The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-11 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 11, 1853.

is that of Mr. Cooke, in hie just published letter to
the President of the Board of Track, propoiss
that in each county a certaia number of parishes
should be carefully selected, as representing the
diversities of soil, culture, and climate existing
throughout the county; and that an stnintervaitting
observation of those parishes should go an through-
out the year—a frequent computation of the whole
being made and published from the sample. We
need not point out that the one thing to be esta-
blished is that any selection of parishes
can be representative of the whole. It is possible
that an average of soil may be ascertained, and that
an upland district here, a lowland one there, and a
maritime or alluvial portion elsewhere, may be indi-
cated as pretty fairly representing a fourth, or sixth,
or tenth of the county (though our parish bounds
have nothing to do with considerations of soil and
climate); but what is to be done about differences Of
agricultural skill? How are we to get at any ave-
rage, or be sure of any sample, of farming ability ?1
To us, we acknowledge, this part of the business
seems hopeless. As long as a good farmer can get
more produce out of poor land than a bad farmer
can get out of rich land, we do not see how the
sample principle can be brought into application at all.
It is not even true yet, however it may be here-
after, that the example of profitable farming
spreads. Nothing is commoner than to see the field
of the sluggard lying between the little hills that
are rejoicing on every side in fertility and freshness.
If, however, there are many who agree with Mr.
Cooke about local averages of farming skill, by al
mewl let them try his proposed experiment. There
are already three English counties from which full
returns have just been obtained. It must be com-
paratively easy to obtain next year's statistics in
those three counties. Let both methods—that of
total' and that of sample returns—be tried,
and we shall have, in the comparison of their
results, something like evidence of how the easier
plan would answer. If we admitted Mr. Cooke's
estimate of the cost of a total survey (that it would
cost above 300,0001. a year), we might be nearer to
agreeing with him about a substitute: but we are
far from believing that when regular and general
agricultural surveys are permanently instituted, the
cost need be anything like this. The fees or salaries
of existing land valuers, with a contingent business,
are not fair data from which to calculate the expenses
of an organised and perpetual survey.
As to the agency—it is clear the, whatever we
may at last decide upon, we must not apply to the
occupiers of the land. Putting aside all doubts spring-
ing from moral grounds, there cat be little hope
of reliable returns from men so various in capacity,
in education, and in tendencies of mind ; so busy,
too, probably so unwilling, and certainly so irrespon-
sible. Their relations with their .andlords do not
admit of their being our statistical sgents ; nor does
their daily business ; and it will be some time before
they, as a body, become aware of the advantages
to themselves of what we are seeking to obtain.
We must have a good agency b begin with,—
probably of district surveyors (or poor law officials),
who might, however, unite a goal deal of other
business with that of preparing their statistical
returns. The work will probably be expensive at
first ; and if it is, we ought not to grudge it. It is
not conceivable that it could cost so much as the
country loses by any one year of groping tillage,
unconcerted procedure, and random production—to
say nothing of the losses from needless panics on
occasion, and from the timcrous uncertainty
which besets us, in one form or mother, every day
of every year.

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST POLICEMEN.

Sts,—A report having appeared in your paper of
to-day of a cams of unjust interference by the police,
heard before Mr. Bingham, at Marlborough-street
police court, which does not embrace the points of
the case, I beg to forward you a statement of the
actual circumstances, in the hope that you will have
the kindness to give it insertion in your valuable
journal. I am, &c., J. YORK,
Clerk to the Commissioners.
Saint James's, Westminster, 14, Marshall-street,
Nov. 10, 1853.

The COolltillitOlNTS for Ferias, &e., the Parish of Saint
James's, Westminster, have for a considerable period been
mach dissatisfied with the manner in which the ditties of
the police of the district has been carried out, and also the

enormous rates levied, for the little services rendered to the
puishionen and the public ; the negligence. and minions
of their duties have from time to time been represented at
Scotland yard, with bat temporary improvement ; and at
length they sought for and ebtaised an interview with Lord
Palmerston, who premised inquiry and redress. Their com-
plaints wore sent by his lordship to the Commissioners of

Polies, who, in their turn, referred them to their newly-
appointed superintendent of this (the C) division, whose
replies, from an utter want of knowledge of the matters com-
plained of, and an apparent desire to make the worm spinar
the better reuoa, have ceased the board to appoint a coat-
mates to investigate the accuracy, or refute the inaccuracies
contained in each replies. With a view to doing so, the com-
mittee appointed a man who haa been many years in their
employ, and perfectly trustworthy, to obtain for them certain
statistical information relative to vagrants, prostitutes, the.;
this man (W. E. Clarke), whilst so employed, appears to
have attracted the curiosity of the Pollee, and h►ving seen
one of the constables (No. 88) in conversation with a French
prostitute, in Sherrard-street, on Tuesday night, who

opened her purse and pee him money, he then noted
down the number of such women he had seen that night,
and was aft,rward. followed by that constable and another
into Brewer•street (not Windmill-striret, u sworn to by
them), who without any notice seined him by the collar
and commenced kicking his heels, to throw him oft his feet,
but having failed in so doing they beat down his hat, tore
his coat, and conveyed him to the station-house, where he
was locked up on a chugs of being drank, and not per-
mitted to communicate with any one.
On the way to the polio court in the morning he saw a

fellow-workmen, and thus it became known that he was in
custody, which being conveyed to the vestry-room, where
the paving board was then sitting, three of its members
volunteered to appear on the man's behalf before the
magistrate, bet two constables and an inspector score to
che man's drunkenness; and the magistrate was thus com-
pelled to convict, bat kindly agreed not to de so if the man
could produce six wiisesses to prove his sobriety.
The Board's inspentee was at the station-house early in
the morning, reverAbes the mdesoaduct of two other con-
stables, yet was not 1/1118/111 1111 f Clarke's incarceration ;
and the notes taken by the 'winner up to the moment of
his arrest clearly convises the Commissioners of his entire
sobriety, which is else backed by many of them, and their
workmen declasint that he has never been Nell by any one
of them in the Wig test degree intoxicated.
Comment upon this groat case is unnecessary ; bet the
Commissioners for Paving will know how to follow up the
investigation of the circumstances, which are fraught with
the jeopardising the liberty sad character of respectable
persons.

TILL NEXT OVERLAND AUSTRALIAN MAIL is due
on the 30th of this month. Its dates should In Sydney,
September 20 ; Melbourne, 24 ; Adelaide, 27 ; and Swan
River, October 3.

INFANT NURSERY, ST. MARTIN-IN•TUE-FIELDS.
—Yesterdsy a new institution designed for the cue of the
young children of those inhabitants of St. Martin-in-the-

Field' whose daily occupations do not admit of th►ir br
stowing upon them proper attention, wu opened under
the active superintendence of the Viscountess Goderich,
Mrs. W. Ewart Gladstone, Mrs. J. Stuart Wortley, Mrs.
Hyde Parker, Mrs. Sydney Clarke, and several other pa-
rishioner& Trained nurses of good character have been
engaged, and every effort has been made that the arrange-
ments of tie Institution shall be of such a character as will
carry out the benevolent designs of its icunders. The Rev.
Henry Mackenzie, M.A., the vicar, is president, and the
Rev. C. J. D'Opley, M.A., minister of St. John's church,
Broad-court, Drury-lane, has taken the once of secretary
of the sew institution, which is ►ituate in Oree-strest,
Lekestersquare.