The Press.
London, England, 1854-09-23 00:00:00

INWm! anli

THE ELECTION FOR Kl%o's Lror took place on
Saturday last, when Mr. G. H. Gurney was elected
without opposition. There was a total absence of
excitement, and nothing of importance in the speeches
made on the occasion.

THE ANNUAL DINNER of the Stow-on-the-Wold
Agricultural Society was held on Friday week. A
large number of influential gentry and yeomen were
present. The speech of the evening was delivered
by Mr. Henley, in responding to the toast, " The
Members for the County "

The right hon. gentleman observed that meet whom
they might, and wherever they liked, the first thing each
min said to another was this—" Thank God for what tine
weather we have, and a fine harvest." Twice within the
space of seven years had this country been almost in
some degree, if not quite, on the verge of famine. Twice
within that time had pestilence raged among them ;
and some people thought it had been most fatal in its con-
sequences ip those years when there was a short supply of
food, when the force of the pestilence would iu consequence
necessarily fall upon the pour with large families ; but, be
that as it might, this fact would 'come fairly home to the
minds of all men—that if the produce of our own country,
our native land, should be deficient, we should, therefore,
have to pay so much the more enhanced prices for that
which we got from abroad. lie was not going to reopen
the controversy which had been carried on upon that sub-
ject, for that was now at an end, but they could not shut
their eyes to the fact of how great a duty, how great an
obligation, was imposed upon them, and not only fur their
qwn personal gratification, but alsothe great and unportant
duty, that the feeding of the people of this country must
depend On the energy, on the skill, on the resolution of
the agriculturists of this country,—to go on as they had
hitherto gone on, more and More keeping pace with the
increasing population for the vast supply of food, both
corn and meat, which recent circumstances had succeeded
in bringing into the market, because on that alone would
depend whether the people of the country obtained their
food at reasonable and tit prices. lie believed that all
great and important improvements which had taken place
during the hod forty years had taken place from the skill
and energy, from the ability of the working owners and
occupiers of the soil of this country, deriving great ad-
vantages, no doubt, from coming together to ice the work
of others in societies of that kind, which had enabled
them to produce the vast-increasing supply of meal.
That there hid been an increase in the production of
there could be no doubt, for where three quarters of
corn used to be produced thirty, years ago four quarters
were produced now, and where 11b. of meat was formerly
produced now 21b. were produced. The manufacturers
might scoff and sneer at the owners and occupiers of the
soil, but he (Mr. Henley) should like to know; if they had
been confined to the same number of mills for the last
thirty years, whether they would have doubled the
amount of their produce in the same way the farmer had
done?

A number of other toasts were given and responded
to in the course of the evening.
MIDDLESEX REGISTRATION.—tiIE CONNENVAtIVE
LAND Socxxry.—Mr. Lancelot Shadwell, the revising
barrister, held a court at Brentford, on Tuesday, for
six parishes in that district. A htfrnber of claims
were made in respect of' the Ealing rectory estate,
purchased for the members of the Conservative Land
Society, which were opposed by the Liberal party.
Amongst the claimants were Viscount Maidstone, Sir
C. W. Codringtoh, Bart., M.P., the lion. Colonel
Lowther, M.l'., and many other eminent gentlemen.
Mr. C. E. Lewis, one of the solicitors to the Conser-
vative Land Society, and Mr. Jones, supported the
claims. The first case taken was that of Lieutenant-
Colonel Abdy, who claimed as the owner of a plot of
ground in Ealing parish by deed of ctinveyance
dated Bth June, 1853, in consideration of 541/. Proof
of value having been demanded by the objector, Mk.
Lewis said the extent of the plot was twenty-seven
feet frontage by 110 in depth. There was no One
plot of the whole area worth less than 501., and some
had been sold for 701. Messrs. Pritchett and bent,
independent surveyors, had gone over the whole
estate and measured the land. Mr. Pritchett gave
evidence to the effect that the estate consisted of a
great many plots, each of which, judging by his ex-
perience, was of the value of 3s. k toot frontage of
twenty-seven feet, which, computed, would give 4/.
per annum. Good roads and drainage had tended
much to improve the value of the property. As the
ground stood uncovered it was worth twenty years'
purchase; but, if covered, it would be worth twenty-
five years' pit: chase. Plots for which 501. had been
given *ere now worth 801. It was stated that four
houses had been built on the estate. Ultimately,
the whole of the claims in respect of the Ealing rec-
tory estate, ninety-one in humber, were placed on the
egister._

•
IHE GniwkELL Anenc EXPEDITION.—The second
expedition sent out by Henry Grinnell, Esq., to the
Arctic seas, under the command of Dr. Kane, was
last heard from on the 23rd of July, 1853; when he
was at Upperriaiic, on the West coast of Greenland;
but lie is expected to report himself in New York in
the coarse of next month. Should he not be heard
from at that time; it will be surmised that he has de-
cided upon spending another *inter at the North.

.t

898

He could notremain there longer than the Ist of Sep-
tember, if he designed returning this season, as at
that period ice commences forming very rapidly. It
was his plan, at last accounts, to proceed as far north
in his ship (the Advance) as the ice would permit
during the fall then next ensuing. He would then
proceed, with a portable boat and an ample supply
of stores, to establish a depot at a remote northern
point, and subsequently to penetrate to the most ex-
treme point acPessible. Even should he obtain no
clue to the missing English navigator, Sir John
Franklin, confidence is entertained that, with his rare
scientific attainments and facilities for investigation,
the expedition cannot be without important results.
It is expected that, in the course of a few weeks, in-
formation will be received from Captain Inglefield
and all the other English vessels now in the North
Seas.

KOSSIITICS PROPOSED VISIT TO NEWCASTLE.—The
committee appointed to make arrangements for the
visit of M. Kossuth to Newcastle have just received a
latter from him stating that, in the present crisis of
the Eastern war, it is, in his opinion, most advisable
to wait the issue of the expedition to Sebastopol before
addressing the inhabitants of that district. M.
Kossuth says :—" I really think this time to be little
favourable to discussions on the subject (the Austrian
alliance and the general war policy of the British Go-
vernment). The allied armies are engaged in the
expedition against Sebastopol. Now, I believe argu-
ments entirely different must be used, and an issue
entirely different must be taken, according as the ex-
pedition willthave succeeded or not. Mr. Crawshay
was quite right in saying, at your glorious meeting of
August 28, ' The taking of Sebastopol will not be a
reason for trusting the Government; but the not
taking it will be a case for impeachment.' We may
appropriately discuss matters before and after a
battle, but certainly not during the battle. We must
see the issue, and shape our course accordingly.
However, by the end of this month we may expect to
get such intelligence from the East as will enable us
to see the situation clearly, and then the beginning of
October may well suit the exigencies of the case.
Should the contrary happen, then, in my opinion, it
will be wise to adjourn the meeting to a moment of
more favourable political opportunity,"
BRITISH ASSOCIATION.—The inaugural address of
the association Was delivered by the president, Lord
Harrowby. He adverted at great length to the
different branches of science in which progress had
been made of late—to astronomy, on which he read
a report from Professor Challis; to the improve-
ments in barometrical and scientific instruments ; to
geology, and the important question of the coal fields;
to Lieutenant Maury's plans for improved naviga-
tion ; and to the statistics of crime and offences ; and
concluded with a glowing eulogium on the spirit of
the age, the enlightened views of Government, and
the great names of modern science. Lord Derby, in
proposing a vote of thanks for the address, said that
he belonged to the pre-scientific period of education,
but was not the less sensible of the value of that of
which he had not had the advantage in earlier days.
Sir Charles Lyall and Professor Phillips having
spoken, the meeting separated. The general com-
mittee held its first meeting on the same day, and
brought before the association reports on Lieutenant
Maury's scheme of navigation, and on the accommo•
dation to scientific societies in Burlington-house, and
a correspondence between Lords Wrottesley and
Aberdeen on the subject of pensions to scientific
men. The attendance at the section-room was large
on Thursday. In the mathematical and physical
section a very interesting paper was read on the
deviation of the magnetic needle, peculiar to Liver-
pool, by Sir John Ross, and one by Professor Tyndall
on some peculiarities of the magnetic fluid. Professor
Powell continued his report, read at Hull, on lumi-
nous meteors. The chemical section was occupied
in the reading of reports of a generally uninteresting
character. The geographical and ethnological sec-
tion, presided over by Sir R. I. Murchison, Bart.,
was opened by the reading of communications from
Captain Charles Stokes and Drs. Blundell and
Wilson on the subject of the exploring expeditions of
Australia. The opinion of the latter, who is the
geologist appointed by Government to the proposed
expedition into the interior, is, that it will accom-
plish results highly satisfactory, and that the
northern portion of Australia possesses facilities for
commercial purposes with England far superior to
the south. He also stated that the range of moun-
tain running through Australia were of an auriferous
nature, and that the highest mountains were the
most productive of gold, the lowest of the baser
metals. The discovery of copper had changed the
face of Australia as well as that of gold, as the
farmer, who before cultivated wheat only as food for
his cattle (the rate of transit to the English or other
markets making its export unremunerative), had now
a mining population to feed. Dr. Wilson expressed
himself very confidently on the subject of the new
expedition, and the results likely to accrue from it.
The statistical section appeared to have excited the
most interest, as the room was always well filled,