The Hawaiian gazette., 1872-12-11

II ner ue u0QDtel Nnetner adv county u E1
rope. uith the exception probably Of Prussia, hal
made such rapid strides in the lzst century a
Scotland. The land Of cakes in 1872 would to
cav greatly astouish the man who was familia
with il 100 years ago. cit was, 10 20 small de
gree. owing TO the enlightened views and extra
ordinary energy Of Sir John Siselair. the friend
and frequent correspondent Of George Washing
ton, that new era Of material prosperity dawned
upon his-eou8try. Sir John was born IN 1854, IL
- the Wild maritime northern county Of Caithness
At that tine. Thurso, the chief town, which now
} numbers 1000 Inhabitants, was merely a small
fishing village. and Wick. the capital with pop
ulaiien to-day OF over 10000 had not nearly as
many hundreds.
Only nioe years had passed since the last rising
IN aid OF the PreteDder. The country was deeply
disafected Not a man was permitted to carry
arms without license. and the wearing Of the
kilt was forbidden under the severes; penalties
Such. then. Sere the Circumstances, and such the
materials with which the indefatigable Scottish
gentleman resolved. so soon as be came to mans
estate. 10 70 work upon. Before thirty years
are over said be. when there was as yet no CON-
MAHtlahtlA HNlNA. tlF leAAc " ANaN ~ Az wv
". the mail-eoach shall run from Wick to
Thurso.- He amply kept his word. 1t is imPOs-
sibe for any but those who have been compelled
10 make The attempt, 10 conceive the numerous
difficulties to be encountered when any endeavor
is made 10 carry % improvements in q remote
and previously neglected district, where every
thing has to be done, and where great variety
Of new and important objects must at the same
tine be attended to.
Those who live 10 8 land such as this can
scarcely form notion of the obstacles in the way
Of obstinacy and pig-headedDess, to be eucoun-
tered II an old country. At the time when Sin
clair commenced his operations. Arthur Young
was making bis agricultural tours, and finding the
enlightened sgrIculturists Of ireland blowing by
means Of attaching that instrument to the horses
tail
The Scotch Highlander vas Of very much the
same breed as his celtic cousins 10 Kerry. He
had, 10 common with them, complete distaste
for method. and greatly preferred living on
fish and kaie and the chances Of poaehing,
10 participating in the slow and sure process Of
agriculture Sinclair set to work TO enlist the 4
synpathes Oftbe gentry Of the county in his plans
Of Improvement and BY dint Of persistent efforts /
succeeded. His mother was daughter of the .
then Earl Of Sutherland who possessed great (
estate IN the adjoining county, and no doubt this
and smaller connections tended greatly to facili-
tate his onerous task. A Board Of Agriculture
formed 10 bis own county, soon grew into high IA
ror and repute, and became the means Of dissem-
mating knowledge which speedily led to vast i'm
provement. This was followed BY a statistical
survey Of the country, by Publishing reports OF
the agricultural state Of every district in it, by
the establishment of society for the improve
meut Of British WOOL and by procuring Parlia-
n,entary grants for constructing roads and erect
ING harbors.
Sir Johns admirable influence was by no means
confined to his own country it extended to what
was then deemed by half Europe a sort of terra
iRc1qHda-our own.
From 1892 to 1897 letters continued steadily
10 pass from Gen. Washington to the eminent
Scotchman. In October. 1892, the former writes
from Philadelphia: a. have to regret that the
duties Of my public station do not allow me to
pay that Atention to agriculture and the objects
attached 10 it (which have ever been my favorite
pursuits that could wish but l viii put your
queries respecting sheep into the hands of such
gentlemen as ] think most likely to attend to
them and answer them satisfactorily. ! must
however, observe that no important information
en- be expected on this subject from this country
where we have been so little in the habit Of at
tending either to the breed or improvement of
our stock" IN letter dated 1898, Washington 2
casusly mentions that be has been in the habit Of
corresponding for eight or ten years on agricul- v
raj subjects with Arthur Young, thus proving the I
deep interest which be took in this most impOr a
tant and delightful subject, in which, unfortun Il
ately, go few American gentlemen in our own 4
day seem able TO take the slightest interest and
proceeds TO say "On ny own farms near the o.
head Of the tide-water Of the Potomac, keep al
more sheep than is usual in this country from 7
$50 to 1000 head, and while / resided thereon Ia
and could attend to the management of them my Ia
self their Aeeces averaged full FIVE pounds, and st
the mutton from eighteen to twenty pounds per st
quarter But this was the effect Of care and the o.
choice of good rams "
In 1874 be writes from Philadelphia a know ar
Of no pursuit in which more real and important pr
servce can be rendered to any country than by m
improving its agriculture its breed Of useful ami m
mails, and other branches of husbandmans care. CO
Commons, tithes and tenantry are in the list of II
impediments, perceive, to perfection in English nc
farming and taxes heavy deductions from the sH
profit thereon OF these We have nore, or so light lo
as hardly to be felt" This last remark is cruelty
iusppicable to-day. 70
In 1897 be says: l cannot conclude without wi
requesting your acceptance of my grateful sc th
for the expression Of your wishes ira
to see me in Great Britain and under your hos sol
pitabe roof. Bot / believe there are very few lea
things more certain than that when have retired
TO Mount Vernon ! shall never 90 twenty miles tn,
beyond the limits Of it, unless percbance should sta
visit some property under lease at the distance sid
Of about seventy miles from it." Sir Johns ad- me
miration for Washington was unbounded. Is ma
there be asks, 10 the whole world any ndivid- br
ua either in ancient or modern history who has ira
prouder claims to distinction than this iIustrious ers