SCOTLAND.
The food-riots have been spreading in the North of Scotland, to so great an extent that several parties of military have been despatched from Edin- burgh. In some parts the country is described to be nearly in a state of insurrection. The counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Moray, are those most agitated in this way.
At Burghead, two vessels laden with meal for export were deprived of their cargoes. At Lossiemouth and Findhorn, several carts laden with oats were seized, and the captured victuals lodged in store-houses. The other places in the neighbourhood being in a similar state of excitement, forty soldiers from Fort George have been stationed at Elgin; and a company from Aberdeen has been sent to Port Gordon, into which the inhabitants of Keith, an inland town, are said to be pouring in large numbers.
Similar occurrences have taken place in the South. In Stranraer, dis- turbance was raised because two meal-dealers would not sell their meal at 2s. 6d. per stone. Carrots and loaves were also stolen. But the prompti- tude of the authorities prevented the riots from reaching any great height, The Edinburgh and Glasgow Committees on Highland Destitution have formed themselves into a central board for the relief of the distressed dis- tricts, and are about to issue a small Gaelic tract giving friendly advice to the Highlanders. It is their intention to withhold asaistanee from those who are able for work and have the means of procuring it. The Edinburgh destitution fund amounted on Saturday to 24,0911.; and a commencement has been made at Paisley to raise a local fund for tho unemployed. About 1,0001. had been subscribed.
The Reverend George Gilfillan preached a sermon on Sunday last at Dundee, eloquently denouncing the hypocrisy of the present outcry against necessary travelling on Sunday.
Previous page
