ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 218, 1 September 1847, Page 2

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

An Irish Landlord of the Right Sort. — Lord George Hill, brother of the Marquis of Downshire, has published his experience as an improver of a wild Irish estate, and better still of the wild Irish themselves. The place operated upon is an estate called Gweedore, consisting of 23,000 acres of mountain, pasture, and arable land, in the parish of Tullaghobegly, in the county of Donnegal, on the north-west coast of Ireiand. The population in 1841 amounted to 9,000, and the land had been divided and subdivided till each cultivator occupied a mere strip, and often had in his possession, if that could be said, twenty or thirty of these strips of land, scattered over the mountain, hopelessly entangled with bis neighbours' holdings, the whole forming a mass of thorough confu-

sion, the fruitfal cause of increasing broils. There were no poorer wretches in existence than the tenantry of Gweedore when Lord George took them in hand. Their houses were detestable — attempts at something between cowhouses and stables. Human beings and animals inhabited in common, and dung of both was allowed to accumulate in those wretched huts for twelve months at a stretch, never being removed oftener than once a year. Famine and all the vices and miseries of the most squalid poverty were the characteristics of this wretched people, who seem to have sulmitted to their fate without a struggle to avert or even a wish to avoid it. In 1837 Lord George purchased the property ; then there was not a shop in Gweedore, a rude species of barter, and occasional dealings with a pedlar who now and then visited the place constituted all the exchangings in the district. Re-arrangement of the holdings was the first and most difficult reform. Having accomplished that,; the stimulus of a market wherein the people could sell their produce for money was next added. A storehouse was built, and the country people encouraged to bring their oats for sale. This acted like a charm ; in the first year, £479 were paid for grain, and in 1844 the amount was £1,100. A quay was formed, admitting vessels to come close to the bulk of the population, and a considerable trade at once sprang up with Liverpool^ The huts were removed and made more convenient for the respective holdings of their occupants ; prizes were awarded for the most commodious, cleanly, and well arranged dwellings, and for excellence in cattle and cultivation of various kinds. The first year there was no competition, as the people believed that the intimation was a hoax : they had no idea that a gentleman would be such a fool as to give his money merely to benefit others. Next year, however, they tried, and £40 were distributed ; and in 1844 there were 239 successful competitors, who received £60 among them. Lord George also set up a shop to supply the newly awakened wants of his people, md indeed, to call them into existence. Here were sold all kinds of soft and hard ware; his lordship clapt his own name over the door in an inscription in Eise purporting that he was licensed to deal in tea, tobacco, and other exciseable commodities ! The shop throve, and the people also, so that Gweedore is tfow one of the most smiling, comfortable villages in Ireland, or England either. We conclude our notice of this excellent example of a man being useful in his generation by the following remarks on the improved state of the place by the gentleman who distributed the premiums in 1843— " We have to express our satisfaction at the evident improvement in the mode of reclaiming and cultivating the boggy and mountain lands, by draining and spade husbandry, and at the judicious manner in which, under the guidance of his lordship's agriculturists, the exertions of the people are directed, and their time and labour turned to the best account. We are also happy to find so much attention given to the home manufacture of woollens, the quality of the cloth of various kinds, and the flannel stockings, &c, exhibited being most creditable. This branch of industry is, we conceive, particularly valuable, as it gives that employment to the females for which they are peculiarly fitted, and enables them to contribute, in no small degree, to the health and comfort of their families — affording cheap and warm clothing, and inculcating a spirit of exertion among them. In nothing, however, have we had such pleasure as in the marked improvement in the dwellings and office houses of the tenants, knowing what difficulties old habits and prejudices present to such changes. Until lately, the people were crowded together in miserable villages, where want of cleanliness, and the impure exhalations of dung-pits close to tiieir dwelling-houses, generated disease and misery. Now we behold in all directions neat and comfortable cottages, washed walls, giving an aspect of light, health, and cheerfulness. Nor mere we disappointed upon a closer inspection : we found that the interior of the houses fully realised the expectations raised by their exterior appearance — clean, orderly, and well-ventillated rooms, comfortable and suitable beds and bedsteads, with a supply of bedclothiug and furniture equal at least to the wants of the inmates, and in many instances showing a taste in the arrangement for which we were quite unprepared. These various improvements we consider in a great measure attributable to the division of the lands into separate farms, and placing each tenant's' house upon his own ground ; one of the great advantages of which is, enabling them to place tbeir dwellings, offices, and manure heaps in the most convenient situations for comfort and cleanliness — advantages of which, it is but justice to the tenans to say, they have fully availed themselves."

A Judge's Charge 100 Years ago. — Johnson, in his life of Savage, gives the following version of the speech of Mr. Justice

Page to the Jury, at the trial of Savage, for murder, in 1727 :— " Gentlemen of the Jury! You are to consider that Mr. Savage is a very great man ; a much greater man than you or I, gentlemen of the Jury : — that he wecrs very fine clothes ; much finer clothes than you or I, gentlemen of the Jury : — that he has abundance of money in his pocket ; much more money than you or I, gentlemen of the Jury: — but, gentlemen of the Jury, is it not a very hard, case, gentlemen of the Jury, that Mr. Savage sl.ould therefore kill you or me, gentlemen of the Jury?" Another remarkable charge of the same learned Judge is given in the following terms, and it will be seen that it contains an anecdote that, in one sense of the term, at all events, may be said to be original : — " Gentlemen of the Jury ! — We have beard the evidence against this here fellow, and all that. He not only robbed the gentleman who was so good as to prosecute him, of his effects and money, but, as far as I can learn,«has always been a vagabond, a stroller, I think ; a fellow that went about with tricks and fancies. Now, I never liked your tricks and fancies. I'll tell you a pleasant story. Some years ago, when I was at Exeter, there was a fellow, an ill-looking dog, somewhat like the prisoner at the bar, that weut about with a bear and fiddle. A troublesome rascal ; there was no living for his tricks and fancies. So this was very well ; I was not then a Judge, but went only on private business. However, some time after I went that circuit. You may be sure I enquired for my old friend ; but, somehow or other, the bear was dead, and the fiddle was broke. But how do you think I served the fellow ? Why, I hanged him."

A Night in a Snow Storm. — The following graphic description of a snow storm is copied from fhe Brighton Gazette: — When the express train left London, the snow was falling, but not so heavily as to induce Mr. Peter Clarke, the manager of the line, to think that there was any doubt about its being able to reach its destination, in passing up the Mersiham incline, the pace was slow, owing to the Dover express train being only a short distance before it, and this continued as ! far as the Red-hill station. When the Brighton express train left the station, the snow was falling very fast, and in large flakes. The train, however, got on tolerably well till it neared the Three Bridges station, when the engine laboured very hard in her struggles with the mass of snow with which the rails were covered, and it was with considerable difficulty that the train was drawn to thac station. There, however, they found a pilot engine, aided by which it was thought the journey might be performed, and it was de- j terramed to make the attempt. But they had I not proceeded far before it became evident that the increase of the snow had been very great, and doubts were entertained whether they would reach the summit at Balcombe tunnel. As, however, it was deemed certain that if this could be accomplished, they would be able to run down to Haywards Heath, a grand effort was made to accomplish this object, and all power wa3 put on. Notwith- '• standing this, the train soon came to a standstill. The drivers retrograded a little, and then took a run upon the clear rail, which enabled them to gain ground. During this struggle, suspense and anxiety were great ; all seemed to feel the difficulty of their situation in the midst of a wild forest, and night, having set in with intense severity. There seemed to be no hope unless they could pass the summit ; but the train came again to a dead stop. Mr. Clarke, who was in the train, then got upon one of the engines, and had them both detached from the carriages, and made a run at the forward, trusting that he should by this be able to clear the rails for a short distance, along which he might draw the train, ami thus accomplish the journey by instalments. The first attempt seemed to answer, and a second was made, but it utterly failed ; and, after several unsuccessful attempts to move the train, it was found that the stock of water was exhausted, and the drivers were obliged to put out the fires. Mr. Clarke then announced to the passengers that all hope of proceeding with the train was at an end ; and, covered with snow, he got into one of the carriages. The passengers now seemed to be preparing themselves to pass the night as con.fortably as circumstances would permit. As may be expected, the observance of the by-laws in such a case was the last thing to be expected. It happened that a gentleman had a packet of cigars, which he distributed with a liberal hand, and which were v.ith avidity secured by those who could deiive comfort Irom tlfeir use. Others wrapped themselves up in their cloaks and furs, and nought repose. After a short interval, a cottager, who inhabited the only dwelling within a mile of the dreary scene, brought to the train all that his cupboard afforded — some bread, bacon, and cheese, which was eagerly devoured by the gentlemen who had appointed to dine at Brighton at 7 o'clock, and had their fish in the train. After * considerable

interval, Mr. Stratham (who was one of the resident engineers in making the railway) and who happened to be in the train, proposed that he should go to Mr. Tester, who has a farm about a mile from the spot, and get his horses ; and, as it was thought that the passengers might be got back to Three Bridges, this offer was readily accepted, and he proceeded through the forest to the farm. The horses being obtained, an attempt was made to draw three of the carriages, into which all the passengers had been crammed ; but this was found to be impossible. One of the carriages was then detached from the other two, and another effort was made with success ; and those fortunate passengers in the last carriage of the train, soon discovered that they were moving towards the station. They had not gone far, however, before they met the engine of the last train out of London, which had been forwarded from Three Bridges (where the passengers had put up, on finding there was no chance of proceeding with the train), to assist the express train. The horses then gave place to the engine, which backed to the other two carriages, and the passengers had the happiness, in a very short time, of reaching the station. Here the scene was amusing in the extreme. The first effort made by the passengers on their arrival was to get the best berths at the inn ; and a rush was made through the snow — some up and some down ; but on their arrival at the Fox, they found it already full to oveiflowing with the passengers of the Parliamentary down train. The passengers by the express train had no alternative but to return to the station-house, and make the best of the accommodation that it could afford. The booking-office and waiting rooms were soon filled ; viands such as the house afforded were soon demolished, and people were sent to the inn to replenish. Ham, eggs, sausages, bread and cheese, beer, tea, brandy and water, were disposed of with great rapidity ; and after the \ arty had satisfied the cravings of hunger, they began to think of rest, and tanged themselves as well as they could, tome sleeping on tables, others on the counter, others on the floor, with the luggage for pillows. The first down train from London arrived at Three Bridges station on Tuesday somewhat after us usual time ; and it was determined to send a train from thence to London, to enable those passengers who preferred that course to get thither. Many availed themselves of this -opportunity ; amongst them Baron de Goldsraid and two daughters, and Mr. Rowland Hill.

Gas-Lighting. — In one of a course of lectures on coal gas, delivered by Mr. Headley, he drew the attention of his hearers to some of the benefits which have resulted to the world from gas-lighting. He said :—: — " The celebrated and well known article, Macintosh's waterproof cloth, is one. The product of the distillation or manu'acture of coal iu.o gas is naptha, or coal oil ; this was found by Mr. Macintosh to possess the invaluable property of dissolving India-rubber (caoutchouc) — a desideratum that scientific meu had been seeking for ages, from its great importance in the arts and manufactures ; and the knowledge and use of this property have given rise not only to the rendering clothes waterproof, but to the innumerable uses to which India-rubber, in a solvent state, is now applied ; and, amongst other elastic contrivances to which it is applicable, we have rather a cuiious one, superseding the lawyers' red tape — and it may now truly be said he ties up his papeis by a 'gas tape.' We have next the application of gas to lace making. Messrs. G. F. Urling & Company took out a patent for this invention, and which has been wonderfully successful and productive. The operation is this — instead of running the lace over a red-hot iron roller, as heretofore, it is drawn over or through a gas flime, and the superior effect desired, of entirely freeing it from the flew or flough of the thread, is attained, as the flame of the gas actually passes into the meshes of the lace, and most perfectly accomplishes the object, and in an extremely beautiful and effective manner. Hotblast, too, for smelting iron, may be said to be another attribute of the knowledge of gas : for its inventor, the talented J. B. Neilson, was the engineer and manager of the Glasgow Gasworks ; and, in that capacity, made, in conjunction with the late Mr. Macintosh, a great number of experiments — not only with reference to his waterproofing, but also to carbonizing iron by means of gas tar, and thus converting it iuto steel ; and there can be little doubt that, during some of these experiments, the idea was created of applying heated air to the making and smelting of iron, now of such vast importance and consequence to the country.

Paul's Cross. — Various indeed were the scenes of which Paul's Cross was the witness in the days of its glory. At one time, the pavement beneath resounded to the feet of multitudes eager to catch every accent of Hooper, as he ascended the pulpit, with his scarlet chymese flowing to, his feet,' and the terrible square cap upon his head ; or a penitent Mai going through his punishment, ar-

rayed in a white sheet, with a taper in his hand, and standing upon a platform erected on the outside of the pulpit. Meanwhile, the double balcony at the angle of the Church was thronged by the nobility; the civic authorities shone in the robes of office ; and distant groups of gentry, seated upon their horses, caught up a few scattered sentences, as they loitered along the outskirts of the assembly. Here Jewell uttered his famous challenge to Rome ; here the Spanish King came to hear Gardiner, attended by a magnificent retinue of couniers, and encircled oy a guard of horsemen, four hundred in number. Here, too, the dead were carried to their last earthly home. The churchyard of St. Paul's was the chief burial-ground of the metropolis ; and the open graves furnished the preacher with the liveliest illustration of human vanity and decay. Here, too, were enacted some of the saddest scenes in the lives of eminent men. It was at Paul's Cross, amjd .the wondering gaze of twenty thousand persons, that tlie pious, the learned, and the persecuted Pecock, read, at the feet of the Archbishop, his abjuration of his " heretical opinions," after giving with his own hand fourteen of his books to the executioner appointed to commit them to the flames. Such was Paul's Cross ; the resort of the devout, the curious, the learned, the idle, an.l the profane. The preacher was exposed to every variety of interruption and insult from the political and religious prejudices of the crowd. The news of the defeat of the rebels in Norfolk being promulgated while Bonner was preaching at the Cross, he was stopped by the tumultuous shouting of the populace. At another time, when he ventured in the same place to attack the measures and conduct of Edward VI., the congregation gave visible signs of displeasure. Murmurs arose; caps were thrown into the air; stones, and even a dagger, were flung at him ; and he himself escaped with difficulty into St. Paul's School, where he remained until the crowd had dispers .1. This was in 1553, after the accession of Mary. — Life of Jeremy Hunt Taylor.