During the past summer the coasts of England, Scotland and Wales, have been crowded with visitors from all parts of the United Kingdom, in a great measure owing to the pestilential condition of some parts of the Continent. We heard on all sides of the con- gested state of the hotels and inns, of ex- orbitant charges, and of the discomforts and bad accommodation experienced by people iN search of a change of air, all of whom have been trying to convince themselves that they found enjoyment. Ireland, however, seems to have been left out in the cold. The fine steamers running between Holyhead and Kingstown ought, one would think, to have had crowded decks during the recent splendid season, but the number of passengers carried by them appears to have been quite insignificant.

We fear that the disturbed state of the country has had something to do with this condition of affairs. The run over on a flue day is most enjoyable, occupying only about five hours.

Dublin Bay, like many other bays, has been compared to the Bay of Naples, to which it certainly bears little resemblance, though very beautiful, the approach to it on a bright day presenting a scene not easily forgotten.

The bay, extending from Howth to Dalkey island, is five miles in width, and Kingstown harbour, constructed in 1816 at a cost of upwards of £800,000, and situated on the southern shore of the bay, is one of the most splendid artificial ports in the United Kingdom. The eastern pier is 3,500 feet in length, and the west pier extends 4,950 feet from the shore, leaving an opening of 850 feet at the mouth. The depth varies from 15 to 27 feet. Dublin possesses all the requisites likely to attract travellers. There are plenty of good hotels, the magnificent bay before mentioned, and beautiful scenery all round. For its size, it is considered by some a handsomer city than London. The Quays, the Custom House, the Bank of Ireland, and other public buildings, are certainly conspicuous for their beauty of design and their colossal size. Should the city be found by the visitor too hot, there are numerous watering-places around the bay, easy of access by rail, and providing fair accommodation. Among these we may mention Bray, Kingstown, and Dalkey, all capital places for sea-bathing, and boasting fine air and pretty sea-views.

The City of Dublin, like London and Edinburgh, possesses a history, and is of very ancient origin. It is supposed to have been mentioned in the second century, by Ptolemy, the geographer, as one of the chief places of Ireland, under the head of Eblana, from which word Dublin is supposed to have derived its origin.

From the fifth to the tenth century the unfortunate city was much exposed to the attacks of the Danes and Northmen, who, having established themselves in the Isle of Man, and being attracted by the beauties of the : Emerald Isle, made frequent attacks on the mainland. Here, finding comfortable quarters, they maintained themselves in the city and adjoining neighbourhood at the expense of the unfortunate citizens. The marauders fortified Dublin city, 'and during the period of their stay, became converts to Christianity. They were, however, defeated-at Clontarff in A.D. 1014 by Brien Boroitune and driven to Howth, which they retained possession of until they were again defeated in 1177. Having subsequently managed, however, to re-occupy DuMio, they were ultimately driven out by Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, in 1170. Henry the Second held a court here soon after, and made alliances with the Irish Chiefs, taking care, however, to bestow the government on one of his followers, Hugh De Lacy, and with a generosity characteristic of the times, presented the city by charter to his loyal subjects of Bristol, conferring on them the same liberties as they enjoyed in their own city. Accordingly the inhabitants of Dublin county are chiefly of Danish, or Anglo-Norman origin, and are of a taller and fairer race than is seen in almost any other part of Ireland, the men being more athletic and the women better- looking than the natives of the adjoining districts. Their descent from the Northmen is further shown, by the character they have maintained as being tile hardiest and best sailors in the island.

It is no wonder, then, that with such a turbulent history, extending over some centuries, we continue to read of the English kings successively visiting Dublin, but always with an armed force. William the Third, after the Battle of the Boync, for instance, eutered Dublin at the head of thirty thousand men, and returned thanks in St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Previous to the passing of the Municipal Reform Act, the municipal government of the city was vested in the Lord Mayor, two Sheriffs, twenty-four Aldermen and a Common Council, elected every three years by the twenty-five guilds of trades, in numbers proportioned to the estimated importance of each guild. Every third year it was compulsory upon the Lord Mayor and twenty-five Corporations to march round the city and its liberties, to maintain the ancient boundaries. The ceremony was called ''riding the Franchise," but the custom fell through at the cud of the last century.

Disputes were constantly arising between the ecclesiastics and the people of Dublin about their respective boundaries, and it became very necessary, at a time when the former were very powerful, that there should be no doubt as to the boundary lines of the respective rights of both parties.

The following account is recorded of riding the Franchise, when the military spirit had died away, and it became, as it were, only a Lord Mayor's show. " Every one of the twenty-five guilds was preceded by a large vehicle, drawn by the most splendid horses that could be bought or borrowed; indeed, all were eager to lend the best they had these carriages were borne the implements of the representative trades, at which the artizans worked as the procession advanced. The weavers fabricated ribbons which were tossed among the crowd. The printers struck off handbills containing songs andideas prepared for the occasion, which were also thrown about in the same manner; the smiths blew their bellows, hammered on their anvils and forged various implements; and every guild as it passed was seen in the exercise of its peculiar trade. They were accompanied by persons representing the various natures or personages of their crafts, mixing together saints and demigods as they happened to be sacred or profane. Thus the shoemakers had a person representing St. Crispin with his last; the brewers St. Andrew with his cross; but the smiths, though patronized by St. Lay, were accompanied by Vulcan and Venus, which last was represented by the handsomest and most gaily attired woman that could be procured for the occasion. She was attended by a Cupid, who shot numerous darts at the ladies who crowded the windows. The merchants who exist under the patronage of the Trinity could not, without profanation, attempt any personal representation; so they exhibited a huge shamrock as the emblem furnished by St. Patrick himself, and were also accompanied by a large ship mounted on wheels.

The order of proceeding was this; they drew up at the old Custom House aud passing1 along Temple Bar and Fleet Street, came to the sea at Ringsend. They then proceeded to low- water mark when a trumpet having been sounded, a water bailiff advanced, and, riding into the water as far as he could, hurled a spear eastward. This marked the eastern boundary of the city. The train then crossed the Strand, and traversed the boundaries of the city and liberties." Notwithstanding the situation of the city on the river Liffey, which after leaving the town pours itself into the noble bay we have already described, and that there are large floating and graving docks for the accommodation of ship- ping, and that the channel, by steam-dredging combined with the protection afforded by the breakwater, has been made deep enough for vessels of 1,400 tons to pass up as far as the Custom House, yet the city is not famed for any particular branch of trade, unless it be indeed the manufacture of poplin, and Guiness's stout, while its export traffic is at present : almost nil. j Soon after the establishment of the ROYAL NATIONAL, LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION the attention, of the governing body was drawn to the necessity of placing Life-boats on the east coast of Ireland ; and particularly in the vicinity of Dublin. In 1861, a branch of the Society was formed in the city, Captain Abbott, R.N., and W. J. Egan, Esq., being the Hon. Secretaries, Mr. S. B. I Taylor, Assistant Secretary and Collector. In | 1866, Mr. Thomas Edmondson (the present Hon. Secretary) Mr. Taylor and others started a fund to provide a new Life-boat for the Irish Coast. Owing to the energy of the prompters this fund realised £250, and was appropriated ! to the Courtmacsherry Life-boat, which was • named the " City of Dublin." On its way to : its station in February 1867, the Boat was | taken to Dublin and drawn on its carriage in ] triumph through some of the principal streets escorted by a procession, including the Lord Mayor in his state chariot, with the Aldermen and other officers of the Corporation; it was subsequently launched from off the quay in the presence of the Duke of Abercorn, the then j Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and was duly ! named by the Duchess. The boat then, pro-ceeded to its station at Courtmacsherry, where i another demonstration took place, on the occasion of its launch there.

Much of the success of the Dublin Branch has been due to the valuable exertions of Mr. Edmondson, and Mr. Taylor. Mr. Taylor died in 1873, and Mr. James Pike was then appointed Secretary and Collector.

Life-boats are now stationed at Balbriggan, ! Skerrig, Howth, Poolbeg, Kingstown and Grey- j stones, all in the County of Dublin, and have ! rendered good service. A splendid service was | performed by the Poolbeg Life-boat, stationed [ at the entrance of the harbour, on the 28th of ! October 1880, and is well worthy of notice. On the evening of the 27th October, the schooner " Eobert Brown," coal laden, and with a crew of four men, was overtaken by a gale from the I E. N. E. with a heavy sea, and, having become I unmanageable, was driven ashore near the 1 Pigeon House Fort in Dublin Bay. Before j she struck the ground, one of the crew was i washed overboard and drowned, and im-mediately after her grounding, another poor ! fellow was swept away and lost, the two I survivors securing themselves to the rigging.

I Their perilous position was undiscovered until after daylight the next morning, when they ; were first seen from the shore by a coastguard- I man. Unfortunately the coastguardmen who I form the usual crew of the Poolbeg Life-boat i were absent undergoing their annual drill, and | a sufficient number of seamen could not be found.

Fortunately there were plenty of soldiers at I hand, and a party of them from the fort, led by Lieut. J. A. W. O'Neil Torrens, of the Royal Scots Greys, and Dr. H. L. Cox of the Army Medical Department, together with a few boat- men launched the Life-boat, Mr. Torrens taking the helm. Before leaving the shore the Boat was badly stove, but ultimately was successful in rescuing the two men from the rigging and bringing them safely to land. For this service, the Institution awarded its gold medal to Mr.

Torrens, and the silver medal to each of the three soldiers who formed part of the crew, viz.: W. Smith, bombardier, K.A. ; P. Howard, private 57th Regiment, and F. Beilly, private, Army Service Corps, and also to Dr. Cox.