The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-03-08 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.

In London, on Monday evening, a paper was read by Mr.
W. Scotson, of Slgburth, Liverpool, before the Farmers'
Club, at its new rooms, Inns of Court Hotel, Lincolus's Inn-
fields, on "The Present Aspect of our Home Agriculture,
and its Future Prospects." Mr. P. Phipps, M.P., presided.

In dealing with the first part of his subject Mr.
Scotson alluded briefly to various improvements in
agricultural operations, condemned restrictive coven-
ants which impede cultivation, and glanced at the
evils which arise from insecurity of tenure. Under
the second branch he said they might accept it as
an encouraging sign that rents would in justice be
lowered whca they saw so many landlords
returning 10, 26, and 25 per cent, to their
tenants. They might make up their minds from what
they saw on every hand that foreign competition
would increase more rapidly in the future than it had
done in the past; they must realise the fact that Eng-
land was bat a part of the British Empire, with its
vast colonial posaessions, and their boundless re-
sources; and there cold be no doubt that civilisation
would exercise great influence on home apiculture,
and attract a larger number of the younger g.eneration
of farmers, for whom the prospacta of home were any-
thing but cheerful or encouraging.
An animated discussion ensued, in which Mr. C. So
Read, M.P., wa,e cup of the speakers, and the pro-
ceedings terminated with a, vote of thanks to Mr.
acottion,
After the close of the meeting, the Chairman having
ruled that no resolution could be put while /ae occupied
the chair, the following was proposed by Ur. H.
Clark, seconded by Mr. Bear, and adopted with only
four or five dissentients :

—•- --------
"That, in consideration of the prevalence and severity
pi agricultural depression in the country, Parliament is
ererne,tly requested to consent to the appointment of Mr.
Etstnuelso4'is propoced committee, to inquire into the opera-
tion or ate Agrican4ral golding Act, and the condition of
sgricultural teuii.V.CidS In 144154d.'! •

PR.OPOSED SHORT ROUTE BETWEEN
THE ATI,4NTIC AND PACIFIC.
Now the Suez Canal has bees opfrn crn,q. has worked
successfully for the last ten years, the Ambricaos aye
anxious to shorten the route from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, the same as M. de Lesseps has shortend the
travelling distanpe that separates the Atlantic from
the Indian Ocean. More tois.n ever are they thsirous
to have the narrow link that now cc,nfiectp Worth and
outh America cut through, so as to enable vessels to
pass from Europe and North America into the middle
of the Pacific Ocean, without having to double Cape
Horn. The eztepsivp snarchfis made of late years
by European and American ow:nee-test pcse pown
that a canal across the isthmuo ufVaifamas or of
Darien is impracticable, owing to the geological
nature of that isthmus, which consists of volcanic
rocks, that defy steel and gunpowder alike. It would be
easier to pierce the isthmus of Nicaragua, which
though considGrably bro;cl2r than the others, is only
about 100 feet above the level of ths sea, nn Bo con-
nected with the Lake of Nicaragua that a canal might
easily be fed from that lake; whilst the structure of its
soil is such that anything can be done there with the
pickaxe and with gunpowder. Between the port of
Greytown, or San Juan del Norte in the Atlantic,
and Port Iltito in the Pacific, the distance is about
180 miles, whilst the length of the Suez Canal is 1.00