The Press.
London, England, 1855-10-27 00:00:00

1022

Mr. LOCKE KING remarked upon the " number of
cheerful faces present," but warned his hearers not
to believe that high prices would last for ever :
It was true that the war might last for some time, but
he hoped that it might soon be brought to a conclusion by
the establishment of a satisfactory and honourable peace.
. . . .

They might rely upon it that when that time came there
would be a very strong reaction with respect to prices, and
the only manner in which, in his judgment, they could
put themselves in a position to meet the reaction was by
continuing to improve their land; for they would not be
able, as was done at the close of the last war, to appeal
successfully to the Legislature to convert the power which
they possessed into a property and a right, and to demand
a substitute for war in the shape of protective duties.

The speaker urged the expediency of getting land as
free as possible, that persons who owned land, but
were unable to properly cultivate it, might, according
to Lord Stanley's principle, sell it that it might pass
into other hands.

THE Elam OF HARROWBY presided at the dinner
of the Saudon Agricultural Association last week,
and spoke at some length on the question of the war.
He referred to the immense fortresses of Russia as
proof of her aggressive disposition, and intimated
that her power was still greater than it ought to be
on the Continent :

What position did Russia occupy even now ? Cowed as
she herself was, she yet cowed Germany. Although the
whole of Europe might be said to be in favour of the cause
undertaken by the Western powers, Germany was cowed
by Russia from assuming her proper position. The neces-
sity would have arisen at some time of an exertion on the
part of Europe to establish its independence, unless she
submitted to be entirely at the mercy of the Russian bear,
and there could be little doubt that a favorable opportu-
nity had been taken, when England was in frank, firm,
and cordial alliance with our noble and gallant neighbour,
France. (Loud cheers.) He hoped that the war, as now
proceeding, presented some features which might well
satisfy, in some degree at least, public expectation; and
that they would feel it was not their duty, as soon as they
had achieved a great success, to patch up a hasty peace.
It was, he admitted, desirable honourably to get rid of the
war, but not until the cause which led to it had been re-
moved. (Cheers.) It would be poor economy of life and
treasure if as soon as they gained an advantage they made
a peace, forgetful of the great object of the war, the future
neace and liberty of Europe—(cheers)—and which alone
justified them in undertaking the war.

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS do not make much way,
though their importance is beginning to be generally
r.tcognised. Mr. Chandos Wren Hoskyns, at a meet-
fog of the Leominster Agricultural Association, ex-
pressed his firm conviction that we might in times
pi.st have avoided some of the most trying circum-
s anees that pressed on the farmer if we had had the
means of judging, before the time of harvest, what
would be the probable rule of prices during the sale
of the produce of that particular harvest. For in-
stance, in September and October, 1846, wheat was
idling at 455. a quarter, in May and June of the
f Mowing year the produce of the same harvest was
;Iling at 1255. a quarter. It was therefore clear
t gat the needy seller who went into the market in
Saptember had to sustain additional pressure, with
tie further disadvantage of getting only 455. for
wheat which afterwards proved worth nearly treble
that sum. We know every pound of sugar that comes
into the country and every bale of goods that goes
out—there is not an article in our commercial code
which is not known with the greatest accuracy, down
to the least measure ; but so ignorant are we of the
quantity of corn we grow that we don't know the
amount between 10,000,000 and 25,000,000, for he
had heard it guessed at these two extremes. Govern-
ment had made smile experiments to collect agricul-
tural statistics, but they were of a very partial nature,
confined to a few counties, and therefore farmers
felt reluctant to give in their returns when their col-
lection was not made general.

THE Chaplain at the British Embassy at Vienna,
on the 16th instant, while walking in the neighbour-
hool, was suddenly arrested by two gendarmei. Not
having his passport with him, he was taken off to
Modling, a distance of six miles, and from thence
back to Vienna, where, being at once recognised by
the head of the police, he was dismissed with every
apology. A very sharp letter has been addressed to
Count Buol upon the subject, demanding an explana-
tion of so singular an outrage, land at present there
the matter rests.
THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER PI to be respectably
kept—in London, at least. On Monday the Chief
Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police issued
orders to the various superintendents of the London
divisions respecting the unlawful discharge of fire-
works and other combustibles on the forthcoming an-
niversary of the gunpowder plot. The magistrates at
the several police courts are likewise determined to
put a stop to the illegal practices hitherto carried on
at Tower-hill and various public thoroughfares at th
eastern parts of the metropolitan districts. The Lord
Mayor has also granted his precept for the parochial
authorities to take legal measures for the suppres-
sion of bonfires and the discharge of combustibles in
the various wards of the city of London.