The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-18 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, SATURDAY EVENING.

It would seem es if Dublin were only beginning
to make progress, if we may judge from the in-
creased facilities for locomotion aicady established
and in contemplation. Two new lines of omnibuses
have been recently established, and. a bill is an-
nounced to be brought in during next session for
the formation of metropolitan railways. According
to this scheme, new lines are to be constructed unit-
ing the various termini in Dublin, and connecting
all the railways which converge in the city with the
pert. A great want will be thus supplied, and the
facilities of communication will be of the greatest
importance in advancing the prosperity of the city.
The plan includes a tramway along the quay from
Carlisle-bridge down the river on the south side.
The visit of Sir Robert Peel to Belfast seems to
have given great satisfaction to all parties con-
cerned. He arrived there on Thursday night,
accompanied by Lady Emily Peel and Sir Henry
Brownrigg, from the Giant's Causeway, which they
visited on their way from Londonderry that morn-
ing. They put up at the Royal Hotel, where the
right hon. baronet was waited on next morning by
Sir Edward Coey, mayor of Belfast, when he con-
sented to receive an address from the town council
this morning at 11 o'clock, so as to enable him to
proceed to Dublin by the midday mail train. Yes-
terday the Chief Secretary and his party visited the
Lunatic Asylum, where he was received by the re-
sident physician, Dr. Stewart, the Lord Bishop of
Down, Mr. Thomas Maclure, J.P., and Dr. Moore,
the visiting surgeon, and where he inspected every-
thing, being at the same lime entertained by the
band and the Volunteer corps, both composed of
lunatics and dressed in uniform. At the District
Model School, which was next visited, he was re-
ceived by Lord Masserene, the Rev. Dr. Henry,
Commissioner of Education; Dr. Patten, Head In-
spector, &c. Sir Robert assisted in the examination
of the children, with whose answering he was so
well pleased that he got holidays for them till
Tuesday next. From the Model School the Chief
Secretary and party passed on to the Queen's Col-
lege, where the President, the Rev. Dr. Henry, was
waiting to receive him. The students were assem-
bled with the professors in their various class rooms,
and, remembering Sir Robert Peel's liberality in
endowing scholarships, they cheered him enthusias-
tically as he passed through the establishment. He
then went to the Presbyterian College, which is en-
dowed by Government for the education of ministers,
and was welcomed by the Rev. J. M.Naughton,
Moderator of the General Assembly; the Rev. Dr.
Gibson, and other professors. Mr. Tracy, R.M.,
and other gentlemen, placed carriages at the disposal
of Sir Robert and Lady Peel, but they preferred the
Irish jaunting car, having taken a fans.y to it, for
its convenience in affording the opportunity of see-
ing everything around, of which they had ample
experience in the wilds of Connaught. The follow-
ing is from the third edition of the Northern Whi g
"BELFAST, Saturday Afternoon.

" This morning Sir R. Peel was presented with
an address from the Corporation of Belfast, on the
occasion of his first visit to the town, in company
with Lady Emily Peel and Sir ricnry Brownrigg.
Among those present at the Town-hall were the
Marquis of Downshire and a large number of the
principal inhabitants of the town.
" The address was read by the Town-clerk. It
welcomed Sir Robert to Belfast, referred in terms
of commendation to his conduct while he had been
in Ireland, especially to his endeavours for the
further development of education, and for making
himself acquainted, by personal observation, with
the requirements of the country, and expressed a
confident hope that he would, like his illustrious
father, have the satisfaction of receiving the grate-
ful thanks of the country for his enlightened and
impartial policy.
" Sir R. Peel, in reply, spoke at great length. He
announced that he had received many promises of
support for the endowment of scholarships, 8,72.' in
the Queen's University, and mentioned that Mr.
Thom, of Dublin, had promised £l,OOO, Mr. Mal-
colmson £6OO, and Mr. Guinness £250. He re-
sented in warm terms the recent pastoral of Dr.
Cullen, and severely condemned the practice of
Roman Catholic dignitaries hurling ecclesiastical
censures at public men for what they did not agree
with in their political life. For himself, he said he
was made of sterner stuff than to heed them. Re-
ferring to his late tour in the west, he said, although
there was distress from the partial failure of the
potato crop, and the dearness of fuel, there was
nothing like a famine; and he declared that the cry
of famine had been got up by those who wished to
gain popular applause from an affected zeal for the
poor. Sir Robert was loudly cheered at the termi-
nation of his address. Three cheers were given for
Lady Emily Peel."

In visiting the public buildings of Belfast Sir
Robert Peel must have been surprised to find
among them no cathedral. Belfast is a city
in everything but the name, second only to
, wealth, and importance.
Dublin in population
It has a population of 120,000, of which 30,000 are
Churchmen. There is church accommodation for
only 7,600—in one parish church and three or four
district churches; but none of them is, in an archi•
tectural point of view, at all worthy of such a city.
It is a singular fact, by no means creditable to our
Protestantism, that no cathedral has been erected
in Ireland since the Reformation. All the existing
cathedrals, which are not much to bust of, were
built in Roman Catholic times. Belfast is situate
in the diocess of Connor, whose cathedral has been
in ruins since the middle of the 15th century. Down
has its cathedral in Downpatrick, and Dromore has
one also in Lisburn, but in size, architecture, and
locality it is unsuitable for the purpose. Belfast is
the proper place for the mother Church. and the
Bishop's seat. This has long been felt, and at
length the Bishop of the united diocesses of Down,
Connor, and Dromore, at the urgent request of his
clergy and laity, has resolved that the want shall be
supplied. Accordingly his Lordship has appealed
for funds to the members of the United Church of
England and Ireland for this laudable purpose.
The sum required is £lOO,OOO, and it is felt that by
a vigorous effort on the part of all classes of church-
men this sum can be easily raised.

The proprietors and holders of land in the neigh-
bourhood of Bannftgher had a meeting in that town
yesterday, reported by a correspondent of t aunders's
Newsletter. They complain strongly of the conduct
of the Board of Works in not prot-...et in g the country
from the inundations of the Shannon, which this
year have caused immense losses. One gentleman
stated that his own loss was I:8SO. They expressed
a hope that the new Chief Secretary would take the
matter in hand, and see justice done to the sufferers
through the alleged default of the Board of Works.