The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-15 00:00:00

THE REV. MR. TIGHE,

TO THE EDI t'01? OF THE SUN.
Sin—ln your journal:of this day, under the head of
the Irish intelligence, there appears a statement in
reference to the county of Sligo of so extraordinary
and suspicious a nature, that I feel called upon, in
justice to the character of my friend, the Rev. Mr.
Tighe, as well as to that of the peaceable inhabitants
of that county, to express my firm conviction that it is
a tissue of gross and unfounded fabrications from
beginning to end.
In the first place, the insinuation that the district
about Ballaghadareen was disturbed, I know of my
own personal knowledge to he unfounded ; and, instead
of being in the vicinity of the melancholy murders
alludeeto, it is fully 15 miles distant. Then, with
respect to the sum of 20,0001., stated to have been
expended by Mr. Joseph Holmes "in keeping down
the markets," the entire fee, I am aware, of that gen-
tleman's property would not reach anything like that
amount. And, lastly, as to the imputations which
have been cast on Mr. Tighe, I have merely to remark
that, from my own intimate knowledge of that gentle-
man, and the estimation in which he is universally
held for his humanity and Christian conduct, I have
no hesitation in characterizing the entire statement as
a foul and malignant aspersion on the rev. gentleman
and his flock, whose forbearing demeanour, under
the circumstances detailed in the report, fully bears
out the opinion I entertain of them.---I hare the
honour to remain, your obedient servant,
JOHN P. SOMERS.
Reform Club, Friday evening.
*."' The report is taken from the Dublin Evening
Mail.

ESCAPE OF GAS IN THE ME

TROPOLIS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlF,—The continuous escape of gas in London and
its environs is, on an average, twenty-five per cent.,
particularly in localities where competition exists ;
and the ground below the surface of the public streets
is strongly impregnated with effluvia arising from
leaky mains and defective services. This is one of
the greatest drawbacks upon gas-light establishments,
operating as a dead loss, yet tainting earth, air, and
water with an obnoxious odour. Gas is also known
to be dangerously inflammable, particularly in vaults,
sewers, and in all confined situations, which requires
the greatest care to prevent serious explosions.
Water companies, well knowing the impure affinity
of gas mains, endeavour to keep them at a regular
distance by Act of Parliament, but this does not
always prevent impregnation ; and the public, from
constantly inhaling carhuretted hydrogen, think
little and care less about the matter.
These escapes do not always occur through ne-
glect ; but frequently, in consequence of new and
deep sewers, undermining large and heavy mains
(which are chained up during the excavation), and
the solid foundation being displaced, the mains gra-
dually sink, and often break, or draw the service pipes
in connexion with the public and private le,mps. It
is to be hoped that the new Commissioners of Sewers
will turn their most serious attention to this complaint,
alike injurious to sanitary improvement and to public
safety.—l am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
J. S. UNDERWOOD,
Gas-light Surveyor.

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Siu,—A simple method of effecting an immediate
communication with the engine-driver of every pas-
senger train may be accomplished by having a line or
wire over the top of every carriage attached to the train
before leaving the station, one end of such line to be
attached to a bell affixed to the tender, the other end
of the line to be carried to the last carriage of such
train to the guard; a bell-pull to be attached to the
interior of every intermediate carriage, by which any
passenger could instantly give an alarm whenever any
danger might arise from the breaking of a wheel or
axle. The affixing and adjusting such line or wire
could be done by one of the company's servants a
few minutes before starting.
The above may be a somewhat homely and simple
method, but let it be adopted until something more
scientific is devised.--I am, Sir, your most obedient
servant, ROBERT HEDLEY.
Runcorn, Jan. 14, 1848.

MEHEMET ALI AND LORD
DALHOUSIE.
TO THE EVI7'OR OF THE SUN.

Sia,—l was much surprised at a particular cir-
cumstance related in the account given in your
journal of the interview between Mehemet Ali and
Lord Dalhousie.
It appears that Mehemet Ali received the Go-
vernor- General of India sitting en roi, and the Go.
vernor-General pocketed the insult. Indeed, in the
account of your correspondent, who was present, the
Pacha is styled " his Royal Highness." What effect
will it have in India where kings, rulers of ten or
twelve millions of people, are always proud to be on
a footing of equality in twitters of etiquette with the
Governor- General, when it is known that he has
submitted to be received as an inferior by the vassal
of the Sultan, ruling over, perhaps, a million and
a halt of sous ?
Besides, our Government has studiously and wisely
abstained from favouring, indeed, has directly dis-
countenanced the regal pretensions of Mehemet Ali,
the Pacha of Tunis, and others, while France has
carefully fostered them. There can be little doubt
that this affair in Egypt was concerted lay French
agency, in order to lower the Governor-General and
exalt the Paella in the eyes of the Mahomrnedan po-
pulation of Egypt and thence of India ; and Lord
Dalhousie exhibited but a poor specimen of wit in
falling into the snare. Matters of etiquette are of
very great consequence in the East. But the petty
Pacha of Egypt receiving the Governor-General of
India en roi is really too good! Oh, Lord Dalhousie,
you must be very green.
Your obedient servant,
ANGLICANUS.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Jan. 14.

THE NAVAL AND MILITARY
ESTIMATES OF FRANCE FOR THE
YEAR 1849.
(From the Journal des Debats of Thursday.)
Yesterday (the 12th) the bureaux of the Chamber
of Deputies commenced their examination of the
Budget of 1849. The third and last volume was
yesterday distributed to all the Deputies. It includes
the budgets of the army and navy. The former (the
military budget, or budget de la guerre) presents a
decrease of about 1,000,000 f., compared with the year
1848. It amounts to the sum total of 320,703,0841.
It is proposed that the effective of the army shall con-
sistmen, and 80,051 horses, of which force
e 8,729 men and 14,900 horses will be employed in
of 333,510
Algeria. It is known that the Government, by the
supplementary credits, increases the effective force
of the army in Algeria according to the necessities of
the service. In preceding years, the army in Algeria
amounted to nearly 100,000 men, including the paid
native troops.
The budget of the navy (marine) figures in these
estimates for a sum total of 139,309,608 f., present-
ing a difference, as compared with the budget of
1848, of more than 2,000,000 f. less. This decrease
has been effected in the armaments and the naval
crews. It is proposed to reduce the effective of the
naval forces by 13 vessels and 1,959 seamen ; and it
will in that case consist of 203 vessels, with 27,372
seamen on board.
The following is a recapitulation of the vessels in
active service at sea—viz., 6 ships of the line, 7 fri-
gates, 15 corvettes, 16 brig's, 27 light-vessels, 23
the west coast of Africa station, whilst 12 vessels
will transports, 5;
remain
n steamers,harbou and 28 different vessels for
r cornmissioa (commission de
rade), and 18 in port commission (commission de
port).
The reduction of the effective force will be oarried
out at the distant stations. The Mediterranean squa-
dron, which includes 12 sailing and steam-vessels,
and that of the coast of Africa, are not to be re-
duced.
The saving thus effected in the armaments is some-
what lessened by the almost equivalent credits de-
manded in augmentation of the budget of 1848 for
the works of the d) ke and arsenal of Cherbourg, the
improvement and defence of the small harbour of
Toulon, and the improvement of Port Vendres. The
bureaux will appoint their Cornmiz,sioners in four or
five days. Several have already terminated to-day
the examination of the ensemble of the budget.

MAILS
iL
mail
aoAFRICA.--'The first
regular the
coast COASTof
Africa will be made up in
the General Post
office on the evening of the last day of
this month. This mail, in accordance with a notice
ii to TI ili
issued by the postmaster-General a short time since,
will be conveyed by one of her Majesty's ships. She
will drop a mailbag at Madeira on her way to her desti-
nation. The pestsge on Madeira letters conveyed-by
this ship will be the regular packet postage of Is. lad.,
and on letters for the west coast of Africa Is. each. The
dispatching of mt.tilbags by her Majesty's ships outward
bound is becoming very general. The Postmaster-
Geeeral is compelled by law to charge the full packet
postage or, all letters conveyed by such means, and when
there is no packet postage fixed by Acts of Parliament
on letters addressed ik: qny particular foreign country,
letters for that country must be conveyed by her Ma-
jesty's ships free front any postal charge. A case in
point has just happened. Mails for the A zorim, Madeira,
Cape de Verdes, and Ascension, have just been made up
to be enaveyed by her Majesty's ship Bonetta, and as
there i-, no legal packet rate to the Cape de Verdes, the
letters for those islands will be conveyed tree from
postage.
WINDBO3, DUDA'!" EVENINCL-7 he Royal Family
and Court will return to Windsor Castle from Clare.
mont on Monday next. The Earl of Morton succeeded
the Marquis of Ormondo as Lord in Waiting on her
Majesty on Monday last, when the Court arrivsd at
Claremont.