The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, MAY 4. 1840

NEW ZEALAND.

Despatches reached the New Zealand Company
on Saturday from Colonel Wakefield, their princi-
pal agent, dated Cloudy Bay, October 10, 1839.
These despatches bring the important intelligence
of the purchase, by the Company's agent, of the
valuable harbour of Port Nicholson, in Cook's
Straits, with the surrounding territory, comprising
a tract of land from 40 to 50 miles long, and 25 to
30 miles broad, which embraces a surface of nearly
a million of acres. Port Nicholson is distant near
30 miles from Queen Charlotte's Sound, on the
opposite coast. It is six miles long and nearly
four wide ; has an excellent anchorage in all parts,
and the inner harbour is perfectly sheltcreddfrom all
winds. There is no bar whatever ; the depth of
water at the entrance is not less than 8.1 fathoms,
and the usual depth within the harbour is froit 9
to 15 fathoms. The hills east and west of the har-
bour are described as somewhat resembling Mount
Edgecumbe, in Devonshire. The foliage of the
trees is every where bright, and no obstacles ap-
peared in the way of cultivation. Near the an-
chorage of the " Tory," a fresh water river dis-
charged itself into the harbour, from seven to
eight feet deep at the mouth, where it spreads like a
lagoon. The valley of the river is described as 40
miles long, and from three to four miles broad. On
each side are sloping hills, about 200 fee high,
covered with timber, and extending as far as the
snow-capped mountains. Colonel Wakefield as-
cended the river about seven miles, and reports the
trees to be well adapted for ship and house-
building, besides fine pines suited for masts and
spars. The river was obstructed high up by the
trunks of trees which had fallen across it, and by
a small wood, which, however,
might easily be
cleared, and the river thrown open to navigation for
many miles up its main branch, which is forty yards
wide. The land on both sides the river is a rich
black loam. The whole valley is capable of cultwa-
tion, and only requires the confinement of the river,
and the artificial union of its streams towards the
mouth.

Port Nicholson (which has thus been selected as
the site of the Company's first settlement) is found
to be a noble harbour, accessible at all times, with
land equal to, if not exceeding in fertility, any that
has been seen in New Zealand, and compared to
an English garden. This harbour has been de-
scribed also as unrivalled in position, placed as it
is in the highway between New Holland and the
Western World.

It is satisfactory to know that the reception of
Colonel Wakefield and his party by the natives was
most cordial, and the ceremony of putting him in
possession was marked with rejoicings. We ex••
tract the following passage from his despatch :
" The native oven which contained our dinner
was then opened, and we were invited to attend.
After doing justice to the joints of a pig, which
had been killed for the occasion, and the whole of
which we were bound in native politeness to take
away with us, however little we might eat, we
drank the healths of the chiefs and people of Port
Nicholson in champagne, and, christening the
flag-staff, took formal possession of the harbour
and district in the name of the Company, amidst
the hearty cheers of our party and the assembled
natives."

The whole scene passed in the greatest harmony,
and with a display of good feeling towards us on
the part of our new friends, hitherto, I Imagine,
never elicited by European treatment. I have
dwelt on the details with tiresomeness, I am afraid,
lest the Company should fail to know the prospects
of a good reception of emigrants on its possessions,
and the families contemplating settling on them
may at once relieve their minds of the impression
that has been made by many late works on this
country, that the disposition and habits of the
Aborigines render a residence there unsafe. The
probable future importance, also, of this place, can-
not be too much impressed on those emigrants dis-
posed to turn their attention to commercial or mari-
time pursuits. The land contained in the dis-
trict will amply supply provisions for the settlers
and for importation, and will probably be found
connected by valleys, with districts more suitable to
British husbandry. The harbour is the only one into
which a vessel of more than 100 tons can enter
with safety, on a line of coast of 600 miles in ex-
tent, from Manukoa to the Thames, and must be-
come the depot of the interior of this line, to be
supplied by a coasting trade, and of all the country
on both sides of Cook's Straits for the purposes of
importation of foreign, and exportation to other
countries of native, produce. It also presents the
most desirable place in these islands for the fitting
out of whale-ships, not less than 400 of which an-
nually procure cargoes of oil on the banks, to the
eastward of the Southern Island ; and for ship
building it offers timber in endless quantities.
Having affixed the Company's landmarks on the
newly acquired territory, and commenced the erec-
tion of buildings, Colonel Wakefield left agents in
possession at Port Nicholson, and proceeded in
the Tory to Cloudy Bay, the country round which
is described as not very inviting. He contemplated
afterwards visiting' the south-western coast of the
Northern Island, near Mount Egmont, where, it is
probable, he would acquire a district of rich flat land
at Taranake and Moturoa. Some valuable and in-
teresting natural specimens have been forwarded to
the Company, which are confirmatory of all previous
accounts of the richness and beauty of this highly-
favoured southern land.

ON THE filuH PRICES OF

CATTLE IN ]B4O.

The prices of cattle in Cumberland are n:ivi at
a higher pitch than they have ever reached since the
spring of 1825, and the rise has been gradual and
pretty regular for the last four years. Many tem-
porary fluctuations have occurred in the markets
,during that period, but the general and ultimate
tendency has been upwards.
. .
The cause'. thai seems to have had the most
powerful effect on the Cumberland prices is . the
steam communications . from the Highlands of
Scotland to London, and from Scotland to Liver-
pool, Chester, Bristol, and other ports on the
western coasts of England. A very few years ago
the Irish cattle-dealer was glad to avoid the risks
and dangers of the seas, as much as was in his
power, by landing his stock at the nearest English
port, for he dreaded the effect of a three or four
days' voyage upon his cattle in a sailing vessel, and
consequently,many thousands more than those are now
annually landed at the Cumberland ports. Of these,
the calvers were principally bought at and near the
port of landing ; and several purchase's would also
be found for small lots of grazing cattle ; and it was
the professed object of all the numerous dealers,
whose lots did not amount to mole than thirty or
forty each, to retail all they could without incurring
the expenses of driving forwards to the southern
or midland grazing districts, which the small droves
could not so well bear. From the north of Ireland
the dealer was accustomed to take what he called
the " short say" to Portpatrick, when he fea•ed
bad weather, and so drive and retail his wares along
the road by Dumfries and Carlisle to Yorkshire,
&c., and thus crowds of Irish cattle were bought
and kept in the north of England, which now make
a sale and ready transit by steam to within a very
few day's driving of any of the great grazing coun-
ties in the centre or south of the kingdom that the
shrewd owner may think most advantageous for his
sales ; his stock and himself fresh and hearty,
having little or no injury from the casualties usually
accompanying his sailing-vessel voyage by the
" long say.
Previous to about the year 1824 the Isle of Man
was prohibited by Act of Parliament, or by injunc-
ton of the House of Keys (the insular legislative
body) from landing any cattle in England, except
at the port of Chester. This restriction having been
found detrimental to the interests of the island, the
law was repealed or rendered obsolete ; and the late
Mr. Robert Gill, on whose petition the law was an
nulled, exported for a number of years to White-
haven, about 1,000 head per annum ; the whole of
w
which, or very nearly so, were fed or milked on the
Cumberland pastures. But since Mr. Gill's death
scarcely a tithe of the number has reached out
shores, the principal part being now taken by steam
to Liverpool and Chester.
The facility of steam conveyance from Leith,
Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, and other northern
ports, enables the Highland breeders and dealers
to attend the southern markets in much less time
now than when the only alternative was the
weary drive of six, seven, or even more weeks,
from the north Highlands ; and if the ex-
pense per head is now a trifle more by steam,
than of old by land, the time consumed over
each trip is so much reduced that the dealer's

business may be almost trebled in extent—and
time with him being personal property, it may be
his own fault if it does not considerably augment
his profits. Nine-tenths of the spare produce of
the Highland mountains was, previous to the esta-
blishment of steam conveyance, driven through
Cumberland on its way to the English markets,
and a few thousands were annually purchased to
be depastured on the Cumberland bills ; and now,
since the principal part of the commons have been
inclosed, and a speedier transit established, the
number of Highland cattle grazed in this and the
adjoining counties, is trifling indeed—as witness
the great Rosley and Brough Hill fairs being so
materially reduced in the extent of their respective
shows of Highland stock of late years. I have
accurate means of knowing that the numbers of
Highland cattle bought at Carlisle, and other mar-
kets, for the West Cumberland pastures are consi-
derably fewer than formerly. Thus it is that Cum-
berland is now necessitated to depend much more
on her own resources for a supply of cattle than in
former years—and it remains to be shown how
those resources are influenced by circumstances
having effect on the numbers produced and reared.
From the great improvements that have taken
place of late years in the cultivation of land, it is
not to be supposed that a smaller average produce
is now realised from the arable lands of the county
than formerly was ; on the contrary, there is no
doubt but a great increase of produce is the re-
sult ? But how is this increase disposed of? The
very fact of improving the land bespeaks the em-
ployment of a greater number of horses. Those
horses are to feed, in the first instance, from the
extra produce; and not a few of them are employed
in raising turnips and other keep for the winter
feeding of cattle (a branch of husbandry of com-
paratively recent introduction into Cumberland),
and of which produce, on many large farms, the
breeding-stock is only allowed to partake very
sparingly—the fat stock being the great considera-
tion, and must be continued in a growing state,
whatever may be the lot and condition of the
youngsters. A much greater number of horses are
now kept in the various towns, for the pleasure and
business of the increased population ; and more
horses are employed on the roads, for commercial
purposes, in public works, and new buildings, in
iron and coal mines, &c., &c., and all those arc to
be fed from the same acres that were used by our
forefathers, in a great measure, for the breeding of
cattle.

As another reason for the present scarcity of
stock, it appears that since the year 1830, a smaller
number of bullocks has been reared, I suppose by
way of precaution against another surfeit of the
markets ; for whatever might be their quality,
bullocks could then be scarcely turned into money
at any price. And had every female calf been
reared since that period, heifers alone being only
half the average number dropped, would not, and
have not, been sufficient to supply the increased
annual drain required by the increased population.
But the butchers in all towns can testify that very
far short of all the heifer calves are reared, and
they know too, that the late prices of milk and
butter have amounted to a strong temptation to
commit a species of murder on the calves dropped
in the town's dairies, before the proper condition
of slaughter has been attained. A similar tempta-
tion is thrown in the way of the breeding farmer
also, who finds that milk and butter command
ready money, whilst the breeding system requires
three years' credit on the value of calves, and on
the value of their maintainance during that period,
with considerable risk and uncertainty as to the
final result.

The succession of wet seasons that have visited
the northern counties of England lately, has been
a most urgent cause of the stocks of cattle being
thinned, and may be a reason for their being kept
thin for a few years to come. Many farmers have
been obliged to sell young, or even any, cattle that
would take a market, because so small a portion of
their crop was fit for either sale or feeding cattle,
and money must be periodically and regularly
raised out of one thing or another.
The introduction and extensive adoption of the
cheviot flocks in the Highlands of Scotland, has
engrossed much more than half the pasturage in
many parishes, and curtailed the numbers of cattle
within a very trifling limit. And whilst sheep con-
tinue to pay the breeder, in an equal ratio per acre,
with cattle, it may be reasonably calculated that
they will continue to supersede cattle on still more
and more hills and moors that may be found
dry enough, and suited in other respects, to the
breeding of sheep, until the reaction consequent
upon all overdone experiments takes place.
A smaller aniount of capital- is required to stock
a sheep walk, than is necessary for a farm of equal
extent and quality to be stocked with cattle, for
either rearing or grazing; and persons possessed of
the requiiite skill, will make as good a figure upon
a sheep farm, with a capital of a thousand pounds,
as another of competent talent on a cattle farm with
twelve hundred and fifty pounds, or even more, on
an average of years.
Thus, cattle are thinned by a variety of circum-
stances independent of the beef-eating propensity
of the English nation, and if beef be scarce and
dear now, when such numbers of operatives are
said to be totally destitute of the means of pur-
chasing even the smallest weekly pittance of animal
food, where is the national supply of beef to be
derived for a rapidly increasing population, when
the poor weavers, and other now stinted artizans,
are permitted to receive reasonable wages for their
industry, and which I trust will be at an early
period ?
In all probabilily a few years may pass before any
great declension of prices oecurs, even if, owing to
any political change, a much greater area of inferior
soil is laid down to pasture ; but that a revulsion of
prices will take place in consequence of the present
alartn.of scarcity, and the endeavours practised to
remedy it, is as certain, if not as periodically oor-.
rect, as the ebbing and flowing, of the tide. The
epidemic .disease now so prevalent ,among cattle in
he vicinity of the metropolis, will have its natural
effect in deterring the graziers of that locality froM
buying freely, and from stocking their pastures fully
—the jobbers, too, will' come in for a short breath-
ing-time, and those circumstances may assist in
lowering prices for a few weeks, but the supply
must be increased before any material reduction can
take place in the prices of lean stock, in the absence
of any panic.--Carlisle Patriot.

SHIPWRECKED FISHERMEN AND
MARINERS' BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

The first annual meeting of the supporters of this
excellent institution took place on Friday at the London
Tavern, Bishopsgate-street. The room was crowded
with company. Amongst the committee we noticed
the Rev. Dr. Burnett, Si- George A. Westphal',
Captain Smith, R.N., Major Oliphant, George Han-
key, Esq., Mr. Saunders, and several other influentiat
persons. Admiral the Right Hots. Sir George Cock-
burn, G.C.8., took the chair, and in a very eloquent
speech stated the objects of the meeting : he congratu-
lated its supporters on the cheering prospects of the
Society, and concluded by calling on Mr. West, the
Secretary, to read the report. It appeared from this,
that since the formation of the Society in February,
1839, to 31st March, 1840, the receipts, in donations
and subscriptions, amounted to 4,2951. 19s. Bd., the
subscriptions being fixed as low as half-a-crown ; by
which means numbers of poor fishermen and mariners
were enabled to subscribe and partake of the advan-
tages of the Society. The expenditure in relief, and
expenses of all kinds, amounted to the sum of
3,3181. Is. 7d., leaving a balance of 9971. 18s. Id. in
the hands of the treasurer. During the course of the
past year 72 widows, 163 children, and 30 aged parents,
were relieved ; 49 shipwrecked persons were forwarded
to their various homes, 8 families were relieved who had
been left destitute, 57 auxiliary branches had been es-
tablished in various parts of the coubtry, and 89 hono-
rary agents had offered their services to the Society.
A number of resolutions in accordance with the objects
of the Society were passed. After the election of offi-
cers for the year ensuing, the meeting separated.

AGITATION IN IRELAND.—Leinster has done
its duty. Not satisfied with the Great Provincial Meeting of
Tuesday, the counties are meeting, or about to meet, one after
another. Meath, Louth, Longford, Queen's, are already up,
and will be followed by others. In the No-th the spirit of re-
sistance has been diffused with the quickness of electricity.
Thanks to the. Earls of Charlemont and Gosford—to Sharman
Crawford, Ross, of ROStreVOl—thanks, in a word. to the reviv-
ing spirit of patriotism and political energy in Ulster. Why
does Munster, as a province, remain as yet quiescent? There
are some county meetings—but we wish for a general expres
sion from the entire province—for it is against Munster espe-
cially that the Noble Lord has aimed his poisoned arrow. Con-
naught meets to-flay. Ulster meets to-day. Leinster has met.
Munster, as a province, has as yet made no movement.—Dub.
[in Evening Post of Thursday.
- -

It has been decided to erect the new Church at
Romford on the right hand side of the entrance to the town,
close to the turnpike. The plans for the edifice have been
prepared, and the preliminary arrangements are in progress.