English. Land Late. 
Ml = 81 
hich such a condition of things would of itself naturally and 
levitablv create. In one direction this has been done by giving 
18 life-tenants those leasing powers of which mention has been 
ready made — a reform the necessity of which began to make 
■self felt as early as the sixteenth century — but the other main 
ep in this direction was not taken until a comparatively 
jcent date. In 1843 an Act was passed to enable tenants for Permanent 
fe, or for terms determinable on lives, and mortgagees in pos- improvements, 
'. , . . '■ cost of, charged 
;ssion, to make certain improvements ot a permanent nature, i^^j 
ich as drainage works, on the estate, and to charge the costs on 
le revenues of the land itself, by obtaining special leave from 
le Court of Chancery for that purpose. In the next Session the 
ommissioners of the Treasury were empowered to grant loans 
) landowners for similar purposes, and a sum of 2,000,000/. was 
?t aside for this special object. The definition of an owner in 
lat enactment, the spirit of which has been adopted in its 
ssential parts by the later and more comprehensive statute to 
e presently mentioned, included every person in possession or 
1 receipt of the rents and profits, but provided that a tenant for 
fe or years, at a rent not less than two-thirds of the clear 
early value, or holding for a term not exceeding fourteen years 
t any rent, should be deemed to be owner for the purposes of 
le Act jointly with the reversioner. The limited amount of 
loney available for carrying out the objects of the statute 
endered it necessary to pass the Private Money Drainage Act 
a 1849, giving owners, as above defined, power to borrow from 
■rivate individuals for the same purposes, with the sanction and 
nder the control of the Inclosure Commissioners. In the next 
ear a further sum of public money was set aside for the same 
bject, with the same machinery for controlling its application ; 
'Ut the Improvement of Lands Act, 1864(27 & 28 Vict., c. 114), 
as superseded all previous enactments on the subject. The 
wners on whom the borrowing powers which it creates are con- 
srred are the persons in receipt of the rents and profits of the 
and ; and where such persons are tenants for a remaining term 
f less than twenty-five years, or for life or lives not renewable, 
ben the tenants jointly with the reversioners. The powers so 
onferred have been still further supplemented by those sections 
f the Agricultural Holdings Act, 1875 (ss. 42, 43, 44), hereafter 
lentioned, which provide that a landlord, who pays his tenants 
ompensation for permanent improvements under that statute, 
lay obtain a charge on the holding for the amount paid, on 
pplication to a county court judge, who may fix the rate of 
iterest and mode of repayment as he thinks fit. These charges 
lay be taken by the Commissioners for the Improvement of 
-ands, who are authorised to advance money by the previous 
K 
