The Express.
London, England, 1846-09-21 00:00:00

Yet what a picture of agricultural desolation is
presented ! And the description would apply, with
very slight variations, to thousands upon thousands of
acres in England. In spite of the obvious cause
of backward husbandry in such districts, the land-
owners commonly regard their cribbed and cabined
hedge-rows and abundant timber with a sort of
superstitious affection. Not one in fifty would con-
sent to the removal of these absolute bars to good
farming. Here, then, we find improvement stopped
at the very threshold by obstacles of which the
removal is quite out of the tenant's power. It is
scarcely necessary to say that the occupiers of such
lands are generally men of little capital and skill.
If the owner of land thinks it advantageous to him
to grow timber, he should set apart distinct por-
tions of his estate as plantation, in which arboriculture
might be properly carried on. The writer from whom
we have before quoted says:

" Fledge-row timber, from its exposed situation, i" generally short
and of stunted growth, eonsistinx principally of boughs, and there-
fore of but little value in the market"

And he adds :

It is common to see eery inferior trees do more injury in three or
four years to the crops than the whole value of the trees will amount
to otter continuing the mischief fur half a century?'

The same views would be expressed by any intel-
ligent farmer or land-agent ; yet this state, this waste,
of property goes on year after year, as if it were
inevitable. Nevertheless, nothing but the will to
remove the evil is wanted. The causes of the mischief
may be made to furnish the means of cure. Ilear
what the prize essayist says as to the facility with
which the Weald of Kent might be improved:

" The produce of the hedge-rows, consisting of timber and roots,
would, after paying the expenses of grubbing, levelling, ere., go a
great way in defraying the cost of thoroughly draining the *bole of
the weala. In some situations it would be more than adequate. 714.
district, three'',' possesses within itself the mesas of its own
amelioration. All that is required is tr, go about the business in a
judicious manner. The Weald of Kent cannot be cleared up and
drained in a year. Even if it could, it would not be desirable.
Haste is not always sound program. There is now a dense
population in this district, owing to the increasing hop culture, a
Ise, portion of whom were in fanner years frequently thrown upon
the rates in the winter months. By following nut a comprehensive
system of progressive improvement, every band in the district, for
an indefinite time to 00111 e, might be profitably employed throughout
the year. The cheapest and most effective way of carrying out this
great object would be for the owner. of land to commence their opera-
tions systematically, and to do nothing by piecemeal. Whatever is
done should be done thoroughly. and not interfere with any improve-
ment to be subsequently effected. It would be well fur every estate
to he annually kinked over with great care, with reference to per-
manent improvement, and to commence with what is most needed.
The best way, perhaps, would be for the landlord to jely the whole
expense of the draining, conducting it under his ns n superinten-
dence, and to charge a lair per centage on the rental. A judicious
outlay might be made to yield, in many parts of this county, five
or per cent., with a very great advantage to the occupying
tenant."

Here, then, we have a plain, unpretending amount
of the way in which a wide and important district
may be improved, and of the first steps which must
be taken to render improvement practicable. This
district is similar in its main features to numerous
other districts where improvement is equally needed,
and where it is as much impeded by obstacles beyond
the reach of the tenant. In the remedies pro-
posed we meet with nothing like land thrown out of
cultivation, or tenants displaced. On the contrary,
a determination on the part of landlords and tenants
to co-operate in the use of means already at their own
disposal, is alone required to improve cultivation, and
create a fair profit where little, if any, has hitherto
existed. This is the practical mode of regarding agri-
culture; and the ultimate result is most hopeful.

The Paris papers of Friday have reached us. They
contuia no local news of importance. The Spanish,
marriages we .e still the subject of comment ; the
Debut* saying that the marriage of the Duke de
Montpensier strikes the last blow to the Carlist party,
while in the same breath it publishes the escape of
Count de Nlontemolin on the 16th ult. _

The dispensations for the marriages of the Queen
!of Spain with the Infant Don Francisco De Assis,
and of the Duke de Montpensier with the Infanta
Maria Luisa, were s,gned by the Pope on the Bth
inst. The latter arrived at the Foreign Office in
Paris on Thursday.
An attack,' to the French embassy at Madrid arrived
in Paris on Thursday, with a portrait of the Infanta,
painted by a SpaniXartist, Ceeilio Corro, and sent to
the Duke de Montpensier. The deed of settlement
was expected on Sunday, and, as soon as it is ratified
by the King, it will be returned to the plenipotentia-
ries at Madrid.

Since the above was in type, we have received our
express, and the Paris papersof the 19th. The pro 7
elamation of Count Mentemolin, which we give in
another place, was published in the papers of Satur-
day. There is no other news of importance.
his rumoured that the ticklish question of Tahiti
is entirely settled between Lord Palmerston and M.
Guizot—that the French protectorate is to remain as
at present established, and a line of demarcation to be
agreed on between the two Governments. Queen
Pomare is to be reinstated in part of her dominions.
The steamer Asmod/u, commanded by M. Blanc,
which left Naples on the 10th, reached Toulon on
Saturday evening, with despatches from Vice-Admi-
ral the Prince de Joinville. _

It was reported at Toulon that the squadron would
be ordered to the coast of Morocco, where, under pre-
sent circumstances, it was believed its presence would
produce a desirable effect.

'ADRID, SEPT. 11.—The following was received
at Paris on Friday night, by extraordinary express.
The sitting of the Senate and of the Congress has
been opened.
M. Isturitz, President of the Council, read the fol-
lowing message to the two Chambers:—

10 THE (OHM,

" H. M. the Queen has ordered us to inform the Cortes,
according to the terms of Art. 47 of the constitution, that,
after long and serious deliberations on what was best for the
welfare of the monarchy and her own happiness, she has
resolved to contract a marriage with her august cousin, the
Infant Don Francisco de Assis Maria of Bourbon.

" 11. M. has likewise ordered us to announce to the Cortes
in the same manner, and to the same intent, that H. It. li.
the Infanta Maria Luisa Fernanda, of Bourbon, her
august sister, and at present heir presumptive to the crown,
intends, with consent and will of the Queen, to contract a
marriage with 11.R.11. Antoine-Marie Philippe Louis
d'Orleans, Duke of Montpensier.
" Her Majesty hopes that these marriages will contribute
efficaciowly to the happiness and prosperity of the monarchy,
to her own happiness, and to that of her august sister; and
she hops that the Cortes of the kingdom, who have given
so many proofs of their love and devotion to the crown, of
the interest they bear to the grandeur and prosperity of the
nation, awl to the firm establishing of its institutions, will join
in these consolatory hopes, and will be-etch the Almighty to
grant their speedy accomplishment, and give to Spain a new
era of peace, of concord, and of happiness.
" Madrid, Sept. 14,1846."
In the Senate and in the Congress the communica-
tion was received with emotion and respect. No
demonstrations were made from the tribunes.
The Minister of Finance then demanded the au-
thority to levy contributions. This is the point on
which the opposition intends giving battle.
M Orense then rose amidst universal silence, and
demanded if the marriage of the Duke of Mont-
pensier was to take place immediately, or whether
it was to be adjourned until the Queen had given
direct successors to the Crown ?_ _

M. Isturitz rlied at once that the marriage of
the Queerrand of the Infanta were to be relehroted at
the aline time. The precise tone of this answer
caused a lively sensation.
sL Orense sat down without endeavouring to bring
cn a discussion. _ .

A commission was then formed in the congress for
the address. It is composed as follows : MM. Sar-
torias, Olivan, Benavides, Alvarez, Pesada Herrera,
Gallardo, and Bravo Murillo. All of them in their
respective bureaux pronounced themselves in favour
of the message.
The commission appointed to examine the proposed
bill for authorising contributions, is composed, with
the exception of one, of friends of the government.
The populace which surrounded the Assembly Hall
were perfectly quiet; not a shout was heard, and there
we re no symptoms of excitement.
On the 16th inst. the whole of the senate pro.
ceeded in state to congratulate the Queen on the
marriage of herself and sister. The address read by
the president was in terms of the greatest approba-
tion. The proposed address of the congress is drawn
up in the same spirit.
EVASION OF COUNT MONTEMOLIN, SON OF DON
CARLOI3.-It was on the evening of the 14th that
Count Montemolin left Bourges. On the 12th, he
dined with the Prefect of the Cher, and the military
commander of the department. It was thirty blurs
before his departure was known, owing to measures
taken of a similar nature to those employed at Ham
to conceal for a whole day the escape of Prince Louis.
There was a report on the Pari3 Bourse, on Friday,