The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-24 00:00:00

THE SUN

speeches are worthy of liberal landlords and English
country gentlemen; and it was not merely of what I
might be done, but what had been done, that they
spoke. The improvement in the breed of sheep (the
most advantageous and remunerative stock for that
neighbourhood) had been greatly improved, though in
other descriptions of stock much remained to be
done. Land had been extensively drained, and
deeply drained too, in a district peculiarly liable to
wet seasons. " I see"—seid the Earl of CARLISLE--
"large tracts saved by the works of recent drainage ;
I see weeds and stones disappearing from the surface
of the fields; I see wide, damp, reeking morasses
converted into bright fresh pasture ; I see lean and
scanty crops of grain giving place to vigorous far-
spread growths of the green and glorious turnip." It
is evident, indeed, that there must have been great
and meritorious agricultural improvement in East
Cumberland. Sir JAMES GRAHAM spoke nobly and
strongly on one point which reveals the great source
of hope for the major
part of English farmers.
Though so eminent a politician, and naturally ambi-
tious of political honours, Sir JAMES has wholly set
his face against the debasing and farm-impoverishing
tenant-at-will system. We do not
wonder
provement under a landlord, who could speak
Latitudethus to
im-
-
" I cannot in adequate terms express my g
spirit, not only
of .tenant-farmers of this district. They have struggled
against immense difficulties in the noblest
of enterprise, but of patient endurance, and have con-
tinued to hope even against hope. They have performed
prodigies of late years. I say it in no spirit of boasting,
bat I will tell you that when I began the management
of my property I let on
improving leases for nineteen
avfe twice re-
fourteen
or
yneeawresa Bthyes
teh elewiaslels
;BoflPrlreonaviemwdeeandgcaeitnh I
era
themh
renewing
years in 1842, and 0W
for a fresh period of fourteen years; On a large
portion of my property I have within the
last six months . renewed for fourteen years, and
I state it, not with pride as regards myself, but in
a spirit of heartfelt. gratit.ude to my tenants, that notwith-
standing all the difficulties they and I have had to en-
counter, I have not changed any considerable portion of
ray tenantry on any of those three occasions; and on
the last one there has been no change. Considering all
the circumstances—all the difficulties of the tenant-
farmers-4 say they are a high-spirited body of men—a
noble-minded body of men, banded together for the pur-
pose of successfully exerting their industry. It is
skilled industry,
too, for in this part of the country the ,
tenantry are not only educated, but intelligent, and
landlords may welt be proud of such a body of men."
Both speakers adverted likewise to the importance
of other crops than wheat, on which hitherto the
farmer has generally laid so much stress. Sir JAMES
described his experience in flax-growing; after in-
forming them of what he had found to be the best
mode, he says, " on a piece of poor land, let for only
10s. an acre, the crop cost 4/. an acre, including rent
and all charges, and I am satisfied that it is worth
from 101. to 151. per acre. Could there be established
in this neighbourhood some machinery for converting
the straw of flax, after the grain is out, into the raw
material of manufacture, the happiest results might
be anticipated to flow from it." Lord CARLISLE
expressed an opinion which we have long held very
decidedly. It is obvious that the cheapness of bread,
and the consequently increased prosperity of manu-
factures of every kind, mint render the well-paid
operatives very much larger consumers of
meat than they were under corn-laws. At the same
time, cattle of every kind are just the class of agri-
cultural produce most difficult to import extensively.
Oxen and even sheep can never be brought from
the same distances as flour and grain. Henee the im-
proved meat-market must chiefly belong to the
British farmer. Lie ought, therefore, to give in-
creasing attention to the breeding of grazing cattle
of every kind; and this in turn will largely increase
the grain produce of his farm, supply the place of
imported manure, and enable him to compete with
the foreigner by the abundance of domestic supply.
We have pleasure in quoting the Noble Lord's re-
marks on this subject :
" When we take into consideration the present condi-
tions which affect, as far as we can ascertain them, the
future prospects which bear upon our agriculture, the
demand made for, and the prices paid for, animal food,
for meat, milk, cheese, and butter—for almost all articles,
I bad nearly said, with the single exception of wheat—
it does seem to me that the way which is most plainly
marked out for us is to check rather than encourage the
growth of wheat, except where the conditions for it are
manifestly favourable to the extension of green crops,
and to rear a still increasing quantity of stock. You may
depend upon it that the appetites of our countrymen are
not likely to retrograde, and that having learned among
classes where such matters were scarcely known before the
taste of good beef and good mutton, they are not likely,
except under such pressure as, I trust Almighty goodness
may avert, to lose their relish for such productions."
It is in deeds and considerations like these, then,
that we see a better future for the farmers. De-
feudalize the landlords ; emancipate the tenants ;
teach them to look for equality, not for favouritism,
from the Legislature ; abolish game-laws (as, indeed,
Sir JAMES GRAHAM told them he had practically
done) ; dethrone the Great Unpaid in favour of a
stipendiary magistracy; break up entails, and put
the landlord as creditor, on a level with others ; and
then our English farmers would show themselves as
vigorous and capable as they do on Sir JAMES GRA-
HAM'S estates, where they practically enjoy most of
these advantages.

Mr. BENNOCH has entitled himself to the thanks
and gratitude of the inhabitants of the metropolitan
districts—more especially of the City of London and
Borough of Southwark—for the admirable plan
which he so ably and efficiently explained at the
Court of Common Council yesterday. His speech
was indeed conclusive on the important subject to
which it referred, it carried conviction to every un-
prejudiced mind ; and it is but justice to the mem-
bers of the Court to say that they appeared fully to
appreciate the merits of the suggestion. Not only
was the Honourable Gentleman's amendment carried
without a single dissentient voice, but there was not
the faintest shadow of opposition, not even the ex-
pression of a doubt as to the feasibility of the pro-
ject. So singularly clear and intelligible was his
reasoning, that every person present was enabled to
follow his arguments, and to understand the propo-
sitions which he established on indisputable evi-
dence.

te d ;"
Ile pointed out, first, " the necessity for an addi-
tional bridge ;" secondly, " the fitness of the site sag-
ge and thirdly, "the probable cost of the
construction, and the general advantages of the
plan recommended," proving that the latter were so
great
that it might be economical even "to build
a bridge a year." The old maxim that "time is
money, is flow
universally recognised. Perhaps
the greatest improvement during an age singu-
larly productive of ameliorations of every de-
scription is the wonderful
facility for inter-communi-
cation. We may now, thanks to the rail-
way
systems traverse in a few hours the
distance which, in the last ueuui
ry, it t.ol week
to accomplish. A Liverpool
merchant may enter the
in at six o'clock A.m., ~
express train having taken an
early breakfast be
fore hip departur
___ e_ at one o'clock
in
he will beLondon. During sour hours he
may transact business, and sup before midnight
with his family in the suburbs of the
modern Tyre,
The alteration in the communication with Ireland is
no longeris
even more astonishing. Itneces-
sary to settle our affairs, and to publish the
last will and testament before we venture on
the dangers of crossing St. George's Channel,
nor is there any necessity for extraordinary caution
in consequence of the possibility of events that
might occur within the period that must
elapse before an answer could be received.
The electric telegraph practically annihilates time and
distance, and intelligence can be received from Ire-
land almost as rapidly as from Bethnal•green or Ken-
nington-common.
In the metropolis itself, however, we are still
lagging behind. The narrowness and overcrowded
condition of our principal thoroughfares lead
to very injurious and vexatious delays. Minutes
have become valuable, but even 'll. •mz ionatres may fail
in their best
devised
projects, through a stoppage
it the streets. Mr. BENNOCH well describes this
State. -‘,.-
sae says of London-bridge—" Blockaded with
We
, giVrca, cabs, and omnibuses, at certain times it is
airaost impassable. Visit Blackfriars, and the evils
are greatly
leading tn,:tt
aggravated. Much of the crowding of our
verging at a _ gta.res arises from so many of them con-
being made vferor
the
hn point, without sufficient provision
noir streets are
proper circulation of carriages.
Opened parallel with old ones,
which they relieve at
point only to block up at
another. Traffic northne
and south naturally finds its
way over Blackfriars and
mimLondon bridges. 0e
•
buses from Islington to Bennington.., may go down
Newgate-street to avoid
tticrush on Ludgate-
hill, but they must cross the •
line at Farringdon-