The Osceola times., 1879-11-22
ENGLAND'S OLD NOBILITY.
How the CIR eat Landowners Obtained
Their Estates-The niegitimste
Acquisition Of Landed

been portrayed. In concluding article
the writer thus sums up his views:
In hundred chapters have briefly
sketched the agrarian history of ma.
jority of our most notable arstocratic
HOUSES. In my selections | have not
been guided mainly by the greatness OF
their possessions, but rather by their
historic interest or present prominence.
Thus ! have included some like the Frs
kines and Fanes, whose estates are
small, and have altogether omitted peers
like Lord Tredegar, with over 100000
and Lord Penrhyn, with rent-roll of
f66,000. have dealt in all with 122
mobiles, owning in round numbers nearly
| 100000 of acres with rent-roll OF
nearly f5, 900, an average ownership
of $4,000 acres, and an average rent-roll
of over G46,0O0. 1t certainly has not
been my object to seek out examples OF
what, for want of better word, will
call the illegitimate acquisition of landed
who can claim that they have obtained
their lands by money solely acquired in
commercial or professional pursuits are
singularly fcw-perhaps a dozen alto
gether. Compared with other peoples,
we are landless nation in consequence
of continued encroachment upon the
rights Of our ancient forefathers possess
ed. Throughout the reigns of the Han
overian Kings landowners Parliaments
were constantly passing enclosure acts,
desirable for the most part, with view
to increased production, but resulting in
the appropriation of between 100000
and 100000 of acres of common land,
of which the common people retained
but very small proportion-not more
than $50, 900 acres in all. Occasionally
have been able to point out where vast
estates have been increased by these
acts. But generally it has been impos-
sible to obtain exact information.
Ii is worthy of note that anciently the
lavish grants of the Crown were check
cd by the power of resumption. Most
of the vast estates seized and retained
by William the Conqucror, were dissi-
pated by William Rufus, who was COM
PEELED subsequently to resume the grants
which he had made. About the middle
Of last century the grasping averice of
one of the Iowthers, in attempting to
obtain for himself large tract Of Crown
lands which has been previously grant,
ed 10 the Benticke, occasioned the pass
ing of what is known as the Nullus Tenn
pus act, which secured the grantees of
Crown lands against any resumption of
their properties. II is obviously impos-
sible 10 recon up acre by acre the guam
tity of land which has at various times
been obtained otherwise than by the ac-
QUESTION of property by marriage. |
have, however, traced the previous his
tory of such lands in asuflicient number
of cases to show that We may safely pre-
sumo that as rule they have been ac.
quired in much the same way rs the
rest. After careful consideration of all
the houses have noticed, bearing in
mind modern inclosure acts, and the in
creased value of land due TO the improv-
ments of tenants, ] can not but arrive
at the conclusion that not one-tenth ol
the estates in question have been acquir.
ed for value received. All the rest, in
one way or another, has been obtained
for nothing.
In Ireland the great majority of the
landlords owe their possessions TO sue
cessive confiscations. With regard to
the Irish landowners it ought to be born
in mind that in very large number OF
cases it is the labor of successive genera.
tons of tenants wi ich has given to the
land almost all the value II possesses, and
not few landlords have improved theil
properties by the aid of the State
When the Corn laws were repealed a soI
was given to the landowners. In the
darkest days of commercial distress nc
statesmen ever proposed to find out Of
the public revenue capital for manufac'
turers or shopkeepers; yet this was
done for the landlords after the repeal o.
the Corn laws. Acts were passed which
declared. "Whereas it is desirable that
works of drainage should be encouraged
in order to promate the increased pro
ductivness of the land and healthines'
of the districts when it is required, ant
to supply the demand for agricultural
labor especially at that season of thu
year when other sources are expended
etc" e2,00O,000 were allotted to English
landowners and fl ,000,0 900 to Irish land
owners, in order to make advances t.
them, to be gradually allowed at low
interest. Nor was the accommodation
State Loan Office resorted 10 by compar
atively small proprietors. Among tn,
Irish recipients was the wealthy Mar
ouis of Waterford. For the most part
too. the landlords were content that tn,
farmers should do the work of improve
ment; and We have the authority of Mr.
Card for stating that they sometimes
borrowed of the Government for thei
permanent advantage and charged tn,
farmers ! per cent more than the,
themselves paid. The popular theor,
that in England and Scotland all perma
nent improvements have been effected
by the landlords IL :only very PARTIAL.
true. If we turn from the lowland Z
the hills, the truth holds good that thu
cultivator has done the greatest part o
the work of reclamation. Had | bu
the space | could give multitudinou
examples. Only give a young man
nineteen years lease of an uncultivate,
work miracles. In multitude of case
it has needed not even that small securi
ty; the landlord OF agents word wa
enough. But when the old lease expired
or the old landlord or old tenant. died
the permanent gain at once became tn
property Of the owner of the bare soil
/ have walk on land, not more than
long days walk from London, which ]
now paying its owner three times wha
ii did generation ago, and the owne
has not laid out single sixpence upol
it. Landowners may try TO throw dus
in the eyes of the public by complainin
that they can not now get per cent. in
terest on the present purchase monev o
agricultural land; but when know tina
little farm in Carmartenshire, whicl
i'm the middle of the last century onl
brought in el0 year TO its owner, no,
pays its descendant ten times tina
amount every year ! laugh them I
scorn.
Important II True.