author of " The Femme de Chambre," 84e.
Richard Bentley, New Burlington-street.

RAILWAY SHARES BY PUBLIC SALE.
ESSRS. LAMOND, SMALE, AND
LAMOI,ID, Railway Share Auctioneers, beg to thank their
Friends and the Public for their continued support and patronage,
nd to annoanee that their Public Sales of Railway Shares, &c.,
ke place every TUSiDAT and FRIDAY, at One o'clock, at the
Hall of Commerce, Threadneedle-street, London, to which place,
favours. containing instructions (with a reference), are respectfully
requested to be addressed.
An Scrip and Share Certificates must be deposited, the day
previous to their being offered; and advices of results will be
forwarded by the first post after the sale, and the proceeds imme-
diately disposed of according to instructions.
Offices, Hall of Commerce. Threadneedle-street. London.