SIB FRANCIS HEAD'S FORTNIGHT IN IRELAND. * STIMULATED by the success

of his three weeks in Paris, Sir Francis Head has given a fortnight to Ireland ; but with the general inferiority of imitations, especially of a man's self. In Paris he really explored a good deal which tourists in general overlook; and his account of the French military system had the merit of suggesting, though unintentionally on the author's part, the dan- gers to which this country was exposed from want of sufficient defences. In Ireland, Sir 'Francis does not see much which innu- merable other writers have not seen before him ; and we are not sure that he describes so well as many the appearance of the country and the people with the incidents of hisjourney. The conclusion he finally comes to touching the evil of Ireland may be true ; but the remedy he suggests is not very applicable ; the evidence on which he founds his judgment is obvious, vulgar, and so hacknied that we are all sick of it.

The book consists of two Parts ; the first devoted to observation, the second to discussion ; but the observation is also subdivided, one section relating to Dublin, the other to " my tour." The Dublin division possesses most novelty ; involving the subjects of the Constabulary force, and Maynooth, to the arcana of which the repu- tation of Sir Francis procured him an access that might have been denied to many, while he brings out their features well by his habit of selecting the most striking facts or statistics of a sub- ject and presenting them with a vivid distinctness, in his best manner. The visit to the head-quarters of the Irish National Edu- cational Establishment has some pleasant description of the girls in the play-ground and the pupils in the school-room. The rest of the Dublin section is poor and empty to a degree ; consisting of descriptions of streets which have been described before by all comers, and tedious reports of confabulations with carmen. Any one walking and riding about any good-sized town would pick up matter quite as important as Sir Francis Head's; Jerrold, Albert Smith, or any other litterateur, would tell it as well, or better.

The country tour was rapid and extensive for the time occupied, which amounted to five days. The author's route ran from Dub- lin Westward across the island to Caatlebar and Westport; and thence to Galway. To Athlone the journey was made by rail, and

• A Fortnight in Ireland. By Sir Francis B. Head, Bart. Published by Murray. afterwards by public or private car. A good constitution, the habit of gathering facts from the people he fell in with, and a fluent style, enable Sir Francis to fill upwards of a hundred pages with his trip ; but he tells nothing we did not know before ; though perhaps he gives a stronger impression of the filth and apathetic content of the Irish peasant—if such an application is not a pro- fanation of the word content.

Part IL is devoted to a pompous examination of the evils and remedies of Ireland, with all the parade of judicial accuracy. The author pats the British Parliament and Government on trial as the cause, and acquits them ; then the Irish Government and people, with a like result in both cases; then the Irish landlords, and though he admits they have their faults the verdict is "not pro- ven." At last he comes to the priests, and on them he fixes all the miseries of the country ; the proofs consisting of speeches, letters, leaders, and so forth, cut out of the newspapers, with some similar- matter furnished privately to Sir Francis.

The most interesting chapter of the whole book is that on the Constabulary force ; not only for its precise information respecting a body of whom we hear a good deal yet really know very little, but for the suggestions it offers as to the "cheap defence of nations," and at the same time getting useful work out of the defenders. This is the account of the duties of the Constabulary.

"They distribute and collect the voting-papers for all the Poor-law Guardians.

"They take the census throughout Ireland. "They escort all prisoners, excepting in Tipperary and Cork, in which counties the aid of troops is required. "They escort all convicts, and discharge the convict accounts. "They collect and settle the innumerable accounts of fines and penalties, from sixpence upwards. "They act as billet-masters throughout the country, and as auctioneers for the sale of distress.

"They enforce the fishery-laws under certain instructions. "They assist in various ways the Board of Health. "They act (in towns and large villages) as masters of weights and mea- sures.

"They preserve order in Sessional and Assize Courts. "They make up annually for Government certain statistical returns of the quantity and quality of the different kinds of crop, of stock, &cc. - and are thus competent, at any moment when required, to report simultaneously on the state of any particular crop—the potato, for instance—throughout the whole of Ireland.'

Though doing more than soldiers, they cost less ; and in case of an increase of the rank and file the cost would be further diminished.

"On comparing the pay of the Constabulary with that of a corresponding number of British troops, it appears that the police are a rather less expen- sive force than the army ; for although the sub-constables of police are bet- ter paid than private soldiers, yet from the inferior pay of the other ranks of

the Constabulary, and from the much smaller is of them required than for troops, the cost of the whole force 18 at present, on the whole, leas than that of an equal number of her Majesty's troops :t and indeed this difference might be materially increased; for as the number of constable- officers is not (as in the army) measured by the number of men they com- mand, but by the extent of country under the superintendence of each, the number of police-constables at every station might be doubled, without ma- terially increasing the officers' labour; as the whole police of Ireland might thus be very largely augmented without any great addition to its complement of officers, the expense of the force as compared with that of the army would in that case, of course, be proportionally diminished."

The force is organized and disciplined on the principle of an army, with barracks, regular gradations of ranks, a well-looking uniform, and marks of honour for good conduct, &c. The whole account is worth perusal, but we confine ourselves to two points —the appearance and parade of the force.

" On arriving, by appointment, at ten o'clock in the morning this depot, I found the whole of its dark green force marching. in companies on the pa- rade ; and as, by order of the Commandant, they, wheeled into line, I paw at a glance before me a well-organized body of regular troops ; indeed, in soldier- like appearance, arms, accoutrements, and uniform, they strongly reminded me ofthat noble corps the old Ninety.fifth, now-a-days christened the Rifle Brigade.' They bad the same slight active appearance ; although, on the whole, they were evidently taller. "The full dress of the men is—a black shako, a dark green soldier's jacket with worsted epaulettes of the same colour, dark green trousers and gloves, boots, a black patent-leather cross belt, clasping with a brass plate, a black shining-leather waistband containing two black pouches, one for percussion- caps, the other for a pair of iron handcuffs. Their arms are composed of a short carbine with a spring bayonet, which, when unfixed, is attached by another spring to its scabbard, so as to prevent the weapon, in either posi- tion, from being forced from its place. In every cartouch-box there were 20 rounds of ball-cartridge (two loose and ready) and 30 spare caps ; and above them was suspended, by black straps, a black knapsack. Each man in full marching order carries 3316.4 oz.oncluding his carbine and bayonet, which weighs 7 lb. 15 oz., and his cartouch-box with 20 rounds of ball-cartridge, weighing 4 lb. 3 oz. For undress, the men wear a smart, neat foraging-cap,

with black patent-leather chin-straps. •

"As soon as our slight inspection was over, the Commandant, Lieutenant- Colonel Roberts, who under the direction of the Inspector-General has in- defatigably raised and trained upwards of 14,000 Constabulary recruits, put his force through various military evolutions adapted to their particular duties. For the purpose of clearing away a mob, the infantry advanced rapidly in the form of a solid wedge, which, as soon as it was supposed to have penetrated the mob, gradually extended itself into line. They then quickly formed themselves into small defensive squares; and although they have happily never had occasion to carry it into effect, they went through a movement of street firing adapted for a small force, which it would be im- possible for any undisciplined crowd to resist. Advancing in sections about the length of a narrow street, the leading men no sooner fired than a section from the rear in double quick time ran in front and fired again ; and so on a rapid succession of vollies was administered. Besides this exercise, the men are taught first to fire blank-cartridges, and then, with the help of a target, are (as it is professionally termed) finished off with ball,' until, as I was + " The difference is nearly as follows-

" 10,000 Police, with their officers and staff, cost 20001. a year less than 10,000 troops without staff.

" The average annual expense of the clothing of the Constab is as follows— Infantry, per man At 5 5

Cavalry 1 19 1."

informed, they can hit true and well at 100 yards. On the whole, I certainly have never seen assembled a more intellectual force.; indeed, there was an intelligence in their countenances, a supple activity in their movements, mid a lightness in their tread, that were very remarkable."

The information respecting Maynooth is complete enough as re- gards externals, but does not go much deeper than a report from the authorities of the College would go. The Vice-President con- ducted the tourist over the establishment: he saw all that was to be seen, strolled about by himself when his conductor went to his devotions ; and dined with the dons. But this is about the freshest bit of life in the visit.

" After looking for some time at the several groups of students before me, I walked into one of their large dormitories, and, resting on one of the win- dow-seats of a long boarded passage communicating with innumerable rooinA, I beard in that immediately opposite to me the notes of an accordion plain- tively and well played. I then spoke to several of the students as they passed and endeavoured to enter into conversation with them : but they were Certainly more serious and taciturn than I expected—indeed, more so than I had thought it possible for young persons of their age to be. " In return, two or three times they put to me a question which I rlao felt slightly embarrassed to answer;. for almost invariably when I observed to them that I had been over the whole of their establishment, they briefly and quickly replied, And how do you like it ' Generally spealcing, they appeared to be in the enjoyment of perfect health ; many were exceedingly muscular, sturdy, and robust; almost all had clear ruddy complexions ; and yet in the countenances of every one I happened to speak to were to be soon very faintly. impressed the unmistakeable lines which in every. country I have ever visited more or less characterize the lineaments of the Catholic priest. In fact, it was quite evident to me that the system they were pursu- ing was successfully producing the mental effects for which it has especially been devised."

It is a singular thing that the country which first created rail- ways, and which is supposed to be the spot in the whole world where fleshly comforts are most regarded, is the worst treated in the whole world as respects railway accommodation—more irregula- rities, higher fares, and worse conveyances. Even Ireland beats us in the rail.

" My half-hour's stroll was now nearly expended ; so returning to the station I took from the clerk in waiting a second-class return-ticket to May-

nooth. .

" As all I knew about travelling in Ireland was from certain pictures I had studied in my youth of thatched' post-chaises and of hostlers running with red-hot pokers in their hands to start' the horses, I was curious to learn in what sort of accommodation I was about to be embedded. On reach- ing the platform, I found a train of dark rich blue carriages, equal if hot superior to any 'I have ever seen on the Continent of Europe. Each was composed of a first-class coupe, handsomely lined with blue cloth, and (be- tween them) of two second-class carriages, painted in the interior drab- colour. In both were four seats, comfortably furnished with well-stuffed cushions covered with new glossy morocco leather. The glass windows, above which were Venetian shutters painted in two shades of light blue, had neat linen curtains checkered in blue and drab. Prom the roof of the car- riage, which was painted white, there protruded two round black iron yen; tilators, about nine inches high, pierced with holes like a colander. In the coupes there was scarcely an inhabitant ; but the second-class compartment was nearly filled with a clean, well-dressed, and respectable class of persons."