Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-12-28
From Our Regular Correspondent
Our European Letter.

Our European Letter.
London, Eng, Dec. IA. 1881.
The chief, and. as now proved. the only
actor in the terrible Brighton railway
tragedy, paid the penalty of his horrible
crime at Lewes on,Tuesday. As the time
for the execution came nearer. and the
wretched culprit felt that he must abandon
all hopes Of reprieve. the bravado be had
previously INDUCED in ceased, and he con-
fessed his crime. After q number of pre-
tended confessions and statements-one of
them causing much distress and annoyance
to popular actress, to whom he was an
utter stranger-Lefroy at length admitted
the justice of his sentence. and passed from
existence and from remembrance, save in
the chamber of horrors of Madame fuss
and. where, taking time by the forelocK,
the figure of this notorious criminal APP
peared even before his execution. 1t is
not wholesome feature of our modern
life this feverish curiosity about persons
who have committed infamous crimes.
There is some reason for anxiety respect
ing the state OF society, where such morbid
tastes exist especially as at this moment
nearly dozen murders stand in the police
hooks as unsolved mysteries, most of them
likely enough to remain so. In the case
OF LEROY money appe1rs to have been the
sole motive inducing him to commit the
crime.
OF the crop returns which nave been thus
far obtained, the following appear to b.
the general results: In Great Britain he
area reported to he cultivated in 1881
amounts to 32,2l2,000 acres AS compared
with 80 l02, 600 acres in 1880, an increase
of 10000 acres in all, which Ia ascribed
by the collectors for the most part to the
enclosure of reclamation of mountain and
waste land in different parts of the ooun
try and is due in very small degree to
greater accuracy in the returns which are
now more largely compared with the
ordinance survey. The increase as has
been the case for some years is exclusively
in permanent pasture the acreage under
tillage rather tending to diminish. The
area under corn crops is 8 848,000 acres
only as compared with 1876 600 acres IN
, 1880. decrease of $4,000 acres The area
under green crops is $4,000 acres AS
compared with 3,4760OO. AN increase OF
81, 900 acres only. A movement which has
gone on without interruption almost since
the commencement of these returns, and
which has, in cor junction with some
changes in definition which ought of co lrsp
to be allowed for, Increased the AREA under
permanent pasture from IL ,435 900 acres
in 1871 to ID, 427 900 acres in 1880, while
the arabic are fell from l8, 403, 900 to IL,
675 900. has thus been continued during
the present year. This continued decrease
in arabic land and increase OF permanent
pasture is unanimously ascribed by the
collectors in the present rs in former veal
to the low process of grain and the pres
ence of American competition.
Railway enterprise promises next year
to be more than usually active, to judy,
by the hosts of new railway bills that VIII
occupy the attention Of parliament. Som'
of them will be of vast proportions, and II
several instances there will be severe par
lmmentary struggles over the lines owing
to the jealousy of established companies
New lines in the parliamentary districts
are projected. and there will be stron4
competition between the Midland, thu
North. Eastern and the North Western
The competition of the Inner Clcle rail
way. long delayed, will soon be an accom-
plished fact, and AN expensive fact too fol
it will cost over ten millions.
The plea for great central railway
station at or near Charing cross is still
being considered. Another scheme Is he
junction of the district and Metrop ,lilar
lines at Hammersmith; and the struggling
railways to the north of London, such IL,
the Midland branch TO the Harrow road
are to be connected. Another very strik
ing scheme, and one which could hardI,
fail to be successful, is that for transform
ing the Regents Canal into Il railway.
Was first proposed twenty or thirty year
ago, but the project fell through. 1t woul,
make an important and usefu line at
comp aratively small cost, and it woul,
Iun almost entirely in the open air an,
through populous districts, besides bein!
OF great value in connecting the river ant
the docks with important main lines.
But while the growth of the metre poll
suggests, and in some cases necessitale
these vast works, there is a reverse to tn
picture of prosperity they present. Every
where the middle classes are groanin.
under the increasing load of tax .tion
Rates and taxes never become small b
degrees and infinitely less There ar
suburbs of London where within a few
weeks they have near y doubled in amount
and in the centre of towns they have large
ly increased. The result is that trades
men and professional men are pressed Sc
verely, and the woI king classes contribute
indirectly ny having to pay heavier rent.
Several meetings have taken place thi
week with the view of checking the reck
less expenditure of ptrochial officials
which is the chief cause OF the evil.
AUGUST.
very interesting table giving the sta
tstics of illitertcy in the Uaited States ha.