“You must be aware that your late father raised 2300 men during the
last war, and that 1600 of that number were from the Breadalbane
estates. My statement is, that 150 could not _now_ be raised. Your
lordship has most carefully evaded all allusion to this,--perhaps the
worst charge of the whole. From your lordship’s silence I am surely
justified in concluding that you may endeavour to evade the question,
but you dare not attempt an open contradiction. I have often made
inquiries of Highlanders on this point, and the number above stated
was the _highest_ estimate. Many who should know, state to me that
your lordship would not get _fifty_ followers from the whole estates;
and another says:--‘Why, he would not get half-a-dozen, and not one of
them unless they could not possibly do otherwise.’ This, then, is the
position of the question: in 1793-4, there was such a numerous, hardy,
and industrious population on the Breadalbane estates, that there
could be spared of valorous defenders of their country in her hour of
danger, 1600; highest estimate now, 150; highest banished, 1450. _Per
contra_--Game of all sorts increased a hundred-fold.”
In 1831, Glenorchy, of which his lordship of Breadalbane was
proprietor, was 1806; in 1841 it was reduced to 831. Those best
acquainted with the Breadalbane estates assert that on the whole
property no less than 500 families, or about 2500 souls, were driven
into exile by the hard-hearted Marquis of that day.
It is, however, gratifying to know that the present Lord Breadalbane,
who is descended from a different and remote branch of the family, is
an excellent landlord, and takes an entirely different view of his
duties and relationship to the tenants on his vast property.
_NOTABLE DICTA._