The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-21 00:00:00

ANCIENT CHINESE SEALS FOUND

IN IRELAND.

At a meeting of the Natural History and Philosophi-
cal Society, held at Belfast, on the 13th of December
last, Mr. Getty delivered a lecture on the natural his-
tory of man, which he illustrated by the several valu-
able donations made to the Society's museum, by Gordon
A. Thomson, Esq., consisting of various articles of art
costume, &c., from North and South America, the
Islands of the Pacific, China, &c. After some observa-
tions on the several races, the lecturer took up the sub-
ject of these donations, some of which he de-
scribed end commented on as illustrating the
social condition of man in various countries. When
speaking of the early intercourse of the Chinese
with other parts of the world, Mr. Getty men-
tioned the vessels found in the ancient Egyptian tombs
and the still more remarkable proofs afforded by the
small porcelain seals found in Ireland, long suspected
but ROW proved, to be Chinese. The history of these,
like many other matters of Irish antiquity, is enveloped
in obscurity. They have a written character on the base
of each, and are small cubes with a monkey as a handle.
At one time it was doubted that the marks on the base
were characters. An eminent zoologist, to whom Mr.
Getty had showed one of those, declared the animal to
bo the Chinese monkey, and Sir John Francis Davis had
decided the inscriptions to be " perfectly recognisable
as the ancient seal character of China, often used at the
present day on the seals of public and private persons."
Mr. Joseph Iluband Smith read a paper on it some time
ago, in the Royal Irish Academy. He also had casts
made of many of these seals, some of which are in the
Belfast Museum, as well as two of the original seals. In
Belfast, Mr. Joseph William Murphy has been dili-
gently pushing the inquiry, and is anxious to ascertain
the history of every one found in Ireland up to the pre-
sent period, so that their identity may be determined
beyond doubt.
Mr. Getty read an interesting memoir, furnished by
Mr. Murphy and exhibited a great variety of casts made
by that gentleman, as well from the Irish seal as mo-
dern Chinese, many of which. formed of steatite, have
been brought to Europe, but none at all identical in ma-
terial with those found in Ireland. The character, too,
of the Irish is of a more ancient form, Mr. Getty from
the valuable donation lately made the Museum by G.
A. Thomson, Esq., exhibited several of the modern
seals, as well as various public documents, &c., bearing a
stamp on them in the seal character. He also exhibited
several very beautiful carved works, in sandal-wood,
having small seals on them, from Mr. Murphy's collec-
tion. Extracts were also read from a letter received
about a month ago, from Mr. Correlate, formerly of
Belfast, now residing at Hong.-Kong, giving a transla-
tion of the impression on one of the Irish seals, obtained
by the Bev. Mr. Gutalaff, the Secretary to the Govern-
ment, from a learned Chinese other Chinese afterwards
read it, and gave the same interpretation. General
D'Aguilar had also requested Mr. Comelate to present
to the Museum a print of the Goddess of Mei-cy, given
to him by the Buddist priests of the Temple of Fo, in
Amoy, having on it impressions of two seals in the same
character. This communication was interesting as the
first actual interpretation, by a Chinese scholar, and
fixes beyond doubt the fact of the seals found in different
parts of Ireland being Chinese, however singular it may
appear.

CALLING-OUT OF THE MILITIA.—A crowded meet,
ing of the working classes was held on Monday night at the
Assembly Rooms, Webber-street, Blackfriars-road, fur the
purpose of agreeing to resolutions and a petition—the latter
to the House of Commons, against the calling-out of the
militia. Mr. Feargus O'Connor was present. Mr. John
Gathard in the chair. The gist of the resolutions and
petition, which were moved and seconded by Messrs.
Clarke, Feargus O'Connor, Cooper (the Chartist poet),
Doyle, Ridley, Wheeler, M'Grath, and Knight, was, that
the alleged circumstances for galling out the militia, in
the opinion of the meeting, did not exist at the present
time; that it had a tendency to press unduly on the working
classes (who would find it difficult to get substitutes); that
it tended to draw them away from their peaceful avocations ;
and that not being represented in Parliament, it would be
hard to call upon them to serve as soldiers. The sense of the
meeting, the spirit of the resolutions and petition, and the
sentiments of the speakers, were averse to a war with the
United States of America ; and in accordance with Mr.
Cooper (who is now averse to physical force) that the dif-
ference might be much better settled by " Arbitration."
The resolutions and petition were carried unanimously, and
it was agreed that the latter should be entrusted to bin T.
S. Duncombe, M.l'., for presentation to the House of Corn-
moL.s.
The Earl Grey arrived at his mansion, in Belgrave
square, on Monday, from Yorkshire. The Countess was ex-
pected the same evening.
NEw IRISH CATHOLIC BISHOP.—On Sunday next
the Right Rev. Edward Maginn will be consecrated in the
Catholic cathedral of Derry as Bishop of that diocese.—Cork
Examiner.
NIGHT POACHING.—Two young men, of the name
of Alfred Silvester And Clifford John Hobson, toe former a
dairyman, and the latter a fly driver, both from the neigh-
bourhood of Gravesend, were brought up before the County
Justices at Rochester on Monday, by Dawes, the constable
of Cobham, charged with having been found armed in an in-
closed wood belonging to the Earl of Darnley, in the parish
of Shorne, on the night of Friday last, in search of pheasants.
term n
of
theot
The information was laid under the statute of 9 Geo. 4, chap.
years,
ars it or
aphpneparrisson tztntthfoer any
trustees
69, sec. 2, which subjects the party so offending to transpor
Cationexee
ed
ifno
gr fourteen e a
Noble Earl constantly employ, during the dark season of the
year, fourteen persons to assist the head keeper in the pre-
servation of game on his Lordship's estates in the neighbour-
hood of Cobham. On Tuesday night last, about half-
the assistants employ d apps and John Jarrett, two d
e , whilst watching in Shorne wood,
heard, at a short distance from them, a noise as of persons
forcing their way through the wood, and in a few minutes
heard afterwards they the snap of a gun, and a pheasant fly
RS' elf front a tree '
Tim LONDON COFFEE AND EATING-HOUSE-KEEPE
and
AssociAnoN. On Monday a general meeting of the sub..saw the prisoners, with another man, who escaped, com-
scribers and friends of this Association was held at Ander- mg towards them under the oaks. One of them, Silvester,
ton's Hotel, Fleet-street, to receive the report of the Com_ had a gun, and attempted to run away, but was intercepted
mitten for the past half year, and to investigate the financial by another keeper, named Tuffil. They were both secured,
state of the funds of the Society, and on general business. the third man got clear *ff. Neither of the prisoners made
Mr. Binmore, the President of the Association, in the chair. any defence, aoi. both were committed for trial at the next
From the report it appeared the prospects of the Association assizes, with an intimation from the Bench that they would
were progressing, and that a great increase had taken place be admitted to bail, themselves in 801. each, and four suretie
in the number of subscribers ; the amount of subscriptions, as in -10/. each.
corresponding with the last half-year, were larger, while the I DEATH OF REDMOND O'DRISCOLL, ESQ.—The
interest on the funded property of 1,589/. 6s. Bd. in the Na- cork Southern Reporter of Saturday announces the death, on
tional Debt Office, added to the principal, amounts for the that morning, of the above-named gentleman, who had
half year to 291. 16s. 2d. ; which, toget .er with a balance of for thirty years, up to February, 1844, been the proprietor
581. 15s. sd. in the Treasurer's hands, made a total sum of of that paper, and who was well known to and highly re-
upwards of 1,672/. The report was adopted. spected by all connected with the Irish press.
NEW ASYLUM FOR INFANT ORPHANS.—The fourth INVERNESS AN OOLLEN MANurAcTouy.—Consider-
election of this excellent charity occurred on Monday. The able additions have been mate to the works of this estab-
Right Hon. the Lord Mayor presided on the occasion. Ilk I lishment, preparatory to the introduction of new machinery;
Lordship briefly but emphatically- expressed his approbation i and on Friday evening the proprietor generously entertained
of the Charity, stated that 26 children were already on the the work-people and their families. A large number of per-
foundation, and urged the friends present to do their utmost, l sons were present, and after a substantial and elegant repast,
not only on the present day, but afterwards in their several I dancing was kept up with great hilarity till an early hour
connexions, to increase the means of the Charity, that the the following morning. Several of the proprietor's friends
Asylum, which is now capable of receiving 100 children, were at the entertainment, including a number of ladle',
may be filled. his Lordship sustained his observations by whose presence added greatly to the interest and delight of
making a second life subscription to the Institution, and then f the meeting. A happier evening has rarely been witnessed,
declared that tue poll was open to elect ten children from the i and the new building was finely ornamented for the occasion,
list of candidates before the meeting. and brilliantly lighted up with gas prepared on the prnnises.
GLASGOW AGAINST THE CORN-LAWS.—With a zeal —Ross-shire 'Advertiser.
and liberality worthy of the cause, some of our merchants LOCHMADDY, JAN. 13.—We regret to say that Barra
of Barra, and
and manufacture's, &c., have this week come forward and ; House, formerly the residence of the Macniels
was,
early on
subscribed the munificent sum of upwards of 10,000/. to aid now the property of Colonel Gordon of
CO Cluny,the ground. We
the Great League Fund for the constitutional overthrow of the morning of the 24th ult., lucirii:tted.
There was fortu-
the Corn-laws. This is doing the work in right earnest, and have not heard how the fire. g
n°rtihie house. No lives lost.—
it attests that the city of Glasgow still holds its right position nately little or no furniture
i
On this most vital of all questions.—Scotch Reformer's Gaz. Ross-shire Advertiser.