The Sun. — 1870-03-29 (London, England)

OUTRAGES IN IRELAND.  A parliamentary return, issued yesterday„ gives the number and nature of the outrages reported by the constabulary in Ir:eland, in the year 1869, and the two first months of the present year. The total number of outrages of all classes last year was 3,153, of which 869 took place in the province of Munster; 691 in Connaught ; 941 in Leinster, and 649 in Ulster. As compared with previous years we find that the total outrages in 1868 numbered 2,548 ; 1867, 2,021 ; in 1866, 1,964 ; in 1865, 2,604 ; in 1864, 2,968 ; in 1863, 3,832 ; in 1862, 4,401; in 1861, 3,881; in 1860, 3,531; in 1859, 3,618 ; in 1858, 3,492 ' • in 1857, 4,032 ; in 1856, 4,125 ; in 1855, 4,201; and in 1854, 4,662. The rapid increase of agrarian crime towards the close of last year is shewn by the following figures :—ln January 24 were reported ; February 30; March, 47 ; April, 35 • May, 23 ; June, 17 ; July, 19 ; August, 18 ; September, 14 ; October. 59; November, 144; and December, 337. Of the. offences reported last year 29 were homicides, 48 manslaughter, 43 firing at the person, 1 assault with intent to murder, 284 aggravated assaults, 158 assaults endangering life, 42 cutting or maiming the person, 203 incendiary fire, 141 burglary and housebreaking, 128 robbery, 129 cattle stealing, 84 sheep stealing, 74 killing, cutting, or maiming cattle, 2 levying contributions, 18 sacrilege, 38 demand or robbery Df arms, 7 appearing armed, 2 faction fights, 33 riot, 175 administering unlawful oaths, 123 intimidation, 666 threatening notices or letters, 21 attacking houses, 4 rescuing prisoners, 2 resistance to legal processes, 31 illegal meetings or processions, armed and unarmed, 231 injury to property, 23 firing into dwellings, 20 injury to places of worship, 21 party demonstrations, unarmed, and 30 being armed in a proclaimed district. The return shews the enormous increase in the number of agrarian outrages in January and February last. The total in the former month was 391, and in February 303. The following were the offences against the public peace last month :—Demand or robbery of arms, 7 ; appearing armed, 8 ; riots, 2 ; administering unlawful oaths, 104 ; intimidation (by threatening letters or notices) 167 ; otherwise, 51 • attacking houses, 5 : injury to property, 45 ; firing into' dwellings, 11; injury to ploces of worship, 3 ; being armed in a proclaimed district, 15. In addition to these there was 1 murder, 1 atiempted assassination, 8 aggravated assaults, and 2 killing cattle. In a note it is stated that the large number of unlawful oaths is explained as follows--Large parties of men, generally armed, visited the houses of different farmers at night, and swore them in some cases not to pay higher rent than the Government valuation ; in others, not to pay increased rent if demanded by their landlords. There is strong reason to believe that the tenants themselves encouraged these proceedings, with the view of effecting a reduction, as they considered the rents too high. The increase of intimidation by threatening notices or otherwise is chiefly referable to a similar cause. The contributions demanded in each case were very small in amount. They were chiefly exacted upon the occasion of the unlawful administration of oaths. Similar exactions were indeed made upon similar occasions in the county of Sligo in the previous month of December, but the precise