110 THE HIGHLAND CLEARANCES. 



a full report in regard to the disturbed state of Skye, and the previous 

 deforcements and assault on 50 Glasgow police and myself at Braes. 



7.- The requisition for troops was made by me on 23rd September, 

 and on my informing the Lord Advocate of the fact, his lordship wrote 

 me on 25th September that he did not see that the county authorities 

 had then any alternative but to request military aid. 



8. On 3Oth September the Home Secretary wrote me deprecating the 

 use of military, unless it was absolutely necessary, and suggesting that 

 if the expedition had not started I should again consult with the Lord 

 Advocate on the subject. 



9. On 3Oth September, and again on 1st October, I pressed on the 

 Lord Advocate my decided opinion that (failing the Government fur- 

 nishes a steamer and marines) it was absolutely necessary to make use 

 of the military. 



10. Shortly after this Lord Macdonald visited {he l!raes, and in con- 

 sequence the Lord Advocate directed me to suspend the requisition for 

 the military; and on 12th October, I intimated this order to Colonel 

 Preston. 



11. On 1 7th October, the Lord Advocate wrote me that the Braes 

 arrangement was at an end ; that the position of matters had altered since 

 the requisition for the military was made ; and that, in his lordship's 

 opinion, a further attempt should be made to ascertain, by the test of 

 experience, whether a military force was absolutely essential. 



12. That further attempt was made on 23rd October and failed. A 

 full report of the expedition was afterwards communicated to the Lord 

 Advocate. 



13. Considerable misapprehension exists in regard to this expedition. 

 The Lord Advocate was of opinion that, from what passed during the 

 negotiations between Lord Macdonald and his crofters, the latter had 

 indicated a more peaceable frame of mind, and that there was no ground 

 for assuming that they would forcibly resist a well-conducted service. 

 The Police Sub-committee and I entertained doubts as to the propriety 

 of sending such a small force of police to the Braes, as in the present 

 excited state of the people they might suffer severe injury. These doubts 

 were intimated to the Lord Advocate and Home Secretary, but at the 

 same time, in deference to the views of the former, the expedition was 

 carried out. In giving their consent to this expedition, the Sub-com- 

 mittee stated that they ' were decidedly of opinion that if the messenger 

 should be deforced on this occasion it will be absolutely necessary that 

 a military or naval force should immediately thereafter be sent with the 

 messenger to insure service and the vindication of the law. The com- 



