The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-24 00:00:00

ontrlT Mbition

SUN OFFICE, Six o'clock,

TATTERSALL'S—(This Evening.)

THE CESAREWITCEI STAKES.
12 to 1 sgst M. Dubltr (taken)

NAVAL APPOINTMENTS.—(This Day.)

The following appointments were made this afternoon
at the Admiralty :
Lieutenant—J. W. Lambe to the Ganges, for die.
posal.

Acting Assistant Surgeon—William Roche to the
Ganges.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY MORNING.

THE IRISH AGRICULTURAL INTEREST.

The Banner of Ulster contains in its number of
yesterday au elaborate and, upon the whole, satis-
factory report of the probable yield of the late
harvest, together with some observations upon the
condition and prospects of the Irish agricultural
*lasses. The following is an extract :--
" Since the introduction of the tariff under Sir Robt.
Peel's measure the masses have been consumers of the
higher class of food to an extent which that tar-seeing
statesman never anticipated. If we take the experience
of our own country as data it will be found that, while
the bulk of food raised exceeds by many degrees the
highest ever before known, the farmer is in the enjoy-
ment of prices nearly 100 per cent, above the average
ratescurrent for the last 4 years of Protection, and this
even while the population of the present day is about two
and a hale millions below that of 1846. The area under
potatoes this year is about 1,100,000 acres— say one-
fourth above the average of the years from 1836 to 1846 ;
and yetiwe fit.cl the value of good table varieties of the
potato 3a. 6d. to 4s, per cwt , or twice the current rates
of the former period. If we turn to the grain market,
oats fresh from the flail or the thrashing machine sell
at 9s. to 9s. 91. per cwt., and white wheat 13s.
to 13s. 91. per cwt. Hay brings more than 100
per cent, above its former rates, and dairy pro-
duce is at a premium. Butchers' meat ranges
equally high, and, with the ports open for the free
import of continental and other foreign cattle, the
value of farm stock is 60 to 100 per cent. above what it
was in 1842, when Protectionists ran about in a state of
excitement, and the cry of ruin rang from the hall of the
landed chief to the home of the tenant cotter. The qua-
lity of the food used by the masses of the people in this
country at present differs very materially from that
which formed the chief article of consumption 16 years
ego. In a country titer:), not 10 miles distant from Bel-
fast, there are now three grocers and four meal dealers
for every one which existed there before the advent of
free trade. The number of master bakers, too, has been
increased, and the amount of business done exceeds by
a high figure the most extensive turnover of former
days. The wages of labour have been considerably in-
creased within the last few years. Whether we refer to
those who toil at the forge or work in the factory, the
carpenter at the bench, or the common labourer in the
field, all have been ascending in the scale of social ad-
vancement; and their power to purchase higher and
more nutritious descriptions of f od has, of course, been
proportionately increased. Those who were obser-
vant of the c indition of the working ranks under
the refiiree of the sliding scale will be able to
rememner that Ireland's poor in those days
not only subsisteu almost solely on potatoes, but
their food generally consisted of the coarsest qualities
then raised. Tne difference in point of nutritive and
even marketable value between the better cultivated and
the newer varieties of the potato was considerable, and
the poorer ranks of the people usually eked out life on
the cheapest qualities. Nut only, therefore, have the
masses of the Irish totally revolutionized the scale of
dietary as regards the exclusive use of any description of
the ouce familiar root, but the consumption of tea and
sugar, and of course of grain food, has been in-
creased in some districts fourfold. This change
must of itself create an extensive demand for caret
of all descriptions. Besides the enlarged con-
sumption, the cross Channel trade has been . very
active. Many of our local merchants find it difficult to
meet the orders from Liverpool and Glasgow. Irish
oats sell at very high prices in each of these markets,
an I Irish wheat is no less anxiously sought after. All
these facts te 1 us that there is st 11 a wide field of agri-
cultural enterprise only part:ally develved in Ireland.
It is really melanch, ly ti find that out of a total area
~aiseeding 20,000,000 acres there should be only about
3,000,000 acres under cereal crops. The low range
of prices for wheat from 1848 to 1353 caused many
farmers to give up the cultivation of that grain ;
and the yield decreased from 3,6 i 1,198 bafrels of 20
stones each, in 1849, to 1,904,302 barrels in 1863. High
prices have since caused a great extension of wheat
cultivation ; but the total breadth is still far under what
it might be. Millions of acres of the finest soil for the
growth of grain have yet to be turned by the Wough.
Capital has of late years been increasing in the hands of
farmers. It will therefore be for the owners of land to
consider the question of better defined systems of tenure,
so as to give well security for the return of outlay as
will induce enterprising farmers to bring out in greater
i strength the natural capabilities of Ireland's fertile

BELFAST.
•
There is no news of the least importance from
the proclainiod districts this morning. The Go-
Terunif-•nt inquiry drags its slow length along, and
nothing has cceurred to alter the opinion that,
many a week must elapse before the report of the
t,vo commissioners sh%ll enlighten the public, as to
tie originating causes of the Belfast savageries.

The Sardinian Minister of War lass issued a circular,
prohibiting fur the future the dinners which the officers
of a garrison about to leave have hitherto been in tau
habit of giving to the officer 4 of the troops which are
to replace them. The reason assigned for this measure
is, that it weighs heavily on such officers as have riot
ample means at their die posal.
SILK SAILS.—The Ocean, of Brest, says :—" It was
same time ago proposed to replace the canvas sails here-
tofore employed in vessels by others in silk, and an tx-
ptricnent with these latter has just been made in the
Franklin, of La Rochelle. The captain, M. Rodanet,
has Made a report to the following effect 5.1 k sails
possess strength, fl-xibility, and lightness ; they absorb
less water than other sails, and dry quicker ; when wet,
they lose none of their flexibility, and in the roughest
weather are so easily handled that sailors would rather
reA ono of them several times than any other once.'"
Net a word is said of the difference of expense, partiou-
-1 irly at present, when the price of silk bas risen so con-
s dcrably.
Toe French Government has received despatebes from
Admiral Rigault de Geneuidy, dated Hong-kong, the
Bth ult. The admiral announces that be was about to
make a reconnaissance in the direction cf Shanghai.
inTne French frigate Pomona anchored at the Piresns
on the B'h lost. coming from Syra. On her arrival the
flag of Admiral Bouet-Villauelez was saluted by the
Russian frigate Polkau and the Austrian brig of war
Hussard. Three Russian sore a* corvettes were at the
Dardanelles on the 15th inst , waiting for a finnan to
enter the Black Sea. These vessels are, it is said, to
serve as guardehips in the ports designated by the treaty
of Paris.
The Eastern of Franco Railway Company are adver-
tising Sunday excursion trains between Paris and the
camp at CHtlons.
FOREIGN BONDS. —At the meeting of holders of Vene-
zuelan Bands yesterday, a series of resolutions strongly
condemning the conduct of the Venezuelan government
in the recent negotiations, were passed, and it was
further resolved that measures shall be immediately
taken to formally represent to Lord Clarendon the un-
fortunate position of the bondholders, with a view to
induce the English government to take the matter up.
CRIMINAL OFFENDERS (SCOTLAND). —'VoltimitiOUV
tables, showing the state of crime in the various districts
of Scotland in the year 1856; have just been presented
to Parliament by command of her Majesty. The num-
ber
exhibitsof a
personso a
iocre charged
ea ws compared
offencespar
edwith 1855 of
8
i Scotlandin 13, 8 5
06;
2.2863 per cent. The proportion of convictions to com-
mittals in 1855 was 75.152 per cent. ; in 1856 it was
24
pBr4ioBoippearl cent.,
increase and
is in 1856
186
10
74.3873 per cent. ; while the proportion of acquittals to
c2ism.6irin2i7ttalpserinoloBusts was. The
person and against property, while
aangdainosffe tht e
es
against the currency have very
offencesforgery
considerably diminished.
MALTA, Sept. 18.—On the 16th, after four months'
dry hot weather, Malta was blessed with a good shower
raino
of rain,
has
d 0
ec 07: p
the a
a deal of good and le
n eed
countrywith thunder and
air. A ridiculous affair tookati2hpaelaCs
etordmurionvgert
perfection in dress,
thoeo ate-m. otemmr..
Aw a lady, famedg f
ao r
wh ea
lr
k w beautyten
Like most ladies now-a-days sheindulges
sort of petticoats, but the heat of the weat u a balloon
sort ier precludeda
the possibility of her wearing the
the usual hoops,
had a very skilfully made petticoat of steel- BO abs
When the
lightning began to
play about her she became alarmed
lest her steel petticoat ehoul I attract the electric fluid,
and rather than risk her life, she, sans ceremonie, let go
the strings and stepped cut of her steel, much to tee
amusement of those who saw it. On the 17th her Ma
jesty's ship Coquette arrived from Constantinople, last
from Smyrna. She has been relieved at Constantinople
by the Osprey. Commander Glyn, of the Coquette, has
had the misfortune to break his collar bone, but is doing
well. Lord Lyon", with the fleet, is expected off the
in, but it is expected, after a short stay off the port, he
port about the 20th. It appeals doubtful if he will come
will proceed to Corfu, and return early in October.
The Edinburgh. Courant says :—" Last week, while
Forbes M'Kenzie, Esq., and party, were returning in a
dog-cart from a shooting excursion in the neighbourhood
s,
et tatonootpki
yofftroi
ag
thfhet
en ao
opposite
ptpoh
one s
lost sudden
et: springloefa tphteomrvoeaarddea,
of Peebles—Mr. M'Seezie driving—the horse, a fine
spirited
idrai t
dartinggeodaat ni
tom
itnhi
low wall, releasing itself from the harness and leaving
the vehicle behind. Mr. M`Kenzie and one of his friends
were ejected from the conveyance, but beyond this, with
the animal slightly bruised and a damaged dog-cart,
nothing serious occurred.