The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-24 00:00:00

practical acquaintance with the estate, he ought to
know, not what land in general would do, but what
his own land in particular would do ; not what
were the implements employed and the mode of cul-
tivation adopted in other parts, bat what were the
implements and what the culture most suited to his
particular farm. But he could not do this without
a general knowledge of the principles upon which
operations were conducted elsewhere ; and the
knowledge of his own land enabled him to judge
how far,those principles were applicable by himself.
This gave him (the speaker) an opportunity of say-
ing a word in connexion with his department of
Government—he referred to the collection of agri-
cultural statistics. It was important for the inte-
rests not only of the agricultural, but of every other
portion of the community, that full and correct infor-
mation shouldbe obtained of the progress of agricul-
ture in different parts of the country. Many gentle-
men supposed that the questions put to them were
addressed in a prying spirit, in order to obtain in-
formation with regard to individual concerns.
This was quite a mistake : the only motive of Go-
vernment
was to ascertain the condition of agri-
culture
at the present time, what the amount of
acreage, what classes of crops were being raised,
and what amount of stock was being kept. It was
desirable to obtain that information from year to ,
year, so as to mark the progress of the country, and '
to compare one portion with another. Some persons
asked what was the use of this information ? Doubt-
less, in a single year the statistics desired would be
of very little use ; but their utility was obvious
when collected daring a series of years. Take, for
instance, the question raised so many years ago
the feeding of cattle upon root crops. It would have
been interesting if they could have seen how far the
breaking up of the country for the cultivation of
root crops affected the number of cattle. And then,
again, when so much of the land was laid down to
grass, it would have been useful to see how the in-
troduction of artificial manures, and the adoption
of particular systems of industry, hail an increased
effect upon the produce of the country. How to ob-
tain this information in the least unpalatable man-
ner to those called upon to supply it was a matter
which had for the last 30 years been under the con-
sideration of Government. Thirty years ago the first
attempt was made to obtain agricultural statistics,
and the information was in one or two counties
sought by application to the clergy. They refused ;
and afterwards in other counties similar applications
were made to boards of guardians, but they would
not comply with the request of Government. It
was true the application was favourably received in
Norfolk ; but on the whole great reluctance was ma-
nifested to make use of that machinery. Then it was
attempted to make the matter compulsory ; but the
bills brought into Parliament for that purpose al-
ways failed. A committee of thepouse of Lords sat,
inquired into the subject, and reported upon it ; and
now this last attempt had been made to obtain the
information through the intervention of the officers
of Excise. So far it seemed to be successful. He had
read the returns of stock with the exception of a few
instances in which the numbers had been estimated.
Nine-tenths of the returns were made very freely,
having been a little stimulated, perhaps, in some parts
by the presence of the cattle plague. The acreage re-
turns were not complete, but in many cases he be-
lieved the reports were very good. He hoped they
would consider this subject as being one which
affected the interests of the whole country. He
argued that as farmers were interested in statistics
connected with every other trade, with the exports
and imports of the country, and with the produce of
America, France, and other parts of the world, they
ought in mere fairness willingly to furnish informa-
tion relating to themselves. (Hear.) He asked them
to talk over the matter among themselves ; and if
they thought the present mode of collecting statistics
objectionable, they should try to suggest a better.
These were points on which the Government were
in the dark—they were feeling their way. It was
said that it would not do to collect statistical infor-
mation through the police, the clergy, or Boards of
Guardians; and, now they were trying the revenue
officers, they were told that would not do also? Now
Government asked, "Is there any way, or arc you
determined that this information shall not be forth-
coming ? And, if you are, let us know what -are your
reason 3, if you have any ?" for he: confessed he was
not able to arrive at any conclusion with regard to
the objections against giving agricultural statistics.
Ile felt deeply interested in the welfare of British
agriculture. He was perfectly certain that at the
present time it was in a critical position, and he was
also quite certain that the way to overcome the diffi-
culties with which they had to contend was to en-
courage" the most perfect freedom of intercommuni-
cation between all classes, to disclose with readiness
the difficulties which arose, and to meet all ques-
tions in a liberal and candid spirit, making at the
same time proper allowances for local views, local
knowledge, and even (if it be so) local prejudice ;
because he believed local prejudice to be generally
founded on something that had truth at the bottom.
(Applause.)
Mr. ACLAIID, M.P., responded to the toast of
" The Members of Parliament for North Devon."
After some introductory remarks, the hon. gentle-
man said he thought the House of Commons was on
its trial. Fearful disclosures had lately been made
before the commissions of inquiry, such as had never
been reported before. (Hear, hear.) Those who
fad made it impossible for the Liberal party, to
which it was his pride to belong, to carry to a suc-
cessful issue that which they believed to be for the
good of the country—a measure for dealing tem-
perately, moderately, and conscientiously with the
great question of Reform—had incurred a solemn
responsibility. (Cheers.) While regretting much
of the intemperance in Mr. Bright's speeches, he
had learnt to respect but not to over-estimate his
power. He did not believe that the late Govern-
ment had been led by him, and while not over-
estimating the hon. gentleman's
be careful not to over-estimate
p
othweer a
nh
oe yu mustt
o f
danger which his influence might be expected to
produce. (Hear, hear.) While then he (Mr.
Acland) was in favour of a wise and good measure
of Reform, he was noptaral ni a
m eextremeatr man,nde p
eanndde
nhe
whihgihelhyhis cvaluedonsti t
ut
ehnets had accordedto him. (Cheers.)

Reform Meeting at Northampton.
On Monday last Northampton uttered its voice on the
anearly hour in the
et there was
morningsubje et o f
theßeform.
rain
eAs lotehnoduegah fromin
torrents,
such a mighty gathering that the Tories thay in elves admit ofits power. The branch of the Reform League,
has Only been organised some two or three months, hadwhich
conducting of the day'ns proceedings. During the ioin-
thge
the various parties and friends from the neighbouring towns
and villages, headed by bands of music, arrived, which
created considerable excitement amongst the inhabitant's.
At the time appointed the procession was formed in the
Market-square, and paraded the town for three hours. It
was composed as follows : —Band of the 4th Northampton..
shire Rifles; carriage, containing Edmond Beales, Esq. ;
Councillors Shoosmith and Gurney, officers of the Reform
League ; banner bearing the inscription, "Ernest Jones, the
Tyrant's Foe ;" the Wolverton Branch of the Reform
League's banner, "No Taxation without Representation."
likewise one of considerable importance, bearing the fol-
lowing facts—" Northampton, which has a population of
38,000, and 7,000 houses, has only 2,000 voters."
The following societies had their representatives :—The
Amalgamated Society of Cordwainers, Tailors' Trade So-
cieties, Temperance Societies, Freemasons and Bricklayers'
Society, Ancient Order of Foresters, Ancient Order of Shep-
herds, Sanctuary No. 2,988, Town and Country Co-opera-
tive Society, and a long string of carriages, containing the
Liberal leading gentlemen of the town. It was computed
that the number of the procession must have been 10,000.
Meetings were held in the afternoon and evening, at
which the following resolutions were unanimouslypassed :
1. That this meeting protests against the continuance of
the present system of representation, whereby the people
are
compelled to obey laws in the snaking of which they
have no voice.
.2_ To return thanks to the Right Hon. William E wart
Gladstone, John Bright J. S. Mill, and others, for their
arduous endeavours to obtain an advanced franchise for the
3•
TheT hreastotlhuitsiomnes erelvrre.
ptheeopmlee'ans in its powmeg resolves to help on Reform by all
:i y
peoroonpuestecl and seconded by gentle-
men of the town_
and county,
olonel Dickson,a W. Bradlaugh,nd were supported by
Edmond Beales, Eq.,
M.P who on rising was loudly
Es
i'and
Mr. . C lIARLES GI I, 1,1 Nr ,
alluded to the fact that he
.'
nthe late Reform Bill, as the
hchaedenreodt.
spoTkheenhoinn.
f,gtveonttllremofa
occasion was ono on which Government wanted members'
i

votes more than their speeches. He congratulated the
working men of Northampton and elsewhere on the ad-
mirable good temper they had shown duriug the present
struggle. It showed that the working men knew well that
the surest way to rivet their own chains and to lose the
friendship of all good men would be to show any disregard
for the laws. He would not go into the question whether
the measure of Reform advocated by the League, or the
measure advocated by Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Bright,would
be the bettor one; but one thing he did know, and that was
that no measure likely to be introduced during the next
twenty years by any Ministry would go as far as he
would wish to go on the question. (Cheers.) The last
bill was only a compromise, and though John Bright sup-
ported it, he believed that he was heartily glad when it
was defeated. Since the rejection of that measure, so re-
n-iarkable for its extreme moderation, he had met many men,
both Whigs and Tories, who in their hearts regretted that
they had not supported the very moderate measure of last
session. A great deal had been said about the conduct
and language of a very prominent member of the House
of Commons, Mr. Lowe. (Groans.) He never joined in
the outcry against Mr. Lowe. Mr. Lowe was an able
man, a man who had done good service in his time. When
at the head of the Education Board he had both effected a
great saving in expense and had also raised the character of
the education given to the people. They ought also to be
thankful to him for the service he had done to reform by
his famous speech. (Laughter, and a cry of "No thanks to
him.") It was not worth the people's while to attack a single
politician. (Cheers.) One of the things that particularly
struck him about the manner in which the recent campaign
against reform was conducted was the cheering, jocular
manner in which some of the opponents of the bill devoted
themselves to the task night after night of trying to worry
Gladstone and to bully Bright. Some half dozen gentlemen
made themselves particularly conspicuous, and he thought
that they could have sung in chorus--

"We six,
Magnificent bricks,
Have made up our minds for a spree."
(Laughter.) The hon. gentleman then referred to a squib
about Lord Elcho that appeared in the Owl, and said that
that nobleman was no doubt a very excellent shot, but a
very bad politician. Lord Elcho had stated in a recent
speech that the presentconstitution worked very well. The
answer to that was that it did work very well for lords.
(Cheers.) He could not of course predict what course the
Tories would take, but he believed they would bring in a
bill, and if they brought in a bill worth having the Libe-
rals would accept it at their hands. (Cheers.) But the bill
should be scanned with a jealous eye. An effort might be
made to give the people rights with one hand and take
them away with another. The Government may, for in-
stance, bring in a bill largely extending the suffrage, but
that alone would not meet the just demands of the people.
Unless a Reform Bill provided properly for the redistribu-
tion of seats the people ought never to accept it. It was a
shameful anomaly that in Great Britain there were 27
boroughs with 200,664 inhabitants, and 27 other boroughs
with only 4,864. The apologists for these small boroughs
said that they returned men of ability, men who could not
get in for large constituencies. Now he would take
one of the very smallest constituencies—say Andover, for
example. He would ask who was there in that room that
knew who was the member for Andover ? Who was there
that did not know who was the member for Birmingham ?
(Loud cheers.) Mr. Bright had of late been attacked with
increased virulence, if that were possible, and amongst other
slanders circulated against him was one to the effect that
he wished to plunge the nation in civil warfare ; and this
charge was attempted to be backed up by distorting recent
speeches of that gentleman's. It was well known that the
religious principles which Mr. Bright held in common with
himself and the chairman forbade him to have recourse to
violence to further political objects. Making such absurd
charges against Mr. Bright showed that that great man's
enemies, though they watched him with the eyes of lynxes,
could discover nothing on which to found a charge having
the semblance of truth in it. (Cheers.) As to the question
of the ballot, it was plain that the Times did not want the
ballot, the Tories did not want the ballot, some of the
Whigs did not want it, but the people did want it, and they
would get it. (Loud cheers.) He cared not what name they
called it by ; let them give the people some security to pro-
tect them in exercising their votes. The hon. gentleman,
alluding to the recent outrages at Sheffield and Nottingham
said that it was as unfair to charge against the entire body
of artisans the crimes of a few individuals as it would be to
do the same in the case of the middle or upper classes. At
the same time, working men ought to do all in their power
to discourage any attempt to infringe the liberty of their
fellow labourers, for, unfortunately, it was too true that
working men too often forget to extend to others the liberty
they claimed for themselves, and ceased to remember that
Bright, Mill, Gladstone, Cobden, and every enlightened
friend of labour held that every man had a right to sell his
labour to whom, at what price, and. in what market he
thought proper. After a few further remarks, the hon.
gentleman concluded his speech amidst loud applause, and
the proceedings soon after terminated.

The several resolutions were carried with great cheering

The Investigation in the British Tumul! of
the Yorkshire Wolds.

After the opening in the sepulchral mounds of the pre-
historic tribes remaining on the Sherburn and Ganton
Wolds, near Scarborough, the Rev. W. Greenwell, of
Durham, and with him Sir John Lubbock, Sir Tetton
Sykes, the Rev. Frederick Porter, of Yedingham, the Rev.
John Mason, of Sherburn, and several other gentlemen in-
terested in archaeological rratters, spent last week in investi-
gating the structure and contents of three round barrowson
the estates of Sir Tatton Sykes, on the summit of themid-
wold range above Weaverthorpe, East Riding. The openings
already reported were of a peculiarly rude and poor people,
but at Weaverthorpe the barrows proved to be, although of
the neolithic period, of a people far more advanced in the
art of fashioning flint into weapons, but still belonging to
the stone age. With many of the burials highly-wrought
flints were found, but not a single trace of metal of any kind
was met with.
The first hone opened was 18 yards diameter, and now
of two feet altitude (having been much reduced in height
by tillage), and formed of soil mixed with lumps of chalk.
Four yards south of the centre, upon the natural surface
of the ground, a small piece of a British urn was found, and
near it the body of a child, so much decayed that the posi-
tion of burial was not ascertainable. At three yards S.W.
of centre the body of another child was found, also en-
tirely gone to decay. This body was in an oval hollow
sunk into the chalk, lft. bin. by Ift., and Bin. deep. Just
to the N.W. of the burial an urn was laid on its aide with
the mouth or aperture to the N.E., and placed round this
urn were several skeletons of the common water rat, all
seated on their haunches. The bones of this animal were
also found strewed in various parts of the houe—mingled,
in fact, with the materials forming it. Charcoal was also
met with here and there, and scattered in the materials of
the mound were several chippings and flakes of flint. The
_ _ _

true centre yielded nothing. - -
The second barrow was of a much richer description.
This was 23 yards in diameter, and ploughed down to an
altitude of 4ft. It was remarkable for having very few
flints strewn among the materials, only one " thumb-flint"
being casually met with, with a few chippings. Features of
an unusual nature attended the opening, and continued
throughout. The first surprise was a novel shaped urn,
found fiveyards S.W. by S. of centre, 2ft. above the natural
surface. This urn was in pieces from pressure. The ware
was perfectly plain—the type of pottery found with the
dolicho-cephalic people, but the bottom was circular, or
apsidal, consequently the urn could not stand upright. It
was also peculiar in being well-baked and of aredder colour
than usual. Nearly below this, and upon the natural sur-
face, fragments of another urn, of precisely the same manu-
facture, were found. These urns did not seem to have at
any time had reference to any special interment. Two yards
to the west of them, however, and on the natural surface,
three yards southof the centre, an unburnt body was found,
laid on its right side, the body contracted, knees to the
elbows, and hands up to the chin, the right hand crossed
over and clasping the left. The type of the skull could not
then be ascertained. From before the face a flint flake was
taken. One yard east of the urn before named, and on the
same level, the body of a very small child was found, tho-
roughly decayed. About four yards south-west of the
centre the body of another child was found, also totally
decayed. It is noteworthy that these two burials of children
were both on the same level as the urn. Three yards south
of the centre a single fragment of a human skull and with
it a flint flake was found; but nothing more of the body.
Just south of the centre, laid on the right side, the body of
swkauyl l a
an and
ut hn ed
sht andon e
swasweprelacl'epd, tao
otnhge, hweaatde
wßoerhni np
ed
btbhl
se
an adult was found. The body was doubled up in the usual
l
from the seashore, bearing marks of use at one end as if of
a pounder or hammer. Behind the neck was deposited a
flint flake knife, wrought carefully along one edge. Almost
below this body, but slightly to the south, and about one
yard south of the centre, a cist, of an oval shape, sunk
into the chalk-6ft. Bin. by 4ft. 6in., and 2ft. deep
—was discovered, This cist was east and west, and
among the soil it contained were numerous bones of
animals, split longitudinally to obtain the marrow. Mixed
with these were several human 'bones, also broken, and
many pieces of skull. Quite at the bottom, and at the
west end of the cist, a body was found on the right side,
contracted, the head to the west, the left hand on the
lower part of the abdomen, and the right hand on the left
elbow. Behind the neck of this body was a large flake of
flint. This interment, although the lowest of the series,
seems to have been a secondary one, the barrow when in
section showing a cut through from the top, which had de-
stroyed the upper part of a body interred at a higher level
Just as at the Ganton Weld barrows. The stray bones of
this disturbed burial might have been those found in the
cist. On the north-east side, seven yards from the cist, a
much decayed body of a very tall man was found doubled
up. The stature of this man must have been extraordinary.
This interment was about 2ft. above natural surface. At
alPout the same level, and two yards west of centre, a red
deer horn was found. Great quantities of charcoal near the
centre and south of it, and broken up animal bones were
found scattered in various parts of the houo.
The third barrow was of a surprising richness, surpas-
sing all the investigations yet made on the wolds. This