The Express.
London, England, 1850-02-09 00:00:00

(0.) A septennial fine of 1501., and 1W rent in pee.
mend; or
n.) 441. rent In pnesenti.
them four alternatives as equivalent, the
.harsh went by adopting any one of then, obtain what
would be equivalent to 441, rent in pretend, instead of the
present septennial fines of 1601., which are equivalent, ea
above premised, to a rent of 251. This would give the
church an increase of 191. on 251.,1. • , 76 per ant.
On the other hand, the lessee, whilst he retained 661. per
annum of the annual value, instead of 751. pee annum as at
present, would be freed from the present uncertainties as to
renewal and the rata of fine, and secure the advantage of
his own impreeemente for an extended period.
2.-Buppooe the eau of a lease in the exempted districts,
the flee being ono and a half year's annual finable raw,
the lasso fourteen years, and the finable ulna of 1001.,
the lease would have the right of perpetual renewal on
ono or other of the following equivalent alternatives—
namely :
(A) 100?. i.e. two-thirds of the present flue, and
311. Bs. 'Bd., one-third of the finable value, ea rent
to commence fourteen years hence;
(B.) or 1001. fine, and 211. rent in pretend ;
(0.1 or 1501. fine, and 121. 131. 4d. rent in pretend;

(D.) 371. 13s. 4d. rent in prrasenti.
Comparing this last equivalent alternative v:s.,
371. 13s. 4d. net in reran% with the present Knee, which
are tetravalent to 261. rent, it will be found that the church
would obtain en increase of 601. per cent. beyond the pre.
sent fines; whilst the luau, instead of enjoying practically,
although uncertainly, 761. of the annual value, (s. e) three-
fourths, would retain permanently 621. fis. Bd., which ismere
than three-filthe of the annual value, besides the other ad
vantages of improvements before alluded to.
3rd. In the ease frequent in the south of England, namely,
where the fine is two years' annual value, the arrange.
ment would stand thus:
(A.) Either 1001., i. e. half the present fine, and half
the fineable value, namely, 601. rent at the end of
fourteen yeon;
D. or 1001. fine, and 311. 10e. rent in prsmati ;
C.) or 2001. fine, and 141.1&.8d. rent in prenenti; or
D ) 481. rent in panenti.
This would give an increase to the church of 141. 16s. 341.
above the 331. 6s. Bd., which is the annual value of the pre-
sent flute, namely, an increase 01 44 per cent.*
We think that some one of the above alternatives should
be made compulsory, in case the parties sinned not ogres •
but which of them should be made compulsory, we submit
to your Majesty, should be left to parliament to deter-
mine.
The large actual interest of the lessees in the estates, and
the small actual inkiest of the church, appear to us to
snake these terms practicable and advantageous to both
parties.
The second case above cited affords a convenient illustra-
tion of this point. In that cue the lessees enjoy, on the
whole, an inters t, as has been sees, equivalent to three.
fourths of the annual value of the estates; the church re-
taining one-fourth. By reducing the interest of the lessees
to three-fifths, and snaking it permanent, the smaller rate.
rest of the church will receive a large comparative augmen.l
tation at a very moderate sacrifice on the part of the lessees.
If, by default o f the leases, the renewal should not be ef-
fected at the usual period, or within three calendar months
afterwards, we think that interest should be chorged, at the
rate ci 4 per rant. for the first year, and of 6 per cent. per
annum to the two following years ; and if by the like de-
fault three yesn should be allowed to lapse, the lessee should
not bs entitled, as of right, to any renewal ; and the lessor
should be at liberty to pant a concurrent lease to take effect
in possession at the expiration of the existing term.
We should observe, that the foregoing piopositions aro not
intended to be applied to the cases of lands belonging to
thclesiutieal corporations, where by mutual arrangement
between the parties the leases are now in the course of being
run out, or are intended so to be, or where there is an express
understanding to that effect; or to the cues of lands which
have been prospectively assigned towards the augmentation
of the endowments of spiritual cures.
There are some lands, more especially smaller holding.,
which we think might be advantageously sold or exchanged,
with the sanction of the Central Board.
FARMS AND LANDS (EXCLUSIVE OF MANORS, HOUSE PRO-
PERTY, MINES, AND WOODS,) HELD UNNER LEASES FOR
LIVES.
We think that the leases for lives ghoul!, in the first
instance' be converted into leases for years, and when
reduced by &Mallon of time to terms of tourteen years that
they should be treated as leases for years are proposed to be
dealt with under the preceding recommendations.
The lives should be valued and the rate of interest Wm-
land according to the usage of the district, but a certhicate
of age and health should be furnished.
The Central Board should be empowered to commute a
part of the future rent and fines into a smaller rent, to com-
mence at an ear"ier period.
In the event of any life in the lease being precarious, a
shorter term should bet given as the equivalent ; or, is case
of any disagreement on this point the conversion of the
lease for lives into a lease for years should not take effect
until the dropping of the precarious life.
In some casts it may happen that the lives in the lease
hays been insured by the lessee, or that they are the lives
of members of the lessee's family, and that for this or other
personal reasons the lessee may be desirous that his lease
should not be at once converted into a lease for years. The
Central Board should be authorised, in such cases, instead
of converting the lease for lives into a lease fur years, to
proceed as follows, viz :
Assuming the case of a full stated lease:—Upon the
dropping of the first hie the Central board should renew
the lease, not by the addition of a new life, but by the
addition of such a reversiocary term of years, to commence
on the death of the survivor of the lien in being, as should
be equivalent to the addition of such new life.
The like process should be repeated on the dropping ofthe
second life.
On the dropping of the third life, the lease would thus
become a lease for years, to be dealt with se before men-
tioned.
The fine to be taken in these cases should be calculated
according to the practice of the district, but only upon half
the finable value, and a rent should be reserved to the lessor
equal to half the finable value, to commence at the dropping
of the last life.
Arrangements might easily be made for enabling the
lessee to pay a less rent commencing at an earlier period,
similar Is those already suggested as regards leases for years.
We think it probable that in dealing with these cress
held upon leases for lives, some legislative provision will be
found necessary in order to m^-et the consequences which
might otherwise result from the conversion of • freehold into
a chattel interest.
WOODS AND WOODLANDS.
These are frequently held under lease, but a considerable
extent of valuable woodlands is in hand.
We would recommend that all timber now growing on the
leasehold estates held under the church should be valued at
the next period of renewal, and paid for by the lessee, and
thenceforth he eeasidend as his property ; and that the fu-
tare fines should be assessed upon the value of the land with-
out reference to any timber growing thereon.
We would here suggest, that in future there be no reser-
vation of game, but that it should in all cases go with the
lease.

ills AND TITHIS.

The whole of the tithe commutation rent-charges belong-
ing to the several bodice into the management of whose
revenues your Majesty has commanded us to inquire now
produce a gross annual sum of 6.50,0001. at the least.
The greater proportion of these rent-charges, and also the
uncommuteil tithes bolonging to the same bodies, are let on
leases for lives or 21 years.
A considerable amount of tithe property also is in hand.
We think that leases of tithe rent-charges should be dealt
with on different principles from those suggested fur the
management of land. The reasons which exist for retaining
the lune, on the landed estate' and establishing a sort of
partnership between them and the church are not applicable
to the case of tithe rent-charges. These have neither been
formed by the past exertions, nor are to be improved by the
joint future exertions, of lessees and lesson; nor is there
any feeling in respect of such property analogous to that en-
tertained by &lessee of land.
We recommend, therefore, that all leases of tithe rent-
charges as d tithes belonging to the bodies before alluded to
shoad be suffered to run out, and not be renewed except in
special came of leases for twenty-oos years where they are
under settlement or mortgage ; and that in such special
cases, with the approval of the Central Board, the leases be
I once mom renewed for seven yeses.

---
iANOi2, HOUSE PiOPEETT, AND MINES.
We have endeavoured to avply principles analogous to the
foregoffig to the several descriptions of property above men-
tioned, and hid hoped to have embodied in this report our
recommendations thereupon ; but each of them has presented
so puny difficulties and peculiarities that we have deemed it
'ma ientto reserve them for further consideration, and make
them the subject of a second report, which we hope to be
prep tred to lay before year Majesty very shortly.

MATES LET AT B. 11111; OR IN HAND.
We recommend that all property let at rack rent, or in
hand, should, as • general rule, be retained in the urns oon•
dition, subject to the power of kale or exchange hereinafter
advised.
Having reported to your Majesty in the preceding reoots-
mendatiens our opinions and suggestions for the better ma-
nagement 01 church property generally belonging to episco-
pal and capitular bodies, we propose next to offer some
further remarks se to the particular mode in which we think
the proposed new system of management might be best car-
ried out with respect to the Wales rri each class of dignitaries
and bodies separately, and also as to " what improvement
might be made in the existing law and practice relating to
the incomes of such bodies respectively, so u best to secure
to them fixed instead of fluctuating incomes."
Fallowing the order contained in your la tjesty's commis-
sion, we proceed—
First,—with respect to the Estates of Archbishops and
Bishops, and their Incomes.
It may be useful here to explain how the episcopal re-
venues are at present regulated under the provisions of the
act 6 & 7 Will. IV., C. 77.
That set aims at seJaring to the archbishops, and to cer-
tain bishops named, average mensal income. of stated
amounts, and to the other bishop, average annual incomes
of not Woe than 4,0001. nor more then 6,0001. ; and it ex-
pressly provides that the arrangements for that• purpose shall
be effected by charging on the one kind and granting on
the other fixed annual payments. Power is also given by the
act for a rovision of the fixed annual payments at the end
of every seven rare, upon new returns of the episcopal re-
venues • but any alteration made upon any such periodical
revisice; is not to come into operation till the then next
vacantly of the see.

• If Instead of converting the fine into rent and the rent Into
fine at 4 per cent. tate of intereet, they were to be to converted at 31
per ant. rate of interest, the alternatives (A.) and (B.) herein set
forth, would remain the same as elated. The alternative C. would
be somewhat increased, end the alternative (D.) alightly