Untitled - Electric Scotland

1852-56] CATHEDRAL REFORMS 177
not a few of
they were from the first keenly opposed by
those concerned. It thus happened that many Cathedrals
hesitated long before taking the voluntary steps necessary
for subjecting themselves to the new arrangements. Dean
Tait felt no such timidity. In 1852 within a year, that
of forward
is, after the passing of the Act the example
movement was set by the two Cathedrals of Carlisle and
York, and it has since then been generally followed. The
estates were transferred en bloc to the Ecclesiastical Com
mission, which was to hold them for a time, and to give a
fixed annuity to the Cathedral body. It thus became
practicable for the Commissioners to apply to the trans
ferred estates a process of enfranchisement (whether by
sale or purchase) which would substitute for the baneful
system
of leaseholds renewable on fine a new and un
fettered freehold tenure. In other words,
either the
Commissioners or the leaseholders might thus become the
absolute owners of the property, the other party receiving
in each case the money-equivalent of his interest. It is
obvious how much responsible and difficult work was
involved in the effecting of such arrangements. In the
case of Carlisle, the negotiations were intricate and of
portentous length ; and although the Dean found them
extremely irksome at the time, he used to maintain that
the experience he had gained proved afterwards to be of
the greatest service to him when, as Bishop of London, he
became one of the members of the Estates Committee of
the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and had to take part in
similar transactions with respect to some thirteen other
Cathedrals.
to the
In the Chapter of Carlisle strong opposition \vas raised
"
innovation
"
of substituting a fixed payment for
the former system of fines upon renewal, and the Dean
had great difficulty in effecting his purpose.
VOL. i. M