The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-08 00:00:00

LONDON, sAruEDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER, 8, 1855.

MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL, AGRI-

CULTURAL SfiCIETY.

(From, the Liverpool Mercury.)

The annual show of live stack, implements, &c., in
connection with this seciety was held yesterday at St.
Helen's. • The interest of the proceeding 4 was much
enhanced by the fineness of the day, and the ground was
thronged by a large and highly respectable company,
the nurnbert, b,-ing, RR usual, considerably augmented
after 1 o'clock, at the reduced charge of admi' sign.
Among the company we observed Lord Stanley, Lord
Skeloiersdale, Sir R. Gerard Mr. Win. Pilkiugton, Mr.
E. Pilkington, Mr. T. Townely Parker, jen., Mr. J. T.
Blackburn, Mr. R. Lredger, Dr. Sillar, •Mr; J. E.
Pemberton, Mr. Whit, Mr. J. Clare, Mr. J. Watt,:
Mr. T. Greenall, Kr, J. Stubbs, &c.
The dinner, w'aich was held at the Market-hall, was
attended by upwards of 500 persons, and Lord Stanley
occupied tl-,e chair.
After ,:irinking the usual loyal toast, his LORDSHIP
gave " The Emperor and the Empress of the French."
There are points in the career of Napoleon (he said) upon
which we, as foreigners, are hardly competent to form a
judgment ; but there are also traits in his personal cha
meter which Englishmen can feel and appreciate, so long
as the value in those who govern the qualities of a clear
judgment, a strong will, and a mind undisturbed alike
by passion and by fear ; and even those who may take a
less favourable and friendly view of the man will not, I
press me, refuse to pay a proper and customary mark of
respect to one who has in turn been the guest and the
host of our-Sovereign, who is a strong and faithful ally,
and who, under Providence, and next to our own right
hand, is our mainstay in the great struggle 7n which the
two nations are engaged. I give " the Emperor and
Empress of the French." (Loud applause.)

After other toasts,
Mr. J. T. BLACKBURN gave "the health of their noble
President," which was honoured with three tunes three.
Lord STANLEY rose and was warmly applauded. He
said—lf my duty in now rising were limited to the
simple function of returning thanks for myself, I should
neither think it necessary to occupy much of your time
in dwelling on so insignificant a subject, nor should I
labour under that feeling of diffidence which I confess
oppresses me on considering the magnitude of the task
I have undertaken. Personally I have no claim on your
regard, except one—that Lancashire men are apt to en
tertain a warm and kindly feeling towards one who bears
en old Lancashire name. Bnt, gentlemen, it is now my
duty te propose to you that which is justly and empha-
tically described as the toast of the evening, "Success
to the Manchester and Liverpool Agricultural Society."
(Applause.) In so doing, I do not apprehend it will be
necessary for me to enter at any length into a vindica-
tion of the utility of associations of this class. They
exist in all profesidoes—they exist in all the pursuits of
if ; and their object may be simply defined as this—
you waet to give to all who follow a particular pursuit
the benefit of the experience of each. Subordinate to
tnat also is another purpose— the discouraging of idle-
ness and neglect of bringing to bear the powerful stitnn-
Ins of competition and of recommending by public prizes
those for whom the prospect of such prizes and honour
operates snore strongly than the contemplation of mere
pecuniary reward. (Hear.) Now, what is the history
of agricultural progress in this country ? Up to the
middle of the last century hut little bad been done by
the isolated efforts of individuals—nothing at all had
been dine by the cambitiatien of many persons in one
bo fy—to raise agriculture from its rude and primitive
-tote, aid to elevate it to the rank of a science. The
first society of a character at all analosseus to this—the
first society establishei in the United Kingdom—hears
date, I believe, in the year 1723. It was established
in Scbt'end, and it was called "The Society of Irn-
prayers in the Knowledge of Agriculture." (Hear.)
liet life not was lone, but the experiment had answered its
eiirpose; other societies followed in due course, and in
1784 (he still-existing and flourishing Highland Agrieul-
tient Society was founded. About 110 years back—l
sink it was in the year 1747—a similar body was er-
gs-wised in Ireland, with what success I do not exactly
know, but, judging by the present results, I am afraid
with less success than the exertions of its founders de-
served, In England, between 1750 and 1800. various local
associations were formed, but the first really important
step, the first oreision on which the movement assumed a
national maenitude was the formation by Sir James Sin-
e:air—and all credit is due to him for the work—of the
Board of Agt ieulture in 1793. (Hear.) That board
ex-
isted until 1816. It did touch, though in a rude and
rough way, to supply better and faller agricultural sta-
tietics than had up to that time been attained. ((sear )
It gave a vast impetus to scientific agriculture, arid so
strong and so lasting was the impression which it left on
the public mind, that many years after its decease- in
1834, the want of some such organisation being felt,
A new and snore extensive society was forme,', which
still lives and flourishes, and I hope has not yet seen tie
middle of its career—l mean the society which is now
known as the Royal Agricultural Society of England.
That is the last great step which has been taken in this
direction ; and of the practical value of that step one
test exists—namely, that whereas previous to the foun-
dation of the Royal Agricultural Society, in 1834, the
local associations of a similar character were few and far
between ; in 1845, only 11 years after its first establish-
ment, the number of such local associations already ex-
ceeded 400. They had since that time increa-ed year
by year, and they were increasing still, and we here
in this locality are merely working by the Fame means
for the same object which hundreds and thousands
of our countrymen in other parts are endeavouring
to prom to, each in his own district. I think, gen-
tlemen, you will net object to that brief retrospect of the
past. I come now more immediately to the toast of
the evenitas. Yeu are probably familiar for many
years with a retrospect of ,hie society. Before the yeer
1847 we existed in the form of two independent associa-
tions, one formed at Manchester, and the other at Liver-
pool. Of that state of things two evils were found to arise.
It necessarily limited the number if our subscribers, and
seriously curtailed our income. It necessarily limited the
area over which we operated, and tended to check com-
petition. The remedy was obvious, and that remedy was
applied. No doubt there is a point beyond which it is not
desirable to extend an area of associations of this kind,
because if you do so you prac Malls, limit competition to
small tenant-farmers altogether. But in art large holders and to large capitsdists, and exclude the
amalgama-
tion like our own, in the embracing of that new area
which we took in 1847, no risk of the kind was incurred.
The best test is the result. Since that time, though agri-
sulture has bad its periods of depression, our state has
been on the whole satisfactory. Our position, in a few
exactly know what
words, is this :—Lest year can had 465 subs T bars, this
year we have nearly 500. I do not etly
elm income fer tbie year is--I believe our accounts are
not made up ; het last year it was 8501.,
showing a
steady increase, without a diminution in any single year,
fronts 1848 to 1854. (Hear, hear.) In 1848 it was
6741. ; last year tie income was 8501. Our exotaiditure
last year was 7861., leaving in our favour a balance of
more than 601. And at this point, gentlemen, as it is
always pleasant to get through the least agreeable part
of one's duty as early as one can, I will now notice, and I
will now speak to you with all frankness of, the one re-
' speet in which our oreanistition seems defactvie. When
I look at the list of subscribers to this society, I dud
two-thirds are not wholly dependent on agriculture. I
believe that of our entire list not above one-third are
tenant farmers. Now, there is no harder working class
than the tenant-farmers of Lancashire. They are not
above their business ; they are industrious and sober in
their habits ; they are willing to labour with their bands ;
they have an honoety and independence which are worthy
of all esteem, and on that account, as well as on many
ethers, I confess I sh,,uld be heartily glad to see more of
them enrolled on our subscription list. (Applause.) I
know that Lancashire holdings are small, and I know
that small holdings with large families, when they go
together, make men unwilling
to contribute any sum,
however small, to any object from which they do not see
direct benefit to themselves or their families. But as our
subscription is only 1/. annually, and, in some cases, and
under certain circumstances, only Ds., I confess I think,
if this society be, as I believe it is, doing its duty well
and faithfully, and accomplishing the object for which
it is established, a subscription list of that amount ought
not to be any bar to the addition of such as those I have
mentioned. (Hear, hear.) Now, gentlemen, I am not
going to enter—and, indeed, I am not competent to do
so into any practical remarks as to the improvement
of which your mode of farming is susceptible in this
county. There is a strong feeling, and a very rea-
sonable feeling, among all men of sense, that every
man should stick to his own business, and talk of that
which be understands, and of that only. Now, I am
not a practical farmer, and I do not pretend to be
one ; but there are some points in connection with agri-
culture which, as a public man—l mean as one en-
caged in public business—it is impossible not to notice.
In the first place, I would say that in the present state
of English agriculture there is great room for improve-
ment. (Hear, hear.) In the next place, I would say
that for such improvement there is an equal necessity.
(Hear.) What are the facts I I won't weary you with
oof which 47,000,000 are
00,000 cannot be '
many figures ; but it is estimated that in the United King-
cduolmtivthaeterdelarwee7l7l,oooro,boaodOly, of aclrse,
culti-
vated, and are waste by nature, 15,000,000 more may
w cultivated, but have not been reclaimed—that is to
-may, that of the entire soil of the country we cultivate
cell or badly three-fifths. One-fifth we cannot cultivate,
nature prevents it ; and the other one-fifth we can cul-
ivate, we ought to cultivate, but we do not. (Hear.)
Yet that, after all, is a very partial and a very inade-
quate test. (Hear, hear.) That in which we are most
ieficient, in which the greatest scope for improvement
and reform exists, is not the diffusion of agriculture
aver a larger surface than it now occupies, but the im-
provement of agriculture in that part of the liind which
is at present under cultivation. (Hear, hear) It is
calculated that, by applying to the fullest extent the
esources of modern science, we might draw from the
land three times the present amount of sustenance that
it yiddo, Wo foci, PY 20190040 tae4 With the pro.

duce of this country; if the- reenurces of the country
were folly developed it wool I he in our power to feed
not 20,000.000, but 60,000,000. Now, I give you that
calculation. I do dot pretend to verifyitfrom my personal
knowledge. I ask you to remember this—it is not the
calculation of speculators or theorists, but of men who
have given their own time, their own energies, their
own capital to the promotion of that reform in favour of
which they write and speak. (Hear.) I therefore think,
gentlemen, I have made out mycase when I told you
there was great room for improvement in the state of
English farming. I go further, and tell you now that
for such improvement there is an equal necessity. The
value of agricultural produce in the United Kingdom, ac-
cording to the estimate of the Statistical Society, from
which I obtained it lately, is about 215.000.0001.
searly. We do not know—the best approximate calcu-
lation fails to tell us within any reasonable limit of
accuracy—what the total private income of England
is : but I believe it cannot much exceed, at the out-
side, from 400,000,000/. to 450,000,0001. If that is
the case, as I believe it is—if the agricultural produce
of this country supplies nearly one-half of our national
wealth—l leave you to judge how vast would be the
effect on both public and private property--if such a
development of our agricultural resources as modern
science has made possible were to take place. (Hear,
hear..) But there is another point of view in which we
must and in which we ought to consider this question.
thing
"This England of ours" ranks amongst the first, I may
say the first, of the nations of the earth. (Applause.)
We have
hntegligenoe,
ohave industry, we have wealth,
anklyposi w t
wantingwein
we have public order, we have science. One requisite,
and
one e
area and circuoocrihed territory. No nation materially
narrow
area is that
and morally so great is territorially confined within such
tellour
yo greatness.
It is
Now,
narrow limits. tHear.) It appears that we cannot ex-
tend the national area ; there are no unoccupied lands
near us ; colonisation at -home is impossible, and the
days of conquest are gone by ; and the only resource,
therefore, that remains to us, if we cannot extend our
territory, and if at the same time its smallness is the
only limit of our power as a nation—is the principal
limit of our power as a nation—to do what is equivalent
to extennincr our territory, by increasing the productive
power of the soil within the same area. (Applause.)
It is for that object—an object within our power by
many applications of the scientific means known to us
all to attain—it is for this object that nations have quar-
relled, that battles have been fought, that blood has been
shed, that countless treasure has been wasted ; and that
object, I say, is within our power to obtain by applying
the resources of science. (Hear, bear.) Ido not speak
of continental competition ; from that I fear little, but
there is another kind of competition te which we are
even now exposed, and to which we shall be more ex-
owed than we are --I mean to that of the new world.
Meer.) If we are pern-aneetly to hold our own against
countries like the United States and Canada, against
countries where you can bey land 'out and out for little
more than one-fourth of the price per acre for which
you rent it in this country—l say our only chance,
our only hope of retaining our national position as
against this new competition —the only chance of
holding our heads above water—is to apply mechani-
cal aid and use the resources of science to an extent
of which we have never hitherto dreamt. (" Hear,
hear," and a cry "Our only chance is to crush them at
once.") Now, what are the practical changes necessary
to bring about that state of things ? Ido not mean all,
but one or two upon which I have touched. There is
one particularly, which I would venture to lay down
with all confidence. I think that land in this country
ought to be easier and freer to buy and sell than it is.
(Hear.) You tray be told there are legal difficulties in
the way. So there are no doubt, but those legal diffi-
culties are comparatively slight. It is not there the
real obstacle, the real impediment lies ; it is a social
difficulty, and net a legal difficulty. (Hear, hear.) One
could understand, one could excuse, one could sympa-
thise with the feelings of a man who was reluctant to
let go his hold up. n any portion of the soil which he
had once called his own ; hut, atter all, the personal
feelings of individuals must give way to the national ne-
cessity, and I do not hesitate to say that I feel con-
scientiously, that any man—whether he knows it or not
—is a wrongdoer as regards the community who retains
in his own hands, or in his ownership, land which he
has not the power to improve, and which he has the
power to sell. (Applause.) Tne community has the
right to say to every one, use Your pr"oerty profitably
yourself, or let others use it for you. (Hear, hear.) I
am not now talking of a legal remedy ; I do.net want,
an Encumbered E-•tate Act for England—that is not
neces-ary here, whatever it may be elsewhere ; but I do
want, and I do desire to see, that every landlord should
be an encumbered estate court in himself. Until that
is done you wit not place the tenure of land, you will
not place the ag iculture of this country on a sound
and rational f ,oting. There are other points which I
would pass over lidihtly. One was mentioned at our last
anniversary by a gentleman of great acuteness and skill
—Mr. Mechi, of Tiptree-hall. Mr. Mechi told this so-
oisty last year that it was &bowie] to send to the Pacific,
a distance of 10,000 inilee„to buy bird dung for manure,
while thou-Ands of tons of the natural manure of this
country were poisoning our rivers and choking our seas.
But I suppose in that we are all agreed ; and so far, as
it is hardly a practical question, no single landowner
or farmer can do much in that respect. The towns
must take it in hand. I am told that experiments have
been pride ; lam told that those experiments have not
been always so successful as they deserve to be. If that
is so, more is the pity. But the principle is, notwith-
standing, a right and a sound one, and whatever may
now be wrong in the details will doubtless come right
before long. One word you will expect from me on that
which is, perhaps, a great feature of our aye in all the
departments of labour—l mean the application of ma-
ehinery. No doubt, when you aoply mechanical power
to agrieniture you have to encounter many difficulties
'which do not exist in other cases and in other business
operations. In the factory or in the town you briny the
material on which you want to operate to the machine ;
but on the farm you must generally bring the machinery
to the material. This is n doubt a great drawback and
a great ,'i.advantage ; but, notw thstanding its exist-
ence, I believe firmly that at no distant period inani-
mate labour will have almost, if not entirely, superseded
brute labour of every kind. That will be, whenever it
takes place, not merely a mechanical, not merely an
industrial, but a *nor and social change, and which we
can hardly overrate. (Hear) An obstacle to the more
extensive introduction of machinery here is the compa-
rative smallness of our holdings. It ie so costly that
very few of our farmers can purchase it to a large- ex-
tent for themselves. If, therefore, it is to be introduced
practically to the extent to which it may be and ought
to be, I believe it will be done in this way—it must be
provided either by the landlorda or by some person let-
ting it nut to the tenant., who must pay a rent for the
use of it to the owners of the machinery. Well, gentle-
men, I feel I am trespassing unreasonably on your time
(cries of "No, no ; go on"), and omitting, therefore,
several topics of minor moment, I
shall pass on to one,
and it shall be the last, which is particularly interesting
at the present time. I mean the question of which in
other parts of England a good deal has been heard, and of
which I believe something has been heard here, the ques
ti on of agricultural statistics. There is a prejudice—per-
haps, not an unrt aeonablenne—against their collection by
Government There are fears entertained, and various
objections are urged. There are some who apprehend that
it may lead the way to a new tax. There are others—
farmers, I mean—who do not like their landlords to
know exactly what they are doing. There are some who
merely dislike the trouble of drawing out returns, and
there are others who very plainly and very simply put
tee question, " What has Government to do with the
i
way I manage my farm ?" I don't think, I confess, there
much in any one of those objections except, perhaps,
the second. There is no fear that new taxes will be im-
posed, and the trouble of filling up properly-drawn re-
turns is very small ; and in such returns there is nothing
half so inquisitorial as those .which are now called for,
and are not objected to,' in the cafe of the income tax
and the census. There is, indeed, a precaution which
ought to be taken. Their object is to obtain accurate
returns of the produce of the country or of the district ;
their object is not to pry into the private affairs of any
individual, and all care, therefore, ought to be taken, as
in the case of the income tax, that the private affairs of
no per-on are exposed, and that due secrecy is observed.
If that precaution were taken—and it would be easy to
point out the means by which it might be done—l be-
lieve that the collection of such a system of statistics as
the Government now desire, and as the Legislature re-
commends, would be not only no injury, bet be a great
practical benefit to the farmer. Consider his case. He
sells his corn to the dealer ; the dealer picks up infor-
still better than none, and of that information he takes
motion, often roughly, it may be, and imperfect, but
care the farmer shall not have the benefit. It is thus in
the power of the dealer to set market against market,
is scarce. His profit is based upon the:farmer's ignorance.
buying corn where it is plentiful, and selling it where it
In one place you may have farmers holding over where
they ought to be selling ; in another place you may have
them selling in a panic, while somewhere notfar off there
exists something like a scarcity. he farmer, under pre-
sent-circumstances, isthevictim of every speculator ; and
engaged would be a safeguard and protection
to him more than any one else such statistics as would
supply full information as to the nature of the trade in
whichwh c h be is
panics, prevent fraud, put an end
to a most demoralising system of gambling, and which
would save millions to the country. (Hear.) Now,
ofe exceeded
our
se
co
second
beet6l-
gentlemen, I have to thauk you for bearing with me so
long. As to the present state of the society, I will only
(applause)—
say we havedeheereykreason to be satisfied with the result
year. (Hear,
of this day. (Applause.) lam told that the receipts a.
hear.) There are many persons here who are far better
judges and far more competent critics of what we have
fthe2l6l•—(applause)
falling ll i
us hgo
onlyw-ya rad l
it
tot-
all seen and beard to-day, and, therefore, with those
general observations which I have made, I leave the
ldeay shorthav
subject in your bands, only proposing, and I do it with
great pleasure, the toast which is now placed in my
hand, "Success to the Liverpool and Manchester Agri.
PP '
cultural Society.
The toast was duly honoured.
The SECRETARY then read .the list of the premiums
which had been awarded by the judges,
and the caridi•
dates wer! Celled forte to weive thou prigs.

TEE LONDON GAZETTE OF LAST NIGHT.

BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, SEPT. 5.

The Right Hon. the Lords of the Committee of Privy
Council for Trade and Plantations have received, through
the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a
despatcit from her Majesty's Acting Consul at Lisbon, en-
closing copy of a law, raising, for three years, the import
duty on honey, molasses, and foreign syrups, imported
into the iiiland of Madeira, to 4,000 reis (18s.) the 100
pounds weight.
BOAED:OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, SEPT. 5.

The Right Honourable the Lord's of the Committee of
Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received,
through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy
of a despatch from her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at
Monte Video, en' losing a translation of certain regulations,
dated 30th March, for the esrablishment and government
of a Society of :Pilots at that port, with tariffs of the
charges the pilots ii.re to be allowed to make.
Extracts from tiles() papers aro subjoined.
(Copy.) (Extracts.)
Article 3.—The So ciety of Pilots shall have a vessel for
its cruising service, which shall be carried on between the
Islands of Flores and Lobos.
Article '2B.—Every vessel which takes a pilot on board
to conduct it to Monte Video shall pay pilot dues at the
following rates :
Up to 9 feet (Burgos)* of draught 45 dollars.
From 9to 10 ditto. 50 PP
pp 10 40 11 PP 55
. PP
pp 11 to 12 1, 60 PP
„ 12 to 13 71, 65 9,
~ 13 to I 4 PP 75 „
„ 14 to 15 ~ 85 PP
15 to 1G ~ 95 „
„ 1G to 17 1, 115 ~
„ 17 to 18 9, 135 OP
~ 18 to 19 Of 155 „
~ 19 to 20 PP 185 ~
21 feet upwards 220 „

PP
Article 29.—Every vessel which takes a pilot on board to
go to Buenos Ayres direct shall pay pilot dues at the fol-
lowing rates :
Of 9 feet (Burgos)* of draught 50 dollars.
From 9to 10 Pl 60 OP
„ 10 toll PP 70 PP
„ 11 to 12 PP 80 PP
„ 12 to 13 ~ 160 PP
„ 13 to 14 IP . 120 PP
„ 14 to 15 PP 140 IP
„ 15 to 16 PP 160 PP
„ 16 to 17 PP 190 PI
„ 17 to 18 7, 220 PP
18 to 19 ll 250 PP
„ 19 to 20 PP 280 PP
Above `zll3 feet „ 320 „
* One Burgos foot equal to 11'126 inches English.

130ARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, SEPT. 5.

The Right honourable the Lords of the Committee of
Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received,
through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy
of a Despatch from her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris,
enclosing copy of a French Imperial Decree, opening the
Custom-House of Foirgs, in the Department of Doubs,
for the importation of grain, meal, and wool, and of mer-
chandise paying more than 20 francs per 100 killogrammes,
or specified by name in the Bth Article of the Lair of
27th March, 1817.
BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, SEPT. 5.

The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of
Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received,
through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy
of a despatch from her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris,
enclosing copy of a French Imperial Decree, modifying
the import duty on basket work (tissaes excepted) as
follows :

In French ships... Y)
Unpeeled ~ { In foreign ships... 7
Peeled (ln French ships...l2 per 100 kilos.
I In foreign ships...l4
Inn
fForreenigcnh
sishbippss:::224o,l
Split, &c. { I