The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-31 00:00:00

cation.

When no objection is stated the Commissio,dneetrros
obaert once direct an inspection of the. land pro
pm
to be made by an assistant
opinmpiosssiem
surveyor ; and it they are satisfied with
his report, they
issue to the applicant a provisional certificate, declaring
that a loan shall be issued when_ the proposed works
have been executed according to the plan and specifica-
•ions durw.
ficate of the commissioner ui
have been completed, and that the ri.motirlinslkeillsßee-
the provisional certificate has been expended, a warrant
will be issued by the Treasury for payment. The loan
bears intereiA at 6i per cent. for the period of twenty-
two years, the payment of which extinguishes the debt.
" As different portions of the work are completed, an
advance, to the extent of two-thirds of the value of the
drainage executed, may be made to account of the awn
in the provisional certificate ; but if the different farms
or townships to he drained shall have been separately
specified in the schedule of application, then the whole
of the expense of any specified operation actually com-
pleted will be paid.
" The first question which naturally suggests itself to
a party desirous to avail himself of the provisions of such
a measure, is—how far it will prove financially advan-
tageous ? The directors have no hesitation in express
ing their opinion, that the terms on which advances are
offered are favourable to the borrower. These are, that
for twenty two years the party obtaining the advance
shall pay 6i- per cent. thereon. And if 4 per cent. be
taken as the ordinary rate at which he can borrow in
the mirket, which is the leapt that he would pay at pre-
sent, it is believed that calculation will show him to be a
gainer ; for, at the end of the period of twenty-two years,
the whole sum borrowed will not have been repaid by
him. It is not, however, in this point of view only that
the pecuniary benefit is to he considered ; for there is
the manifest advantage of accumulation, and consequent
extinction of debt within a limited period, and this in a
manner which country gentlemen cannot, under ordi-
nary circumstances, command, while they are not ex-
posed to the unavoidable expense attending the occa-
sional transfer of securities and termly payment of
interest.

"It may be objected that the landowner must, in the
first place, make the entire advance; but this unavoid-
able thiliculty may possibly be obviated by lodging the
proyisi,mal certificate at a bank, as a security for an in-
terim advance.

"T::e next question which presents itself is—how far
these advantages are counteracted by the expense of the
machinery devised to secure them? The directors are
aware that many may be deterred from availing them-
selves of the boon offered, by the fear of involving them-
selves in a beery expenditure in the first instance; and
they are therefore happy to have it in their power to
state that, in their opinion, such apprehensions are un-
founded.

" Not only is the procedure indicated by the act simple
and economical; but the Com:nissioners are disposed to
give effect to it in such a manner as to subject applicants
to the least possible expense.
" The directors are supp irted in this statement by the
terms of a printed letter, addressed to proprietors in the
distressed districts of the Highlands and Islands of Scot-
land, by Mr. Blamire, one of the Commissioners. The
directors refer to that document much satisfaction;
f.r though it cannot be regarded as the official commu-
nie lion of the whole Commissioners as a board, it may
safe'y be read as an exposition of the views entertained
or Mr. Blamire, and of the interpretation which he
believes his colleagues are disposed to give to the Act.
The directors have no hesitation in expressing their high
opinion of 'he soundness and liberality of these views,
which are in consonance with the spirit of the Act.
"The only preliminary proceedings creative of expense
(assuming the non-existence of ohj ctors to the applica-
:bin) are the advertisements and the inspection of the
land. The first step is an intimation by any landowner
of his wish to avail himself of the Fovisioi a of the Aet,
addressed to—" The Inclosure Commissioners of England
and Wales;' on receipt of which they forward for his
execution a simple form, specifying, when filled up, the
particulars of his application. Notice is then sent by
the Counmissioners to the Gazttle and local newspapers
of the application, and an inspection of the ground is
directed. The expense of this preliminary report, and
also the subsequent investigation, is borne by the appli-
cant; but Mr. Blamire states, that the Commissioners
are most sincerely desirous of subjecting landowners to
as small an amount of expense for the superintendence
of the works as may be compatible with a proper dis-
charge of their duty; and, with the view of doing so, they
are disposed to select as their assis ants parties resident
in the immediate localities of such works—assuming that
parties competent and trustworthy can there be found.'
" The directors have no doubt that competent and
trastwor hy inspectors can be found in every district;
and they would suggest, with the view of diminishing the
expense of the survey, that proprietors in the same
locality and district of country who intend to make ap•
Commissionersplica
tion.
should
to Idd onsoomisinmaut
e o
l tannee surveyor,onsly , so as
andto
allow
him to conclude the different inspections at one and the
same time.

" Mr. Blamire's letter contains the following satis-
factory announcement With the view of enabling
anlicants t• 0 commence their works at once, and without
waiting for the expiration of the two months prescribed
by the 18th section, the Commissioners have decided
that all Ivo' ks done after applications have been made
for advar.eve, are works done under the provisions of the
Act, and that the cost thereof will be included in the es-
timate of the money to be advanced, assuming the
works to be done satisfactorily, and that the contem
Flitted drainage is not stopped by reason of objections
taken thereto by parties having charges on the lands in
question.'

"The directors believe that this announcement will
induce and enable, proprietors to commence at once
certain portions of the operations embraced in their ap-
plications, and thereby to provide immediate work for
the non-employed of able bodied persons in the country.
But it is necessary that every proprietor who may de-
termine to take advantage of the facility thus afforded,
for giving immediate employment to the labouring
c'asses, should be careful o keep accurate accounts and
vouchers for the sums expended. While noticing the
necessary p. ocedure to be observed, the directors would
further call attenon to _the circumstance, that in no
tage of it t re bonds exigible except for the expense of
eliminary investigation, should the Commissioners
think it necessan ; mad that where bomb; are used they
are declared to be exempted from stamp duty.
" Proprietors ought not to be deterred from applying
for assistance, by any apprehension that they may be
trammelled in executing the drainage of their estates by
being compelled to observe any precise rules, or to fol-
low any one system. On this point,
the views expressed
in Mr. Blamire's letter are of the moat distinct and satis
faeter) nature is-4 With ref rence to 'the kind of drainage
to be adolae I, and to the manner of effecting the same,
the Commissioners would not be disposed to object to
:any plan of drainage propoJed
; assuming that it was
one which the party would have adopted had he been
expending his own money, and, assuming also, that it
was not manifestly an improper and judicious one.
" The object of the landowners and of the Commis-
sioners must be identical, viz., that of effecting the
greatest amount of improvement at the least cost—due
and reasonable regard being had to the permanency of
the works.
"'The Commissioners are well aware that no one
system of drainage is applicable to every case ; on the
contrary, they believe that each caso should be dealt
with as its peculiar circumstances and facilities ma)
point out. On this head I will only further add, that I
cr,neeive the Commissioners may fairly be expected to be
put in possession, within a short time, of such informa-
tion as to the most etncient and inexpensive methods of
(Ira'nina every variety of soil, in every part of Grea'
Blita:n, as to be capable of affording advice to those re-
quiring it.

" • S'Uel4 u4vicc aid wistauce the 7 would, of courses