The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-25 00:00:00

THE- EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 25, 1848.

street:
ROBBERY AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.—Yesterday
a robbery eras committed on the premises of the Glasgow
sod Leith Wharf, Wapping, by three men, who afterwards
attempted to murder the night watchman. About two
o'clock in the morning James Blassett, the night watchman,
had been into the counting-house to warm himself, and was
.• returning along the wharf towards the water side, for the
of securing the premises, when three men suede
purpose upon him and struck him with life-pre-
servers. lie endeavoured to give an alarm, when they
seised him by the throat and placed their bends over his
mouth, and again struck him several violent blows upon the
head until be fell exhausted. One of the ruffians then de-
manded the keys of the gate, and said, " if he did not imme-
diately deliver them up they would murder him." Blassett,
who could scarcely move, handed to them the keys of the
Alter Ne-
• bei trieerlLays, the:ly Wcomthmeelat: diniyitgis ng along
tar wharf until they retired at the cellar stairs, when
thy threw him headlong down into the cellar. The
sea Immediately proceeded to the gate and opened it with
tieheys, and instantly decamped. Blassett was rendered
inemonble, and when he rec,,vered he found himself int-
.. wag in water which had entered the cellar from the
0 liver, lie with, great difficulty succeeded in reaching
ea iron grating, which admitted the light into the
allar from Wapping High street. lie remained there
ma time, suffering the greatest agony from the
weed he bad received, until a labourer pared the
whom he immediately called to his as-
.
•
. The man found the gates open, and with the
sflalaee
solitaace of several other persons, carried the unfortunate
.011 to the London Hospital, it was found he had
'indeed eight lacerated wounds upon the head, and
braises about the body. lie was stripped and placed in a
warm bed, where he remains in a very precarious state. Mr. ,
Adams, one of the partners of the Glasgow and Leith Wharf, '
id several other persons searched the premises to ascertain
gag property was missing, and in the counting-house they
dissevered that an iron safe, which contained upwards of
M hundred sovereigns, a5l. note, and mportant popery, had
Ina removed. They searched further, and in one corner of
like wharf they toned the iron safe, but all the sovereigns I
bri been extracted, with the exception of two. The 51.
mote and the papers were all sate. The ruffians had
pierced a large hole in the back of the safe, and then held it
tip until all the sovereigns tell out. Bassett is unable le
identify the three men, in consequence of the wharf l.
very dark. They were dressed in dark clothes; two
them were tall and wore bats, and the third was short and
wore a cap. Several of the detective force are in search of
them. Blassett is upwards of 40 years of age, and has a wife
mid several children. His recovery is very doubtful.

EASTER AMUSEMENTS.
DRURY.LAKE.
Fmneoni's equestrian troop still continuing to
occupy this theatre, the only novelly presented last night
was some slight change in a portion of the performance, in
the circle, and the introduction of one or two new comic
scenes by those holiday favourites, the clowns, Messrs.
Leclair and Auriol, and M. Newsome. Perhaps the most
semarkable part of the entertainments provided for the even-
ing's amusement was the startling performances of M.
Biegrist, properly denominated in the bills " the juggler,"
who, upon a horse going at full speed, performs a series of
tricks with balls, ring, and rods, which it would be difficult
for many of those wk.., are wont to astonish beholders with
each feats, to execute even when resting securely on terra
Bros. The whole appeared to give great satisfaction to a
home which may be called " full," even for an Easter Mon-
day.
HAYMARKET.
The Easter novelty at the Haymarket consists 1
of that time-honoured tale, the Castle of Otranto, fashioned
Into the most extravagant of extravaganzas. The piece
follows the story in construction, and in dialogue is literally
a shower of puns from beginning to end. A lew which had
the "specials" for their theme told wonderfully; and one
scene in which Masf red arms his guests with staves to attack
the enchanted helmet set the house in a universal roar,
Keeley, as Manfred-exhibited a most amusing ferocity ; and
Bland, as the Marquis Vicenza, "coining nobody knows
how from nobody knows where," fully sustained his repute-
!van as the King of Burlesque. Theodore, the genuine
' 9tranto's lord," found a most gracelul representative in
Mus Horton, who gave two or thri e good songs with excel-
lent effect, and was loudly encored. The remainder of the
drameatis persona, with the exception of Miss Reynolds, who
win arch and piquant as Isabelks, do not require especial
notice. Altogether this novelty satisfied the audience; and
the success of the Castle of Otranto will, we have no doubt,
be complete when the actors shall be quite " up" in their
Parts, and the carpenters more alert in their transmutations.
PRisicEars.
The entertainments at this theatre commenced with
"The Nightingale," a comic opera in one act, being an
English version of "Le Rossignol," by Louis Ulnas=
labroli a popular French composer about the end of the last
century, It is an agreeable little piece, as slight as possible
in is plot and incidents, but a vehicle for some sweet and
graceful music. The hero and heroine, after the fashion of
the pastorals of that day, are called Lubin and Phatis. The
damsel's father him no objection to the young love?, but the
Bailli el the village is also her admirer, and the father,
of course, prefers the wealthy old gentleman, who
n, of course, a ridiculous animal. The subject COOSilti

of isertain mystifications to whist' be is subjected by the those who reported to this institution yesterday, but, not-
young couple, who are at length united with the father's withstanding, there were very mass thousands of visitors
consent. Madame Anna T who personated PAWS', who thronged in and out of Its doors between ten and four
was a very captivating little shepherdess. She acted with o'clock. The principal objects of attraction were the g
ale.
her usual archplayfulnees, and warbled the musle of her ries of Egyptian and Grecs= sculpture, the arrangement
part delightfully. Barker, ten,was very sueesasful in the which is now fast approaching completion. It is ve
put of Lubin. The music wee well suited to his sweet to be desired that some more accurately numbered
teaor voice, which was nut taxed beyond its limited powers. synopsis or catalogue of the numerous objects in
Weiss and Bodda did justice to the parts of the Barth and these galleries was placed at the command oft
those
e
the girl's father. An air, sung by Madame Didion, with a who visit them, for the catalogues
fi Indio accompaniment, in imitation of the nightingale, door are very erroneous, and tend rather to Nat'
was rapturously encored ; and a trio and quartet, exceed- lead than to guide. Up stairs the Zoological and DlL-
lagly well sung, were much applauded. The music, neraloeical galleries were thronged with spectator', sod
in the simple and flowing style of the Italian the admirable collection of Egyptian still life in the Mama?
composes of the last century, with its smooth awl delicate rooms also attracted no small share of curious obeenatient.
instrumentation, so unlike the garish and wounded man- The visitors chiefly consisted of the humbler classes, lied a
nor of the modern French school, had a pleuing freshness, large proportion of them were the youth of both sexes.
and much of the charm of novelty. The whole perform- Nothing could exceed the quietness or orderly demeanour
anne was cordially received, and the piece will, we have no of this vast moving body, and it offered a subject of pleas-
doubt, continue popular. It was followed by " The Sultan," log reflection to contrast the present management of this
in which Madame Thillon's lively performance of Itozaland national institution with that of past years, when the system
was as successful as ever. Then came the interlude of of holiday keeping would have excluded from a rational and
"Gammon and Mammon;' and, lastly, there was the praiseworthy amusement the multitudes who yesterday
ballet of .. Esmeralda," produced originaly at Her Majesty's thronged its halls.
NATIONAL GALLERY,
Theatre, and in which so great an effect was produced YOE
by the exquisite dancing and pantomimic acting of Despite the unfavourable weather and the " Conh-
Carlotta Grist. It washers got up with considerable splendour. rine demonstration," attracted vast numbers of the holiday
The heroine was personated by Mlle. Auriol, a donseuse of makers. The succession of visitors was kept up until the
more than ordinary merit, who, in her performance of the hour of cluing, and we learn that no less than 8,000 pawns
part, sedulously imitated the inimitable Carlotta; sod she viewed the pictures.
E TOWER OP LONDON.
did wisely, for, though she fell far short of her model, TH
yet she produced a pleasing and successful copy. Pierre The regalia and armoury were yesterday inspected
Gringoire, the part which Perrot rendered so entertaining by 1,400 persons. St. Peel's Cathedral, the Monument, and
was very cleverly sustained by Flexmore. The corps de Westminster Abbey, were also inspected by many holiday
ballet was numerous, and some of the scenery very pretty. makers. At the United Service Museum, in consequence of
LYCEUM. the disarrangement of the collection, admission could only be
The subject chosen for the periodical burlesque, obtained by a
MADAME member's ordeUr.
WAX FIGURES
which is always expected and seldom missed where id admire TUSSADE .
Vestris reigns, was the beautiful classical story of Ariadne. Among the exhibitions bidding for public favour
In Mr. Planche's version of the adventures of the lovelorn at the present SeLlOO, Madame Tussaud's collection of wax-
daughter of Minos the principal pointa are faithfully pre- works must not be overlooked. But of so old a public
served, from the arrival of the Grecian hero at the Wane of favourite lengthened descrip
tio
Crete te the marriage of the Indian god with Ariadne at n would be superfluous. It
is enough to say that the visitor will find, in a saloon
NOICI. Dadaism plays the part of a chorus, explaiuing, as resplendent with gilding and decoration, an illustrious oom- 1
the various scenes develop themselves the incidents pony of the worthies of all ages, modelled with life-like 1
to the audience, in the usual vehicle which the writers fidelity, and costumed correctly ; a late addition is Coin.
of burlesque from time immemorial have been entitled missioner Lin, modelled by a native artist, and accompanied'
to convey their thoughts—namely. doggrel verse, which by his favourite wife, a pearl of Chinese beauty. The Na-
under
our author's treatment often approaches very poison room is replete with historical interest, and the
tolerable poetry. Mr. Charles Mathews play. d this authenticity of the various relies with whichabounds is 1
i character exceedingly well, and sang one song, which, affirmed with satisfactory accuracy. Altogether it ab
the exhib ,
it is no exaggeration to say, is the best of the class that has tiro is one likely to plume
been written for a long time, and it commanded, as it well LEICESTER-make holiday-rs.
SQUARE.
PANORAMA,
deserved, an immediate and unanimous encore. This, in The views now exhibiting by Mr. Burford are
point of fact, is the hit of the piece, which, to say the truth, " Vienna" ewe no " Himalaya blountains," both repe-
ls not so brilliant or so effective as the previous efforts of the sentations of high interest, and the former more particularly
author had entitled his auditors to expect. It must, how- so, in reference to passing events of a political character.
ever, be said in extenuation of the apparent flatness of the The view of Vienna comprehends the entire circuit of the ,
dialogue and the bang-fire of the incidents, that the actors capital of the modern Caesars, with the splendid country
were not by any means well-up in their parts, and probably around, looking, in one direction, towards chivalrous Hun-
when this somewhat dangerous deficiency is remedied the viry The panorama is well worth an attentive visit.
blemishes adverted to may disappear. The scenery, pro- • THE DIORAMA.
perties, and dresses were admirable; the Port and City of The Diorama in the Regent's-park attracted • con-
Reracleum. in particular, presented a singular combination of tinual succession of visitors during the day. We made some
arehitectural and marine beauties. Of the actors, it is only
nunnery further to sped Mies Kathleen Fitawilliam, who mention of the two new pictures not many days ago. The
view of Mount Etna exhibits efforts of considerable beauty
sup
or
the part of Ariadne with great spirit, and sang and interest ; the change from night to morning, the gradual
the very numerous airs assigned to her extremely well. disappearance of the moon and stars, and the breaking of
Madame Vestris and this young lady were called before the day, are almost perfect realisations of nature ; and indeed
curtain. when the performance was over, to receive the may be contemplated with greater pleas ire, as it involves no
plaudits of the andit nu. late sitting-up or early rising to enjoy them.
ADELPIE. --._
Torn Moore has sung— Tne EASTER FAIRS at Greenwich, Stepney, Wands-
" There is a fount on 'lea's tale, worth, and Chalk Farm, were bold as usual ; the fist, how-
Round which, in soft luxuriance, 'mile ever, appeared moat attractive, for notwithstanding the
All the sweet flower*, every hind,
On which the sun of Greece looks down ; unfavourable weather thousands continued to pour into
Pleased as a lover on the crow. Greenwich town and park throughout the day, the mile/ay
His mistress for her brow lath twined." trains arriving"every five minutes, and steamboats every 10,
This " Fount on lea's isle," reproduced on our less crowded to excess with passengers.
classic shores, gives occasion for the Adelphi's Easter piece,
written for Madame Celeste by Mr. Stirling Coyne. It
seems that in early ages the nymphs of lea were wont to
assemble oa May morning at the tountain, there to collect
the water which on that anniversary was supposed to be en-
dued with a peculiar charm. But this Greek spa, like the
Badens of our own age, had about it its evil
spirits; and Tenagor, one o them, haring become
enamoured of Aglea, a child of the air, and knowing
that a good spirit who once touched the ',Mtn became sub-
servient to the will of the fountain gnomes, contained • plot
by which, on the anniversary, on which the store *pens, the
maidens of L.* are put to flight, and Aglea is Made his cap-
tive. The remainder of the drams is constructed to
represent Aglea's vicissitudes whilst under the spell,
sad her efforts to escape from the Gnome King's authotty.
She is cast into the digesn, and fished up by a Greek
fisherman. She falls in love with a young painter, and drives
to desperation a Turkish pacha. In fact, the audience are
gratified with two hours of stage vicissitudes, until at
length, to their infinite satisfaction, a second dip in the
fountain affords a cold-water cure, the spell is broken, the
Spirit of the Air resumes her wings, and the demons are
defeated in a.' grand denouement," All this is neatly con-
trived,well put upon the stage, and played with the
strength of the company • but, as is tolerably evident, there
is entire absence of originality in the design, a defect that is
not redeemed by env remarkable point or vigour in the
dialogue. The principal part is played by Madame Celeste,
and the Gnome King by Mr. 0. Smith ; Mr. Wright is the
Fisherman, and Mr. Boyce the Artist "the one living by
the net, the other by the ;" and hiss Woolgar manages
to give much nest to the performance in the nice little part
of a peasant girl, in alternate love and dudgeon with the
Fisherman. The spectacle was well received by a very
Intliried house.
OLYMPIC.
The novelty at this theatre is entitled " The MM.
I Ike illi Borneo, or the Second Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor."
The Rajah of Sarawak, of course, constitutes an element of
the plot, but Sinbad, the sailor,
the is the leading per
who, accompanied by a foolish vizier, makes voy Roe
eirlia
forth in the " Arabian Nights," being carried by the
into the Valley of Diamonds, and so forth. lie is, however,
carried out of the valley
.by a twopenny bus, under the pro-
tecting care of the Getout of Chloroform, whose connexion
with even the burlesqued' nary we did not collect, but
who ia represented by • very good looking and rather
clever young person, a Miss Bromley. After Sinbad's
departure from the valley there is, d propos de riot, • va-
riety of dancing of a singularly mediocre character. Mr.
Davide, is very absurd as the Vizier, and Miss Kate
Howard not particularly elegant as
Sinbad. As good a
thing es any in the piece was some singing by • man who ac-
companied himself on the banjo, and who was encored so often
that he was fain at lest, to take rest on a chair. The bur-
lesque is the production of Mr. Knight, who has crammed it
full of political puns, more or less effective. There was a
crowded house.
SADLER'S WELLS.
Shakspere, last night, gave place to Mr. Love, the
polyphonist, on the boards of Sadler's Wells ; and never was
there a less noisy or excited audience than that which wit-
nessed the drama put to rout by ventriloquism at this
theatre. We are, however, quite ready to admit that Mr.
Love's powers are various and extensive ; that he seems
to have complete control over his vocal organ ; and that
his variations of costume and character are rapid and
amusing; that his coadjutor, too, Mr. Roberts and Mr. H.
S. May, executed some airs on the Welsh harp
not and
fo pirbearano,
which were deservedly applauded ; yet we can
the observation that the whole affair was out of place and
time. ASTLErS.
The chief attraction at this popular place of
entertainment, which has been newly fitted up, was the
re. appearance in this country, after an absence of five years,
of Van Amburgh, with his collection of trained animals, for
which purpose "a grand romantic spectacle," called Sue's . Morok
el,
the Beast-tamer," founded on a passage in Engine nov
of the" Wandering Jew" was announced. The performance
consisted of encounters with wild beasts, displaying the ex-
traordinary power which Mr. Van Antburgh bun acquired
over the savage natures which be has rendered so wonder-
fully docile. The piece opened with a representation of a
French village and a merry party of peasants. A love affair
is of course introduced, and a few incidents arising out of it
conclude the first scene. In the secoad we find the villagers
French to India, where, in endeavouring to establish a
French colony, they are betrajed by the natives, subse-
quently taken captives, and when about to be devoured by
wild beasts, as a sacrifice te Bramah, Morok (personated by
Van Amburgh) is accepted as a substitute, and displays his
power over the animals of the forest. The drama, which it
full of stirring incident, went off with great rola. The
play was followed by the scenes in the circle, comprising
some of the most clever and daring equestriao feats, which
sustained the ancient reputation of Astley's amphitheatre.
reputation
After a short recess, this theatre re-opened yester-
day. It has been redecorated, and presents a cleanly and
cheerful appearance. Novelties were not announced by the
management, but the established favourites, Messrs. Hicks,
Saville, and Dale, all re-appeered,•b n:I met a eirdi. I wel-
come. A Pantomime, founded on the legend of Cinderella,
introduced Mr. T. Barry to a Surrey Theatre audience. and
he succeeded at the late hour of one o'clock in securing an
encore. VICTORIA.
The performances here were more highly seasoned
than usual in honour of the holidays. The first piece bore
the interesting title of " Rose Clinton, the Victim of Circum-
stantial Evidence." Mr. J. T. Johnsen ec
n pers ec yo
ited ayoung
mechanic, the "victim" in question, who s
throughout the piece for a murder and one or two robberies,
of which he is innocent. His troubles, however, end—er
when be
by Miss Vincent, with her usual success Mr. W. Searle
bis guniin'tear t?ardthineghteoro°Pininie.millilthattethrecharlasatctsceernise'supported
rendered a villain of the conventional cast with the re-
quisite breadth of effect ; and severalr
talents comic ge ntl
musical
drama, entitled " Jeannette and Jeannot, or the Conscript's
Bride " followed. It is founded upon the recently-pub-
lished " Songs of • Conscript," which are so well known
throughout the metropolis. It is, of course, a love story i the
the heroine expreemes in her farewell song to him her fears
hero, a peasant of Picardy, is drawn for the conscription, and
temptation
oof ght. He withstands , , and
" that he'll forget all the promises he made" directly he is
evutentually her siis united to Jeannette, who has meantimehowever refused
end brilliant offers. Considerable amusement was
created, and no bathe little confusion, by • noisy and
which • pathetic appeal from that sustained demandy gallerY of a hornpipe from demand,
gentleman, who
repre-
sented the incongruity of such a proceeding. in a French
subject, scarcely sufficed to silence. The audience were as
.
part of the theatre, not only within sight of the stage,
but to
numerous and noisy as could be desired, and occupied every
pl.". where no part of the performances could possibly be
seen BRITISH MUSEUM.
The rain and consequent diaoomfort of the day pro-
bably opeated considerably in dieniniabing the numbas of

under the first net. By die sureaa Miennount any ea pet
prietor could obtain was Hadted to 10A191. We quote the
following passage from aL made in 1110.1..at0 Magazine hie
F•henary last:
As s= we may meadamjthit In etothima.the Dote et BMW.
land be 50,0101.; ;Mari et Glenthith the thlhiliel.; the Dune
oe alsaread, r 30,0001.; des Merl i Mr. Jill.
Ise,SoaL; Amin the NMI
Menthem. Nut. ; larads lbs, i and Sir J. T.P•
Nalindo. ; mem einsimg boa 16,0001. damn
Wei. en aumai tiy=Texamealsis Zees*
atha. memi el thalweg
akesel. ;
under the act ; em
thostyn, 13,0001. ; thimteane Illathetheed, 18,0004•; the Dal hi
47,1331. ; the Eon of Leraeib. AWOL a hir E. Y. V.01%.70
16,9171. ; Ur. John Bowes, 13,3a11.t Mr. B. Errington, 31,4061. ;
many have demanded sundler sums.
01 course the three millions have long since been spro-
printed, and the settled estates of the kingdom are almost as
far from being drained u ever. The sum, though a large
advance from the public revenue, is a mere nothing when
divided amongst the owners of land requiring to be drained.
Of the policy of the act the article before referred to thus
'peaks :
The policy of this measure la, to say the least, questlonek* ell
seems likely to misdirect the attention of landowners NON* *se
knows anything of the actual slate of landed property willr=
meat assert that the three millions tobe ad.need will drain
perhaps set a twentieth port of the entailed lands which regalia
be drained, though it will assuredly prevent landowners front imkee.l
ing into ouch permanent arrangements with their tenants as trill In.l
duce them to drain their farms. Nee is there the slightest necessity
for any such advances, which operate as a premium on entails, at
this moment one of the most substantial ban to an unlimited im-
provement of British agriculture. if the landowners could restrict
and unit the productiveness of their land without detriment to the
community, they might perhaps be sickly permitted to indulge
without challenge the family or class pride which Is eerved
by settlement* and entails. But every restriction on the mo-
nomial use of land le a positive Ices to the public. But then they
rhouid balance the benefits against the disadvantages of restricted
ownership; and they ran have no right to seek the inconsistent ad-
vantages of the two systems—the fettered and the free enjoyment of
land—at the expense of the national treasury
tors That landed proprie-
tors are folly justified in asking the legislature to relieve them pee
tattle from the fetters of entail, we admit; for so. posing the opini
of their elan, not as yet to be rips for the entire abrogation of entails,
every such partial relief Is a public benefit, inasmuch as it tends to
promote improved husbandry. The proper mode of affording this
parted relief, however, would be by enabling the tenant fur life abso-
lutely to sell or perhaps mortgage so much of the elute as would
raise money millirem to improve the remainder. This, and the
Lewd power to grant teams at yearly retie (excluding fines and pre-
mium.) for tong terms, extending say to 30 years, are the only mea-
sures by which, ookiesteutly with sound principle, the legislature can
aid the improvement of entailed lands by acting upon the larellOrtre

menet.
In the positions of this extract we entirely concur.
But the principle involved in these draining loans is of
more importance than the actual transactions; it is this,
that the state is to furnish the landowners with the capital
required to drain their own estates, which capital, from the
. system they have themselves created or their own want of
providence, they cannot obtain in the ordinary way. It is
said in defence of these advances, that they will be the
means of employing productively many rural labourers, and
of increasing the supply of human food. But why are the
funds to be furnished by the state—funds, be it remem-
bered, drawn from the industrious classes of the community ?
And if the state is to be called upon to improve the land of
the landowners, why not also to make advances for im-
proving the machinery of the manufacturer, or " organising" '
and setting to work the operatives of the nation ?
We lament with justice the error of Louis Blanc and his
colleagues, when they attempt the impossitee task of finding
work and wages for all the labouring population of France
under the direction of the state, and denounce the class
domination whence that error proceeds, while we quietly
submit to an error similar in principle, dictated likewise by
clue domination. What has the state to do with fielding
capital for draining the estates of our great landowners?
Why cannot that essential improvement be left to private
enterprise and individual prudenee or industry ? If it is
the law of entail which prevents the owners of land from so
improving their properties, let the law be altered. The land-
owners are all powerful in the legislature. Or is it the
practice of primogeniture, the heaping all the wealth
upon one child, the "making one hand of the family
so strong that he can compel the public to keep
all the rest," that stands in the way of this the first step to
' good husbandry ? If so, let the landowners adopt a more
rational, and, we may add, a more just practice. But against
the scheme of improving and reclaiming the ill managed and
waste lands of our dominant landocracy with the national
funds a firm stand ought to be m►de. And bad as is the
principle of these loans, the practice is still worse. In Ire-
land, the unfortunate labourers employed to drain the land
find a large portion of their wages carried over to the account
of rent and arrears of rent, and thus, besides getting his land
drained at the public cost, the Irish landowner pockets his
otherwise unobtainable arrear of rent out of the treasury
loan. And in England many of the landlords who have ob-
tained loans charge their tenents with an interest of 7 per
cent. on the amount expended, while they pay to the tree- I
sury only 61. 10s. per cent., thus putting in their own pockets
10s. per cent. on the government loans to themselves with-
out any other trouble than that of asking for the loan. Is
this to be endured when the people are writhing under the
weight of taxation 1 And this is but a sample oi the things
we owe to the preponderant landed interest in the legis-
lature.

-- -
LOANS TO LANDOWNERS FOR DRAINING.
One of the remnants of the protectionist system is
the grant by government of loans to landowners to enable
them to drain their own estates, We have lately shown the
rise and progress of the modern plan of land-draining, by
which, at comparatively small cost, greatly increased value
may be given to immense tracts of wet land in these king-
doms. 01 the importance of such improvement to the
owners and occupiers of wet land there can be no doubt, and
though, even at 31. per acre, the outlay in draining a large
property is great, yet the benefits derived are • o numerous
and immediate, that, to all who do not know or consider the
actual condition of landed property in this country, the
slowness with which draining proceeds is matter of sur-
prise. Tenants, when men of skill and calonpital, will readily
drain their farms if secured in possession by g leases ; but
the English landlords generally
.refuse to grant leases lest
they should lose that political influence over their tenants
which they have hitherto exercised. Such icing the case,
the landlord ought himself to undertake the draining of his
property. But here again another cherished class preroga-
tive interferes. The law and practice of entails and pnma
geniture have so operated as to render nineteen-twentieths
of the landowners to a great extent nominal owners of the
land they apparently poetess. Their estates are heavily
charged with mortgagee and incumheanoes imposed to meet
the family or personal exigencies of former owners, and, while
they have only the power of further charging the property
with small sums of money for the uso of their
younger children, tho estate ot each trust go en- I
tire to the eldest eon. Now, to suppose that many
landlords so situated will or can lay out 31. or 41. per acre to
drain their wet land is absurd. They cannot do it if they
would. Few of them save anything, let their available in-
comes be ever so large; and the few who do nave money
need it for the advancement of their younger children, and
are naturally indisposed to invest it in the improvement of
theestate which must goo the eldest son. Thus, between
their desire for political influence, which prevents the grant-
ing of long and rational lessee, and their anxiety to uphold
the dominasey of the landed interest, by the accumulation of
all the family wealth in the hands of one individual 01 the
family, the economical value of the land as an instrument of
production remains unimproved.
An attempt was made by Mr. Pusey to remedy this state
of things, so far as regards draining, by an act 3 and 4 Vic.,
c. 55, to enable the possessors of settled estates to charge
such estates with money to be expended in permanent drain-
age. That set recites " That much of the land in England
and in Ireland would be rendered permanently more produc-
tive by improved draining; and nevertheless, by reason of
the great expense thereof, proprietors, having a limited inte-
rest in such land, are often unable to execute such drain-
ing ;" and also" That it is expedient, as well for the more
abundant production of food as for the increased employ-
ment of farming labourers, mad the extended investment
of capital in the permanent improvement of the
from
soil,
that such propnetors shall be relieved
this disability, due regard being had to the
interests of those in remainder." And the act then
enables tenants for life to apply by petition to the Court of
Chancery for leave to make permanentimprovements on their
lands " by draining the same with stones, tiles, or other
durable materials, in a permanent manner." Notice of
such petition must be served on the " person or persons be-
neficially entitled to the first vested estate of freehold of in-
heritance in remainder after the estate of the tenant for
life" ; and where such person is an infant, or under any
other disability, the notice of petition is to be
screed as the
court may direct. The particular scheme of mprovement
by draining is then to be laid before the master of the Court
of Chancery, and if be approves of it, the court will autho-
rise its performance. The tenant for life is then authorised
to charge the estate with the allowed sum, wth
i in
defined
Cit at
five per cent., but he must pay off the principal by
annual instalments, which are to be spread over 18 years.
Now, assuming that the landowners are determined to retain
their injurious law of entail and the practice of primogeni-
ture, nothing can be more reasonable than the provisions of
this act, which seem to meet then.essity of the case. list
it has proved practically inopee, for since its enactmen
not more than six or seven petitions have been presented.
And the reasons of this are obvious ; first, the landowner,
being tenant for life, does not like the payment of
the the instal-
court
ments and the cost of the application to
of chancery ; and secondly, if he has not the money to ad-
vance himself, it is not easy to find a lender who will take
back his capital in driblets. Besides which, our law of
real property is such, that the title the lender would obtain
under the act would seldom prove very satisfactory. While,
therefore, landlords will not grant leases, and will not or
cannot charge the estate with the cost of draining it, the int.
provement of strong wet land is at a stand-still.
Some o the protectionist landowners next hit upon the no-
table ac erne of getting their estates drained by means of ad-
vances from the Tt?•11117 ; and, accordingly, when Sir
Robert
P eel, in 1846, proposed to repeal the corn laws, he offered,
as a kind el sop to Cerberus, the advance of three millions
sterling to mein the landlords of the d
United Kingdom in
draining their estates. By 9& 10 Vic.,lanow noes
who desire to obtain a Treasury loan, are to make applica-
tion to the lncloeure Commissioners, who are, in tact, the
Tithe Commissioners, stating the particulars of the land pro-
posed to be drained, the manner in which the drainage is
proposed to be effected, the estimated expense, and the esti-
mated increase in the value of the land to be produced by
such drainage. On receiving such particulars, the commis-
sioners are to judge of the expediency of further pro-
ceeding in compliance with the application. If the
commissioners entertain the application, they cause
the plan, estimate, and specification of the proposed
drainage, or the land itself, to be inspected by an asaistant-
commissioner, or surveyor, or engineer, who is to report on
the application ; and if he be of opinion that the erainage
will effect an improvement in the annual value of the land,
which will exceed the annual amount charged by the act in
respect of the advance, and that the work is to be properly
executed, the commissioners certify Lo
an e treasury that •
certain sum may be properly advanced, then as the work
proceeds two-thirds of the actual expenditure will from time
to time be advanced. This is sailed the provisional certifi-
cate ; before the issuing of which two months' notice of the
application must be published in the London, Edinburgh, or
Dublin Gazette. This is to afford notice to persons who have
charges on the land already, who may dissent from the ad-
vance ; and if they do en the landowner
Whe must firs
tht e obtworkain an
is
order from the Court of Chancery
sufficieat, the commis
. n
completed, and has been reported to be
sinners forward a certificate to the treasury, and then the full
advance is made. On f
the issue of such certificate the lands
are charged with payment ta the norm of a rent charge o
61. 10s. on the amount advanced, for the term of 2'2 years.
This rent-charge is payable haltiearly at the same times,
and is recoverable in the same way as the assessed taxes, and
is to take precedence of all incumbrances. By act 11
& 12 Via. c. 12, the objects for which such advances
might be made were extended to making outtalk; through
other lands, and open drains and water courses,f and
l for
" fencing, trenching, and clearing the surface o waste ands
intended to be drained." Some notion may be gathered of
the extent to which our great landowners conceive their es-
' tatea to require draining from the some they applied for

THE CROPS.
No slight derangement has been occasioned in the
operations of the farmer by the great quantity of rain which
has fallen throughout the kingdom during the last three
months; and already the aspect of the wheat crops in many
extensive districts is regarded with great anxiety. February
was an extremely wet month, and was marked by unusual
depressions of the barometer. There were no less than nine-
teen wet days in that month, and the actual amount of rain
was nearly one-third greater than the average; yet February
is commonly a wet month. March, until the 27th of the
month, was also continuously wet, so much so that on all
the low lands and the ill-drained clays the wheat plant had
assumed a very sickly appearance. Smartly any prepare-
' tions for spring crops had been at that time made. Though
I farmers were not without anxiety then, there were several
circumstances of mitigation, if not of hope. In the first
place, for full nine months previously to February, far less
than an average of rain had fallen, so that the soil being un-
usually dry, had capacity for absorbing a great deal of moisture.
In the next place, the wheat bad been well got into the ground
in the autumn, was generally sown early, and, having re-
ceived scarcely any check from frost, was unusually vigorous
and forward, without being too luxuriant. Up to the second
week of March, therefore, though the rain which had fail .n
was somewhat redundant, the wheat had suffered less than
it has frequently done in winter from far smaller quantities
of rain, when the previous autumn has been more wet. The
temperature, too, bat been mild throughout the winter. By
about the 10th of March, however, the land in many places
had become saturated nay, supersaturated—with mois-
ture, and the health of the wheat plants declined ex-
cept on the light lands with porous subsoils, and the tho-
roughly-drained strong landi where there were sufficient
outtalls tor the water. On the low lands and the wet clays
the wheat was in serious peril. About the 27th of March
the weather beams fine, and continued, in the main, dry
up to the 7th of April, and some six or seven days of that
period were extremely hot. In a meteorological account we
find it stated that, on the Ord of April, "the thermometer
at 1 o'clock, in a southern aspect, stood at 110 degrees, at
the house of the head-keeper in Richmond-park." T •
effect of this change upon the wheat was prodigious;
so that, by the 10th of April, the plant had uni-
versall recovered its healthy hue, and looked, even on
the coy ldest clays, stronger and better than at the
corresponding period for some years past. But on the 12th
the rain recommenced, and on the nights of the 13th, 15th,
and 17th instant, enormous quantities of rain again fell, and
the land having still retained much wet, the deterioration of
the wheat has been considerable. We passed through a district
of strong and wet land, of many miles in extent, on Monday
the 10th inst., and having returned on the 16th, it was im-
possible to avoid astonishment at the great change for the
worse, which, during that interval, had taken place inLiert-
the
wheat. This applies to parts of Midliesex, Amex, and
fordshire.
Spring corn and pulse have likewise been but indifferently
sown, and in many places the HMSOII has been lost altogether.
There has also been great difficulty it, making the land ready
for marigold wand, which ought by this time to be planted,
but so yet we have not seen or heard of an instance in which
it has been done.
On the other hand, there is every prospect of an abundant
crop of grass. a matter of no little importance to the com-
munity, when we consider the high price of meat. Of
sheep stock in particular there is a decided scarcity,
and though the docks have this year been remark-
ably prolific, such extensive tomes of both ewes and lambs
have been sustained from the wet weather of March that it
is doubtful whether the increase wid, upon the whole, be
more than an average. For several years past there has been
an increasing scarcity of sheep, aring partly from the deli.
ciency of food two years ago, which causes an immense
number of sheep to be hurried prematurely to mark, t ; in
part to the large consumption of in, at which has beer, ping
on for several years by railway workmen—for the first
luxury a well paid agricultural labourer indulges in a full
quantity of mat; and also to the change which has of late
years taken place in sheep farming. Farmers have ex-
changed their breeding flocks for dry fatting sheep, for the
sake of the improvement of their land consequent upon fat-
ting stock. We find a point noticed in the report ot y
spring sheep fair (Berkshire), where it
br is said th
was t " the
e
general opinion expressed by many large eederst
the stock of sheep in England is getting very short, and that
without large importations from the continent or other 1.
countries mutton must go still higher. Although in some
districts the increase of the season has been good, yet there
are many hitherto breeders who have now changed their
breeding into dry flocks, the very high price giv
een
for fat sheep being the chieuse for such chang"
The remedy for this is thaf t cause for such chan
The remedy for this ii that farmer' should adopt
the more improved method of sheep farming, which
combines on the same farm both breediag and feeding, and
under which breeding stock is kept in nearly as high condi-
tien as fatting sheep. The advantage gained by the early
maturity of young animals, which are allowed from
r theiro r
birth a full supply of good food, is very great to the p
of meat, while nothing but its more extensive adoption can
supply the consumers of meat at reasonable prices. The I
same deficiency of sheep is noticed in the amounts of the
wool markets, and one writer attributes it to the sacrifice of
their stock made by farmers under the influence of the pro-
tectionist-created panic, when Sir Robert Peel's measure for
rm peitting the importation of foreign sheep became lahas
w.
We believe that the deficiency of stock provender which
(scuffed several times since 1842 has had more to do with
the high price of sleep, and the consequent inducement of
farmers to send all they can to market, than the importa-
tion, That wag soots found out to be no injury to the Bri-
tish fiockmaster. And the farmer who fears competition
with the foreign sheep which may be seen weekly in Smith-
field-market must indeed be a novice at his business. The
present abundant prospect of grass is favourable to the in-
crease of neat stock, whielt, like theep, have bath allowed to
get too low.