The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-07 00:00:00

A BARRACK FOR RATS.

An extensive bacon merchant in Limerick (John
Russell), who kills between 40,000 and 50,000 pigs
in the season, has adopted the following successful
method to destroy the rats which abound on his pre-
mises, where the abundance of food will always occa-
sion a vast collection of these troublesome and de-
structive animals. He has erected a quadrangular
stone building, eleven feet long and seven feet wide,
with a wall three feet high, having flags laid flat upon
the top, but projecting a little over the inside of the
wall. All around the wall inside, at the base, are
numerous holes, like pigeon-holes, which do not go
quite through, except a few, to allow a free passage
to the little animals. Outside of the barrack, or
building specially built for the rats, is a plentiful sup-
ply of water and food, such as bones and useless offal.
The interior of these walls is occupied by boards,
lumber, and straw, just such concealment as these
animals are known to prefer, and the whole is
covered by a moveable wooden roof. When it is
judged proper to destroy them, the passages are
stopped at the outside, the roof is lifted off,
and the boards are taken out. The frightened
animals run up the wall, but their escape is impos-
sible, for they strike against the projecting flags and
fall back again. They then run into the small holes
below, but these are only just large enough to admit
their bodies, whilst their tails remain sticking out, a
secure prize to the men who go in over the wall ; and
by this unlucky appendage they suddenly drag them
out and fling them to a posse of anxious dogs outside
of the fortress, or into a barrel of water, where they
are soon destroyed. As there are not holes enough
in the wall inside, the noise and uproar soon frighten
another division of rats into the vacated openings ;
and these being treated in the same unceremonious
manner, the whole garrison is thus speedily destroyed.
As many as 700 or 800 have been killed in one clear-
ing. Rats being fond of straw, they also become
very numerous in the lofts where this article is kept
to be used for singeing bacon, and they cut it into
short pieces with their teeth, which renders it useless
for this purpose. The proprietor tried the effect of
putting a pet fox to mount guard on the lofts, and it
was found that he killed such quantities of the rats,
that three or four were procured to garrison the place
instead of one.

FLANDERS AND DUTCH MAIL.
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.—The Gazette de
Cologne states that three commercial houses have
suspended payment at Frankfort on the 28th. This
event produced a great sensation on the Bourse of
Frankfort; the losses will fall chiefly on foreign
houses; they are said to amount to several millions
of florins. The three houses are those of Messrs.
Jacobs, Frederick, Gontard and Son ; that of Messrs.
Haber and Flerbheirn, a fourth house, would even-
tually have shared the same fate if it had not re-
ceived timely support from the house of Rothschild.
VIENNA, DEC. 28.—During the last few days
there has been a sensible stagnation on our Bourse :
the Exchange is feeble and again suffered a retrograde
movement, in consequence of the announcement,
in the Austrian Observer of this day, that, two
battalions of infantry and a squadron of hussars had
marched for Modena and Reggio, to reinforce the
garrisons of those places. The Imperial Ferdinand
Northern Railway shares fell more than 4 per cent.,
and went back on 'Change to 1471 while the 5 per
cent. metal. were offered at 104. The Northern
Railway shares subsequently rose again to 148. A
great sensation has been produced on our Bourse by
the circumstance that one of our merchants, a respect•
able leather merchant, has been taken into custody,
in consequence of having issued false bills to the
amount of 200,000 florins. A few of these bills,
which were presented at the National Bank, led to
the discovery of the forgery.
SILESIA, DEC. 12.—The importation of rye and
flour up the Oder continues steadily, and is much
facilitated by the mild state of the weather, and the
favourable state of the wind. Nearly 100 vessels
laden with grain and flour have entered our province
this autumn. This, together with the fine harvest,
has caused a great decline in the prices, in wheat and
rye of 15 per cent.
TRIESTE, DEC. 26.—Our corn market is by no
means animated, and the prices are declining, as
everywhere else.
The introduction of the new tariff for the importa-
tion of goods from Russia and Austria, has now also
been announced on the part of our civil authorities.
The Russian boundary offices have already received
the notice to take the duties on Hungarian and Aus-
trian wines.

VIENNA, DEC. 2&.—The bulletin of the health of
the Archduke Palatine is more satisfactory, his Im-
perial Highness having been able to quit his bed for
the first time yesterday. •
MUNICK, DEC. 1119.—The deputation from the
Emigration Committee has arrived here, in order to
obtain the sanction of our Government also for their
plans, and have had an audience of his Excellency
Prince Wallerstein. _ _ _

Sr. PETEESBURGIL—In consequence of the severity
of the weather the communications between St.
Petersburgh and Constantinople are interrupted, and
the navigation definitively stopped for the winter.
The thermometer is 35 deg. R., with a serene sky
and no snow. This state of the weather has had a
favourable effect in checking the intensity and spread
of tho cholera; and even in Moscow, where it was
expected to be very severe, there are now com-
paratively few cases. The reports respecting the
westerly spread of the cholera are incorrect.
BeRLIN, DEc. 31.—Letters from Vienna say that
the late Archduchess of Parma left all her jewellery
(which is valued at 6,000,000 mark) to be divided
by his Highness among the Imperial Family.
In consequence of the negotiations with Rome, his
Majesty the Emperor of Russia has given to the
Councillor of State, Count Von Bludorff, the order of
St. Andrew, and to Councillor Count Von Butenileo
the order of Alexander Newsky, set in brilliants.
BRUSSELS, JAN. 4.—From the 25th to the 31st
December, five vessels entered the port of Antwerp,
laden wholly or in part with grain. The importa-
tions were—

Kilogrammes.
. 796,410

Wheat ...

Barley •• • • • ••• 170,000
Oats .• ... ••• 76,500

Total • • ... 1,042,910
Among the numerous addresses presented to
the King on the opening of the new
year, was one from the Societie Generale, con-
taining just observations on the financial situation of
the country and on the commercial crisis. The di-
rectors of the society say they are of opinion that we
have almost reached the close of the crisis, which has
greatly troubled our commerce, and a portion
of our manufactures. The same encouraging
view is taken by the directors of the Bank LI
Belgium. This deplorable crisis which com-
menced in 1846, will, it is confidently ex-
pected, terminate at the commencement of the
new year. The security of commerce has been
affected, but happily the calm has reappeared, and we
may hope that confidence will be established on a
more permanent footing, because more enlightened
by experienced. The Societe Generale and the Bank
of Belgium promise their support to commerce. It
would be desirable if we could see this difficult pro-
blem solved, and that these two great establishments,
instead of injuring, are aiding each other. Another
paragraph in the speech of the Governor of the
Societe Generale is, "the Societe Generate trusts that
the Government will adopt the most desirable mea-
sures for establishing credit on a solid and durable
basis. These measures of the supreme Administra-
tion will soon find a reaction produced on commercial
transactions." We trust the Minister of Finance
will consider of this advice, which would induce the
speedy adoption of efficient measures, either to de-
clare decidedly that he will conclude a loan or that he
will adjourn it indefinitely.
Tue HAGUE, Jars. 4.—The Nieuwe Rotterdanische
Courant of this day says, that the intelligence an-
nounced in the Handlesblad, of the recal of M. de
Rochussen, and of his replacement by M. General
List, Minister of War, is denied, as being wholly
without foundation. This journal adds, this report
has been in circulation at the Hague for four weeks,
but that it has not inserted it, because it did not
attach any credit to it.
The weather at Brussels was rather milder for some
days, but the thaw was superseded by a very sharp
frost last night.
BERLIN, DEC. 31.—The process which has been
commenced against M. Wedecke, the intimate friend
of the late Minister, M. Rochow, and his accomplice,
M. Freyburg, has nothing whatever of a political
colour, and has no resemblance whatever to the cele-
brated Cubieres-Teste, of infamous memory, as some
journals have asserted. So long since as the accession
of the present King, the star of M. Wedecke began
to set. At that time, when a presentation toek place,
of all the functionaries connected with the Ministry
of the Interior, the King refused to permit that M.
Wedecke should be presented. He accordingly
quitted not only the service but the states of the King
of Prussia ; but making use of a certain influence
which their intimate relations with M. Rochow had
given them. 731, joincv;
in nefarious speculations in all branches of commerce.

London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, at
No. 112. Printe,. It The Sun Office, Mo. II?,
zitr..:l, LL'e i'reciuct cat. :Savoy, iu the eukuty of
Middlesex, Friday, January 7, 1848.