The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-17 00:00:00

MUNSTER FLAX IMPROVING SOCIETY.

' The following letter, announcing Government aid
to this society, has been addressed to its chairman :
"Dublin Castle, Sept. 6, 1860.
" Sir,—Referring to your letter of the 10th ult.,
and former correspondence, I am directed by the
Lord-Lieutenant to acquaint you that his Excel-
lency has received a communication from the Lords
Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury stating
that their lordships apprehend that the operations
of the Monster Flax Improvement Society will not
be confined to the counties in which the funds of
the re-productive loan fund are administered by the
board under the 2d section of the act 11th and 12th
Vict., cap. 115; and as they entertain the opinion
that the expenses connected with the formation of
the society will be fairly chargeable in a propor-
tionate manner amongst the whole of the counties
to which its operations extend, their lordships do
not think that it will be expedient to sanction the
applicatien of any portion of the reproductive loan
fund towards such expenses, but, in accordance
with his Excellency's recommendation, they have
given directions for the issue of the sum of £268 4s.
in aid of the general working expenses of the society,
to be expended in the following proportions, viz. :
—County of Cork, £BO ; Tipperary, £6O ; Limerick,
£42 14s. Bd. ; Clare, £42 14s. Bd. ; Kerry, £42 14s.
Bd. Their lordships repeat that it is not to be
inferred that they will sanction any further issue
from the fund on account of the society. His Excel-
lency desires to impress upon the president of the
society the necessity of confining the above grants
strictly within the prescribed limits. The pay-
master of civil services has been instructed to remit
the money to Anthony Perrier, Esq., of Lotamore,
Cork, treasurer of the society, as requested in your
letter of the 12th of December last.
" I have the honour to be, sir, your obed. servt.
" THOMAS A. LARCOM.
" Lieut.-Colonel Beamish."
THE ANTI-NATIONAL SWORD.
The Londonderry Standard exposes a flagrant
piece of dishonesty perpetrated by the swordsmen,
in connection with the inscription upon the
M'Mahon trinket, about which such a fuss has been
made here by a few restless malcontents. It will
be recollected that the Emperor of the French au-1
thorised the M'Mahon to accept the bauble, and
that the marshal himself agreed to receive it, on
the express condition that nothing political should
be involved or signified in the gift, or testimonial,
as the donors prefer calling it. On that condition
the weapon was prepared, and the deputation per-
mitted to bear it into the camp at Chalons. "'That
this pledge was not kept," says the Warder," and
that both the Emperor and M'Mahon were deceived,
are sufficiently seen in the circumstance of Mr.
John Mitchell being brought down as a member of
the deputation. This was manifestly intended as
an insult to her Majesty." It was, of course, and
a greater insult still, as well as a more flagrant
breach of the conditions imposed by the marshal
and his master, was the allusion to " oppressed"
Ireland engraved on the blade ; but the worst of all
is the perversion of the, inscription in the Irish lan-
guage, which purports to be a translation of the
French, but has, the Londonderry 'Standard says,
quite a different meaning and significance. The
French inscription means—" Oppressed Ireland. to
the brave soldier, Patrick Maurice de M'Mahon,
Marshal of France, Duke of Magenta, descendant
of her ancient kings." The Irish means, according
to the above quoted authority, " Oppressed Ireland
to her valiant champion, Patrick Murchadh
M'Mahon, Marshal of France, Duke of Magenta,
beloved heir of her ancient kings." This version is
very different from the other, but the accuracy of
this reading is disputed, or rather broadly denied.

THE HARVEST.