The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-17 00:00:00

THE BELFAST TEA FRA.UDS.

Acconts from 13elfxst, dated yesterday evening,
supply the following proceedinga in connexion with
Vie recent frauds on the Customs. The two pri-
i-oners, Messrs. Henley and Harbison, have, it will
be seen, been committed for trial, Henley, how-
ever, being admitted to bail, but Harbison still
remaining in custody :
" Few matters connected with the commerce of
this town have excited more widespread interest

than the recent tea frauds of John Jatnes Moore.
Cowing as it (Lei cl3se on the heels of the comwis-
sion of inquiry into the Belfast street riots of July
and September, which have done so much to lower
the repty ation of the town, it is felt as doubly to
be regretted. The, eis nothing that the merchants
and mantlActurers of the town are so sensitive on as
their comwercial probity, and anything that even
lightly trenches upon their high character for rec-
titude in their dealings gives them especial pain ;
but it should be remembered tha Moor, the prin-
cipal delinquent in these tea frauds, was only for
three or four years e-inneeted with Belfast. Ho
travelled some years ago for some of the most emi-
nent houses in the tea trade in Liverpool, London,
and Glisgow, a4d, attracted by the prosperity of

Belfast, he settled down here, became a junior
partner in the house of M'Donneli and Co., and,
on the retiring of the senior member of the fi. m,
mouths ago, he was left in sole possession
of the business. No irie ,tilarity was suspected to
have taken place in.the anded store in connexion
with his premises till the Ist October, when a search
was instituted, and it was then discovered that no
fewer thin 786 cheats were what are technically
called dummies that is, the chests containing
the teas had been toskel away and others had been
substituted, the contents of which were brickbats,
turf, straws and sawdust, while the exterior cover-
ings were branded with the Custom-house masks,
and made in every ref pect similar to the real chests.
The duty on the missing chests is 4,4001. Moore
disappeared from town on the evening of the
search, and, notwithstanaing the exertions of the
police, he has riot since been heard of. Two other
persons wore arrested, ono a yonng man named.
' Henley, who filled a situation as clerk in a respect-
able insunfacturing firm in town, and the other a
man named Harbison, who was employed till
within three months ago by Moore. The charge
against both these is for aiding and assisting in

illegally removing goods from a 'bonded warehouse
to evade the Customs' duties, contrary to the pro-
visions of the Customs Consolidation. Act of 18532
There have been several private investigations, and
to-day the first public examination was held in the
Town-hall. A very large number of the merchants
and business people of the town attended in the
Coupe 1-chamber to hear the proceezlings."
There were but two witnesses examined—Mr.
W. W. Godfrey, landing surveyor of the port, and
John Robb, a porter in the employment of Moore
—but their evidence elicited no new facts.
The prisoners were then committed for trial at
the spring assizes, and a rule of bail was fixed of
each prisoner in 5001., and two sureties of 250/.
each.

STATE OF TRADE.—MANORESTER, Oct. 16.—The de-
pression in this market which was so perceptible at the
commencement of the week continues to prevail, and
btviness may at present be said to be altogether at a
standstill. Prices are maintained with firmness, as
there is no pressure for 'ales sufficient to produce any
abatement, but actual operations are for the moment
suspended in all departments under the present aspect of
commercial affairs. Printing cloths and shirting@ have
i eon altogether negleetc.d during the last few days, and
in domestics the demand has been limited to the
Dsmaller
quantities. The inactivity in yarns has conbiderat
increased during the week, but spinners have been
y _
in-
disposed to concession, and there is csneequeot 13' °
important alteration in price.
the pro
Dublin Freeman's Journal of yesterday y
ebredastatne of Thomas
THE DUBLIN MONUMENT OF THOMASr,eldpoortsONN:7-The
upon a granite
ceed;ngs at the inauguratior!
Moore, which iji of bronz.3,
The Earl o
Bank of Ireland.
d the occasion, and gave the
pedestAl 18 feet high, in frontninfooeeffhTeeartriinilgyi:Cto,lloengebaenhdaltfhoet
the committee,
,!'t,,natiluoeuntcoebe unveiled. The Lord Lieu-
tenantr °Ant and characteristic address,
• ,„i (potations, and of allusions to the
sigilal fdoeruythreed
full of choice t
eagerrtaocf the poet's lyric muse. Lord Talbot
happiestin:
Mr. O'llagan, Q 0.,
at the conclusion of which the statue
also took part in
tdvshlesT'Plarac°lecieepeittledinagbny:tt.:o Lord Mayor of Dublin in the name
9f the city,