OUR LETTERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1761, 22 August 1885, Page 2

OUR LETTERS.

OUR SCOTCH LETTER. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Edinburgh, June 25. •POLITICAL.

Beyond creating great surprise, the overthrow of the Government seems to have had little effect on this side of the border. This is due to a variety of causes. The ill-success of the foreign policy of the Gladstone Government has so cooled the ardour of many of their supporters, that one hears them say, sulkily, that no change of Government can be for the worse. Others are curious to see how the Conservatives will get on, and for the nonce, this curiosity masters more enduring considerations. Others, again, think a change of Government just now is of little consequence, as the general election will put a different face on matters, and they take a grim pleasure in the prospect of the Conservatives having a lot of trouble in framing a policy, which will soon be cast to the winds. On the whole, it may be said that it is this proximity of a general election which has been the chief cause of the coolness, not to say apathy, with which the change of Government has been regarded in Scotland. Already candidates are shaping their campaigns, and in Edinburgh these have actually begun, though the constituencies which are being wooed have as yet no legal existence. Probably the chief result of recent events will be to intensify the warmth of the contest to which all eyes are now looking forward.

In addition to the usual elements of party strife, the general election is pretty certain to be marked by the exhibition of classfeeling to an extent which has not previously been witnessed. The Democratic element will manifest itself very freely in not a few places, and that means that there will be a good deal of heat developed which might well be spared. As a foretaste of this, it may be noted that at a mass meeting of miners held at Hamilton on June 18, the following resolution was adopted :—": — " That no miner in this county but will do his utmost to prevent any iron or coal-master, or any other employer of labour, from entering the reformed Parliament through his vote at the ensuing general election, at which the miners of this county will possess an enormous power." In what way the welfare of the country is to be advanced by a blind class policy such as this, the miners would probably experience much difficulty in demonstrating.

THE SEASON. Tilings continue to be very backward in all that relates to agriculture, cold, dry winds

and lack of sunshine having greatly impeded* growth. In this and some other districts everything is about a v month later than uSual,. and though we have now passed the solstice, we have scarcely had half-a-dozen real summer days.' The hay crop will 'now be" a -light one. Other crops are as • yet not injured, j though retarded, save that there are some complaints of the appearance of grub among wheat and oats. The crop of lambs was a good one, but the inclement weather has told upon their health. As to prices, there is no improvement to be noted, quotations for j grain, which had risen when war was threatened, having relapsed to their former low level. The prices, of live stock are also low, and are stated to be unremnnerative to feeders. The larger landlords continue to grant abatements from the rents due them, and where new leases are entered upon, the rents in almost all cases exhibit great reductions on those formerly paid or due.

THE LAND TROUBLES.

Things are pretty quiet in Skye in the meantime, most of the men being absent at the herring fishing. The marines and extra police have consequently been withdrawn, and outwardly peace reigns. It is becoming more and more evident, however, that serious trouble is still in store in connection with this island. As the landed proprietors are not getting their rents in many cases, they are talking of refusing to pay their -raieSp and in that case disorganisation musttfollow in regard to roads, schools, police, pauper's, &c. There is some talk of the landowners combining to have a case legally tested, in order to nave it determined whether they are to be compelled to pay for the support of laws which afford them no protection. In fact, things in Skye seem to be steadily drifting towards the return of the " good old times," when might was law, if it was not right. The landed estates whose approaching sale in London I noted in my last, wore put up at auction on June 9, in the presence of a crowded and influential assemblage, but not one was sold publicly. The deer forest of Ben Wyvis was sold by private bargain to Mr Shoolbred, the well-known draper inTottenham Court road, but this was the only sale effected. The highest bid for the estate of Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, was £260,000, which was £15,000 below the reserve price. Dunecht, in the same county, was bought in at £210,000. The estates of Ben Dainph, Ross-shire ; Glengloy, Inverness-shire ; Stirkirke, Caithness-shire ; and Pitto-dhie, Aberdeenshire, were also bought in, the reserve prices not being nearly readied in any case. For three other estates there were no offers. These facts show how unsaleable large properties are in Scotland jnst now, for the prices required by the vendors were much below what would have been asked a few years ago.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLIES

These bodies continued their sittings for about a week after I last wrote, but nothing of special importance occurred. The Hastie (Calcutta Mission) case again disturbed the peace of the Established Assembly for a day, and instrumental music made some stir, chiefly of an amusing kind, in the Free Assembly, but the rest of the proceedings were mere routine. Lord Aberdeen is not likely to trouble himself again with the ungracious post of Lord High Commissioner in an Assembly by which he was boycotted. He earned golden opinions in Edinburgh, however, outside of ecclesiastical circles, and the town council has resolved to confer upon him the freedom of the city.

In the Free Assembly it was officially reported that the debts on the ecclesiastical buildings of the Church amount to £119,549, which last year cost the Church £6370 in the way of interest. It was suggested by the committee which made this report that a strenuous effort should be made to clear off this debt by 1893, the Church's jubilee year. The committee was instructed to prepare a scheme with that object, and to lay it before the assembly next year.

The Free Assembly also gave its sanction to a call from one of its congregations in Port Glasgow to the Rev. I. N. Russell, formerly of the Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland, but at the date under notice a minister of the United Presbyterian Church in this country. •

BUSINESS NOTES.

A circular has just been issued by all the Scottish banks, except the Caledonian Bank, to their agents which marks an era in the history of banking on this side of the Border, Hitherto no less interest than 2 per cent, has been given on deposits, but the experience of recent years, during which a loss has been repeatedly sustained by the banks through adhering to this practice, has caused them at length to depart from it. Accordingly the circular intimates that "it has been resolved that, so long as the Bank of England rate remains abnormally low, the rate of interest on deposit receipts shall be 1£ per cent." Changes are also made in the rates of discount, with a view to aiding the banks to keep up their old profits. The effects of these changes will be looked for with much interest by the commercial public.

The British Linen Company Bank held its annual meeting on June 15, when the net 'profit for the year was stated to amount to £147,084., and a dividend was declared at the rate of 14 per cent.— the same as last year. The bank's total liabilities to' the public are set down in the report at £11,0G7,015, which is £60,001 more than at the same date last year. The deposits are stated to amount to £10,115,00!), an increase for the year of £28,320; and the note circulation is given at £«(53,743, which is £9494 less than the figure in the last annual report.

The depression in the jute trade at Dundee shows no signs of improvement, and Messrs Cox, the great millowncrs, have consequentlygiven notice that from to-morrow their works will be closed entirely on Saturdays, and at 5 p.m. on other days. Hands are being dismissed in other "works, and it is declared that "prospects have never looked more gloomy."

After a distressing period of idleness, Messrs John Elder and Co.'s yard at Govan is about to be occupied again, a contract having been entered into with the North German Lloyds for the construction of three steamers of 5500 tons each. This is good news to Govjan, where thousands have been

,withoutr'w O rk.'*Mr Pearcd,in fact, was about to build a steameron his\qwn behalf, just to find-employment forsom'e of his men, and in spite of the order, since received, it appears'that?he intends to go on with the construction, of this" vessel too!' '.

A bill which is now before a parliamentary committee seeks authority for a scheme for improving the navigation of the river Cart, so as to enable vessels of 500 tons to reach Paisley and berth there. 'No docks are contemplated, at least in' the meantime, but quays are to be built. "There are said to be no engineering difficulties to be overcome^, and it is affirmed that the trade of Paisley will be benefited! in many ways by the improvement of the' waterway. The total cost of the scheme is set down at the moderate sum of £90,984.

A few particulars have found their way into print regarding some extensiye frauds which are stated to have been discovered m connection with the business "of one of jthe oldest warehousing firms in Glasgow. Seyea persons in the establishment are said td[ he implicated, including, employes pf-many years' standing. They seem' 1 to^have combined to pass out goods, wjhichSvere gold elsewhere, and the proceeds' sent^Q.a- u:Keadcentre," who distributed .thertfamong 'the confederates. 1 - 'One.of-the'latter, a traveller in Irelarid, -has l^tfmmitit'ed ''suicide. More than one of- the others are prominent officebearers ift^churches. The total amount of the'defalcations is estiruated]at from £15,000to £20,000, and it is said that the money thus obtained was soon squandered in speculation and horse-racing.

DEFENCE OF SCOTTISH ESTUABIEB.

The movement for the better protection off the Firths of Clyde, Forth, and Tay against attack by a foreign foe has gained strength during the past month, and it is not likely now that the matter will be .allowed to go to sleep -again. In Glasgow an important meeting of leading gentlemen, convened by the Lord Provost, was held, in conference with Vice-Admiral Hamilton, Colonel lialcolm, R.E., and several other officers; "who were present as commissioners from." 'the Admiralty. The feeling of the meeting was very strongly manifested in favour of the construction of forts on the Lesser Cumbrae and Garroch Head, with torpedoes and, gunboats to protect the upper reaches. , Colonel Malcolm said he believed that, in order to save expense, the Government were planning to make the main defence of tlie xiyer not very far from Greenock, with an adyanced defence, possibly on the Cunibraes -5- ih& whole expenditure being estimated" <at £300,000. The meeting, however, totallyscouted any plan of the kind, insisting that the main defences should be at the mouth of the estuary. This is certainly common sense ; and the extra cost would be a trifle to the money loss that wonld be involved by a bombardment of Greenock, which 'the Government scheme would make quite possible. Mr John Burns, Castle Wemyssj'isthe leading spirit in the agitation, but the mercantile men of Glasgow, Greenock, japd the other towns on the Clyde, are at one with him in the views which he has expressed. Admiral Hamilton, Colonel Malcolm, and Captain Ruck, R.E., have also paid a visit to Leith, to inquire into the state of the defences of the Forth. Those are universally regarded as insufficient, in spite of the. batteries now established on Inchkeith and Kinghorn Ness. Experts declare that. Leith could still be easily bombarded, and that a bold enemy could run the gauntlet of the batteries with little risk.. Armed cruisers and torpedo boats are demanded, and it seems likely that a strongNaval Volunteer force will soon be formed, chiefly with a view to a torpedo service. The two 18-ton guns mounted at Kinghora were fired the other day at a target, each round consisting of 701b of powder, an* Palliser shot of about 4001b. Six rounds only were fired, and though the target was not struck, the result was considered to be satisfactory. The concussion from -the shots broke a good deal of window glass in the. neighbouring houses.

At Dundee the citizens are also waking np to their defenceless condition, and yesterday received a visit from two of the officers above named. The Tay is absolutely undefended, save by a few old guns in Broughty Castle, which even a gunboat would silence'in a few minutes. Aberdeen is in like case, and the subject is consequently beginning to attract, attention there as well as in the other localities mentioned. The seaboard of Scotland', however, presents so many vulnerable points that it will not be possible to fortify them all ; so that in a time of war a daring enemy of the Paul Jones type could do a great deal of damage before his career could be brought to an end. Such places as Arbroath, Montrose, Peterhead, &c, could be bombarded and reduced to ruins before any British man-of-war could come to their defence ; and batteries of heavy guns cannot be improvised afe an hour's notice.

A GREAT SEWING-MACHINE FACTORY: Notwithstanding the dull times there has recently been erected at Kilbowie, a little below Glasgow, on the northern bank of the Clyde, one of the largest factories in Scotland. I refer to the works of the Singer Manufacturing Company, which' was- force* to leave Bridgeton, Glasgow, for want b£ room there for their growing operations. The site at Kilbowie was chosen after much deliberation, on account of its special facilities for the transport of goods by road, rail, canal, and river, and the first sod was cut bk May 1883. The fen extends to 4G acres, and the actual liooragc of the build-. ings covers 18 acres, the foundry alone having an area of four acres. If placed in a line 40 feet broad and 15 feet high, the buildings would have a total length ' o£ seven miles. More than 300Q hands are employed in the works, and it is a pleasure in these days to be able to aeW that they areall working full time." The arrangement for their benefit are of the newest and most complete description, and the same is to bet said of the machinery and tools employed. For instance, in the joinery department, <a. novel boring machine effects by a singles operation what formerly required 13 operations. No less than 20 millions of needles were produced last year, and the works caht turn out 6000 complete machines per weekor upwards of 300,000 per annum. Hofr sju&k

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r a number can find purchasers when it is remembered what multitudes of machines are made elsewhere, is what most puzzles the readers of such figures. It is stated that one ' leading element in the development of the business to its present dimensions has been the adoption of the "hire and purchase •system."

OBITUARY RECORD. Mr W. J. Duncan, for many years manager - of the National Bank of Scotland, and in that • capacity one of the best-known business men in Scotland, died on June 10, aged 74. He held the post named from 1846 to 1881, •during which he raised his bank from an inferior place among its Scottish compeers to ■tne very front rank, and also was the first to establish a branch in London— a step which " lias had, and will'yet have, a most important influence upon the entire banking system, 'aot only of Scotland, but of England as well. "Mr 'Duncan kept,' aloof from politics, but in areligious and benevolent matters he took an ;active and practical interest. Since his resignation, on account of advancing years, he ' li'ad retired almost entirely into private Ife. - Sir Eobert Hay, Bart., of Smithfield and Haystoun, died lately at Lyons, where he - -was staying for the benefit of his health. He was well known throughout the county -.'of Peebles, where he held' several public - -offices, and excelled in all athletic sports. In his day he was one of the best bowlers m - The Chisholm of Chisholm, a Highland - ■chieftain of the old school, died at his seat, "Erchless Castle, Sfcrathglass, on May 29th He spent the early part of his life in Canada, and since he succeeded to his extensive estates in 1858 he devoted himself •quietly to their management, and was held in great respect by people of all classes -throughout the counties of Inverness and Boss. His funeral was a very imposing one, -worthy of Highland traditions and of the old •chief who had so long and honourably susTtairied them. The deaths are announced of two centenarians. The one was a- woman named • -Janet' Brown, the widow of a gardener, who •died at' Dundee, aged 102. She enjoyed ■excellent health to the last, and boasted that no doctor had ever attended her. Her •sight failed, however, two or three years ago. "The' other was, also a woman, named Ann Adaiv, or Cullen, and was said to be 108 years old. She was a native of Tyrone, and, "recalled vividly the events of the Irish rebel- , lion of 1798. After her husband's death in 1829 she started a " penny school," which •«he taught for over 50 years, until she must, liave been over 100 years old, if the statetnent of her. total age be correct. , Her figure. '•was a familiar one to the last' in the Camlachie district. Much regret has, been caused by the death -through blood poisoning, following upon a slight surgical operation, of Professor Fleeming Jenkin, who occupied the chair of Engineering in Edinburgh University. Professor Jenkin, who was only .52 years of age, occupied the similar chair in University* •College, London, from 1805 to 1868, when he •.received his appointment in Edinburgh. He was distinguished not only in his special line 'but as an electrician, and both as a "teacher and as a writer he achieved success,, -while his ' personal qualities gained him' "many friends. ' Mr James Arthur, the founder of the great "^business now carried on under the style o£ Arthur and Co. (Limited), and so well known In the Colonies as well as in Scotland, died on ■June 18, aged 66, at his seat, at Barshaw, rfear Paisley. He had been in failing health for some time. He is survived by several 'sons and a daughter. Besides the business mauied, Mr Arthur was largely interested in •cither commercial undertakings. A good •sketch of his career could not fail to be interesting as he was entirely the architect of his •own fortune.

GENERAL NEWS. The life of the famous toxicologist, Sir

Ttobert Christison, of Edinburgh University, is shortly to be issued, under the editorship •of his sons. It will consist of two volumes, -fche first of which will be an autobiography, sind it is stated that the work will be " rich In reminiscences of Edinburgh folk, both of lyestpr'day and to-day." The Tannahill anniversary on June 6 was this year favoured with splendid weather, in •consequence of which the gathering on the •CJleniffer Braes was attended by crowds •estimated to number between 20,000 and '25,000 persons. At a recent meeting of the Clyde Light"house trustees, the chairman stated that the light on the Cumbraes was to be considerably strengthened, and a light put on the 'Gantock Rocks, off Diinoon. He added that ■the Clyde would then, he thought, be one of *he best-lighted estuaries in the Kingdom. A serious fire took place on June 10 in the ••-starch factory of Messrs Browns and Co., •Govan, resulting in the destruction of several "blocks of tne buildings. The main portion, •containing an enormous quantity of raw material, was saved, owing to it being shut '■off' by fireproof doors. The damage is estimated at £20,000, but is covered by insurance. The election of a representative peer of Scotland, in the room of the late Earl of - Selkirk, took place at Holyrood Palace on ■June 10, with the customary ceremonials. "The Earl of Lindsay, who is a Conservative, "was unanimously elected. The Rev. Dr J. J. Bonar, of Free St. Andrew's Church, Greenock, celebrated his jubilee on June' 8, amid the rejoicings of his •congregation, whose pastor he has been during the whole of that period. He is an elder brother of Dr Horatius Bonar, the well-known Irymn writer. That rising watering place, Largs, was . connected with the railway systems of the ■country on June 1, amid general rejoicings in the town and district. The line is a continuation of that from Ardrossan to Fairlie, opened about two years ago. The personal estate of the late Miss Baxter, of Ellangowan and Balgavie, has , teen inventoried as amounting to- £283,58G. That of the late Hugh Neilson, ironmaster, Glasgow and Summerlee, is in like mannei; -stated at £220,726; and that ■of > David I Dickie, goods manager of the Glasgow and South-Western Railway Company, ati ' . . ' : ■ , !

Dumburton kept high holiday on May 80, when Levengrove Park, the gift.of Mr John M'Millan, of College Park, and Mr Peter Denny, of Helenslee, was opened and formally handed over to the inhabitants of the town. The park is at the west end, and covers 32 acres, 20 of which are set apart for gtfmes, and the bulk of-- the remainder devoted to flower beds and shrubberies. The money value of the gift is said to exceed £20,000.

The bicentenary of the martyrdom of the Covenanting hero John Brown," of Priesthill, was celebrated on Sunday, June 21, by religious services conducted at his grave, a lonely spot about four miles from Muirkirk, Ayrshire. Fully 1500 persons were present, and several ministers took part in the proceedings.