The Washington times., 1918-04-17
[EVERHULME TO
BELAIRD OF LEWIS
# COURT AGREES

LONDON, April 1T.-Lord Lever
hulme is to be the new Laird OF
Lewis. The sale OF the famous is
land to him by Col. Duncan .Mstheson
has been completed. with the eNcep-
tion Of the formaIity OF asking the
consent OF the court Of session in regard
TO the entail As both parties are agreed
upon the terms the court will no douot
sanction the transaction
Lewis, or the Lews. as the island is
generally called in Scotland. is the north
ern part Long Island. the southern
part OF which Is Harris. the two being
separated by an isthmus eight miles
broad, between Lock Seaforth and Loch
Reasort. Tho island OF Lewis, excluding
Harris, Is about 10000 acres In extent
and the population at the last census
was 34.319. The only tov'n is Stornoway'
a port with a population OF $500. 1t has
good harbor and is the center OF the
greatest OF the Scotch fishing districts
Lewis is in Ross-shiTe. Harris Is in the
county Of Inverness. Connected parochl-
ally with Lewis and Harris are several
small islets, among which are the Shi-
ants and the F1annans or Seven Hunters
which take their name from a famous
Hebridean legend.
Has stormy History.
Tho purchase Of the island from Col
Duncan Matheson is interesting in view
OF its stormy agrarian history. Lewis
belonged TO the Mackenzies Of Seaforth.
The head OF the clan had succeeded. like
the other Highland chieftains, in con-
vertinE the communal or tribal tenure OF
the lands by the while clan into the
personal ownership OF the chief.
In 1914 Stewart Mackenzie of Sea-
forth. sold the whole island to Sir
James Matheson, a poor Sutherland
shire lad who went out East and
founded the great Chinese house OF
Jardine, Matheson & Co. He realized
an enormous fortune and gave $3.50
600 for Lewis There were 41I,OOO
acres, of which only about 4 per cent
were cultivated. The crofters lived
by fishing and only supplemented
their earnings out OF their crofts.
Sir James attempted to make the
island a commercial success. During
the next thirty years he spent $780,
600 building houses and reclaiminS
land, Sl50.OO0 on roads and bridges,
$4,000 on steamships to communicate
with the mainland and 100000 on
other improvements or enterprises.
During the potato famine in 1876 he
spent S1jOOOO on oatmeal and seed
potatoes for the starving crofters, and
$55.00O on emiEra ting them.
When Sir James came to Lewis
there weere only forty-five miles OF
roads. He left 200 miles on which he
had spent 81 1,25O.OOO. The erection OF
Stornoway Castle on the site o. the
former castle Of the Seaforths. ac-
counted for an expenditure OF $500, 900
In spite OF this expenditure the
crofters were not happy. The loss OF
the clan system OF sharing in the
land and the consequent emigration
OF the sons OF the clan to other lands
proved a growing source OF dissatis-
faction. The population increased
from 1900 in 1S41 to 70 400 in 1881.
Tenants Oppressed.
Sir James died in 1875. and his
widows ideals OF landlords rights
were SO highhanded that the Crorter
agitation blazed up in the early sos.
The crofters made violent speeches
and demanded that the deer forests.
which occupy so large a part OF the
island. should be given over 10 their
sons to cultivate.
A. that period such demands were
considered revolutionary. but they
succeeded in forcing the appointment
Of the Highland court. which in
IsaO-92 went over tie island and re-
duced the rents which the Matheson
family had been receiving. The rent
reductions ranged from so TO 80 per
cent, and in one instance the COM
C1S ~
So4,3l6> alleged TO be owing as ar
rearA
In December, 1918. a number OF
Lewis fishermen took possession OF
certain land which was under sheep
and which, they claimed. belonged to
their fathers. The leaders were
brought before the court OF session in
Edinburgh and sentenced to six weeks
imprisonment, but after thirteen days
they were released.
These are problems which face Lord
LeverhuIme. Whatever the prOblcm ms
may be that the new Laird has to
solve. his past record proves his ab.l-
ity to deal with them as they arise.
Lord LeNsrhulme is much before the
public at the present time. Apart
from his public Offices. he is high
sheriff OF Lama aShire and chairman Of
the Liverpool School Or Tropical MedI-
cine and managing director OF Lever
Bros, Ltd. and iis subsidiary inter
sEts. lie is tho EUihor OF an interest
Ing scheme OF reconstruction for
after the war. His theory is that a
Eix-houT day with an increased pro
duction Will solve many Of the prob
lsms OF .dsmoDilistion. He finds time
every week 10 give one or more lee
tures on this ideal. and succeeds in
placing the scheme before his audi
enCes in so clear a manner that he
finds little criticism.