The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-05 00:00:00

PULPIT DENUNCIATION OF RIBANDISM.

E

Queenstown on Sunday night last -on boar&iher
Majesty's stoamship4lawke
-44---A court -of inquiry-is at present investigating
the facts, and all statements relative to the occurrence
inu,t be received with great caution. Since our
last publication, however, we have received from a
respectable and reliable source the following ac-
count of what occurred on board the Hawke on
Sunday night, which we are inclined to believe in
the main correct. It seems that on Sunday night
the ship was left in charge of the third lieutenant,
the captain being in Bantry, and the first and
second lieutenant dining with the admiral of the
port. The officer on board the ship had invited a
genthman to dine with him. About 10 o'clock both
appeared on deck, and the officer directed the guYiner
to tall up the men and fire a volley in honour of the
night. The gunner expostulated and stated it was
against the regulations of the navy, but his superior
having indignantly desired him to obey his orders
or abide by the consequences of a refusal, he was
bound to comply. -The drum beat to quarters, and
the men got up from their hammocks and appeared
on deck. The officer in _question then directed the
gunners to fire seven guns on the \starboard side. His
instructions were obeyed, and 'the guns pounded
away, shaking the windows of the houses in Queens-
town and alarming the peaceful inhabitants. Now
fire off four guns from the port side,' said the
officer, and it was done. Fire off again.ll guns
from -the- starboard,' again the order was obeyed.
At this period all Queenstown was up and out,
the great greatest consternation prevailing. The
officer on board the flagship Nile thought that a
mutiny had broken out among the men belonging
to her, and sent two midshipmen, each in command
of a boat's crew, to ascertain the cause of the firing ;
but when they, came alongside the Hawke the
officer in charge told them that if they did not
move off immediately he would give orders
to have-them fired upon. They accordingly re-
turned to their ships. Again the guns blazed away
—one, two, or three at -time, and it is probable
this:Rxereise would have continued for a consider-
able-length of time, but- that the officer at whose
instance they had been fired received a severe fall
on deck, and was unable to give any further direc-
tions. He was removed to his quarters by his
friend. The following morning, when the admiral
came on board, he found the deck in great confu-
sion, a large quantity of powder being strewn about
it: The officer was directly placed under arrest.
We understand that he is the son of an admiral
who rendered good services to the country, that
he himself, though a young man, has also been
distinguished for bravery; and that it was only
recently he returned from China in an invalided
state. From. this last circumstance it has been
inferred that his intellect was a little .weakened
and that it was during a temporary aberration the
freak took place. We understand that he applied
lately for leave of absence, but was refused by the
Admiralty."

An influential Roman Catholic- clergyman, the
Very Rev. Dean Kieran, of Dundalk, has just set
a good example for the imitation of his reverend.
brethren. of all degrees.: .On .Sunday last, from the
pulpit of his cathedral and in the presence of a fall
congregation, he boldly denounced the vile Riband
conspiracy, the existence of which, if the Nation be
good authority, is at present' as great a fact as 'it
was 10 years back, when its branches took root ix
half the counties of Ulster, and more partially in
other parts of -Ireland.:—" The system (said, Dean
Kieran), was at once an outrage on religion and a
foul blot on civilisation.. It converted men into
murderers, peijurers—into enemies .alike of God
and man.-He hoped his voice would reach the victims
of a terrible and wicked delusiOn. He would not
be deterred from doing his duty. Unless the com-
bination were at once broken up he would expose
the names of all guilty parties that might come to
his knoWledge, and call on their employers to dis-
miss them from their service. Drunkenness was a
fertile propagator of Ribandism. When men's bad
passions were excited: then they became the prey
of low publicans, who were zealous' agents in any
cause, however obnoxious to religion or morals,
which would bring. them customers. The Very
Rev. Dean then. said he was _so impressed with the
conviction that drunkenness was a prolific source
of Ribandism and the worst vices and crimes which
would. disgrace a community that he would esta-
blish a Total Abstinence Society under his own
presidency, and avail himself of every conceiv-
able- appliance to eradicate a moral pestilence
which le& to -the destruction alike of body and
soul. - Though he would be sorry indeed to in
jure the wives and children even of Ribandmen
or of those who forgot their duties to their
families, he gave those d.eluded men warning that
persistence in their wicked course of life would
leave him no excuse whatever for failing to publish
their names and publicly denounce the abettors' of
a secret and infernal tyranny which set at defiance
the ordinances of religion and the laws of the
country."
In connexion with the alleged spread of the
Riband conspiracy a Conservative paper published
in Kerry (the. _Evening Post) has: the following
paragraph :—" That baneful conspiracy, Ribandism,
has, we regret to hear, crept into
,our county,
hitherto so free from agrarian crime. The Rev,
John O'Sullivan, in Kenmare, and the Rev. Mr.
M'Donnell, in Listowel, have denounced the system
from their altars within the present month, and
warned their flecks against the evil-disposed par-
ties who are _ swearing in -.Ribandmen in :those
localities."
A temperate Liberal journal (the Tralee Chronicle)
alluding to h. statement published in the Dublin
Mail regarding the existence of seditious societies.
in Bantry, adds these particulars :—" We have
been aware for more than a month that the Phoenix
Club.was in existence at. Skibbereen, Bantry, Mill;
street, and other parts of the county of Cork. We
have been aware; too, that the agents of the society
have been at work in Kenmare, and even in Kil-
larney. Indeed, it is now a month since we re-
ceived authentic information that the Yen. Arch-
deacon,O'Sullivan had, at three successive masses
in one day,, denounced the nascent system from the
altar, and warned the people , against joining any
secret confederacy, which could only end in dis-
.comfiture and betrayal. Aware, however, that the
Lieutenant of this county, the Right Hon. H. A.
Herbert; had; at the very ineeption of the move-
ment in this county, been put m full possession of
facts, that the Government and. the police were on
the qui vire, and that the Right Rev. Dr. Moriarty
and the..Romish Clergy, not alone in Killarney,
but throughout the diocese, had applied themselves
with energy and success to prevent the progress of
infection, should any -portion of our peaceable and
shrewd 'peasantry and artisans be inoculated, we
deemed it imprudent to disturb the minds , of
timid men and nervous women by a prema-
ture revelation, and assured that the movement,'
as it has been, euphonised, would die a natural
death in a few months .at furthest. As re-
gards this 'Ounty, the snake' is not merely
scotched,' lint 'killed.' In -Kenmare the charac-
teristic vigour and promptitude of the Yen. Arch-
deacon O'Sullivan have dealt it a deathblow, while
some three or four foolish young persons in Killar-
ney, who had nigh fallen into the snare laid for
them, have been brought to their senses. We have
authority for stating that Listowel is perfectly free
from,the contagion, though it is quite true, as the
Kerry Post states, that the excellent Roman Ca-;
tholic clergyman of that town, the Rev. M. J.
M'Donnell, addressed his.flock on the subject. It
was to warn them, hewever, against some suspicious
churapter , who had appeared in that neighbour-.
hood. We have every reason to believe that this;
ephemeral escapade has nothing of a Riband cha-
racter about it, properly so called." .
INCREASE OF TRADE IN GALWAY. ,

The Galway Vindicator of yesterday contains the
following gratifying statement respecting the grow-
ing prosperity of the western capital. On the 3cl
inst.. 27 merchant vessels .were discharging their
varied 'Cargoes in the spacious . but heretofore
neglected. docks of the port:--' Since- the opening
of the steam.communication between. Galway and.
America by Mr. Lever's line the 'general trade of
the port has increased to a surprising extent ; and:
such has been the advantage of the wide-spread
pliblicitY respecting the ;capabilities for,trade and
commerce -of the harbour of Galway that our splen-
did and capacious docks are now filled with foreign
and coasting vessels discharging valuitble cargoes.
Our Custom-house establishment has been. increased
While that of Limerick has been reduced, and
even the present staff -of regular officers
has US. be assisted day' and night in their duties
b y a • large number of extra -men:- : The
sieph4a
tmrgidng,
busy
aspect of the dock is 'quite gratifying, hun-
dreds of men being employed at- good in
discharging, loading, , coaling, and ballasting. the
ships
navvies, masons, &C
sorer, merchants', carrying the goods to and from.. the
stores, besides the crowds Of
,t at work in the extension of
money for provisionarinolg thestleoevicsesse'.lls,
the railway dowi-i* the. The
th e outlay
expendi-
tureo f
,con-
nected with their arrcivoalther sources. of outlay
,con-
of the crews,
and departure also form not unimportant features relation to the im-
proved and improving in
c9lnincreialv fortunes of
Galway."

THE GALAVAT OtEEN'S COLLEGE.
The largest entrance since the opening of the
college took place on Tuesday, being the commence-
ment of the new session.

THE FIRING AT QURENsToWN,
ThQ,.Cork Examinee gives some additional parti:
c'ulais in, relation to the strange cannonading iii

_~~

SU►N, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, . NOVEMBER 5, 1858.

who had been reported up to 9 oi-Wedhesday
It may be Ath.ted, however, that thii-list cdoes
nearly contain the whole, as there are many of
whom the police, have receive& no information
whatever :=7--

Deal-,—Orlando Barrans, 5 years ; John Henry
Barrans, 2 years ' • Elijah Wright, 9 Years ; Joseph
Scott, 14 years ; Joseph Crabtree, 16 y ears ' Ann
Shutt, 38 years ; Herbert Holdsworth, child ; Sarah
Midgley, Child ' • John M'Cormack, 4 years ; Adele
Lee, 2 years ; Mark Green, 2 months ; Mrs. Shackle-
ton, 30 years ; John Lupton Constantine, 69 years ;
Briggs Ramsden, 24 years ; Robinson Wood, 3
years. •
Dangerously Ill—Wm. Hardacre, adult ; Betty
Northrop, 63 years Zelpha Child, 50 years; Elijah
Ramsden, 2 years ; .Ann Mnrgatroy-d, .20 years ;
Samuel Child, 22 years ; Grace Hardisty, 63 years ;
Esther Hardisty, 23 years; John Golding, 22 years ;
Mary Golding, 52 years ; Jacob Boston, 10 years;
Margaret Wood, 25 years.; and Mrs. Wright.
In addition to the above, 150 have been reported
as ill, but out ofdanger—namely, 90 adults and 60
children.
It has been n-oticed that the market on Saturday
night was much thinner than usual, owing to the
vast numbers who had gone to Leeds by th cheap
trains, otherwise the occurrence would have been
much more disastrous.

THE ARMY STORE AND CONTRACT
COMMISSION.

THE WOOLWICH ESTABLISHMENT.
Yesterday the Royal Commission appointed to in-
quire into the army contract and store system re-
assembled at Woolwich Arsenal, pursuant to ad-
journment from Thursday last. Mr. Selfe presided
as chairman.
_ _

Mr. Howell, head. of the contract department at
the War-office, who had been examined on a previ-
ous day, was now recalled, and put in a written list
of all purchases of timber made for. 'Woolwich
Arsenal from Jan. 1854, to Sept., 1858; These pur-
chases were made by brokers. Witness also put
inn. letter from Capt. Farmer, head of the royal
carriage department, setting forth that he had con-
sulted the heads of various departments and several
merchants, relative to the system of buying through
brokers, and-they were all,of a decided opinion that
the timber could he had at a much cheaper rate by
Governthent buying it direct from the importers ;
besides, he considered the heads of departments at
Woolwich to be much better judges of the timber
required than brokers could be.. The witness also
read a list of queries addressed by him to Messrs.
Churchill 'and SiM, brokers as to their system of
purchasing timber and their replies., Prior to Col:
fulloch's letter of Sept„ 1856, it was not usual to
get the names of the sellers from the brokers. The
names of the sellerS is an additional perfection in
the system. The timber was formerly inspected at
Woolwich. In 1855 IMr. Dowson, of Prince's-
wharf, Lambeth, offered a reduction of 21 per. cent.
on the price of deals if . the selection was made at
the docks instead of Woolwich. They depended
on the judgment of the brokers as to price, and on
that of their own officers as to the, quality of the
timber. They sometimes' -bought timber without
the intervention of the broker.
Mr. Ttirner—Llf. the broker acted bonit.fide ought
not his: judgment to be worth 1 per cent. .On all
occasions ?, '

Mr. Howell--Certainly.
Mr. Turner—l do not understand the system of
sometimes having a broker and sometimes not.
I should pay the broker his connnission whether
he purchased or not, because I shoild then con-
sider that his judgment was at, my command.
Mr. Howell said that, in the case of the cargo of
the Princess Royal, about twelve months ago, Mr.
Leary, a broker, told them that there,was but one
cargo of such timber as they wanted in the docks,
and that they could buy it themselves and save the
brokerage.
Mr. Turner—That was a most disinterested
broker. (L aught er.)
Mr. Howell—We have not invited tenders since
the change, of system. We never received any-
thing that the timbermaster said was bad, though
the broker should say it was good.
At this, stage of the examination. a letter was
read from Col. Tulloch, superintendent of the car-
riage department, in which he advocated the sys-
tem of open competition as against the system of
purchasing through a broker, and instanced cases
in which the adoption of the latter system resulted
in loss to the public.
Mr. Selfe—Colonel Tulloch is quite at issue with
you on that point.'
Mi.. Howell—We ought to have the cargo cost,
the date of delivery, and the difference of price at
the docks and in the department, in order to see
the advantage or disadvantage of the two systems.
The advantage of the brokerage system, if honestly
carried out, was, in his ppinion, palpable and ma-

t erial.
Mr. Turner—lf you have a broker who has a
separate interest from that of the persons who em-
ploy him, you had better resort to the principle of
competition ; but if you can get a man who will
act thoroughly and diligently for your interest, I
think he is worth his hire.
Mr. Ilowell--I agree in that view of the general
principle.
Mr. Turner---You must conform to the custom of

the market. Dealers cannot follow any: pystem
but that which the trade adopts, except at a dis-
advantage, and for that they make you pay.
Mr. Howell said he recommended purchases for
the War Department on that very principle. .
Captain Farmer, inspector of timber and. harness
at Woolwich, was next examined—Held his present
office since July, 1856.• His attention had been
called to this subject in consequence of complaints
respecting the inferior quality of the timber de-
livered into the department. -Formerly-they had
the power of rejection. They have not under the
present system. The timber was sent in through
brokers. They bought a large quantity of Arch-
angel deals-30,000—in 1856, for £l7 12s. 6d. the
load. Was informed that they could buy the picked
Onega deals in June, 1856, for 10s. Some of
the deals then bought were in the yard, and were
unfit for use. The witness was then examined with
respect to the statement in his report, that in many
cases the timber passed through several hands be-
tween the •date of import and its coming into the
hands of the Government, the broker receiving a
commission on each separate transaction, and said
that his authority for that statement was Mr. Ga-
briel. The witness mentioned a case of this kind
which occurred in June this year on the purchase
of sonic sabica. Mr. Leary bought the timber from
Mr. Rolt, who bought it from Mr. Hoare, and on
each occasion there was a gain of a pound.
Mr. Selfe— That transaction appears to have taken
place in the June of this year, but in your report
you are speaking of the, result of your inquiry in
October, 1856. Do you know from your inquiries
whether Government have been " sweated" by
brokers' commission being charged two or three
tunes over.? •
Captain. Farmer said Mr. Gabriel stated that it
was the case, and it was not denied. It was as-
sumed- to-be a usual thing. Spoke to a good many
merchants, who told him that they could supply
the Government at a cheaper rate,than -they were
paying. Mr. Dowson, Mr. Gabriel, Mr. Rolt, Mr.
Tyrie, and Mr. Grissell said so ; preferred to select
the timber at the docks than at Woolwich. The
department depended on dock measurement—it was
found to be generally accurate. ;In August, 1857,
40 loads of mahogany were bought for£l9 ss. a
load: It appeared that the price current at that
time was £16.. That would not be subject to rejection
or selection at the docks. Would not expect a large
per Centage to be charged for that, condition., Could
get equally good timber in his opinion for £l6.
Last year went to the docks to select from a cargo
a certain quantity of timber; saw a beautiful pile
of timber f Inn that ship in the docks, and insisted
o nhaVing it for the GoveLnment; as the parties were
under contract ; Messrs. Churchill and Sim, the
brokers, were unwilling to let him have it, but he
carried his point after a, good deal of difficulty; in
that case the Government brokers had been cer-
tainly acting for the sellers, and not for the buyers.
Had he not been particular the Government would
have lost the -best pile in the ship.
Mr. Selfe—ln that instance you think the broker
allowed the interest of the seller to override the
interest of the bUyer ?
'Witness—Precisely so. Some timber had been
bought by the Government as Porto Rico mahogany,
but on inspection it was found not to be Porto
Rico. The firm who sold that timber had shown
most satisfactorily that they them Selves had pur-
chased it at Porto Rico. They were, therefore,
exonerated from blame.
Mr. G. Jones-, timber master in the carriage de-
partment, was next. examined. He said he had
been in the department since 1840. If he objected
to'any timber it vas rejeeted. Under the old sys-
tem there were a great . many rejections at times,
and complaints were made by the contractors. Seine
used to say they would never tender' again, but
when the time came .roUnd they used to tender as
usual. (A laugh.) Never heard that any one was
favoured at the. expense of another. About three
years ago a change took, plaCe by which we could
not inspect the. timber. The only intimation re-
ceived was that they were.. to receive the timber
from certain brokers. The witness was examined
at length as to the mode of inspecting and Measur-
ing timber, and gave it as his opinion that the best
system of supplying the department with timber
was that of competition.
Mr. Sallies Roberts, a timber merchant, was next
examined: :Ile read a lengthy. statement of his
• views, which_ were entirely opposed to the system

aid Uct

of.employinkTbrOl*s asleadint to favouritism, ex-
'clUding the general pain frOm the advantages
'Of competition, and as causing the markei to,be in-.
differently supplied. The witness in his paper made
statements reflecting on other :parties,: but as they
Were not within the. knowledge _of_ the -Witness him-
self, but founded on the information of others,
Selfe suggested that, they had better not be taken
down.

Capt. Hilbury, to whom Mr. Roberts's statement
referred, said that a great deal of what it contained
as respected him was untrue.
Mr. Howell said he never gave orders to buy at
any particular price, as stated by Mr. Roberts.
Mr. teary and Mr. Sim denied on their parts
the accuracy of his statements.
Capt. Hilbury was next examined—Had been for
many years an importer of African oak. Never told
any person what his cargoes realised. ;Was satisfied
with the price which -chin-chill and.. Sim obtained
for him. - •
It appeared from the evidence of this and other
witnesses that he sold through Messrs. Churchill
and Sim to Mr. Chapman a cargo of African oak,
.at about £9 10s. the load for the whole. Messrs.
`Churchill and Sim - stipulated with Mr. Chapman
that the, Woolwich department should have the
pick of the cargo. . They accordingly bought 100
loads at £l5 10s. the load, the remaining portion
being sold at various prices to the navy depart-
ment according to the quality of the timber. Capt.
Hilbury said he was at first angry when he learned
that the-Woolwich department gave so 'much as
£l5 108. per load, but,- on reflection, he saw that
this was not unreasonable, because the department
had the pick of the finest timber, and he would not
allow the cargo to be broken up. If he allowed the
finest timber to be selected he would find it diffi-
cult, and it would occupy too. much of his ,time to
sell the remainder ; he therefore - preferred to sell
the cargo without-breaking bulk-Fund was satisfied
with what the .sale realised... , _ _ _

Mr. Sim, the Government timber-broker, was
next examined—He also handed in a written state-
ment, extending over 44 pages, which the chairman
said could not be read at so late an hour. The wit-
ness said that he acted as broker to the Government
since 18i5G. Timber was invariably sold bybrokers.
Had no doubt that the Government saved by the
system of purchasing through brokers. Had some
striking examples of-that. In former
_times £45
had been frequently paid for Archangel deals, which
were now bought for £l6 12s. Bd. As a general
rule, the system of selection adopted by the depart-
ment obliged the . broker to get an intermediate
buyer who was willingtopnt himself in_the gap to
work off the surplus and inferior stock, after the
selection was made. The price paid for the African
oak was apparently large, but he believed the de-
partment. would have to pay more under the system
of competition. Under the old system, all the prin-
cipal dealers refused to tender for the Government
contracts,. and. when they tendered at all it was at a
price based on the increased trouble and inconveni-
ence to which they knew they would be put.
Mr. Turner—Do you • not think it would be a
better and cheaper system if a whole cargo, such,
for instance, as that of Captain Hilbury, were pur-
chased on behalf of the Government? The heads
of departments could then .select the portions in
proportion to their various wants. The second
and third qualities could probably be .used in .the
navy yard or other departinents, and" what was
unfit for use in the public departments might be
sold for what it would fetch.. Would not that be
cheaper than the system now pursued ?`
Mr. Sim thought it would be impossible to carry
it out. Each:department would desire to get •the
best qualities for its own use.
Mr. Howell said he entirely concurred in the
view taken 14; Mr.-Turner.
Mr. Selfe thought the unserviceable stores would
be greatly_augmented by such a system.
Mr. Sim—lt was the universal practice of the
trade that-the-same man, should act as broker for
buyer and seller. Had never declined to deal with
any..particular man. Did .not .wish to encourage
speculative contractors.
Mr. Sims examination was not concluded when
the commission adjourned, namely, at a quarter to
six... _ _ _ . - _