The Press. — London, England, 1857-01-03 00:00:00

JANUARY 3, 1857. part of the above tax as was levied for the purpose of carrying it on should be forthwith abandoned, and that a petition be presented to the House of Commons praying for such a reduction; and also that such portion of the tax as may be retained shall undergo a revision, with the view to a more equitable distribution of it among the various classes of ratepayers. The resolution, seconded by Mr. Jolly, was unani mously agreed to, and a petition founded upon it, to be intrusted to the city members (Captain Scobell and Mr. Tite) for presentation, was at once adopted. The members of the eastern division of the county (Messrs. W. Miles and Knatchbull) are to be re quested to support its prayer. A deputation from the Society for Promoting the Interests of the Trading Community has been in Bristol and Clifton during the week, soliciting signatures to a petition for the repeal or modification of the tax. An influential meeting was also held at BAnv• STAPLE on Tuesday, at which Colonel Buck, M.P., and the leading gentlemen of the county, were present. Resolutions condemning the tax as inqui sitorial were unanimously passed, and these were embodied in a petition to Parliament. At East Retford and at Harrowgate crowded meetings have been also held, and similar resolutions and petitions to Parliament unanimously adopted. Mn. FARNALL, who has for some time past held the office of poor-law inspector in the manufacturing districts of Yorkshire and Lancashire, has been pro moted to a similar appointment in the metropolitan district. He is to be succeeded in his former post by Mr. Manwaring, inspector of unions in the agri cultural districts of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, &c., who is, however, to retain the inspectorship of the Doncaster and Hemsworth Unions in the former county. The remainder of his late district will be placed under the supervision of Mr. Lambert, a newly-appointed poor-law inspector. THE THREE OFFICERS to whom Sir Benjamin Hall has intrusted the task of deciding upon the Great London Drainage Scheme are Captain Douglas Galion, of the Royal Engineers, Mr. Simpson, and Mr- Blackwell, both well known in the engineering profession. The scope of their inquiries will be, it is said, very comprehensive, as they are not only em powered to consider the plans of the Metropolitan Board of Works, but to initiate others should they think it expedient to do so. Iljttropplitan. DR. BOOTH delivered the inaugural address on Monday evening at the third meeting of the United Association of Schoolmasters. Dr. Booth chose for his subject " Systematic Education," and proceeded to show the inutility of mere statistical knowledge, in the acquisition of which too much time was now wasted without any adequate reward, giving many striking illustrations of the great progress made in all branches of science and art, and their tendency to promote the welfare and well-being of mankind, and asserting that the best means for fully developing the desire for knowledge among all classes was by a system of competitive examination. Dr. Booth then replied in detail to all the arguments against such a system, and concluded his observations with ex plaining his views upon education as follows : My view is this. We shall never radically improve education until you create a demand fur it. I sin convinced that the relation of supply to demand bolds as strictly in this case as that of iron or coal. This is the great principle to establish. Once let it be widely known and clearly understood that a new order of things has arisen —that, however it may have been heretofore, men will be promoted for their industry and talent, instead of by personal favour, or through family influence. 1)o this, and immediately two distinct consequences will follow. You will have employments more economically, because better filled than formerly ; but far more than this will be the result. Edu cation will receive an impetus which could be given it in no other way. I have no doubt whatever on my mind that within the last two years the Uovernment has done far more to promote and improve the education of the middle classes of this country, and to stimulate their energies by throwing open the appointments in the civil service of the East India Company to unrestricted competition, by estab lishing examinations for official situations, than if they had founded fifty colleges in different parts of the country, and endowed 500 professorships in them. The means of knowledge and facilities for learning are not difficult to obtain in this country. Everybody you meet is willing to give the struggling student a helping hand. What we tack is the strong propelling motive to indefatigable effort. Make education a necessary of life, and not merely a luxury, and depend upon it men will procure it, come by it how they may. Create the demand, and the supply is sure to follow. Whether England shall elevate the tone of its edu cation or raise the standard of its instruction is not a question for a Government to decide ; it does not depend on the Lords, it does not rest with the Commons ; it is a question entirely within the control of the people them• selves. Let the employers of labour promote only the edu cated and the industrious, and an ample supply of the edit eated and industrious will be forthcoming. Let them do this and thou urge the tiovemment to follow their example. THE PRESS. On Tuesday morning the Rev. G. R. GLEIG, M.A., Chsplain-General to the Forces and Inspector- General of Military Schools, delivered a lecture on " The Influence of the Teacher in promoting Civili sation." The lecturer remarked that the schoolmaster was neither the cause nor the effect of civilisation on human society, but he combined both characters in his own person. Where he existed, there civilisation more or less existed also. Wherever you found him not, no progress whatever had been made towards social refinement. He proceeded to show the in fluence of the teacher in promoting civilisation, and urged them to work zealously in the good cause which they had taken in hand. It was satisfactory to know that great progress hail been made in edit.- cation, but much remained to be done. He hoped to see the day arrive when parents, even the poorest, would consider no money was so well laid out as that which they expended in the education of their children, and when the Government would take the subject heartily in hand. Mr. W. M‘LEon then delivered a lecture on "The Teaching of Physiology in Schools," after which a discussion took place on the topics of the address. At the evening sitting, in the absence of Mr. Tate, the president, from illness, Mr. BUCKMASTER delivered a lecture on "The Use of Philosophical Apparatus in Schools," with experimental illustrations, and at the conclusion explained several points upon which information was required. The session was then brought to a close. THE GREAT SEWAGE QUESTION was discussed once more at a meeting of riverbank occupiers on Mon day, at the London Tavern, with Sir Culling Eardley in the chair. Resolutions to the effect that the meeting viewed the proposed plan of the Metropoli tan Board with considerable alarm, but approved the appointment of a Royal Commission, were passed,. and a committee of gentlemen appointed to watch the progress of this important question. THE REV. DR. LIVINGSTON.—A meeting is to be held in the Egyytian-hall, Mansion-house, on Mon day, the sth January, for the purpose of offering a testimonial of admiration and respect to Dr. Living. ston, the intrepid explorer of South Africa. AT THE MEETING OF THE METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS, on Tuesday, Mr Burslem called attention to observations made by Mr. D'lffanger at a meeting held at the Bridge-house Hotel, London bridge, in reference to the majority of the board, by whom the plan now before Sir B. Hall for the drainage of the metropolis was adopted. Mr. D'ltfanger was reported to have said that— He was no party to the nefarious transaction of which the meeting complained ; that there were some good and useful members of the Board of Works, but that there were also some who appeared to have been sent there to bring local aelf government into contempt. He also was represented to have said— That those gentlemen had formed themselves into a brutish tyrannical majority, and that the consequence was that Sir B. Hall had been slandered, maligned, and insulted by them. He (Mr. B.) now asked Mr. D'lffanger if he was pre • pared to adopt that language, or whether it was lan guage that should be used in reference to members of the board. Mr. D'ltranger declared that he was justified in using the language complained of, and he would not be deterred from expressing his opinions at a public meeting on any question that was brought before it. The CH XTR'sikti expressed his regret that such observe. dons should have been used by Mr. IYI ffanger, and repeated on that occasion. Mr. D'ive ‘NGF.R : They are true. The CHAIRMAN, in continuation, suggested that the hoard should not take any further notice of the language, which was not courteous or gentlemanly. Mr. DIFFANCIEH: I will not retract one word. Mr. SAVAGE had voted with Mr. D'lffanger, but hoped he would retract the observations complained of. Mr. D'IFFANGER: What is the word objected to? Brutish or tyrannical ? Mr. BITHSLEM : Both. . . Mr. i;' Then I think I must abide by them I cannot withdraw them. _ _ _ Mr. RASIII.F.V having moved that the board should pass to the order of the day, the discussion was dropped. THE CONSERVATIVE LAND Souvry have just com pleted their thirtyfirst land purchase at Epsom, in West Surrey. The property is called the Parade land, and is situated in the heart of the town of Epsom, between the railway station and the race course, close to that world famed hotel—the Spread Eagle. THE REGISTRAR-GENERALS RETURNS for the week give 1,069 deaths against 1,472 births. The highest temperature was 40.5 deg. (on Sunday, the 21st) ; the lowest was 24.0 deg. (on Friday). The range of the week was therefore 21.9 deg. The highest tem perature on Thursday (Christmas -day) was only 31.2 deg. The mean temperature of the water of the Thames was 40.6 deg. ; the lowest in the week was 38.4 deg. on Saturday. Vrobintial. TILE NEWCASTLE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, according to the Bradford Mercury, addressed on the sth ult. the subjoined letter to the Earl of Cla rendon:— My Lord,—On behalf of the Newcastle Committee for Investigating the Action of Diplomacy, I beg to inquire of your lordship whether the information be authentic that a hostile expedition from Bombay has been ordered against Persia ?—I have the honour to be, your lordship's obedient, humble servant, G. CRAWSHAT, Chairman. The Right Hon. the Earl of Clarendon, Secretary of State. After a lapse of seven days, Mr. Crawshay received the following reply from the secretary of the Foreign Minister (Lord Clarendon) : Foreign-office, December 12. Sir,—l am directed by the Eit'rl of Clarendon to ac• knowledge the receipt of your letter of the :,th instant, and I am to state to you in reply that his lordship must decline to communicate with the Newcastle Committee for Inves tigating Foreign Affairs on matters affecting the foreign relations of this country.—l am, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, _ E. HAMMOND . Mr. G. Crawsliay, Gateshead. THE LkTE REGIUS PROFESSOR OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, the Rev. Robert Hussey, 8.D., has be.. queathcd his valuable library to his successor, the Rev. A. P. Stanley, of University College, on the understanding that it is to be retained for the use of all succeeding Regius Professors of Ecclesiastical History. THE TICKET-OF•LEAVE SYSTEM', at a meeting of the Stafford Town Council held last week, was brought under discussion by Alderman Morgan moving that a petition be presented to the Houses of Parliament condemning the present system of trans portation and penal servitude, and praying for a re vision of the law, to be signed by the mayor on be half of the council. Mr. Morgan spcke at great length, and urged the necessity of finding employ ment for their convicts. He had beard them remark when they were liberated from prison that they had tried to get work, but instead of obtaining it were driven hack to their former pursuits. If Govern ment, however, would take these men and find them employment, they would have no plea that they could not get work. There were numberless works on which they might be engaged. They might be employed in a Government colliery. The new sewage of the metropolis would furnish employment for hundreds, and lie thought if they were to pay for the maintenance of men who bad broken the laws, they ought to be made to do something in return which would be remunerative to the Government. He thought the criminal laws of the country required entire revision. The motion was seconded by Alder man Mort, and without further discussion was unani mously adopted. THE REV. ROBERT RICKERSTETH,D.D., was glided Bishop and Pastor of the See of Ripon, by the Dean and Chapter, on Tuesday last. The confirmation is to take place in York Minster after morning prayers on Saturday, the 17th instant, and the consecration . . at the parish► church of Bishopsthorpe, near York (adjoining the palace of the Archbishop of York) on the following day. TILE ELE C TION OF A CHIEF CONSTABLE FOR LIN COLNSHIRE has resulted in the appointment of Captain Bicknell, out of 102 candidates. The, newly appointed officer on Thursday commenced his organi sation of the subsidiary departments of the force. Major Chester, the next on the roll, was within one vote of Captain Bicknell. ( Artiant. MR. SMITH O'BRIEN has addressed a lengthy letter "To the People of Ireland " upon the state of public affairs. Taking the "income tax " as the basis of his argument, Mr. Smith O'Brien, regarding it essentially as a war tax, ►nquires what has Ireland or the British empire gained by the late war?— Having lived during the greater part of the lost two years among the neutral nations of the Continent, I have no hesitation in assunng you that the prevalent sentiment of that portion of Europe which has remained a spectator of this collision is, that the events of the war have greatly tended to augment the prestige of France and of Russia, while they have equally tended to diminish that of Great Britain and Ireland. Mr. O'Brien then reviews the events of the war, which in his opinion brought discredit upon British generalship and British valour, and then puts the question : I would seriously ask you—l would ask oven the British people—whether it is desirable by consenting to a con tinuance of the war income tax to encourage the Minister, whoever he may be, to involve Ireland—to involve the em pire in new collisions, which may be infinitely more dies's. trous and more ignominious in their results than that which has been recently terminated ? V V