The Sun.
London, England, 1803-04-22 00:00:00

THE EMIGRATIONS.

That Emigrations have already taken place from
..,arious parts of the Highlands, is a fad upon which
there does not remain room to doubt ; from the best
ialormation I have been able to procure, about
Three Thousand Persons went away in the course
of last year, and, if I am rightly informed, three
times that number are preparing to leave the
Country in the present year.
I shall not encroach upon your Lordships' time
by investigating all the remote or unimportant col.
lateral causes of Emigration, but shall proceed to
that which I consider to be the most powerful in its
present operation ; and that is, converting large
distrids of the Country into extensive 'Sheep-walks.
This not only requires much fewer people to ma-
nage the same track of country, but in general an
entirely new People, who have been accustomed to
this mode of life, are brought from' the southern
parts of Scotland.

The difference of Rents to the Landlords between
Sheep and Black Cattle is, I understand, at least
three to- one,' and yet on account of the extraordi-
nary rise in the prices of Sheep and Wool, the
Sheep Farmers have of late years. been acquiring
wealth. As the introducing Sheep Farms over
Countries heretofore stocked with Black Cattle,
creates an extensive demand for the. young Sheep
from the established Farms, it is possible that the
high prices may continue until a considerable por.
tion of the Country is fully stocked ; after this
takes places, the quantities of Sheep produced will
bear a very great proportion to the demand, and
then it is possible the prices may fall below average
Value ; in this case it is probable the Farms will be
subdivided, and a proportion of Black Cattle and
Cultivation be introduced in the lower Grounds in
the Vallies, while the upper parts of the Hills con.
tinue to be pastured with Sheep. This I consider
as the most improved state of Highland Farming,
and is consistent with a, very considerable Popular
lion; a beautiful instance of this is to be seen along
the north side of Loch
_Tay.' But improved Cum.
munications, by► meankof Roads and Bridges, are
necessary for this state of Society, and for this
reason I have said, that if these.conveniences
been 'sooner introduced into. the Highlands, it is
possible this Emigration might not have taken place,
at least to the present extent.
The very high price of Black Cattle has also faci.
litated the means of Emigration, as it has burnished
the old Farmers with a portion of capital which
enables them to transport their families beyond the
Atlantic.

In some few cases a greater Population than the
land can'support in any shape, has beelYthe cause of
emigrations ; such was the bland of Tiree.

Some have, no doubt, been deluded by accounts
sent back from others gone before them ; and any
deceived by artful persons, who hesitate not to sa.
crifice these poor ignorant people to selfi,h ends.
A very principal reason must also be, 'that the
people, when turned out' of their Black Cattle
Farms to make way for the Sheep Farmers, see no
mode of employment whereby they can earn a sub.
sistence in their own Country, and sooner than seek.
it in the Low. Lands of Scotland, or in England,
they will believe what is told .them may be done
in the Farming line in America.
. What I have here mentioned, appear to ine to be
the immediate causes of the present Emigrations
from the North Western Parts of Scotland. To
point out the means of preventing-Eriiisrations in
future, is a part of my duty, upon which I enter
with no small degree of hesitation. As the evil at
present seems to arise chiefly from the .conduA of
Land-owners, in changing the economy of their
Estates, it may be, questioned whether Government
can with justice interfere, or whether any essential
benefits are•likely to arise from this interference.

In one point of view' it may be stated, .tliat, tak.
ing the mountainous parts of Scotland as a distriel
of the British Empire, it is the interest of the trU.
pile that this Distria be made to 'produce as much
human fond as it is capable of doing at the least
possible expence ; that this may be done by stock.
angst chiefly with Sheep, that it is the interest of
the Empire the
,food so produced, should not:be con.
'sumed .by persons residing amongst the mountains
totally unemployed, but rather in some other
parts .of the Country, where their labour can be
made produCtive either in'the business AI Agri.
culture, Fisheries, or Manufsetures ; and' that
by suffering every person.,-to pursue what.ap.
pears to them to be 'their 9wn interest, that al.
though some temporary inconveniencies may arise,
yet upon the whole, that matters will in the end
adjust themselves into'the forms most suitable for
the place.

.
In another point of view it may be stated, that
it is a great hardship, it not a great injustice, that
the Inhabitants' of am extensive distrift should all at
once be driven from their native Country, to make
way for Sheep Farming, which is likely to be car.
tied. to an imprudent extent; that, in a few 'years,
this excess will be evident ; that before. it 'is dis.
covered, the Country will be depopulated, and that
race of People which has of late years maintained so
hqnnurable a shaie in the operations of our Armies
and, Navies, will then be no mote ; that in a case
where such a numerous body of the people are
deeply interested, it is the duty of Government to
consider it as an extraordinai'y case, and one of those
occasions which justifies them in departing a little
from the. maxims' of general. policy", that far this
purpose regulistions should be made to prevent Land-
owners from lessening the Population -upon their
,Estateoaelow a given proportion,and that some
lation of this sort would in the end be in favour of the
Landowners, As it would preservp the population

best suited to the most improved mode of Hie!,
land farming, such as is pradited at Breadalbane,
and to the establishment of Fishing villages, on the
principle laid down and practised so successfully by
Mr. Hugh Stevenson of Cohan, at Arnisdale, on
Loch Hourn.
In whatever light the foregoing statements may
be viewed, there is another on, which there can,
think, be no difference of opinion. This is, that if
,there are any public works to be executed, which,
when completed, will piove generally beneficial to
the Country, it is advisable these works should be
undertaken 'at the present time. This would fur-
nish employment for the industrious and valuable
part of the petiple in their own Country ; they
would by this means be accustomed to labour, they
would acqUire some capital, and the foundations
would be laid for future employments. If, as I
have been cilidibly informed, the inhabitants are
strongly attached to their native Country, they
would greedily embrace this opportunity of being
enabled to remain in it, with the prospeet of better-
ing their condition, because, before the works were
completed, it must be evident to every one that the
whole face of the Country would be changed.
The Caledonian Canal, and the Bridges and
Roads of the description here alluled to, wilt
not only furnish present employment, hut pro-
mise to accomplish all the leading ohjeas which
can reasonably be looked forward, to fur the im-
provement and future welfare of the Country, whe-
ther we regard its Agriculture, Fi,heries, or.Ma-
nuladures.

OLD BAILEY.

coy?! not her give arty p7oper aecnattfof himself,
or wh3t his intention was.
The de(ence set op by ft.... Prisoner wafp,
that l,e
bad heard there was a Press Ging in the neighbour-
hood, and that finding the d ior open, he had entered
for the purpose of e,caping their vigilabee.:2Vit

Mr. LEMMER a native of the Imperial gtat F 4.
and resident of 'Vienna, having lately arrived in
this Country with a Colleetion of the most valuable
original Paintings, intends to exhibit the same for a
short time in London. He has had &Aiwa of
exhibiting some of his principal Paintings to Their
Majesties, and others of the Royal Family, sditi
expressed the highest approbation thereof.
Mr. Wasr, the President of the Royal Society,
has done him the favour to inspect the same, and to
declare them worthy of Their Majesties' nodal
and other Amateurs of the Arts have likewisc'ex'
pressed themselves highly gratified with this Colt
lettion of Paintings, in the choice whereof Mr.
LeMMER has not spared either expence ortroiible,
for many years past, to procure, in difkent Coun:
tries, those of z rill.), unrivalled excellence ; such as
from the Pencil of RAPHAEL, CORRPGGIO, &C. &C.
The great encouragement tht fine Arts have
always met with in this Country during the present
Reign, having inthced Mr, 'LEMMEtt to bri
Over this valuable Colle‘ftion from the Continott
he invites Nobility, Ozotry, aild Patrons °i

the Arts to inspeA the same.
Besid-s these, Mr. LiiMMER his a nutni..)ef
of precious stones of very curious and foost brituti!
till antique an.l. modern, as ut Eg-pti.nt, F.!tuic4'l'
Grecian, &c.
he (lit.
,„
The whole of the above Colleaion is •" -
posed of by private Contrati, and -I\,lt.
willing to attend any Amateur that will d ) he
honour of a visit,, any day until the end of the prei
sent month, at his Aea;tments, No. 6, ha
l!
Market.