The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-08 00:00:00

IRELAND.

HARBOURS OF REFUGE.

Some (Fiern -he -hetes.)
attention has been excited, not only in Fraike
t.,;‘,i_O our own country, by a paper recently read before
u French Institute on the report of the British Com-
tuisSiOng
rS appointed to consider the formation of Iler-
etiehnit,.tterrtsoiew:r2ltdifueupgte on the South-eastern Coast. We frankly
that
fwe wish the picture drawn by M.
the unremitting activity of the
eatol'sa Government in the promotion of this great
lett; nal object, was more correct than it is ; but the
er_.eed gentleman has, we are sorry to say, mistaken
ceor.ts for facts, and the opinions of a board of special
GoZlssionere for the resolutions of her Majesty's
of th'ineeent. This report was presented to the Lords
Et Treasury on the 7th of August, 1844. The sub-
kle.:ll_4(l already been fully considered by a
former m
co-
e, which arrived at similar conclusions in 1840.
theB. en, the question has been fully investigated with
en tiception of a doubt as to the movement of shingle
sew e Coast at Dover. Yet in the course of the last
theiscr)ll of Parliament, eith an overflowing revenue in
Pri! 4surY, the Government took no steps, for appro-
, nip
the necessary funds to any one of these great
wase works, except a small vote for Harwich, which
absolutely
necessary to preserve that port from de-
ele„.„ • We deserve, therefore, to be blamed for our.
Mien Lsanegs, rather than applauded for an excessive
%I A' Providing for our national defences ; and we can
Ge;,',,"°Pe that M. Dupin's observations will remind the
apu-7,41,ent that the eyes of other nations are fixed
woef ttlikisab lisnlaanind.atter so intimately affecting the security
It is desirable, however, that these
sea it should not be misconstrued by the rest of Europe ;
err% ° tendency of M. Dupin's paper is to give a very
asser:i°4B impression of the relative importance of!he
the ~„" Purposes which we have in view in recommending
the hieedY adoption of the Commissioners' report. At
rsea
irneh Institute these harbours are described and
(l„eat%eicir, a° so many " centres of aggression, capable of
snap 4g five naval armies," at all times ready to
kieeeteil°u the French coast in less than seven hours,
lervelfsln an hour and a half. But it is needless to a-
ltar,
(rat the actual investigations of the Commissioners
by t iteeted to very different objects, and governed
that ?tally opp
ositeconsiderations ; for it is obvious
pmt the preparation of naval armaments for the
til% _ of attack the only important positions must be
86ee 111 Which secure ports are combined with exten-
4elph,-enals, and that Portsmouth and Devonport are
thee., safficient for these purposes. Probably M. Dupin
comp; that he displayed his penetration by treating as
those 4ratively unworthy of notice the primary object of
the it .11460Urs • for he barely condescended to inform
leeealirlied body he was addressing that they are es-
kieutt Y needed as harbours of refuge. The Treasury
erlhieete which appointed this commission and defined the
"" which its attention was to be directed of
Pointed out, in the first place, the formation of
hasipirefuge for the safety and convenience of vessels
centill'e the British Channel; and recommended, se-
°yelp that these should be calculated to become, in the
at 13f hostilities, the stations for ships of war. Without
obj,,:lnderrating the importance of the second of these
ii"s,lltider peculiar circumstances, such as the threat
fri4 11„ illusion, or the great efforts of naval ware
iCe English people will not be apt to lose sight
Tests e first and most constant service which such
44e:7°111d render to the shipping of the country, and
tlens• harbours of' refuge that they most imperatively
'114%4 share of the public money. Between Ports-
.l4ld the Thames there are none but tidal harbours
rsllsatV'le coast, and none at all accessible to large
kllieehe.lt3; and when we consider the immense amount of
Zclta ILl)Ping from our own northern ports alone and
'iliep,--°2don which passes the straits of Dover in
isethe down Channel, it is inconceivable that the
IPi,ellle;:ilstern coast should so long have remained
'Ake" a Place of secure shelter for so great a
tatek.,_. The roadstead at Dungeness, which is re-
bittuZle for its good holding ground, is the best
the 6" shelter of the kind, and there the majority of
fere °liluissioners propose no artificial works. At Sea-
tSllt illl- recommend a breakwater one mile in ex-
area seven fathoms water, which would shelter an
,Leh "f 300 acres; but it is preposterous to compare
`,250`,250,•„" work as this, for which the estimate is
,• "f„
with the colossal structure at Cherbourg,
tests:as, been going on for half a century, and has
lortlett'Y ten times that sum. The work proposed at
me and would have more of a military, and less of a
Pee titlile character, from its position on the coast, and
th;_e natural advantages for defence of that spot;
'see": undertaking stands last in the order of those
:Itre44 tta,issioners have recommended. In
.the event of
nal these points would doubtless contribute to the
tthtay
eProte.ction of the towns upon. the coast, and
nste,,,, ',Peden), important as forming part of a system
Zasto "Ili defence. But to a country whose fleets are
thrvilled and expected always to keep the sea, and to
e toe their own communications with every part of
'aet i's"'°t, without fear of the enemy, it does not appear
eo,33l!'_,ltitude of minor fortified harbours would bring
belied"'nerabllinttcreahsae of
.aggressive power. Nor do
by v
Nhtne s everbeen riewed in that light
. ablest officaerserwho have considered it. Thirty
Ltil)erio,l4ce, preceded by ten years of undisputed naval
bettiltY during the last war, have engendered in this
11(lt
e unlY au excessive confidence in our own re-
„telly -1 'w ithout much knowledge of what they now
4C4roe'ensist of, but also an unwise contempt of the
li our rivals and the chances of fortune. Since
e 1.% et tlcled on the shes of Britain we believe that so
CmeLtetiticn has never been paid to the military force
t
(s°liritrY at home as from 1815 to the present
rCrumble Whole ancient system of defence
%d away, and, as we are called upon to re-
etnti, We have the benefit of all the improvements
tq4etrkg`el'n Science can suggest, by steam, magnetic
e- eat -31' and the prodigious amelioration of projectiles.
i'eftlt,:xertions have of late been made to repair this
;Pecsi'sB°. All the other nations of Europe have been
e,'ttteil the last quarter of a century under the burden
-.llg armies and military works, scarcely inferior
hate Were required at no very distant period by a
still: The public money of England has been
a la satedto in this wise ; but we have allowed our-
Oile rely On our ocean barriers to a degree which.
Clelli°unt to excessive hardihood if we persisted in
tsiltoitt.thil..e other ha.nd, the effort which may be required
"u country in an ordinary state of defence, to
liNkskrjheeven the framework of our local force.s, and to
kePPily .n 1 to the improved system of locomotion which
s'x'sta in the country, will no doubt excite some
4etttt.,lll43l:l',V 02casion some misapprehension amongst our
It is perfectly true. that when. a. large army
„,ue engaged in active operations in India, and
atii;i,
equate detachment is required to protect the
egi.:,„,io°' tish North America from the chance. of
tate a Bra time of hostile excitement in the United
g, fly Considerableee„. addition to the
.army may be ur-
Z ,tutred. On the North American lakes it may
past
uf Wise to have in preparation at least the mate-
' e sufficient armament, for the lesson of 1812
latlietiretu be lost in that quarter. At home the
le -.emu •
of the screw-propeller to a considerable
tti!vitted ef lineelif-battle ships will, ere long, have
11.4 113 with efficient floating batteries, able to
ts,-NeeneP their own positions under any circum-
ct ih:tltid on any part of the coast. And we
will not many weeks of the approaching
c)f tfttll' takers ,be allowed to. pass without decided steps
tr,e for the execution of some portion.acthlehaasst
ti,;4l for',?enie for the harbours of refuge
tlt:tt 0 „'n these remarks. At the same timwe, we can-
%ti "a'nestly repeat that these are all precautions of
tocele Which this country cannot postpone without a
neglect of its first, interests, but which have no
aa %o=, Whatever with any hostile or aggressive de-
iiten setnst our neighbours in any part of the world.
Ith. en these raeasures are comp.leted, we shall still
" 41;4'
L'oe smaller force on foot—that is, a smaller number.
fite,4tia ready„ for active service by land and sea in pro-
tts; ',the; the wealth and extent of this empire, than
tt;4 state in Europe. No part of the military or
1, tee establishment of England is large except her
titlifere' dap it is a wise and dignified policy to be well
pa,...ic'r an emergency rather than to make a ma-
te' dery acid of strength. But the harbours of refuge
%seleft:7; which require the labour of years, cannot
Ile;'eeet;le" ; and they will be fortunately even more
in 'e to our merchantmen in peace than to our
war.

44 ll
!it h COURT CIRCULAR.
yete°l:krt Peel arrived at Osborne House on Satur-
1100e on a visit to the Queen.
NV clue
0 or, en and Prince
.Albert took their usual early
unds o
Queen
morning in the pleasure-
.4,4l:l"s•• Y Her Majesty and her Royal Consort
kitit&'ittecir-Ze in an open carriage in the afternoon.
th, I 4Y morning her Majesty and Prince Albert,
vitle 4-41411e3 and Gentlemen of the Court, attended
eirerviee in Whippingham Church.
111Yal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and
bt‘Ckc,,--eeBs Alice' were taken an airing on Friday
LA, 4. Their Royal Highnesses were taken on the
'4ll 131, Saturda Yesterday the royal children were
44, Irir usualYex* ereise.
bawl:°bert Peel remains at Osborne House.
•tibksoltnirinSaiiNDAvhrs Prince Alfred was taken a
His Royal
pony yesterday.
p%ThlTha wa% taken a carriage drive in the afternoon.a
ehn'tiOn:ed—cTriing then Hon. and. Rev. C. Leslie CourtFn y
Vtl 'll Performing Divine service in the private
the Castle.
I`ll,
tillpt-itlytl,ife_residceofher.
of Cambridge left Witley Court, Worces-
hi 411 sai.2T Leicester. RoyalHisMa.est Highness left Lewes-
heueen Dowager
kes-'urgay, for town. Yesterday morning his Royal
nttis 4ttended Divine service in Grosvenor Chapel,
ktte Audle
4_114, Y-street. In the afternoon the Royal Duke
"10 service in the chapel of the Foundling
i'aLort,7ubert Peel left town on Saturday morning foSY.r 'louse, Isle of Wight, on a visit to her Ma-
r
ri,
'tlsZ"'lrles Fitz C.B , had an interview with Lord
-41,.011Saturdarn,y, at the Colonial-office.
11434'1 —4(eellencY Ythe Brazilian Minister transacted
QpB at the Forei n-office on Saturday.
"14141,471 Maclaehlagn had an interview with the Earl of
bi°43`e on Sat
w_ ur ay.
Sq "aaes from the Governor of the Mauritius, and
_
tqiim `-'lll the Governor of West Australia, were r Theizsterday at the Colonial-office.
br. Stewart (from Jamaica) and Mr. Munroe
.."" on Saturday with Lord Stanley, at the
rays
hQ
Chapel Royal, St. James's, yesterday morning,s
3,
„ the re read by the Rev. Dr. Dakins, the lesson
41tr• Dr. 'Vivian, and the communion service by
i'litivo.wi'l.ll3)rt was inSklse.athT.
heTahhetsheermm.on was preached by the
" I was in the spirit sung by M. Hkins Hobbs.
andgars
441:10ept:l Pitimerst3n and Lord Ebrington were
the nobility present.

Pr'.

1-..i.71-r,,innt and mazistrates of
to
publisticd their memorial to Government, praying for the
application of coercion as a means of putting down " the in-
surrectionary spirit" which pervades that county.
In reply to the memorial, the following answer from his
Excellency the Lord Lieutenant was received yesterday :
"Dublin Castle, Dec. 3, 1845.

"My Lord,—l have the honour to acknowledge the receipt
of vour Lordship's letter of the 26th ult., forwarding an
address to the Lord Lieutenant, from the Lieutenant and forty-
seven magistrates of the county of Westmeath, and beg to
inform your Lordship that your letter and accompanying
address have been laid before his Excellency.
"The Lord Lieutenant has heard with much regret of the
late atrocious attack on Sir F. Hopkins, and of the increase
of outrage in the county of Westmeath, and that your Lord-
ship and the magistrates are of opinion that the measures
taken by the Government for the suppression of agrarian
outrage are inadequate for the protection of life : his Excel-
lency will give every aid and support that the law affords to
the exertions of the magistrates to preserve the peace, pro-
tect the well-disposed, and make amenable to justice those
persons who have engaged in crime, and outrage the laws
of their country; and will bring under the notice of her
Majesty's Government your address, representing the in-
sufficiency of the existing laws for the preservation of life
and property.
" The acting Crown-Solicitor of the circuit has been sent
to Mullingar, to inquire into the several cases at present for
trial in the county gaol, and the probability of convictions
in them, in order that he may make such reports upon them
as may ;enable his Excellency to decide whether it be advise-
able that a Special Commission he issued for the trial of
these prisoners at present in gaol, as suggested by the ma-
gistrates. I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lord-
ship's most obedient servant,
" RICHARD PENNEFATHER.
" The Marquis of Westmeath, &c. &c.
Lieutenant, county of Westmeath."
REPRESENTATION OF ANTRIM.
The Antrim election, which was fixed for Thursday at
Carrickfergus, has not " come off." At twelve o'clock, the
hour specified for holding the election, the,reporters from the
press were in attendance at the County Court-house, but
neither sheriff, candidate, proposer, seconder, or elector were
to be seen.

SHIPWRECK.
We regret to find that as the Lara, of Dunifries;laden with
coal for this port, was between seven and eight o'clock, on
Saturday evening, during a strong gale, making the harbour,
she kept too close to Mutton Island, where the lighthouse is
erected, and was driven high and dry upon land—where she
still continues, it is feared, with every chance of her being
greatly damaged, if not totally wrecked. We hear that
no pilot was taken on board to direct her course to the
roads, else this casualty could not have occurred. The
principal portion of the sails and running rigging have
been landed under the superintendence of Messrs. Evans and
Sons.—Galway Vindicator.
IMPORTANT COLLEGE VISITATION.
On Thursday next the theatre cf our University will be
enlivened by a novel and interesting scene—viz., the archi-
episcopal visitation to decide on the claim of Mr. Heron to
a scholarship of the house.
It will be recollected that the Court of Queen's Bench, last
Trinity Term, after solemn argument, allowed a mandamus
to issue, calling on their Graces the Lord Primate and the
Archbishop of Dublin to entertain the question of a Roman
Catholic's eligibility to the scholarship. Accordingly the
visitors are now constrained to exercise a function for which
they had before seen no occasion, and their decision is looked
for with anxious interest.
Mr. Pigot, Q.C., will open the appellant's'case against the
decision of the Board, and will be fellov,-ed by Mr. O'Hagan,
Mr. M'Donnell, and Mr. Flanagan. Messrs. Moore, Q.C.,
and Dr. Longfield, Q.C., are to reply for the Board against
the appellant's admission, and will be supported by Dr.
Butt, Q.C., and Mr. M'Duall, the reply being left to Mr.
O'Hagan.
The visitors are to sit at ten o'clock, and have requested
the assistance of the Master of the Rolls (as their assessor) ;
whose long and distinguished connexion with the Univer.
sity peculiarly qualify him for the office. The burden of
proof lies on the appellant's counsel, owing:as well to his re-
jection by the Board as to the adverse decisions of the noble
visitors before the mandamus issued against them.
The last time a similar session of visitors took place was
during the provostship of Dr. Hutchinson, so graphically re-
corded by Dr. Duigenam. Preparations are making for quite
as interesting an exhibition, and a crowded Court is likely to
be the consequence.—Evenine Packet.
THE AGRARIAN SYSTEM.
The farm held by the late murdered Sheppards remains
since the fell deed was committed a wild common for the
cattle of the surrounding district, their surviving brother
being afraid to occupy it, though offered at the nominal rent
of one shilling per annum by the landlord, the Rev. Ralph
Coote, for the whole farm-house, &c. (nearly thirty acres
of prime land). Nor would a stranger look at it, where
he to get it on the same condition. The only revenue the
farm now pays is the taxes, which are clubbed by the tres-
passers.
The Evening Mail says :—" Since we addressed our readers
last, John French, Esq., son of the Dean of Elphin, and
nephew to Lord De Freyne, was fired at, at his own gate, at
Cloonquin, in the county of Roscommon. Mr. French was
not engaged in a quarrel of any sort with the people ; his
alleged crime, we understand, was, that he had spoken dis-
respectfully of the Molly Maguires. The following letter
shows that the insurrection is active in another part of the
country :

" Moneygall, Dec. 4.
" ' I am very sorry so soon again to have to furnish you
with the report of another outrage, much more offensive than
the pulling down a part of a caretaker's house, an account of
which so lately appeared in your journal.
" ' On Tuesday night, the 2d inst., a notice was posted on
the hall-door of Bushertown Castle, the residence of Mr.
Minchin, threatening him with immediate death if he
did not forthwith quite change his system of managing his
property.
" That system has been to give constant employment to
fifty persons during the scarcity and dearness of the summer
months, and to pay them weekly in cash—to divide amongst
them (at this season) sixteen acres of potato ground, for one
of which he has not yet been paid, and for several of which
it is most probable be never will—to give amongst them
every Christmas a good fat cow gratis, as Mr. Minchin has
done since he came into possession of the property—to be a
principal subscriber to a Dorcas Dispensary Institut►on for
their relief and benefit—and, besides, to be ever ready to
attend and supply the little wants of the neighbouring poor
who came to ask it.' "
MURDER OF PATRICK CLARKE, ESQ.—We understand
that six persons have been arrested and lodged in Nenagh
gaol, charged with being concerned in the above barbarous
murder; and one of them, named Hill, is son to a caretaker
that was in Mr. Clarke's employment ; another is the noted
Hogan, who was charged with being implicated in the Finnoe
tragedy.—King's County Chronicle.
ATTACKING DWELLLNGS BY NIGHT BY ARMED MEN.—The
dwelling of a man named Martin Hassett, situate in a moun-
tain district near Birdhill, was forcibly entered by four armed
men, who beat Hassett, his son, and daughter severely, and
commanded him to settle quietly and fairly with a tenant of
his, with whom he had a dispute.
A party of three men armed, in the same neighbourhood,
broke into a house belonging to one Kennedy, and beat him
severely.
In the district of Lateragh, fertile in the production of out-
rages and murders, the house of a man named Daniel Hogan,
was attacked by a party of ten men, armed with pistols and
bludgeons, who beat him in a savage manner, broke all his
furniture, and struck his daughter a violent blow on the
head. Hogan had been employed as a bailiff, which is the
only reason that can be given for such an attack upon him.
The noise of horsemen on the road made the fellows fly in
every direction, but before they decamped they burned a
quantity of flax which lay upon the floor.
In our last number -we noticed the robbery of several
farmers' houses of large sums of money, by an armed party
of ten or twelve men, with their faces blackened. A party
similar in number has been seen in the same neighbourhood
a couple of nights afterwards, who went to the house of a
widow, they calculated upon having money—but who had,
fortunately, laid it out in the morning in the purchase of
pigs. On finding this to be the case the fellows went away
—Nenagh Guardian.
DARING OUTRAGE.

On Sunday morning last, at eight o'clock, a party of six
or eight men, some of whom were armed, attacked the
house of Charles lleadivan, of Painstown, in the barony
of Rathconrath. Four of them entered the house, and de-
manded Headivan's gun, which he stoutly refused, and in
defence snapped it at the party, but it missed fire ; they
wrenched the gun from him, and gave both him and his
wife a severe beating. There are three severe cuts in Headi-
van's head, and he lies dangerously ill ; the wife has also two
cuts and a fractured scull. Before leaving the house the
party set fire to a parcel of flax, for the purpose, as they
stated, of burning the house. It was, fortunately, quenched,
before much damage was done. The police of Rathconrath
heard of the outrage at ten o'clock, and Constable Palmer and
his party lost no time in scouring the country and apprehend-
ing three persons, two of whom were fully identified by both
Headivan and his wife as being of the party, and they are
fully committed for trial.—Westmeath Guardian.
Sir Francis Hopkins is nearly convalescent. The second
of the assassins has not yet been apprehended; Keens, the
person in custody last week, on further examination on Sa-
turday, was liberated.—Thid
- -

DRURY-LANE.--The more we see of Mademoiselle
Flora Fabbri, the more we are convinced of her being one of,
and almost the first of, the eminent dancers who have visited
this country. That this opinion is partaken of by the public
at large two facts will testify—one of which is, that the ap-
plause attendant on her performance is beyond all precedent ;
and the other is, that the theatre is crammed every night she
makes her appearance. The success of Mr. Wallace's opera
of Maritana increases with every performance.
FALL OF HOUSES IN THE WANDSWORTH-ROAD.—
On Saturday afternoon, at one o'clock an inquest was held
upon the body of Oliver Corrall, aged 19 years, the brick-
layer who was killed by the falling in of the houses in the
Wandsworth-road. Evidence was given by the policeman,
Thomas Emerson, and John Kelly, a labourer, working upon
the buildings. Mr. Stevens, a carpenter, stated his opinion
that the accident was solely attributable to the removal of
the ground between the wall and the centre. The concrete
which had been put at the foundation about twelve months
since was very inferior, and had never set or become sound.
The Coroner summed up, and the jury, after twenty minutes'
consultation, returned the following special verdict :—" That
the deceased met his death accidentally ; but the jury could
not separate without expressing their opinion that a want of
judgment was displayed in removing the earth round the
foundation of the buildings."
ALLEGED NEGLECT AT THE MANCHESTER LYING-
IN HOSPITAL.—The adjourned inquest in this case was held
on Friday, and, after hearing additional evidence, the jury
unanimously agreed to a verdict of " Misadventure " and
consequently Mr. Runcorn and Mr. Whitehead (both of
whom were present) would be acquitted. At the same time
they could net but express their opinion, that to have such a
person as Mr. Cobain in the situation which he filled was
highly improper, and that there ought to be person
thoroughly acquainted with all the properties of the different
in svedients to compound the medicine. They also recom-
mead to the institution, through Mr. Hunt, one of the sur-
e-eons, that a day-book, or name-book, should be kept in the
rtospital, in which should be entered the name of every per-
son who received medicine from the surgery, these names
having a reference to a general index of the residence. of the
patients, in order that if any mistake should occur, it might
be instantly rectified. The jury further receenmended that,
in such an institution, and especially with reference to such
strong and dangerous remedies, no contractions should be
used, but that the words should be written at full length.
TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE SID-
NEY BEKNAII.D.—The Admiralty, to mark their sense of the
services this gentleman so nobly and self-devotedly rendered
to suffering humanity on board the fever-stricken Eclair,
took the first opportunity, after the report of Mr. Bernard of
the state of the vessel, to promote him to the rank of sur-
geon ; but, alas ; these honours were lost on the " dull cold
ear of death," for this gallant officer was numbered with the
last victims. Anxious to pay some tribute to such departed
worth, the Admiralty, in the only way they had to confer it,
have promoted to the rank of surgeon Mr. Robert Bernard,
I assistant-surgeon of the Pique, 36, in the West Indies, a
brother of the deceased.—liiimpiltire Telegrapk,