The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-13 00:00:00

THE GUERNSEY TENURE OF

LAND.
(From Mr. Duncan's " Guernsey.")
" Viewing the agricultural system of Guernsey as a
whole, the fertility of the soil and the weight of the
crops cannot be disputed ; the superior quality of the
cows, the excellence of the meat, milk, butter, and ve-
getables. must also be admitted. Let the production
of the ishnd be conipared to that of any ten thousand
acres kept in one, two, or three hands in Great Bri-
tain, and the advantage of small farms will be obvious.
Independently of the two thousand families living in
the country, compare the surplus produce sent to
market with the surplus produce of any ten thousand
acres in one, two, or three hands elsewhere, and see
on which side the balance will be found. The Guern-
sey ten thousand acres keep two thousand five hun-
dred milch cows, which produce one with the
other, all the year round, five pounds of butter
per week ; this, at one shilling per pound, or its
value in miik, amounts to 32,500/., three-quarters of
which are realised in the town. Fke hundred and
fifty cows arc exported, and about that number of fat
cows or oxen are slaughtered ; moreover, about five
thousand porkers are either exported or sold to the
town. The quantity of vegetables, fruit, poultry, and
egeis brought to market is prodigious, and as many as
267,733 bushels of potatoes were exported in the year
1839. The cider of the island is of the best quality,
and several hundred hogsheads are annually shipped to
England. From all this, it must be evident that the
agricultural produce is very considerable.
" Tne value of land in this island will be scarcely
credible to an .English reader. It must be very infe-
rior indeed if the rent is not 21. per vergee, being at the
rate of five pounds per statute acre. The best land, of
which the Couture is perhaps the faire: specimen, is
much higher, being valued at three pounds to three
pounds five shiliugs per vergee."

" ILving explained the Guernsey system of landed
tenure and its agricultural results, we shall nov
allude to the moral influence produced on the in-
habit 'tilts by this system. One of its first consequences
is to raise the standard of virtue—ti inspire the whole
population with a manly and independent spirit—and to
destroy that cringing adulation and fawning servility,
which leases for years have engendered among the
tenantry of Eagl sad. All men, no matter to what po-
litical party they belong, have admitted that the insti-
tution of property is the basis of civiliza'ion. This
principle being admitted sound by universal consent, it
follows that whatever contracts its expansion must be
vicious, aid that whatever promotes its extension must
be nationally beneficial. The bare possession of pro-
perty on a doubtful tenure is scarcely a good ; it is es-
sential diva the possession should be secure ; and if
security for a term of years be desirable, much more
so must it be for permanent enjoyment. Now, the
plan of leases for seven, fourteen, or twenty-one
years, together with tenancies from year to year,
and at will, is bad in principle, itt: these tenures merely
convey a temporary interest determinable at a date spe-
cified ; the working farmer thus becomes a bird of pal-
sage, without any fixed borne. He may be prudent, in-
dustrious, and sober—a good father, a good husband, a
good neighbour, and a good citizen ; but these virtues
avid him nothing ; he lives in a state of agricultural
servitude, and, at the expiration of his lease, the caprice
or spite of his landlord may expel him from the
Widely different is the condition of the Guernseyman.
Once possessed of land, he can never lose it, except by
his own fault ; he has only to pay the stipulated quar-
ters of rent, and he continues absolute Lord of the

property—he &els i2roud of his position, and the spirit
of independence is within him—he is not classed among
the locomotive machines of humanity, who, in Great
Britain and Ireland, are shifted from county to county,
seeking a premrious subsistence from an insolent and
grasping squirearchy. No ; he has a solid stake in the
country, though it may be small—he can say, with
honest pride, This house is mine ; that fi,.ld is mine ;
and, when I die, the law will give them to my children.'
" This system of tenure prompts to industry, en-
courages economy, and represses intemperance. A
man having paid down in cash one-fourth of the
value of the land he holds, is stimulated by the
most powerful impulse to redeem the annual quarters,
and disengage his estate from the payment of rent.
In the eyes of a person so circumstanced, labour loses
its repulsive character, for he feels that he is working
for himself. He has an object constantly before his
mind, which he steadily pursues. The propensity to
drunkenness, so fatal to the working classes of Great
Britain, is counteracted with the Gurnseymen by the
desire and the opportunity of acquiring a disencum-
bered landed property. But the English or Irish la-
bourer has no such incentive to moral restraint. Far
from contemplating even the most remote possibility
of becoming the absolute owner of an acre of land, he
considers himself eminently fort unate if he can secure
regular wages as a labourer. He passes through exist-
ence only one remove higher than the oxen which he
drives at the plough. His feelings are deadened—his
mind is bruti&zed—his energies are depressed. Hie
life resembles that of a horse in a mill, confined within
a circle out of which he can seldom escape.
" As a teacher of prudence, the Guernsey tenure be-
' comes a powerful auxiliary to the usefulness of
savings' banks. Out of this small population, in round
numbers 26,000 inhabitants, there are 1,920 depositors,
possessing a vested sum of 36,-1654 and upwards. The
facility of obtaining a proprietary right of land, without
paying down the purchase money, is a strong incentive
to early habits of economy. A farm, of course, re-
quires to be stocked ; and, with the prospect of' future
independence before him, a young man will deposit his
~earnings in the savings bank till he has accumulated suf-
ficient capital to purchase seeds, cattle, and implements
of husbandry. It is this hope, or rather, under Pro-
vidence, it is this certainty, that makes a Guernsey-
mail that eminently careful, cautious, and far-seeing
person that he is ; while, on the other hand, it is fair
to conclude that the despair of ail prospective ame-
lioration in his condition, renders an Irishman impre-
dent, inconsiderate, and reckless. We may with truth
affirm that habits of prudence, economy, moral re-
straint, and the wisdom of appree!ating in what consists
a competency, and the disposition to live within one's
income, are virtues indigenous to the soil of Guernsey,
and rooted in the national character. Agrarian out-
rage is unknown ; Slimee is not on record an instance of
caachins-breaking,tick-burning, or ham-stringing
cattle ; the mass are interested in the preservation of
order, for the mass have property, or may acquire it.
Institutions, reiecil on justice, need not a soldiery or a
police. The citizen and the constable are identified.
But in Ireland there are no bonds of sympathy between
the 1 indlord and the agricultural labourer ; in most
cases
,they never see each other ; the absent propri-
I etor regards the tenant as a serf, and the tenant um-
siders the landlord as a tyrannical usurper thus the
standard of morals is reduced to zero."

DEATH 02 AN ECCENTRIC CHA-

RACTER.
On Sunday last, at Walton, near High Ercall, at the
advanced a2e of 94, Thomas Light, better known by
the sobriquet of " Tommy Light the Conjurer." This
eccentric individual had from an early period of his life
been a professor of the " mysterious art of Conjuring,"
which he continued to practice with considerable pecu-
niary ndvantage to the close of his days. His personal
appearance was of no common order, as he always
adhered to the peculiar character of dress in fashion
about the middle of the last century. A stranger on
meeting " Old Tommy" was instantly struck with the
excessive originality of his manner and costume ; clad
in a light. sky blue " coat of other days" with an extra-
vagantly lengthened linsey vest with large flaps descend-
ing over scanty " continuations." This antiquated
oracle usually attended the neighbouring markets to
render his prophetic advice and assistance to all whom
he could find possessed of the two great requisites for
the successful development of his mystic craft, viz.,
faith and money.

Among the many eccentric incidents of his life was
that of purchasing a wife, who afterwards resided with
him until death dissolved the unhallowed bargain.
From this time her daughter, by a legitimate husband,
superintended his domestic affairs, until at an advanced
age she was accidentally burned to death. Some time
before his death he gave several considerable sums of
money, and has since willed further sums to different
parties ; a few days ago, several sovereigns and guineas
were found among some old iron in a chest in his dwel-
ling, and many arc the conjectures that a horde yet re-
mains to be discovered on the premises he occupied,
which consisted of a cottage, orchard, and garden, the
property of the Duke of Cleveland. " Old Tommy"
was the oldest tenant on his Grace's Ercall Estates.--.
Eirc wsbui y Chronicle.

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE.
A very melancholy accident occurred in this neigh-
hourhood on Monday, which has carried distress into a
wide circle of friends and telativeP, and caused a deep
and mournful lean among all classes of the commu-
nity. About six o'clock in the afternoon, Dr. limit
Ty;kr, son of the late Alexander Fraser Tytler,
of the lion. East India Company's service (who had
been on a visit to his uncle, the Sheriff of this county),
was in a boat on the river Ness, in company with a
young gentleman, Mr. William Fraser, son of Mr.
Fraser, of Cubluthel. They were opposite Lady Sal•
toun's cottage, where the river is deep and strong, be-
sides being at present much swollen by the late rain-
The boat had got into a strong current, and o'-
of the party, feeling that he could not'
Dr. Tytler to come to his n'
repairing to the sam^

younger
~uid on, c.lllecrto
...ststanee. On the latter
part of the boat, his additional
awe it to the level of the water, and when they
to pull, it immediately filled. Mr. Wm. Fraser
contrived to swim or scramble ashore, but Dr. T%tler
struggled to regain his place in the boar, being encum-
, bered with a large and heavy pair of water boots, used
iu angling. On making a third attempt, the boat upset,

wiight brourrv''

b.fY,--

and the unfortunate gentleman lost his hold, whilst the
trail vessel floated with great rapidity down the stream.
An alarm was given, and the boat was foetal, keel up-
permost, a little lower down the river. At the Woollen-
mill the body of Dr. Tytler was seen in the midst of the
water, turning round near the surface, and a man put
out in a boat to recover it, but the strength and rapidity
of the stream frustrated every effort. Intelligence of the
fatal accident soon reached this town, and hundreds of the
people repaired to the old bridge, while several expert
swimmers entered the river in various directions in their
anxiety to recover the body. All their attempts proved un-
availing, and there is every reason to suppose that the body
was carried out to sea. The scene on the banks of the
river was strikingly impressive. Crowds of anxious
spectators watched the progress of the stream, while the
swimmers braved its deep and rapid current, and se•
veral men in a boat dragged the waters in fruitless ex-
pectation. The deceased was about twenty-six years
of age, of accomplished talents and amiable disposition.
He had studied medicine under Sir Charles Bell, and
was distinguished for his knowledge and proficiency.
He was the last of his family, the hope of his widowed
mother, and many anxious eyes were turned towards his
future career, which had opened under such bright a:A
favourable auspices. and promised a long life of honour
and wefulncss. The sad reality has quenched those
anticipations, and is well calculated to.remind us of the
uncertain tenure by which all human hopes and happi-
ness must ever be possessed.—lnverness Courier.

EXECUTION OF CRIMINALS AT
CONSTANTINOPLE.

(From the Itranzari Shark.)
When a man has been killed, his friends lodge
a complaint against the murderer, who is with-
out loss of time dragged to the mehkcmmay
(Court of Justice) of the district or parish where
the crime was perpetrated, and an ilam (report) is
drawn up stating the particulars of the complaint,
on which document he is sent to prison. His trial sub-
sequently takes place before the Grand Vizir, and it it be
proved that he designedly and without sufficient provo-
cation committed the murder, he is forwarded with the
whole details of his case to the Sheikh ul Islam, who
gives a fetsah or decree, declaring that an individual
convicted of such a crime is by the sacred law con-
demned to suffer death by decapitation. Should there
be any extenuating circumstances, for which the
friends of the culprit imagine that due allowance has
not been made, they draw up a petition to the
Sultan, demanding a new trial. The matter is then
submitted to the Supreme Council of Justice (ikledj.,
leesee ahkiamec adleeya), and if he be again condemned,
the heir or next akin of the culprit is questioned as to
whether he demands Kussass or Deeyet. Kussass is
the law of retaliation, blood for blood. De.e)et is
the price of blood, or pecuniary compensation in lieu of
it. This is 1,000 drams of silver, or near 300/., which
being a large sum, the authorities may, in the event of
its being accepted in lieu of the life of the culprit, fix
suitable periods for the payment, the culprit remaining
in prison until the whole amount is paid. It is
seldom taken unless in cases where the deceased

has left a young fatnily, for whose support the
money is required. If the heir be an adult, he
usually spurns the idea of receiving gold as the price of
the blood of his father or brother. He consequently
insists upon KUSSASS.
All these needful preliminaries having been settled and
the murderercondernned, the Grand Vizir (or the Sultan,
should he have been petitioned on the subject) signs an
order for execution of the criminal. This order is
sent to the governor of the district, who decrees it
over to the djellad bashee (chief executioner), to whom
he gives his verbal instructions as to the time and
place of execution. The djellad has a vafta (copy of
the sentence) drawn out in large legible characters.
The time fixed being arrived, he takes with him the
order for the ex.ecution, on which the gaoler delivers
his prisoner. The djellad is accompanied by several
assistants who knock off the chains of the culprit, tie
his arms behind hire, and he is immediately marched
forth without being informed for what purpose.
Thus secured and surrounded, the unhappy man
is hurried to the place of execution, which is either
where the crime was committed, or near one of the
gates of the city, in a thoroughfare, through which
thousands arc constantly passing. Arrived there, he is
suddenly told to kneel down, and if previously he had
any doubts as to his fate, they are now removed. Re-
sistance would be in vain, all hope has fled, and he does
as he is ordered. His eyes are not bound, but he is
afraid to look behind him, for there stands the djellad,
who has already unsheathed his sword, which is straight,
long, very bread, and exceedingly sharp. The execu-
tioner assumes an attitude, clenches his teeth, and
making two or three flourishes with his horrid weapon,
he raises his arm so as to bring his hand to his own left
ear, and with the edge, close to the hilt, strikes a tee-
mendoas blow on the left side of ,the neck of his victim
just above the shoulders ; this, if well directed, divides
the bones at the back of the neck, and is followed by a
rapid circulor cut or the sword, so applied that none of
the strength of the blow is lost, up to the very end, and
the sword near the point passes out on the left side of
the neck, not a sound having been heard but the first
chop, the hissing of the edge of the sword, and the
gurgling of the blood. The head of the culprit rolls
silently in the dust, the body drops on the pavement,
and all is over, tie whole operation being but the work
expendingpre
-
of an instant.lh. hand ; a bungler have, however,udieesr aftercr.bed
it
as
hfoirsubelodw without master
dividing the bone, has been known to
seize the hair of the head and complete his task as well
as he could.
If the culprit was a Mussulman the body is laid on
its back, the head being placed under the right arm ;
otherwise the back is placed uppermost, and the head
stationed between the thighs, the face being in both
cases turned towards the feet. The yafta is pinned on
to the body, which is then left " as a warning to others."
It is thus that murderers are executed.
A thief or burglar is hanged. His trial and condem•
nation take place in dee. form, and the executioners
lead him forth to his fa'e in the same way. On reach-
ing the spot chosen for his death, a rope with a sliding
knot is thrown over his neck, and drawn pretty closely;
the other end is passed over a hook, beam, or large nail.
The signal being given, two or three of the djeilad's
assistants haul upon it, the djellad himself probably as-
sisting by lilting the culprit off the ground.
The proper height havingbeen attained (and very little
suffices) the executioner with a thick stick strikes the
rope over the head of the culprit to tighten it, and ad-
justs the knot in a suitable -position. He then pins the
yafta on the breast, and the task is complete. He de-
parts and a guard is teft to prevent any one interfering
with the body.

The usa-o in either case is, that the corpse shall re-
main ev„osed for three days, but three days do tact
mean. 'l2 hours. In winter they may be 48 hours, and
in, summer 24i or 25, at the end of which the odour is
already more than sufficiently offensive. I need hardly
state that by timing the execution just before the close
of one day, and removing the body at the very com-
mencement of the third day, very little more than 24
hours elapse.
A more shocking punishment is reserved far haidoots
or highway robbers—viz., impalement, which operation
always takes place on a cross road, and is performed as
follows !—The pack saddle of a horse is placed on the
ground, and rendered finn by being put against a tree,
stone, or some other object. This species of saddle
has before and behind cross bars, to which are attached
the loads. The culprit is put with his face downwards
and his neck secured in the fore cross bars. Already
stripped of everything but his shirt, whilst he lies in
this position the executioner makes a cut with his
knife, and applies a strong styptic to prevent the
flowing of the blood. The stake, which may be eight
or nine feet long, and is sharply pointed at the 'end,
is then introduced and beaten out with a heavy
mallet uutl it appears through the upper part of
the body. Thirteen or fourteen haidoots were
impaled at Adrianople some years ago; the stick
in one case came out at the back of the neck, in
another through the chest, in t...v0 or three through the
shoulder, in one through the throat, in one instance
through the top of the head. I was assured that
every one of the victims had first been strangled, so
that there was no suffering afterwards, though the
punishment appeared to be so dreadful. People talk
of impaled men living for days, and dying only when
they drink water, but I have never seln anything of
the sort in this country. Formerly, however, they
were, without doubt, set upon the stake alive, and I
have frequently heard of a case in which a man was at
night removed from his stake by his friends, and none
of the vitals having been touched, he lived many years
was saved by hot tad_
afterwards. He never subsequently stood stra,4ht,
where people said that the man
however. This was also the case at lidrianople, I
used, and haidoot
kr., being poured into the cavity left by the stake
when it was drawn forth,
The punishment of i•-•,,p,ionietit has long bet dig,
G.entleme:.,
merely as 'tad persons of the respectable class era
shecl bow-string..
...., are now sent to the b 1 hie for life.
punistr.":t by strangulation, or what is commonly called
death without trial,
Their beads, which are removed alter death, are brought
which is nothing but a common cord.
duly proof that the sentence against them has boon
paecxheacsuftoerdn:erbi u.thiltdisthnowomwaenryofyea:s since
. any such
execution took place.
one whose life but
ft_hiecyp 11"
Butting people to
lege. The Sultan h• ,we now no such privi-
first a fair trio "al- • execution of the laws, has
....en in _
31 should he think
he can '
-9 with the right of appe. , '
I should say fewer take
_ ..nereby better his casc•
rare that
are now se .
is rsel ,40:,-6 not exercise it, and every
In fine, executions in Turkey
place than in any civilised
country in the world, neither arc they accompanied by
nt
any unnecessary cruelty,—Extracted from unpublished
Notes.

THE BATHos. it is a most ititvresting " sighs
for to see" a younr). 6d3
of viti eyes like a gazelle, lipt
the
like rubies, teeth of earl whioness, cheeks that have
stolen the deep carnation
mouth smiled full of gingerbread. it?--American
Paper. ~. . . . _
' deathless rose, and her