The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-22 00:00:00

Agricultural Prospects.

Last week opened with a sharp, cold, frosty day.
Wind N., and very keen. On Monday 17 deg. of
frost were registered. Wind N.N.W. A dense fog
enveloped the metropolis for hours, checking busi-
ness materially ; thermometer was 28 deg. at 8 a.m.;
barometer 29.80 in., rising. This severe frost, where
there was no snow, would enable the farmers to cart
their manure extensively, being a most essential
work, which could not be commenced sooner, so
much snow having come with the first frost, while
the sudden thaw caused the ground to be flooded in
low-lying districts, and in others the land was too
soft to admit of carting. On Tuesday morning there
were 16 deg. of frost registered. The day was keen
and bright, which still allowed manuring to be pro-
ceededwith,and wheat thrashing no doubt would go
on too, but no other work on the farm could be
pushed forward, the soil being too hard for
ploughing. This state of weather would effectually
destroy the slugs where there was no covering of
snow, and thus much good would be done in this
respect. Our advices on that day from Northum-
berland stated : " The weather was wet, cold, and
foggy on Wednesday, with a gale from the S.E. in
the evening. Since Thursday it has been freezing
hard, and the ground is again covered with snow,
the wind veering from N.E. to the N.W." From
the West Riding of Yorkshire it was remarked :
" The weather has been severe since Friday, with-
out much snow to keep the wheat crops from harm,
but more is falling this evening. The floods in the
various places must have a bad effect on the grow-
ing wheat, and prove very injurious." On Wed-
' nesday only 6 deg. of frost were registered, snow
having fallen, and the day was of an uncertain
character, with much indication of snow at night.
Wind N.N.E. ; thermometer 28 deg., and barome-
ter 29.85 in. From the west coast of Scotland it
was written : "We have had bard frost since
Thursday last." The heavy snow-storms on the
east coast have been very prevalent, suspending for
a time regular communication by railways, and put-
ting a stop to travelling as well as all out-door work.
On Thursday morning 5 deg. of frost were regis-
tered, with snow reported in many places at a short
distance from town. Our advices from Warwick-
shire on that day stated : " The weather changed
again on Friday last from much rain to snow, with
a very severe frost, which continues ; wind N. and
N.E. Inland navigation is stopped ; some appre-
hension is felt for the young wheat plant, where
only partially covered with snow after previous
rains." From Norfolk it was written : " The wea-
ther still stops thrashing, and we have an unusually
small attendance at market, and limited offers of
grain." From Suffolk it was remarked : " The
weather continues winterly, ground well covered
with snow, and severe frost." On Friday morn-
ing thermometer, 28 deg. ; and barometer 29.65 in.
8 deg. of frost were registered, with a fall of snow,
and more fell occasionally- during the day ; wind
N.N.E. Much ice has now accumulated on the

Thames, and the navigation upwards is
already stopped. On Saturday morning 10
degrees of frost were registered ; wind, N.E. ;
thermometer, 28deg. ; barometer, 29.80 in. During
the day there was a small downfall, but the wind
being in a wrong quarter for thawing, there is much
doubt of a thaw. Dry fodder is now being exten-
sively consumed, and the homestead is full of cattle
which must be well fed to keep them healthy.—
Mark-lane Express.

The New Conspiracy against Property.

Mr. E. W. WATKIN, M.P., when presiding at the
half-yearly meeting of the proprietors of the Man-
chester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway on
'Wednesday, availed himself of the opportunity to
refer indignantly to the rumour, propagated for
Stock Exchange purposes a short time ago, that he
had failed. The account of that disgraceful affair
was
Press.fu
fully reported
reported and largely commented upon by
We are not aware what subsequent
steps were taken by Mr. IVATKIN, but it would ap-
-1
the
ap-
pear that this gentleman has been acting with
qualifications, with a
vigour in the matter. Mr. WATKIN is well known
a rumour might
n
business
aSSUCCaliCulated to be very
ltaoortgc
eionmfuobcrhitnuaenffee,eatnhdi first-raternasl
et
ih
o,
ultg wh
injurious to shareholders in concerns over which he
presided. On their account, as well as on account
of the public generally, we hope and believe that this
gentleman will closely proceed with the investigation
and rigorously punish the offenders. There secm3
suine' limits the ea
to be a doubt whether he, not being engaged in
business, could prosecute on a chargeofdmamangiihngg
credit.ehfisthe term The,h law,sine
"business"
presume,
those actually engaged in
trade. It may still be open to him, however, to
prosecute the scandalous report on a
charge
ee the
fe nasuptihroares of
y. From
the tenour of Mr.
WATKIN'S remarks, we see that he does not
intend to let the matter drop, and we be-
lieve that no effort he can make could
be better directed to benefit his fellow-
countrymen than in bringing to justice and
exposing in all its naked deformity the authors of
this vile conspiracy. Penal servitude for a gang
of these ruffians is the only effectual way to break
the neck of the plot. The B. Chairman had bet-
ter have been left alone by the conspirators. Any
money they may have gained through the use of
his name will probably have been purchased at a
great cost, and for
our art we are glad they have
so committed themselves. They have roused a man
of great influence and determination into vigorous
p
action. They have given him a double grievance ;
one personally directed against himself, and one
generally directed against property in which he was
largely interested. In his speech at this meeting
he appears to have hinted at a hideous organisa-
tion, with its " Head Centre" in London, and
ramifications all over the country, having the dis-
tinct and deliberate object of bringing down in
ruin various properties, in order that the confede-
rate scoundrels might obtain a base and scandalous
profit. If this be Mr. WATKIN's opinion his duty
is clear enough, and we will watch with the greatest
interest how he discharges the task he has under-
taken. " The public," he says, " were awakened to
"the combination of rascality which had already pro-
" duced so much disaster; and
it will not be my fault,"
he adds, "if they are not more awakened." If he
succeeds iu administering an effecteal check to a plot
so base he will deserve a lasting memento
of gratitude from the whole body of English share-
holders. The Fenian conspiracy is not so detest-
able as this vile organisation. That it has been
in existence is proved beyond a doubt by the case
of the Agra Bank, by the attempt made on the
London and County Bank, and others, as well as by
the attack on himself. Some of our contemporaries
have alluded to the gang as
scavengers," a grossly
unjust comparison. A scavenger may be a useful
and honest member of the community, though his
"
work may be nasty. But these scoundrels, whose
efforts are directed to the ruin of thousands of
families, that they may secure a base profit, are
engaged in a work so fearful that there is no other