25 JANUARY 1851, Page 5

SCOTLAND.

Mr. George Loch has addressed the electors of the Falkirk district of boroughs as a political and commercial reformer ; but political opponents have stigmatized his address as "an evasive and pitiful effusion," from its "omission of all allusion to the Papal aggression." A local paper representing this dissatisfaction is "glad to learn that Mr. Baird of Gartsherrie, who formerly represented the district, will contest the repre- sentation."

We leant, from a source on which we can rely, that it is intended soon after the meeting of Parliament to introduce an Encumbered Estates Act for Scotland.—Edinburgh Advertiser.

A meeting of the iron-trade was held in Glasgow, on Monday, to con- sider what means might be deemed desirable to remove a strong prejudice found to exist in England against the use of Scotch iron. A committee was appointed for that purpose, to report to a subsequent general meeting of the trade.

By the lamented death of Mr. John Duncan, the African traveller, his widowed mother, who has reached the age of eighty-two, was left in strait- ened circumstances. She resides at Gatehouse, stewartry of Kirkcudbright, of which county her able and energetic son was a native. Provost Kirk, Mr. John Brown, and some other gentlemen of that town drew up a memorial pe- titioning for some pecuniary aid to Mrs. Duncan from the Royal Bounty Fund ; the application has been successful, and orders have been given to present Mrs. Duncan with the sum of 50/. from that fund.—Dtreffries Charier.