The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-11-21 00:00:00

THE SIGNAL FIRES

The following extraordinary statements are copied from
the Cork Constitution of Tuesday.

As the origin of the bill fires, which burst out simul-
taneously on the i9th of October, was never satisfactorily

explained, it would be more than ever useless to attempt
a solution of the mystery in the present instance :
" The following letters have reached us, but we may
remark that even in the neighbourhood of the city the sig-
nals blazed as brightly as in remoter places. No fewer than
20 were counted from Sunday's Well, and the yelling was
heard for miles round. In quarters of the county, too,
not named by our correspondents, the peasantry were as
active, and the fires sprung up successfuly from bill to
hill. In the neighbourhood of Bandon the first fire was
lighted at Cashel-hill, just over the house of the Rev. So-
mers Payne. This was about half-past 7 o'clock, and in

horizon was illumined, amid dancing and yelling and blow-
ing of horns. A friend of ours L ing approached one of

the fires, the men immediately made off, leaving the place
in possession of children. From Mallow along to the
county .of Limerick every elevated spot had its fire, and
great alarm prevailed among the unprotected Protestants.
Something must be done to put a stop to this. It will never
answer to have an orange riband proscribed to a man who
would shed his life's blood for our laws and liberties,
while the traitor who longs to crimson his pike in the veins
of loyalty and of Protestantism is allowed to leave the
country in anxiety and affright.
" BALLINCOLLIG, Nov. 12.—1 beg leave to inform you
that last night, about 7 o'clock, this village was in a state
of great alarm in consequence of fires being lit on all the
surrounding hills, accompanied by terrific yells, which
were plainly heard here; three of them were within a
quarter of a mile of the barracks. The constabulary were
promptly in attendance, under the command of constables
Ware and Wilson, and took down the names of some of
the persons who appeared to be concerned, and who were
very insolent to the police. I need scarcely tell you that
the Protestants here (few in number,) though not afraid,
were somewhat uneasy. There was one shot fired to the
south-east of the village. The above you may rely on as
being perfectly true. One of the police said he counted
30 fires.

" NOVEMBER 13.—1 dare say you have had several com-
munications respecting the fires of Saturday evening, and
I trust you will permit me to state briefly what I wit-
nessed on that evening. About eight o'clock, my atten-
tion having been called to the fact that a fire was on the
opposite hill, I went outside my house, and saw several
beacons blazing on the heights near Ballincollig ; imme-
diately the signal was seen, fires were lighted almost
simultaneously on all the hills between that place and
Wilton, and crowds of persons flocked to them, who
shrieked in the most dreadful manner; at the same time,
blowing horns most vociferously. At the north side of
that district also many fires blazed forth ; and at one of
them at Blarney Cross, within two miles of the city, be-
side the yelling and born-blowing, the accompaniments
were agreeably diversified by a band of music. I will not
add a word of comment."

" MACROOM, November 13.—Allow me through your
very constitutional paper to arouse the loyal inhabitants
of this town and its vicinity to the alarming state of the
country, and not to leave the very few Protestants here
in the excited state of alarm they must naturally be, while
unprovided with that protection which government has
now afforded to almost all other towns in Ireland, and
surely if proper application were made, we could not be
denied. Doubtless, the state of this country in the years
1821 and 1822 still continues fresh in the recollection not
only of your readers, but of government itself, when,
were it not for the efficient and timely aid of a party of the
11th Foot, some of the Rifle Brigade, and the 6th Carbi-
neers, the consequences would positively have been
awful. These (in my opinion) necessary observations
have now been particularly called forth by the numerous
lights or bonfires which almost simultaneously appeared
in this town and neighbourhood on last Saturday night,
between the hours of seven and eight o'clock; the huz-
zaing and shouting were tremendous, notwithstanding we
do not hear even• a pretext given by an individual for
such alarming proceedings. Surely the jury having
agreed in finding the bills against their champion could
not have given rise to those feus de joie."
"INNISHANNON, Saturday Evening, 8 o'clock.—The
whole of the hills surrounding the village are at this mo-
ment in a blaze with signal fires,' accompanied by loud
shouting and horn-blowing, which has caused considerable
alarm in the minds of the peaceable and loyal inhabitants.
Each asks the other what the intention of these fires is?
but no satisfactory reply can be given. The assurance of
the Attorney-General that a deep-laid conspiracy'
exists is the only solution to the question."
" BANDON, November 12.—0 n Saturday evening, about
nine o'clock, fires were simultaneously lighted on all the
hills in this quarter; and from reports that have reached
town yesterday they extended from Cork to Bantry. How
much more general they were a few days will determine.
Just as the fires were lighted the temperance baud played
through the town, and never having played out before on
Saturday but on one occasion proves that temperance and
the Repeal treason are identical. I have learned that the
police from the different out stations yesterday reported
to the inspector here the extent to which this systematic
organisation was carried on in their respective localities,
and that it was beyond comparison with all former periods.
That communications were made there can be no doubt,
as policemen were in from the different stations. A per-
son who'travelled from Cork reports having seen seventy
fires, and a gentleman who had the courage and curiosity
to ride out at the time to see them from several elevated
places confirms the statement. The Bandonians have not
waited for this hint to prepare for an emergency, as the
musket, the blunderbuss, the pistol, and the ball-cartridge
are as regularly the furniture of the bed room as the bed
itself. If the government but does its duty, in organizing
the loyalists into volunteer corps, a rebellious rising of the
repealers will end in the total ruin of popery in Ireland.
Their reverences would do well to count the cost."
" BANDON, November 13.—0 n Saturday night the
country as far as the eye could reach was brilliantly illu-
minated with signal fires, and' the stillness was broken by
loud huzzas as each fire was got up ; several shots were
also heard. The country Protestants were very much
frightened, thinking the period of the massacre had ar-
rived. A great quantity of furze and straw must have
been consumed, as the rejoicings lasted for four hours.
If the value of the fuel consumed was to be paid for for
government purposes, what complaints would' be made, as
each fire cost at least 6d. ! The persons_emolosed could
easily be detected, as the approach would he made in the -
dark. The report is current here that O'Connell has got
free."

SKIBBEREEN, Nov. 11.---Perhaps you would be-so
good to inform me what has been the cause of all the bon-
fires throughout this country up to a late hour, with
sounding of horns, yellings, and every other demonstra-
tion of a rebellious tendeney ? I should say, if necessary
this evening, I should now hope those popularity-seeking
justices and gentry will shortly be induced to open their
eyes and see the great want of military in this large and
populous town and neighbourhood. While I write this,
the bonfires are blazing about us, and the yelling from hill
to bill you can have no idea of."

SKIBBEREEN, Nov. 11.—I hasten to inform you of the
state the hills and the surrounding neighbourhood present
at this moment. As far as the eye can reach, hill :Ind
dale, the country is literally in one blaze ; signal fires
lighted up instantaneously, as if by some magic power,
accompanied by the blowing of horns, and the demoniac
yells of some thousands who surround these too evident
symptoms of something portentous. I have just now been
on a hill adjacent to the town, viewing the alarm of these
infatuated dupes, and have asked several of them what
the fires were meant for, and only received in answer to
my inquiries the emphatic reply, ' The Protestants are
beat.' Here we are, unoffending Protestants, left to
have our lives and our properties subject to terror and in-
timidation, without one company of military to insure us
even a hope of safety if anything unpleasant should occur.
It is now 11 o'clock; the fires are still up, though in a
great measure abated ; the police are actively engaged in
taking notes of the appearance of the country, and will,
no doubt, report to government.

. .
" BALLYDEHOB, Nov. 11, Saturday Night, 11 o'clock.
—As 1 write the country is in a blaze, as far as the eye
can reach, for miles, and was lighted up in about five mi-
nutes. The village is in the greatest alarm, some families
running as if for their lives to the houses of their neigh-
bours, and I hear of one widow lady who has run into the
fields just now, expecting that the long-threatened re-
venge on the Saxons' may be put into execution. Is it
not too bad that the entire district, from Bandon and
Kinsale to the west, a district of over 80 miles in length,
and several miles wide, is left without any military pro-
tection? Cannot the government allow the yeomanry
corps to be called into active service ?"

A man of the name of John Gill has been.committed to
Tullamore Gaol for trial, on a charge of being implicated
in the murder of Lord Norbury.

MURDER OF DR. QUARRY.—Mr. Wilson was com-
mitted to jail on Monday, bail baying been refused.--
Cork Constitution.

SPRING IN THE LAP OF WINTER.—An apple blossom,
with the fruit just forming, has been left at our office.—
Cork paper.

Prayers, says a Cork paper, are now being offered in
various parts of Ireland, for the preservation of peace
under the present existing circumstances.

One handred orphan children, of Roman Catholic pa.
rents, are maintained and educated at the cost of the
Protestant mission in Achill, Mayo.

A very amusing and very characteristic display of pa-
triotism has just been made by the " Liberal " Lord
Cloncurry. His lordship has published a letter complain-
ing loudly of Irish absenteeism, and his lordship's letter
bears the date of Versailles!

THE JURY COURT.—The wealthy and respectable Pro-
testants of Dublin have done nobly : upwards of sixty
merchants and gentlemen, each possessing property ex_
ceeding £5,000, and who never were before on the jury
lists, are now eligible to be placed on the panel.

On Thursday night, the " Historical Society," 90nspi2
cuous in the annals of Irish eloquence, was revived in
Trinity College, Dublin. It was dissolved in 1815, after
an existence of half a century, and it said to have been the
cradle of Burke, Grattan, Croker, and many others. '
The late Andrew Finucane, of Ennistimon House, co.
Clare, bequeathed £3OO to the Mendicity of Dublin, £2OO
to the Indigent Roomkeepers of Dublin, £3OO to the poor
of Cork, £3OO to the poor of Limerick, £3OO to the poor
of Ennis, £3OO to the poor of Ennistimon, and £3OO to
the poor tenants on his estates.
OFFICIAL RETURN OF THE MILITARY FORCE IN
IRELAND UP TO NOVEMBER.—From the official return
of the military force at present in Ireland, it appears
there are—Cavalry, 3,200 ; Infantry, 13,600 ; Depots,
3,400; Royal Sappers and Miners, 300; Royal Marines,
800 men ; total, 23,300 effective troops.
At the period of high water on Monday evening week, a
the tide in Blennerville bay. Tralee, ebbed and flowed
few feet five times within an hour. Such a phenomenon
is supposed to indicate an earthquake, and probably on
the opposite extreme of the globe. During the night
succeeding it blew very hard.

THE REPEALERS V. THE HANOVERIANS.—A priest
in this county, in haranguing his flock on Sunday last,
thus alluded to the Hanoverians, in order to inspire his
hearers with proper pluck, in case of emergency :—" The
Hanoverians are fierce-looking fellows : they have great
whiskers, and look very brave ; but when they come to
close quarters, they are rank cowards !"—Tipperary Con-
stitution.

Sir Harcourt Lees has addressed a short letter to a
Dublin paper, in which he strongly recommends an order
to be issued to the Duke of Bordeaux to depart from the
United Kingdom immediately. He also advises a procla-
mation to be issued commanding " the diabolical society
of Jesuits to vacate all, parts of the British dominions

within two months, and the instant suppression of the
repeal confederation and the Roman Catholic Institute."

IRISH LANDLORD COMMISSION.—At length the num-
ber of members constituting the intended commission is
completed, Sir Robert Ferguson, the whig member for
Derry, having accepted the vacancy. The commission,
therefore, will stand as follows :—Earl of Devon. chair-
man; Mr. George A. Hamilton, M.P., and Mr. Wynne,
of Hazelwood—conservatives. Sir Robert Ferguson,
M.P., and Mr. Redington, M.P.—whigs.
Colonel Verner, M.P. having taken into consideration
the present depression of agricultural produce, has in the
most kind and considerate manner directed a reduction—
amounting, in some instances, to 30 per cent., and ave-
raging about 25 per cent.—to be made in-the rents of his
property in the county Monaghan, commencing at No-
vember, 1842. But this excellent landlord's liberality
has not stopped here, for he has also directed a donation
of 15 per cent. to be paid the tenantry on the year's rent,
commencing May, 1842, thus making a total reduction of
nearly 45 per cent.—Newry Telegraph.
AMERICA AND REPEAL.—The New York Herald, of
the Ist instant, concludes a brief argument ou the sub-
ject of repeal of the Irish union, in which the waning
interest in that subject -is accounted for by reference to
the alleged injustice of O'Connell towards the States,
with the following strange statement We have every
reason to believe that some general organization or asso-
ciation will soon be produced in this metropolis, having
for its object the legal and constitutional reform of all the
governments of Western Europe. Here will probably be
the grand centre of a great revolutionary movement,
equally embracing England,_ France, Italy,. and Spain.
Such, at least, is our recent information."
THE MARQUIS OF WATERFORD.—The folowing let-
ter from the Marquis of Waterford, addressed to the
members of the Tipperary bunt, explains his resignation
of the county hounds. "In December, 1841," he says,
" my hounds were poisoned ; I treated the matter with
contempt. In January, 1843, they were again poisoned ;
I discovered the offender, and forgave him ; but I stated
publicly, that if a similar outrage were again committed,
I should give up hunting the county. In 1813 my stables
Were burned, and, but for the prompt conduct of my ser-
vants, the whole establishment would have been consum-
ed. From the threatening notices I had received, and
from the sworn evidence of persons on the spot when the
fire commenced, the magistrates came to the conclusion
that the burning was malicious. I immediately deter.
mined to leave Tipperary, feeling that such a system of
annoyance more than counter-balanced the pleasures of
fox-hunting."

MATRIMONIAL AGENT.—We have read lately of specu-
tions on agencies in the above line, but had no idea the
practice was even among ourselves in Fermanagh. At
our quarterly sessions last week, a decent farmer, named
Lunny, of rather venerable appearance, residing near
Arney, four miles from this town, was an evidence for his
brother in a case of land. This Lunny, under the cross-
examination of Mr. W. A. Dane, which afforded a crowded
court no small amusement, acknowledged he was not
always on such good terms with his brother as to become
an evidence for him. That he had a falling out with him.
and processed him " for work done!' was the expression.
To further questions, this " work done" was none other
than having undertaken to procure a wife for the brother,
with the agreement of receiving per centage from the lady's
fortune whatever it might be, viz., £6 for £5O, £7 for
£6O, and £2 for every £lO higher. As far as we under-
stand, be did procure the wife, and a difference about the
per centage was the cause of the process mentioned,
which, however, did not reach the distance of a trial, as
they managed to settle the dispute.—Erne Packet.

ALES

STATE OF SOUTH WALES

(From the Times.)

CARMARTHEN, WEDNBSDAY MORNING, Nov. 15.
I am sorry to state that last night another incendiary
fire took place at a farm-house, three or four miles from
this town, and within two miles of a station of the metro-
politan police and a party of dragoons. As it in some
degree exemplifies the present state of the country, I
will give you the facts relating to it. It appears that a
farm called Llanffynone, in the parish of Llanegwad,
about four miles from Carmarthen, was occupied by a
tenant called Rachel Jones, who, findinc, the rent of it
more than she could pay and live, gave notice, last Lady
Day, to quit it, at that rent, at Michaelmas. About last
August it was announced that a farmer, named Thomas
Thomas, was ready to take it at the old rent as soon as it
was vacant; and on the sth of August, dated Carmarthen,
Themes received through the post-office a threatening
letter, in coqsequence of which he was afraid to enter
upon the farm,which remained vacant until last week,
when he sent our loads of corn there, which were housed
in the outbuildings. Last night the outbuildings were
set fire to; the corn, however, Ns as saved by the exertions
of some of the neighbours.

I sent you an account, on Monday, of the apprehension
of twenty-five persons, near Fisbguard, for destroying a
gate there, on the information of one of the parties, who
had turned Queen's evidence. The informer, who was
actuated by a desire of the reward offered in the Queen's
proclamation, appears, however, to be wholly uncorro-
borated in his evidence, and to be also a man of such in-
different character that his testimony cannot be relied on.
The whole of these cases, it is therefore thought, will be
abandoned.

_Meetings of the various parishes around Narberth, in
Pembrokshire, are being held for the purpose of appoint-
ing deputies to act as delegates to state their grievances
before the commissioners. To the list of grievances have
lately been added objections against the corn laws.
The state of things in that district is very unsatis-
factory. I was informed by a magistrate and landowner
from there to-day, that it is impossible to get rents paid;
and, if a distress is put in, the bailiffs are ill-used, and
the cattle and stock removed in the night. He informed
me that he had been obliged to levy a distress for rent on
one of bis farms, and in the night, the whole of the cattle
'and stock were driven away. lie had caused a search to
be made for them in every direction without effect, and
had at length discovered some of the pigs of the farm at
the bottom of a coal pit, where they had been let down
by ropes, and were feeding. He also informed me that
every landlord who attempts to obtain his rent in this way
receives threatening notices from " Becca ; " and that
nothing but the presence of a large force of military and
police keeps the people quiet. This gentleman also in-
formed me that he had been threatened, that if he inter-
fered as a magistrate, " Becca" would set fire to his house
and burn his property.

WELCH TOLLS.—A surgeon who resides at Crickhowell,
Breconshire, had to visit a patient at Nre-tower, a dis-
tance of three miles. It cost him ls. 6d. tolls for his
horse and gig, his fee for attendance being only 3s. 6d.—
Globe.

REBECCAISM.—We regret :to state that. the outrages
against toll gates in the Principality are still reported.
Twenty-five persons were apprehended near Fishguard,
for destroying a gate there, on the information of one of
the parties who had turned Queen's evidence. Incen-
diarism continues to prevail. It is reported that directly
after the sittings in the present term, a Special Commis-
sion will be held again at Cardiff for the trial of the Re-
becca prisoners at present confined in Carmarthen gaol.
THE" REBECCA" RIOTERS.—The Carmarthen Journal
of Saturday last, says :—The Special Commission is be-
ginning to bear peaceable fruits, by the salutary feeling of
insecurity and apprehension which it has diffused gene-
rally among the rioters, by the penitence which the unhappy
convicts Hughes, Jones, and Hugh exhibit, and the con-
trition they express for the illegal and violent course of
conduct which has brought them to their present melan-
choly plight. They now begin to feel the evil and wicked-
ness of their flagitious and criminal courses ; and, under
the influence of this feeling, they have put forth a confes-
sion, coupled with an exhortation to their deluded fellow-
countrymen to abstain from those deeds of darkness and
depredation which have brought them within the reach of
the law, and doomed them to drag on a miserable exist-
ence as exiles in a foreign country, in the society of felons,
murderers, and those other great offenders against the
laws of the land, whose crimes have driven them from
their homes, and torn them from the comforts of social
and civilized life. With the unhappy convicts we de-
voutly hope that the wretched prospect which opens be-
fore them, and which has inspired them with so much
dread and dismay, will deter young men from frequenting
night meetings," and induce them to " fear to do
wrong, and to dread the terrors of the judge." This is
salutary advice, addressed to the youth of the Principality,
not by any public functionary, whose motives may be mis-
construed, but by the wretched men, whose infraction of
the law and nocturnal outrages have called down upon
them its vengeance. We expect much good from this
appeal; for it is not the voice of authority, which has
been too much disregarded, but the imploring appeal of
men who know what the terrors of the law are, and who,
in undissembled anguish of heart, entreat their fellow-
offenders to abstain from the iniquitous courses which
have involved them in so much woe and misery.

EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCE OF PRESENCE OF MIND.
—An extraordinary instance of presence of mind lately
occurred at the quarries in the Ross of Mull, Argyllshire,
now wrought for the pier in connexion with the Skerry-
yore Lighthouse by the Commissioners of Northern
Lighthouses. On the 17th ult., as Mr. Charles Barclay,
the foreman of the quarries, was engaged in removing a
splinter of stone from the face of a block of ten tons
weight, which lay on an inclined ledge above him, the
block slid forward and enclosed his left hand, which was
bruised in such a manner that two of his middle fingers
were destroyed, and the sharp points of the rock came in
contact at the palm of the hand, so that it was held com-
pletely fast, as in a vice. In this dreadful situation Mr.
Barclay's presence of mind and strength of nerves proved
the means of saving Lis life and those of the men who
were along with him. The first impulse of the men was
to fetch a lever to raise the stone and liberate the pri-
soner; and had Mr. Barclay's presence of mind deserted
him, or had he fainted under the excruciating torture he
endured,this rash purpose would have been executed, and
the stone would have launched forward and crushed him
and his comrades beneath its mass. He, however, was
enabled to direct their proceedings with a wonderful de-
gree of composure, and after some fruitless attempts to
raise the block, Mr. Barclay resolved to cut out the stone
round his hand as the only means of escape. This pain-
ful operation occupied about twenty minutes, during
which time the torture he endured did not prevent his
working with the remaining hand in effecting his libera-
tion from his extraordinary captivity. Mr. Barclay af-
terwards walked without astistance to the neighbouring
village of Bunessan, two miles off, where Dr. M`Diarmid,
a gentlemon who had lately returned from the Arctic ex-
pedition under Ross, removed the shattered bones. Next
day Dr. Campbell, who acts as surgeon to the Skerryvore
Works, arrived from Tyree, and conveyed his patient to
the barracks at Hynish Workyard, where we are happy to
say that he is fast recovering.