The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-06-17
Correspondence Of the Commercial advertiser.
PARIS, May Doth, 1851.
Situation Of Real Estate Owners In France

II has long been my intention to send you an
article on the present embarrassed condition of
land owners in France, but have been hitherto
prevented by the hope Of hearing the matter
fully discussed at the tribune of the national
assembly This debate, which should throw so
much light on this important subject seems to
be indefinitely adjourned by the exciting topics
of constitutional revision and prolongation of the
Presidents powers. send you, therefore, the
result, in as condensed form as possible, of the
careful study l. have made of the subject For
the purI fCe of arriving at the truth, have con-
suited, !, the bill, presented by the ministry,
for the purpose of establishing institutions of
credit for land owners with the statement of
reasons preceding it; 2, the long report by NJ.
Chegaray, president of the committee on the
bill above mentioned, and the numerous sta
tistical tables accompanying it; 3, the report by
M. Roger, employed by the last government to
visit Germany, and collect information in rela.
ton to the banks of credit on real estate; d. the
report by Mr.. Josseau on the institutions Of
landed and agricultural credit in the different
states Of Europe 5, the Biian de Ia France by
M Perreymond and several other works of less
direct bearing on the question Jossenu's re-
report, large octave volume of five hundred
and sixty three pages, merits the attention of all
who would study the mechanism by which
money is obtained at low interest in some parts
of Europe.
DIVISION OF LAND.
England, tho United States, and France differ
from each other in no point more than in the
proportion Of real estate owners to the whole
population.
In England the whole number of land owners
is about two hundred thousand, and in Ireland
about eight thousand. Mr.. Russell does not
hesitate to say that the greater portion of the land
in the British Islands is in the hand of a num-
Der not exceeding five thousand. This accumu.
lnton of all the real estate of a country in few
hands, and its cultivation by tenants, is the sys.
tenn Of aristocracy.
In the United States there is such vast
quantity of land that its acquisition has been,
and viii be, for long time, within the reach of
nearly ALL The tendency of our institutions is,
however, to divide estates already existing.
Our land system does not act as q clog on the
progress of the commercial democracy.
In France land division has been pushed to its
utmost limits, reducing the people TO the last de
gree of misery The present condition of things
is so ntolerable that the country must either re-
turn TO the system of concentrating real estate
in few hands, or submit 10 an entire revolution
in land tenures.
NUMBER OF REAL ESTATE OWNERS.
In April, 1888, NJ do Rambreteau affirmed, in
speech before the Chamber of Deputies, that
=" the soil of France is possessed by more than
five millions Of propretors, heads Of families,
and representing from TWENTY-FIVE TO twenty
five millions of the population"
NJ, de Chateauyieux, an eminent ststistIcisn,