The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-26 00:00:00

THE t S UN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, ' OCTOBER 26, 1849.

IRE LA ND.

THE SPECIAL COIIMISSION.
According to the Clownel Chronicle, the entire cost
of the witnesses in the recent State prosecutions for
high treason, as paid by the Crown, amounts to
1,5001. Dobbin, the informer, was paid 171., includ-
ing all his expenses up to yesterday.
With respect to the men who refused to give
evidence against Mr. O'Brien, the Judges have ruled
that John O'Donnell, a farmer of the better class,
and Richard Shea, a half-famished lad of about 18
years old, are to be imprisoned for one year, from the
Ist of October, and fined 101., and in default of pay-
ing such fine that they be further imprisoned for a
period of three months. Edmund Egan, the other
man who refused to give evidence, is in for trial, true
bills for high treason having. been found against him.
TRIAL BY JURY.
The following letter was received by Southcote
Mansergh, Esq., of Grenane, the foreman of the jury
on Mr. O'Brien's trial :

" Sir,—l received intelligence that you were a Fore
of the grand jury on the tryal of W. S. O'Brien, and
that you returned to a verdict of guilty on the noble
and high-minded man. But by the great name of
God I swear, if he be executed aceordin to his sen-
tense, that you may be sure of a fate similar to his ;
and also your unmanly savage—or brother—be sure
of his fate. Again I tell you be prepared to meet
the cruels ded that ever was inflicted on any humane
bein, If Mr. O'Brien be hung or transported. For
by the Lord of Heaven arid earth, they hand that rote
this will send you and your brother soul to the
scorchin flames of perdition.
" Signed by your unrevenged enemy.
" To Mr. Manser, Genane."

HOP INTELLIGENCE.
MAIDSTONE.—Hop-picking being now everywhere
finished, attention is closely directed to the duty, the
announcement of which is awaited with some anxiety
by the speculators. We understand that orders have
been given to each hop supervisor to send in an ab-
stract of his books, within twenty-four hours after
the last weighing, so that the official statement cannot
be very far distant. Opinion seems to be in favour of
the duty, though, as we said last week, there are
many stout betters against it. From the following
statement which has been handed to us, and which we
lay before our readers for what it is worth, it would
seem that it has gone up considerably. A corres•
pondent says—" The hop duty is backed by parties
who have the best information, as follows :
Rochester ... 72,000
Canterbury ... 41,700
Sussex ... 72,300
'Worcester ... 18,125
Farnham .. 13,725
Kingdom .. .. 4,000

221,850"
Having no interest in the matter whatever, but that
of laying before the public the best information we
can obtain, we are still of opinion that this is far too
high an estimate.

ROCHESTER COLLECTION OF HOP DUTY.--Wednes-
day, Nov. 15, at Gravesend ; Thursday, 16th, at Ro-
chester; Friday, 17th, at Milton; Saturday, 18th, at
Lenham ; Monday, 20th, at Tunbridge ; Tuesday,
21st, at Sevenoaks ; Wednesday, 22d, at Westerham;
Thursday, 23d, at Wrotham ; Friday, 24th, at
Mailing; Monday, 27th, anc: Tuesday, 28th, at
Maidstone.—Maidstone Journal.

£RETENTION OF ACCIDENTS, &C., IN TRAINS
DURING TRANSIT.—Our contemporaries are still busy,
we see, recasting old idp.a for the prevention of accidents
or other casualties with trains in transit, and especially
for communication between the passengers or guard and
engine-driver. One of these professes to obviate the ob-
jections we have frequently pointed out; and, without
clearly perceiving where the hitch actually lies, inadver-
tently, as in other' instances, blunders on it by accident.
The apparatus referred to 'consists of a rather ultra-sci-
entific adaptation of the electromagnetic force to the
purpose in view, with a clear distinction between the
signal transmitted, to the driver, from a guard, and that
from a mere passenger, so that if from the latter " the
pace of the train need only be slackened until the guard
ascertains ike carriage from' which the sigual is made, and
the reasons." flow is he to do that, we again and again
ask? Since it does seem to be inevitably destined that
passengers and guards and drivers are to be brought into
mutual communication during transit, and to that cud
that guards are to be called upon to " ascertain the car-
riage from which the signal is made, and.the reason," we
must protest against the establishment of the dangerous,
undignified, and unofficial practice of crawling along the
tops of the carriages, which a recent inventor of strings
and pulleys attempted to dignify by calling it " travel-
ling to the carriage." If it ho essentially requisite, as
frequent practice has already proved it to be, that the
guard occasionally travel from one carriage to another,
let him, at least, have a proper and protected footway,
without or within, along which to travel, and then the
modern bell-kanger and the human tongue may render
all further exercise of super-refined ingenuity on this
questio vezata quite unnecessary.—Builder.
GALASHIELS.—The hills in our neighbourhood are
covered with a premature mantle of snow. So early a
fall of snow has not occurred for some years past. The
storm commenced on Tuesday last, some heavy showers
of hail and snow having fallen on that day, accompanied
with an intensely cold north-east wind. A severe frost
set in throughout tho night, and on the following morn-
ing the ice in some parts of the town was nearly as thick
a 3 a penny piece. On the evening of Wednesday a
very heavy fall of snow commenced, and continued till
yesterday morning, when the ground was covered to the
depth of some inches. Some lightning was seen late in
the evening, and some cracks of thunder were heard. A
brilliant display of the aurora borealis was observed,
whose refulgent brightness radiated from the zenith
downward . They were observable for more than an
hour, and cast a bright glow over the torm, which raged
at intervals during the time the northern lights were
visible. The snow between St. Boswells and Kelso is
said to be nearly six inches deep; on the Gala Water
road it is also very deep.--Border Advertiser.
The North American mail steam-ship Canada is
expected to be ready to make a trial trip this week.--
Liverpool Standard.

DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY.—IC iS said that new bills
will be sent up to-day against Mr. Charles Gavan
Duffy, for felony. The bill in this case will be
founded on certain articles printed in the suppressed
copy of the Nation, and which the Crown lawyers
are prepared to show were written by Mr. Duffy
himself.
The accounts from the provinces this morning,
touching the condition and prospects of the country
during the coming winter, are very discouraging.
The iWayo Constitution, a Conservative paper, says—
" The present condition of the country generally, but
of this county more particularly, is of the most fearful
character at the present moment. The almost total
failure of the potato crop, and the very meagre grain
crop, renders the present and future prospects of
every clam almost hopeless. Landlords and tenants
are threatened with dreadful privation. The small
return of the wheat crop has afforded many an ex-
cuse, and in some cases made it impossible for
the small farmer to pay rents and taxes—
whilst a regular combination seems to be entered
into by such as have crops to make off with the pro-
duce of the land, regardless of the payment of any
rent or taxes. We are aware that in almost every
part of the county the entire crops are carried off by
night—the cattle are recovered and sold, and the
lands wasted. This is a sad look out for the land-
lords—a gloomy prospect for the future. 'We look
around us in vain, we fear, for a single hope to grasp
at. Employment there is none—relief is at an end—
rents are not available—rates cannot be collected—
thousands are on the verge of starvation—the rapid
and fearful strides of cholera threaten to sweep away
our population, who must become easy victims to the
awful visitation. And in the midst of all these
afflictions Government aid there is none. Apathy—
shameful apathy—seems to distinguish us, for all
must be sensible of the impending danger from the
presence of the remorseless tyrants hunger and
cholera. To meet either, is there any preparation
being made in this county? The former is an evil
we are certain to encounter—the latter will come and
sweep over us like the simoom in the desert, un-
checked and unmitigated."
The Meath Herald, another Conservative paper,
says—" Within the memory of the oldest inhabitants
the spirit of emigration was never more rife during
the spring of the year than it is now, though we are
on the brink of winter. Scarcely a day passes in
which strangers are not seen wending their way to-
wards the seaports of Drogheda or Dublin—flying
from the misery which threatens to visit their homes
upon the arrival of winter. Numbers are collecting
their little store for transmission, fearing, should they
delay until spring, that the small means at present in
their possession would be exhausted in the support of
their families ; whilst others, not:so conscientious, are
giving leg-bail' to landlords, creditors, arid rate-
collectors. From the situation in which poor families
are placed, without a ray of hope to benefit their con-
dition, and with no prospect in view but the work-
house, this cannot be wondered at. Considering that
any change must benefit their condition, they prefer
encountering the danger and difficulties attending
emigration in the winter season, to remaining with
no better prospect before them than a poor-house.
Even this resource must fail, if the present system of
neglect be much longer pursued towards the labour
of the country, for all property will inevitably be
swallowed up by it—the profits first, the principal
after; therefore, whilst landlords possess any capital,
they would do well, for the preservation of that pro-
perty, to endeavour to procure employment for the
able bodied labourers, otherwise that capital be
lost in supporting idleness."
ALLEGED PLOT TO RESCUE.—It is understood that
the authorities are in possession of the details of a
plot entered into by some silly visionaries, having for
its object the rescue of Mr. Gaylen Duffy either before
or after his trial. Such precautions, it is said, have
been made as would totally defeat this absurd attempt,
if made.