The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-06 00:00:00

THE SUN, Lol‘ DON, MONDAY EVENING JAN ITAIIY 6, 1868.

al .:ogether unreasonable, since her captain, when
sh 0 was at last overtaken, states that he had
ab eady been overhauled three times by others of her
in. IJEsTv's ships between Cape Clear and Kinsale.
'rho Alaska is an American built barque, and her
unusual cut and the great speed at which she was
going seem to have excited general suspicion. The
' Government despatch vessel, Helicon, had already
sent an arnied crew alongside to examine her papers.
These proved satisfactory, and the Alaska was
allowed to proceed. The next day she came in sight
of the Research, -who ordered her to heave to, and
as she did not do so the Research put on full speed
to overtake her. Captain LESTER, of the Alaska,
explains his inattention to the signal of
the Research, by a fear that if he stopped
the way of the ship, she would, being
close to the land, in a fresh easterly breeze,
have drifted on, shore. The circumstance, however,
was sufficient to increase the suspicions of those on
board the Research, especially as the Alaska un-
fortunately bears a strong resemblance to the de-
scription given of the Fenian privateer alleged to
have been seen on the coast. It is very probable
that the Alaska may have been the vessel alluded
to, since there is no actual evidence of the existence
of any privateer. As the Alaska, however, swiftly
made her course inside Daunt's Rock, in order to
get into the harbour by the shortest route, the Re-
search steered after her more to the westward, so
that if the supposed privateer attempted to make
her way out of the harbour again she could not in-
tercept her. This, as the event proved, was a
hazardous experiment, since the barque, whose
pilot was familiar with the channel, passed safely
on, but the Research, following her more to the east-
ward, ran right over the rock, striking the wreck of
the City of New York, which was lost there a few
years since. The shock felt on board was only
slight, but it was soon discovered that the Research
was making water in large quantities. She kept
bravely on her route, however, with the aid of the
steam pumps, though the Alaska was not overtaken
until in the harbour. The amount of damage done
to the Research is believed not to be very
great, and she will immediately be put under re-
pairs. It was a fortunate escape, and so the Ad-
miralty will no doubt esteem it.

Two points press themselves upon our notizo in
this story. One is that had the Alaska been actu-
ally a privateer she could evidently have defied the
efforts of the war vessel to catch her. The Ame-
rican-built barques have certainly the secret of
swiftness, and it would be well if our Admiralty
officials could discover it. The more important consi-
deration is, however, how long is Daunt's Rock to be
allowed to lie in wait for our vessels ? The wreck of
the City of New York still lies there, adding to
its dangers, w bile it points the moral to the unwary.
Some years ago Mr. MAGIHRE bestirred himself
vigorously in the cause, but he found the diffi-
culties of divided authority and dislike of expense
too great for his energies, and he relinquished the
task in despair. What is everybody's business is
nobody's business, and although the damage done
by this amphibious enemy may include a wide
circle, all the authorities, national and local, are
glad to shift the responsibility off their own
shoulders. The loss of a fine vessel like the
Research would affect the British taxpayer ; the
wreck of other ships would fall heavily on
companies, private owners, and merchants. Yet
there the rock remains year after year while costly
undertakings of far less practical value are pur-
sued unhesitatingly. Surely it would be possible
by a little exertion to arrive at a definite arrange-
ment. If the Government bore part of the expense,
the corporation of the city of Cork another part,
and a part contributed by the ships entering the
harbour iu the form of a trifling levy, the work
would be done without the burden being oppressive
to any. We hope the narrow escape of the Research
will stimulate all parties to action. We have seen
enough of the mischief which nitro-glycerine and
`its fellows may do—let us now see them put to a
little better purpose.

The Circular of the Right Rev. Dr. MORIARTY,
Bishop of Kerry, deserves the careful attention of
every Irishman. Its good sense, its patriotism, and
right feeling, do honour to the Bishop, while they
dispose, in the most unswerable manner, of the high-
flown pretensions of those interested agitators who
endeavour to canonise murder. The subject of
Dr. MoRIAP.Tv's address to the clergy of his dio-
cese was the prossing demand of some of the laity
for the celebration of requiem masses for the Fenians
executed at Manchester. Dr. .MORIARTY plainly
shows that, however right and charitable, according
to the forms of the Catholic religion, it is to pray
for the culprits, any such public service as these
persons demand would be entirely out of place.
Many circumstances, ho admits, rendered the Man-
chester offenders greater objects of compassion than
ordinary murderers. The crime for which they suf-
fered was not perpetrated through hatred or re-
venge, or for sordid gain, and we may even chari-
tably suppose that they wished to effect their object
without shedding blcod. They met their doom,
too, in a becoming manner. But the special services
asked for are not as evidence of sympathy or com-
passion, but of commiseraon. " Those among us,"
says the bishop, " who planned funeral processions
or who asked funeral services,must have believed that
the conduct of the executed was praiseworthy, and
that they sacrificed their lives in a just and noble
cause." Dr.MORIARTY asks whether they are prepared
to counsel the repetition of such acts? "Is it lawful
to fire shots iu a crowded street with danger to the
lives of unoffendiog persons ? Are we expected to
canonise the men who fired the gunpowder at
Cltrkenwell?" And going further, he reverses the
story and asks if a band of Orangemen strove to
rescue one of their fellows from custody, and in so
doing shot an unarmed Catholic, what would be
thought of their receiving a popular ovation ? He
reminds them of O'CONNELL'S maxim, that the man
who commits a crime drives a nail in the coffin of
his country, and boldly withstands the pressure put
upon him and his clergy by intemperate and reck-
less agitator& Such language as this cannot fail to
influence the intelligent and reflective, and must,
we may hope, produce the best effects. Its lesson
of toleration and honest dealing may be learned
with advantage by all parties. Had the battles of
Ireland been always fought in such a spirit both
sides would have been the gainers.

There are some subjects which seem never ex-
hausted, and that of Prussia is certainly one. What
with her internal schemes and external alliances,
there is always something new to consider. The
last event of importance connected with the Berlin
Government was the introduction of Herr von
GOLTZ to the Emperor NAPOLEON, and so far as that
went we may augur for the continuance of peace,
at least for the present. This is satisfactory for
many reasons, because the unfortunate state of
aff sirs would render the losses and hardships in-
flicted by war of far greater consequence than
usual, and pillages, under any circumstances, it

would be better to let alone until the oppressive
and arbitrary policy of Prussia shall exhibit
i`self more fully than time has yet permitted
it to d). It is curious to notice the views taken by
some of the Germans themselves respecting the

state of things just now. The Provinzial Corres-
pondenz of the other day published an elaborate
article, in which it reviews the position of Germany
at the close of the year; in this it takes a favourable
view of things in general, and declares that the com-
pletion of the North German Constitution is a work
of great national benefit, and that its further deve-
lopment may safely be left to time. Pursuing the
theme still further, it declares that the Federal
army is as fit to take the field as the Prussian
army. "MI the great Powers have recognised the
Confederation," exclaims this writer, as if they
could have done otherwise in a matter that did not
interfere with t heir own interests, however much they
may have dfsapproved of the manner in which the
affair was carried out. We arrive at last at the
real meaning of all this tirade, which is that Prus
sia is now virtually at the head of all Germany, and
will soon be actually so. The various obstacles which
in the sight of some still bar the way to the accom-
plishment of this grand design are here entirely
ignored, or at least made very light of.
The separation of the North and South
is, it is said, in fact, overcome by the alliances,
military and commercial, that have been male
recently, and the German people feel themselves
more " united and powerful" than they have ever
done before. Germany in all directions can throw
the weight of her great national strength into the
scale. One might really imagine from all this that
some direct attack had been made upon the whole
of Germany collectively, instead of the truth being
that the other Powers bad left it pretty much to its
own devices, and that it had contrived to make
quarrels and dissensions in itself. The great dis-
pute of 1866 was brought about by the extreme
cupidity of Prussia, and it is quite out of character
for her apologists to consider the triumph effected
by force of arms, and an undue advantage being
taken of circumstances as a moral victory or a na-

tiona 1 SUCCCBS achieved by reason rather than violence;
at any rate it is likely that Prussia will be permitted
to have her own waya little longer, but whether that
chance will result in the perfecting of her ultimate
designs is quite another thing. As yet the vaunted
unity and boasted strength of the new regime has
not been tried, and therefore the sequel of the story
must be left to time ; but meanwhile there is no valid
assurance given of the truth of the flattering pro-
mises here held out.

The interest excited by Fenianism throughout the
country has not yet abate-1, although there is,
happily, less risk of mischief than heretofore, owing
to the vigilance now exercised in all directions.
The special constables continue to present them-
selves for enrolment in every direction with a
promptitude and heartiness which reflect honour on
themselves, and speak well for the prospects of the
country. Many of the associations and companies,
such as the order of Foresters, &c., are enrolling
members, and the employes of most of our large
firms have also come cheerfully forward to declare
their readiness to assist in preserving the public
peace. The Volunteers have, too, in many cases
found a valuable addition to the force which already
has assumed the proportions of an army. All through
the provinces the same story is told. In Hull already
3,000 special constables are enrolled, and the fact
was referred to as matter of congratulation by the
Recorder, SAMUEL WARREN, Q.C., in his address
to the grand jury. These special constables, more-
over, are prepared to find their office no sinecure,
and have willingly undertaken night duty to relieve
or assist the police whenever required.
Meanwhile the evidence respecting the Clerken-
well outrage continues to increase in interest. It
is a noticeable fact that, according to the facts
t-licitA on Saturday, if the prisoners had been exer-
cizing iu the usual place on the day of the explosion
many of them would have suffered severely from
its effects. The chief warder, in giving his evidence,
said that the usual time for exercise was from 3.15
p.m. to 4.15 p. m., and in the ordinary course of
things about one hundred prisoners and officers
would have been in the yard-at the time of the ex-
plosion. In his opinion scarcely twenty of them
would have escaped unhurt from the falling bricks
and stones. A police-constable came to the warder
shortly before three and told him that he had seen
a man and the woman JusTicz loitering outside
the walls. The warder very sensibly advised
their arrest on a charge of loitering for an unlawful
purpose, but the constable said he could not do so.
It is very much to be regretted that, being thus

forewarned, the police were not more on the look
out about the walls. It would not have required
much acuteness to have gue3sed that whatever at.

tempt was to be made would hwe been made at
the usual hour of exercise. Since it was thought
necessary for half 'the prison officers to be on guard
armed all night, a little more vigilance outside
would have been surely not out of place. To be
wise too late is a very common failing, but the
tardiness does not always cost so dear a price.