SCOTLAND.

(imoir ocb own correspondent.) Edinburgh, October 19th, THE NORTHERN LAND AGITATION,

The land question continues to smoulder in different parts of the Highlands and elsewhere in the north of Scotland, and it is evident that

•the temperature of the public mind in those districts is rising. In Skyo, the crofters' wives and children having forcibly prevented themes-aenger'at-arms from serving the interdicts and summonses of removal from Beulea issued by the Court "of Session, it was feared that serious consequences might ensue. The men having meanwhile returned from the herring fishing; it'was feared that resistance might beofierea which would ba too strong for the police to] cope with, and it was accordingly resolved to send a detachment of the military instead. However, through the influence and skill of Captain. Macdonald, of Treaslan, factor for Captain Fraser, of Kilmuir, the matter was arranged, as far as tho Kilmuir crofters were concerned, and Lord Macdonald himself is at work settling affairs with his refractory tenants. It is feared, however, that the peace thus patoh'edup will be only temporary. The llogart eviction case, regarding which I wrote in a recent letter, and which has caused great excitement in the counties of Sutherland and Caithness, was-tried before the Sheriff -principal at Dorribch on September 80th. After a long trial both the defendants were found guilty. Mackenzie, tho evicted' tenant, was sentenced to 30 days' imprisonment, and Campbell, the man who aided him, to 14 days' imprisonment, neither being allowed the option of a fine. There can be no doubt that both men deserved their punishment for thoir violent and illegal conduct. At the same timo much sympathy is felt for Mackenzie, who, it is averred, was hardly treated.in the matter of his eviction. His contention is that ho erected at his own exrse the dwelling-house and barn from which was evicted, and he claims compensation for.these and other improvements effected by him', on the property. It is to be hoped that this unfortunate case will have the double effect'of making landlords see that their conduct is.not merely legal, but equitable, and of teaching: tenants that to resort to violence is riot the way to obtain justice. It is stated that Professor Blackie, who iii now let loose from the scenes of disorder to which he has so long been accustomed in his classes in Edinburgh University, and who is apparently pining for further excitement, is about to open a land agitation in the Highlands. He and other gentlemen are to address meetings in various places, aud to get up petitions to Parliament on the subject. It is stated that this movement has uo connection whatever with the Land League, which has been at work in the Highlands for some time past, but its effects will be much the same. The Edinburgh branch of the Land League is about to be dissolved, and reorganised on tho platform of the wild scheme of the nationalisation of the land—a scheme devised in the interests of the lazy, vicious, and turbulent, as against the industrious, respectable, and law-abiding members of the community. Thus the materials for a conflagration are being sedulously collected, and, by-and-bye, we shall see the light applied by some political incendiary.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL.

A meeting of fanners, under the presidency of the Earl of Dalhousie, was held in the County Hall, Forfar, on October 2nd, to consider the advisability of forming stations throughout the county for the purpose of carrying on experiments in scientific farming. It seeni3 that the initiative in this matter is due to the Aberdeenshire Agricultural Association, which had requested the co-operation of the Angus Agricultural Association, under whose auspices the meeting in question was held. It was resolved to postpone a' decision in the matter till the holding of another meeting, at which Professor Jamieson, analyst of the Aberdeenshire Association, would be asked to give information regarding the steps proposed to be taken, and their probable cost. It is interesting to see the farmers alive to -the importance of the matter, and to observe that even the disasters which have visited the agricultural interest for year after year past have failed to crush the spirit of enterprise among them.

In Perthshire, sheep-stealing has assumed such dimensions that a large and energetic Anti-Sheep-stealing Association has been formed. At a meeting of the Central Acting Committee of this organisation held the other day at Crieff, it was reported that nearly all the flockmasters between the river Tay and Balquhidder, and the Ochils and Loch Tay, had joined the Association. The method of procedure is very systematic. The" area named is divided into eight districts, each with its vigilance committee and private detectives. Watchers are maintained along the roads, and agents attend all the chief public sales throughout Scotland to detect stolen stock offered for sale there. Certainly stealing of sheep must have been going on at a great rate to make such extensive operations as these necessary. Moreover, sheep are jußt now at an unprecedentedly high price, so that the temptation to thieves is all the greater. The Fintray herd of polled cattle, the property of Sir William Forbes, of Fintray and Craigievar, Aberdeensbire, has been partially dispersed by auction. The average price obtained for the animals was nearly £50 per head. . TRADE AND INDUSTRY. ■■ . According to a statement made in Mb Court the other day by the Glasgow Lord Dean of Guild, the tide has once more turned in the building trade in that city. Last year this itnjortant trade was at the lowest possible point iii Glasgow, but this year there is a considerable improvement. Nevertheless there are still within' the municipality 11,804 empty houses, equal to 9"86 per cent, of the whole. Attention is being drawn to the extraordinary recent increase of the coal shipping trade at Burntisland. Last month that place took the lead in this reßpect of all the ports in Scotland. In spite of the enlargement of its harbour, and the carrying on of work day and night without intermission, there were always soveral vessels waiting in the roads till they could obtain berths. Coal steamers from the Continent are now flocking to this port, and if the municipal authorities rise to the occasion, and the miners stop their foolish strikes, Burntisland will speedily become no mean rival to Shields or Cardiff. The improved dividends paid this year ,by the principal Scottish railways, and the general improvement in trade, cause railway extensions, either actual or projected, to be numerous. The new line to Aberfoyle was opened on the ;'2nd, and it is believed that factories will soon spring up along its route. Most o: the capital for the Killin line is subscribed, and the construction of tho line between Crieff and Comrie may be regarded as certain. The contract has just been let for the construction o: the much-contested line between Keith and Buckie. On the other hand, the scheme for the construction of a direct railway from Ayr to Ki'marnock, there to join the' Caledonian system, and furnish shorter communication betwee^Ayr and Glasgow, has been abandoned on i&"n«it of the apathy of the proprietors of the land through which the proposed line would pass. ■ - It Beems likely that the impulse receivec this year by the fishing indastry in Shetland will be more than passing, as. fish-curers from the South are making arrangements to carry on operations in the group on a large Bcale. At Wick the steam fishing-boats have proved a, great success, and the only drawback to their more general use is their initial cost. Attempts are being made to devise cheaper craft of this kind. At Stornoway the merchants and fishcurers have risen in a body against the high rates they have so long been made to pay, and have concluded a two years' agreement to support a new Glasgow Company which will carry their goods at a reduction of 20 per cent, on current rates. The mineral under the North Haugh at Hamilton is about to be' let by the trustees of the Duke of Hamilton, and will form a new coalfield of 800 acres. The pits will be sunk on tho farm of Raith, on the famous battlefield of Bothwell Brig, and the subterranean workings will in tune extend below Hamilton Palace itself.

In spito of the ship-joiners' stnko on tho Clydo, tho shipbuilding industry in that quar- . ter is in a very flourishing state, and it is reported that two new yards will shortly be opened. The tonnage launched during September was the largest monthly total on record; with the single exception of the total for tho month of June in this year. It is stated that the contracts lost to the upper yards! through the strike have been mostly secured by yards lower down the river, and especially at Greenock, , Trouble seems to be awaiting the important industry of turkey-red dyeing in the Vale of Leven, Dumbartonshire. It seems that the patent of the alizarine makers expires next June, but in order to keep the trade m their hands for a longer time, they have combined to refuse to supply orders for less than two years. As a counter move the turkey-red dyers have resolved to curtail the production of dyed yarn, and bo the matter stands for the present. | FORGERY. OF BANK NOTES. Crimes of this kind are happily not very numerous in Scotland, though bank notes are so common, and are usually taken almost without examination. At the Musselburgh races a fortnight ago, however; it became known that forged £10-notes of the Bank of Scotland were being put in circulation, and the police at once took action. In the course of two or three days they arrested three men—two in Edinburgh and one at ■ Hamilton—but not before attempts, some of which wero successful, had been made to pass the notes in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Selkirk. The man arrested at Hamilton had formerly served a sentence of five months for forging a cheque, but professing great penitence on coming out of prison, benevolent people took him in hand and set him up in business, first as a mat-seller and afterwards as a book«canvasser . The other two men will say nothing except that they come from London. It seems to be ascertained, however that the notes were forged in France. The Bank of Scotland has withdrawn all its £10-notes from circulation in consequence, and will issue new ones. If any of your readers get a £10 Bank of Scotland note dated 11th May, 1872, and bearing the lithographed signatures "Wm. Bain " and " D. Henderson,' let them hereby know it is one of the forged notes.

HUKRICANK IN THE HEBWDES. A terrible S.W. storm visited the Hebrides and north-western coast of the mainland of Scotland on October Ist, doing immense damage. At Stornoway it was destructive almost bai'ond precedent, and the barometer was lower than during the Tay Bridge gale. Every vessel in the harbour was driven from her moorings, and several went ashore. The sea covered South Beach street, flooding the houses and strewing the roadway with smashed boats and other wreckage. Throughout the islands great numbers of fishine-boats were sunk or smashed, and in some villages the inhabitants are thus deprived of tho means of earning their living. In Mull and Skye the damage done is about equally great. In the latter island no such storm is said to have been experienced since TSGO. The damage to crops, houses, and other property on laud is very large. At Portree alone nearly 100 trees wero blown down. Much commiseration is felt for | the Lews crofters, as they were exceptionally unfortunate at the herring fishing, since which their potatocrop has failed, and now this storm has come to fill up their cup of disaster. This will be a suitable place to mention that last Saturday, the 14th, was the first anniversary of the terrible storm which caused such havoc to life and property on the Berwickshire coast. ■ In Eyemouth and Burnmouth services were held iii the churches, and in the former place the parish church-bell was tolled, and tho shops shut during service, while the inhabitants donned mourning garb, and tho fountains of grief seemed to be reopened. nELlGrous kiots. This matter, which I touched upon in my last, is occupying increasing attention in Scotland, consequent upon the disturbances which are constantly attending tho operations of the Salvation Army, Hallelujah Army, and Blue Kibbon Army. The second'named organisation was mobbed by thousands of roughs in Dunf ermline, who even assailed the Army in its hall. The police were powerless, and tho magistrates displayed a craven spirit which earned them the contempt, not merely of the Press of Scot* land, but even of London. In Arbroath tho magistrates went to the other extreme, and sent the leaders of the Salvation Army to prison for contravening an Act of James VI, which forbids singing in the -streets on Sundays. Naturally, such a decision has been appealed against. There have also been riots in Edinburgh, Galashiels, and Alloa, tesides smaller disturbances elsewhere. If this state of tilings continues to increase as it has been doing,_it will soon be necessary to initiate special legislation on the subject.

PROFESSOR BLACKIE'S SUCCESSOR. The curators of the University of Edinburgh met on the 3rd inst. to elect a successor to Professor Blackie in tho Chair of Greek. The appointment is both important in its influence and valuable in regard to its emoluments, so that much speculation had been rife as to who would be the fortunate man. There were 12 candidates, but the choice of the curators fell unanimously upon Mr S. H. Butcher, Fellow and Praelector of University College, Oxford. Mr Butcher, who is in the prime of life, distinguished himself greatly during his undergraduate career at Oxford, carrying off some of the principal classical honours of that University. He graduated in 1873, and was then for a short time a master at Eton College, vacating that post to take a Fellowship. From 1574 to 187U lie held a lectureship at Trinity College, Cambridge, and in the latter year he was elected to the posts in his alma mater which he still holds. His testimonials were of tho very highest order, and gave unwonted satisfaction to the curators. Nevertheless a pretty sharp newspaper war has arisen out of his appointment. The chair was looked upon by the Scotsman and its clique as the special perquisite of Professor Donaldson, of Aberdeen, late rector of the Royal High School, Edinburgh, and who was also a candidate. Accordingly the journal named began at once to charge the curators with want of patriotism, breach of trust, and I know not what else, in choosing an Englishman when they might have chosen a Scotchman who was quite as good a scholar and teacher. Some very childish writing has appeared in tho editorial columns of the Scotsman on this subject, but it has only had the effect of confirming in the public mind the impression that the curators had done the very best thing that could have been done in the circumstances. Professor Donaldson's testimonials are exceptionally paltry, and Mr Butcher's exceptionally good, while the latter is also the younger and more vigorous, man. Professor Donaldson's only claim to the post, beyond the fact of his being a Scotchman, seems to consist in his being one of the Scots-man-Rosebery educational coterie, and a good many- people who never thought much about this before are now saying that this is not a recommendation, but the contrary. Professor Donaldson is thus one more of the great multitude of those who have need to say, "Save me from my friends." Before leaving the subject I m»y note that Professor Donaldson's successor in the rectorship of theßoyal High School—Mr John Marshall, late principal of the Yorkshire College, Leeds—was duly installed on the 2ni inst., just the day before his predecessor's hopes wer« dashed to the ground. Mr Marshall made a short, businesslike speech, and his antecedents encourage the belief that under his management the school will fully maintain its ancient reputation. THE GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP.

The annual contest for the golf championship took place on the links at St. Andrew's on September 30th. The weather was most favourable, and the contest proved a very keen one, resulting in the victory of the well-known professional player, Bob lerguson, of Musselburgh, with a score of 171. It is curious that during the last six years the championship has invariably been won by Ferguson or by hia fellow professional, Jamie Anderson, ihe latter'won in the three years. 1877-1879, when the match was played at Musselburgh, Prestwick, and St. Andrew's respectively, i erguson has now equallod these-feats by winning the honour-in the three years 1880-1882, on the same courses. Bssides holding the cup, the winner of the championship receives a money prize of £12

OBITUART RECORD. Mr James Norwell, for 13 years secretary of the Union Bank of Sootland, died in Edinburgh on October 3rd, aged 66. He began hia career in the Shipping Bank of Glasgow, 45 years ago, but soon was transferred to tha Union Bank, in which he rose to the important post he occupied at hia death. His last illness came upon him suddenly while he was at his duties in the Bank, four days before his death. Miss Cecilia Howiston, commonly known throughout Orkney as the Stromness poetess, was found dead in her bed on October 2nd. She was about 73 years of age, and just two days before her death a poem by her was published in the Orcadian newspaper. She published in 1866, and subsequently, two books of verse, the earlier of which, entitled " Songs in the Night," had a considerable run. The Hon. Mary Sidney Douglas, the last survivor of the family of Archibald, first Lord Douglas, which title became extinct iri 1857, died at Springhill, near Coldstream, on September 29th, aged 86. She was married in 1821 to Mr Robert Douglas, of Strathendry, who died in 18-44. Her father succeeded to the estates of the Duke of Douglas, an extinct peerage, but his right was contested by the Duke of Hamilton, who gained his case m the lower court, but lost it when it was carried, on appeal, to the House of Lords. OKNKKAL NEWS. The carding and cotton-spinning mill of Messrs A. and A. Galbraith, Garngad road, Glasgow, was totally destroyed by fire on the morning of October 14th. The fire was caused by a lighted gas jet being knocked down by a driving belt and coming in contact witn the cotton in a spinning mule. The mill was five storeys high, with a frontage of 240 feet. It f had 33,000 spindles, and employed 200 handß, mostly women and girls. The damage is estimated at £44,000, but is covered" by insurance. The fire attracted an enormous crowd, but happily no lives were lost. Even with the unlimited supply of water afforded by the adjoining canal, the firemen were quite unable to cope with the fire, and could only keep it from spreading to other buildings. • It is reported in Deeside. that the Prmce of Wales will not again make Abergeldie Castle his Highland residence. Contrary to common belief, that house does not belong to him, but to the Queen, and it is in many ways unsuited for an establishment like that of the Prince of Wales. Accordingly it is stated that m future the Prince's shooting-box will be Birkhall, near Balluter. The mansion-house, which was built just before 1715, is a few miles east of Balmoral, and is situated between the Dee and the Muick. The estato attached to itextends to KBIO acres, and the annual valuation, as sot down in the county roll, is £750. The Prince himself is the landlord, and he is very poplar in that capacity

Swimming continues to come to tho front in Scotland. Moat of tho principal townß aro providing themselves with large swimmingbaths, and the art jb beginning to form a part of thß education given in Board schools. At Aberdeen ii company is being formed to con struct three large swimming-ponds in the ground which was formerly the bed of the Dee, and to supply them with water from the Tho personal estate of the late Sir Patrick Murray Threipland, of Fingask, Perthshire, has been sworn as amounting to over £26,000. . A movement is on foot to obtain the use of the dormant funds of the Wade Trust to erect a grammar school at Pittenween, life. Mr Stephen Williamson, M.P. for the St. Andrew's Burghs, has promised to give £1000 towards the scheme if the school is so planned as to form a high school for the coast burghs— an institution lor which there seems to be nsed. The alteration of the name of the well-known Berwickshire town from Dunse toJ3uns may now bq considered as finally settled, th() latter spelling having been adopted by the General Post-offico authorities; Experiments in tho use of oil to calm a breaking sea are being carried out at Aberdeen on a Jiirgor scale and lv a.moro thorough manner than lias been attempted elsewhere. Tho matter is being taken in hand by such men as tho Earl of Aberdeen, who is Lord-lieutenant of Aberdeenshire, and Dr Siemens, the president of tho British Association. The sandy nature of the bottom causes difficulty, through the sand filling: up the valves of tho lead piping, but it is said this can be remedied. When the oil flows out it soon smooths the rough crests of. the waves on the bar. The experiments are to be continued at Aberdeen throughout the winter, by which time the value and cost of tho system will be fully ascertained. At the Ayr hiring fair two days ago, some of the farmers in engaging hands offered £1 extra wages to those who would abstain from intoxicating liquors for a year. Extensive additions to the Paisley Library and Museum have been effected at the cost of Sir Peter Coats, who presented the original building (which cost £30,000) to the town 15 years ago. Besides an addition to the Museum proper, there have been added a reference library, art galleries, a fine hall, and other accommodation. Happy Paisley, moreover, has just received from Mr Thomas Coats another munificent gift in the shape of an observatory and equatorial telescope, with an endowment of €2000 for the maintenance of the observatory. Within thisyear alone Paisley has received from townsmen gifts of the aggregate value of £150,000. The Greenhead Weaving and Spinning Mills, Bridgeton, Glasgow, owned by Messrs W. Holms and Bros., and tenanted by Mr Kobert Thomson, were burned to the ground on October 17th, throwing 400 hands out of employment. Tho damage, which is covered by insurance, is estimated at £25,000.