66 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
disposal, as President of the Board, he set about accompiishing the great objects
he had in view. Among his first proposals was a statistical account of England
similar to the one then in progress for Scotland ; but this he was compelled to
abandon, from a fear on the part of the Church, that such an exposure of the
tithe system as it would necessarily involve, might prove injurious to her
interests. All remonstrance was vain-the heads of the Establishment were
inexorable, Thus discouraged, he had recourse to county reports-and in this
way accomplished partially the object in view.
Shortly after the institution of the Board, the following lines-too curious
to be omitted-went the round of the newspapers :-
“THE FARMER’S CREED.
BY SIRJ OHNS INCLAIRB,A RT.,
President of the Board of Ap‘dture.
Let this be held the farmer’s creed :
For stock seek out the choicest breed ;
In peace and plenty let them feed ;
Your land sow with the best of seed ;
Let it not dung nor dressing need ;
Enclose and drain it with all speed,
And you will soon be rich indeed.”
Sir John continued President of the Board for a period in all of thirteen
years, during which the most active and useful measures were pursued, and
much benefit conferred on the country. On the earnest recommendation of the
Board, Sir Humphrey Davy was induced to undertake his well-known lectures
on Agriculture, in relation to chemistry, by which the light of science was for
the first time thrown upon the art of cultivating the soil, Among the numerous
individuals patronised and brought forward by the president, were the
celebrated road improver, Macadam-and Meikle, the inventor of threshingmachines.’
Deprived of Sir John’s superintendence, the Board gradually declined,
and was finally abolished.
Although he had not entirely coincided with the foreign policy of the Administration,
the call to arms in 1794 was responded to with alacrity by the
patriotic Baronet. In an incredibly short space of time he appeared in the
field at the head of the “ Rothesay and Caithness Fencibles,” so called in compliment
to the Scottish title of the Prince of Wales. The uniform of this
body consisted of bonnet, plaid, and trews, from a belief that the latter was
The threshing-machine was considerably improved by the late Mr. John Paton, an unassuming
but ingenious millwright at Stewarton, in the county of Ayr; and we believe it is to him the
country owes the invention of sheet-iron sieves for sifting meal in corn-mills, in place of the handsieve,
whereby 80 much manual labour is saved. These, after three years’ experiment, he brought
to great perfection, and they are now in general use. Mr. Paton was cut off suddenly in the prime
of life, in January 1829, much regretted in the district where his abilities and private worth were
well known. His character a8 a pious, exemplary member of society was fully and feelingly
adverted to in a sermon preached on the occasion, from these words-“For me to live is Christ, but
to die is great gain,” by the clergyman of the parish, the Rev. Charles B, Steven, A.N.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 67
more ancient than the beltid plaid (or kilt) worn by the other Highland regiments.
His opinions on this subject he embodied in a pamphlet; and in a
song, written by him for the Caithness Fencibles, the idea was not forgotten-
“ Let others brag of philibeg,
Of kilt, and belted plaid,
Whilst we the ancient trews will wear
In which our fathers bled.”
A few years after the Fencibles were embodied, Sir John raised another corps
for more extended service. This regiment, at first six hundred, and afterwards
one thousand strong, was called the ‘‘ Caithness Highlanders,” and served in
Ireland in suppressing the Rebellion.‘ During the volunteer period, he commanded
the Camp at Aberdeen, and as usual on every subject that engrossed
his attention, he published several pamphlets on military matters. One of his
essays was entitled “ Cursory Observations on the Military System of Great
Britain,” in which the tactics of Napoleon were investigated, and improvements
in the British system suggested.
Sir John had no seat in Parliament from 1794 till 1797, when he was returned
through the interest of the Prince of Wales, for Petersfield, in Hampi
shire. The treasury was then exhausted, while its demands were increasing,
and barriers almost insurmountable appeared in the way of negotiating a new
loan. In this dilemma Pitt had recourse to his advice, and the result was the
scheme known by the name of the “ Loyalty Loan ” the germ of several subsequent
financial measures. So long as war seemed unavoidable, the Baronet
gave his support unhesitatingly to the ministry; but at length, conceiving that
peace was practicable, from the disposition of the French Directory, he readily
entered into the scheme of a new administration, attempted in 1798 under
the Earl of Moira. This, however, came to nothing; and, throughout the
remaining years of Pitt’s retention of power, he took a lively interest in all the
financial measures of Government, and stood forward almost alone as the
champion of economy and retrenchment. When the Union with Ireland was in
progress, he made a bold but unsuccessful effort to have the number of Scottish
representatives au,pented to the amount since accomplished by the Reform
Bill.
When party changes had settled down after the reign of “AI1 the Talents,”
convinced from the conduct of the First Consul-who had abolished all aemblance
of deliberative government in France-that safety only consisted in the
vigorous prosecution of the war, Sir John entered warmly into the measures
of Government ; and, during the Premiership of Perceval, had the honour of
being sworn a member of his Majesty’s Privy Council, Much, however, as he
admired the general capacity of that minister, he sincerely regretted the coun-
When the expedition to Egypt waa undertaken, s considerable body of the Caithness Fenciblles
One of them, named Siclair, was the soIdier of the 42d
For this service Si
volunteered into regimeni of the line.
regiment who took an eagle from the Invincibles at the battle of AIexandria.
John procured him promotion.