The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-12 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—A Correspondent, under the signature of " A
Constant Reader," suggests that each guard's carriage
should be furnished with a small, but strong steam-
boiler, to which should be attached a powerful whistle,
for the purpose of conveying signals to the engine-
driver. I think that compressed air would be a more
convenient agent than steam, as it would not require any
fire, and would likewise be more economical, and the
receiver could be easily refilled with air by means of a
small pump attached to it.—l am, Sir, &c.
LOCOMOTIVE.
London, Sept. 9, 1846.

DEATH OF A GREENWICH PENSIONER.—Died, last
week, of extreme old age, a noted dependent on Green-
wich Hospital, named " Old Hardy." Some ten years
ago, a large water-dog, of the Russian breed, escaped
from a vessel when off Greenwich, and wandered about
that town for several days, without any one paying any
particular attention to him. During that period, a
child, while at play on the esplanade of the Royal Col-
lege, fell into the River, and would have met with a
watery grave but for the timely assistance of the stray
animal. He had been watching there for his lost ship,
and, on observing the accident, he plunged over the
pier, seized the child, and swam with it a considerable
distance to the landing place. Such an heroic action at-
tracted the sympathy of the gallant old tars, and the
noble animal now shared the rations of many a mess.
Nor was this liberality confined to the pensioners, but
was shared in by the Governor, Sir T. Hardy, from
whose patronage and kindness to him he received the
soubriquet of " Old Hardy." The dog now found his
way into the hospital, and took up his quarters in the
main guardhouse. He never attached himself par-
ticularly to any indivifial, but was constantly to be
found among the men on duty for the day, to whom he
became a valuable assistant, and in whose mess he was a
welcome mate. It is a regulation of the hospital to ex-
clude all dogs unless led by their owners, and Old Hardy
soon took upon himself this office—a duty which he
carried out to the letter, as well as to the discomfit of
many an unfortunate cur that dared to intrude.
Among the visitors he had many patrons, and a
halfpenny or a penny bestowed upon him was im-
mediately carried to the tripe shop in the market,
where he would deposit the money on the counter,
and wait for the full value of it. He knew the difference
betwixt the two coins, and a farthing he would re-
fuse with scorn. Latterly he would not go to the
market alone, but when he received any gift he would
go to the guardhouse, show his money, and appear rest-
less until some one offered to accompany him. It is
supposed that he had been frequently waylaid and
robbed, his old ago preventing him from avoiding or re-
senting such an outrage, and that he adopted that mode
for security. The late warm summer was a severe trial
to " Old Hardy." During the hottest period of the day
he was (41 ten to be seen wandering along the beach, im-
mersed
to his chin in the water, and occasionally in-
dulging in a swim after a piece of wood some urchin
would throw in for his amusement. " Old Hardy" was a
noble appendage to a seamen's Institution; as a finer speci-
men of the curly-haired
water-dog was rarely to be seen.
The old pensioners buried him in the shrubbery betwixt
the outer and inner West gates.

IRELAND.
LABOUR RATE ACT—MEASURES OF RELIEF.
DUBLIN, SEPT. 9.—Further evidence has been given
by the Irish Government of a determination to carry out
the " Act to facilitate the employment of the labouring
poor" with promptitude and energy befitting the crisis,
which has rendered such a measure quite imperative, as
a means at once of employing and feeding the people.
In the Morning Chronicle of Monday last there was a
notification of twenty•four proclamations, issued by the
Lord Lieutenant, for holding baronial meetings in
eight different counties. The Dublin Gazette of last
night contains no less than 34 additional proclamations,
for holding Extraordinary Presentment Sessions in
us many baronies or half-baronies in the counties of
Clare, Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Waterford, Galway,
Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Donegal, King's
County, Longford, Meath, and Limerick. Thus, the
Government has given the initiative with all possible
expedition, and it remains for the gentlemen possessing
property in those several districts to second the execu-
tive in its efforts to meet the terrible emergency by cor-
responding measures for employing the people. In this
case promptitude of action is, above all things, necessary,
as well on grounds of humanity as with a view to pre-
serve the peace of the country. Tho new proclamations
have reference to the following districts in which meet-
ings are to be held on the days named respectively:—
CLARE.
Barony of Moyarta, at Kilrush, Sept. 18.
Barony of Ibrickane, at Miltown Malbay, Sept. 19.
Barony of Corcomroe, at Ennistymon, Sept. 21.

CORK.

Half-barony East Carbery, East division, at Clonakilty,
Sept. 21.
Half-barony East Carbery,West division, at Roscarberry,
Sept. 22.
Barony of Ibane and Barryroe, at Tirnoleague, Sept. 23.

KERRY.
Barony of Iveragh, Cahirciveen, Sept. 18.
Barony of Duukerron, at Kenmare, Sept. 21.
Barony of Iraghticonner, at Listowel, Sept. 23.

_
TIPPERARY.
Half-barony of Upper Kilnamanagh, at Borrisoleigh
Sept. 18.
Barony of Mbldlethird, at Cashel, Sept. 19.
Barony of Iffa and Offa East, at Cahir, Sept. 22.

WATERFORD.
Barony of Cashmore and Cashbride, at Lismore,
Sept. 18.
Barony of Decies Without, Drum, at Clashmore,
Sept. 19.

GALWAY.
Barony of Clare, at Tuam, Sept. 18.
Barony of Ross, at Fairhill, Sept. 21.
Barony of Ballinahinch, at Clifden, Sept. 23.

LEITRIM.
Barony of Carrigallen, at Ballinamore, Sept. 18.
Barony of Leitrim, at Carrick-on•Shannon, Sept. 21.
MAYO.
Barony of Claremorris, at Claremorris, Sept. 19.
Barony of Carra, at Castlebar, Sept. 21.
Barony of Burrishoole, at Newport, Sept. 22.
Barony of Murrisk, at Westport, Sept. 23.

ROSCOMMON.
Barony of Ballintobber, North, at Kilmore, Sept. 21.
Barony of Ballyrnore, Oran, Sept. 22.

SLIGO.
Barony of Carberry, at Sligo, Sept. 21.
Barony of Coolavin, at Gurteen, Sept. 23.

DONEGAL.
Barony of Kilmecrenan, at Letterkenny, Sept. 21.
KING'S COUNTY.

Barony of Lower Philipstown, at Philipstown, Sept. 18,

LONGFORD.
Barony of Longford, at Newtownmorbes, Sept. 18.
Barony of Moydon, at Killashee, Sept. 21.

MEATH.
Barony of Upper Kell, at Kels, Sept. 18.

LIMERICK.
Barony of Glengquin, at Newcastle, Sept. 18.
Barony of Liberties at Kilmallock, at Kilmallock,
Sept. 21.
I have learned that eighteen additional applications
have been made from as many baronies, or half baronies,
so that a fresh batch of proclamations may be expected
in the next number of the Gazette.
Tho Earl of Glengall, vice-lieutenant of the county
Tipperary, has received the following communication
from Government, respecting Extraordinary Present-
ment Sessions in the baronies of Upper Ormond, Lower
Ormond, and Owney and Arra :
" Dublin Castle, Sept. 3, 1846.
"My Lord—l have the honour to inform your Lord-
ship that his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, in pur-
suance of the provisions of the Poor Employment Act,
10th Vic., cap. 107, of which a copy will be forwarded
for your Lordship's information, has directed that Extra-
ordinary Presentment Sessions for the purposes of that
Act shall be held at twelve o'clock at noon, on the days,
and at the places, and for the several baronies following,
viz.:—

Barony. Place. Day.
Upper Ormond, at Toomavara, on Monday, 14th Sept.
Lower Ormond, at Nenagh, on Wednesday, 16 t h do.
Owney and Arra, at Newport, on Friday, 18th do.
" I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's
most obedient, humble servant,

"H. LABOUCIIERE.
" The Right Hon. the Earl of Glengall,
"Vice-Lieutenant, county of Tipperary."
COUNTY OF MAYO.-MEETINGS OF THE GENTRY.
The Moro Constitution contains a long report of a
meeting held in Castlebar, on Thursday last, pdrsuant
to a requisition to the High Sheriff, to consider the
" awful calamity which had befallen in the total failure
of the potato crop, and to adopt measures for the pre-
vention of starvation, &c., Patrick C. Lynch, Esq.,
high sheriff, in the chair. e observed on the bench
Colonel Gore, A. C. Lynch, J.P., Thomas Ormsby,
J.P„ Courtney Kenny, J.P., William Kearney, J.P.,
Valentine O'C. Blake, J.P., Rev. W. B. Stoney, F. C.
M‘Donnell, J.P., John Flynn, Fitzgerald Higgins, J.P.,
Edward M'Donell, Edward Deane, J.P., Rev. Messrs.
Henry, Egan, O'Dowd, Corley, Browne, M'Greal,
Hardman, and several other clergymen, gentlemen, and
merchants.

Colonel GORE came forward and said--e Gentlemen, I
was not aware of the intention to hold the present meet-
ing till last night, and am now merely on my route to
Newport to visit my tenantry ; but as I am anxious to
give every support to relieve the distress in this county,
I came forward here, though unprepared I say, to relieve
all classes, for distress knocks at the rich man's castle as
well as the poor man's cabin. I must state that I, as
well as others, never signed the requisition calling this
meeting, because we never heard of it ; and a county
meeting forwarding resolutions declaring the distress of
its inhabitants, and the need of measures to counteract
the distress, should receive full and mature deliberation.
I say this, laying aside all political difference in our en-
deavour to escape this fearful, yawning abyss which
threatens our destruction—it should come from every
man of influence in„ each of the nine baronies of our
county, which would indicate to Government what our
state is, and we must look forward also to what our state
will be. I would, therefore, ask, what would the meet-
ing think of an adjournment ? If we could see such
men as the Marquis of Sligo, who is most anxious for
the good of the people, and who has done much to effect
that good at our meeting ; if I could see Sir R.
O'Donel, who has much to communicate on this absorb-
ing subject. I know they are only returned from Dub-
lin, when they were on this mission. We have also to
look for salvation to an important measure—l mean the
Drainage Bill—of which we at present know very little,
but with which we should be well acquainted. This
measure, from all I have heard, proposes to give us two-
and-a-half millions of money, to be repaid in 22 years, at
six-and-a-half per cent., so that this I call an important
measure, for it comes to this—if we don't make the lands
more fertile, we cannot feed the people. You must
either improve the present system and amount of cniti-
vation, or break up lands lying dormant since the flood,
or encourage emigration to a large extent. This present
system of taxation is a bad one ; the poor man is made
to tax himself before he can relieve himself ; whereas, if
you take advantage of the Drainage Act, you cause him
to improve his own holding, and thus better himself.
This must be done, for if we say that one acre of
potatoes is equal to three acres of oats, you must
grow the increased quantity of corn, to make up for
the poor man's deficiency. Then by getting each man
to improve his land, and break up hitherto unculti-
vated portibns, you will be able next year to have it
fit to yield a crop which is absolutely necessary.
Therefore, I say, it is much better to improve the
land, the neglect of which ought to make us blush for
shame, than expend money in cutting hills and filling
hollows. By this means all will be benefited—the land-
lord and the tenant. I therefore ask a system of agri-
cultural encouragement, and if the landlord be not able
to support the people, it will be the duty of a paternal
Government to aid in the system of emigration, and I as
an individual will go as far as any one in allowing the
poor to escape to a better land.—(Cheers.) I therefore
now say, all must come forward or it will not do ; for if
all assist to ameliorate the visitation of Providence, we
will get over the difficulties.—(Cheers.) Utter ruin and
destruction awaits despair, therefore I never despair.
The advantages of success will be reaped by both sides
—the poor and the rich ; and I, for one, am determined
not to sleep on the subject. I therefore say that we
ought to adjourn this meeting, that at our next meeting
we may have the weight, influence, and voice of the
county speaking trumpet-tongued our necessities and our
wants, and they combined must and will have effect with
the Government.—(Col. Gore here sat down amidst tre-
mendous cheering.)
The Rev. Mr. EGAN rose to oppose the adjournment
of the meeting. He said—l oppose the adjournment of
this meeting to gratify the landlords. I will consent to
it if the landlords go home with the promise of giving
employment to the poor. Let me but go home with
directions to employ the poor in the Coolcarney moun-
tains, who are actually starving. No, the landlords will
not meet to do any good for the poor, but to help each
other. Colonel Gore talks of the Drainage Act, and his
not being able to see the Act—in Dublin I saw it pub-
lished in the Telegraph and Constitution newspapers ;
but the landlords by this Act will be saddled with one-
half, as the poor man rated under V. is exempt, and the
landlords want to meet to have this law changed. We
cannot expect anything from them, when agents in the
neighbourhood of Castlebar have told the poor people
when asking for food and employment. " To go to hell,
but that they should get the rents. This is all we have
to expect from the majority of landlords, and the curses,
the agents. We want food and employment, and to ask
for such we came here to-day.
Colonel GORE thought that the public works would at
once be recommenced, as the object in stopping them was
to allow time to make up the accounts, confused by mis-
management, to the Ist September.
After some discussion, resolutions were passed de-
scribing the extreme distress in the county, and calling
for a portion of the 50,0001. granted by Parliament.
The meeting, in accordance with the suggestion of Col.
Gore, then adjourned until the 17th instant.
COUNTY OF MEATH.—At a general meeting of the
relief committee of the baronies of Upper and Lower

Hells and Fore, in the court-house at Kells, on Saturday
the sth of September, 1846, " to draw up a statement to
be laid before the Lord-Lieutenant as to the nature of
the employment which ought to be provided for the poor
during the ensuing season," the Most Noble the Mar-
quis of Headfort in the chair, a report to his Excellency
the Lord Lieutenant having been adopted, " recom-
mending as the principle of future relief the adoption of
this maxim : —That the labour for which the land is
compelled to 'pay should be applied in developing the
productive powers of the land:"
And the following suggestions having been read by
the Archdeacon of Meath:—
It was moved by JOHN FARRELL; Esq., and seconded
by JOHN TISDALL, Esq.,
Resolved—That the suggestions now read be printed
and circulated as soon as possible through the baronies
of Upper and Lower Kells and Fore.
Moved by GEORGE BAMFORD, Esq., and seconded by
the Rev. Mr. KERNAN,
Resolved—That a general meeting of the three ba-
ronies aforesaid, be celled for Monday,-the 21st instant,
to take the said suggestions into consideration.
Suggestions for promoting measures of relief on the
principle " that the labour for which the land is com-
pelled to pay, should be applied in developing the pro-
ductive powers of the land."
It being generally agreed that a rate sufficient to pro-
vide for the employment of labour should be levied in
eaeh district, and that this rate should be paid by land-
lord and occupier, according to the poor-law valuation:
It is suggested that instead of this money being taken
from the farmers and wasted in useless and unproduc-
tive works, each person liable to pay this rate should
have the option of expending it upon his own land in ad-
ditional labour upon works tending as far as possible to
promote increased production of food. •
That the most suitable and profligate works in each
locality would be best ascertained by inviting proposals
from the rate-payers, each for his own land.
Various other suggestions follow.
The following is the report to the Lord-Lieutenant:—
"TO HIS EXCELLENCY JOHN WILLIAM EARL OF RES-
BOROUGH, LORD LIEUTENANT GENERAL AND GENERAL
GOTERNOR OF IRELAND.
" We, the Central Relief Committee of the baronies
of Upper and Lower Kells and Fore, having already,
our several local committees, reported to your Excel-
lency our operations arising from the failure of last,
year's potato crop, are now desirous of submitting our
unanimous opinion respecting the nature of the mea-
sures required to meet a yet more extensive calamity.
" We have, in the first place, to express our convic-
tion that the case which we are now called on to meet
differs, not only in degree, but also in the nature of
the evil, from that which we had to contemplate last
season.
" Last year, when it appeared that a considerable
portion of the food of the people had perished, we con-
fidently anticipated that at the return of harvest the
people would be restored to the enjoyment of their usual
supply. We had, therefore, to provide for a present,
but temporary, deficiency ; and our exertions for the
relief of the people were adapted to such an emergency.
" We did not then at all contemplate a remedy by pro-
ducing out of the ground a substitute for that which had
perished; the temporary necessity would have passed
away before such a remedy could have come into opera-
tion.

" All that was possible in the present distress was to
accomplish a fair and economical distribution of the food
which remained, supplying the actual deficiency by the
purchase of foreign corn.
" To effect this, it was only required that the labour,
ing population, who had lost their food, should be fur-
nished with more than ordinary resources in wages. The
readiest and the most available means of affording suck
wages was found in the making and levelling of roads,
othr works of the like description; and such works were
therefore, generally adopted.
" These works, we conceive, to have been suited to
the emergency, and highly useful for their temporary
purpose.

- "But we feel called on to express our conviction that
the present deficiency is not temporary, but permanent.
None of us now entertain the expectation that next
year's potato crop will put an end to our difficulties by
supplying food for the people.
" We have no longer a temporary deficiency to meet,
and we cannot rely on those expedients which were
hastily adopted to meet a pressing, and, as it was hoped,
a passing emergency. We are satisfied that a continued
reliance on those expedients, so far from affording per-
manent relief, must inevitably aggravate the evils with
which we are now threatened, and prove highly in-
jurious to the true interests of all classes.

"For the question is not now of the distribution, but
of the production of food. We have not now to relieve
a temporary distress, but to make provision for the food
of a people.
" We cannot hope for the permanent supply of the
deficiency of our home produce from the introduction of
foreign corn, to be paid for by a tax on the land, which
has ceased to be productive.
" We cannot now look on any remedy as adequate or
safe which does not aim at producing out of the ground
a supply of food equal in quantity, and, if possible,
superior in quality, to that which the ground has here-
tofore produced.
" We are of opinion that such a remedy is to be
found only in the employment of additional capital and
labour on the land. It is to the united exertions of the
landowner, the farmer, and the labourer that we must
look for a substitute for the food which has perished.
" To stimulate their energies, and to direct the appli-
cation of the capital, the skill, and the labour of these
several classes to the increased cultivation of the land,
afford the only means of escaping from the evils with
which we are threatened.

" Any measures which tend to divert to other objects
the capital and labour which ought to be so employed,
must, to a corresponding extent, withdraw it from that
channel in which alone it can be really useful.
" To anticipate the available resources of the country,
and to compel or induce the outlay of them on public
works not productive of food, or of any commodity which
could be exchanged for food, must fearfully aggravate
the dangers of our position.
" Such, we are persuaded, must be the ultimate re-
sult, if the relief of distress in the ensuing year is to be
effected by the continuance of the system of public works.
" Under that system two classes, who have heavily
suffered in their incomes—the landowner and the occu-
pier—are taxed for the relief of the national distress,
which results from their peculiar misfortune. Their al-
ready lessened funds are taken away from them at a time
when the increased application of capital to the ground
is most essential to the national safety, and those funds
are employed in withdrawing the strength of the labourer
from the production of food, to expend it in a forced and
unnatural extent upon works which, when completed,
would leave him in a state of starvation as before.
" But this system of relief tends further to discourage
and paralyse the exertions of landowner and farmer still
more than it disables them. If the man who is willing
to employ additional labour on his own land, is also to
be taxed for the support of those labourers whom his
neighbour will not employ, he will be over-burdened, and
will be driven to relieve himself. This cannot do but
by restricting his voluntary expenditure, and throwing
his labourers, as well as his neighbours, upon the com-
mon fund, as the only means of equalising their burdens.
Many who have employed additional labour already feel
that they will be constrained to adopt this course in
self-defence, if last year's system of relief be per-
sisted in.

" On these grounds, while we are prepared cheerfully
to undertake whatever burdens are necessary for the re-
lief of present distress, and to make every exertion which
may be required to provide for the future support of the
people ; and while we are willing and resolved, at all
hazards, to provide, by public works, the promptest te.
lief for immediate and urgent necessity, we feel it our
duty to deprecate the continuance of a system *which
tends to discourage the exertions of landlord and farmer,
and to misapply the labour of the people. And we
earnestly recommend as the principle of future relief, the
adoption of the maxim---' That the labour for which the
land is compelled to pay, should be applied in developing
the productive powers of the land.'
"Private justice and public policy alike call for its
adoption, for the preservation of the people, under the
heavy calamity which it has pleased God to bring
upon us.
" Believing that in free discussion will be found the
best means of supplying a principle so essential to the
national welfare, we shall direct the attention of our
baronies to the subject, and we respectfully recommend
it to your Excellency's consideration."
DEPARTURE OF MR. O'CONNELL.
The Tipperary Vindicator of this day containri the
following :
" Mr. O'Connell leaves Dublin to-day (Weanesday)
for Darrynane Abbey, where he intends to sojourn
for some weeks, to imbibe fresh vigour from his
native mountain air, and to prepare for another cam-
paign for the benefit of Ireland. He will sleep in
Monastereven to-night, and on to-morrow he will
pass through Roscrea and Nenagh, on his way to
Limerick, where he will dine and sleep to-morrow
night. He is to be accompanied as far as Nenagh by
the Head Pacificator. He is expected to arrive in Ne-
nagh between three and four o'clock to-morrow, and
already we are rejoiced for the honour of our noble
county to say that preparations are making to give him
a ceade mine faillha, to show him that he lives and
reigns the sole idol of a brave and determined people's
political affections. On Monday the town council of
Nenagh met, and unanimously voted an address to him,
which is to be presented on Thursday. A vote of confi-
dence in his integrity, wisdom, and matchless seal as the
great guide and leader of the Irish people, was also
voted to him by that body."