The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-30 00:00:00

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WATFOR
The second annual meeting of the WeiKl:He)
Agricultural Society was held this afternoon at the
Essex Hotel ; the Earl of Clarendon, the president
for the year, took the chair, and among the
members present were the Ear) of Essex, Lord Ebury,
Mr. Jones Loyd, Mr. John White, Mr. Waghorn,
Mr. Cobb, Mr. Finch, Mr. Alfred Sedgwick (the
hon. secretary), &c.
The• Earl of CLARENDON, after explaining that ill-
ness had prevented him from being present at pre-
vious meetings, congratulated his hearers on the
success of the society, and dwelt on the numerons
benefits of such associations. They brought people
of all classes together, and made them feel when
engaged on an object of common interest that they
are equal. After referring to various subjects con-
nected with the management of the society, Lord
Clarendon said;--The committee are particularly
anxious to call the attention of the tenant farmers
to the prizes given for the best cultivated farms.
Prizes of £5O and £25 are worth competing for.
They open a wide field for competition. The ob-
taining of such prizes is most honourable, and I can-
not conceive anything more beneficial to a district
than a number of men pitted against each other, and
bringing their knowledge to bear on the increase of
the produce of the land. There is one class of prizes
which I hope will never be eliminated from our list,
and which I hope to see extended in number and
value—l mean the prizes for labourers. (Cheers.)
I allude to this because these prizes have often been
made the subject of ridicule, and attempts, although
happily unsuccessful, have been made to discourage
the donors, and to deprive the recipients of these
prizes. It has been said that it is degrading to a man
to receive a prize of £2 or £3 for a long course of
good conduct under circumstances the most trying.
But I think these critics do not understand the

PRICF 4d.
STAMPED sd.

magi:Ando in such form as the inhabitants may severally
or collectively desire, in due conformity with the rules of
court; and this expression of their opinions shall be a prin-
cipal element in regulating the decision of the magistrate
in regard to granting or withholding the said licences."
Archbishop MANNING rose and was received'with
loud cheers. lle said that when the executive com-
mittee invited him to take part in the conference he
responded heartily to the invitation, because he con-
curred heartily with the object the promoters of it
had in view. He understood that object to be this:
to ask the Legislature to retrace certain steps it had
taken, and not to speak common-places about
drunkenness, nor to indulge in statistics of the ex-
tent to which it prevailed ; nor were they present to
discuss the moral remedies, without which all legis-
lative remedies would have no effect, but to discuss
one single point—viz., whether past legislation had
not given most dangerous facilities, and therefore
multiplied the inevitable temptations which lead the
labouring poor to fall into the sin of drunken-
ness. His own experience during a period of 30
years, first among the poor of a country district,
and the latter half in London, convinced him that
the number of places in which drink was sold—
spirits and beer—was greatly in excess of the
wants, real or supposed, of the population, and
that it was high time that their number was dimi-
nished. He could testify that the drunkenness of
parents and the early intemperate habits of children
caused the misery which was filling the streets of
London with unhappy and abandoned children. It
appeared to him that the Legislature ought to in-
terfere, because everything affecting the moral
well-being of the population was a proper subject
of legislation. The Legislature controlled the prac-
tice of medicine, the sale of poisonous drugs. It
interposed in all the conditions of the health of the
people—it interposed between the parent and the
child—and if one thing poisoned the population
more than anything else, and invaded those rela-
tions, it was the facilities which were afforded for
drunkenness ; and the past acts of the Legislature
had afforded those facilities. He felt convinced
that drunkenness was invading the homes of the
poor, was changing the character of our labouring
men in the country, and breaking up domestic life
amongst the poor both in London and the country,
withering and destroying the power and the pro-
(Loud
cmhieseers.of the future—the children of England.

mainspring of human action ; for in all of us nature
has implanted a natural ambition. There is no ono
who is worth anything who does not aim at distinc-
tion, at raising himself in the estimation of others.
The Victoria Cross is given as the reward for daring
actsof valour. Admirals, generals, successful diplo-
matists, adventurers--those noble men who have
made geographical discoveries, those who have laid
down the Atlantic Cable, receive the decoration of
the Order of the Bath. It would be absurd to measure
these distinctions by their mere money value. The
same remark applies to the labourer. He cannot
win battles, or sign treaties, or explore distant
countries, but he can so conduct himself as to be an
example to all those around him and confer a great
benefit on his locality. (Cheers.) The man who
lives for many years in the same place—the man
who brings up many children without relying upon
the
,parish for relief—the man who in provident so-
cieties or savings-banks lays by for a day of
trouble, the man who gives proofs of intelligence,
sobriety, and industry, and of having according to
the best of his ability performed the duty that de-
volve upon him, deserves the greatest encourage-
ment. It is incumbent on a society like this to seek
out such men, to publish their characters, to re-
ward their merits ; and I think when the prizes arc
given they should be accompanied by a diploma
recording the causes of the gift, which would be to
the man's family his Order of the Bath or his Vic-
toria Cross. (Cheers.) But this mrtter needs no
argument. The fact is that the labourers value
these prizes—that they compete for them most will-
ingly—that they are proud of them—and that is
quite sufficient for us. (Cheers.) I wish now to
say a word on a matter to which I attach con-
siderable importance, and that is the subject of
agricultural statistics, in which hitherto England
has been most lamentably behindhand. I think
there is no one who reflects on this matter who can
deny that a correct collection of facts showing the
actual state of agriculture and its improved con-
dition from one year to another must be of great
importance to the nation at large, and most espe-
cially to the owners and occupiers of land. (Hear,
hear.) Upon most matters that affect the highest
interests of the country we are in the habit of col-
lecting the most valuable returns and information,
and drawing from them the most useful and inte-
resting lessons. Upon our trade and commerce,
our exports and imports, our currency, our popula-
tion, our criminal jurisprudence, and, in short,
upon everything that can throw light on the
moral and social condition of the country,
we have for years past been in the habit of col-
lecting and acting upon the most reliable informa-
tion we could obtain. But it is upon the pro-
duce of our soil, upon the relation between produc-
tion and population, upon that knowledge which
will impart to us the amount of the production of
our own soil, and show far we must rely upon
foreigners for our food, what are the regulating
causes of price—upon everything which it is most
important for the producer to know, the agricul-
tural interest have refused to be informed, and have
preferred to remain in ignorance and darkness.
(Hear, hear.) This is a strong thing to say, but I
am justified in saying it, and I will tell you why.
Having laboured much abroad, and having been
aware of the enormous benefit which foreign coun-
tries derive from the accurate collection of facts—
particularly France—l was anxious, when I was in
a position to carry out my intentions, that my own
country should be similarly benefited—and when I
was President of the Board of Trade in 1847 I
caused a bill to be prepared and laid on the table of
the House of Commons authorising the collection of
agricultural statistics. But it met with such bitter
opposition, and the prejudice was so strong, and the
measure was considered so odious and inquisitorial
that we had to give it up. But when I was ap-
pointedto try the experiment in that country,
Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, landdeatesrymsitneemd
was organised which worked most admsitraatbilsyti,esansd
there are not in Europe agriculturalo
complete and reliable as those obtained in Ireland.
The quickness and penetration
saw what the value of such
information of the lrish
wouldthereadtihneissswithsbe
to
an people
d
procure
infor-
mation called forth general thanks. These admir-
iecyullteunrtalthceom country,
an
to
able statistics have for many years been a standing
which agricultural
they
reproach to Great Britain. But at length prejudice
seems to have given way to common sense, and the
Board of Trade has been able to organise a sys-

Several other gentlemen addressed the Confe-
rence, and a resolution was carried approving of a
uniform system of licensing.
At the evening sitting—Mr. Hugh Owen in the
chair—there was a formal discussion on the ques-
tion whether the local magistracy would be the best
depositaries of the licensing power. It was com-
menced by

Mr. THOMAS Hum'Es, M.P., who begged to state
at once his very strong opinion that the local ma-
gistracy were probably the worst depositary of the
licensing power to be found in the country. What
was wanted was a permanent legal tribunal, where
there should be certain settled principles upon
which licences should be granted. Some method
should be arranged by which to take the votes of
the ratepayers or the people of the district. If that
was not practicable, he could not conceive anything
better than the tribunal of a trained lawyer, not
in any way influenced by local considerations.
(Cheers.)
The Rev. Mr. Garrett, Mr. Samuel Morley, Mr.
J. Pownall (Middlesex magistrate)," Dr. Ellis, Mr.
Jowitt, the Rev. Isaac Doxey, Mr. Joseph Clarke,
of Southampton ; Cyrus Symonds (an operative ma-
chine.maker), the Rev. Henry Gale (rector of Tre-
borough), Mr. Arthur, Mr. Coles (joiner in Dept-
ford dockyard), the Rev. Henry Solly, Mr. Wil-
liam Saunders, of St. John's-wood ; and Mr.
Councillor Thompson spoke to the question, as did
also,

The Earl of LICHFIELD, who arrived late. His
lordship said —Admitting that there must be licences
he did not consider the Permissive Bill was the right
thing to counteract the evils arising from the exis-
tence of those licences. He was most distinctly
opposed to its principles. The polling which it
proposed, for instance, would give rise to heart-
burnings, which years would not wipe away.
Another objection was, that it entirely ignored the
difficulty of a majority deciding to retain licences.
The present state of things was neither one thing
nor another ; but it was not true, as appeared to be
thought by many gentlemen present, that all of the
evils of drunkenness arose from the action of the
local magistracy. It was the case of beer-shops
being licensed by the excise they were anxious to
improve. There were no two opinions as to which
of the two authorities was preferable. The greatest
evils resulted from beershops. (" No, no; Gin
palaces.") From gin palaces it might be in Lon-
don, but not in the country. Respecting the pro-
position to constitute a board to grant licences, it
would be liable to all the influences now brought to
bear on the local magistracy, and in many cases
ten times more so. As to stipendiary magistrates,
they would be dependent for information on per-
sons acquainted with the district. In his opinion
the law was sufficienty strong if put into force; but
no good whatever would be effected until, by edu-
cation, the people were taught to withstand the end-
less temptations to which, even in the absence of
beershops and publichouses, they would be exposed.
(Hear, hear.)
The speech excited considerable animation in the
meeting and some slight animadversion.

The discussion was adjourned to this day.

Houses of Parliament.

Since the last sitting of Parliament considerable
alteration has been made in the House of Lords, in
order to lessen, as far as practicable, the risk of
conflagration. There was a very large accumulation
of easily combustible material over the ceiling,
which had been employed in making arrangements
for certain methods of ventilation long ago con-
demned as failures, and abandoned accordingly.
The numerous openings in the ceiling for the outlet
of the vitiated air from the House, the manner in
which the woodwork was distributed, and the desic-
cation of the wood in consequence of the ascent of
the highly heated products of combustion from the
large gas-burners nine feet undernaih, werer condi-
tions obviously most favourabte to ignition and
rapidc combustion ; and if, unhappily, firew would
broken ont in that part of the House, it
have been subdued with great difficulty, in
swpiitthe
aolfl
tthheei r caopnps thaannte
es attendt haanncde
aonf firemen
dryorde
sr
e. a
sTo
nh
eedc opmi
nbeu tliabtlh
se
,m
aa
nt tde r
grneamr ot
evrei dn
gc,o nasni
ds t st
lot
ef
total weight is about 20 tons.
with'
.eklhere
thewe framed
6,7ooaied
it;
square feet of flooring, in.
quartering to support
of partition, formed of upright quartering, covered
on both sides with lath and plaster, and several
doors and minor partitions, extending over about
500 square feet. The total surface would thus ex-
ceed 9,000 square feet of dry wood, of which the
greater part was only a few inches above the ceiling.
During the recess of 1865 a large quantity of use-
less, dry, readily inflammable pine wood was taken
away from above the ceiling of the house of Com-
mons. Even if fire should occur in or above the
ceiling of either House, every part is now accessible
to the firemen, and would be so fully exposed to the
action of the water ejected from the hose that there
is every reason to believe it would be speedily extin-
guished. In both Houses of Parliament the risk of
conflagration may now be regarded as very greatly
diminished.

tem which is beginning to work tolerably well,

and a return of 1866 shows the total population,
area, abstract of avrerge under crops, bare fallow,

and grass, and the total number of cattle and

sheep in each division of the United Kingdom, in
each county, and in various foreign countries.

So that we shall not only know what we are
doing, but shall be able to compare our pro-
gress or decline with that of most foreign countries,
and shall be able to judge what will be the prices at
home and abroad. The answers to the inquiries in
Scotland have, I believe, been most satisfactory.
But in England there is a great deal to desire, and
my reason for venturing to call attention to the
subject is that I believe it to be the duty of every-
body connected with land to aid by voluntary re-
turns and other means the very useful work in
which the Board of Trade is now engaged. (Hear,
hear.)
Mr. SEDGIVICK then read the statement of
accounts, -which having been passed, a vote of
thanks was given to the President, and briefly
acknowledged.
The Earl of ESSEX proposed that Lnrd Ebury
be elected as President for next year, which was
agreed to, and the vice-presidents and committee
were also appointed.

UNION OF ENGLISH AND IRISH REFORMERS.—The
O'Donoghue, 31. P., will address a meeting which is to ho
held iu the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, next Friday
evening, under the presidency of Mr. John Bright, M.P.,
on ,4 The importance of union between English and Irish
Reformers."
LAnyuunsumExT.-I—Holloway's Ointment.—A fair trial
is all that is asked to prove the sterling and superior merits
of this ointment, and to demonstrate how much more suc-
cessful it is in curing old ulcers, inveterate sores,
and dis-
figuring eruptions than any other application. When pro-
perly used it lessens the inflammation which
invades parts
adjacent to the wound or ulcer, whereby much local pain
is immediately
assuaged, and in the course of anhou r or
two the most satisfactory results invariably follow, which
will steadily advance to a thorough and permanent cure.
This treatment, so much at variance with the old-fashioned
views of cauterising, blistering, leeching, &c., has by coin-
mon consent been pronounced to be the greatest blessin g
to persons thus afihicted.

THE THAMES E)O3A.NKMEINZT (NORTH SIDE).—
Owing to a delay in th& preparation of the stone for these
works, they are to a certain extent again suspended. It is
understood, however, that immediately on the meeting of
Parliament a question will be asked as to the cz.use of the
great delay which has occurred since the prorogation, iu
order to have the state g the works fully explained to the
house.