The Times
London, Middlesex, England
July 9, 1867

IRELAND
(From Our Own Correspondent)
Dublin, July 8.

     The accounts of the crops from all parts of the country are most favourable. The harvest prospects have been much improved by the rain which fell on Wednesday and Thursday, and which has been followed by genial heat. The fields look beautiful in their luxuriance, and the potatoes in particular present a most healthful appearance. New potatoes are abundant in the market, and hay is being briskly saved, with a fair average yield; but it is remarked that the flax crop is an exception, and slightly shades the picture of agricultural prosperity. Generally speaking, it is farm from being as good as in former years. In most places it is uneven and short. The green crops, which the drought had made rather delicate, have been greatly revived by rain and there is every reason to expect that the return of cereals will be satisfactory to the farmer.

     There will be a fierce contest to-morrow for the office of the Lord Mayor of Dublin for the year 1868. The friends and admirers of Alderman Joynt are putting him up for the almost unprecedented honour of being elected to the office the second time consecutively; and the Conservatives have nominated Mr. J. Vokes Mackey, J.P., as their candidate. What renders the contest peculiar is that some of the leading Liberal members of the Council will support the Conservative candidate. The matter will be further embroiled by the debate in the corporation to-day on University education.

     Major Esmonde, the late Deputy-Inspector-General of Constabulary, whose tenure of office terminated on the 1st inst., owing to his most melancholy and hopeless state of health, the result of an accident, is succeeded by Colonel Hillier. About this appointment there was no hesitation or delay. But there has been a good deal of controversy about the appointment of successor as commandant of the Constabulary Depot in Phoenix-park, where the members of the force are drilled, and where the reserve is permanently quartered. Major Hayes, a very efficient and popular officer, for may years adjutant of the Prince of Wales's Donegal Militia, which acquired a high character for its discipline, has been named for the office of commandant. There is no doubt that this would be regarded as an excellent appointment if it were not felt that it interfered with the claims of the county inspectors of constabulary, who regards it as one of the prizes of the force to which they have an exclusive right to aspire. Recent events in connexion with the suppression of Fenianism render these claims peculiarly urgent at present. Much, however, may be said in favour of the appointment of a military officer to the post in question, which would certainly have the additional advantage of getting over the serious difficulty of deciding on the merits rival candidates among the constabulary officers. This can hardly be done without producing nearly as much disappointment-perhaps more jealousy- as if the place were given to Major Hayes.

     The friends of Mr. Warren, the Solicitor-General, will expect he will be returned for the Dublin University without opposition. He is very popular with the clergy as a constant and zealous advocate of the Church Education Society, and he has added to his claims by his able conduct of the Fenian prosecutors, in the occasional absence of the Attorney-General.

     At the Clare Assizes Thomas Fennell was indicted for treason-felony. The acts charged against him were that he was one of a party who attacked the Coastguard station at Kilbehagh, near Kilrush, on the night of the 5th of March. The Coastguards on duty refused to give up their arms in the name of the Irish Republic and were about to arrest their assailants, when a person named De Lowry, not yet made amenable, drew a dagger and stabbed Wilmot, one of the guards, in several places. It was alleged that the prisoner was one of the parties who held Wilmot while this outrage was perpetrated. After this occurred the Coastguards fired on the Fenians, wounding the prisoner, who was then easily captured. The Solicitor-General, stated the case for the Crown. There was no informer in this case. Evidence was then given bearing out th4e statement made by the Solicitor-General. The case for the Crown having closed, Mr. Fitzgibbon addressed the jury in an able speech for the prisoner. A witness was then examined to show that he knew the prisoner, and that he did not see him at Killbehagh on the night in question. Serjeant Barry having replied for the Crown, Judge Keogh charged the jury, who found a verdict of Guilty. Sentence was deferred.

     At the Louth Assizes two persons named Fullam were found guilty of treason-felony yesterday. The overt acts charged occurred at Drogheda. Constable Steward Carroll, in reply to Mr. Joy, Q.C., stated that there were about 1,000 persons in the crowd. He saw the "shine" of bayonets among them. He heard voices among them say, "Fire, fire," also "Now's your time," and then some 15 shots were fired from the crowd. About 30 men of the insurgents were posted at an angle with the others and facing the crowd. Witness knocked one of them down as he ran towards the Green-lane and he arrested Colligan as he ran. He begged witness "not to shoot him." He brought Colligan to the barrack, and returned to the scene of the encounter, where the ammunition was found. Saw Luke Fullam lying on the ground, apparently dead, in the potato market. Other evidence having been given, Mr.Munroe addressed the jury for the prisoners. The Judge charged the jury at considerable length, and after about two hours' deliberation they brought in a verdict of Guilty. Sentence was deferred.

     Three persons were put on their trial under the Whiteboy Act, as having formed part of the unlawful assembly in question. While the trial was proceeding, they were advised by their counsel to plead "Guilty," which they did, and Mr. Justice O'Hagan sentenced them to 12 months' imprisonment from the date of their committal.

     The person alleged to be "General" Fariola, a noted Fenian leader, who was arrested in London last week, had been brought over to this country, and was on Monday evening lodged in Kilmainham Prison. At Chancery-lane station the prisoner gave his name as Leebhardt, and positively denied that he had known or heard of Fariola. The informer Corydon was unable to identify him. It is stated that James Stephens had been in company with the prisoner shortly before his arrest.

     The action brought by the Lord Mayor of Dublin against the Dublin Evening Mail for a libel contained in a letter signed by Lord Cloncurry, and published in the journal, has been tried at Ennis, county Clare. The letter was addressed to Lord Howth as Lieutenant of the county Dublin, and it stated that the writer would resign his office as Deputy-Lieutenant for the county, because Alderman Lane Joynt had been appointed to a similar office for the city in the room of the late Mr. Dargan. The defendants pleaded that the letter complained of was no libel, and also an apology, &c., and lodged 5l. in court. The damages were laid at 2,000l. Serjeant Barry stated the plaintiff's case, after which the Lord Mayor of Dublin was examined to prove that he read the libel, and as to the correspondence that passed between him and Lord Cloncurry's solicitors, Messrs. Barrington and Jeffers. A telegram states that the action terminated yesterday in a verdict for the plaintiff-damages, 50l. A similar action against the Cork Constitution has been settled, the defendant to pay the costs and apologize.

     The paddle steamer Rose, from Sligo to Glasgow, was wrecked on Tuesday night between Sligo and Killibegs. A number of lives, chiefly poor female emigrants, have been lost; several bodies have been washed ashore. There was a large quantity of live stock on board. It is said that the boilers burst. A correspondent of the Daily Express, who supplies this intelligence, adds that the screw steamer Sligo was sent down this morning to the wreck by Messrs. Middleton and Pollexfen, the local agents of the steam packet company to whom the Rose belonged, for the purpose of reaching the vessel, but the screw boat could not get alongside.