The Express.
London, England, 1846-09-16 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

THE CEREMONY or LAYING Till FOUNDATION &TONI
OP TRINITY COLLEGE, Perthshire, was performed on Tues-
day, last week. The rain fell in torrents, but, nothwith-
st►nding, a large concourse of people from the surrounding
country assembled to witness the imposing scene. The be-
ginning of the proceedings was announced by the appear-
ance of the principal dignitaries of the episcopal church in
Scotland, the Right Rev. Primate Skinner, Bishops Russell,
Moir, and Low, followed by a large number of the clergy,
and various noblemen, gentlemen, and ladies, walking two-
and-two from the College. Amongst those present were the
Right Hon. Lord Gray, the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone,
the Hoa. .1. C. Talbot, Sir John Gladstone, and Sir P. M.
Threipland. The ceremony commenced by prayer. after
which Sir John Gladstone received the bottle containing the
documents, and deposited it in the cavity prepared under the
stone, after the usual manner on such occasions. The War-
den of the College then delivered a long address ; and, alter
the benediction had been pronounced by the Primus, the
procession returned to the College, to partake of a sumptuous
de:feigner.
Tun Renter marmots COURT at Edinburgh has closed its
labours after an unusually protracted sitting. The follow-
ing is an abstract of results :—Liberals admitted on the
register, 1,097 ; Liberals expunged from the register, 208 ;
Increase of Liberals in the interest of the present members
for the city, 889 ; Conservatives admitted, 194; Conserva-
tives expunged, 119 ; Increase of Conservatives, 7i. Sup-
porters of Sir C. E. Smith admitted, 313; Supporters of
Sir C. E. Smith expunged, 163 ; Increase, 1.50 ; Admitted
claims of partiee whose polities have not been ascertained,
91; Total increase on the register, 1,20-5.
UNIVERSITY or GLASOOW.-At a meeting of the Fa-
culty, held on the 11th instant, Mr. William Thomson, 8.A.,
Fellow of St. Peter's College, Cambridge, was unanimously
elected Professor of Natural Philosophy, in the place of the
late Dr. Meikleham. . .

REPRESENTATION OP STIRLING.—At R meeting of the
electors and other inhabitants of Stirling, held on Wednes-
day night, to hear an address from John Smith, Esq., can-
didate for that district of burghs, Mr. Smith stated that he
was no party politician, but a practical man, opposed to all
class legislation, commercial, political, and religious ; that, as
a practical man, he had during eighteen years devoted him-
self to the subject of free trade, as being, in his opinion, of
more importance in its consequences to the well-being of the
people than any other. Tnat now this great question had
been settled, so far as the acknowledgment of the justice of
the principle, and the importance of carrying it out to the
fullest extent, ho began to look about to see what was the
next most important question to be decided, and he thought
it was the question of education, as it lay at the foundation
of all future progress. An ignorant people were a vicious
people.—Glasgow Argus.
RUMOURS!) CHANGE! IN THE STEWARTRT.—A corre-
spondent of the Wigionshire Free l'ress reports a rumour
that a vacancy is likely to emir in the Stewartry, by the
promoti of its representative, the Solicitor-General, to the
, on the retirement of one of the present Judges of the
Court of Session early in spring.
FAILURE OP THE POTATO CROP, AND SCARCITY IN THE
WESTZEN HIORLANDS AND ISLANDS.—During the last
week we had an opportunity of witnessing, in some measure,
the extent of the failure of the potato crop in the Western
Highlands; and the result satisfied us that so far from the:evil
having been exaggerated, it is impossible for any one who
has not seen its devastations to form an adequate idea of its
extent. The truth is, that throughout the Western High-
lands and Islands the potato is extinct. In order to enable
the reader to judge of the amount of lam in the district of
Lorn and neighbourhood, and in several of the western is-
lands, we have obtained from an intelligent farmer, near
Oban, the following statement, which may be depend d upon
as a fair and well-considered estimate of the ansual quanti-
ties of potatoes raised for Pale and fur consumption in the
district, and, consequently, of the amount aloes this year,
when throughout the wide tract of country embraced in trig
estimate, the crop is an entire failure.—

40 tamper 1001. of rent, on 20,0001., being one-half real rent
of districtlo,4oo
20 do. prr 1001. cidltto on Inland farina, nay 26,0004. .3,2004
20 do. for Wands et Nall, Time, Coll, Ruin, Muek, and
e.tnna; and ha 1111V/A.lClogcrloeb, Ardnannuroban, Son-
mart, and Ardour. .......... ....... 2,3(0
47,900

Total twos raised for sale

Population of above disirTeta:=-
lure
Mull

47,162
Deduct one-half for Infant population 23,4til
Allow each KT 14011 a barrel of potatoes a fortnight, for nine
months in the year, or a ton each for the whole year

Total ton. of potatnea raised for rale snd cessomption
in the districts 41,4S I
Value of 41,500thn0, at 2/. per ton 0.3,1400
Ditto of fre4cht on 18,0110 tons, at lOn. per toe 9,1100
[lino of pig. fed on potatoes, and kraa as Mon, may
10,000, at 21. each

t 112,1101
There is every reason, as we have said, to regard this as
by no means an exaggerated estimate of the loss from the
potato failure in the district mentioned ; and we press it
upon public attention the more earnestly, that no time may
be lost in inquiring into the condition and prospects of the
population who are thus deprived of their chief, and, is
the majority of instances, sole, means of subsistence. We
have seen some startling indications of the destitution
which begins to prevail, and which, we have no hesita-
tion in saying, is on the eve of involving thousands of the
poor islanders in all the horrors of starvation. They
are reluctant to let their circumstances be known even
to tech other; but we have obtained information from
those to whom they freely confide the secret of their
privations, we mean their clergymen; and it is to these
gentlemen that we would entreat the authorities instantly
to resort for an account of the real condition and prospeota
of the people. In one island we have accompanied the
minister in his visits, and have had families pointed out to
us who wore already deprived of the means of procuring
their next meal. We have heard a poor woman acknow-
ledging, in her native tongue, that a small contribution
from the hand of her pious pastor and benefactor had ena-
bled her to procure the only food she had received for four-
and-twenty hours. The benevolent lady of this gentleman
had, a day or two before our visit, called upon a Wally whom
she suspected to be in straitened circumstances. She found
the children crying bitterly for food ; and their mother told
her that there was none to give them. The husband, who
had been out fishing, return( d home unsuccessful while the
lady war there, anl in her presence fainted twice ficon.
hunger. Some of the people are reduced to one meal a-day
of the eoarsest fare. Others are living on shell-fish, arid
eking out their wretched meal with sea-weed. Many are
parting with their pigs, because they are unable to feed
them; and the pittance they receive for them is all that
stands betwixt them and want. We saw a vessel laden
with pigs, setting off on her voyage for the Glasgow
market. Poor people are selling their cows for the same
reason; and some are reduced to the sad alternative of
disposing of their boats. In not a few cases which came
under our observation, the people are in this predica-
ment:—for a small piece of potato ground, obtained
from the crofters or small farmers, the cottager' give their
labour when it is required ; and after losing their potato
crop, many were obliged to remain at home to implement
this engagement, who might otherwise have been employed
at the well-paid harvest-work in the low country. It is
indeed gratifying to know that an unusually large number
of tke people have been thus employed at remunerating
wages during the harvest ; but they bear a small pr :portion
to the masses of helpless poor who have no prospect
before them but want and misery during the approaching
winter. In some. of the Islands disease has already.
appeared in the most afflictive forms,—but too evidently
resulting from inadequate or unwholesome food In
tke island of Tiree, we are informed, this is already the
case to an alarming extent; and there is no disguising the
fact that unless something is doneimmediately with the view
of affording supplies of food to the inhabitants of the islands
generally, consequences will inevitably and speedily ensue,
which it is revolting to every humane mind to contemplate.
We observe that the Free Church Synod of Argyll sent a
deputation last week to the Lord Advocate, to urge upon his
attention, and, through him, that of her Majesty's Govern-
ment, the clamant state of the Highlands and Islands. ft is
apparent that it will require the united efforts of the land-
lords and the government, supplemented, perhaps, by public
nbecriptiona, to avert the worst effects of one of the most
awful calamities withlwhich it has ever pleased Providence
to afflict these lands.—ScottisA Guardian.

WALES.
REPLESENTATION OP DENBIGHSHIRE.—It is rumoured
that the Hon. W. Bigot. does not intend again to offer
himself for the representation of the county in parliament.
That the Lieutenant thereof, Colonel R. M. Biddulph, will
become a candidate . • and that Charles Watkin Williams
Wynne? Esq. son of the right hon. member for Nonage-
meryshms, will be a candidate for the Denbighshire barougba.
v;ee T. hhietwaring, Beg., as it is said that this gentleman
will not a second time seek the suffrages of the electors.

PROVINCIAL.
LANCAMME.
CHANGE AGAINST A CVEROYMAN.—lnformation having
been laid (says the Manchester Guardian) before the Lord
Bishop of the diocese by Mr. W. Belling and Mr. J. Mawds-
ley, two of the trustees of the property belonging to the lec-
tureship of the parish of Bolton, charging the Rev. Henry
Richardson, the lecturer, with drunkenness, his lordship
directed soommiminu to issue to inquire into the conduct of the
rev. gentleman. On Tuesday hat the commissioners sat in the
school-room attached to the parish church. The court con-
sisted of the Rev. Chancellor Raikes, the Rev. Archdescon
Rushton, the Rey. E. Girdleston, and the Rev. Mr. Brand-
reth. Mr. Watkins appeared on behalf of the trustees,
and Mr. Winder defended Mr. Richardson. Mr. John
Travers and Mr. Leah Lord were called to say that
Mr. Richardson did not bear the characte of a sober
man. Mr. W. Bolling, Mr. J. Mawchley, Mr. J. Horrocks

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