The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-01-01 00:00:00

SIR CHARLES DU CANE ON
AGRICULTURE.

On the occasion of his rent audit at Great Braxted,
Essex, Sir Charles Du Cane, Uhairman of the Board.
of Customs, in allowing a reduction of 10 per cent. to
his tenantry, said he was, of course, aware that Eng-
lish agriculturists had still cause for considerable
anxiety, but the late season had been very Much better
than the disastrous one that preceded it, and he believed
the ploughing and wheat sowing for the next harvest
were well forward. If he was also to credit what he
read, a large breadth of wheat had been favourably
put in, and where it had shown itself above ground
was presenting a very satisfactory appearance. He
knew that there were many who took a very gloomy
view indeed of the future of agriculture, and thought
that nothing short of widespread ruin was awaiting
both landlords and tenants. It was true that the
English farmers had serious competition to face, espe-
cially from America. To meet this they must look,
under Providence, for the return of abundant harvests,
but they must look for other things as well—to a smaller
breadth of wheat bein, grown hi this country, to the
native agriculture gradually adapting itself to altered
conditLins of farming, and to that economy of coat of
production and increase of the productive power of the
soil which, he believed, were yet in store for them in the
development of those powers of human invention and
discovery of which necessity was the mother. They
must look also to reviving trade and to the increase
of population, both in our own country and America,
to stimulate the demand for all kinds of agricultural
produce. And lastly, though they must not expect
too much from legislation, and certainly had better
indulge in no wild dreams of a return to reciprocity or
protection, he hoped they might look at least for some
lightening of that burden of local taxation with which
the landed interest was unduly weighted at the pre.
sent time,

THE LAND AGITATION IN IRELAND.

In Dublin, on Monday, the Irish members of Parliament
held their usual meeting preliminary to the opening of Par-
liament, the Lord Mayor presiding. Mr. Parnell was elected.
Chairman of the Party, and Mr. Justin M'Carthy Vice-Chair-
man; and the Parliamentary Committee was selected. Re-
solutions were passed to the following effect :—That union
among the Irish members was so absolutely essential that a
large discretion rnuA be conferred on the Parliamentary
Committee, to which the members present in effect
pledged themselves to submit ; that the Irish members
should sit on the Opposition side of the House; that any
attempt to pass a Coercion Bill should be resisted to the
utmost by every meansin their power; and that the Parlia-
mentary Committee should be instructed to prepare an
amendment upon the Address to the Crown, praying that no
ejectments might be enforced pending the con-ideration of
the Land Bill. It was stated during the meeting that no
English or Scotch Bill would be allowed to be proceeded
with until the arrears of Irish Legislation had been wiped off.

The storeship Staveley, laden with war material, arrived
on Thursday (23rd) at the Pigeon-house Fort, from the Royal
Arsenal at Woolwich. One of the most significant items in
her bill of lading is 20,00 rounds of buckshot. Her cargo
alSo includes a large quantity of ball cartridges and of tools
for intrenching, purposes for distribution among the troops.
Although the supplies of stores received during the last few
months have been unusually large, orders for more are still
being sent, and the ship Earl de Grey, in the service of the
War Department, is shipping another cargo similar to that
received at the Pigeon-house Fort for the Use of the army in
Ireland.

Nearly ROO tenants of Lord O'Neill in the county Antrim
have presented a memorial praying for a remission of
rent, and asking his lordship to receive a deputation.
Lord O'Neill declined to do so, and, in his reply to the re-
quest, stated that he had received a letter threatening his
life if he did not lower his rent or if he attended a certain
meeting. He hoped and believed the letter had been
written by an outsider and not by any tenant; but, he
added, whoever the miscreant was, lie mistoek his cha-
racter if he imagined that such a threat was likely to have
the effect intended. The last revision of rents on the
estates took place in the year 1841, when, instead of any
increase large reductions were made over the whole pro-
perty. During the succeding period of nfrarly forty years
changes have been made in individual zaires only when the
lease fell in or new arrangements had to be made He be-
lieved these changes to have been fair in every case, but if
any tenant whose rent had been altered thoaglit himself
aggrieved, he was quite ready to inquire into the circum-
stances. The present seemed to be an inappropriate time
for an agitation on the subject of rents, the government
being determined to bring in a Dill which would give full
protection to tenant farmers against over-renting or un-
necessary disturbance. There would, probably, be an in-
dependent tribunal to which every tenant who thought
himself unfairly treated could appeal, and Lord O'Neill
added that he was quite willing to acquiesce in any just
measuri., that might become law. Pending such legislation,
he had no reason to doubt that his rents, which have hitherto
been punctually paid, were fair.

Some of the Protestant farmers in the North are making
a determined st•lnd against the Land League (says the Cor-
respondent of The Times). The other night a large party
of Leaguers attempted to intimidate a man named Rich-
mond, living within a few miles of Beittutet, county Cavan,
but met with a reception which they did not expect. After
shouting and firing shots they demanded admittance, which
was sturdily refused. Richmond and some men who were
In the house seized their guns and warned the assailants not
to cater. The Leaguers then declared that they were friends
and asked that a candle should be lighted. Richmond, to
show that he was not afraid of them, opened the door, and,
standing with another man at the side, with their guns
pointed towards the erowd, threatened to shoot the first
person who attempted to enter. His resolute attitude had
a quieting effect upon them, and they said they only wanted
to tell him not to pay more than Griffith's valuation. He
replied in the same determined tone, and, after firing some
shots, they went away, and visited the houses of other
farmers in the neighbouthood. It is stated that they were
strangers.

"B. P. T." writes to The Times :--" Sir,—May I beg the
favour of your insertion of the enclosed copy of a letter just
received from Ireland from a relative of mine? 'or obvious
reasons, I have suppressed 'names of persons and places.
May I add that the lady who was "Boycotted "is nearly
seventy years of age, that the family have been landowners
since the time of Henry IL, and that the rents have not been
raised for twenty-five years ? "
"My dear , I suppose you saw that mamma was
Boycotted' in -- when she went down to try for the
rents? They had a bell rung in the town, and ordered the
people not to give her either food or lodging unless she
would accept Griffith's valuation for the rent, which, of
course, she would not do, and so had to come away without
a penny. In the police-officer came up to mamma
and asked her if she was much frightened and if she would
like to be escorted to the train. He made her come to his
house and have something to eat, and then saw her to the
train. She did not like the policeman to walk about with
her as if she were afraid. Since she came home, the police
from -- have kept a great watch about this place. I
suppose they think she might be shot at. Is not this a
dreadful state of affairs—to think we can get neither land
nor money?"

The High Sheriff of the county Limerick has received a
reply to the memorial addressed to Lord Emily, asking him
to convene a meeting of the county magistrates to consider
the alarming state of the country. Lord Emily says that
Parliament is to meet a month earlier to consider the lawless
state of Ireland, and ha is aware that the Government is
meanwhile prepared to exert the existing powers to the
utmost. Until the character of the proposed legislation be
known he thinks it would be not only useless, but detri-
mental to public interests, to hold the meeting suggested.
The other night, as a bailiff named Hill was returning to
his home from Claremorris, 11,3 was set upon by four men
lying in wait for him, who knocked him down and severely
beat him with sticks about the head and body. Hill states
that he would not be able to Mentify any of the men, as he
was knocked senseless by the first blow.
Notices theatening Mrs. Lyster, a local landowner, have
been posted near Parsoustown, King's County. They stated
that in the event of her exacting any rent over Griffith's
valuation she would meet with the fate of Lord Mountmorres.
She has resolved to leave Ireand.

A land meeting was held at Roscrea on Monday
, afternoon, at which some 20,000 persons assembled. Mr. Davitt
attended as a representative of the Land League and delivered
a long address, in the course of which he censured the
Yarnell prosecution. About 200 extra police were brought
into the town, but their services were not required, as the
meeting passed off quietly.

On Sunday morning were posted up in the most
couspicitous part of Clonakilty several theatening notices, on
which was tile drawing of a coffin, with the following inscrip-
tion written underneath: --`• This is Billy Jones's doom and
warning! A like fate to any person giving him supplies, or to
any of the renegades in his employment. The notices were
taken down by the police.

All the herds on a farm in the parish of Milltown, county
Galway, were on Saturday night visited by a large body of
men, two of whom entered each house and made the herd,
swear to give up occupation. Beyond compelling the men to
swear to give up herding for any person outside the
parish no violence was used. Shots were fired outside
every house.

A grand torchlight procession which was announced to take
place on Monday night at Kildare, to be followed by a
demonstration by the Land Leaguers of the surrounding
districts, was forbidden. A deputation waited on the resi-
dent magistrate, who informed them that the authorities
had determined to prohibit the procession, but that the
meeting mighL be held. The meeting was held and passed
off quietly.

In reply to a memorial signed by upwards of 700 of the
magisterial executive of Ireland, drawing attention to the
,alarming condition of the country, Mr. Gladstone has
written a brief note to the effect that the .attention of Par-
liament will be called to the subject next week. •
The Hon. Mrs. Dunlop and her daughter were fired at on
Saturday while driving up their own avenue near Monaster-
bone, county Louth, but the shot fortunately did not take
effect. 31i,:s Dunlop ran in the direction from which the
shot came, and saw a man crouching under the shrubs with
a gun in his hand. As she ran towards him he took to
flight. She failed to overtake the man, but she secured the
gun whick in his flight he either threw away or dropped.

A meeting of the Irish Parliamentary party, except those.
of the traversers who are members of it. will be held in
London on the 6th of January, immediately after the open-
ing of Parliament, for the purpose of considering any
further action to be taken on the policy of the Government
In addition to the arranvernents made at the meeting in
Dublin on Monday. Mr. Justin M'Cartby will act as leader
of the Home Rule party ia Parliament during the absence
of Mr. Parnell.

On Monday a large body of police made an attempt to
serve ejectments upon the Springfield property, near
Williamstown, county Galway. A force of constabulary was
also drafted from Kilkenny to assist. On arriving at the
scene of operations the constabulary met with a florce
resistance, and were pelted by the people with stones.
Captain Wynn, resident magistrate at CastJerez, read the
Riot Act amid a shower of mud, and the police forced the
bridge with drawn swords, but, although subjected to the
greatest provocation, they did not fire. Ouly eight eject-
ments out of sixty could be served.

A placard has been issued convening a monster meeting
in Loughrea on January 2, 1881. It states that "Charles
Stewart Parnell, the chivalrous leader of the Irish nation ;
Michael Davit, the father of the great land movement ; T.
P. O'Gonnor, M.P., and Messrs Brennan, Boylor, and Hams
will address the men at Galway."

A policeman named Brown was fired at and dangerously,
If not mortally, wounded near Cappaghwhite on Monday
night, while returning from a dance at a farmer's house not
far from the police barracks. The shot was fired from behind
a ditch. Three civilians accompanied the polictafan, and
when he fell they oarried hini to a neighbouri7,2 house.
No motive can be assigned for the outrage.

On Monday night all the cattle and sheep belonging to a
farmer weredriven off his farm at Colgavagh, Balla, by
about a hundred men. Search was made for the sheep, but
they could not be found.

A tenant farmer, residing at Killeen, near Ballandine,
having paid his rent to Lord Oranmore's agent last week,
has been 'Boycotted." He brought oats into the Clare-
morris market on Monday, but a large crowd soon collected
and prevented any purchaser from coming forward. The
farmer failed to find any place where he could put up his
oats, and after having sat up all night, had to watch them
next day in the public street.
A placard having been issued by the local branch of the
Land League of Kildare calling a meeting to be held on Mon-
day evening for the purpose of publicly burning several of
the Duke of LeilAter'S leases, and a proposal having been
made to have a torchlight procession through the town and
an illumination of the town, preparation was made for a
great demonstiation, and representatives of the Land League
In Dublin were about to leave the city to attend, when a pro-
clamation was Issued by the local authorities prohibiting the
procession. After an interview with the magistrates and
an unsuccessful attempt to shake their resolution, the
procession and illumination were abandoned, and a meet-
ing held, which was addressed by Mr. Lalor, M.P., and Mr.
Boyton.
A circular has been issued by the Government to magis-
trates in Ireland, ordering them to patrol their districts
once a month with constabulary.

--------- -
As the Rev. Canon Fleming, rector of Ballinakill, county
Galway, was, on Sunday evening, driving home in a
wag,onette, after performing divine service in a distant part
of his parish, two shots were fired simultaneously point
blank at him from a distance of six or seven yards. The
first shot was fired into hislace, and the other came from a
yard or two behind, and passed between him and his
servant, who was sitting beside him.