The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-11 00:00:00

gives us returns from every part of Ireland up to the 22d of
January, 1846, being nearly two months later than the
accounts which have been laid on the table of the Rouse
of Commons. On the Sth of November the Com-
mittee sent circulars to the ministers of religion of every
denomination throughout Ireland, to the deputy-
lieutenants, justices of the peace, and landed proprietors, and
to all the Poor-law Boards, containing, among others, thefol-
lowing queries : _ . .

" lst—Whether the crop of potatoes was in point of quan-
tity an average crop?
"2d—What proportion of thecrop has been already lost by
decomposition, or otherwise?
" 3d—What is your opinion as to the probability of the re-
maining portion continuing sound during the year?"
983 letters, from all parts of Ireland, were received
in answer, between the 12th November and the
6th December, 1845, and from these it appears that
in 415 cases the crop was above the average ; that in 409 in-
stances there was an average crop; and that in 117 cases the
crop was below the average ; that the proportion of the crop
lost by disease, up to 6th December, 1845, was in 292 cases
under one-third; in 291 cases fully one-third; in '242
eases one-half ; and in 81 cotes more than a half
Then, with regard to the chances of saving the remainder.
428 of the respondents declared themselves unable to form
an opinion, 185 thought the remainder might be saved, and
262 were of opinion that it could not be saved. Be it remem-
bered, that during the whole of this time, and in the very face
of these facts, the monopolist party in England and Ireland were
loudly denying the existence of any failure of the potato
crop, and when at length compelled reluctantly to admit
that a disease had existed, they as loudly proclaimed that it
ho ceased, and that the supply of sound potatoes was still
ample. Now let us test those assertions by facts. On the
10th of December the Mansion-house Committee ad-
dressed the following queries to their Ammer corre-
spondents :
" Ist—ls there any change, and especially is there any
favourable change, in the potato crop in your vicinity since
the date of your last letter?
" 2d—Do you see any reason to alter or add to the
opinions given by you in that letter? If so, be so good as to
state the same.

"3d—What, according to your judgment, is the present
prospect of there being a sufficiency of potato food for the
people in your locality for the coming season ?
" 4th—What quantity of the potato crop in your neigh-
bourhood do you consider to have become unlit fur human
food?"

They had received 523 letters in reply up to the 22d of
January, 1846. In ninety instances it was stated that there
was a prospect of a sufficiency of potato food during the en-
suing season—in 364 instances the supply of potato food was
insufficient. Then, with regard to the quantity of the po
tato crop unfit for human food, in 11l cases it was under one-
third, in 110 cases it was one-third, in 148 cases it was one-
half, and in 84 cases it was more than one-half. Already
have the people of Ireland suffered severely from an
insufficient supply of food—already has fever, the conse-
quence of famine, made its appearance in the south of Ire-
land. Its ravages at Dungarvan have been fearful. If,
within the next two months, something is not done to secure
to the poor Irish a sufficient supply of cheap and nutritive
food, they will be dying by hundreds of actual starvation,
and a famine and a pestilence, more horrible and more ex-
terminating than ever before- afflicted this unhappy country,
will rage throughout the length and breadth of the land.
And yet Mr. Puna? MILES, last evening, with all that cool-
ness which is so characteristic of the rashness of
ignorance, declared in the House of Commons that
notwithstanding the failure of the pototo crop, there was no
danger of a famine in Ireland, because there had been an
ample crop of barley and oats. As well might he have said
that there had been an ample crop of pine-apples. " The
Irish agricultural labourers and their families," says
my Lord DEVON, in a report which Mr. PHILIP
MILES should have carefully studied before he ven-
tured to give an opinion as to the probability of
the cccurrence of a famine in Ireland—" the Irish
agricultural labourers and their families are calculated
to amount to more than four millions of human beings,
whose only food is the potato, whose only drink is water,
whose houses are pervious to the rain, to whom
a bed or blanket is a luxury almost unknown,
and who are more wretched than any other people
in Europe." How are these unfortunate persons
to purchase barley and oats at monopolists' prices. Admit
foreign grain and maize, and they may become purchasers,
because by increasing the supply the price of food in Ireland
would be decreased, and that, and that alone, could place
corn food within the reach of those who have hitherto
depended entirely on the potato for subsistence. The
Government has proposed to the Legislature a
measure, which, by throwing open the ports, will go far to-
wards increasing the supply and decreasing the price of food
in Ireland. On those who, for their own selfish and avari-
cious purposes, shall obstruct the progress of that measure
will rest the responsibility of whatever may oecur in Ireland,
in consequence of such obstruction, as on those who, in
November, thwarted in the Cabinet the wise and beneficent
measures proposed by the Premier rests the responsibility of
whatever has occurred there up to the present time.

The Paris papers contain no news of importance. The
Journal des Debate has a long article on the protracted dis-
cussions and the numerous amendments made during the
period of ten days on the Address in reply to the Speech from
the Throne, and naturally expresses great satisfaction at the
result. In every division the Opposition had been defeated'
by much larger majorities than were anticipated, although
the topics urged,were generally those of a popular character—
such as the right of search, the policy with regard to the
differences between England and America, and the entente
cordiale. On the entire of the 'Address the majority
was larger than any gained by the Ministry
since the accession of M. Gtnzor. The Opposition
journals are quite silent on these subjects, but several of
them make an undeserved attack upon M. DE LAMARTIKE
for honestly expressing his sentiments in opposition to those
of TmEns, Durirr, and other Deputies of that class. M. DE
LAMARTINE bad written to the Constitutionnel and National,
to state that, by mistake in the division on the whole of the
Address, he had put his ball into the wrong urn, for it was
his intention to vote against the amendment of the Opposi-
tion, on the ground that they tended to encourage Ame-
rica in her territorial aggressions, and also to favour the
slave trade. To both these he is decidedly opposed, and he
declares so in strong language. On Saturday evening Lours
I'muirrE received at the Tuileries a deputation from the
Chamber of Deputies with the Address, which was read by
the President, and returned the following reply. His MA-
JELTT appears to have been greatly delighted with the result
of the discussions on the Address :

Gentlemen,—l receive this address with very great sa-
tisfaction. lam happy to find in it so striking a manifesta-
tion of the support which you lend to my Government, and
of that loyal and steadfast concord which is at once the bass
of its strength, and the guarantee of all our liberties. Public
opinion is every day more convinced that it is by the
regular progress and the perfect concord of all the powers
of the State that France has attained the high de-
gree of prosperity upon which it is so delightful to me to be
able to congratulate you. Yes, gentlemen, it is with joy that
I express my confidence in the prospects of our country.
This confidence is fortified by the sentiments you have just
uttered. I see in them a presage that this harmonious ope-
ration, becoming every day more complete, shall continue to
future generations a greater development of that well being
( bicn etre) at present so much enjoyed by all classes of
society. Such, for a long time, has been the wish of my
heart and the object of my efforts. For myself, my most de-
lightful recompense will be found in the reflection that I may
safely hope that my government shall have contributed to
ensure such benefits to my country."

_ ..
Very little business was done in the Funds on Sunday, and
the quotations were nearly the same as on Saturday.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE

LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, FEB. 9.
Boulogne and Amiens, 11% —Bordeaux and Mediterranean, 17i
Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Cette ( :2ackenzie), 2% —Ditto (Espeleta),
214—Dutch Rhenish, 7% —East Indian, I%—Great Indian Penin-
sular, —Jamaica North Midland, 34—Louvain and Jemappe,
—Luxembourg, 234—Madrid and Valentia, 1% —Namur and Liege,
3%—Orleans and Bordeaux, 12—Rouen and Havre, 28 ex div.

It is strongly rumoured in political circles that a large
*amber of Conservative Peers have determined not to oppose
Sir ROBERT PEEL'S Corn Bill on the second reading, or
going into Committee ; but in Committee to -support au
amendment for making Sir R. PEEL'S proposed sliding-
scale for the next three years permanent. It need not be said
that the carrying of such a measure will be a serious
embarrassment to the Minister, as it is impossible that, on
the Bill so amended returning to the House of Commons, the
Liberal party could agree to the amendment.
A rumour was in circulation on Monday that Lord ASHLEY
was to succeed Lord LINCOIS as First Commissioner of
the Woods and Forests, and to be raised to the House of
Lords. We have good reasons for believing that the lattes
part of the report is without foundation.

The Earl of Harrowby, Viscount and Lady Frances
Sandon and family have arrived in Grosvenor-square from Sandon
Hall, Staffordshire, for the season. The Noble and Venerable Earl
is in the enjoyment of excellent health.
CABINET DINNER.—Sir Robert Peel gives his first
Cabinet dinner this season to-day, at his private residence in
Whitehall-gardens.
Lord Ellenborough has appointed Wednesday, the
4th of March, to preside at the anniversary dinner of the Seamen's
Hospital Society, at the London Tavern.
Sir Robert and Lady Peel have issued invitations for
a grand entertainment on Saturday next, to which the several
Foreign Ministers are invited. Lieutenant Wro. Peel, R.N., who
has been on the West India station, under Admiral Sir Francis Sey-
mour, arrived at the family mansion last evening from Southampton,
having landed there front one of the West India steamers. lie was
the hearer of important dispatches for tho Government.
THE PRINTING OF RAILWAY BILLS.—(From a Corres-
pondent.)—Owing to the short period allowed by the House of Com-
mons for the presentation of Private Bills this sestion, the printing
trade during the last week or two has been in a state of activity.
Many clerks and agents of lines took up their abodes in some print-
ing offices during the whole of last week, and sustained an amount
of fatigue truly astonishing, never Tilting their duties until the de-
livery of the Bills on Friday night. Six o'clock was the hour ap-
pointed for that purpose ; as late as five o'clock, many of the subscrip-
tion contracts, &c., were in progress of correction by the solicitors,
after which they were printed off, and, in one instance, folded and
stitched by clerks while riding rapidly in cabs toward,. St.
Sitel*ell's, which they reached ts the Speaker was shout to take
prejudice
rise
j,isdelace of
t, and fortunately succeeded in placing the kill in the
hand, of the Member engaged to introduce it. In the preparation of
the documents there was an utter recklessness of expenditure, and
railway honour was sorely tried, many of the agents offering handsome
gratuities to the managers of offices to accelerate their Bills, to the
printers their Bills,
othweiinrgotpo thepone n opponents.
nability opfr Teo ters
fale
d in presentin;
the work.

A MAGISTRATEE WANTED. —Of late considerable
difficulty has been experienced in finding a magistrate around Bea-
c"stleld. An acting magistrate it is difficult to find in that district.
A few days since the constable of that place had two men in custody,
whom he had to take before a justice ; but, although he went to the
residences of eight, and travelled about thirty miles, he could not
find one, and was in consequenc 3 obliged to keep the men in cus-
tody two days, till the Etou petty sessions came on, and then to
take them about ten miles to nig. meeting.
GOVERNMENT PRECAUTIONS. Active preparations
are in progress for carrying out the precautionary measures noticed
in our last.. The Indian corn and corn meal in store :At. Haulbowlile
will he transferred on Moeday to the Lee Mills, wl:ch will Le on
that day deliver. dup to the authorities Ac," rn,:c .'•r'.••• •:, r.
provided there for fory so:diers and two officers, who will he per-
manently stationed on the premises ; and it is said that two pieces
of cluinott will be planted at the gates,—(lork &Whim Reporter.