The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-25 00:00:00

towns will hasten some measure that may be vexatious
and arbitrary, and contrary to the wishes and the feelings
of the rest of the community. Now, one word wilh re-
gard to the prospects of our society. I have been told,
and I hear it with great surprise and regret, that there
is some little degree of slowness in the aid which ought
to bo given to a society which not only benefits the
farmer, but all classes of the community. In the first
place I should rejoice, now that the corn law question
no longer divides town and country, if our richer mer-
chants and tradesmen in our different county towns
would come forward a little more prominently in support
of a society in which they are so directly interested ; and
I think it would conduce very much to the establishment
of harmony among all classes if they would offer a prize
or prizes exclusively for competition by tenant farmers.
(After treating this point locally and requesting the co-
operation of the inhabitants of Hitchin, Sir E. B. Lyt-
ton thus resumed) There is one other subject which
occurs to me in connection with a toast proposed earlier
in the evening. When I last addressed you as president
of this society the war was.raeing, although the flag 3 of
England and France were at that time waving over the
walls of Sebastopol. I did then my best to encourage
and animate the hearts of my countrymen, for while the
war lasted I went into it heart and soul, as I trust I
ever wren my country is engaged in a sever•
struggle with a powerful enemy and in a righteous cause.
(Cheers.) Since then, however, it has pleased her Ma-
jesty to accept peace, and we are now treating the recent
Enemy not to cartridges and bombshells, but to compli-
ments and congratulations. Now, of the terms of that
peace the least said the soonest mended. (A laugh.) I
don't think there 13 any one man of any party who can
conscientiously declare that he thinks the terms of peace
were such as to compensate this country for her expen-
diture of blood and treasure, and it is perfectly clear
that we have not finally adjusted the balance of Europe.
But that peace became inevitable, with all its draw-
backs, the moment it became clear that France was re•
solved to accept it. The practical good sense of English-
men sufficed to show that it could never be the policy of
this country to carry on a war of invasion on the bound-
lees territory of Russia single-handed, or with a reluctant
ally, Pence has been made, then, not so much out of
content with Russia as out of respect for France.
(Hear.)• In former wars it has been said that they were
fomented and prolonged by the landed interest, in their
desire to sustain rents aed prices; but history will never
say that the late war was prolonged for a single day by
the sanguinary spirit of landlords and farmers. (Hear.)
As soon as peace became inevitable, that moment all the
agricultural members in a body thought they best con-
sulted the wi.,hes and interests of their constituents
when they resolved that not by a single word or vote
would they disturb or interrupt the negotiations or dis-
credit or embitter that peace. (Clear, hear.) In con-
clusion, let me express a fervent hope that we may never
fall into the same error into which we have been before
led—that we may never again believe that the world has
grown too enlightened for war—that we may never again
risk the flower of our armies, the safety of our fleet, and
renown of our country by plunging into a contest unpre-
pared, with hospital regulations which were a disgrace
to humanity until Florence Nightingale came to show
I how armies could be saved by one clear head and earnest
heart, executing an angel's mission in a woman's form.
(Loud cheers:) NOW lam not for keeping up great
tui;itary e:itablishnents in a time of peace ; nothing
could be more unwise than so to exhaust the resources
of a country and add to the burden of taxation, besides
which, standing armies would sooner or later be wholly
incompatible with civil liberty. I do, however, desire
that we may now carefully maintain that noble militia
which will serve as a nursery for the regular service. I
ought to say that without fear of your disapproval, when
I remember the Harts Regiment of Militia, so admirably
commanded by the noble Marquis (of Salisbury). I
desire, too, that we may now take this occasion to in-
troduce into our various civil, military, and commissariat
departments those modern improvements which may he
suggested by our own experience or by the enlightened
observation of foreign armies, and I desire this the more
because I cannot contemplate the state of the con-
tinent without the most serious anxiety mod a firm belief
that, sooner than is generally expected, some employ-
ment will be found for those large standing armies upon
which the thrones of so many kings may depend. Do
not believe that this is not to the purpose ? Do not
believe that this does not relate to you, for where is
there a class in the kingdom which is so earnestly in-
terested in the question of peace or war as that class
which lives by the land (Hear, hear.) If ever war
should be forced upon us in a just cause, upon whom is
this country to depend ? I will do justice to our town
populations ; I know that for the long endurance of a
war we must relyfgreatly upon the grandeur of our corn.
merce and upon the returns derived from our manufac-
tures ; but I say that for the tough materials of the war
we must go to the agricultural inhabitants of the country.
(Cheers.) It is our peasantry that furnish the best re-
cruits, and it is the high spirit of the yeomanry, farmers,
and country gentlemen, who carry on a contest with
good heart and hope when the merchant begins to trem-
ble, arid the manufacturer to complain. And there is
nothing in these societies which tends to our success in
war, as well as to our prosperity in peace ? In the first
place they ,circulate intelligence which leads us to dis-
tinguish the cause of quarrel, and decide upon its neces-
sity and justice. Next they tend to augment those
national resources which are the sinews of war, and
which would preserve this country from the calamity of
famine should any foreign fleet cut us off from a foreign
market. Moreover they bring us all together as to day,
from the peer to the peasant, in common sympathy
and union, reminding us that we are the children of the
same soil which we have enriched with our industry,
and will protect with our blood. (Cheers.) May
that union which cements us to-day, which makes
us indifferent whether it be a Tory or Radical who
attends these meetings and wins our prizes,—may
that union serve us if necessary hereafter ! May we
be as imperishably united, if ever this country should
be in danger, to defend its soil as we are united now to
multiply its flocks and fertilise its fields. (Cheers.)
I call upon you to drink prosperity to this society. The
toast I give is in honour of the society which summons
us together to-day for the advancement of that agricul.
ture which is the staple of our prosperity in time of
peace, and of our resolute endurance in time of war—a
society which is an honour to the county to which we
belong; and where is the 'man who is not as proud to
belong to Hertfordshire as lam to represent it ? (Pro-
longed cheering.)
Many other toasts of a local character followed.

ing in West Cumberland, that the two great problems
of modern agricultural science are, first, the degree to
which mechanical inventions may be applied to cheapen
labour ; and, next, the degree to which the sewage
of towns and other chemical manures may be ap-
plied to the purpose of cheapening, of varying, and
increasing the manures with which we are more
familiar. But, gentlemen, the farmer is not a che-
mical professor ; he is not a mechanical inventor ;
and it is of no use to attempt to make him that which he
is not. (Hear.) It is his business to watch without pre-
judice on the one hand, and without rashness on the
other (because he has certain definite expenses which
he must meet, and he must beware of all uncertain
speculations) the results of chemical science and me-
chanical invention, and to apply those results, according
as scientific knowledge and theory correspond with expe-
riments and prove them to be actually profitable. I am
not one of those pompous amateurs who think it neces-
sary at agricultural meetings to lecture the farmers upon
all that they have to do, and all they have to learn ; and
I daresay you may have observed—l have very often—
with a good-humoured amazement, that some smooth-
spoken gentlemen who would rather bite his tongue off
than tell a merchant at Liverpool how to manage his
counting-house, or a cutler at Sheffield how to make
knives, no sooner finds himself at an agricultural meet-
ing than he thinks it incumbent on him to enlighten
the farmers upon every detail of their business, from
the materials of their manures to the very shape of
their ploughs. (Hear, and laughter.) Nov, I fancy,
gentlemen, that as practical mon you are not inclined
very much to respect that kind of advice, and it is enough
for me to assure our distinguished kinsman from the
United States of my perfect persuasion that your own
general intelligence and your acute sense of your own in-
terests will induce you to give fair play to every experi-
ment which may be shown to he really profitable, and
therefore conducive to the general purposes of husbandry!
(Hear.) But there has been one charge brought against
your general intelligence which I will now ask your per-
mission to refute. You will remember, it is quite fair to
allude to it, because it is not a party or political ghee.
Lion, and in all agricultural meetings the subject has been
discussed—you will remember that in the last session of
Parliament a bill was introduced fcr the avowed object of
obtaining a correct systexi of agricultural statistics.
Well, to that bill the farmers of Great Britain, as a
body, were almost unanimously opposed, and I think
very rightly opposed. (Cheers.) I now respectfully
ask your permission to tell your visitors and (by means of
,gentlemen who are present here and are about to spread
the intelligence throughout the country) the public that
the farmers of England as a body are not opposed to the
spread of intelligence, and are therefore not opposed to a
good, judicious, and conciliatory system of agricultural
statistics. But they were opposed to that particular
bill, because I think I can show in a very few words that
it employed the most odious machinery in order to defeat
its own object. The bill of which I speak was founded
upon the recommendation of a committee of the House
of Lords. Well, one would have thought that a com-
mittee formed for the express purpose of legislating upon
matters which especially concerned the tenant farmers,
and for which the co-operation of tenant farmers is also.
Cutely essential, would have made tenant farmers their
principal witnesses ; but what was my surprise when I
looked into the evidence collected, and found that out of
19 witnesses examined they were only five who were in
any way practically connected with English agriculture,
irid out of those five there was net a single man who
could be fairly said to be a representative of the feeling
and habits of the tenant farmer. (Hear.) A great num-
ber of Government officials were examined, and prom!.
nent over all were four Poor Law inspectors. They
naturally enough, according to the same principle which
made the leather-seller say that for the fortification of a
town when besieged there was nothing like leather, these
four Poor Law inspectcrs naturally said that for a popu.
lar and conciliatory system of agricultural statistics there
was nothing like the machinery of the Poor Law Board.
Well, the committee adopted that recommendation ; it
was engrafted upon the bill ; whereas I should
,have
thought, as a man of plain sense, that the very last per-
son to whom not only a farmer but any man would be
inclined to confide his private affairs would be some one
inseparably connected in his mind with the payment of
his rates. (Hoar.) But these Pcor Law inspectors had
already tried privately what they could do in various
districts of the country. They had found that they did
not get on so well as could be wished, and therefore
told the committee that the bill must be made compul-
sory and the farmer obliged to make these returns.
Well, gentlemen, and when it is said in the committee,
" But won't the farmer object to this ?" the four Poor
Law inspectors in a loud chorus exclaimed, "Lord
bless you, no 1 that is exactly what the farmers want ;
farmers want to be obliged to make their returns."
(Laughter.) The committee were green enough to be-
lieve that the Government (if I may be allowed to say
so) were green enough to believe the committee ; and,
accordingly, to one of the most unpleasant machineries
in the world was conjoined the most vexatious principle
I can conceive, that of an inquisitorial investigation into
a man's private affairs, under a bill of pains and penal-
ties, leaving the farmer at the mercy of any common
spy and informer. (Hear, hear.) Let me tell the public
that farmers objected to that bill, not because they were
farmers, but because they were Englishmen—(cheers)—
and my belief is that if that bill had been carried it
would have occasioned so deep a disgust and so great a
spirit of revolt among those upon whom it was brought
to bear that, instead of advancing agricultural statistics,
it would have thrown them back for the next 20 years
to come. (Hear, hear.) I don't consider this as a party
question, and therefore I represented these views of the
subject (and, as I humbly think, not without effect) to
members on both sides of the house. I own it frankly—
whatever may be thought of the intelligence, or the want
of it, which prompted such a course—l did my best in
private to frustrate the passing of the bill, just as, if not
withdrawn, I would have done my best to defeat it in
public,. (Hear, hear.) Now, let me respectfully submit
to you that, although that bill in itself was thus objec-
tionable, the principle of agricultural statistics is essen-
tially good, and with that same frankness with which I
always speak to my friends, I would tell you that it
would scarcely do for any class of the commuity at this
time of day to appear opposed to that spread of know-
ledge which is the characteristic of the 19th century.
Some bill or another is sure to be introduced again upon
this subject ; some bill or another is sure to be carried
through Parliament ; and I would, therefore, earnestly
advise farmers as a body, if a good and conciliatory mea-
sure be introduced, to give it their favourable attention.
I have described what is a bad bill ; permit me to give
my impression of what would be a good bill. In the first
place it must dispense altogether with the machinery, of
the Poor Law Beard, or of any board connected with
rates and taxes. It should emanate from the statis-
tical department of the Board of Trade, which is never
a taxing department, and which would pat itself into
communication with local agricultural societies, and with
farmers of influence and popularity in the different dis-
tricts. Every farmer should have the option of making
his returns under sealed cover to the official department
of the Board of Trade, with the closest privacy, and in
the greatest confidence ; and, gentlemen, above all, the
bill should be entirely on the voluntary principle. There
should be no pains nor penalties. Farmers should be left
to make the returns willingly, or not make them at all.
Am I speaking here without experience ? No. I am
guided in this by the best experience at our command.
There are two countries in which agricultural statistics
are collected with great clearness and great excellence.
There is Belgium. The system in that country is an en•
tirely voluntary one, and is under the control of the sta-
tistical department. Perhaps, however, the very best
agricultural statistics to be found throughout all Europe
are. obtained in Scotland. How do they act there ? They
act theough the Highland Agricultural Society, which
puts itself into communication with the local agricultural

" I had a note from Deane yesterday offering his as
sistance to get his father-in-law out of the scrape, but
the conditions were so badly explained, and by no means
clear, that this morning I got Graham and Morrison to
speak to him on the subject, and that if he forwarded
me a document not to be misunderstood I would sub-
mit it for consideration to the officers."
He did forward a document. The original does
not appear, but Colonel Boileau produces the note
in which Deane sent it to him :
"My dear Colonel,—l have had some conversation
with Graham this morning, and I enclose, as I told him
I would, a guarantee for the payment of the money
within six months after the regiment lands, &c.
"H. A. M. DEANE."
" The money" in this note was 8001., due to the
mess fund. We resume Colonel Boileau's letter to
Captain Anderson :
" I now send his guarantee, which I am decidedly of
opinion should be accepted, for many reasons ' . first and
principal, I do not see any other chance of the Regiment
recovering one shilling otherwise, as Mrs. Barlow wrote
to Deane yesterday, saying they knew they were ruined,
and he was resolved to stand a Court-martial ; she
knew nothing when she wrote of Deane's intentions :
she knew nothing when she wrote of Deane's intentions ;
next, the Regiment would be saved the disgrace of a
Court-martial."
After describing the way in whichit should be done,
the Colonel proceeds:—
" When all this is arranged I think the mess ought to
assemble and offer up thanksgivings for getting so well
out of the scrape ; Graham is writing to both you and
Blackall, and will tell you what he means to do with the
Old Buffer, when we have done with him."
At head-quarters, as we stated the other day, the
guarantee underwent much revision and serious
alteration, the officers' private credits and a para-
graph about public money being added. On the
17th Colonel Boileau, not having yet received it
back, writes to Captain Anderson,—
"We are all very hard up here,—is there any chance
of our getting our legal balances ? I fear when that old
rogue comes to wind-up he will be found deficient of
Public money. Two o'clock, post arrivci.—l have sent
over for Deane, and shall, if possible, send this by to-
day's post. . . Deane is here, but it is too late to
send his final answer ; it will be forwarded to-morrow.
. . He is evidently disposed to alter the guarantee
and hold himself responsible for the iagimental funds
and officers' balances within six months of the return of
the regiment."
Thus, while ho was writing, the revised guarantee
arrived from Peshawur. Deane accepted it in the
following letter :
"My dear Colonel,—l have read Captain Anderson's
letter, which I now return. I can't guarantee money to
the regiment, except on the conditions I have named in
the enclosed paper, which I am very willing to sign in
the presence of witnesses. With respect to the private
credits, I can't guarantee the payment of them under
the time I have mentioned, but of course when I have
the payment of the regiment I will, if possible, pay them
on demand. But until I see the books I cannot tell
what debts there may be due to the Paymaster to meet
his liabilities. " H. A. M. DEANE."
The same day Colonel Boileau wrote to Captain
Anderson
" I enclose Dean's finale, &c. I think no time should
be lost in accepting Deane's present guarantee."
Both this letter and the last the Colonel concludes
with a request that the accounts may be handed to
nobody but Deane.
Our readers will observe the Colonel's confiden-
tial misgiving above as to the probable deficiency
of public money. At the trial, on the prisoner
asking Captain Graham, " Was there not a sus-
picion that public money was deficient I" the pro-
secutor objected to this question, on the ground
that public money formed no part of the charge.
The prisoner submit ed that the question was ne-
cessary to his defence. The Court ruled that it
should be put, when there ensued the following :
" Witness---I cannot say what suspicion there was. I
can answer for myself, but not for others.
" Prisoner—Did you not believe at the time I signed
the guarantee that public money received by Captain
Barlow for the pay of the men of the regiment was then
deficient
" Witness—l knew nothing about its
" Prisoner—l did not ask you what you knew, but
what you believed I
" Witness—l_ really cannot say what I believed. It
was known that Captain Barlow was deficient of private
money."
Gaptain Anderson (then in command of the
regiment) went further :
" I did not know, or suspect, there was any deficiency
of public money. Had I done so I should not have con-
firmed the proceedings of the committee of August, 1854,
as commanding officer."
But this was the officer who, on the 15th of
August, before the final guarantee was sent to
Deane, had to borrow 365/. from the canteen fund
to pay the men for the latter half of the month !
On or before the 21st he also received that confi-
dential letter from Colonel Boileau, expressing the
writer's fear that when the " old rogue's" accounts
were made up he would be found deficient in
public money. Yet on the 28th he confirmed the
proceedings of the Committee of Accounts credit-
ing the insolvent paymaster with 211. 14s. public
money

THE HARTEST IN SCOTLAND.

GLASGOW.—Cutting is now proceeding vigorously
round the city, and in many places the crops are totally
secured. The heavy rain which fell on Tuesday week has
not done the damage which was anticipated. The wea-
ther during the past week has been well suited to harvest
operations.
WERT LOTHlAN.—Harvesting has been chiefly confined
to barley and oats, and both present a fair appearance of
a good crop in the stook ; but not a stack is yet to be
seen in the barn-yard, although some barley continues
to be thrashed and sent to market. Wheat, like oats, is
ripening slowly, and as hopes are entertained that more
favourable weather may yet redeem it from the dirty
colour, little comparatively of the grain has yet fallen
before the sickle ; but such as has been cut stooks well.
MID LOTHIAN.—The weather during the past week
has been changeable, and an occasional shower, with
high winds, have partially checked harvest operations.
The wind has proved beneficial to the grain in stook,
bringing it into excellent condition for stacking, and on
most farms the harvest carts have been in full requisi-
tion, but there is as yet little of the grain secured. Cut-
ting in this neighbourhood is now well advanced, the
upland districts excepted, where on most farms reaping
has not yet commenced. The reports of the crops are
various, but the general tone is that the cereals are un-
usually bulky. Wheat is unequal as to soundness of the
ear, but, as a whole, above an average. Barley, where
thrashing is being proceeded with, is disappointing ex-
pectation. Oats have cut up a very full crop, and must
be much about an average. The potato crop is now
more promising ; the blight appears not to be extending,
the haulms generally showing a vigorous growth.
EAST LOTHlA.M.—Reaping bas gone on for the last
eight days without interruption. In the lower part of
AMERICAN RAILWAYS.—The last American papery the county spring wheat and beans are the principal parts
I
give a statement, made up to the end of 1855, of tie of the crop which remain uncut. On some farms a com-
extent and cost of the railways of the United States, mencement has been made on these crops, and at the
compared with those of Great Britain. The number of close-of this week in numerous cases reaping will be al-
miles of railway in America is 23,242, and the cost of together finished, There has been a stiff breeze for the
construction has averaged 7,1001. per mile. For this last few days, which has put the grain in good order for
country the total is put at 8,334 miles (reckoning 3,076 stacking. On Tuesday leading-in was general, and corn-
miles of double track as 6,152), and the cost has been stacks are again making their appearance round every
36,0101. per mile. The people of the United States, homestead. There has been more green shearing this
therefore, are congratulated on baying obtained nearly year than usual, the grain having got ripe before the
three times the extent of railway possessed by Great straw. Reapers have been plentiful, and the wage last
crop
Britain at little more than one half of our aggregate out- week was 10s. with food.
lay. The difference in the durability and general cha- AYRSHIRE.—Despite the backward weather harvest
ratter of the roads, and also of the rolling stock, must,
1t of theoperations
will
b e
cut
are progressing
down.rapidly; and should the far-
however, be taken into account. mers now be favoured with a few dry days the greater
{ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Pills inestimable for Par
their cure of B ace' Complaints.—Mr. Benjamin Brook- HAWICK.—The weather has been very favourable for
hall, of East Itetford, suffered severely from a bowel harvest operations during thepast week. Therehave been
complaint, to alleviate which he had applied a host of occasionally slight showers in the morning, but these al-
remedies, but the results were invariably unsuccessful. ways clear away, and we have fine days of breeze and
The malady at length progressed so alarmingly that it aunehiue. Cutting and leading are going on at all hands,
nearly prostrated Mr. Brookhall, when he was provi- and if the weather continues good the fields will soon be
dentially advised to take Holloway's Pills, which he did cleared.
forthwith, and with such signal success that the distress- . KELSO.—The fine weather we have experienced lately
ing symptoms immediately abated, and in a few days he has enabled the farmers not only to cut down most of
became hale, hearty, and completely cured.—Sold their crops in this district, but also to secure a large
by all medicine vendors throughout the world ; at portion of them. The injury done by the recent rains
Professor Holloway's Establishments, 244, Strand, has been almost, if not altogether, neutralised by the
London, and 80, Maiden-lane, New York ; by A. sharp winnowing breezes which have prevailed. All kinds
Stamp a, Constantinople ; A. Gaidicy, Smyrna ; and : of grain are in the finest condition for stacking, and we
B. Muir, Malta. ii have no doubt, when mod throw b the thrashinglna!