The Express.
London, England, 1847-09-10 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

EDINBURGH, SRPT.
Sixteen out of the thirty-three members of the
Edinburgh town council retire in November, and
already the " sough" of local warfare is heard in the
distance. At Helensburgh the municipal elections
are already over, and, as a proof of the spirit that
exists in that little burgh, the candidates opposed by
the superior of the town have been carried—a fact
that betokens well for purity in higher elections.
Before making their exit, the Edinburgh magistrates
have prepared the heads of their proposed improve-
ments and sanitary bill: while leaving many monster
grievances untouched, it is, according to the modern
philosophy in such cases, " a move in the right
direction. The consolidation of local boards, which
it laudably proposes, does not much concern the
general public : but here are the sanitary items.
They propose obtaining-
1. Powell to establish one or more alaughter.houses, and to pre.
vent the slaughtering of cattle within the bounds of pllue, or peroaps
within a certain distance beyond thew bounds. 2. Power. to compel
proprietors, in certain eireumstanoes, to make sewers audicient to
dram the streets or closes In sebkh their home. are situated, and to
keep them in proper repair. 3. Facilities for providing even the
humbler dwellings with water and water-closets. 1. Power, to pre.
not pigs or other animals generally kept in byre., stables, or out-
house., from being kept in dwelling-houses. 3. Powers to regulate
the lodging-booms for the poor. O. Powers to prevent the undue sc.
cumulation of eilth or manure; and whattver other objects of a sani-
tary description it may be considered mammary to provide for.
fho departing council also deserve credit for
having prevailed on the Commissioners of Woods and
Forests to allow athletic gams and amateur survey-
ing and levelling in the Queen's park. They are,
moreover, a bolder set of men than their brethren of
the Perth town-council. A member of that body
moved that a correspondence should be opened with
the Edinburgh association for protecting roadway
rights, with a view to breaking up the enclosure of
Glen Tilt, but 10 having voted for and 10 against the
motion, the casting vote of the provost shelved the
proposition. One gentleman stated that in order to
increase the game 60 tenants had, within his re-
membrance, been ejected from Glen Tilt.. Following
in a small way the example of his Grace of Newcastle,
the Duke of Atholl has caused some friend to write
au explanatory letter to the Scotsman, but it does not
in any material degree mend the matter.
The Clyde trustees report that their income for
last year was 59,017/. 2e. 9d.; their expenditure,
43,569/. 7s. 7d.; surplus revenue, 15,447/. 15s. 2d. :
being an increase on last year of 6,6911. is. 11d.
The romance of " Jearde Deans" has again been
embodied in fact. Three female relations of the
Burghead fishermen implicated in the late food riots,
travelled to Ardverikie with the view of petitioning
her Majesty to commute the rather harsh sentence of
transportation and imprisonment passed on them.
But in Earl Grey the simple fishwomen found no
Duke of Argyle, as they were rather unsentimentally
told by his lordship to go home, and send a written
petition by the post.
One of the gentlemen who fill at the Peebles
hustings has died in consequence of his injuries, and
it is said that the contractor is to be tried at the
ensuing Jedburgh circuit.
Some eight hundred pounds a year having accumu-
lated in the hands of the governors of George Wat-
son's Hospital, Edinburgh, it has been resolved to
apply for an act to enable them to expend it in out-
door education without maintenance, instead of en-
larging the present buildinz, and so augmenting the
monastic system of education.
Sir Walter Scott's grandson has been allowed to
change his surname from Lockhart to Scott.

EDINBURGH ELECTION.—Mr. Cowan, the new member
for Edinburgh, had recently entered into a contract to supply
a certain quantity of paper to Her Majesty's Stationery
Office. By this contract Mr. Cowan was disabled from sitting
in parliament—but the Lords of the Treasury have thought
fit (properly enough) to cancel that part of the contract with
the Meads. Cowan, as far as the new member for Edinburgh
is concerned, and Mr. Cowan is now legally entitled to take
his seat, although the treasury, with whig precedents before
them, might have chosen to adhere to the letter of the bond ;
and Mr. Cowan, who was inconveniently elected in plate of a
cabinet minister—and such a minister as Mr. Macaulay—
could not then have taken his scat and a new election must
have necessarily taken place.
flea 11 'a VISIT TO INTERNESB.—II is now pcsi-
tively determined that her Majesty will visit Inverness, and
preparations on an extensive rah are being made to give
her a suitable reception. The day fixed upon for the royal
visit is Wednesday, the 15th inst , and a numerous and dm-
peeing gathering of the clans is expected to take place on the
occasion. It was at first intended that the royal party should
proceed by the Perth or Highland road to Inverness, but
that intention has been abandoned, and her Majesty has
decided to embark at Fort William, and proceed by tke
Caledonian Canal through the great Glen of Albin to
Dochfour-house, the residence of Mr. and Lady Georgina
Bailie, where the royal party will sojourn for a
day or two. Her Majesty will, it is reported, in the course
of her progress down Lochner view the falls of Foyers
—the greatest and most magnificent fall in the kingdom.
Duringo her juhfirotcleentaLooat, Dochfour-thouse,
htlitah Quee:ii will
it
proceed
situated town Of Inverness, grog aced returning.roya
On the castle-hill, which overlooks the town, and is alluded
to in Macbeth, as having a pleasant seat, several pieces of
ordnance are already bristling to fire a royal salute.
Although it has not yet transpired, it is probable that the
royal squadron will proceed direct from Inverness for
London. Dochfour-house, which her Majesty is about to
honour with her presence, is built in the cottage style, and
was erected only nine or ten years ago, when the old
mansion was pulled down. It is about four miles
west of Inverness, and beautifully situated on the
margin of Loch Dochfour, or Little Lochner, being,
in fact, the eastern termination of Lochner and
not separated or distinct from it. Almost immediately be-
hind the house rise the steep and partly-wooded hills of
Abereachan. In front, and within a few yards of the house,
is the lake ; and on the other or south side, the country,
which is partly cultivated and partly wooded, rises with a
gradual assent and is terminated by the chain of mountains
which bounds Strath-berrick and Strathiaim. Nearly oppo-
site to'Dochfour House is en elegant modern mansion, sur-
rounded by parks, lawns, and plantations, the residence of
the Dowager Lady Sattoun ; and the town of Inverness, of
which a good view can be obtained, terminates the landscape
on the east and north. The Bailliee of Dochfour are of a
very ancient family, and are reputed to be the wealthiest
commoners in Scotland.
Ma. MACAULAY AND TRH INTERNEBB BOROUOIIII.--IR
consequence of the serious indisposition of Mr. Matheson, of
Ardroes, the newly elected member of parliament for the
Inverness boroughs, rumours are afloat that Mr. Macaulay
will be brought forward as a candidate in the event of a
vacancy occurring, either by the demise or the resignation
of Mr. Matheson. Mr. Matheson's committee are using
every exertion to keep the election in their own hands, and
they have placed themselves in communisation with the right
hon. gentleman. Should the anticipated vacancy take place,
Mr. Kennedy, who was defeated at the last election, is
pledged to come forward again, and a severe and close con-
test would no doubt take place.
STATE OE THE MINING POPULATION Ice ATRBEIRE.—
Mr. 8. Trsmenheere, the commissioner appointed to inquire
into the state of the mining districts, has issued his report.
He gives the following details in reference to the mining
population In Ayrshire:—The county of Ayr is about
to become an important seat of the iron manufacture.
Large iron and coal works are springing up in and near
the parish of Dairy, a little to the north of Kilmarnock ;
others near that town; and the works of Mr. Wilson,
at Lugar, about twenty wiles from it towards the south.
It will require all the attention and foresight of the
proprietors is prevent the growth and increase, in the
pariah of Debi, althea was whirl* have arisen so mani-
festly in the Gadd* and Akins district of Lanarkshire,
from i
nn
08111111118 which inevitably un-
dermie made al pea*. The minister of that
parish, the Rey. Rant informed me that the
population bad been laresaks at the rata of about 1,000 a
year for the last few mem until it now amounts to 8,000.
Until the kea-worka assinioneed, absent four years ado, its
population was engird almost entirAy in rural indusuv.
The enonseeent of several new swain of houses
is ia rows claw bddwi each other, without proper
drains's. The dimaderly tendencies of a population
rapidly collided Ida various quarters were un-
abashed by the MOMS of any adequate police. Coe-
eidembie asset was being made to erablieh schools.
Sees had boon Bet en hot, but more were dill needed, and
were apparently likely to be effected by the cordiale:ertions
of all parties. The compel?», ohiedy onslol44f.tr.
ee
in this parish are the Ardor* Malleable Iron Co y tti
)terry and Cunningham),
Giammen•eis Compeer (Hers.it. 'mini). The
and the Bellows Iron Company ( aws.
J.l:llll:::iniitiman'wnag4l‘:gendorytheraising"Olweepthethrneeffocrae:tewooofirtruhaatr,c(eisLlZirtit'hmBat.
opal had been raised from 3a. 6d. to Be. Piel. net ton, which
vas one third 199 dm. )Lr. Nig (lent is,P. lest Airszto,