Dublin Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 44, 2 March 1894, Page 21

Dublin Notes.

(Prom Con temporaries.)

Aldkbmajj Dillon was on Monday, January Ist, formally installed in the office of Lord Mayor of Dublin for the year 1894. The installation ceremony was preceded and followed by a procession through the streets.

The GoTernment will grant at an early diy the return for which Mr J. A. Bright is asking, with reference to the supply of intoxicating liquors to the inmates of Irish workhouses. There is reason to believe that the distribution of drink in these places is verr liberal, and costs the rate- payers, in some cases, as much as 19s per pauper per annum.

In the intervals of bis Pre3S work Mr Michael MacDonogh iB making headway with his studies of Dr Doyle, the famous " J.K.L, 1 ' for the new Irish library. A book of poems by Dr Todhunter will be an early volume of the series.

The Baroness Tautphoeus, who died a few weeks ago in Bavaria, was an Irishwoman whose maiden name was Montgomery. A writer of remarkable talents, she was the first journalist to call the world's attention in the Press to the Oberammergau Passion Play, the very existence of which had been previously unknown to outsiders.

Lord Ffrench writes to the Irish Timss from Hanover, Cape Colony, in reference to the statement made in its columns that he is not a Home Bnler, as his father was. Lord Ffreach says although he bas not the honour to belong to any Home Bule association, his sympathies are entirely with tbe Irish Parliamentary party, and he wishes them every success in ttair efforts to restore peace and prosperity to the country.

Mr William O'Brien's new book is meeting a particularly favourBale reception in England. One of the chief charges of tbe common type of Unionist is that Irish Members dare not state to the Eoglish public tbe sentiments they enunciate for home audiences. Mr O'Brien's volume furnishes a convincing answer to this cbarge. The charming literary traits in " Irish Ideas " have received thorough recognition from the critics whose opinions are well worth having.

Mr P. J. Cooke, a young Irish Catholic, and son of Mr George Cooke. of the Star, has been selected out of a large number of candi dates as professor of elocution in the new Polytechnic Institution at* Batter eea. This gentleman has for some time held tbe appointment of professor of elocution at two establishments in the North of London — the London College of music, science, and art at Hollo way, and the Institute at Highbury. In the metropolis Mr Cooke is well known by reason of his success, not only as a teacber, but as a Shakespearean and humorous reciter. His recitations, have, indeed, induced not a few appreciative friends to hail him as " the new Brandram. The Battersaa Polytechnic is to be congra'nlated on kaving secured so excellent an elocutionist on its staff.

A public meeting wa9 beld on the Market square, Maryborough, on Monday, January 1. Thespee:hos were delivered from a winlow in the Town Hall. The object of the meeting was to establish a Branch of the Knigh's of the Plough in the district. Th j meeting was organised by Mr Binjamim Pelin, of Narraghmore, in conjunction with the Castletown laboarerß, but withoJt any consultation with the local labourers. Mr J. Shelly, Castletown, occupied tha chair, and speeches were delivered by Messrs J. C. O'Neill, Carlow ; Benjamin Pelin, Tyrrell, and Leahy, Dublin ; and G. Nanston, town clerk, Maryborough. Besolutions were passed calling on the Legislature to grant pensions of £20 a year to labourers who bave passed the age of 65 years ; to place a tax of one pound on every acre of uncultivated land ; and to shorten the hours of labour on Saturdays to five o'clock. Deputations were present from Mountrath, Oastlet jwn, and Strad bally.

In forwarding to the National Trustees the sum of £24 0i 9 5, reoeived froaa tbe office of the Irish World, Mr Davitt recalls the immense sums received from the time soared in the early years of the last decade. The services rendered by the readers of the Irish World in those days are not likely to be forgotten. They helped to raise up Ireland from the lethargy into which it had fallen, and assisted to make the fight that has borne such fruit. It is confirmation and encouragemt to find such power with the Irish Party still. But there was never a doubt about tbe attitude of the Irish World towards faction. From the start it went right and strongly right, and may really claim to be the newspaper of hII America that placed the issues most plainly and clearly before the people. Tbe results we have seen and experienced, and this service was as great, if not greater, than any standing to its account in the old record. We are glad to know that tbe Irish World his the power to render still further help to tbe cause for which it has already accomplished so much.

The parish priests of the diocese of Oloyne assembled on Wednesday, January 3, under the presidency of the Most Bey Dr Croke, Archbishop of Cashel, Metropolitan of the Province, for the seleoiion of three ecclesiastics whose names are to ba submitted to the Holy See for the vacant Bishopric in succession to tbe late Most Rev Dr

McCarthy. The dign'utimui is the Very Bey Daniel Canon Keller, P.P , Yougbal. Canon Keller's name has been so much beforelke public of late that little need be said of his conspicuous merits. His appointment to the See of St Col man, if Borne should ratify the selection of his clerical brethren, would certainly be a most popular one. Quiet, gentle, unassuming, cultivated in mind and manners, of very priestly presence and character, be has shown upon occasions rare courage and firmness in the expression of his views. He it a strong Nationalist, but not likely to overstep the Hue which hie prudence and experience would have traced. His championship of the Ponsonby tenants was one of tbe most notable events in the recent struggle for the adjustment of the relations between landlord and tenant in Ireland. He was educated at the Irish College in Paris and promoted from the Administratorship of the cathedral parish, Queenstown, to be P,P. of Youghal. The other names are tbe Most ttev Dr Fitzgerald, lUhop of Boss, and the Bight Bey Mgr Browne, president of St Patrick's College, Maynooth. Dr Fitigerald, who was formerly president of St Col man 'a College, Fermoy, was consecrated on November 11th, 1807, and succeeded tbe late Dr O'flea in the government of the diocese of Boss. Mgr Browne's name has long been freely mentioned in ecclesiastical circles in connection with the See of Cloyne, of which he is a Canon. He has taken no part in politics or public life outside the ecclesiastical domain, and is a Churchman distinguished for intellectual culture and great suavity, his courtesy and refinement making intercourse with him pleasant and agreeable to all. There are 137 priests, 103 parochial and district cburcbes, 287 members in community and a Catholic population of 147,381 in the diocese.

The Bey Joseph Murphy, P.P., 8t Martin's, Bal ly cat lane, Wexford, writes bb follows to the Dublin Freeman :— Sir Charles Duffy, Dr Hyde, Mr Rollestone, and their associates in undertaking to give us a " New Irish Library " deserve our beat thanks. Like many others I have watched the undertaking with great interest and some anxiety 1 We want a safe and readable literature, and that being supplied, we want tbe people to read it. Now, one of the volumes of this new library, "The Bog of Stars," is well enough. The author spins his Irish yarns with literary grace. The book created a small ware of popularity for him, and in that wave he has launched another. This he calls " The Story of Ireland." Poor dear A. M. Sullivan I How I should like to read your review of this rival production. In this book many a name that tbe Irish people bold in deepest veneration and affection is befouled and the moat studied insults are offered to their feelings and beliefs. The book bears not the imprimatur of the society, and is not one of the series, and yet I apprehend a great danger, and it is tbis I would wish to point out. Someone will say, "Did you rea-i Mr Btandisn O'Grady'a last book, ' The Story of Ireland'? St Patrick, 8t Oolumbs, the Pope, etc, are stigmatised as liars or worße." One will answer : " Yes ; I read it, thers must be something in the charges, for yon know he is one of the writers for • The Now Irish Library.' " Another will answer, " Yes, I read it, and never ugain will a book of this series enter my house." I don't mean to cay tbis reasoning will be very logical, but I mean to say what after all is more importaut, that it it what is sure to occur, What I should suggest is that some care, I should say great care should betaken that the authors selected to write for "The New Irish Library " should be men who would not be likely to outrage Irish faith or feeling in any otber book— should one of them do so, whether any action should ba taken &s to the book already published as a volume of " The Irish Library " is a point on which I do not wish to give an opinion.

The pwengera by the Irish mail had a remarkable escape. The " Irishman " was on its way to Kuston, and whan running full speed between Landudno and Rhyl on Tuesday, January 2, the engine encountered an enormous stone on the line. The train happily kept the rails, but the engine was so damaged that another had to be got from Crewe and tbe mail was delayed over an hour.

The tonnage of the great ocean liners is mounting up. Tbe Celtic of the White Star line, which baa been built by Messrs Har. land and Wolff, and which left Belfait on Saturday for Liverpool, is a striking evidence of tbis. Her gross measurement ia over fourteen thousand trns 1 She is the largest cat go steamer in the world, and is intended for the Liverpool and New York cattle trade. Of course we are still a good way behind tbe Great Eastern tonnage.

An effort is being made by the inhabitants of the towns on tbe borders of Lough Swilly, county Donegal, to have that estuary recognised in deciding the claims of tbe various rivali ia competition for tbe selection of port to call for American mail steamers. The Swilly is ths neighbouring lough to the Foyle, and a railway connects it with Londonderry city, the longea* ran by train being 13 miles. There are now three North Ulster competitors— viz, Killybegs Harbour, Lough Bwilly, and Moville (Longh Foyle), the present port of call (or Anchor, Allan, and Dominion lints.

Another Irishman has just been awarded the Victoria Gross. Bergeant- Major Lloyd, who is the latest recipient of the coveted decoratior, was born in the County Cork in 1853, and is a son of the late Major Matthew Pennefather Lloyd, of the 59th Regiment, and

grandson of Colonel Owen Lloyd, of Rockville, county Boscommon . He entered the medical department of the army at the age of 24, served in the Zulu Campaign, and was promoted subsequently to the rank of Surgeon- Major. As told in Tuesday's Gazette, the story of his heroism duriDg the operations against the Kachins in Northern India in January, 1893, is very graphic. Hearing that tbe commanding officer was wounded, he at once ran out under a close and heavy fire, attended only by a subadar. On reaching Captain Morton, he sent back the sobadar for assistance, and remained with the dying commandant, though the enemy were within fifteen paces, keeping up a heavy and dangerous fire. He failed to save the captain's life, and was himself wounded ; but his courage aod perseverance never failed. The summary of the English Census Commissioners is so controversial that it meets with a criticism not usually given to statistical publications, Tbe portion relating to the census of Welsh-speaking people shows a very clear bias, and in attempting to determine the occupations of Irish-born people in Great Britain it was not a very f»ir test to take the first 1,000 names which turned up on the Liverpool list, and to give tbemaa a sample of the whole. And in noticing the decrease of Irish-born people in great Britain the Commissioners quite absurdly omit to mention that those of Irish origin have been increasing all the time. Yet there are shoals of interesting facts to be found in tbe Bummary, and many popular superstitions are found not to stand the statistical test. For inaacce we are familiar with the lotion of tbe German clerk who ia supposed to be ousting the Britiaher. The census shows that there are only 1,966 German clerks in the United Kingdom. Apropos o*Lord Ffrench's letter on Home Rule, the Westminster saya— "The Ffrencb family have always been identified with the people's cause. Sir Charles Ff rench, the ancestor of the present peen was at tbe end of the laat century a leading advocate of Catholic Emancipation. In 1798, in the hope of moderating the tone of Sir Charles, a peerage was conferred on his aged mother, who in her simplicity said to a cousin, ' I don't know what I have done that they should make a lord of me,' The present Lord Ffrench is a young man in his 24th year, and a law student at the Kings' lane, Dublin. There are only two other Irish Peers Home Rulers— the Karl of Cork and Orrery, who sita in the Imperial Parliament as Baron Boyle ; and tbe E-trl of Cavan, who, as an Irish Peer, sat in the House of Commons in the last Parliament as member for South Some i set Irish Peers can sit in the House of Commons for English and Scotch' though not for Irish constituencies. Ooe Irish Peer— Lord Palmerston — baa been Premier with a seat in the House of Commons. The present House of Commons does not count amongst ita members an Irish peer. In the last Houae of Commons there were three Irish peers — the Earl of Cavan, and Lords Dunaany and Muncaater."