The Press. — London, England, 1853-11-19 00:00:00

NOVEMBER 19, 1853. anal to the ►riche+' and honaturof this kingdont,bypmunating industry and einulat : nods though at present their plait is not complete, it it has. nevertheless. been resolved to make a beginning in manner foible ing—via., for eauladf, madder, and drawings. eke.' The meetings continued to he held at Rawthtnell's, and various other places, until, on the Nth of October, 1771, the society assembled for t h e first time in their present building iu the Adelphi. cianit Folkestone was elected tiro president on the :oth o f February, 1755, anal occupied the presidential chair until Lis decease in 1761. Lord Romney was president from 1791 to 1703 ; the Duke of Norfolk' from 1793 to NIA ; his Royal Highness the Duke of Susses from lan to Istl3, when the society had the honour of electing as its presi. dent her Majesty's Consort, his R o yal Hi g h ness m oo , Albert. ( T herms.) In 1'447 the society was incor•puralevl by royal charter for bestowing pemutiary and honorary rewards fur• meritorious works in the various departments of the tine arts, fair discoveries, inventions, and improve ments in agriculture, chemistry, mechau►ies, manufact sues, and other useful arts, for the aulication ul such natural and artificial products, whether of hums', colonial, or foreign growth anal manufaeture, as appear likely tat of fresh objects of industry, and to inen.ase the trade of the realm. by extending the sphere and operations of Itritish com merce. At the first meeting of the 'satiety, three• w•ta of rewards were otfered—tirst, 3ltl. fn• this prasluct ion I d'enhalt rosins in England ; secondly. 3411. fat m a dder grown in England; and, thirdly, 151. each for the lest anteing,' by buys and girls under fourteen years of age. (I 'tor Great attention was bestowed utstu the promotion of what were then called the polite arts.' Among the most ills. tinguished of the British artists who received the mociety's honorary rewards were Nollekens, flacon. Haman, Sir Thomas Lawrence, Sir William Ross, Edwin Landseer, Allan I Itnnii wham, :Nuke:sly. Wyatt', and Millais. Calaway. the painter, received the first prize ever awarded, when he was only fifteen years of age. Sir W. Ross, who subsequently received many rewarda,obtaineal his first prize ii I SII7 , when he was oily twelve years of ago, for a draw itig of 'Watt Tyler.' The society did munch also to excite amaing the usability anti gentry a knowledge and love of art. :.111,tug other measures adopted for this purpose. gold and silver medals were offered for the• Is r and SPeollel• l eat drawings of any kind, by young gentlemen, the sons and grandma's of peers anal peeresses, and by young ladies, the daughters avid granddaughter's of peers or peereases. Many of them• ruealals were claimed and received. Similar medals 1 money awards wene given fair drawings lo the sons mid daughters of commoners of the higher, middle, and lamer classes. In many of these eases the tllaxillllllll of age was fixed at fonneen, sixteen, and eighteen. Particular en couragement was hell out to young pristine who Awe de sirous of becoming artists ; and great stress wee laid, at an early period, upon the application of art to the iu►plove ment of design in matinfiwtonsa. The fist public exhibi tion of the works of British artists in 'the metropolis was held at the society's house in the Stroud, in litio ; anal hence arose the. annual exhibitions of the rival twists. Indeed, it. appeared that the Valid Academy, 'alining bowl the Society elf Arts. The reclaiming of hogs and G. 11,4,4110 of land from the sea ; the planting of wastes the int ou &teflon of useful and omitmental trees anal plants; And the li►provcment of agriculture and hnrtkniture. haul been also from first to last promoted bey the sachet!• with great zeal anal success. The premium lists were full of notices of such objects as the cultivation of tient!, ; the intrasalite tion of foreign grasses, anti of nude for food for cattle ; the improvement of agricultural implements—the elleoll• ragement of drill husbandry, drill ploughs, drain ploughs, and searifieatorta, horseshissi, 11,ot-cutters, straw-titters; the benefits of bone manure : the analysis of soils; irriga tion, water tin'ailink'S, tanks and earls for eadlecting and distributing liquid manures—anal alp these before 1790. (Cheers.) In 1753 a reward was otterrat for inventing a Machin. to answer the purpose of mowing air reaping wheat, rye, barley, oats, or beans, by which it might be done more expeditiously and cheaper than by any method then practised. The total amount distributed in pre•• minims anal bounties exceeded considenibly the autism of 100,090/. The society had taken sm active part in im- proving our postal system--domestic, colonial. awl inter national ; in exposing unjust and injurious maims polies, fiscal restrictions, and laws damaging to trade and com merce ; in collecting trade reports anal statistics in con nection with arts, commerce, anal mauiuufactltl'e•s ; in asset eating a decimalisation of weights, measures, collie, and accounts; in amending the laws of partnership; and in promoting education in art anal iwiellet. (4 'Seers.) It IA as tcessary to remind the meeting of the distin guished part which was played by the society in reference to the threat Exhibition. It was sntlicie•it to state that the exertions of this moiety prepared the public mind for the idea of the Exhibition : that there originated the connec tion between their illustrious president and the other founders and luctawa of that wonderful eat•rplido; that it was first aumumcod to the world by his Royal high ness as president of the Society of Arts ; and that almost every name which was familiar to their memories as having had a very important share In the glories of that greatest work of these times was to be found on the roll of the members of the society. (Clieerg.) Liddy the social v hal ext... 1. 1 its communications And its means of usefulness. In the United Kingdom it had entered into an alliance, for mutual benefit, with three hundred inde pendent institutions. The tesolution to establish the union of inatitutes was passed, under Lord Lansdowne's presidency, on the lsth of May last year. It was carried out during the summer, and had for its object, on the one 1111141, to raise the institutions, on the basis of perfect lot•al freedom and self-government, tat a position of power and utility which, isolated anal centrell•as, they could scarcely attain ; and, on the other hand, to secure t'r the Society of Arts the powerful co-operation of 111111Wrialq and widely spread bodies of intelligent, locally influential, and spirited men. ' ('(this..)" Adverting to the ohjeetil which would occupy the . • THE PRESS. attention of the conned during the pres . ent Mr. Chester briefly indicated the character of thow‘ po•:.:(Nsing chief importance : - - nong WoUhl Ile 1110 ettolcay.our to olowelop the Union of 10eill institutions, and the foreign and coloni al correspondence, and to consider the result% of t h e tion at Intblin, with a view to their profitable 111 W. The society felt a deep interest iii the suceess of the intended Exhibition at l'stis, and desired that therein the mist, nor linfoto•tures, motion' ttttt leo* of the Unitosl Kingdom and its dependencies Might lie (Idly Alla hunottiil6ly represented. The counc il would 110 what it ruu l . l l.l pnomoto this abject. ho . .TA. 1 The aborts of the soden would also Is' rill• liuurd to proociwo• an nwendlneut of his of to prepay.. Ow mind oof the 'midie fur the adoption of decimal system of weights. measures, coins, awl see ii ; and to abolish those taxes--such as the duties on pallet which were specially inju rious too pills. 441 1111 l Wive. and ingt iinfitetitres. The 'stri kes' *inch afflicted the 111141111fite• turing districts were regarded by the co WI with deep regret. The society felt an etplal inlereht the well being of the Minden' itlid Hien. It Wits to hi hoped that, when We had a rea l c d tr, ai on.ll. the ' Wi t t ily, theme laiiii.litik. bur spretaclos Might be Ho MOM seen lint it Wits worth etillill • lttring whether sit smetioltotent of the law of moll tinted liability, and the introshael of partnerships es by pbwing the men in the postilion of wastrel in melt partnerships, might not have some ruler( t o anr,b, restraining won-kitten front taking up, its such, a position which was itrou.i.lcul with the v 1044.116141 ion% of Mastership, and which lioul an how liable t o o loo hnoey to destroy the Mettilii of elllployMent. (eiterr..) rouuril was I horollglily isourinceol that Itli Lion for the whole people—rich ruUi isle, Minh Mill Alibi-- %%Its the that nspiisite fur the improt einem of immitfac• titres, ell Tel*, and arts; that a lilwrid meouotno of w ho ll y,. must 4.1114. r just,' that (lie ditty of the sowiely too Iwamoto. rigonvtlsiy 11141 Rural tolo jeet ; Itnll i , without iliVolVillg the soeiety 111 soy religions or srlilit al controversies, the conned W 4.111.1 lent' baud toli l ucu lion mlidi rracti cal. •heel'il.) Among the subjects of Ciotti . I•llslitint HMI I 'MD4IIIIII4 ion of 'Ventilation till s.iliui'is's.' ' See in Machines,' • Slotionfosettire of l'srpets,' 'tics, and its applieatioills 1.1 di 11 111 . Stil . 1114144. They hoped, also, too hare a goo,sl olisetission on the law Sit parents, in o nion. that the subject might loo• fully eliteiolateol ; tutu that measures might IN' taken it , 111 . .1'111V •111 . 11 111114 . 11411115 . 111 m of the tau HS might be &tined requisite. ( 'hoer.. )" Afterwards the meeting dispersed about the rooms of thoo society, and Koine lime was spent lii i • NHlllilkisig the models and drawings of arsiels , s patented, and registATed since (b.isoloor, I 14;e4, which were exhibited its them. 'Cho Lancashire sewing machine wart shown at work, and attracted n consi . &table amount of motive. The chine capattle of producing between live hundred and six hundred tine and strong stitches per minute in a straight,' angular, or circular fonts, and will make any portion of garments with the exceptisin of the buttsas.lsoleti. The quartz•crushing machine of Mr. Benton was also the subject Of much attention'. AG MCI' ItA I. STATISTICS. THE letter of Lord Ashburton on the ,abject of agri cultural statistics, from which S4IIIIP passag e s were published in the l'auss of November 5, has elicited a reply from ,lr. l'usey. `erne useful and practical suggestions are offered in this communication from the president of the Royal Agricultural Society of England. We extract the wore important Para graphs. Mr. fussy commences by insisting on the extreme imt,ortance of " classification," adding that in preparing the tables of agricultural statistics great care should be taken to secure not only perfect acen racy lint also eomplete symmetry in the distributive division. and of the several heads from period to period. The continual variation in this p a rticular shown by the successive census tables—though adopted after prolonged experience and for the sake of greater fulness and perfection—has, as he justly remarks, much diminisheil the value of those &reit vial returns for purposes of restrospective comps' risen. We are warned accordingly to avoid this fault in the atrangement of statistical returns and summaries regarding agriculture. Respecting the particular subjects of such tables Mr. fussy apprehends great difllicitlty in obtaining accurate estimates of the grain harvests, seeing, as he says, that the gross quantity must depend me much on guesswork, and there is n great degree of tinier tainty likely to affect the farmer's judgment, " net only while his crops stand in the field, but oven while, though safe in the riek, they have not yet been sub jeeted to the test of thnishing-machines." 'Elie enumeration of live fitilek Mr. l'iisey rinisiders much more easy, and at least equally important to the public.. Ile observe,' " The telvantn.ze is the greater because this tangible fart will litt;.ril. in this• long rim, an unerring clue to the more obscure problem, the Memoir(' fertility of our soil. I menn that if, sieve the year Ism, the flock of sheep, fur instance. on one of your uplyieig I lanipshiee faima heen ntisisl from :kat to MO head, Ito praetieni mats could doubt that. by the new supply of manure, this average itrowth ~frimni will 'lave )114 . 11 Itiagnip . lslsA in some ( lerititte thrisigh a more lit woe'. niiimliention of capital, which of course, however, will reqn re also a more liberal return of ' , refits an the abate of the tenant•farmer. " That our duelist and herle hats' been so usuitaph,4 a mmo 1' 44 a 1 every assistaississi with the lima th of our population must 1.44', espeeially as that growth has weaned eltielly iR mut r..l4.litaii and matinfaelatring districts, where, sit c ttttt re , the alliticti last been of men wins, in the mein, eat. not bacon or cheese, hut fresh meat every slay. Now, though the consumers of meat hese sissubled. totrflinlifd isms has by no means 41.40 , 1111: end since the iweign supply of (trek meat has been till of late incossitlenthle, limn MOW &mist f or t h e most part, must lune estiatird the stew demand by a ilea sup k ply. 'l'he mference its irreaiatilsk, though we should 100 in %win for sus, direct proof of the heat in agri• vita mai reeoeda. " Still I %void.% call otti• attention to the point that, though the general itterease of production has beets great, it has 14411 111114111W1 in (lilt/11111 s' 11e4 • way, more, that even if we knew the exact increase in the number of stook on any !Articular farm—say as before, from :UM I t s iitet—ue might tall very short of thetruth in imauming that. because the sheep bad tweet &misled, so also. and nu mute, had the isroduetion of meat %seen augmented. " At the opening of the century, in talwr aunts, triton pat soul I went' buys, yon will IVIIIi.II.IIWY that liVt .. )ltlkribili luutt.. was ti gist sight and Insular fur a g e nth. ataa .,i table. If we ssould learn the truth, sipprehota - we should now lilld that itiattyll%ll44llol3ll hitt surpokiv.44l 0111'. tin of that age. In foe,, every year 1111111011 is growing younger. What, then. will have been the real ittemarse stf produelion o n a knit that whodunits, in heal, MO Shewp, and in I`I'MI, IMNI sheep' When tissorge 111. was king tho flock of S4M) issight consist of sal sewer. and of their progens y. threw+, of Du %imp, ass ancing through winters wpww h ar d harp tll rtillleelltilk but lastly tuaturity-110 'sheep Italy betas tlcatc.thletl silt' rails year to market. lint its there Iwtter slays the flock sit Cssl aciisls, perhaps, not WO, hut 30 fat sin ep et .'ly Nlatiels up to Smithfield. The Increase, therefore. is not tworohl, lint sixfold. !kindest, as we know that it is fatting atork, especially (tweed stock, which strengthens the prodnetivo powers sof the lend, the Institut of Ile 141.... k 11111.11 the enbil will like% lin' 1114111 . 141.11 far 11101 ', t 111111 1114111/klll. " I trl l ,4i. in., pits will agree with Die that, mules tZ1 • e:11 care be taken in classifying 0111' tattle.., we shall hate mole inadequate pro ltion for sitting justice lwreafter to I Is. progressive energy of star lartaers. "There is one other matter which we might vertainly hope to investigate. The sAcellenee our leading loved% of animals is HOW fi l ly reenglit/1491. Hilt, though the, are paid for so highly anti esported so widely by foreigners, we tits not know how far they have stietweilutl at home in tbs. plaving ..iir own unimproved breeds. I would, then'fory, strongly reeiasamestill it el ttttll in which tbr nano of t h e bn 1.1.11 14111.11111 14. 01114.111 . 41. The advantage of such a WWII a.. 1114111.4 la' 4'4 4111i114.41, I 144.114.V4 4, 14 o 1114. volol ili11111111(111411•41 I.'. pri/es sit our piddle shows. Resides' these aristocratic fauisilUsst, there are douhtlesse other room of plotorr frotturb but Oval iuUinsir exesilesice your stets litunpashire dawn are. a ease in point I which might thus . beesinte letter, known and news , !witty valued. la short, we want such a loop of the distrilsistion of our breed" of shook as 'shank gFa slay hats given sus silk at larger stale for the usigteliun Yf the littimpt unec." TRADE AND STRIKES. As winter dwell the reports front the manufacturing ilistriets, as well as the Whiel'l4 from those Mosta markets which All none' or or 11.404 slowly, but with unerring certainty, upon our home itiditstrY, assume a tone gradually lwcoming more 44 q uiet" in all, and even desponding in wine ! of the 'emend !midair's. Foreign markets look dull, fereign *inters come in scantily, foreign buyers are inereasingly cautious. As a necessary vensequence, the accounts Trion Manchester show that prices are upon successive market limps getting so teeny shades lower, while even the imoinfiteturers who have **seeped all eullt • with their operatives are relaxing in their i iiiii into of production, 4 ,llMillg or their nutehitiory, and grailiedly titillating egitilea the anticipated perie4l when the dellillinil will grow sleek, prolitm reuse, ntel short tithe IsPes stn. , the rule, until glutted inarkets receiver their buoyancy, or euntanuerm enjoy a fl our,' o f pester and prosperity. yet, in the face of a prospect like this, the 4lisagreementit between the masters and their nein continue, and the former lieve found it absolutely necessary to enter into a closer snit more genet al combination for their wetted protectien. The mine where the advance asked by the men has been acceded to are beginning to be clewed, as it is found that those who am at work are supplying means to theme who are out on strike, whereby to probing the struggle of labour against capital. It is indeed much to be heeled that the present movement will be prisluctive of some sensible emmgetnent or understanding, by means of which all similar serious differenees heleteett the employers and the employed may he 'trebled. No objections can he raised against the workpeeple s.uti•ritig into arrangements for their mistind aid, and for the slue proteetion of their interests ; but whets to a hold demand for an a4lvatiee of wages they add a threat against those whip em dew them, old upon mercantileNt ability and unembarrassed pro gress of trails. their awn present and future pre* verity depends, it !weenies a matter ef very merlon* reflection what steps are necessary to lie taken by the millowners in such a state of thing*. The mutter, it is •Aiiivet, cameo Ising4.r be left in sus 1 in .1 1 ; 1 / 11 ; l i t i l t " T P" their ne l i te ly e ekid ffeet li d g , t it iE r n e rwi t i s d il i sd f ii ii i ii i l l ' i tt. insin the ill advised obatinaer of the 1 ' men welt necessarily be Met disesteem The I