The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-14 00:00:00

DESTITUTION IN ZETLAND.

- - - -
A meeting of commissioners of supply, justices of the
Peace, heritors, and clergy of Zetland was held at Ler-
'Wick, oil the 25th ult., when the following resolutions
were unanimously adopted:-
1. That this meeting view, with alarm and deep con-
"o, the answer which had been returned by the Lords
of her Majesty's Treasury to the memorial which they
'ad the honour to address to their Lordships in October
last, on the subject of the destitution caused by the, failure
of the potato crop.
2. That the members of the meeting were aware that
t,1!43 Lords of the Treasury had no regular " fund at their
"IsP9sal, from which grants could be made for the for-
latton of roads," but they humbly conceived it to be the
ItY and interest of a parental Government to provide
',lnds, when the livee of its subjects were at stake.
3: That it is the duty of this meeting to lay before her
Majesty's Government a more particular account of the
sate of this country, its wants and prospects; and to
l'onPress upon Ministers the awful responsibility of with-
ding
t relief from many thousands of their destitute
:110w-creatures; and that this is more especially neces-
;4l7, inasmuch as the meeting believe that the Govern-
ent officer who lately visited Zetland had not, from the
shortness of his stay, an opportunity of becoming ;ac-
'lammed with the real state of the country.
That the following facts show the utter inspossibi-
-I'3' of this country, alone, and without the strong sup-
, ri,rt of Government, attempting to meet the exigency.
(he gross rental of these islands has been computed at
_
exceeding 20,9001., from which there must be de-
ducted for public burdens at least one-fifth, which leaves
at
most, an available rental of 16,000/. In this ealcula-
taZn there is left out of view, altogether, the great
of annual loss arising from bad debts among a
numerous and poor tenantry. The population of these
lands,
~,,. according to the last census was 30,466, of
4171 eh, at the very least, 25,000 are poor cottars, asany
whom, in a seafaring population, are helpless widows
id
or tan children who have lost their chief article
f food through the failure of the potato crop. Their
uiall stock of bear and oats—even making no allowance
for seed—will be consumed by the middle of February,
utter which, for several months, they will have nothing
lut starvation before them. To maintain this popula-
tion, some at the nominal rate of Id. per day for one
month, which, if continued, would, before the arrival
°f harvest more than exhaust the rental of the whole
eountry.
willthese facts, it is further evident that the country
ll' not he able to provide seed, especially potatoes, for
toe ensuing season, by which the existing calamity will
Deinevitably extended to future years.
,5. Resolved—That to make roads in this country,
Where the parishes are from ten to twenty miles long,
aver hill and bog, with a rental of from 500/. to 2,0001.,
is beyond the resources of these islands, which are
already most heavily burdened; and to attempt to bor-
row money for such a purpose would be highly inexpe-
dient and ruinous.—Edinburgh Advertiser.

COURT CIRCULAR.
The Queen and Prince Albert took their usual early
calk yesterday in Claremont Park. Her Majesty and
her Royal Consort again promenaded in the afternoon.
Lord John Russell left Claremont yesterday morning.
The Royal Family took their accustomed walks and
rides yesterday.
Her Majesty and Prince Albert, attended by the royal
suite, will, it is expected, leave Claremont this day for
Windsor Castle.
A Cabinet Council was held at half-past two o'clock
yesterday afternoon at the Foreign-office. The Minis-
ters present were Lord John Russell, the Marquis of
Lansdowne, the Earl of Minto, Sir George Grey,
Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, the Earl of Auckland, Sir John Hobhouse,
Lord Campbell, the Earl of Clarendon, Viscount Mor-
peth, the Eight Hon. T. B. Macaulay, the Marquis of
Clanricarde, and the Right Hon. H. Labouchere.
The Lord Chancellor arrived soon alter three o'clock,
and joined his colleagues.
The Marquis of Lansdowne arrived in town yesterday
afternoon, to attend the Council, from his seat, Bowood
Park, Wilts. The Right Hon. H. Labouchere arrived
in town on Tuesday night from Ireland. Lord John
Russell arrived in town yesterday from Claremont.

The Council sat three hours.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had a
general meeting yesterday at their office in Whitehall-
place.
The Earl of Chichester had an interview with Sir
George Grey, yesterday at the Home Office. Mr. G.
Cornwall Lewis had also an interview with the Right
Hon. Baronet yesterday.

THE BOOTMAKERS', &C., BENEVOLENT INSTITU-
TION—The celebration of the 10th anniversary of the forma-
tion of this institution took place last evening at the Freema-
sons' Tavern, Great Queen-street. Alderman Sidney pre-
sided. The vocal arrangements were under the direction of
Mr. Genge, assisted by Mr. Blewitt, and other professional
4„entlemen. The meeting was a large one; mayor of
'"rthampton and other persons connected with the interests
of the leather trade being amongst the company. The usual
loyal and national toasts were drunk with the honours, and
the toast " Success to the Institution" was received with
cheers, and followed by a liberal contribution from those
present. The health of the worthy Alderman in the chair
was drunk with the most complimentary feeling of the coin-
ppuarnipdayet.er manner,
thete ardsthat gentleman, and responded to in an appro-
liberal The
festivities were kept up for some hours,
provisions of the proprietor of the tavern,
and
it was not bill late id the evening that the company de-
Fluted.

FIRE • -AT STOURTON CASTLE.—On Saturday morn-
ing a fire broke out on the premises of Stourton Castle, near
tourbridge, the residence of James Foster, Esq., an iron-
master of
great eminence. It is supposed that the fire
originated in the sleeping apartment of Miss Foster, who, on
awaking in the middle of the night, observed that the room
117,ar names. By great exertion the flames were checked
before they spr3ead further, but several of the apartments
were much in•ured. The property was insured in the
Phoenix-office.

THE
LATE ACCIDENT ON THE SOUTH-WESTERN
tlAlL\VAY.—Yesterday an inquest was held at Weybridge,
before Mr. Woods, coroner for the western division of Surrey,
'11? the body of Clifford Elisha, aged 59, schoolmaster of the
!hertsey Union, who was killed at the Weybridge station on
the evening of Saturnay last. After a long inquiry the jury
returned a verdict of " Accidental death, and that no blame
Was attachable to the company's servants."
Yesterday a Court of Directors was held at the
East India House, who Lieutenant-General Sir Willoughby
Cotton, G.C.8., was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the
Company's forces on the Bombay establishment.
SOCIETY OF ARTS.—The :first ordinary meeting
for the. year was held yesterday evening, J. Payne, Esq.,
V.P., in the chair. A communication was read from Mrs.
Whitby, on the cultivation of the mulberry and growth of the
silk-worm in this country. It is well known that the culture
of silk in France, which is only of very recent introduction,
Lim turned out very successful, although the objections
against it were quite as strong as those which had been urged
here. It appeared that Mrs. Whitby had been successful in
producing a silk finer in quality and texture than that de-
rived from any foreign source, and in considerable quantity,
whilst the great principle had been obtained that the cost
was much less. A description was given by Mr. Cerden of a
new condensing rotatory steam engine. The case and wheel
are placed in vacuo, so that the latter has as little resistance
.5 Possible.
Sir William Young, Bart., of Baleiborough, John
Young, Esq., M.P., late Secretary to the Treasury, and
other branches of the family, have been placed in mourning
by the demise of Thomas Young, Esq., second son of Sir
William, of the Bengal Civil Service, at Calcutta, on the
20th of November.
THE FABLE OF THE GOLDEN EGGS REALISED.—
A townsman of ours recently won at a raffle a very fine
goose, and upon the " gudewife" preparing it for the spit,
she still more fortunately found in the entrails one of her
Majesty's coins called a half-sovereign. Fancying, we pre-
sume, that this was the veritable "goose that laid the golden
eggs," she exclaimed, " what a pity this goose was killed 1'
Cambridge Advertiser,