The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-21 00:00:00

SU N, SEPTEMBER 21, 1848. [Pa Icy SD.

pelling companies to run third-class trains at least once a
day, and at a certain charge, it did so solely with a view
to the accommodation of the working. classes. It never
for a moment contemplated the possibility of these third •
class trains being travelled in by persons of station
in society, and iu easy circumstances, to the great injury
of the companies. There are various other measures
which must be resorted to by the directors to restore
railways to their wonted prosperity, and to inspire anew
that confidence in them which has been so much impaired
of late. The capital accounts in all the leading lines
must be closed. That is one indispensable step towards
a return of confidence. Unnecessary stations, of which
there are many on every leading line,. must be shut up.
The number of the directors must be reduced. Seven
or eight will suffice. Indeed, though in most cases double
the number compose most of our railway boards, not
more than six or seven usually attend. All the busi-
ness is done by a few. The others are not only paid for
doing nothing, but they do mischief. They are constantly
taking advantage of the means of information, of which
their position puts them in possession, to traffic in the
shares of the company, and thus to cause fluctuations iii
the market value of the stock, which would not other-
wise' take place, and which often has the effect of
causing timid shareholders to part with their property
at a serious sacrifice. These are some of the measures
which all railway companies must adopt, in order to re-
store confidence in the Lona fide character of their lines
as an investment. In addition to these, there must be
a thorough system of economy—an avoidance of every
shilling of unnecessary expense in every department
of the company's service. We feel persuaded that there
is not a railway company of any magnitude in the coun-
try whose expenditure might not be reduced from
twenty to, twenty-five per cent., without in any degree
diminishing the efficiency of the service, or depriving
the public of necessary accommodation. Such a saving
as this would increase the year's dividends from 11 to
,24iste cent. To this complexion matters- must conic
at last. Why not now ? This is just the time for
reforming railway management. Not only have share-
holders suffered from the past extravagance, and gross
mismanagement of railway directors, but the public
have witnessed with regret the recent reduction in the
rate of dividends—for the public naturally feel that if
railway property is to go on as it has done, steadily de-
creasing in value, the inevitable consequences must, be-
fore long, be to deprive the community of that accommo-
dation which the railways so largely afford them. The
system willrta i l
m ceaseen t toot'
bt eh
e extended,facilities andt.o r comfortablethere m ustand
be ad
great
rapid travelling which now exist. Other companies
have, we learn from private sources of information, de-
c u
de-
termined en treading in Mr. Hudson's steps in the
measures which he is now adopting for improving the
value of the railways by increasing their dividends.
Why not do it immediately? There can be no cause
for delay. If the leading companies will only, in this
matter, act in concert, the shares of all the better classes
of railways Will soon recover their position in the market.
And once having recovered their proper value, they will
not again lose it. They will continue to command their
proper price among the public securities of the day.

THE BOULOGNE FETES.
(From the Post.)
Bo ULOGNE, WEDNESDAY,—The amusements of
yesterday did not vary to any great extent from those
of the previous day, but the interest they excited was
undiminished. The weather continues peculiarly
favourable for out of-door entertainments.
As I mentioned in my letter yesterday, the day
commenced with a distribution of bread and other
provisions to the poor. About ten o'clock the various
divisions of the Boulogne National Guard were
inspected before the Hotel de Ville, after which they
marched through the town and along the quay, pre-
ceded by their music, to the sands, for the purpose of
shooting with rifles at targets for prizes. Twelve
targets were erected, and the firing, which occupied
about an hour, attracted a considerable degree of at-
tention, and though there was some very good shoot-
ing, the majority of the competitors, who were placed
about 150 yards from the target, appeared to aim very
wide of the mark, and the position in which the targets
were placed seemed to be by far the safest. The most
successful of the competitors in this trial of skill were
the artillery corps. At the conclusion of the firing
the troops were re-formed and marched through
the town in the same order as that by which they
went to the sands. From eleven till past two o'clock
the banks of the river Liane were crowded to witness
the sailing, rowing, and other matches which were
announced to take place. At the conclusion of the
regatta there was a duck chase—two or three ducks
being set at liberty, and some dozen' swimmers, diving
from a platform prepared for the purpose, endeavoured
to catch them, an attempt which caused considerable
amusement, and elicited repeated laughter and;cheers
from the spectators. To this succeeded what was
called in the programme a comic chase—viz., a si-
milar chase to the above, for a pig which was thrown
into the water, but which proved an extremely dull
affair, from the awkwardness of the pig as a swimmer,
and the consequent ease with which it was caught.
During the time the above sports were going on,
others were climbing a greasy mast for a silver
watch, and a herizontal greasy mast for a similar
prize, which caused much amusement from the
duckings which the various competitors obtained.
At two o'clock there was a grand competition of
music on the Place d'Alton, for gold and other medals,
forming a monster promenade concert, which com-
pletely threw into the shade those of Jullien or
Musard. The competition was preceded by a piece
composed for the occasion, admirably played by the
band of the National Guard of Boulogne. After
which all the bands of the National Guard, eight or
ten in number, played one piece each, consisting of
the chefs-ct ceuvre of the French and Italian schools.
This portion of the entertainment attracted consider-
able attention, and all the windows of the Place and
neighbourhood were crowded with elegantly-dressed
ladies. In the evening the theatre was opened with
two or three stars from Paris, but attracted compara-
tively very little attention in consequence of the other
amusements. At eight o'clock there was a second
regatta on the Liane, when the boats being illumi-
nated, it had a peculiarly pleasing effect, and the
entertainments of the day were wound up by a
nOO or 700 persons, grand ball—the ball of the fete at the bathing-
rooms, which were enlarged, by temporary build-
ings for the occasion, to more than double their
usual size.
de
att e
About
attended
this 6
ball, and
disported
the more aristocratic portion of the omprisin
in
inhabitants and
visitors,
the mazy dance long past the witching hour of themselves comprising
mid-
night—an example which was followed by the less
aristocratic portion of the community at the different
public gardens and cafe's. The streets were again
illuminated as on the previous evening, and through-
out the day and evening were almost impassable.
To-day, however, was the day of days for the sight•
seers. As early as seven o'clock the rappel, which
has proved so ominous of mischief to other parts of
France, was sounding, to call the National Guard to
their appointed rendezvous, with the troops of the line
and the custom-house officers, at a petit camp of cor-
porations of trades in the promenade beyond the
Porte Gayole, where the National Guards invited
to the fete were also to meet at ten o'clock.
Shortly after twelve o'clock the cortege departed,
and crossed the high town, and taking up at the
Porte des Dunes the cars of Agriculture, Industry,
and Liberty, continued its march along the
principal streets of the town, defiled before the
authorities of the town at the Place Navarin in the
following order :—Cavalry band, companies of cavalry,
various sections of National Guards and regiments of
the line, headed by their bands, hospital children,
more National Guards, sailors with a banner, Na-
tional Guards, fishwomen with a banner,' troops of
the line, National Guard, car of Industry, representing
a fishing smack in full sail, tastefully decorated with
the national colours, and attended by matelots, or
fishermen, fantastically dressed; then came further
bodies of troops of the line, National Guards, and the
corporations of trades, each carrying a distinctive
and appropriate banner ; to these succeeded an em-
blematical car of Agriculture, surrounded by
dressedfour-
in blue smockfrocks
and-twenty peasants , with
straw hats trimmed with tri-coloured ribbons, and
young girls
dressed in white, with tri-colour flowers in
their caps, and each carrying in their hand a blue
ribbon attached to the car; further detachments of
troops of the line and National Guards, attended by
their bands, followed, and then came a triumphal car,
surmounted by a colossal figure of Liberty, about 10 feet
high, and attended by twelve young girls dressed in
white, with white veils and chaplets of roses on their
heads, the whole being wound up with further de-
tachments of troops, National Guards, and gen-
darmerie. After passing by the authorities, the
procession pursued its course to the bathing establish-
ment, where a square was formed round a platform
erected on the Place Daunon, from whence the prizes
to the conquerors in the various trials of skill during
the last two days were distributed. Shortly after two
the cortege returned up the quay,
and by the way it
column, where the Na-
came towards the Napoleon .
o dine at four
tional Guards invited to the fête are t
o'clock. Every street and house along the route of
densely crowded, and as it pro-
the procession Was
ceeded in its course
the cortege was frequently cheered,
but there was nothaq
: like a political demonstration,
except at one or points,
where a cry of " Vive la
two
Republique!" being
isecl, it was answered by a cry
of " Vive la France !,ria
. Another detachment o
parted on a visit
• • to 'the
day, the Soutla- *f the National Guards de-
" great metropolis yester-
Eastern Compan in order to promote
a fraternal feeling between Is a
h two countries, having
srtunity of doing sin
liberally afforded them the oppt,

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY MORNING}.—The intel-
ligence from the disturbed districts by this morn-
ing's mail ,train represents all tranquil, at least on
the surface, for the apprehensions of fresh outbursts
were rife still in the minds of the well disposed.
The following communication arrived this morning :
" Clonmel, Tuesday Afternoon.
" This town and its neighbourhood were free from
any disturbance during the past night. I watched until
nearly twelve o'clock, but I could not see any signal fires
blazing on the Waterford mountains which overlook the
town, as on the previous night. Large bodies of rebels
are still stated to be in the fastnesses of the mountains,
many of which arc enclosed by deep ravines and very
difficult of access; indeed, I am informed, almost inac •
cessible to the military ; so that they may probably re-
main there as long as the fine weather permits, and
carry on predatory excursions, and make midnight
attacks upon the property of the gentry and farmers
of the surrounding country. The rebel camp, as it
is called, will be the resort of all the lawless and
disaffected, who will be attracted to it for the sake
of plunder. After the burning of the Glenbower Bar-
racks the insurgents from that place joined the main
body in the Waterford mountains; and they were ob-
served in considerable numbers passing over in that
direction a few nights since. It is stated that a number
of the insurgents are persons who have been ejected
from their lands, and who are reckless and desperate as
to the crimes which they may commit. They still pro-
cure food by taking the cattle which they find in the
neighbourhood, and which they are represented as roast-
ing entire on iron gates which they have carried from the
fields below up to the mountains, and use as gridirons for
that purpose. The passengers by the Kilkenny mail to
Cork, which has just arrived, state that all is quiet along
that line of road, and in the Glenbower district through
which they passed. The Attorney-General, I have
heard, arrived here last night, to make preparations for
the state trials, which commence on Thursday. After
posting my letter yesterday evening, the men that had
been brought in from Clerihan, near the residence of
Baron Pennefather, were liberated. It appeared that
they had been compelled to join the rebel force against
their will, and the authorities were anxious to get them
to give information against ,the insurgents. This, how-
ever, either from intimidation .or connivance, they de-
clined to do." _

The Clonmel Chronicle thus describes the progress
of the state prisoners from Dublin to their final desti-
nation in the gaol of Clonmel :
" The special train arrived at Thurles in three hours
and twenty minutes. Here they were mat by a large
military and constabulary force upon Bianconi's cars, and
the travelling carriage having been removed from the
train and put to, Messrs. O'Brien, Meagher, and Leyne
were placed inside. There was nobody else with them.
Messrs. O'Donoghue and M`Manus occupied seats out-
side, and the rest of the vehicle was occupied by police
inspectors, constables, &c. They left Thurles at about
two o'clock this morning and travelled on at a very rapid
rate through Cashel, where they remained for some time
to refresh the escort and the horses. The prisoners
were also offered refreshment, which, however, was de-
clined, except a few cigars, which some of the party
took. Then they came on to Clonmel, which place
they reached at half past seven-o'clock. The prisoners
were then handed over to the custody of Mr. Strahan,
the Governor, and were immediately supplied with an
excellent breakfast, of which they heartily partook.
Messrs. O'Brien and Meagher were removed to a rather
comfortable apartment prepared for them in the hospital
rooms of the building, where they immediately retired
to rest. Messrs. M`Manus, O'Donoghue, and Leyne,
were then placed in the same department with other
prisoners charged with treasonable offences. All the
prisoners enjoy excellent health and spirits. Mr.
M'Manus was very much dissatisfied with the distinction
which had been made between him and Messrs. O'Brien
and Meagher—for it must be remembered that Mr.
M'Manus is also a great gun."
Of this Mr. M'Manus the Chronicle gives the fol-
lowing sketch :
" T. B. M`Manus is a native of Belfast, of prepossess-
ing appearance, and about 35 years of age. For some
years he was known in this country as a commercial
traveller, and among other houses had a commission
from Messrs. Denton and Co., hatters, of Gretna. in
Lancashire. He, however, relinquished this business
about four or five years since, and took up his residence
in Liverpool, where he has been studiously engaged as
forwarding agent and ship broker, having secured a
large and influential connexion in Ireland. He was
most attentive to his business, and gave general satisfac-
tion to those who employed him. lie was a generous
high-spirited man, capable of overcoming difficulties of
no ordinary magnitude, and seemed to suffer no depres-
sion by the reverse of fortune, which he experienced
during the railway mania of 1845-46, having lost
considerably by speculation. He was always an en-
thusiastic nationalist, to which may be attributed his
connexion with the recent insurrectionary movement.
His present unhappy position is deeply deplored by
a numerous circle of acquaintances and friends. In
Liverpool he had acquired a high position and
considerab!e influence. 'l'. B. M'Manus and Co., the
firm of which he was principal, was among the first
forwarding agents in the Irish trade, and transacted
business for many establishments in Clonmel and Wa-
terford. Since Mr. M'Manus left his business and be-
came connected with the late melancholy attempt at re-
volution, he has been declared a bankrupt, we believe
not on account of his insolvent circumstances, but be-
cause a commission of bankruptcy seemed to be neces-
sary to wind up his affairs on account of his abSence.
The charges against him are of the most serious charac-
ter; he is stated to have been the actual leader in the
Farrinrory affair, after which he made his way to Liver-
pool, and took a passage for New York in an emigrant
vessel, which had put back into Liverpool, having sprung
a leak in foul weather. He then went to the Cove of
Cork, and was in the N. D. Chase,' bound for the same
destination, when he was arrested by head-constable
Crowley, and forwarded to Richmond Bridewell, whence
he arrived here this morning."
The Clonmel correspondent of launders' News-
letter writes as follows :
" The belief is gaining ground that T. D'Arcy M'Gee,
lately connected with the Nation, was the leader of the
attack on the police barrack at Portlaw, and that he is
in that neighbourhood still. There is no doubt that there
are more leaders than O'Mahony. lam aware of Lord
Waterford's having received unquestionable information
(which he credits) that a week or two ago, at a meeting
of four or five leaders in the neighbourhood of Curragh-
more, it was resolved to make a capture of his Lordship or
the Marchioness as a hostage, with a determination of
visiting Icn either a punishment similar to that
awarded to the state prisoners. The Marquis, how-
ever, has determined to make such a feat no easy
:natter ; between soldiers and armed specials he has
an effective guard of about one hundred armed men.
The bold and determined stand which his Lordship
has taken, and the unremitting activity and bravery
displayed by him, have done much to save that country
from the violence and outrage of a rebel horde, that
threatened to bear all before it. At the outset he
acted wisely in calling upon all to declare themselves
for or against rebellion, and to act in accordance with
their decision, in order that the matter might be
brought to a crisis. The following from the Clonmel
Chronicle is a description of a scene that occurred at
the meeting convened by his Lordship for that
purpose :
"Some weeks ago, when insurrectionary symptoms
first manifested themselves, the Marquis of Waterford
convened his tenantry and labourers for the purpose of
asking them what part they were disposed to take in the
threatened outbreak. A crowd of ill-disposed fellows
from Portlaw gathered about him and made several de-
monstrations of dissent from his Lordship's statements,
about the far superior force which England would bring
against the rebels. One fellow was remarkably forward,
full of bluster, and cried out, ' We do not care—we are
able for them—we are ready to fight them, wait till we
are let at them.' The Noble Marquis pointed at the
noisy boaster, and said, Come here, sir; you want a
fight—stand out and have a round with me—let us see
what you are made of, who want to be at the troops ;
come, sir, try your hand with me.' The fellow dropped
his head and skulked away amid the derision of the
spectators. It is hardly necessary to add, that the
circumstance was not without a good effect on the
spectators."
" General" O'Mahony, it appears, had another
narrow escape from being captured on Saturday
night :
" his pursuers have been often of late upon his heels,
as the readers of the Chronicle are aware ; but on this
night a force of police, under Sub-Inspector Renison,
proceeded to O'Mahony's house, which is situated a
short &stance from Carrick ; the owner, however, was
non est inventus, but his coat, waistcoat, and trousers,
were left behind on a chair beside the bed, from
which apparently some person had risen a short
time before. He was closely pursued to the
River Suir, his favourite route opposite Coolnamuck, at
which place he crossed the river, upon horse back again
—his old plan."
The subjoined letter brings the latest intelligence
from Carrick-on- Suir :
" Carrick-on-Suir, Tuesday Evening.
" The district of country around this town is the very
head-quarters of the late insurrectionary movements.
Slievenamon mountain, the hill of Aheny, and the Wa-
terford mountain are its vicinity ; indeed, the latter
mountain almost overhangs the town. On the road
from Clonmel to this place, I found all perfectly quiet.
As I passed through the country this morning the people
were busily engaged reaping, or at other farming oc-
cupations. The insurgents, it is stated by those who
have the best opportunity of knowing, and are acquainted
with their movements, have no regular encampment in
the surrounding hills. They are, no doubt, often col-
lected in large numbers, but they have scouts in every
direction, who watch the movements of the military and
police, and give them such timely intelligence of their
approach as affords them time to disperse or to gain the
other side of the mountain before the others ascend,
so that no vestige of them can be seen when they
gain the summit. I heard from the police that there