The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-26 00:00:00

SIT N 9 SEPTEMBER 26, 1846, PRICE SD.

agreed to serve in that place was that eeery colleague
he had, every one of the 240 Members who acknow-
ledged him for their leader, should hold it, as their duty
to assist heartily, and be prepared to take their turn at
the labouring oar when his own strength failed. The
example thus shown he believed had had its effect ; and
when he saw how men of too great modesty, but of su-
perior ability, had been thus induced to come forward in
the service of their" country, he trusted the example
would not be lost upon many other men much younger,
and others who were older than himself, to step forward
and see if good and honest intentions, and a determina-
tion to maintain those intentions fearlessly, would not
obtain for them that confidence in Parliament and in the
country which they had been pleased tee lavish on him.
—(Cheers) Then this would be his boast, and what-
ever the ultimate result of the contest, it would be his
consolation on his dying ctiy that he had stood forward
to prevent the constituencies of qit. ,-napire from ser-
vilely permitting themselves to ine teienpled upon by
a haughty, an arrogant, and an unprincipled Adminis-
tration.—(Cheers.) In that county, as in others, he was
confident their were young men of talent and
integrity of principle who felt they eowed a duty to
their country, and who, taking an example by him,
whose ability was,in nothing superior to their own, would
be prompt to serve their country and avert that disgrace
which must arise to England were she permitted to be
trampled upon by an Administrationaltogether careless
of principle and political honour. It would be in the
recollection of all present that about teno'clock at night,
just three months ago, Sir R. Peel had taken from agri-
culture the protection it was entitled'lto,ind thrown this
country on the foreigner for its strOlifis4 And
they had no doubt seen an article-lateli* one or the
leading journals of Europe, and had withM*-admiltd
the modesty •and the humility Witirwhicb, -tefp*Vee
trade had been carried three months,• the mateo of
,
the free-traders had come scream a lets '
lug to them, the protectionisM vingWkti.
how they Were prcpatato get Ireland ad 27f the scrape-
into which free trade had plunged her. Without de-
manding a fee for his advice, herwould say thatZreland
might still be saved from the calamity with which she
was threatened, by clinging to the last plank of protec-
tion.—(Cheers.) In 1807 she was an importing coun-
try ; but owing to the encouragement of her domestic
industry by British domestic laws, she had in the last
few years so increased her production of corn as to
be able to export to England wheat, oats, barley,
and beans, to the extent -of 3,000,000 of quarters.
The Times said there were 4,000,000 of people to be
provided for, and that allowing to each one quarter of
their own superabundant supply of grain, three out of
the four millions would be provided for. But what
if there had been no protection to Ireland in the shape
of a corn-law, with a monopoly of the English market
during the last forty years? Why, simply this, that she
would be in the condition that distinguished her in 1807,
of not growing enough for her own consumption; and,
her potatoes failing, of not having any grain to fall back
upon. There would in that case have been, not such a
famine as the Times spoke of, when the warehouses of
England and Scotland were loaded with grain, contain-
ing at Christmas last, above 1,000,000 of quarters, being
100,000 quarters more than at any former period of our
history; but such a famine as took place in 1813 in Nor-
way, when dependent upon Sweden, the result being that
in a single diocese 5,000 souls died of absolute starvation.
The prophecies of the protectionists had been verified in
a manner which present circumstances rendered particu-
larly striking. On the 30th of last March old red wheat
fetched from 575. to 705., and on the 10th of August it
fetched only from 48s. to 54s.—a fall in price which could
only be explained by the fact of 2,000,000 quarters hav-
ing come into competition with British grain. As for
the potato disease, observing that it was general, and that
it attacked land that had never been broken before, as
well as land which had been for many years used for
the growth of potatoes, he could only regard it as a
calamity similar to that of the cholera, and which,
by the blessing of God, would last but for a short period
—he hoped not beyond the present season. The pro-
tectionists had shown how Ireland might be supplied
with food even in her greatest difficulty. He might be
told that they had only provided for three out of four
millions of the Irish people. He was assured by good
authority that they might expect 2,500,000 barrels of
wheaten flour, exclusive of maize, frem the United States
of America ; but the wheat from which that flour was
made bad been grown before the free-trade measures of
the late Government were introduced into Parliament,
and they had then exactly the same access to it as if
those free-trade measures had not been passed.—(Hear,
hear.) It was now proposed that Great Britain should
feed Ireland. If so, what difference would it have made
to the Govornment to have paid the duty with one hand,
and received it back with the other ; or to have got
grain at a less price by the amount of duty taken off?1:It
was said that the present was a period of general
scarcity on the Continent and elsewhere. Such were
just the periods at which it was madnesi to make this
country dependent upon foreigners. Sweden, Belgium,
Sardinia, and Egypt, finding a scarcity last year, pro-
hibited the export of grain—taking care that perfide Al-
bion should not avail itself of any portion of their supply.
The principles of Chatham, Pitt, Huskisson, and Can-
ning were quite consistent with this; so, until now, were
the doctrines of Sir J. Graham, who had told them that
the most foolish thing a great empire like this could do
was to rely upon foreigners for its supply.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir Robert Peel had said that foreign nations, not
through a feeling of enmity, but actuated by a desire to
protect themselves, would naturally enough prohibit the
exportation of their grain to this country. In fact,
every statesman, living and dead, including Lord John
Russell, but excepting those of the Anti-Corn-law
League, had been of opinion that there was no safety for
a country like this in time of a general deficiency of
harvest, unless by relying upon its own exertions and
capital. The free-trader said that no sooner would their
measures be carried than the artizans of England had
only to open their mouths and food would flow into it.
Now the duty of two guineas per ton upon potatoes had
been totally removed in 1844, and yet no potatoes had
been since sent to this country, although, owing to the
failure in the growth of that article, there was
now a famine in Ireland. They also said that
the people would obtain higher wages and a larger
loaf, but he doubted if the people of Stock-
port and Manchester would verify this prediction.
Indeed, he had received communications froth Stock-
port saying that the wages had been reduced ld. a cut,
or 10d. a week, and from Cole, stating a reduction of 3d.
a cut. And yet the price of the loaf was no less—a fact
which would induce the manufacturers of the country to
believe that they (the agriculturists) had not deceived
them, and that in mutual protection they would find
their best prosperity. Sir Robert Peel, with his here-
ditary recollections of Manchester, had taken off the
duty upon America raw cotton, by which our West
Indian subjects were deprived of their protection of
5-16ths of a penny in the pound—a duty that amounted
altogether to 68,0001., from which it was supposed the
men of Manchester would be relieved, and which was
only a trifle more than the amount which was annually
levied on the income-tax, from the tenant-farmers of
England. But Sir Robert Peel preferred the men of
Manchester, and yet what had been the result of his
attempt to serve them? On the Ist of July, 1845, the
price of American cotton varied from to 4td., being
an average of 3id.; it had since risen to from 3i-d. to
5&d., being a rise upon the average of more than 4d. per
lb., so that America had absolutely pocketed the relief
intended for the people of Manchester, to the extent of
680,0001. From this he might fairly assume that the
manufacturers themselves would be disappointed with
the prophecies of the free-traders, would soon believe
that their confidence had been abused, and, before
another general election, would be found joining the
agriculturist in seeking for protection.—(" Hear," and a
cry of the " Malt-tax.") Unless they were prepared
to turn repudiators, like:Sir R. Peel' and the Americans
—unless they no longer intended to pay their just debts,
they-must find a revenue sufficient for all emergencies,
and therefore the repeal of the malt-tax would imply the
reinstating of those taxes through the Customs which
had been removed or reduced. He did not hesitate to
say that the malt-tax ought to be taken off, in preference
to the duties upon timber, sugar, cotton, wool, silk, and
a thousand other articles; and if they could not get those
duties put on first, they must only see whether they
could not have the malt-tax abolished.—(Cheers.) That
once accomplished, the Government would probably in-
vite them to renew the Customs' duties, so that the re-
moval of the malt-tax might eventually prove the means
of recovering their lost protection to native industry.
They had been defeated in their endeavours to maintain
that protection by 112 gentlemen who had been returned
to Parliament to defend, but who, instead of defending,
had betrayed the interests of their constituents. He
trusted that the people of England would be true to
themselves at the next election, and never consent to be-
come the slaves of their representatives.—(Loud and
long-continued cheering.)
Mr. NEWDEGATE, M.P., proposed the " health of
Lord Stanley and the Peers who, in the House of Lords,
supported Protection to British Industry," who, though
told that adherence to principle in them was calculated
to bring the two branches of the Legitslature into colli-
sion, still, feeling confident that the feeling of the peo-
ple was the same in 1846 as it was fin 1841, persevered ;
and though for a time unsuccessful, had shown a noble
example to the country. Lord Ste nley had especially
distinguished himself in the cause of protection to Bri-
tish agriculture; his speech in the Hieuse of Lords placed
the question on its true footing, at id furnished an un-
answerable argument to the fallacies of the free-traders.
The result of free trade in its full a Lpplication would be
a great reduction of the value of la, hour and property
throughout the country; and while the abolition of the
corn-laws, by reducing the price corn, would ruin
the farmer, it would deprive the cm entry, in seasons of
scarcity, of its only safeguard agai ast famine.—(Hear,
hear.) Then the bonding system, by which England had
been made as one great free port a, nd the depot for the
world, could not continue under t he operation of free
trade. Merchants would no lenge r have any induce-
ment to store their corn here ; ai , would go to other
countries; and when seasons d f scarcity arrived,
the cost of transit would add to the difficulty of
relieving the wants of the people.----( 'Hear, hear.) Under
the operation of free trade he b e lieved the maximum
average price of corn would be 4C it ;. The price of corn
in New Orleans was 245. 6d., the , cost of transit here
was 10s. ; and in the Baltic, prey ions to 1839, the price
was 285., the cost of transit to f his country about 7s. or
Bs. ; so that, had there; been n 41 duty, we might have

imported the whole surplus. production of those coun-
tries at about 355. or 365. a quarter. The Honourable
Gentleman quoted Dr. Johnson in favour of affording
encouragement to the natural production of any country
as against mere commerce, and M. Guizot on the import-
ance of forming and maintaining a grand party for con-
stitutional purposes—the constitutional system, accord-
ing to that statesman, consisting properly of a governing
party and an opposition party, each having definite prin-
ciples, and an understood system, each system being
brought into drily discussion, and c instantly placed in
opposition to the other ; and concluded a very long
speech, in which he was constantly interrupted by an
audience so impatient and unruly that the chairman's
efforts and the toastmaster's (O'Toole) entreaties and
gesticulations for silence were wholly unavailing, by
proposing the toast, which was drunk amidst loud cheers.
Lord RAYLEIGH, in returning thanks, eulogised Lord
Stanley, condemned Sir R. Peel, assured the protec-
tionists that their cause was by no means desperate, and
advised them not to be again humbugged. When once
a famine should come, and the manufacturers found the
result of free trade in corn, there would be no more
difficulty in re-enacting the corn-law than there had
been in enacting the income-tax, which was a much more
unpopular impost.
The remaining toasts were " Sir J. T. Tyrell and
the other Members of Parliament for the county "
" The Ch'airman"—" The Members for the boroughs in
the county"—" The Protectionist Members of the House
of Commons"—" The Yeomanry and the. Committee,"
but the noise and confusion which prevailed rendered all
attempt to report the principal speeches made in pro-
posing and acknowledging them abortive.
The party broke up at about ten o'clock.

LORD STANLEY AND THE AGRI-
CULTURISTS OF LIVERPOOL.
The dinner of this society was held, as usual, at the
Jargp room of Lucas's Repository, Great Charlotte-
street, on Thursday evening.. About 300 sat down,
which was considered a much better attendance thaifthat
of last year. Mr. Charles Chalk, of St. John's-lane,
acted as caterer on the occasion, and the tables were
liberally supplied with everything that could contribute
to the enjoyment of the company. The chair was occu-
pied by Lord Stanley, and at the principal table were
the following gentlemen, amongst others :—Mr. John
Ireland Blackburne ; the Hon. Edward Stanley, son of
the chairman ; Mr. 11. Littledale ; Mr. Robert Neilson ;
Mr. Weld Blundell ; Mr. Richard Blundell ; Sir Richard
Brooke, Bart. ; Mr. Alderman Griffith ; Mr. Councillor
Parker ; Mr. Alderman James Lawrence ; Mr. Richard
Brook ; Mr. Hardman Earle ; Mr. William Eccles ;
Mr. William Grierson ; Captain Morgan ; Mr. Bartho-
lomew Bretherton ; Mr. Gilbert Greenhall ; Mr. William
Rawson ; Mr. William Heyes ; Mr. Philip Whiteway.
After the usual loyal toasts had been given,
Lord STANLEY rose, amidst loud cheers, to propose the
principal toast of the evening. The Noble Lord spoke
nearly as follows :—Gentlemen, it now becomes my duty
to propose to you a bumper toast. I propose to you to
drink prosperity to that society whose anniversary you
are now met to celebrate, and whose progress, from very
small beginnings and by very gradual steps, to its pre-
sent advanced stage of prosperity, I have had the satis-
faction of witnessing through the period of sixteen years
during which I have had the honour of filling this chair
as president.—(Hear, hear, and applause.) I had hoped,
when I had addressed you last year, that before this
time we might have effected a combination with another
and a sister society in this country, by which the means
of usefulness of both, by which the sphere of emulation
of both—which is the means of usefulness—might have
been considerably extended. That arrangement has not
been brought to a conclusion. Unforeseen impediments
have for the present, prevented it ; but I trust that it is
for the present only, and that before another year has
expired those difficulties may be surmounted, which have
hitherto prevented the union of the Liverpool and Man-
chester Agricultural Societies.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, I
address you at a period of no small difficulty to me in my
present position, and of no small anxiety to the agricul-
tural interests of the country generally.—(Hear.) I ad-
dress you at a period when it has been thought right
by Parliament to withdraw that legislative protection, or
at least to make provisions by which that legislative
protection shall shortly be withdrawn, which the agri-
cultural interests of this country have hitherto en-
joyed. And I address you also at a period when it
has pleased Providence to visit this country and the
greater, part of the civilised world with a mysterious
visitation, in the almost entire failure of crop essential
to the maintenance and support of the poorest portion
of the community.—(Hear.) But, gentlemen, these
are topics upon which, here, I can hardly dwell. I
cannot speak to you of the measures which it has pleased
Parliament to adopt, for several reasons. First, that it
is a wise and judicious rule of this society that it should
exclude from its discussions everything that can lead to
political dissension or political differences of opinion ;
next, that it is yet doubtful, and it remains to be proved,
whether the change which Parliament has decreed is a
change which will be sanctioned and made perpetual by
the feelings and opinions of the community at large.—
(Hear, hear.) Thirdly, the operation of this measure
has not yet come into effect—(Hear)—for I need not
tell those that I am addressing that at this time, and for
the next two or three years, there still remains a duty
of 10s. per quarter upon the intr Auction of foreign
wheat. Lastly, I will not speak upon this topic, because
whatever may be, even ultimately, the operation of
this Legislative measure, its even partial operation
has been, in a great degree, counteracted and im-
peded by other and temporary causes. The enormous
—I will not say the exaggerated, I will not say the dan-
gerously large, but I will say the unprecedentedly large
—amount which is now being invested in various specu-
lations and in various works, tends unnaturally to raise
the price of labour, and, consequently, unnaturally to
increase the demand for provisions, at the time when
that very visitation of Providence to which I have re-
ferred presses upon this country and upon the Continent.
Therefore, even were I not precluded, as I am, from
dwelling upon this topic, and upon the legislative mea-
sures which have been passed, by the rules of this so-
ciety, I should be precluded by a consideration that the
effect of those legislative measures—if legislative mea-
sures they are ultimately to be—must stand the test of
time. This, alone, I will say, that, having expressed in
another place, where it was my bounden duty to express
it, my opinioe, unhesitatingly and unreservedly, upon
the policy of those measures, the wisdom and the sound-
ness of that opinion remains yet to be tested by time—
(Hear, hear)—and no man will rejoice more than I shall,
if the apprehensions I entertain should be found to be
unfounded or exaggerated.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.)
Nay, more, gentleman ; no man, in his sphere and
position, shall do more, by increased exertions, to
render those apprehensions less founded than I believe
them to be.—(Hear, hear.) I also must abstain from
offering to you, gentlemen, any observations upon the
almost general, I may say the universal, failure of the
potato crop—a failure so universal, not only in this
country, but in every part of these united kingdoms,
that in passing, about ten days ago through the city of
Edinburgh, I was assured there had not been exhibited
for sale in the market of Edinburgh a potato for at least
ten days or a fortnight.—(Hear, hear.) I shall not
dilate upon this topic, for the best of all possible reasons,
because I know nothing about it.—(Hear, and a laugh.)
I believe if all the most learned men in Europe were to
make an honest confession, the result would be that they
knew no more about it than I profess to know.—(Hear,
hear.) They know it is general, they know that it is
fatal, ;most dangerous in its tendency, and most
lamentable in its effects. , But as to its cause and
origin, as to the mode of preventing or palliating the
evil, there are many different opinions; but none of them
have stood the test of experience, and none of them can
be pronounced upon with the smallest degree of cer-
tainty. Gentlemen, Ido venture to hope, notwithstand-
ing, from indications which came in a remarkable manner
unde my own cognizance, some three or four years ago,
when I had the honour of holding the office of Colonial
Secretary, that this visitation will not be continuous.—
(Hear.) I was applied to at that time from the distant
island of St. Helena to consult well-skilled persons in
London as to a mysterious disease which had there
broken out three years ago. I say nothing of the uni-
versal prevalence of disease in the potatoes. I believe—
and I trust the fact is so—that the disease does not owe
its origin to any permanent failure of, or deficiency in,
the root itself, but to some extraordinary atmospherical
influences ; and that, as it has been the will of Provi-
dence to afflict us with this visitation, so we may look
forward, with a humble confidence, to the withdrawal of
the visitation by the act of the same Providence, against
which, it at present appears, no human skill or foresight
can guard.—(Hear.) I am the more led to entertain
this conclusion, because I feel that those among us
who are practical farmers will see, in the course of the
present year, whether it be from atmospherical influ-
ences or not, that other crops are similarly sdFected, though
not to the same extent as the potato crop. I regret to
say, in this county, and I hear in other districts, the tur-
nip crop is also, to a great, extent, a failure. Even in the
gardens—l do not know whether any of you will have
remarked it—there is an extraordinary disease, similar
to that in the potato, exhibited upon a mall scale in
the celery beds, the leaves being spotted, black, and
withered, and the plant itself rotting in the same manner
as in crops of potatoes and turnips. Ido not pretend to
offer you any observations upon either of those two topics
which are yet matters of the deepest baterest to those
who, like many of you, are engaged as practical farmers
in cultivation. I rather turn to see what advantage we
can derive from the amount of misfortune ; and it will be
no small advantage to one part of this empire, and I
will venture to say even more—no small advantage to
this part of the country in which I am now speaking, if
the uncertainty, or rather the general, failure of the
potato crop shall lead the farmers—sin:ill farmers espe-
cially—to rest their attention and their trust less exclu-
sively upon potatoes as a green crop, to :the exclusion of
many others that might be adopted.—<Hear and ap-
plause.) I think we have in this country, and I know
it to my cost as an Irish landlord, relied too extensively
upon the cultivation of the potato. That sole stay fail-
ing, distress has grievously increased. I recollect the
time when it was confidently declared that the turnip
would not grow in this country—that the soil, climate,
and I know not what, were so adverse to its cultivation,
that to expect
.to grow turnips was looked upon as the
height of absurdity. I will now venture to say, that,
take the district of this society througha ut, there is no
district in England-which, with proper cultivation and

proper attention, will yield a more remunerative—per-
haps there is hardly any one which will yield an equally
remunerative—return, in crops of turnips, than the dis-
trict comprised in the limits of this society.—(Cheers.)
In the course of this evening I shall have to read to you
instances in which—what do you suppose? Two-and-
twenty, five-and-twenty, six-and-twenty tons? No; but
nine-and-thirty, and forty-three tons of .Swedish
turnips per acre have been produced by farmers in the
limits of this society. I believe that with proper skill,
proper attention, and with proper draininge-(Hear,
hear)—soil of a great part of this district will become_
eminently calculated for the growth of turnips, which it
was thought would not grow here at all; and more, that
the general moisture of the climate of this country,.ftv.
vourable as it is to some descriptions of produce, is emi-
nently favourable to the growth and the extension of
turnip crops. Therefore, I think it wiil be deriving
" goad oat of evil," if we can, out of the effects of the
general failure of the potato, lead the farmers of the
country to turn their attention somewhat more to turnip
cultivation than has hitherto been the case.—(Hear.)
Gentlemen, in addressing you upon the prospects and
position of this society, I feel that while there is yet
much to be done, there is still much upon which I have
a right to congratugate you. In the first place, you are
free from debt.—(Hear.) Your expenditure has not ex-
ceeded the means upon which you can annually rely.
In the next place, your subscriptions, and the number
of your subscribers, and still more, I am happy to say,
the interest taken in the operations of the society, are
annually and most satisfactorily upon the increase.—
(Hear, hear.) I know not, gentlemen, what was the im-
pression produced upon any of you who were present
at the show-yard this morning, but I will candidly
confess, my impression, upon entering the yard, was
a feeling of disappointment 'at the smallness of the as-
sembly there collected, That, perhaps, was the impres-
sion of some of you. They say you may prove anything
by figures.—(hear, hear.) One thing, at all events,
may be proved by figures. If a certain number of per-
sons on entering the yard pay a certain sum the amount
collected is a pretty fair test of tae number of persons in
the yard.—(Hear, hear.) Last year the money taken
at the doors of the yard was 631. odd; this year it was
1031., being an increase of no less than two-fiths upon
the gross amount received last year, although, from the
enlarged size of the premises, the number of persons
appeared comparatively insignificant, and, no doubt, de-
ceived many, as it deceived me, as to the interest taken
in the exhibitions.—(Hear, hear.) I had also another
feeling of disappointment, which I will confess, for upon
these occasions I speak to you candidly and without re-
serve, for I never flatter you. I speak my impressions
plainly. They may be worth nothing, or they may be
well founded. But my impression of to-day's show
was that there was not that improvement in the
general exhibition which I should have been desirous of
observing. The pigs, no doubt, were magnificent. I
do not think I have ever seen a better supply of that
article, which, indeed, has always been of very good
quality in the show-yards of this society. But lam sa-
tisfied, with regard to many others, the best as.imals were
not seen in the show-yard. I am satisfied, for instance,
there are many better horses in this country and in this
neighbourhood than were exhibited to-day. With re-
gard to sheep the case may be different. We are not yet
a sheep-growing country. When we become more a
turnip country, perhaps we may then have better sheep;
but at present we cannot say much for them. I never
saw—though I may be corrected in this by the judges—
so uneven a lot of bulls. There were some very inferior
animals—some most miserable wretches.— (Hear, hear.)
I think I have often seen a better average lot. One cir-
cumstance I know, which in my mind outweighs, in the
import and inference which it conveys, the general merit
of the show—l mean the superior quality generally of
the stock exhibited here, not by landlords, but by te-
nant-farmers.—(Hear, hear.) I cannot pass through
this country—l cannot go through the fields—and, in
the ordinary pursuits of life, I cannot pass from one
part of the country to another, without noticing much,
within the last ten or twelve years, a decided, a
marked, and a great improvement in the general
breed of cattle.—(Hear, hear, and applause.) I am
sure the tenants have paid more attention to it. I am
sure it must be supposed it is more economical and
wise to have the best, rather than the worst, breed, and
I see those wretched, raw-boned, tough-hided, long-
horned bullocks, which I was familiar with in my in-
fancy, gradually making way for a superior description
of cattle. I allude, with peculiar pleasure, to one cir-
cnmstance—a circumstance new in the annals of this
society, and I believe uncommon in the annals of any—
that the first prize for the bulls of one description was
gained by a tenant-farmer against all the landlords in
the society—a tenant whom I name to his credit, Mr.
Atherton, of Upholland.—(Hear, hear.) I say that in-
stance shows that in the rearing stock the tenant-
farmers can compete, and successfully compete, with
landlords and wealthy proprietors. This is at once an
incitement to other tenants to aspire to the same im-
provements, and a most gratifying proof that the minds
of the tenant-farmers are set upon those exertions which
will certainly lead to ultimate improvement.—(Loud
cries of " Hear.") If I look round upon the state, not
of the show-yard to-day, not of the farming stock, but of
the cultivation of this country, I see, as all of you moat
see, marked and general improvement. I see in every
quarter old and useless and rubbishy fences disappear-
ing. I see straight lines taking the place of crooked
lines. I find narrow but effective fences taking the
place of broad, extravagant, expensive, and, at the same
time, imperfect fences.—(Hear.) Aye, gentlemen, and
I find throughout the country the farmers finding the
wisdom of putting down drains which will carry off very
rapidly that flood which is now falling down upon us.
(This allusion was to a very heavy shower of rain which
was falling at the time.) I do not doubt the draining
powers of those who are sitting underneath the torrent
which is falling down.--(Laughter and cheers.) In one
sense, and at this hour of the night, it appears our pre-
decessors and the wisdom of our ancestors must have
had some advantages over us in the way of draining, that
is to say, in the way of draining " potations pottle
deep."—(A laugh.) But of this lam quite sure, that I
see in every field, or at least upon almost every farm in
my own knowledge, the most gratifying proofs that the
farmers of this country are convinced of the necessity,
and more, of the economy, of deep and thorough drain-
ing; and that they are satisfied that there is no bank in
the world in which they can so well lay out their own
money, and that of the landlord, as in their combined
exertions—(Hear)—upon the land which is the property
of the one, and in the beneficial occupation of the other
for the time being.—(Hear, hear, and applause.)—But,
gentlemen, although I do see great improvements, I will
not say there is not room for much more. Our motto,
as farmers, ought to be, " Think nothing done while
aught remains to be done."—(Cheers.) I may be told,
and I have no doubt I shall be told with some authority
—I do not deny the fact—l think that a very great and
general fall of prices must have a tendency, so far, to
check agricultural improvements, as to render it unad-
visable upon some soils to expend large sums in further
improvements. But I believe this—that where it is
worth while to cultivate land at all, it is more worth
while to cultivate it well than to cultivate it ill, and that
, good farming will be found more economical and more
satisfactory than bad farming, which some of us, by-the-
bye, have not yet quite got ridof.—(Hear.) There is one
truth I should wish to impress upon you. This is not a
time to make long speeches. lam perhaps making a
longer one than I ought to do at this moment.—(Cries of
" No, no.") This is not the time to enter upon a long
discussion of the merits of respective systems of draining,
or upon whether drains ought to be so and so deep. In
point of fact, the depth of the drains, and their distance
from each other, must be dependent upon the character
of the soil and the nature of the sub-soil. I believe,
upon the average of the soils of this country, drains,
parallel drains, about three feet deep, and from six
to eight yards apart, will effect every purpose. Of course,
the distance between the drains must depend upon the
porous or tenacious quality of the soil; and I have no
doubt there is great truth in that which is said by the
advocates for very deep drains (four feet instead of
three), that it may have a certain economy, because the
additional depth enables you to draw the water from a
greater surface, and the smaller number of drains you
have to put in will compensate for the additional outlay
required for making them of the greater depth. Of
course, however, this is a matter that has to be regulated
by the particular circumstances of each individual
farmer. All I contend for is this—there is no farmer
who has a right to complain of the state of his land who
cannot show that in this wet climate and tenacious soil
he has done his best to carry off the superfluous mois-
ture from the roots of his plants, or if, having seen by
experience the success that attends these operations, he
is devoid of enterprise and spirit. Nor can he complain
of being replaced by another more enterprising com-
petitor if he does not follow the examples of im-
provement set him, which have proved to be so
practically beneficial to those who have adopted
them. Ido not think I am required to say much
more about draining off superfluous moisture ; but
there is one subject to which I should wish the farmers
of this part of the country to turn their attention. 1
see in the draught report which has been put into my
hands, and which is to be printed by the society, " that
of all the crops produced; the most abundant has been
that of weeds, which have flourished 60 extensively, as
to baffle the efforts of the most active and industrious."
—(A laugh, and " Hear, hear.") I have no doubt about
this. Of course, it is not necessary to say that, in a
certain sense, the growth of weeds may cause more
trouble than any other crop; but this I will say, that the
general state of cultivation in this country with regard to
cleanliness of the land is a point that requires particular
attention, for it is open to obvious and just animadver-
sion. The farmers do not appear to be awake and alive
to this plain fact, that the ground can only afford nourish-
ment for a certain amount of produce, and that every-
thing taken from the nourishment of the crops in the
shape of weeds is injurious to them. I believe it really
would be a wise provision, if it could be introduced into
the lease, that every farmer should have his rent in-
creased in proportion to the amount of weeds upon his
farm—(A laugh)—inasmuch as by such extravagancies
the amount of rent he would be able to pay would be so
much below what he would if the land were properly
cultivated. I recollect a gentleman in Northumberland,
who could not get some of his tenants to remove the
mole-hills. "Very well," he said, "I shall take a fresh
measurement of them ; I shall measure all the mole-hills
up-hill and down-hill, and charge for the superficial
area of all I find."--(A laugh.) If we could strike

PORTSMOUTH,. SEPT. 24.—1 t is rep
NAV AL INTELLIGENCE.
reported that Sir
Thom as Ussher, C. 8., K.C.H., (a Captain of 1808), will,
on his promotion to the rank of Rear-Admiral, succeed
Rear-Admiral of the White Sir Hugh Pigot, C. ,
K.C.H., in the chief command upon the Irish statioL
Sir Thomas Ussher was Midshipman of the Invincible
in Howe's action, 1794 ; acting Lieutenant of the.
Minotaur, serving on shore with a division of seamen at
the reduction of St. Lucia • and of the Pelican, in action
with the French frigate thies, 1796 ; was acting Lieu-
tenant of the Pelican at the sinking of the French 16-
gun privateer Trompeur, 1797 ; and at the capture of
Trinidad ; commanded the boats of the Pelican in 25
actions, in which he was twice badly wounded ; he was
Lieutenant-Commander of the Colpoys, and destroyed
several batteries and signal stations on the French coast;
was Commander of the Redwing in 1806 and 1807,
during which period he drove on shore a Spanish flotilla
at Tarifa, again at Calassel-Valencia, and subsequently
destroyed three privaleers and attacked to ffeeille off
Cape Trafalgar, sinking four and capturing eight of the -
number ; was Captain of the Leyden in the expedition
of Walcheren, and of the Hyacinth in 1811 ; and com-
manded the boats of the latter ship, in conjunction with
those of the Goshawk and Resolute, entered the harbour
of Malaga, spiked the guns on the mole-head batteries,
and boarded and brought out two privateers, in 1812 ;
was Captain of the Undaunted at the destruction of a
five-gun battery at Carri, and cutting out a French
frigate ; captured the town of Cassis, destroyed three
batteries, and brought out or sunk all the vessels ; and
conveyed Napoleon to Elba. Gazetted 1797, 1806,
1808, 1819, and 1813 three times. The distinction of
Companion of the Bath was conferred upon Sir Thomas
on the 4th of June, 1815, and Knight-Commander of the
Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order (of which he is the
senior) on the 12th of April, 1831.—Vide Allen's New
_Naval List.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25.—The Recruit, 12, iron brig, Com-
mander Slade, got:under weigh this afternoon, at half-past
four, and sailed for Devonporr, working out round the
eastern end of the Isle of Wight, a contrary wind pre-
venting her going the usual route.
The Myrtle, steam dispatch boat, Master Commander
Balliston, came up from the westward this afternoon.
The Plover, surveying vessel, Captain Collinson,
sailed last evening for Woolwich, to be paid off.
The Ajax, 56, steam guard-ship, was docked yesterday
to complete for service.
The Victory, 104, Captain Pasco, hoisted the Rear-
Admiral Superintendent's flag at her mizen this morning,
that officer having returned from Admiralty leave.
It is intended to send a line-of-battle ship to winter at
Cork, and to be well stored for the relief of the prevailing
distress in Ireland.
The President, 50, Captain Stanley, flag of Rear-
Admiral Dacres, Commander-in-Chief on the Cape of
Good Hope station,- sailed from Simon's Bay for the
Mauritius and Madagascar on the Bth of July. A pri-
vate letter, dated the 7th, states, " Money is very scarce
at the Cape; the Government are offering 6 per cent. for
money to enable them to carry on the war. We shall not
return to the Cape for five or six months. We have sent
for our marines on the frontier, and also our men who
have been doing garrison duty at Cape Town. All con-
sumable articles continue dreadfully dear. We are now
paying for butter, on account of the Kafir war, 2s. 6d.
and 3s. per lb. for salt; and 4s. and 4s. 6d. for fresh; and
all other articles are equally expensive. It is enough to
ruin any mess."
In Harbour—The Excellent gunnery-ship, Captain
Chads, bearing the flag (pro tem.) of Admiral Sir Charles
Ogle, the Commander-in-Chief ; the Victory, 104, Capt.
Pasco, flag of Rear-Admial Hyde Parker, Superintend-
ent of the dockyard ; the Victoria and Albert royal
yacht, Captain A. Fitzclarence, preparing to be laid up
for the winter ; the Dasher, surveying steamer, Com-
mander Sherringham; the Myrtle, Master-Corny:lender
Balliston, performing the duties of a dispatch boat, in
lieu of the Comet and the Echo tug.
In Dock—The Leander, 50, building on the design of
Mr. Blake, late master shipwright of this yard ; the
Edinburgh, 72, fitting for a steam guard-ship, similar to
the Ajax; the Prince Regent, 120, raz-2eing to a 90; the
Ajax, 56, steam guard-ship; the Naiad, 42, fitting for a
coal depot; and the Fairy, royal yacht tender, repairing
a defect in her hull.
In the Basin—The Hastings, 72, advanced ship ; the
Amphitrite, 26, razeed 42, ready ler the pendant ; the
Trincomalee, 26, razeed 46, ready for the pendant ; and
the Rattlesnake, 26, Capt. Stanley, just conunissioncd
for surveying service.
At Spithead—No man of war.
CHATHAM, SEPT. 25.—Captain Sir Thomas Bouchier,
K.C.13., arrived at the dockyard on Monday afternooe,
to take upon himself the duties of superintendent of this
yard and captain of the Poictiers. On the following
morning he went, accompanied by Captain W. IL
Sheriff, on board the ship, read his commission, and in-
spected the officers and men belonging to the ordinary,
and thence proceeded to his office in the dockyard,
where the principal officers of the establishment were
introduced to him. Yesterday Sir Thomas proceeded in
his yacht to Sheerness to pay his respects to the Vice-
Admiral, Sir Edward D. King, K.C.H., Commander-in-
Chief at that port.
The Southampton, 50 guns, having had her defects
made good, was put out of dock on the 23d instant, and
taken to her former moorings, which were lately occu-
pied by the Warspite, which ship was taken into dock
the same day to have her defects made good and to be
fitted for commission.
The Mutine, 12 guns, in dock fitting for gee, has her
tops over the mast heads, and the riggers of the yardeve
proceeding with rigging the vessel. She is expedted
every day to be put into commission.
The Rochester, Sedgwick master, is loading for Ports-
mouth, Plymouth, and Pembroke yards, and will sail to-
morrow.
The Duck, Savage master, arrived from Dover on the
21st instant, and remains.
The Drake, Hatfield master, arrived from Ports-
mouth on the 22d instant, and remains loading ftw
Sheerness.
Captain W. H. Sherriff took his final departure from
the dockyard on the 22d inst.
APPOINTMENTS.
E. P. Halsted, Captain, to study at the steam factory,
Woolwich ; C. B. Stockdale, Lieutenant, Sheerness Ore
dinary • Thomas Tribe, Lieutenant, to the Ocean ; R.
W. Suckling, Lieutenant, Joseph Dayman, Lieutenant,
J. J. Brown, Master, J. H. Inskip, Second Master, and
Edward Brookes, Master's Assistant, to the Rattlesnake;
Charles G. Johnston, Master's Assistant, to the Blazer ;
George Pizey, Assistant-Surgeon, to the Express ;
William Ferrett, Gunner, to the Sidon ; Edward R.
Douglas, Boatswain, Charles Frood, Carpenter, and
Charles heath, Naval Cadet, to the Rattlesnake •, Ben-
jamin F. Cameron, First Engineer, and John Stewart,
Second Bngineer, supernumeraries, to the William and

_
Mary.
Woo',lnca, SEPT. 25.—Her Majesty's troop ship
Athol, Master Commander Pearn, will embark the two
companies of Royal Artillery, the one for Bermuda and
the other for Barbadoes, and a company of Royal Rap-
pers and Miners for Bermuda, on Monday next. The
companies of artillery, Captain D'Arley's and Captain
Thorndike's, were inspected to-day on the guard mount-
ing parade in front of the Royal Artillery Barracks, by
Major-General Sir Thomas Downman, C.B. and K.G.H.,
commandant of the garrison, who expressed his appro-
bation of their soldierlike appearance, and expressed a
hope for their health and welfare on the foreign stations
to which they were about to proceed.
The Acheron steam-vessel, Lieutenant Commander
Dunlop, was tried down the river on Wednesday, her
engines having been temporarily repaired; she will pro-
ceed to Ireland in a few days.
The Gladiator steam-frigate, Captain John Robb,
arrived at Woolwich from Deptford on Wednesdits'
afternoon, and was taken into the dock yesterday to be
repaired, having been in collision with a schooner. Her
defects will be made good in about a fortnight, when
it is expected she will be employed on a special service.
Ships in Harbour—The William and Mary yacht,
Black Eagle, Sidon, Acheron, Grappler, Ceres and Vio-
let steam-vessels.
In the Basin—The Sphinx, Medea, Amphion, Geyser,
Eclair, Vixen, and Kite.
In the.Docks—The Gladiator and Monkey steam-
vessels.

THE PLAGUE ON BOARD THE VESUVITA STFAM-.
swor.—We have much pleasure in announcing to the
numerous circle of friends interested in the officers and
crew of the Vesuvius steam-sloop, Commander O'Cal-
laghan, which sloop had proceeded to Melville Island
from Vera Cruz, in consequence of the fatal ravages of
the plague on. board, that we have letters from hers
dated the 28th of August, stating that the terrible
scourge had departed, the vessel was wholly free from
cases of fever, and the crew were in course of rapid
restoration to health and efficiency.
NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE.—A vessel arrived from
New Zealand and Coquimbo has brought a very remark-
able cargo, consisting entirely of gum and copper, co-
prising 296 cases and 16 casks of gum, the productipn
of New Zealand, and 3,047 bars of copper, and 4,8'82
ingots of the same description of metal, n a refined
state, from Coquimbo (Chili, South America), the pro-
duction of that place.
Viscount Palmerston left town yesterday afternoon en
his return to Windsor Castle.