The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-25 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, Aram 23.—A preliminary meeting (the
first) of the Protestant Repeal Association was held
last night at their temporary rooms in College-green.
The attendance was both numerous and respectable,
far exceeding the anticipations of the promoters of
the movement. The assemblage was addressed,
amongst others, by Mr. Samuel Ferguson, a bar-
rister, and a gentleman favourably known in the
literary world ; he was followed by Mr. Ireland, also
a barrister, and both speeches were marked by calm-
ness, moderation, and, as far as the question would
admit it, plain sense. A general meeting is shortly
to take place.
Nowise discouraged by the fate of the Ship-street
and Cork recruits, a few of the Dublin Rifle Brigades
repaired as usual this morning to the North Strand
the
god qualify themselves for the coming appeal to
god of battles, when unluckily the police, who were
on the alert
, came up just as p
ractice was about to
commence, and arrested one of the warriors in
embryo,;_ who, with rifle in hand, was marched igno-
miniously through the streets to Henry-street
Police-office. He will be brought up before the
magistrates to-morrow morning; and, as the evi-
dence is rather conclusive against the prisoner, it is
probable he will have to make his bow to the judges
at the ensuing Commission of Oyer and Terminer.
According to the Limerick Chronicle, there has been
a marked cessation of "practice" in that quarter,
and that there has been a corresponding decline in
the manufacture of pikes. Here are the aate•
meats
"Although the rifle practice is partially continued by
confederates and others in this city, yet it is quite visible
that those who were foremost in recommending the sys-
tem, are growing smaller by degrees and beautifully
less upon the usual parade ground, the novelty of the
absurd and idle: custom having lost its attractive
powers, as the arrests in Dublin and Cork have cooled
the ardour of the military amateurs. There is no truth
whatever in the statement which appeared in a contem-
porary, announcing that nine thousand persons were to
be seen at pike practice by night in the county of Lime-
rick. The manufacturers of these formidable weapons
in this city have found the demand so slack that most
have abandoned the trade, disappointed at the lull that
has set in within the last week.'
In Cork the bellicose spirit is not yet laid, the
demand for lead, by fair means or foul, being still
very brisk :
"During the last few weeks (says a Cork paper) the
stealing of lead from the house gutters has become very
general, the thieves having a ready sale for it amongst
our rifle clubs, who convert it into bullets. Several
houses have been stripped on the Glanmire-hill, and in
the neighbourhood of the Marsh. On Wednesday night
a gang forced the shop door of a house in Great George-
street, adjoining the Friary Chapel, and got upon the
roofs of this range of buildings, where they were busily
employed tearing up the lead, when they were perceived
by some persons in the houses at the opposite side of the
street. The police were immedialely in pursuit, but,
while searching along the roofs, the depredators effected
their escape by breaking out through the hall door of the
corner house on the Grand Parade."
The recent arrests in Cork have jeopardized the
safety of the magistrate (Captain White) who com-
mitted the riflemen for trial. The following narrative ,
appears in the Constitution of yesterday
" Private assassination is, we suppose, to open the
campaign of the Confederates.'
Every :instrumentality
by which an enemy' can be got rid of is included in
their plan of operations. Among the letters left on
Thursday by the letter carrier for Captain White, Jus-
tice of the Peace, on the delivery of the mid-day mail,
was the following :

" Cork, April 18, 1848.
" Tyrant White—lt seems you are at the present
crisis as ambitious for notoriety as you were in the year
of your shrievalty, when you entrapped the poor sim-
pleton, the aged Roger Heffernan. But, villain, you
have had a long time to repent of your evil doings, and
yet have not—your days; are numbered. You had
a narrow escape some time ago, and were anxiously
waited for by three determined men, but fortunately for
you a different way home served you then.
" You will have the hardihood to appear again in hos-
tility to the people. Beware, death has not the terrors
for the stricken down and oppressed people that it had
some twenty or thiny years past, and it is not impos-
sible that poor Roger's persecution and death will be
avenged by shortly ridding the world of you, a tyrant,
and unrepenting villain.
" This is no hoax—settle your temporal affairs—the
time is short—tyrants must be got rid of—an accursed
Government cannot protect you from the people's
wrath. If you are looking for place by your opposition
to the people, you will find it in the warmest corner of
hell, for thither will the people send you.
" WILLIAM HEFFERNAN MITCHELL,
" One of the Enemies of Tyranny.
" William Preston White, Esq., Patrick's-hill, Cork."
The letter is written in a tolerably good hand, and
is not the production of one of the lowest of the
" Confederates." After what is occurring around us
—after the doctrines inculcated, the ends avowed, and
the means approved by miscreants who are permitted
publicly to propagate sedition and murder, we need
not say that this letter occasions us no surprise. The
history of Roger Heffernan many of our readers will
remember. In 1821) Captain White was sheriff—in
1822 he received the commission of the peace for the
county, with a request from Government that he
would give his assistance in the repression of violence
and the restoration of order. In that year the
Whiteboys were abroad in large numbers, and com-
mitted numberless atrocities, and Heffernan, who
kept a small grocer's shop in the South Main-street,
was charged with supplying them, by sale, with
gunpowder and ball. Captain White, as a magis-
trate, paid a visit to the shop. Heffernan denied that
there was any powder on the premises. A search,
however, proved that the denial was false, and all that
was found Captain White removed. In the evening
he paid a second visit, and caught Heffernan selling
ball 'and powder to a number of country people.
Under Heffernan's bed he found a barrel of powder,
with a good supply of balls and flints. For this
offence Heffernan was tried at a special commission
(Baron M'Cleland and Mr. Justice Moore presiding),
found guilty, and sentenced to be hanged. The
county, however, becoming peaceable, the sentence
was commuted, and Heffernan was transported for
life. We mention this fact that the allusion in the
letter may be understood. Yesterday the magistrates
bad a meeting to consider what should be done in
reference to the letter. The offer of a reward for the
discovery of the writer was proposed, but Captain
White objected that this would be making too much
of the matter ; that it was better to leave Govern-
ment to determine what should be done ; that for his
part he treated with derision the attempts to intimi-
date him; that the only effect it had on him was to
render him, if possible, more determined to do the
duty which the state of the country might impose on
him, and to induce him to put in his pocket a couple
of pistols, according to his custom in disturbed times,
and that he had no doubt he should be able to protect
himself against any attempt assassins might make on
him. The proposal was, consequently, not perse-
vered in.
The same paper thus reports upon the run on the
savings banks :
g
" Instances are daily occurring in proof of what we
said respecting the losses likely to be incurred by the
imprudent withdrawal of money from savings banks. On
Monday a countrywoman, who had just drawn 601.,
and converted it into sovereigns, was met on the South
Mall by some fellows, who asked her if she had got her
money, and whether she had any difficulty about it.
She replied that she had, and that there was no difficulty.
They said they were glad of it, for that they had money
in and they were going to ask for it. The poor woman
told them they had nothing to do but go down and
present their books, and by way of facilitating the pro-
cess she volunteered to accompany them. Making her
way through the crowd she suddenly missed her men,
and soon after discovered that they had cut her pocket,
and that the 601., which she supposed secure, was gone.
She gave expression to her grief in loud lamentations,
but has since heard nothing of her money, for the loss
of which she and similar sufferers may thank their
Nations, their United Irishmen, and their other popular
prints,' which have been indulging their hatred of
English government by urging the people to draw their
lodgments from a bank in which they would have been
more wisely left."

The movement in favour of repeal by the Romish
bishop and clergy of the united dioceses of Waterford
and Lismore is set forth as follows in the Waterford

-
Chronicle of Saturday :
" We can state upon authority that yesterday, at two
o'clock, a meeting of our clergy was held in the vestry
of the cathedral, where a strong address to the Sove-
reign was unanimously adopted. It contained three
principal points :-1. It bore unequivocal evidence of
the loyalty of our clergy to the person and throne of
the Sovereign. 2. It reminded her Majesty of the im-
minent peril in which her crown would soon be placed,
if she does not now listen to the voice of the people
justly indignant at the awful wrongs they have sus-
tained. 3. It solemnly assures her Majesty that nothing
can atone for those wrongs, or satisfy the just demands
of the people, but the assembling in Dublin of the Irish
Lords and Commons, to legislate for this insulted nation.
Oh ! when will the base, the brutalised, the bloody
Whigs give ear to these seasonable warnings, and desist
from the ',policy which places in jeopardy the crown of
our beloved Queen, and the lives of our still more be-
loved people ? Nous verrons.' This important docu-
ment will, ere the week shall have elapsed, bear im-
pressed upon it the sign-manual of every priest in our
diocese."
LORD DUNGANNON AND Ills TENANTRY.

The Belfast Chronicle says—" We have great
pleasure in publishing the subjoined letter from Lord
Dungannon to his tenantry in Ulster, in reply to the
loyal declaration recently forwarded by them to his
Lordship, and which was signed by upwards of 1,000
good men and true, among whom were many Roman
Catholics :
" TO DIY TENANTRY IN THE COUNTIES OF ANTRESI,
ARMAGH, AND DOWN.
" I should not do juctice to my own feelings were I
to refrain from thus making known to you the heartfelt
gratification which I hare this day experienced on re-
ceiving such a declaration of loyalty to our gracious
Queen, and determination to uphold the Jaws and insti-
tutions of our country, and which it will be my proud
and pleasing duty to transmit to the Lord-Lieutenant.
You have done honour to yourselves; you have done

ha:our to me; you have afforded a bright example to all
good men and true, awl a striking proof to tlw aivocates
of revolution and anarchy, that there are to he found a
spirit and principle throughout the country which, at a
moment's warning,is ready and able to act in defence of
the Throne and of the laws, and in staying the career of
sedition and treason. You have declared that you will
not be found wanting 19 the hour of danger should it
arrive. Your landlord is equally prepared and resolved
to perform his own part. Should my services be re-
quired—should the wicked and the seditious dare to
raise the standard of revolt, I shall not lose an hour in
coming amongst you and fearlessly discharging my
duties, as a magistrate and a landowner, to my Sove-
reign and to my country.—Your very sincere and
obliged friend, " DUNGANNON.
" Brynkinalt, April 16.'

ALTERATION IN THE SARDI-
NIAN FLAG.
NOTICE TO MARINERS. •

London, Sardinian Consulate, April 18, 1848.
Sir,—l beg to communicate to you, for the information
of the members of Lloyd's, the following extract of a
dispatch from his Excellency the Minister of Foreign
Affairs at Turin, dated the 7th of April, 1848:
" While passing the frontier of his states, his Ma-
jesty, desirous of manifesting distinctly the important
and sole motive which led the army under his command
on the territory of Lombardy, ordered that the flag
hoisted should be the Italian tri-colour, with the escut-
cheon of Savoy in the centre. His Majesty has ordered
that the same flag shall be hoisted on the mainmast of
his ships of war; which, however, are to retain also in
the usual place at the stern the blue national flag. As
the national merchant vessels are to adopt the same flag,
in the way pointed out, I have the honour to acquaint
you with the fact fer your information, and in order that
you may communicate it to the authorities of the port in
which you reside."
I have the honour to transmit to you also the n-
structions given by the Admiralty at Genoa to the offs
cers commanding his Sardinian Majesty's ships of war,
by which you will observe that they are strictly enjoined
to offer no molestation to the merchant vessels of
Austria.

(Signed) J. B. HEATH,
Sardinian Consul-General.
To the Secretary of Lloyd's.

Instructions to the following effect have been given to
the officers commanding the ships of war of his Majesty
the King of Sardinia, and have been officially commu-
nicated to the Consul-General in London :

The state of hostility in which his Sardinian Majesty's
Government finds itself with respect to his Majesty the
Emperor of Austria, renders it necessary that its inten-
tions with respect to maritime emergencies should be
made manifest.

It is not the intention of his Majesty in this war to
avail himself of those rights on the sea which belligerent
powers have assumed to themselves.
It has not escaped his Majesty's Government that the
greater part of the officers and crews of Austrian ships
of_ ; i
war is composed of Italians, and that in a war, essen-
Ja ly talian, and waged solely for the purpose of expel-
ling strangers from Italy, it is generous not to combat
with Italians.
rally toh
order Government therefore, has instructed the Admi-
th commanders of the royal ships of war
to confine themselves to their defence in case of attack by
Austrian ships of war, without, however, provoking such
.11 respect to mere •
attwacikt
flag, it is the intention mercantile ships with the Austrian
hheeirGovernm t that
shall be allowed to pursue the
en they
lestation. voyages without mo-
But, as it is possible that Austrian
under cover of the Austrianflag, withsh tips, or others
o
pretext of
trading, may be fitted out as privateers,
to he
ships of his Majesty's subjects, or those of molest
le the
ist
States allied with ours, the commanders of the
royaltalian
ships are directed to ascertain that vessels hoisting the
Austrian flag are really in the merchant service, and
used for traffic only, by the examination of the papers
on board, or by any other mode they may deem neces-
sary. Should there appear reasonable grounds of
suspicion that they are privateers, such vessels will be
conveyed to one of the ports of the state, for the ulterior
decision of the competent tribunals.
J. B. HEATH, Consul-General.

BIRKENHEAD AND LIVERPOOL
DOCK AMALGAMATION.

The question of the amalgamation of the Birken-
head Docks with the Liverpool Dock Trust having
been a subject of discussion during the last few days,
both in Liverpool and Birkenhead, we lay before our
readers the following points, which have been sug-
gested in a communication from a correspondent, as
some of the advantages likely to accrue to the
public by such an arrangement.
That they would be under the control of commer-
cial men resident upon the spot, and thus a saving of
6,0001. or 7,0001. per annum, in engineering and
other charges, be effected by the whole being under
one management, relieving, therefore, the trade of
the Mersey to that extent.
That shipowners, by paying one rate, could dis-
charge the vessels at Liverpool, and loael at Birken-
head, or vice versa.

That, by an outlay of 40,0001. or 50,0001. the
large dock of 150 acres at Birkenhead could be made
available for the timber trade and manufacturing
purposes, in five or six months, and the port of Liver-
pool be made this year the cheapest depot for timber
in the country.
That the construction of the tidal basin and other
outer works at Birkenhead could be proceeding, the
upper dock of 150 acres being at the same time
available for trade.

That the Birkenhead works, if undertaken by Li-
verpool, would be more promptly and economically
completed by a :resident engineer and management,
and without
.any Government aid, than by a trust
virtually appointed by the Crown, and an engineer
resident in London, and inspectors and servants to be
appointed by the Crown, and paid out of the rates
raised from the public.
That in Liverpool, the ship•buildinv trade is not
and cannot be properly accommodated ; at Birken-
head it could be to any extent.
That Liverpool, as a port for valuable produce, such
as sugar, cotton, rice, tea, &c., offers very great facili-
ties, which will be increased by the erection of ware-
houses on the dock quays.
That Birkenhead offers greater conveniences than
Liverpool for timber, grain, iron, and minerals, and
is naturally adapted for manufacturing establishments
requiring water frontage, such as ship-builders, iron-
founders, engineers, sugar-houses, soaperies, &c., in
which kind of accommodation Liverpool is entirely
deficient.

Should the Liverpool Dock Trust, and the bond-
holders and other parties interested in the Birkenhead
Docks, come to any arrangement for an amalgama-
tion, there is little doubt that the Government will
be glad to be relieved, at this time, of the call to ad-
vance 220,0001. (as stated in the Bills before Parlia-
ment) to aid in completing the Birkenhead works,
and that Parliament would not even sanction such a
Bill if the works could be completed without their
interference.
By a suspension of the standing orders the transfer
of the Birkenhead Trust to Liverpool could, there is
no doubt, be carried this session of Parliament.—
Liverpool Albion.