The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-05 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, MONDAY MORNING.
The Freeman s Journal of this morning says—
" The Premier was visited at the Viceregal Lodge, at
eleven o'clock on Saturday, by the Lord Chancellor,
who remained more than half an hour. It is understood
that his Lordship has accepted an invitation from the
Earl of Charlemont to pass a few days with him ut his
beautiful residence, Marino, near Clontarf. Nothing has
yet transpired respecting Lord John Russell's intention
of going down the country; but for whatever period his
stay in Dublin may be prolonged, he will continue to re-
side at his Excellency's lodge in the park."
The weather is now all that could be desired.
Last night there was a slight frost, and this morning
every symptom of rain has disappeared. Notwith-
standing the favourable change, there has not been
any revival in business here; on the contrary (sus s
trade report), the present week has been worse in the
produce-markets than any that have preceded it;
transactions are, in fact, as near at a standstill as can
well be imagined. Money is comparatively cheap,
from the absolute want of employment for it. The
same document thus refers to the Irish railway meet-
ings of the last week :
" The half-yearly meetings of most of the Irish rail-
ways have been held during the last week or two. Of
these the only one in full operation is the Dublin and
Drogheda, whose report is sufficiently discouraging. It
appears that the gross receipts of the company are baroly
sutthcient to pay 5 per cent. per annum on its capital of
800,000!., aLd that although a portion of the expenses
are charged to the amount of capital, the amount left fcr
a dividend is only 10s. per cent. on the half-year. If
this be the result of the working of the Great Northern
Trunk, after being some time in operation, there is small
room for hope on the more distant and less frequented
lines of road. We observe that the expenses are rather
disproportionate, being about 60 per cent."

THE SPECIAL COMMISSION.
According to the Cloninel Chronicle, it is still un-
certain whether Messrs. Duffy, Leyne, and O'Do.
noghue will be tried at the special commission to be
held for that county, but the trial of Mr. O'Brien
there is positively decided upon, that being the main
object of the commission. The Chronicle also states
that—

" The informations in Smith O'Brien's case, which are
very luminous, and of immense length, are at present
in the hands of a Dublin artiste for the purpose of being
lithographed. Wo believe such a course is never
adopted but in cases of high treason, w hen a large
number of copies are required, in which there would
be a possibility of mistake if prepared in the usual
manner. In lithographs, however, there is no aueh
liability."
It is expected that a military force of little less
than 4,000 men will be located in Clonmel, and
the neighbourhood, during the sitting of the com-
mission.

INCREASE OF THE POLICE FORCE.
The following statement appears in the Limerick
Examiner :

" We have heard from very good authority that Go-
vernment intend augmenting the police force to 30,000
men, to whom the peace, protection, and possession of
the country are chiefly to be intrusted ; the mare im-
portant fortresses only being selected for military
occupation. The means will thus be afforded of
withdrawing great part of the present army of cccupa-
tion. It is stated that ten pieces of artillery.—field
pieces, will be appropriated to the police force in every
county.

INAUGURATION OF THE GREAT
NORTHERN RAILWAY OF FRANCE.—FES-
TIVITIES AT DUNKIRK.
DUNKIRK, MONDAY MORNlNG.—Yesterday, for
the first time, the shrill whistle of a locomotive awoke
the echoes round the old battlements of Dunkirk.
Extensive as were the preparations that were made at
Calais for the ceremony of opening the great Northern
of France Railway on Saturday, they were as nothing
compared with those made by the good people of
Dunkirk for the same event. For many days past
the town (one of the most beautiful in France) has
been busy in anticipation of the great event which
yesterday gave a direct line of railway communication
from the Northern coast to Paris.
Visitors have been pouring into the town ever
since yesterday morning, and the throng still in-
creases. The streets, all day yesterday, were literally,
choked up with pleasure-seekers, and unalloyed en-
joyment seemed to reign in every quarter. The
townspeople appear indeed to have been animated by
a desire to eclipse everything that has hitherto taken
place in the shape of public rejoicing in their neigh-
bourhood. As soon as the day for the opening of the
railway was announced, the authorities commenced a
\
subscription, and in a very short time a sum of up-
wards of 3,000/. was subscribed to carry on the fes-
tivities, with which to do honour to the inauguration
of the Great Northern Railway of France.
At half-past nine o'clock yesterday morning a pro-
cession was formed in beautiful order opposite the
Hotel de Ville, and proceeded to the railway station
which crosses the Calais road inside the ramparts.
A splendid canopy has been raised over an altar
opposite to the passenger station for the ceremony of
the benediction.
The various companies of the national guards hav-
ing been drawn up in the open space surrounding
the station, the Cardinal Archbishop of Cambria, and
the clergy of the district, ascended the altar, and
awaited the arrival of the train from Calais, contain-
ing the directors of the line and their friends.
A burst of artillery having announced that the
train was in sight, the municipal authorities, all
wearing tricoloured scarfs, placed themselves in line
on each side of the railway, and the train having
drawn up to the platform, the directors alighted and
were introduced to the municipal authorities, and by
them were conducted to the foot of the altar. The
Cardinal Archbishop then addressed them, and in
warm terms complimented them upon their having
succeeded in extending railway communication to
Dunkirk. He enlarged upon the advantages which
would result to France by the extension of the rail-
way system from Paris to the northern frontier, end
said that as France, par excellence, had always taken
the lead in matters connected with the civilization of
the world, so she ought to be foremost in widely ex-
tending the railway system.
The ceremony of the benediction then commenced.
The platform on which the altar was placed was
crowded with priests of various classes, in the midst
of whom stood the Archbishop, attired in all his
splendid pontifical robes. Leading to the altar from
the station was a broad flight of steps covered with
crimson carpeting, and on the top of those steps the
Cardinal stood and blessed first the engines, then the
road, and finally the military and the people.
The ceremony concluded, the principal authorities
on the railway formed into procession again, and
marched back into the town with banners flying and
military bands playing.
INre
generalnever
rejoicing s
and saw
waProrwded
nyasplßacuenkdiirskpladyidsuocnh,atshaencimocateiosn.
sion entering the town. Every 11!
window
each side of
depended festoons ofdtricolour.
with spectators, and fromcvery hv_iondoew"in the place
been thickly planted, round
evergreens were twined from ground,
which
every street poles had
carried along the tops of the poles for the entire
length of the street. At intervals of about three
yards were carried across the streets, sashes of red
and blue and white drapery, interspersed with gar-
lands of beautiful flowers. The windows in every
house were ornamented with diamond-shaped tri-
coloured lanterns, each containing a variegated damp
for the illumination at night.
The procession having arrived at the Place Jea.7l
Bart, the Cantate d'lnauguration was performed upon
an elevated stage in the centre of the square, near to
the statue of the celellated Jean, after which the
authorities proceeded to !lie harbour to witness the
Launch of an iron war steame'". called Le Biche, and
op
-rain returning to the Place.'
an Bart, a military
MU ,t;ical performance took place.
k'
A...t four o'clock a splendid banquet wa..` given by
the atlt horities of the town to the directors of t.,'" 1:11..i.l -.
way, ~,,..l the leading visitors. The banquet was 11,. td
at the co.ilege; and amongst the
,company present
rnier Pages Pauier Wol-
w tir . Marie, Ga , Nat
bers of the onal
lowski, am.
Pre M.
1 several other mem
Assembly. .
In the s splendidly illumi-
nated, andevpeu'll,inig ryas the town
c balls were given in various parts
of the city, and it was a late hour before the festi-
vities of the first day were brought to a close.
To-day the rejoicing commenced by a distribution
of medals to the corps de nausique, after which, a mock
procession will take place, the principal character in
which will be Reuse, a personage bearing a strong
resemblance to our own Gog and Magog. This in-
dividual is a figure twenty-two feet high, and is
attired in a sort of ancient costume.
In the evening there will be a concert of vocal and
instrumental music, followed by a grand ball ; and
tboy- mr
eograr
totwas
,the races, fe t ivani tdie samwuilsl be
emen
ts of broughtth to a
that
Gloss
descrip-
tion.

A great number of English visitors are here, ex-
cursion boats having been running from Dover since
Saturday last.

THE RAILWAY BRIDGE ACROSS THE TWEED.-011
Saturday last some interest was excited by the appear-
ance, for the first time, of a railway carriage (third
class) on the temporary wooden bridge across the Tweed.
The
carriage, which was filled with people, was pushed
to and fro several times along the bridge—even the dizzy
height from the river not preventing many from bang-
ing round it. A piece of artillery planted on the bridge
was fired in honour of the event, and the structure was
also decorated with a number of flags. The temporary
bridge is ready only across the river; the communica-
tion with the embankment behind Tweedmouth is not
yet formed. It is anticipated, however, that this will bo
made by the Ist of October, when the trains will pass
without interruption, and the delay and expense of
omnibuses for passengers' and carts for goods, coke,
Bcc., will then be avoided. The temporary bridge at
Newcastle was expected to be opened to-day (Friday).
—Berwick Warder.