SCOTLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 1598, 8 July 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

SCOTLAND.

(jj'UOJl OUR OWN COUUESPONDKXT.) EnixnuitGH, May 4th, HKVOI/T IX SKYK.

The refusal of some of Lord Maedonald's tenants, in Skye, to pay any rent, as mentioned in my last, has proved the prelude to exciting scenes, and bid* fair to lead to further trouble. It seems that the sheriff's officer and his assistant, who went to serve notices of ejectment upon the tenants at the Braes who refused to pay their rents, were set upon by a crowd, composed principally of women. They 'compelled the officer to destroy the notices with his own hands, and then ducked his assistant in a burn. On news of these proceedings reaching Sheriff Ivory (the sheriff principal of Invorness-shire), he communicated with the Lord Advocate, and the upshot was that a steamer, was despatched from Glasgow with 50 policemen from that city, in order to arrest the ringleaders. The force was further increased by about a dozen Lnvprness-slure constables, "who were taken on board at Baljnacarra. The men woie disembarked at Portree at 2 a.m., and marched at once in the ; darkness, in pelting rain, and over very rough j -roads, for the Braes, a distance of about 11 miles. Progress was necessarily slow, and it ' was not till 7.30 a.m. that they arrived at the first of the series of outposts which the crofters . had maintained for about a fortnight. The I hoisting of a white flag by the sentinel brought a bofly of some 50 persons— men, women, and children— to the rising grounds facing" the policemen. Tim crowd quickly increased, and the sheriff-officer pointed out the ringleaders, j who were arrested with a promptitude which <at first took the crowd quite aback. The , married women were the. fiiv-t to grasp the situation, and began pelting the constables with stones, an example which was quickly followed by the rest, many of whom sprang up j the heights to got more commanding positions. : The stones now pouringdown "as thick as hail, 1 ' ; ■Capt. Donald, who commanded the police, scut j a body of his men to clear the heights, which j they did witli an expedition which would have ; done credit to Highland soldiers. The crofters . retreated to another ridge half a mile oft", " where the proceedings where re-enacted on a .smaller scale, after which the police were allowed to return t<s Portree without further molestation. A good many of the crofhers were pretty severely hurt with the policeman's batons, most of the sufferers being womun. Some of the constables also got ugly blows from stones. The five captives wore lodged for the night in Portree Gaol, and it appears" that their fellow crofters from the Braes actually assembled after nightfall for the pur- | pose or rescuing them by main fores, having ! flent to the Glendale crofters to aid them in ' -this foolish enterprise, but at the advice of i friends in Fortree they abandoned the idea. ■ In the morning the police and their prisoners i embarked amid howls from a large crowd ; which had assembled, and proceeded via ; Strome Ferry to Inverness, where the populace •again hooted the police. After some days' in- j carceration, the accused were liberated on | .bail, which some gentlemen found for them. The cause of all" this disturbance seems to be as trifling as it is remote. Some 17 years ago, in lieu of a rise in rent, there was taken away from the crofters at the Braes the right of pasturage on a lull called Benlee, capable of depasturing 1200 sheep, and yielding an annual rental of £128. This caused a good deal of grumbling, though the crofters still paid less rent thaiv their fathers and grandfathers had paid for the same properties at the beginning of the century. Probably nothing serious would have come of it but for the meddling of outsiders, especially, it is averred, persons connected with the Glasgow branch of the Irish Land League, who had got their orders from Ireland to stir up disaffection in the Highlands. A great deal of uncertainty prevails about the actual facts, the two sides flatly contradicting each other, but I am bound to say that as far as I can see, the crofters are without any justi--fication for their conduct, morally as well as legally. In some respects the question has an I ugly look about 'it, as the crofters in other -states in Skye openly avow the same sentiments, and it is apparent that efforts as sedulous as they are unscrupulous are being made by persons who have no interest whatever in the district to set class against class. Such social incendiaries are the pest of our day, -and deserve the strongest reprobation.

KDIXnb'RGH FI&iKIUES EXHIBITION".

The International Fisheries Exhibition, regarding which I wrote a few months ago, was held in this city from the 12th to the 29th April inclusive, and proved a grand success. It was held in the Waverley Market, adjoining the Waverley Station, and even that spacious, erection was often crammed to suffocation with the thousands who flocked to see the Exhibition. One night it was found necessary to Pilose the gates and refuse admission to any more. Altogether, exclusive of season ticketJiolders, 137,900 persons visited the Exhibition, and the drawings amounted to £5230 in all. Among the foreign countries which were mege or less fully represented were Sweden, Germany, Holland, Italy, and Spain. The firstnamed, in particular, sent the magnificent collection formed by professor (now Baron) Kordenskiold in his voyage round Asia and Europe. Mr Oscar Dickson, of Gothenburg, to whom the said expedition may be said to have owed its existence, was in Edinburgh throughout the Exhibition, and was greatly lionised. The opening ceremony was performed ty the Karl of Rosebery, in place of the Duke of Edinburgh, who was unable to be present, and a very large and distinguished company .gathered on the occasion. In a prominent place on the front bench were 18 Newhaven fishwives in their characteristic costume, who were employed to sell the catalogue on the opening day. Notwithstanding that < their blooming looks elicited general admiration, to which the Earl of Stair gave public expression, the sturdy females, 11 of whom were unmarried, did not altogether relish their new occupation, and one of them was heard to say " she would rather sell fish yet." _ Throughout the duration of the Exhibition fisher folks of both sexes were to ha seen in large numbers, the raihvaj'S granting them special facilities. Cheap trips at single fares for the general public were also run from a great many places in Scotland and England. As for the. contents of the Exhibition, it must suffice to say that, in the langu.i»o familiai- to the readers ot 'advsrti-Wjients, they were "too numerous u> mention." Any--thing and everything connected with fi.sh or fishing industry from salmon ova to s-ou'-westers, and from cod-liver oil to models for improved harbours, were to be found among them, even Maori fishing-hooks finding representation. The models of fishing-boats, steam -trawlers, &c were especially inter sting, among the former being many intended to illustrate improvements in rig, &c., with a view to lessening the sad disasters which every now and then occur to our fishing fleets. A model of a salmon-ladder, down which water was .continually flowing, und up which young. Juriwg^salmon ware frequently forced to in&ke

their way by swimming and leaping, pro-Ted the most powerful attraction of the Exhibition. Close by one could see the whole process of salmon-rearing, from the jelly-like little fish emerging from the ova jto lively parr. Taken as a whole, the Exhibition was one of the most interesting and instructive sights it has ever been my good fortune to see, and it was a treat to witness the lively and intelligent interest which it excited among its throng of visitors, no matter to what rank of life they belonged.

On the 15th April a party of gentlemen connected with the Inhibition proceeded on a .visit to "the groat fish-breeding establishment of Sir .Tames Maitland, at Howietoun, near Bannockburn. Sir James now makes about £20,000a-year out of his ponds, whore thesystem of M. Gos'te, of Paris, is adopted. Its specialty consists in hatching the ova on glass grilles, which is said to be far more successful than the plan adopted at Stormontfield of hatching them on wood. Jn replying to the toast of his health, Sir James said ho could now incubate about 8,000,000 ova in a year, and was in a position to stock all the rivers in Scotland with perfect certainty. He could now put eggs into the market a.t the same price ns the German Government, and at lowoi prices than the J&u.->sian Government ; while with respect to yearling and. two-year-old fish, he found that he could sell theiu at one-fourth, the Continental price and make a handsome profit. I should have mentioned tha t salmon and trout are the two kinds <«f fish bred fit Howietoun. The whole establishment, Sir James Maitland stntij-., owes its cxistunoe to a conversation he hi>d in 1873 with ihu lato Mr .Frank Bnckldfcd. The first two or three days during 1 ivhich the Exhibition was held were marked by the prevalence of a fierce easterly gale, which led to a rather remarkable scene at Leith. About 120 fishing-boats from various ports on the coast from Fife to Fra.serburgh, all large decked craft of the be<t description, were forced to put into Leith for shelter, and as they scudded for the entrance and rounded the pier-hftads, four or five abreast, it was like a huge regatta. Many of the boats hnd^onsiderable quantities of fish with thorn, which they hold cheap to all comers. The result was, in the language of the Scotsman, that " all sorts of vehicles -.were brought into requisition to convey the fish to market, and hundreds of persons were soon seen dragging huge cod, ling, and skate through the streets to their various abodes." At tlio same time such a quantity of tish was convoyed to Edinburgh that the wholesale fishnnrkot was completely glutted, such a supply never having been seen there before. The crews of the storm-stayed boats took advantage of their opportunity, and went to see the Exhibition.

JJUUXINtt OK AHKItOKHN JfAttKKT.

The magnificent structure known in Aberdeen as the "New Market" was totally destroyed by fire on the evening of the 29th April. The market is said to have been unrivalled in Britain for its spaciousness and the universal description of the goods sold in it, so that even tourists made a point of visiting it. It measured 400 feet in length by about 200 feet in breadth, and consisted of a sunk floor, ground floor, 1 and gallery. Being a Saturday evening the place was thronged, when suddenly, at B.la, an alarm of fira mw given, and in two minutes the flames were shooting up through the roof and running along the gallery. The market officers and police instantly cleared the building of ven'-lors and purchasers alike, in spite of the entieaties of many of the former to be allowed to try to save some of their goods. The officers were inexorable, and locked and guarded the doors. In this they seem to have acted wisely, as the building was filled with smoke, and two men who had tried to save goods were with difficulty rescued from a window, while the charred body of a third was discovered the next day. The fire brigade confined their efforts to preventing the lire from spreading, and in- this they were. _ successful. The crowd was enormous, and at times almost frenzied with excitement. The police were assisted in controlling the crowd by a body of soldiers from the barracks, as well as by the men of the Naval Brigade, who were summoned by the firing of the guns of the guardship. The scene will long be remembered and talked about in Aberdeen. By 11 p.m. the fire had almost burned itself out, leaving only the blackened walls. The total damage to building and stock is estimated at over £'50,000. The building was insured for £25,000, but very little of the stock was insured. The market belonged to a company, and was, singularly enough, burned down on the 40th anniversary of its opening. The fire originated in a basket-stall, in connection, it is said, with the lighting of the gas.

FINANCIAL.

A bill has just been introduced into the House of Commons to legalise the proposed transfer of the assets of the City of GJasgow Bank to a company with a capital of £500,000 in £5 shares, fully paid up. It is also proposed that this company shall issue debentures, secured over the assets. These debentures will be issued as need requires, and it is stated that the other Scotch banks are prepared to take up two-thirds of them if the valuation of the assets which has been submitted to them is found satisfactory. The scheme > has also received the support of the liquidators. Its effect will be to relieve the contvibutarios of any further liabilities for the indebtedness of the Bank, while leaving the creditors fully secured ; and it will prevent the landed properties in New Zealand and elsewhere, which 'form so important a portion of the assets, from being realised under pressure, and therefore at a lo^s. The still unpaid liabilities of the Bank amount to about £1,301,000. The New Zealand properties were* valued in the liquidators' last report at over £800,000, but it is stated that the liquidators are now satisfied that this is largely in excess of their present actual value. It is affirmed that the success of the scheme is entirely 'dependent on its < coining into operation this year, so that it is to be hoped the bill may meet with no obstacles in Parliament. The 52nd annual meeting of the shareholders of the Union Bank of Scotland (Limited) was held at Glasgow on the 20th April. A dividend was declared at the rate of 12 per cent. ; aud £10,000 was added to the "rest," making it £350,000, besides carrying forward £19,548. The notes in circulation at the date of the report amounted in value to £743,717, and the Bank's liabilities to the public on deposits and current accounts to £10,070,641.

UNIVEKSITY INTELLIGENCE. Quite a commotion has been created in scientific circles, both in London and Edinburgh, by Professor E. Ray Lankestor suddenly n-i"uin"- the Chair of Natural History in XdiuivarH), to which ho had been appointed so'.i-j three we.uk.-. before, in slice-won to th». Into .Sir C. Wyville Thomson. -Mr Lankester ..•ive as his reason for refusing to enter on the duties of the chair, that since his appointment ho had discovered that matters m respect_ to the post stood upon a very different footing Irom that which he had imagined. This, it appears, is Lankesterian for the fact that he found there was a prospect that tho action of the Scottish Universities Commission would cause the post to be worth only about a third oi its former money value. He also found ho would require to live in Edinburgh most of the year, which did uot suit him. As the bootsman pot it, Mr Laukestev had been coolly

planning to spend about three months yearly in Edinburgh, deliver GO lectures, pocket £2000, and go off to London for tho next nine months, and so on. Professor Huxley, who virtually obtained the appointment for Mr Lankestor, printed a letter in the Scotsman showing that Mr Lankester had all the facts of the case fairly laid before him ere he accepted the appointment, and this the latter gentleman now reluctantly admits, though he lamely adds that he did not realise the position till af towards. Everybody in Edinburgh is rejoiced to be rid of such a person, whose name will be a byewdrd here for a long time to come. The post has since been bestowed upon Professor J. Cossar Ewart, the holder of the Natural History Chair at Aberdeen, and he m his turn has been succeeded there by Professor H. A. Nicholson, of St. Andrews, who tried hard to get the Edinburgh Chair, and must be thankful to escape from the moribund little college in a corner of Fife. Professor Blackie was a proud man at a meeting of the Council of the University of Edinburgh, held on April 18th. He then said that he was " very happy to present to the Council the Celtic horse, fully equipped for its rider." When he condescended 1 to speak_ the language of ordinary mortals, he explained that this meant that the Celtic Chair fund now amounted to ' £W,OOO, which was a sufficient endowment, and there was no need to wait any longer. On the motion of Professor Masson, the Celtic Chair Committee was authorised to hand over the money to the Senatus, and to take the other steps necessary for tho proper constitution of the chair, in order that a professor might be appointed and teaching bo begun at the next University session in November.

HOT-CROSS HUN POIKONINU AT INVEKNKSB.

On Good Friday great alarm was excited at Inverness by a large number of persons, living chiefly in Muirtown and Duft streets, suddenly exhibiting symptoms of poisoning after eating hot-cross 'buns. Inquiry promptly elicited the fact that all the buns had been supplied by the same baker, whose shop is in George street, and the sale of them was at once stopped. Among those affected were members of the baker's family and several of his workmen. It is affirmed by the medical man who examined the buns 'that the poison was arsenic, and, as far as the evidence as yet obtained goes, it seems to have found its way into the buns by being mixed up in a packet of spice obtained from Albsrdeen. The baker's foreman says that on mixing the spice with the dough he felt a dry, parching sensation in his mouth a,nd throat, but attributed it to cold. About 140 persons in all were affected, but, though some of them were very ill, no deaths have resulted. About 1000 buns were sold, and as many more had been mado when the sale was stopped. It is likely that hot-cross buns will be regarded with no small distrust in Inverness for some time to come.

OBITUABY BKCOWP.

The Countess of Wemyss and March died on April 15th at Gosford House, East Lothian, aged 83. She was a daughter of the second Earl of Lucan, and was married in 1817 to the Earl of Wemyss, who is three years her senior. Her Ladyship will be much missed by the poor in the district surrounding Gosford, where she had lived for 10 or 12 years past. The death is announced, also at the age of S3, of another beneficent lady of title— Lady Harriet Scott Bentinck, who succeeded to the Kilmarnock Estate of the late- Duke of Portland on the death of that strange mortal in December, 1879. Lady Bentiuck died at Naples. The " Bridge of Dee Poet," a labourer named Alexander Mitchell, a well-known character, was found dead in a burn at Ruthrieston, near Aberdeen, on April 7th. He died of drink and exposure, the burn having scarcely any water in it. Mitchell, who was 7o" years of age, in tho course of his life published a large number of poems and sketches bearing on local topics. Two gentlemen, well known in Dumformline district, have died during the month— viz., Captain Andrew Munro, of Limekilns, and Mr Elder, of St. Margaret's. Both took an active and useful part in all matters affecting the welfare of the district. Mr Elder (who died at Cannes) was a brother to Sir Thomas Elder, the well-known South Australian colonist, with whom he was associated in farming 30 years ago, when he returned to Scotland and bought the beautiful residence of St. Margaret's,'near North Queensferry. Much regret has been caused at Jedburgh by the death of the Countess of Minto at Bournemouth about a fortnight ago. She was the daughter and heiress of the late General Sir Thomas Hislop, Bart., and married" the Earl of Minto in 1844.

GENERAL NEWS.

A batch of new baronets is about to be created, among them being two gentlemen belonging to Scotland— viz., Mr A. Matheson, M. P., of Messrs Jar dine, Matheson, and Co.; and Mr C. A. Adam, of Blairdam, son of the late Right Hon. W. P. Adam, so well known as the Liberal whip. The Earl of Rosebery, who is apparently endeavouring to become in Midlothian something like what the Duke of Argyll is in Argyllshire, or the Duke of Sutherland in Sutherlandshire, has purchased, for £125,000, the estate of Malleny, in the parish of Currie. Its area is 2072 acres, and its net rental £4351. The late owner of the estate wap Colonel Scott, C.B. It is announced that the Scottish Liberal Association is taking stops for celebrating this autumn the jubilee of the passing of the Reform Bill. The proceedings are to take place in Edinburgh, and as the gathering is to be " of a thoroughly national character," it is intended that it shall be " representative of the Liberalism of the whole of Scotland." The Rev. Professor Milligan, Aberdeen, was presented, on April 11th, with 'a congratulatory testimonial in view of his approaching election to the office of Moderator of the General Assembly of the Established Church. The testimonial consisted of a purse containing 345 sovereigns, together with a silver salver, and it was stated that the presentation was made in recognition of his eminent merits as a divine, as a preacher, and a professor. Dr Milligan was one of the revisers of the English version of the New Testament. One by one even the most secluded of our Scottish lakes are being invaded by steamers. The last instance of the kind is Loch Awe, 'on which a steamer has just been placed to run between Loch Awe railway-station and the Port Gonachans Hotel, the run occupying 40 minutes each way. A heavy loss, estimated to amount in the aggregate to £20,000, has befallen the island of LeVis through the total failure of tho cod and ling fishing/ The ling fishing in particular is the poorest known in Lewi.* for 50 years, many of the fishermen not having' landed a single ling during the whole season. Unless the herring fishing proves unusually productive, many of the industrious, but poor inhabitants of this island will suffer considerable privation I through this failure of a principal portion of their means of livelihood. The tide of emigration continues to how to Canada and the United States. Further parties of emigrants have been leaving some of our country towns— e.r/., Galashiels and Inverness, and "the emigration fever seems to be spreading. Last week the Allan lino alone despatched three steamers from tho Clyde,

crowded with emigrants. During April more than MOO emigrants also landed at Leith from ►Hamburg, &c, and proceeded to Glasgow, whence they were reshipped to New York. Among them were more Jewish refugees from Russia, who were in the last stage of destitution, without even a change of clothes or a coin in their packets. Yet they were so thankful to be clear of Russia that they were quite contented, and munched their black bread with aa placid an air as if , their fortunes were already made. Two cases of smallpox occurred m Glasgow among the foreign emigrants, and at Leith a demand was made by the Board of Supervision that they should undergo medical inspection, but for want of the largo medical staff which such a course would render necessary, the demand has not been complied with. The accounts received from Manitoba state that in order to give the emigrants a temporary shelter, it has been found necessary to place at their disposal all the churches, schools, and other public buildings ; while the Militia Department at Ottawa has sent for the same purpose all the tents and other stores which it could spare.