A public meeting was'. held in the Music Hall at
Edinburgh, on Friday last, to devise means of mitigating the distress in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. The Lord Provost presided. The Reverend Norman M'Leod, of Dalkeith, described the condition of the people— Taking round numbers, there were 430,000 souls, who, strictly !peaking, in- habited the eight Highland counties. From statistics furnished from different parishes this number were divided in the following manner: those in comfortable circumstances, and who could not be affected much by the failure of the potato crop, amounted to 100,000; those who only depended for three-fourths of the year upon potatoes, to 200,000; those who depended upon that crop for the whole year, to 130,000. These numbers were an approximation to the truth. Ma. IPL:iod read several other figures; of which the result was, that in the Higb- lands and Islands of Scotland there were 330,000 persons deprived of the usual means of subsistence this year. Of these, 200,000 required assistance to enable them to live over the season. If they did not assist them immediately, these poor persons would have to sell their cows and eat their seed-corn, and thus utterly destroy the provision of the future. The other 130,000 required food imme- diately to save them from starvation. These were the only statistics he had to lay before the meeting. This was, however, only the beginning of the suffering in the Highlands. Bad as it was, it was on the increase. It was terrible now, but it would be far worse in spring. But all would feel that statistics were cold and heartless, and gave but a faint idea of the nature of the distress which prevailed. During the last fearful destitution in the Highlands, he happened to spend three months in the midst of the famine. Famine was at all times the same. He could therefore thoroughly realize the scenes which were taking place at that moment in the districts under this calamity. He could well remember, in re- gard 'to the island of Skye, the absorbing anxiety that was felt for the coming of the meal-vessels. Every morning each hour was counted: every shift of wind was studied, and the people calculated the effect it would have on the expected vessels. He remembered the crowds that came streaming from the glens to the harbour and communicated to each other their sufferings during the preceding month. He remembered when the vessels arrived what thousands were waiting to receive the relief they brought. He remembered how one father, said he did not think himself so ill, but he bad that morning fainted; from weakness—how one mother tried to beguile her child's hunger by persuading her infant that it was still dark, having blocked up the windows to keep out the daylight. At this time there were thousands of skeleton arms held up through the length and breadth of the Highlands and Islands, demanding of Christian people to go forward and save them from the horrors of starvation.
Mr. hi`Lead alluded in the most indignant terms to the neglect by the Go- vernment of the Highlanders, while they were pouring treasures into Ireland. Be heard that morning that a great frigate had reached Skye freighted with 1,000 tons of meal. Not a single ounce of that had been distributed gratuitously, but was sold in amounts of five pounds to a people who had not a farthing. This meal was bought up by the shopkeepers, and afterwards retailed at 50 per cent profit. Was that the way to use the Highlanders? Mr. BPLeod showed that it was impossible for the proprietors of the Islands to meet the destitution. Even if the whole rental, received in charity, was divided amongst the population, it would be about Ths, per head.
The Reverend Dr. Candlish stated the substance of a communication from the island of Ulva-
He did not suppose that the whole of Skye could furnish twenty barrels of potatoes free of disease. The population numbered 4,000 souls. Of these, nearly 2,000 occupy small crofts, which have not yielded sufficient to support them for three months. The other 2,000 were in a state of absolute destitution. But the whole 4,000 would immediately be left destitute. The proprietor was Lord Mac- donald; who had already, made such arrangetrents for relieving the people as would involve an expenditure greater than the rental cf the island. It was there- fore plain, that unless the proprietor were assisted the people could not be sup- ported. The letter concluded by stating, that from the writer's experience the destitution in 1836-7 was nothing at all compared to that impending at present.
Mr. Sheriff Speirs stated that Government would assist in transporting supplies of food, or sell from their provision-ships, to a Relief Committee, bread-stuff at as favourable a rate as it could be procured at in the Southern markets; and also in transporting from remote districts of the Highlands and Islands able-bodied men, for whom employment might be procured in large numbers on the railways now in course of formation.
Lord Cunninghame and several other speakers addressed the meeting. Eventually, a Committee was appointed to raise subscriptions and apply the proceeds to the relief of the destitute.
Large shipments of meal from Plymouth for the Isle of Mull are in progress: 773 sacks have been shipped on board the Government steamer Stromboli, 794 by the store-ship Eolus; and 1,000 sacks more are to be sent in the Rhadamanthus. These supplies will be under the orders of the Captain of the Belvidere frigate.
Mr. Oastler has been enlightening the good people of Dundee upon the Ten-hours Bill question. A crowded audience assembled in the Thistle Hall, on Thursday sennight, to listen to the Short-time agitators, Messrs. Ferrand and Oastler; but the former gentleman did not show himself.
On Wednesday week, Mr. Oastler attended a meeting in Paisley on the same subject. Here, as elsewhere, his zeal proved more active than his political economy sound. A petition to Parliament was agreed to.
The Scotch papers state that the English proprietors in the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, who hold about three-fourths of the stock, have de- termined that the Sunday trains shall be immediately resumed.
The Inverness Courier mentions that grouse-shooting has been prema- turely brought to a close, by the general and heavy fall of snow. The determined sportsman found it difficult to obtain a few brace for his Christ- mas presents.
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