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

GALWAY AND LIMERICK-

We have frequently visited the ancient city of '
Limerick, which dates its first mayoralty from the
time of Richard the First, ten years before London
obtained that distinction. We have admired its fine
public buildings, and its active trade in the export
of Irish produce ; but notwithstanding all the fos-
tering care of Spring Rice (now Lord Monteagle),
high Parliamentary influence, and the commercial
enterprise of the Russells, Spreights, and other ex-
tensive merchants, Limerick has not progressed so
rapidly as a commercial port as it should have done
under such auspices, for what reason we are not
now prepared to say.
A very late, untimely, and, we must say, very
ungenerous attempt, has been recently made by the
leading men of that city, to divert the attention of
the Government from Galway as a packet station,
to the port of Foynes on the Shannon. about 20
miles below Limerick. ,These gentlemen remained
quiescent, allowing their Parliamentary influence to
be useless, until they were aroused from their
slumbers by a tocsin of alarm front the ancient
" Citie of the Tribes," announcing the fact over and
over again, that the men of Galway had successfully
accomplished their long-desiderated object—the
establishment of a line of transatlantic packets.
We are really surprised that they should make such
an unhandsome attempt at this late hour, after so
many packets have already sailed from Galway to
New York, and arrived therefrom carrying full
cargoes of passengers and goods both ways, and
establishing the long-disputed but great desidera-
tum, that two days' time is saved by adopting this
route. The men of Limerick would act much more
generously under such circumstances were they
now to retrace their steps ; and, instead of perse-
vering in their present course, throw all their
influence into the Galway scale. Galway deserves
all praise and all honour for the active and busi-
ness-like manner in which it has conducted the
" lever" committed to its care ; and we are happy
to know that not only the general public, but the
Government think so, and are determined to give
them their support.
The southern position of Foynes, if there was no
other reason, is its great obstacle, and one quite
strong enough to ignore its claims against one hold-
ing out equal, if not better, advantages as to har-
bour accommodation, and with the possession of a
central position that commands, by means of a
direct railway line from Belfast to Galway, the
whole staple trade of Ulster, and the great marts of
Lancashire and Scotland combined. In this great
and essential object Galway stands unrivalled, and
defies opposition, let Liverpool and Limerick do
what they may. No coloured statements, no mis-
representations, no systematised opposition, can
upset her in this respect, or in another equally
important, that she stands at the nearest point in
Great Britain to the shores of the Americas.
We are glad to find by the Galway Vindicator,
that since " the,ppening of the steam communica-
tion between Galway and America by Mr. Lever's
line, the general trade of that port has greatly in-
creased. Her fine and spacious docks are now filled
with foreign and coasting vessels, discharging
valuable cargoes. The comparatively busy aspect
of the dock is quite gratifying, hundreds of men
being employed at good wages in discharging, load-
inn., coaling, and ballasting the ships, and carrying
the goods to and from the several merchants' stores,
besides the crowds of navvies, masons, &c., at work
in the extension of the railway down to the docks.
The outlay of money for provisioning these vessels,
the expenditure of the crews, and other sources of
outlay connected with their arrival and departure,
also form not unimportant features in relation to
the improved and improving commercial fortunes
of GAlway: —rBelfas Jfe_rontile Journal',