The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-22 00:00:00

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are sow altered. It was not then profitable on a large
scale: but now the demand for flax for manufacturing
linen alone is almost boundless. Its exportation is im-
mense, and &great question is pending, but it is unsettled,
whether flax may not be profitably mixed with wool and cot-
ton in textile fabrics. If that should turn out successful, then
the growth of flax will be prudent on the part of agr.
culturists. The difficulty is this. You are aware that
the seed of the flax, for the purpose of nourishing the soil,
is infinitely preferable to oileake or suy other of the
refuse portion of the flax seed ; but if you use the flax
seed itself mixed with other articles of food, such as
chopped hay or warmed food of any kind, the linseed itself
is the meet productive, the most fattening, and the most re-
munerative in its return to the soil. The seed of the flax,
therefore, for the improvement of the soil is the best growth
that the fanner can encourage. Then conies the question
of straw. The straw is bulky and requires difficult mani-
pulation and handling; and I do not consider the coneys.
non of the flax into straw is the proper business of the
farmer—it is the duty and business of the manufacturer.
(Nier, hear.) The process is twofold ; first, that which
takes from the straw the substance which adds to its out-
ward bulk—that may be done by a machine, which is
not very costly ; then comes the snore difficult process, the
separation of the fibre, which is bound together by a gluti-
nous substance which must be dissolved before the fan it-
self, is its textile shape, can bo obtained. As yet this sew
ration has been achieved only by a very difficult mod
tedious as well as a very expensive process—by wit.
tint in pools of stagnant cold water. Lately, in Ireland,
important improvements have been introduced, and the
separation is effected by the use of boiling water and by •
certain chemical process. A still more recent discoreey
Ins been made about which I will not speak, as yet, wish
perfect confidence, but of which I can venture to speak
with hope. It is the invention of Id. Claussen, a French-
man, and if it succeed it will render theoperatioa of dis-
solving the gluten from the fibre of the flax a work of only
two or three hours. It is a chemical process, which M.
Clansmen has patented, and there is a very sanguine hope
that it will be so successful as to enable flax to be pro-
pared for the manufacturer at a small cost and very readily.
If 1 have made myself intelligible, it is plain that the straw
cannot be oonveyed to a great distance to undergo this pm
ens, and that the manufacturer must be brought to this
deer of the farmer. Such is the enterprise, the shill, cad
I would almost say the patriotism, of the manufachashng Ift•
Vast of this country—not without reference to oak but
antlined with gain, which is the real incentive et dl ha.
provement—that if you can show that any such
will pay the manufacturer, that onstaftatiwat of =
material will establish a mill la Me ottighltiodong; sod I
hold it to be Gne of the duties of bona* to socartio
whether this mode of dealing with flax be not feasible,
and, if it he feasible, to make an effort to introduce ha
their neighbourhood the machinery and the manufretimo
requisite for the extended growth of so important and un-
ful a crop as flax. (Cheers.) This is tedious, but stil
these are matters of great importance—matters board ep
with our present welfare, and with the future
and happiness of the great community of which rizr.
part. (Hear, hear.) lam among the first to admit that
the basis of our national prosperity is the produce of the
soil. (Loud cheers.) If it were not so I should ha pow
indeed, for all I possess is in land, and in land et this
county. You, therefore, have the utmost pledge of my
sincerity and my wish to promote the welfare of the
agriculture of this county (hear, hear) but you
must have it in a manner coincident with the
welfare of the community; and these are the objects sod
these the modes in which to attain that end. Societies
of this kind appear to me to have that tendency, and I
was delighted to hear a sentiment which fell from you,
Mr. Vice-Chairman. (Cheers.) You said you did not
despair of the prosperity of the agricultural interest.
(Cheers.) You said that agriculturists must meet increased
difficulties with increased exertions. (Cheers.) You added
that Heaven always favours those who help themselves,
sad that the agricultural interest would not be the last
interest to make the requisite exertion. (Cheery.) It is
only necessary that that exertion should be well directed.
It n the duty of landlords to lead the way in respect to all
these improvements and experiments ; the landlords of
England must not be left behind in the race of exertion ;
and, if we be a united body, then I say:
w Enema will Bever ma,
ra4bnit to boned prove true..

(Loud cheers.) I ant afraid I hive already detained yyoouc
too long with these details ; I will prolong them no further,
but give you from my heart, "Success to the East Cum-
berland Agricultural Society." (Loud cheers.)
The tonvta, "The Royal Agricultural Society of Eng-
land," " The successful aad unsuccessful candidates," and
"The tenant farmers," were afterwards drunk, and the
company separated, well pleased with their meeting.

TUE LONGEST SUIP.—BEATEN AGAlN.—Under the
heeding "The Longest 8 hip in the World," our contem-
have mentioned that Messrs. Mare, shipbuilders, of
larrenkesirall, and Messrs. Penn, of Greenwich, engineers,
have taken a contract to construct, for the Peninsular and
Oriental Stearn Navigation Company, an iron steam-ship,
of the following dimensions and power, viz.:—Length be-
tween the perpendiculars, 324 feet; breadth of beam, 43
feet; depth, 32 feet. Strange to say, however, the Ameri-
cans bawl beaten this by anneipation. The steamer Eclipse,
now an the Meeks at Louisville, Kentaeky, is to be three
hundred sad fifty-nine feet in length. She is to have eight
of the largest sized boilers, and her water-wheel will be 42
fest is diameter. She will be completed in the fall.—The
Dwikkr.