The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-14 00:00:00

etely gave chase, and were rapidly pining upon them,
when the canoe reached a point tea and which the party
stationed at Porirua were terbid&n by Major Last and
the superintendent iii their last visit to that station to
pass in pursuit of the natives, and they were, therefore,
reluctantly compelled to turn back. ' The rebels imme-
diately landed, and taunt, d their pursuers with coarse
and insolent gestures of mockery and defiance, and after-
wards manned their canoe, and in derision pretended to
chase them, taking care, however, not to pats the charmed
line. They have since circulated reports along the coast
that they chased the pakeha boat, and nearly succeeded
in capturing it.
In consequence of the reports in circulation on Tues-
day, and the apprehensions entertained that the town
would be attacked by the rebels, application was made
to the superintendent by the settlers for arms, and other
measures adopted which we have above related. In
order to secure the inhabitants from any sudden
attack, a strong line of picquets, of the military, volun-
teers, and militia, encircled the town, and patrolled
the outskirts, extending some distance on the Karori-
road, and strong parties of militia were stationed for the
protection of the powder magazine. Captain Stanley
also landed seventy men from the Calliope to assist
the settlers in the event of any attack. It is intended to
adopt these judicious precautions every night. On
Thursday night, although it rained very heavily, the
volunteers and militia cheerfully turned out in discharge
of their self-imposed duties. The outsettlers at Karori
and Porirua have also been armed and are on the alert.
From the number of armed persons passing and re-
passing, the town presents quite a warlike appearance.
Yesterday morning a detachment of marines were
landed from the Calliope, under orders to proceed to
Porirua, to reinforce the troops at that station.

ItEGISTRATIONS.
CITY OF LONDON.
On Saturday Mr. T. J. Arnold revised the list of
voters for the perish or St. Giles Without, the only
parish in Cripplegate ward; and the list= for the pa-
rishes of St. Augustine, Christ Church, and St. Faith-
under-St. Paul, in the ward of I?arringdou
_Henry Fendt, who wa.3 on the list for premises in
Bridgewater-gardens, in the parish of St. Giles With-
out, Cripplegate, was objected to by Mr. Luckett
(the et nservative objector) on the ground that he was
an alien.
Mr. Fenit appeared and was sworn; and
Mr. Brown, who supported the objection, asked him
whether he was horn in England.
Mr. Fendt refused to answer the queetion; and
Mr. Ledger (the Liberal agent) submitted that he was
justified in this refusal, on the ground that a man could
not be called upon to answer questions the replies to
which might lead to his disfranchisement.
Mr. ARNOLD considered the question was one which
might properly be put to the witness; but he (Mr.
Arnold) thought it right to state ti.at he had no power
to compel the witness to answer it.
The question was pressed by Mr. Brown, but Mr.
Fendt positively refused to answer it ; and as no evi-
dence was adduced to prove the validity of the objection",
the name was retained.
The following is the result of the day's revision:—
Failed or
Sustained. withdrawn.
Conservative objections 95
Liberal 5
••
Double 9
Liberal claims
1
It is expected that the revision will be concluded on
Saturday next.
.._"'"Mr. ARNOLD proceeded on Monday with the revision of
the lists .for the parishes of St. Martin, Ludgate ; St.
Matthew, Friday-street ; St. Faith-under-St. Paul ; St.
Michael le Quern ; St. Peter, Westeheap ; St. Vedast,
alias Foster ; St. Andrew, Holborn ; St. Bartholomew
the Great, and St. Bartholomew the Less, comprised in
the wards of Farringdon Within and Farringdon With-
out, north side.
The REVISING BARRISTER gave his decision in the case
of Thomas Parsons, who had claimed to be registered
for "rooms " in Aldermanbury, and whose case came
before the Court last week.
It appeared that Mr. Parsons occupied two rooms, be-
tween which there was an internal communication, on
the third floor, and a cellar, which was used as a work-
shop, on the basement story of the same house. The
three rooms were rented by the claimant from the same
landlord. There was no internal communication between
the cellar and the rest of the house, and there was a
distinct entrance from the street into the cellar or work-
shop. The annual value of the three rooms together
was upwards of 101., but the val:te of the two rooms or
of the cellar separately was below that sum. The claim
to be rated was for two rooms" only.
Mr. ARNOLD said, the first question in this case was
whether the two rooms on the third floor and the cellar
did not constitute two separate and distinct buildings,
which could not be joined together for the purpose of
conferring a qualification. But supposing that these
separate rooms could be regarded as constituting one
building, the question arose whether the claim to be
rated, which was for " two looms" only, was a sufficient
claim to be rated for the two rooms and the cellar. Al-
though he entertained some doubt on the last paint, if
the case had rested upon that point solely, he would have
been disposed to consid, r it a virtual rating ; but as the
Cellar appeared to be a separate and distinct tenement
prom the other trio rooms, be must d. tide against the
claimant.
The following statement shows the result of the day's
revision Failed or
Sustained.
withdrawn.
Conservative objection; 69 ... 93
Liberal
DouYe
Liberal claim

Accounts were received from Porirua on Thursday,
which stare that the rebels did not lose a single man in
the late attack, and that only one of their number was
wounded. They boast aho that they were on the point
of making a second attack %hen -Major Last arrived.
They boast also that the party under Kaiparetehau did
not exceed 'sixty men. In consequence of recent events,
eight of the intruding nativcs belonging to the Wan-
franui tribes, who were staying at Ohariu,...have joined
Ruaihaeata.

(From the same Journal.)
We must not, however, omit to chronicle the factS
connected with this outbreak of the Maories, and the
most prominent among them is that full notice of their
intentions was given to those whom they attacked. A
fortnight before Te Rauparaha informed Major Rich-
mond of what Rangihaeata was going to do; and indeed
so widely had it been published, that no Maori was
ignorant of it, and many settlers were alAo acquainted
with it. The chief Epuni, a staunch friend to the settlers
ever since their arrival in New Zealand, personally in-
formed his honour the superintendent that the hostile
natives were going to make nn inroad upon the Hutt,
and requested that he and his followers might be supplied
with arms in order to repel them. This application was
rejected by Major Richmond in a manner extremely
offensive to Epuni, and an offer on the part of Colonel
Wakefield to supply him with arms was treated in the
same manner hy the superintendent. This intelligent
officer was informed by other persons of undoubted
credit of the mischief about to happen, and treated all
his informants in the same manner, by appearing not
to believe them. Cognisant as we must presume Major
Richmond was of the inunded movement on the part of
Rangihaeata, not a single measure of precaution was
issued on the subject, and everything remained precisely
as it had been since the governor left Wellington. The
result has been that a fourth of the number of the troops
at the upper station on the Hutt has been put hors de
combat, and the whole settlement is threatened with
destruction.

Died, on the 21st instant, at the residence of J. Boni-
cott, Esq.. Te Aro, to which he had been removed,
Thomas Roseman, aged 25 years, of a musket-shot
wound received in the engagement on the Hutt, on
Saturday, the 16th instant. An inquest was held on the
body, before 1)r. Fitzgerald, coroner, when the jury re-
turned a verdict of " from a gun-shut wound."

9

MIDDLESEX.

The revision for the list of viaers for the county t f
Middlesex was commenced on Monday at White Cot-
deiL-licuse, by Mr. Shadwell, the barrister appointA for
that purpose.
The Liberty of the Rolls, and the parishes of St.
George the Martyr and St. Andrew, were gone through.
The claim of the Rev. W. n Ro,Yers was opposed by the
Liberals, on the ground of an insufficient description of
his qualification.

In consr-quevce of infermation r 4 ceived from the ria-
tlves of Rangilu.cata's intention to make tan attack, the
troops at Porirua were under arms all Wednesday night.
Since the late reconnoissance of Rangihneata's pa, an
order has been issued to assemble the soldier, at Pot irua
under arms every mulling at daybreak. It is reported
that Rauparaha has sent to Pangihacata a portion of the
sugar and flour he lately received as a present from
Major Richmond.—May 16.
We learn from Aliaroa and Port Cooper that the na-
tives are very troublesome to the settlers there, refusirg
to allow them to occupy the land, and demanding exor-
bitant rents from the owners of cattle stations. It is
said that they are acting under the advice of Charley,
who has been down to the southward, and has told them
that tke natives at Wairarapa get high rents, and that
they should imitate their example. This is the
same native who, it will be remembered obtained
a present of a set of sails, &c., from his excellency the
governor.

Mr. JAMES, for the objectors, submitted that the de-
scription of " incumbent of the district church of St.
Thomas, Charter•house," was n.,t a sufficient description.
The law could not recognise such a qualification, and, in
Brighton the barrister had struck off five clergymen out
of six on the same ground.
Mr. Payne, the Conservative agent, said that he wa3
aware that the Revising Barrister had expuno,d the
name last year upon the same ground, and if he now
retained his opinion, all he (Mr. Payne) would ask was,
that a case might be granted.
The Learned BARRISTER said he had no objection
to do so.
Claim disallowed.

On Saturday last the militia in Wellington were dis-
banded, and we believe it is intended to reduce the num-
ber stationed at Taita to 25 men, who will be placed
under the command of Lieut. Nl'Donogh.

The claim of the Rev. Edward Pizey, perpetual curate
of St. Peter's district church, Saffron-hill, was also dis-
allowed under similar circumstances, the Barrister ob-
serving that unquestionably the Rev. Gentleman was
entitled to be on the register if the qualification had been
properly described as " freeho!cl pew rents."
An appeal, in which all ca-es of a similar nature
would be consolidated, was then granted by the Bar-
rister.

WANGANUL—By the Catherine Johnstone we have
received the following communication from Wanganui:—
" The Victoria brig arrived off Kai Here on Wednes-
day evening, April 29. There being no wind, she an-
chored there for the night, and landed Mr. Symonds and
party. On the following morning they arrivedin Wan-
ganui all well. The natives had a lull meeting at the
Missionary Pa, Putiki, on Monday last, which ended in
their unanimously agreeing to complete the sale of the
land, On Wednesday the surveying party, accompanied
by some of the principal Macri chiefs, commenced a
survey of the boundaries, in which they are still en-
gaged. The probability of a satisfactory termination to
the Wanganui land question is now greater than ever;
yet several difficulties have to be overcome, and the
gentleman to whom the affair has been committed will
have no easy part to perforth; but from the judgment he
has hitherto displayed, we have every reason to hope he
will be successful, and that my next letter to you will
announce our right to a Crown title."

The lists of Gray's Inn, St. Giles-in-the-Fields, St.
George's, Bloomsbury ; Islington, Clerkenwell, and St.
Botolph without Aldcrsgate, were gone through without
any point meriting notice having arisen.
The overseer of the latter parish presented his bill of
expenses ; but the Barrister refused to allow any, as the
Ist of objections and claims had not been properly made
out, the claimants being inserted in the general list, and
the objections mixed up with those relating to the City.
Mr. SHADWELL said he hoped it would make the
overseers more careful in future.

In the list of St. Luke's the name of a Mr. D'Effangor
was objected to by Mr. Payne. The claimant's qualifica-
tion was for a rent charge of 40s. per annum. According
to the deed of grant the first half-yearly payment became
due on July 2, but a receipt dated January 10 was pro-
duced for 11.

OTAHEITE.
The following account of the late events at Otaheite
have been received by the French Government from
Captain Bruat, dated Papeiti, June 3, 1846 :
" Monsieur le Ministre,—As the attacks of the
insurgents on Papeiti and our other positions at
Otaheite were not discontinued, I took advantage of
the presence of Admiral Hamelin to march against
the insurgent camps of Papenoo and Punavin. On
May 8 I set out at the head of 800 soldiers and
sailors, and 200 friendly natives. After having, with-
out striking a blow, successfu:ly driven the insur-
gents from their positions at Papuna, Abonn, and
Tapahi, I attacked on the 10th their positions at
Papenoo, which they did not quit until after a
combat, which placed the four forts raised at
Papenco in our power. After having pursued the
enemy to the bottom of a valley, which at last
became impracticable for organised troops, and
having forced from them two new positions, I
bivouacked until the 23d at Pspenoo, getting every-
thing .destroyed that could serve to the establish-
ment of a new centre of insurrection at that point,
and erecting at the important position of Tapahi a
blockhouse, which opens to us the way to the
eastern distracts, and doses it to the insurgents.
After having rested one night at Haapupe, I en-
tered on the 24th the valley of Fantahua, the inha
bitants of which bad come as far as Papeiti to com-
mit depredations. At Papenoo all the resources of the
enemy in the valley were destroyed, and the column did
not return on its way until after having met with
an impracticable country, and taken from the enemy
a fortification so strongly constructed as to offer
a firm re,istance. On the 25th I was at Haapupe.
After having concerted with Admiral Hamelin,
and given forty-eight hours' rest to the troops, I
set oLt on the 28th for Punavin. The number of
armed natives marching with our troops was 261. The
expeditionary column bivouacked on the 28th at Utu-
reaoro ; the next day it marched on the entrenchments
of Tapuna and Atihue, which our Indian scouts found
evacuated. On the 29th, at nine in the morning, we
Ptunavin and the outskirts of the valleys,
otoccupiPd which he insurgents had fled. On the 30th,
at five in the morning, I entered the valley with
three companies and a half', and a mountain
howitzer, some of the natives serving us as scouts. The
enemy evacuated their first entrenchment without strik-
ing a blow;after the second was taken a slight en-
gagement. Although I had given orders to stop there,.
in order to reconnoitre the groan-', the advanced
y
guard being led away by our Indian auxiliaries, who
believed the fort to be partly
artl y abandoned, entered more
deb o et
hp I
sy
idesin t o
by th e
nearlyva l ey,
p,
which atthis
rocks,spot s a bnodu nhdoes n
d on
t
more than forty yards of widtlen It
Is onfor
cethis.s p oAhta
oleic that
the insurgents had concentratedtheir
in the mornintr, at the moment the
column arrived there
to support the advanced guard,
which
word that they were about to enter the fort
banatrve imri
sharp fire was directed against them from
a,placed behind an elbow of the river, and entirely
protecting the enemy ; at the same time masses of
stones and rock
which were rolled down from the tops
of the heights commanded our position. I
stopped the head of the column in this place, judging
the natural fortification which we had before us to
be impregnable, without first occupying the height
which commanded it, and which I knew to be
already occupied. I had some observations 'cede
which fully confirmed my opinion of the strength of this
position, and the number of men in possession of it. I
then destroyed in the %stile f all the resources of the
enemy, without their venturing to disturb us by a single
shot. The firing of the enemy at the cemmenc( Went of
the action caused the death of the bravo Commandant
d Breu, who was s:ruck by a, ball in the breast.
Lieutenant Malmancho of the royal navy, end the
head of my staff, had his leg shattered by a ball, and
amputation was found to be necessary. Captain Ceriere,
of the 31st, and M. Lejeune, enseigne de valsseau, were
also wounded. M. Perrotte, eleve of the first class,
was killed in the entrenchments. Several of the men
received contusions from the fall of stones, but their
hurts are not serious. At Punavin, as at Papenoo, I
had the fortifications raised by the natives destroyed,
as well as everything that could favour a fresh
assemblage of the insurgents at this point, where I
considered it indispensable to erect a blockhouse.
I shall countinuo to occupy Punavin with the
forces which I can dispose of, until such time as
the works which I am getting constructed for the per-
manent occupation of this point be terminated." (The
dispatch concludes with a list of those officers who mot
distinguished themselves, and who are recommended to
the consideration of the Governor-nt.) •
The total loss is stated to be 9 killed and 35 wounded.

Mr. James and Mr- R. Fitch supported the vote, con-
tending that the payment on January 10 was a sufficient
enjoyment of the rent-charge for six months prior to
July 31, to satisfy the Reform Act.
Mr. Payne, on the contrary, urged that the voluntary
payment in January was made for the purpose of obtain-
ing a vote, and that the enjoyment of the rent-charge
could only 4e said to have commenced on July 2.
The Learned BARRISTER, however, decided that the
payment of the amount in January was a sufficient
seisin in compliance with the statute, and allowed the
vote.

The lists of Islington, St. Marylebone, and Stoke
Newington were disposed of without the occurrence of
aught deserving notice.
The remaining parishes of St. Pancras, Saffron-hill,
and St. Sepulchre, were also gone through without elicit-
ing any feature of importance, and the Court adjourned
shortly before 6 o'clock.

_EAST 8 U I.thEY.
The Revising Barrister sat again yesterday at the
Board-room, Bermondsey.
Mr. Curling, whose case was reported yesterday, at-
tended, accompanied by his tenant and Mr. Allen, a
surveyor, for the purpose of substantiating his claim to
vote.

Mr. Allen, in answer to questions from the Barrister,
said that lie bad viewed the piece of ground in question,
and although it was certainly very small, yet it had two
frontages, and was in a rapidly increasing neighbourhood;
he considered it would be eligible to build a small shop
on, and that for this purpose it was worth 50s. a year.
Mr. Drew, the vestry-clerk, who opposed ac claim,
said he was of opinion that the New Building Act that
had just come into operation would prevent a house from
being built upon a piece of ground in the confined posi-
tion this was. The Act required that there should be
some outlet at the back of every building, for the pur-
poses of air and ventilation.
Mr. Allen said it was sufficient if the windows fronted
an open thoroughfare ; and, according to his interpreta-
tion of the Act, a houze might be built upon the ground
fur which the claim to vote was set up, and upon this
view of the case he considered it was worth .50s. a year.
The REVISING BARRISTER said lie was of opinion that
upon this evidence Mr. Curling bad made out his claim,
thud his name would, therefore, be placed upon the list.
Mr. Curling complained of the unnecessary trouble to
which be had been put by the parish officers objecting
to his claim, when he said there could be no doubt it was
a good one. He had offered to depose to the value of the
property, which was all that was usually required, and
yet he had been put to the trouble and expense of bring-
ing his tenant and a surveyor before the Court. Under
these circumstances, he said, he trusted the Revising
Barrister would think it was a case in which costs should
he awarded.
The REVISING BARRISTER said it appeared to him
that the parish officers had acted under a tonci fide im-
pression that the property was not of sufficient value to
give a vote, and, therefore, he did not consider that
there was the slightest ground fur the application for
months,
o
costs.
t
Istieymott, the There were four claims to dote in respect of a renchargewueproenh objectedouses
tiobAnebecy i‘
Bermondsey
viz.naira. x and R
yett e rdthey were not entitledh ah
si n
eo,
xi
payment t h
Conserva-
tive agent, on the ground that although the property
had been in the possession of the claimants for the
requiredriodba
d actually by th e

to vote.
The REVISING BARRISTER, who had considered his
decision, stated to-day that, in his opinion, it was suffi-
cient for the parties to be entitled to the amount speci-
cified, and that it was not necessary for them to have
actually received it. Ile, therefore, held the claims to
be good, and the names were placed on the list.

EXPLOSION
COLLIERY NEAR WAKEFIELD.--OR
Tuesday morning last, between eleven and twelve o'cloCk,
aatn
stanieyexplosion4aonfefi.erned-t,lamp took place in Haigh Moor pit,
near Wakefield, belonging to
AleArs. Hudson and Co., of Leeds, by which three men
lost their lives. The names of the sufferers were Norris
Beaumont, James Sidebottom, and George Clayton, who
were all shockingly burnt.
INCENDIARISIC—On Monday morning an attempt
was made by some person or persons unknown to de-
stroy the premises belonging to Mr. Salmon, in White-
street, Bermondsep street. It appears that while police-
constable 185 M was passing along his beat, his atten-
tion was directed to the premises
.by a strong smell of
fire. Having aroused the inmates, it was soon perceived
that a large bale of woollen yarn, standing in the gate-
way, and under the bedrooms, had been wilfully set on
tire by some one. The goods were not of a very corn
bustible nature, or it is probable that the piace would
have been destroyed.

rfiE .I,9Nnoil/441_17VEDNESDAV MORNING, OCTOBER 14, 1P46.

THE CONDITION of the PEOPLE
OF THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS OF
SCOTLAND.

(From the Times' Commissioner.)
DUNVEGAN (ISLE OF SKYE), OCT. 6.
The conclusions likely to be drawn by an intelligent
and reflecting foreigner who might be ignorant of the
laws affecting landed property in Scotland, and of the
modern history of its management, were such a one to
visit this part of the country, would in all probaJility
surprise us as much as they would instruct us. The
strange perversity with which we contrive to thwart
nature—the ingenuity with which we insure that land
which nature intended should grow food for man shall
lie a perpetual waste, and that man, whose labour
should make it " teem with fatness," shall starve in
idleness beside it. or be driven out to seek in distant

•
lands those opportunities for his industry which cry out
for his industry at home, though we mark it not, fami-
liarised by its constant occurrence—would surely excite
the foreigner's astonishment.
I write to you now from the northernmost part
of the island of Skye, having traversed a great
portion of its length. uring my short stay in it, in
the gardens of those gentlemen to whom I have
had the honour to be introduced, I have seen the
greatest luxuriance of vegetable growth. Such is the
mildness of the climate, combined with great humi-
dity, that vegetables, grasses, and flowers here, as in
Ireland, grow with rank luxuriance. In several gar-
dens I have seen fuchsias and dahlias growing in the
open air, with every other description of flower common
to England ; and strawberry-plants, vegetable-marrow,
and other kitchen vegetables, spreading with profuse-
ness. But here labour and skill were applied, and na-
ture kindly aided man's industry. It is not the soil,
then, that is barren ; it is not the climate that forbids
vegetation. What a far different scene awaits you out of
these gardens of the rich ! This fine island, which is
sixty miles long, is at no part of it more than three
miles from the sea. Deep lochs stretch into it in every
direction from the sea, and the land is thus divided
almost like the rays of a star-fish. Every loch yields
sea-weed and shell-sand for manure in abundance, as
well as fish for food. Yet from one end to the other of
this island, with all these facilities and capabilities, the
eye rests on scarcely anything but bleak hills, and vast
uncultivated tracts of land covered with moss and
heather, here and there dotted over by the wretched
black huts of the inhabitants, who exist wretchedly in
the midst of thousands of uncultivated acres, which only
want their labour, directed by skill, to yield them corn-
fort and plenty.
The foreigner would probably exclaim, " What a pity
it is that there are not more people to cultivate this vast
extent of land ! how strange it is that in a civilised
country all this land should be thus left uncultivated !"
But if he should be told that the few people that do exist
on it are absolutely almost starving for want of food, he
would no doubt exclaims, " Then, why on earth not cul-
tivate this waste land, and grow food for them as a re-
payment for their labour ?" Greater- still would be his
astonishment if told that it was the "civilised" state of
the country, or rather the laws of a civilised country,
prompted by and acted on by the selfishness of man,
which produced this desolation and caused the want of
population. He would naturally ask, "But how ?"
He would cease to wonder when told what those laws
were, and he began to consider what was the natural
operation of cause and effect. Explain the Scotch
law of entail to him, and how the pride and selfish-
ness of man, through it, had rendered vast tracts of
country unsaleable, affording no security for money,
whilst it but gave a life-interest to the possessor,
and often burdened him with charges which ren-
dered him careless of improvement and helplessly
poor, inasmuch as he could neither 5.:.11 nor
borrow money on his estate ; then explain to him the
providens of the S,•otch Pkg.•,r-law, the i fleet of which is
to send off the youth and the vigour of the popult,ti. n to
give their s;re7igth to benefit other lands, whilst it Laves
the infirm m.d helpless chargeable en Ali, I
see," the foleig:ar would v.:cc:aim, as the light of this
precious " civitisatien" broke in upon him, " the pro-
prietors of the soil have made themselves too poor to
cultivate it—to give employment to labour ; so the la-
bour that makes wealth goes elsewhere. Then, the in-
firm and helpless of the population Icing only left as a
burden on the pour proprietors, they try to get lid of the
people by ' clearing them off,' and proposing plans of
emigration to save their own pockets. This accounts
fur the ee.mporative thince,s of the pupt.l:sfien. Alv, I
see. What an ingeniously perverse systun of civilisa-
tion ! How admirably calculated to ex terininate the
people, to preserve the land in the condition in which it
was left by Noah after too flood, and to perpetuate
poverty, and helplessness, and miser) ! Surely barbar-
ism is better than such _

But if such be the habitual condition of the population
islandsthis
description
icailoann Scotland nhed
glaidno.
not
must be
rahunetdh t
hof
ir condition now, when even
that scanty food, on which they contrive to exist in ordi-
nary years, in many parts has entirely failed? Even at
the tables of those who could purchase potatoes if they
were to be had, and at the hotels, I have not seen pot t-
toes at dinner above once or twice during the last fort-
night; boiled rice and other vegetables have taken their
place.

I am assured by a large proprietor here, intimately
acquainted with the condition of the people of the
island, that out of a population of about 26,000, fully
20,000 persons depend for existence on the potato crop,
and that there is not above a month's consumption of
oatmeal grown in the island remaining. Neither is
there any employment whatever for the people, to
enable them to purchase food out of the profits of their
labour. The rental of the island is about 26,000/. a
year, or about 11. for each person. If the support of
20,000 of these poor people is to be derived from the
land, it is quite clear that the rental cannot support
them. This, then, is ft great and peculiar emergency;
and, however much it is to be lamented that the island
is in such a state of uneultivation as to afford no em-
employment to the people, and that the proprietors can-
not give that emplo3 ment, however willing so to do,
still it is incumbent on the Government to see that the
people do not starve.
One most wise measure of the Government, and admi-
rably calculated to meet the peculiar condition of High-
land proprietors, so far as it extends, is the recent sta-
tute, the 9th and 10th of Victoria, c. 101. This statute
authorises the Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury,
upon the application of commissioners appointed to
carry the Act into execution, to advance out of the Con-
solidated Fund 2,000,0001. for Great Britain, and
1,000,000 L for Ireland, for the purpose of draining lands;
such advance to be made a prior rent-charge on the lands
drained, at the rate of 6i per cent. for the period of 22
years, when the principal is calculated to be redeemed,
and the rent-charge is to cease.
The execution, or carrying out of the Act, is, however,
subject to considerable, and no doubt, necessary delays;
whilst the emergency which presses is immediate. For
instance, by the Bth clause no advance of money can be
made in compliance with any application until the same
has been submitted to, and sanctioned by, the Com-
missioners of the Treasury. By the 16th clause, if the
Commissioners sanction the application, then the plan,
estimate, and specification of the proposed drainage must
be submttted to the Government surveyor appointed;
and by the 18th clause, no certificate for the advance of
money shall be issued until nntice of the application for
the advance shall have been published two successive
weeks in some local newspaper, and in the Gaulle, and
until " two calendar months shall have elapsed from the
publication of the last of such advertisements," in order
that persons having charges upon the land should have
the opportunity of dissenting from such application if
they should think fit. Though these are very proper
precautions, they consume much time, and are not fitted,
nor were they intended, for the present pressing emer-
gency.
Again, though draining will enormously benefit much
of the waste hinds, and render them fit for cultivation,
yet in a majority of instances draining alone will not
suffice. The land wants trenching, and fencing, and
liming to make it properly productive, and to make it
give an adequate return fur the outlay expended upon it.
But the poor proprietors, or a majority of them at least,
cannot afford a single pound for either trenching, or
fencing, or liming ; the poor people on the land neither
can nor will work for nothing. Hence this Act, though
a most excellent measure, was not calculated to meet the
present emergency, nor yet does it go far enough in its
useful provisions.
Another and more serious view to be taken is, t'lzt
probably this failure in the potato crop may be per-
manent ; at all events, it behoves both proprietors of
land and the Government to take some precautionary
steps to avert such a calamity next year. Should
it turn out that the potato is becoming extinct, other
food must be grown as a substitute. But it will require
at least double the quantity of land now sown with
potatoes to produce a sufficiency of food to supply the
place of potatoes. This land in the highlands and islands
of Scotland is lying waste in abundance, by thousands of
acres; but the proprietors cannot of themselvesl gene-
rally afford to employ the labour upon it in trenching
and fencing, as well as draining, which will bring it int)
cultivation, and the people will not do it unless they
are employed. Without some enabling measure, there-
fore, there is every prospect of a recurrence of dearth
next year.
. _

Several proprietors with whom I have had the oprr-
tunity of conversing, express their readiness to charge
their estates in a similar manner to that authorised by
the statute 9 and 10 Victoria, c. 101, for these objects, if
they can only get the money, satisfied that such im-
provements will immensely benefit themselves as well Ls
the people and the country generally. They urge the
necessity of an immediate advance of money for these
objects, in order to give employment and the means of
obtainieg food to the people; such advance to be sanc-
tioned by a retrospective Act of Parliament.
The proprietors, and the people too, with seeming
justice complain, now that Government grants are the
order of the day in Ireland for public works, " Why
should not we be also relieved ? We have suffered as
much by this calamity as the Irish ; we are quite as
poor ; our people live in huts as miserable, and subsist
Chiefly on potatoes, which have now failed them ; why
should we not also get public grants as well as the Irish?
Is it because we are peaceable and obey the laws—be-
cause we have neither soldiers nor police among us, and
because we do not perpetually shriek out our complaints,
but suffer in silence, that we are to be passed over and
suffered to starve unaided, whilst the Irish, who are no
worse off than ourselves, are rewarded for their turbu-
lence and defiance of all law by grants of public money?"
Such observations are quite general here, and are natu-
ral enough.
1 he people themselves are extremely well conducted
and peaceable. But, appalled by the prospect before
them, they are beginning to discuss questions
wl ich excite unpleasant apprehensions. They are
beginning to question the unlawfulness and sin-
fulness of helping themselves to food from the sheep
of the farmers on the hills, rather than that they should
starve. Such feelings can only be allayed by promp
measures of relief, For the hake of thele.ple them•

selves such relief ought not to be eleemosynary, but in the
shape of employment which will enable them to purchase
food. There is here the greatest facility for employ-
meet calculated to be productive of permanent profit and
advantage, but there is no capital—no means of setting
it agoing ; and without that employment being given to
the people the prospect is frightfuL They are abso-
lutely without food, or the possibility of getting it.
The chief proprietor of this part of the island is Mr.
M‘Leod of M‘Leod ; in the parish of Duirinish, iu
which this village stands, there is a population of 3,000
souls entirely depending upon him, the food on which
they relied having failed them. It is hardly to be ex-
pected that any one proprietor can undertake either to
support or to give employment to so many persons out
of his own means. Mr. M'Leod has, however, com-
menced marking out allotments for the people, and
giving them employment in draining and trenching, re-
lying on the aid of the Government. The efforts, how-
ever, of any one individual are feeble, and insufficient to
meet such an emergency ; and, however math we may
deprecate the existence of such a state of society as here
prevails—the want of persevering industry of the people
and the absence of all enterprise—or the unwise and in-
judicious laws which have tended to such a result, yet
the people must not be permitted to starve, nor be al-
lowed by the pressure of want to be driven to acts of
desperation. The prevention of these evils is the duty
of the Government ' • and by its efforts to meet the same
mischiefs in Ireland, where there is a louder complaint,
it would be unfair to assume that it will shrink from
meeting the difficulty here, when that difficulty shall be
made known, backed as it is by that best of alt recom-
mendations, a peaceful, a well-disposed, and deserving
people in want.

REVIEW OF THE BRITISH CORN

TRADE DURING THE PAST WEEK.

A vast quantity of rain has fallen during the week,
and present appearances indicate a further fall. The
land has been too wet to admit of its being advanta-
geously worked, and out-door operations must there-
fore for the present be suspended. The lifting of
the potato crop is likely also to be interrupted ;
and it is more than probable that those in the ground
not destroyed by the murrain will be injured by the
wet. The accounts respecting the yield of the main crop
of potatoes, where diving has been finished, repre-
sent the failure to be quite as serious as had been pre-
viously apprehended; and, from all we have been enabled
to learn on the subject, we are inclined to think that
the produce will fall short of half the usual quantity.
How so great a deficiency of food is to be met
under existing circumstances is a startling question.
Presuming that we have a full average of wheat—
a deduction which many are disposed to dispute—
how are we situated in respect to other grain ?
Barley, Oats, and nye are admitted, on all hands,
to have fallen materially short in consequence of
the extreme heat and drought experienced daring the
summer months, whilst beans and peas have given a
still worse return. Nor had Are any stocks of im-
portance of old grain at the time of harvest, and the
new crops weroscommenced upon almost as soon as
gathered. It is, therefore, self-evident that a very large
importation will be required ; and from whence are we
to draw the requisite supply ? Much has been said
about the immense resources of America, and state-
ments have been published to show that the last
harvest has been unprecedentedly great in the United
States. We much fear that these statistical tables
are not to be received with implicit faith; indeed com-
mon sense must point out that what is found tit:Beak of
attainment here, viz., to procure anything like a cor-
rect estimate of the result of the crops, must be al-
most impossible in such a cont.try as America
Here, on a comparatively limited surface, with every
country and parish accurately Int:pped down, we are
unable to thew how mtnty quarters of grain have been
grown; whilst in the United Stater, with no defined
limits—at least to the wev..—with immense tracts of
land thinly populated, and the means of communlention
far more rittlicult than at home, it is pretended to
give the produce of cacti particular crop to a bushel
before the corn is off the ground. Such returns must
necessarily be loose and unsatisfactory ; and we cannot,
therefore, take them as a b Isis on v. hich to ground a
calculation as to what quantity ti~ grain the Americans
may he in a position to furnish us with. A fltr more slfe
criterion will, in our opinion, ha afforded by referring Leek
to the tab!. aof expt,rt,,. in previous seasons. On examin-
iog these we fled that the al erage shipment from the
United States for 13 corse-Jutiveye.ars bus been 997,771
brls. of fleur. of which four-fifths have invariably g,,1:6
to the Bri e ish, West Indian, Cuba, Newfoundland, ant.' the
South Am rican markets. Admitting that in entire-
' quence of the yield of the last year's crop, and
the impetus given to trade by the alteration in our
corn-laws, the States may be enabled somewhat to
exceed that quantity, still it is char that, with a deficient
harvest in many countries in Europe besides Great Bri-
tain, the supplies from the other side of the Atlantic
can scarcely be expected to satisfy our wants. This
is a reasonable conclusion, and we cannot agree with
those who can see no danger in our position. It is far
from our wish to create needless . alarm, but we must
confess that we view the prospects for the approaching
winter with some apprehension, more particularly as re-
gards Ireland. The wealth and resources of Gi eat
Britain will, ve doubt not, enable her to secure a suffi-
ciency of food for the consumption of the inhabitants ;
but to succeed in this it will be necessary to pay high
prices : and, important as has been the rise in the value
of wheat within the last two months, we question
whether the highest point has yet been touched. The
trade has, nevertheless, been much less animated
this than the preceding week, and it is not impro-
bable that a temporary cheek may be given to the up-
ward tendency. The millers have latterly bnnght pretty
' freely, and they are likely to conduct their operations
cautiously until a portion of that which they have now
on hand shall have passed into consumption. Mean-
while the farmers continue to bring forward good sup-
plies ; and as the condition of the new must ere long be
effected by the change in the weather, a slight re-aeion
in prices may perhaps take place.
The arrival of wheat coastwise into London has
amounted to 8,242 quarters up to this (Saturday) even-
ing. The greater part of the supply is from Lin-
colnshire and Cambridgeshire ; and most of the
cargoes from the east coast have gone direct to the
millers without appearing at Mark-lane for sale.
Their immediate wants having been thus provided for,
they have had the less occasion to purchase on the spot;
and the business done has, consequently, been rather
circumscribed. The few runs of wheat exhibited on
Wednesday on the Essex and Kent stands moved off
somewhattardily, at the prices of Monday last ; and,
moderate as was the quantity on sale, a portion remained
undisposed of. Later in the week the inquiry rather
improved, but fsctors found it impossible on Friday to
establish any advance on previous prices. Holders of free
foreign wheat have manifested no anxiety to realise, and
so far from any disposition having been evinced lo
accept less money, the contrary has been the case ; and
fine qualities, such as high mixed Dentzic and the
best descriptions of Lower &Lite red, were actually
held at rather higher terms at the close than at the be-
ginning of the week. This may in some measure ac-
count for the very cautious manner in which the millers
have conducted their operations ; and as the market has
not been attended by many country buyers since Mon-
day, the transactions have been on a restricted
scale. Wheat in bond has met with some atten-
tion ; but the article having been held at prices
scarcely 4s. per quarter below those at which free
might have been bought, there has been no induce-
ment to speculate. Some further orders have come to
hand from France ; the limits have, however, been too
low to admit of their execution, and we have heard of
no bargains being closed. During the week 3,705 quer-
tt-rs of wheat have been received from abroad, the grea er
part from America. The ditty fell (as was expected) to
7s. per quarter on Thursday, and will continue to recede
step by step to the minimum point. The last return for
the kingdom (545.) shows an advance, as compared with
that for the preceding week, of 11d. per quarter ; and
the London average published on Friday (61s. 4d.) was
ls. 2d. per quarter higher.
The metropolitan bakers have bought flour more
cautiously, and have shown a determinat on to work up
their stocks closely before they consent to pay the ad-
vnced rates demanded by millets. The top price of
town-made flour is now 60s. per wick, and good Norfolk
households have been held at 50s, in the river ; whilst
for fair brands of American 355. to 3Gs. per barrel, ditty
paid, has been demanded.

The arrival of barley has not been large, and the en-
hancement of Monday last has been well maintained. Su-
pLrior malting qualities have been placed without diffi-
culty at 445. per qr., but to succeed in the disposal of the
secondary sorts (of which the bulk of the supply has
consisted) it has been necessary to accept comparatively
'ow terms. Grinding parcels have, on the other hand,
been in fair request , and for good awcet qualities of the
latter very full prices have been obtained.
Choice samples of malt have met a ready sale at the
late advance ; and though the inquiry fur the inferior
kinds has not been lively, Monday's quotations hove
been firmly supported.
Besides 3,073 qrs. of oats from our own const, 740 qrs.
have been received from Scotland, 4,171 qrs. from Ire-
land, and 7,058 qrs. from abroad, making together a fair
supply. The factors being, however, fully aware that
the stocks in the hands of the dealers are inconsiderable,
and feeling convinced that the Irish arrivals will be much
smaller than usual, have declined making any concession.
Under these circumstances the trade has been far from
animated, still needy buyers ha,,e had to pay full terms
for good corn.

The few parcels of English beans which have come to
hand have been taken at the enhanced terms of Monday
last. In foreign beaus, on the spot, there has nut been
much doing; Egyptians have, however, bren•held firmly
at 38s. to 393. per qr. Floating cargoes have been in-
quired for, but the prices demanded have been so high
as to check business. _

—Peas have met with very little attention since our
last ; and though the quantity brought forward has been
trifling in the extreme, the value of v; hite boilers has
rather tended downwards, and even hog peas have
mored off at former terms.
Indian corn, in granary, has sold in retail at high
rates ; and cargoes on passage have been sought after
by buyers from Ireland. The f. ee• on ha and sales have
bean rather considerable, and in some cases prices have
been paid not previously obtainable.

FOREIGN CORN TRADE.
We have had two or three arrivals from Amsrica
this week, the latest bringing Nov York advicts to
the 19th Of September, and accounts from ether
parts of the United States of corresponding dates.
From New York we learn that the advance wheil
had bten established in flour some frvw days before,
in consequence of • the new from England,
nad been well maintained, and that.erne rather larg
purchases of the article had been made at prices vary-
ing 4d. 50c. to 4d. 75c. per brl. The sycks on the spot
were then trite inconsiderable, end it was not exreeted
that the arrivals from the interior would be very lai-ge
till the spring of the year ; it is probable, therekre