(TO MB EDITOR OF THE uspacrATos.1
am very unwilling to trouble you with another letter, but your remarks on my last have rendered necessary some further explanation from me. You appear to think that what the St. Kilda people want, and ought to have, is a big boat, which they could row to the nearest land; but if a big rowing-boat, larger than those they already have, would have enabled them to convey their produce to market, and obtain supplies for themselves, they would have had it long ago, for I would gladly have given it to them myself. The proprietor would then be relieved of a heavy expense, and also of a great responsibility, which he accepts simply because he considers it his duty to take care of people who are his dependents, and who cannot take care of themselves. The practical difficulty which prevents them from communicating with markets is that no rowing-boat, however big, is fit to carry men and goods in safety on such a coast. Some years ago the attempt was made, but unfortunately the boat was lest, and some of the men were drowned. The proper-sized craft for St. Kilda is a decked vessel of about fifty or sixty tons, but a vessel of that size could not be hauled up on land, and the bay is too much exposed to admit of any vessel being kept there at anchor. The people therefore are necessarily dependent on outside aid, and the proprietor is really the only person on whom they can rely. I lament this necessity very much, for although my dealing for them is really far more to their ad- vantage than if they dealt for themselves, and reduces the very low rent they pay to a lower figure still, they probably do not think so, and under the circumstances in which they are placed it is not surprising that they do not think so. As respects postal communication with the island, I was not aware that the Postmaster-General was under any obligation to carry mails to all places where British taxpayers reside, and if such an obligation exists, I fear it is not always fulfilled, as I can myself instance two inhabited islands, Rum and Canna, to which no letters are officially conveyed.—I am, Sir, &c., [Mr. MacLeod will see from the letter we publish above that the experiment he considers useless is about to be tried. Will he jut assist it, by cautioning his factor that no obstacle whatever must be thrown in its way?—ED. Spectator.]
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