The Sun.
London, England, 1869-09-02 00:00:00

THE IRISH LAND QUESTION.

The explorations of the Times Commissioner have
led-him to the neighbourhood of Nenagh, where the
state of affairs is much the same as in the region,
about Clonmel, Cashel, or Tipperary. The. condition
of the tenantry is not, on the whole, unprosperbus.
Great improvements have been made of late years.
There is a considerable number of moderately-sized
estates in the Nenagh district ; and the owners are
usually resident, and in many cases good landlords.
The position of the agricultural labourer has so far
improved that the vast emigration going on of late
years has almost entirely ceased. But in respect of
the occupiers' tenure, the writer finds" the whole train
of unfortunate phenomena" which are common in
other districts. Almost everything that has added
to the value of the soil during the last two genera-
tions has been done by the occupier. Yet leases in
the Nenagh district are exceedingly rare, even for
the briefest terms. On some estates they are
peremptorily refused. The power which the
landlord possesses of ejecting at will has been
exercised in some cases to turn elections,
and for far more objectionable purposes.
"On some estates notices to quit are regularly
served every year, in order to give the landlords the
means of raising the rate of rent as they please, and
I have been informed of cases in which a widowed
tenant has been forbidden to remarry from mere
frivolous whim and caprice." Large sums ars paid
by incoming tenants to outgoing tenants, but no right
is thereby created. The writer quotcs several examples.
TheNenagh district has been free from agrarian crime
during several years ; but the spirit undoubtedly pre-
vails. It is noticeable that several heads of the Roman
Catholic Church are deeply interested in this ques-
tion and express themselves moderately; but the
younger Catholic clergy are more extreme in tone,
demanding a system of perpetual, or very long, leases,
at a rent to be adjusted by the State.
The Irish papers are busily occupied with
the land question. The Freeman calls for "fixity
of tenure," pointing as an example to the tenantry
of Lord Lurgan, in the North, who enjoy
this " fixity " practically, unassailably, " and
by the custom of the estate in a manner
so definite that they can transfer the right
to fixed tenure by written deed of sale."
The Dublin Mail protests strongly against some of
the violent and extravagant schemes promulgated by
its contemporaries. One proposition is that a fixity
of tenure should be established with a maximum
rent of twenty shillings per acre. The Mail thinks
that the effect of such proposals must be to provoke
that form of debate between the man who has and
the man who has not which seeks the highway for
its stage and a pistol for its argument.

MR. 11. D. SHERIDAN, M.P.

This gentleman, it appears, was " invited " by Mr.
Kirby, the late manager of the Albert Insurance
Company, to " negotiate for the Albert the purchase
of other businesses." It is to be hoped that the
mode and terms of these negotiations will be made
the subject of a searching investigation. In th-
meantime Mr. Sheridan claims to show that the come
pany profited by the transactions which he negotiated,
and in proof thereof refers to the fact that the pub-
lished accounts of the company up to 1862 show that
ip to that time the company had made a profit, and
£50,000 of that profit was then divided. The cool
--
um with which Mr. Sheridan refers to such
a, statement as proof of his own defence
Is peculiarly refreshing. The experience of
the last few years has disabused the minds
Df any who might have been disposed to
take as proof the accounts of a concern
which has been managed like the Albert. It
does not say much for Mr. Sheridan's case if he has
no better evidence to offer. He goes on to contend
that he was as much entitled to commission, " annual
or compounded," on premiums which he brought to
the office by " the hundred " as " other agents who
take but one or two policies at a time." If Mr. Sheridan
has convinced himself that iu negotiating for the
transfer of the business of one insurance office to
another he was as much entitled to commission as
the laborious canvasser who originally obtained the
insurance, his view of the case will account for much
that is astonishing in the booker of life assur-
ance companies. The policy-holders have in-
sured under the impression that their money
would be properly invested, and would not be sub-
ject to more than the usual rate of charge for
general expenses. If the commission due to
agents. can be duplicated to those who negotiate
for the transfer of the business of an
office
to another, the game is clearly one very
profitable to the negotiator arid equally disastrous
to the pOlicy-holder. Mr. Leone Levi . states that
-during the last twenty-five years 272 life -assurance
companies were registered, and of these 196 are no
longer in existence. The amalgamation of insurance
companies must have been a very extemivel as well
to /Pi 149#11*.i igkillgAs;

, -

^T t""'

ROBINSON:. CRUSOE.
The stream of colonization to America has at
length reached an interesting spot. in December
last a party of sixty or seventy persons took posses'
sion of Juan Fernandez, the island off the Chan'
coast where Alexander Selkirk spent his solitarl,
captivity of four years, and supplied the original (),'.
" Robinson Crusoe." The colonists ' brought wit'
them cows, fowls, agricultural implements, boats,
They found a fertile soil, abounding in goats, MI
wild horses, and donkeys. Very recent advices fro
nl
this interesting settlement represent it as prospering.

TRADE AND LABOUR IN AMERICA.
The great object of Mr. Cone s early life 11
been accomplished. Mr. Conolly, be it known, 1,,
a member of the Reform League, and has-seen til°
difficulties with which he so long strove to overcome'
The franchise having been bestowed on his confer .11!
the bonds of labour, he has now to divert his energies
to another channel. It is satisfactory to find
Means of occupying himself unselfishly on belt" 10
of his fellow working men have been discovered. riLif
English working men are ignorant as to the stat°
trade and the requirements of labour in Anicric:"
Mr. Conolly has undertaken to lighten their dalfc
ness. He is going out .to America, will 1113 h•
investigations, and the results will be VTR
hailed. He is, confident that he •is t'll;
man to undertake the work, for he plaii''jj
told a meeting which had been called to say farewe
to him that ho could do the duty much better thall
any mere literary man. Perhaps he is right. ifi",
any rate, his inquiries will be complete as far as
United States are concerned. Ile will begin wits
1 ?o,
seaports, and go out into the Far West 14'
no kind of ground untrodden.

DR. CUMMING AND THE POPE.
The controversy respecting the supposed "
tion" to non-Catholic representatives to be preseet
at the General Council next December is not Ytte
extinguished. The editor of the Westminster Ga'.e 1.8
is confident that Dr. Cumming is not invited to t 3.1;
part in the proceedings, not to speak of his preach':
anti-Popery sermons before the Pope and his P.r
lates. The editor even hints that Dr. Omuta;
cannot translate Latin—a charge to which roe
expounder of prophecy lays himself open to 5130 t
extent by his use of the word " Presbyterus." r,
really the entire dispute looks very idle. Dr. Op.
ming has written to Rome for information aedio
whether he may speak at the Council. r ~11er
doubtlesS receive a reply which, in deciding whe" ye
he can express his views, will also decide whether
may be present. •

THE PILINCESS OF WALES. he
It is gratifying to learn that the Princess of „aie
has enjoyed rest and quiet at Wildbad, and that -the
has benefited thereby. The correspondent 01 tecl
Standard says that on a recent occasion she requel of
General Knollys to carry to the Mnyor her sen7by
the kind reception with which she had been 111!,teti
the inhabitants, adding, " that she had never pith
any spa or place where she had been treated l'tra,
more respect, or had been subjected to less ill
sion."

THE FUNDHOLDERS. into
The Bank of England directors have entere-A0
the reform of dividend payments with comlen,"4,-elc•
spirit. A fresh concession has now been made. 0:-Deit
holders may arrange for the payment of„', of
dividends free of charge at any of the brane.u);cs-
- Bank of England, in the provinces, on aPP',ijes
tion to the agent of the Bank at those br3ll' of
respectively. The fee of ls. Gd. on presentatiocis
powers of attorney for the receipt of divide° 00
abolished. Lastly, stock certificates, with
for the half-yearly payments, may be obtaie,ied in
sums of £5O, 2100, 2150, &c., by any stock
exchange for inscribed stock.
MILITARY EDUCATION. On
The first report of the Royal Comilli°ll,°,Trtl)2
Military Education is expected to appear s
Its main features are understood to be, the thoOtina
remodelling of the cadet colleges of Woolwie:11,0oci
Sandhurst, including the abolition of the expens's
vicious system of a double staff with divided re4edir
sibility ; the giving a more practical form to t 211,8„ 001
cational training. and general working of ofer
college; and the introduction of a course of PfrictlY
sional instruction and examinations, to be °f
brans will
obligatory on the junior officers of every
the service. It is believed that these refern'aria
be accomplished without any addition to 0°
estimates. cotipa in

THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER.
Atoll
The great day has arrived under wodeot.
favourable auspices: The supply of birds is 'tiletis
are told, all that it should be ; but thew e3;ostild
exceedingly plitimising, and the corn bash:ticee''
been cut, so that there will be no bickering "ere
farmer and landlord through trampling tile -aeoll:
Partridge-shooting is decidedly preferable to
Ploor"
slaughter. There is something to be said for a' I'oo
which is so healthy (to the sportsmen).
superior branch of shooting pleasures is IP9t igb'
it once was. Formerly the partridge-shooter 51: tli6
his own game, and honestly tramped 00°11:0°
stubble from morn till eve. Now the gamelicekA3elsl
the beating; the birds are driven into suitableTfa
and the daring sportsmen take their st,e"ieli
a line and bang away with pieces loade"
attendant. The stubble, too, is shorter in these fforo
machine-reaping, and thus less protection is evol;e;s
to the birds. Clearly pigeon-killing is s° eitrY
sport that all others must be brought as 11
But eveJob,t
possible under its conditions.
nisig
STREET RUFFIANISM.
Our readers will remember the letter to th.-icte'r
;rl
News, a little while back, in which the virog go
scribed how a well-dressed man pursued a Y° to $OOO
through the streets, and tried to entice he the rerstel
low house. It is now stated by the Starthat arree,.o
whose movements were described has beq, eli ice'
at Nottingham under a warrant,.and that ''l,o
Vol
against him will be investigated at one of t'
courts. .
TIIE WELSH EISTEDDFOD• aeCil its
The Welsh Eisteddfod this year shows aced el
necline in interest: The spurt which PlTtoittioea
revival as an institution of transcendeniv ere leo
importance has died out, and it will pro °f it) °tog
rise or fall (according to the view taken oiee'rjo
interesting musical festival. This Year,tlie 1)1,0
is now being held at- Holywell, and thong Pit is the
are there singing their uncouth language,ts
that the chief attractions are the concern; e. ~e,
most important personage Miss Edith W3.oloilg to
songs are, many of them, in the " old bardbl
but cl 5
and so the local prejudices are indulged;
Englishmen, the proceedings are dull.
f h
tics
WEATHER. Jellt - °
Mr. Allnatt, the meteorologist corresPen as t°l,lio
Times, hastens to record his observations to ro
month of August. Usually he is contentoicil
his letter days after the month 00 .00 ef,e
he
expatiates has passed away ; now he steri 0,6
month has finished its course. Their 104- et,IP
has to tell us about the freaks of th,0,3 bare'plovh'
clouds may be briefly summed up. j'e,verY .105
was abnormally high; the rainfall WO f 10, otr„
only P 44 inches—three-quarters °,O floc'to6fr
below the average. The thermonlete' tlien.4
curiously: Great heat was observed fr°11010';
to the 29th ; for three of these days a 11,,teelif,°"tere';
was reached, 9.9 deg. in excess of the "`„. regiu°, 01'-
a century; on each of them 76 deg. 1"-ejeci vi
This time of bustling heat had been Pr,hec 003. 00
of cold ; on the 12th 4.3 deg. below tu°o 501 )leoi
recorded. The end of the month also is'
so cold at Eastbourne from which Mr. All tool{ inr tll3
as elsewhere ; but still a great changlle fret"
caused, Mr. Allnatt says, by a squall/ 11'
north-east.

PRICE OF GOLD. 006
—0- _t pot:4lop
The quotation of gold at Paris is about so oVie, of
the short exchange on London is 25f. 15c•,. Pint 131.-09 to
043 n comparing these rates with the Engliel;;;ope,„,34°'
pia. 101 d. per wince for standard old. 1. -4,)v-
-gold at the above price is nearly 1-10th ~dea •
g ,•
_or .-
than in Paris. 001
lc DVERTISEMZST. I --}lolloWily'S- Oinnr-e5.01/*l7bil
. Tlintr
plaints
a ieecttei oren .
asy-bAe..—.------.-""ll the varieties of e
0,1,05,:„,,,,i,--0,1 .. •
ell ,
A
this ointment t readily and effectively
wice a day upon the nterSta7ecluct-libil itriiriii
supporting the strength by suitable nourisho,-thros-'ols,
dsniemisatprrlugeeemmtioeenadnttsshwediphtheria, ulcerated or reltis9" r giP3d ttl:
etation of the windpipe, quinsey, and all otheted, ne oit'Li
yillhahvaeveeautheeedirrepraoirrees!
P F d 11°110 OA 04
11 iete AO' f
ores 01'9 ,p
meat is the most trustworthy remedy for a yid elle-el, °f
external throat ailments, and may. be safell 9-oe%, 9'9 9
0 di orerce
employed in every case without regard
constitution. It is highly extolled for its /till (114
spasmodic coughs, chronic hoarseness, ell 9
able discharges from the throat and DOge*
PELELTy On
Georgina tie
31Pste Peel, ,i, IVie°l
tract'
TROTTER -On the tford-0
Ist inst., at 11, Efer 00.
fair, the wife
of Wm. Trotter, Esq., °I 9 6
Corr
cllO
rnoE.
pi 3;
e. -3.-, 014'
,110.13,fIaaRtsT
eTrinh.Se. Gervvri 'l4or''. 0,
4.11 o
MARRIAGES. John,-' As'l t
nay, Walter Connell, of Warwick Lodgo, ~, Se'
6 to. tD°
Fanny Snewin, of 5, Rector
yriles,
SNEwiN -On the 31st ult., at St. oetcu-stior
J0h,9'09)9
Williao to Plot'
3DITEAGII-SMITH-On the 31st lt ,
eldest son of John WVeagh, ouf the Tolellioll-°.
t smith, e 1
or
bill. 19 only daughterp EofAlTtofibser.
/3 DOA,
Lim:lox-On the 31st ult. at Clifton, r Ott
I 1 liov
Liddon, R.N., aged 78.
Terry, formerly of the 25th Regt., aged 8 e it ad
TERRY-On the 31st ult.. at Winchester, Cs.°9ll°
Si?
Yount-On the 31st inst. at , Princ'terrafirtes,
George Young, Garter ' Principal iiing-at
74.- 00'
A141f9e3
WILIA° - 2 1
London: Printed and Published b
it
~, 0
of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TIM SUN Orilee i gido,
- in the Precinct of the Savoy, itt tilQ c94lltY Q
ThWtdaY) sePtiazter 24:116?!. - ;