The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-16 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, Nov. 15.

An explosion of gas, which occasioned great
alarm, occurred yesterday morning in the Court-
house, Green-street. It was at first supposed to be
the work of Fenian incendiaries, especially as the
part of the building in which it occurred is occupied
by Crown witnesses and jurors. On examination,
however, it became evidentthat it arose purely from
accident. The gas had been allowed to escape dur-
ing the night in the Clerk of the Peace's office, and
when a servant woman entered the apartment,
shortly before 9 o'clock, to light the fire it exploded
with destructive effect. The roof and windows were
blown away, the doors of a set of rooms along a
corridor outside the office were burst open, and the
furniture smashed to pieces. Windows on the oppo-
site side of the street were also shattered. As the
unhappy jurors are doomed in the present unsatis-
factory state of the law to be imprisoned within the
Court-house during the trial of the case in which
they are sworn, apprehensions for their safety were
at once excited. Fortunately, however, some of them
bad left a room in which they had slept imme-
diately before the accident, or, in all probability,
they would have been seriously injured. A party of
six policemen occupied the room for Crown wit-
nesses. All the occupants of the building escaped
unhurt. The woman who lighted the fire had her
hair burnt., and was rendered insensible, but, except
the shock to her nervous system, she sustained no
injury. It is reported that three women living in
Green-street, whos3 condition rendered them pecu-
liarly susceptible of fright, are the only sufferers
who claim any sympathy, having had their domestic
calculations thrown into sad confusion.by the effects
of the accident.

The trial of Costello was resumed at the sitting of
the Commisssion Court with the further cross-exami-
nation of the witness Corydon. He stated that he
attended the Fenian meetings in Liverpool as an
American officer. He was known personally to
more than 1,000 Fenians. He knew eight or nine
Centres in Dublin, and also knew Fenians in Cork.
He attended a meeting of 1,000 Fenians in London,
at which a subscription was raised for the defence of
the Manchester prisoners. He expected to get more
than £lOO from the Government for his informa-
tion. John Thavany, another informer, gave evi-
dence as to the connection of the prisoner with the
conspiracy. Daniel Buckley, one of the "Erin Hope"
expedition, repeated the statement which he made
on the first trial, as did also Gallagher, the pilot,
and some Coastguards and fishermen. Constable
Irwin, who arrested the prisoner along with Buckley
and Lawless, after the landing near Dungarvan,
swore that he was wet to the waist. On cross-exa-
mination he said he had no information, and was
not examined on the last trial. Mr. Redmond, re-
sident magistrate, who was present at the arrest,
corroborated the constable as to the three prisoners
being wet. On cross-examination he said he would
not swear that he felt Costello's clothes. Other wit-
nesses were examined to prove the arrest of the
whole party after landing, and the rising of the sth
March in the county of Dublin. Iwo warders of
Kilinainham Gaol, along with the governor and
deputy governors, gave evidence respecting docu-
ments in the prisoner's handwriting which were
given in proof, and the Court was adjourned until
this morning.

John F. Nugent, one of the prisoners who was
acquitted at Manchester and re-arrested, has been
conveyed to Drogheda, his native town, where his
return created no little sensation on Wednesday after-
noon. Precautions had been deemed necessary to
prevent any attempt at rescue. The prisoner, who is
about 23 years of ago, and 6ft. iu height, served his
time to his father, who is a builder. His Fenian
sympathies brought him under the notice of the police
at an early period, and in Oct., 1865, he was arrested
on a warrant from the Lord Lieutenant, and after
four months' imprisonment was liberated on giving
heavy bail. In May, 1866, he was again arrested by
the police, who found him in a back parlour in his
father's house. lie contrived,' however, to engage
them in conversation while suddenly throwing up
the sash, and springing from the window, a height
of from 12ft. to lift., with extraordinary agility, he
succeeded in effecting his escape. The most careful
search was made for him, but without effect. He
got off from Drogheda in disguise, and made his
way to Manchester, where he followed his trade as
carpenter until he again fell into the hands of the
police in consequence of the attack upon the police
van. He was not present at the rising in Drogheda,
having, it is said, left the town four months before
the outbreak.

A man named Foley, who stated that he was a
blacksmith, was brought up at Kenmare petty ses-
sions on Wednesday, charged with the illegal pos-
session of arms. He was remanded for further in-
quiry. Some importance is attached to his arrest
by the police. It is stated in a Cork paper that
straggling parties of Americans are hovering about
the locality in the hope of being able to organise
another "rising." No evidence of their presence
has yet been afforded, and the police are constantly
ou the alert.

DUBLIN, Friday Evening.
Costello has been convicted, and will be sentenced

to-morrow.

It is understood that Warren and Illlpin wil
also be sentenced to-morrow.

The proceedings of the Commission have ternai,
nated, except the sentences.
The remaining prisoners will be tried at Sligo.

THE ROMAN QUESTION,

A letter from Rome, dated Nov. 9, says:—

After I had posted my letter to you last week I
met the Holy Father on the Bridge of St. Angelo.
He was looking fairly well but a little pale and
thoughtful. He takes the greatest interest in the
sufferings of the wounded soldiers, and has ordered
every available space in the Quirinal to be devoted
to affording additional hospital room. He gave
up his annual visit to St. Carlo in Corso, on the
4th, I hear, because he felt the pomp and ceremonial
which accompanies it out of place amid present
anxieties. On the sth he received in private audi-
ence his Excellency Don Alessandro de Castro,
accredited Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipo-
tentiary from her most Catholic Majesty. The
Spanish Ambassador visited Cardinal Antonelli the
same day, according to usual etiquette.
Yesterday there was a Mortuary Mass in the
Sixtine Chapel for the souls of all those who have
fallen in the late action. The Holy Father was
present, and gave the absolution. His voice was
much agitated as he did so.
I spoke last week, but I think I hardly dwelt suf-
ficiently, of one of the most remarkable and signi-
ficant incidents of the present struggle, namely,
the way in which the guardianship of the Vatican
is confided almost entirely to Romans and volun-
teem. The historic Swiss guard, indeed, in their
gorgeous apparel, walk up and down and make
unsurpassed foreground incidents to its time-
honoured vistas, but they carry never a gun,
and their slender lances looked as if they might be
snapped in twain by a child. The real defenders
of the person of the Roman Pontiff are the Pala-
tine or National Guard, composed entirely of
towns-people, Who volunteer their services freely
without counting the cost in the interruption of
business and Wilily arrangements. More than
this, they have lately offered to devote themselves
to any military service for the defence and secu-
rity of the city. The Roman Government is under
so little apprehension as to the temper of the
Roman people that it does not feel called upon
to interfere with the papers for reproducing the
bombastic proclamations of Garibaldi and his
" Generals," .or the most mischievous and spiteful
misrepresentations of the Italian papers. On .the
contrary, they fill sheets with these things every
day, and contribute one large item of mirth at
least, amid all that is sad around us, to the con-
versation of our lengthening evenings.
The French troops continue to come in in small
detachments, but they have not as yet, at least,
taken the prominent part they assumed when last
here. They have so far ,:only acted as auxiliaries,
which is very w6ll, in so far that it puts the Pope's
troops in their proper place ; but it does not look
as if the Emperor meant to be very energetic. It