The Press. — London, England, 1856-01-26 00:00:00

80 lance to insure economy in every department ; that those whom you employ should be employed solely by yourselves and direct their attention solely to your in terests, and I have no doubt that we can find sufficient men with straightforward integrity and talent to carry on the great concerns of railway companies with perfect success for the proprietors and with perfect safety to the public. One of the first objects of such an association of shareholders as proposed, would be, Mr. Malins ex plained, to enforce the revision of the tariffs, and open negotiations with the governing railway boards to bring about such a general arrangement of prices and charges as shall afford to each a fair compensation for the capital expended, and shall pro vide a sufficient fond to bear the casualties and vast ex penditure to which railways are subject. Another would be to correct the system of audit as at present followed by the railway boards throughout toe kingdom, and the appointment of an efficient b or committee of audit, with control to deal w.th all subjects before payment was made or the accounts finally passed . As to the number to form the committee (continued Mr. Ma►ms ), that is a matter for consideration hereafter, but believe that too much pains cannot be given to the point of the separation of capital and revenue, so that not the shadow of suspicion shall rest on the minds of the public that the one is appropriated to the other. I believe that we ought to go as tar as this—that the capital should be in the custody of one set of men, and the revenue in the custody of another, and that this board of audit and control shall be imperatively called upon, on their own responsi bility as gentlemen and men of business, to certify to the shareholders before any payment is made as to whether it belongs to revenue or to capital. Upon the questions of the issue of debentures and the necessity of providing funds to meet them— of the deterioration of roads and rolling stock, which should be looked upon as a fixed annual charge, and not put off and shifted from year to year—upon the necessity of charging four per cent. interest at least to the cost of carrying goods and passengers for the benefit of the ordinary shareholders—upon the advisability of meeting canal proprietors in a fair spirit and coming to some beneficial arrange ment for mutual advantage—and upon the vital ne •,--o , ity of exercising all the parliamentary influ ei ce possessed to prevent any further reckless ruin of ranway property such as is daily going on—Mr. Matins entered upon at some length, quoting high authorities in support of his statements, and comparing French and English railroads, which, on the one hand, showed a capital of 124,090.000/. expended, and a market value of only 89,000,000/. ; while on the other, though only 31,000,000/. were expended, their market value, through good management, at this moment amounted to no less than 09,000,000 t. In conclusion, Mr. Matins pointed out that it was a delusion to believe that extensions and guarantees had ruined railway property, and expressed his firm belief that if the movement were only cordially sup ported by the shareholders, and the affairs of the association conducted with prudence and discretion, they would very soon see railway property placed on a more advantageous footing. Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Herapath, Mr. Buller, and several other gentlemen addressed the meeting, when resolutions for the appointment of a council and committee were passed, and the meeting adjourned till the 31st, for the purpose of enrolling members and arranging the business of the association. THE RE-ELECTION OF MR. WILKINSON to the Metropolitan Board of Works, to represent St. Pan cras, Ras proposed at a meting of the vestry on Wednesday last, when Mr. Wilkinson made a state ment explanatory of his recent contest fur the secre taryship. Mr. Eckett has been nominated in opposi tion to Mr. Wilkinson. The election takes place on Wednesday next. THE EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY DISPUTE has been continued this week with the usual amount of acrimony. The Committee of Investigation have published their observations upon Mr. Waddington's reply, and Mr. Waddington has issued a final and a practical answer, pointing out that while the contro versy is raging the railway property of the company is becoming daily depreciated. Mr. Waddington then enters into a detailed reply to the " Observations " or the Committee of Investigation, and says in conclusion :-- Finally, honoured with a renewal of your confidence, it will be my earnest endeavour to restore confidence in your property. I shall strive to maintain the policy of peace which has hitherto proved so advantageousto your interests. In consequence of the position in which the commit!ee and their East Anglinn friends have placed us, we shall have serious difficulties to surmount; but with your aid, ald prompted by zeal for your concerns, I have success fully sin-mounted greater difficulties before, and, with the co-operation of my colleagues, and steady support from yourselves, I shall hope triumphantly to do so again. LORD MONTEAGLV, Mr. Keating, M.P., Mr. Arber tun, 'M.P., Mr. B. Hawes, Mr. Whateley, Mr. Tom linson, Mr. Francis Turner, Mr. Tustin, Mr. Lavie, and Mr. Radcliffe, residents in the immediate vicinity of S.. James's-park, had an interview with Sir G. THE PRESS. Grey on Saturday, at the Home•o®ce, with reference to any contemplated interference with the inclosure of the park. Mr. Keating stated in detail the strong objections of the inhabitants end of the public to any encroachment upon the inclosure of the park, and asked to be informed whether the interference apprehended had been resolved upon by her Majesty's Government, or whether It was still open to those in terested in the public convenience to remonstrate against it? Sir George Grey said, in answer, that the necessity for increased accommodation to the public caused by the present inconvenient approach to the park through the Stable-yard had engaged the attention of the Government; that several plans had been suggested at different times, including that to which reference had been made, in order to obviate the inconvenience complained of, but that up to the present time no plan had been decided on ; that there would be full opportunity given for the discussion of those plans, and ample time for objecting to any of them : and that the preparation of the plans did not imply any foregone conclusion on the part of the Government. A conversation then took place, in which Lord Monteagle, Mr. Atherton, and others, took part, and Lord Monteagle reiterated and strongly enforced the objections made, and Sir George Grey again answered the gentlemen present that nothing was as yet decided upon, and that full time would be afforded for consideration and objection. TILE•. STATISTICAL. SOCIETY held their ordinary meeting on Monday evening, when Colonel Sykes read a paper upon the "External Commerce of India." After reviewing the progress of the trade of India from the earliest ages to the present day, Colonel Sykes stated that the statistical returns of Indian trade for the last twenty-five years showed a constantly increasing balance in favour of India, and that he had incontestably ascertained that Indiacould not only bear the drain of the Company's expenses, but that her trade left a wide margin. Finally he ar rived at the following conclusions : First, that for the last twenty years the balance of trade had annually increased in favour of India; secondly, that the merchants and manufacturers trailing with India had been compelled to remit a constantly increasing amount of bullion which was absorbed by that country ; thirdly, that the pecuniary wants of the India Company, miscalled the Indian Tribute, very much assisted the merchants of this country in liquidating their balances ;by sending out the Company's bills to India) ; fourthly, that the system of advances on hypothecated goods by the Company had also much assisted commerce; but that all these means had been insufficient to equalise the balance of trade, so that a hundred millions of bullion had had to be sent out, which was completely absorbed by India, and never more returned to this country. What Pliny had said 1,800 years ago was true at the present day—lndia was the sink of the precious metals. The subject was, he submitted, of grave importance to the merchants and manufacturers of the precious metals, who should, in his opinion, be more alive than they were at present to the exhaustive nature of the India trade. THE JURIDICAL SOCIETY held their ordinary meeting on Monday evening, Sir Richard Bethel!, M.P., in the chair. A paper was read by Mr. Daniel, Q.C., upon " Change as a Necessity in every System of Municipal Law." The learned gentleman, with great eloquence, explained the object and nature of municipal law, and the constant necessity of change to meet the requirements of the age and the progress of linciety. Mr. Daniel then pointed out that the portions of our laws which at present most required change were the law of testamentary jurisdiction, the law of divorce, and the law of debtor and creditor; and concluded his lecture by suggesting the decisions of the Judicature as the proper direct means of promoting the necessary changes, in pre ference to parliamentary interference,•'Eand, as the best indirect agent, an improved systam of legal edu cation. AT THE SOCIETY OF AWN' weekly meeting on Wednesday last, Mr. G. F. Wilson read a most inter esting paper relative to the manufacture of candles at the famous Vauxhall works. He commenced by desclil,ing the constituents cf candles, both tallow and composite ; the main difference between the two being that the first were made from fatty matter in its crude form, while from the latter an ingredient called glycerine was extracted. The presence of this substance in fatty matter caused tallow candles to require a wick three times the size used in stearine candles, and hence the greater illuminating power of the latter. Mr. Wilson then proceeded to trace the steps by which composite candles had been brought to their present perfection, an•l in conclusion alluded to the various experiments made by his firm (Price and Co.) in the production of vegetable oils, ob• serving that the Russian war had put the screw on oil discoverers all over the world. So far from the material being exhausted, he believed that they were only at the commencement of their discoveries, and that oil would be obtained from many matters which were now looked upon only as refuse. THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL'S RETURNS for the week show a low average of deaths for this period of the year-1,121 being the number registered, while 1,332 form the average : 1,t;44 births were regtstered, SATURDAY, being 150 above the average. Typhus fever is rather prevalent. __ - THE WALLS OF MESSRS. HOPEINS' PREMISES, in the New-road, which were destroyed by fire last week, were blown down on Thursday, and completely crushed three small houses in Fitzroy-place in their fall. Several persons were more or less severely injured, but only one case is expected to result fatally. V roinntial. THE NIGHTINGALE FUND was brought hefors the notice of the inhabitants of Oxford at a public meet ing held on Wednesday at the Town-hall. The Bishop of Oxford, who presided on the occasion, with considerable eloquence alluded to the noble exertions of Miss Nightingale, and pointed out the expediency of uniting in the acknowledgment of her services. The Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, who attended on behalf of the London committee, explained th A views and objects of those who originated the scheme; and, in reply to the objection that it was doubtful whether Miss Nightingale would undertake the responsibility of the s Amme, he begged to read an extract from a letter he had just received from Miss Nightingale herself, in which she said : In answer to your letter proposing to me the, under. taking of a training school for nurses, I will first beg to say that it is impossible for me to express what I have felt in regard to the sympathy and the confidence shown to me by the originators and supporters of this scheme, exposed as I am to be misinterpreted and misunderstood in a field of action in which the work is now complicreed. Distant from many who sit in judgment upon it, it is indeed an abiding support to have such sympathy and such appreciation brought home to me in the midst of labours and difficulties almost overpowering. Resolutions approving of the foundation of a hos pital for nurses, and expressive of the high sense entertained by Oxford of Miss Nightingale's ser vices, were unanimously passed, and the meeting separated. SIR JAMES KAY SHUTTLEWORTH, BART., at the annual distribution of prizes of the Manchester School of Medicine, on Monday, delivered an address to the students upon the characteristics and benefits of the medical profession. At the conclusion of his address Sir James Shuttleworth spoke of the pre liminary training required before commencing the study of a particular profession, and observed that a complete reformation of middle-class education was rendered inevitable, by the foundation laid for , a thoroughly efficient system of primary schools for the peasantry and working classes. The neces sities of the age demanded that an acquaintance with science and art should be diffused through every class of society ; and hence a comprehensive and efficient system of middle class education was essentially necessary, and could not be neglected sit bout a great national risk. The whole system of middle class instruction required reorganisation — the grammar schools should be reformed, and bo rough and rural schools founded, in which the modern discoveries of exper;ruental philosophy should be taught as part of a course of collegiate education, to be hereafter followed up in provincial colleges, where the most liberal learning, the higher philosophy, and universal science, should be com bined : Such a scheme ( continued the worthy baronet) of middle-class education, comprising borough and rural schools, with efficient and comprehensive courses of in struction—preparing scholars fur the completion of their studies in the provincial colleges of cities like Manchester —might be made to harmonise well with the habits of cur middle classes. By combining home education with the public discipline of the schools and college, the parent would have security, not only for the moral training of his son, but that the traditional maxims and habits of his class should retain at least such hold upon him that the resources of literature, science, and art would, if he were destined to trade or commerce, be exerted within that sphere. For there is a natural jealousy that schools and colleges chiefly frequented by children of the classes not connected with manufacturers may engender tastes and habits, if they do not establish maxims, which may wean the scholar from commercial pursuits. These dangers would be avoided if private were combined with the pUblic education, and if the discipline of trade and commerce were in the latter part of the student's career combined with that of the college. The address has been printed for circulation. THE SABBATH DEFENCE ASSOCIATTON held a crowded meeting at St. George's-hall, Liverpool, on Tuesday last, when Mr. Horsfall, M.P., and Pr. M'lsTeill addressed the audience upon the attempts lately made in various quarters to infringe upon the observance of the Sabbath. Mr.Horsfall, in noticing the various motions brought before and about to be laid before the House of Commons having for their object the opening of public places of amusement on Sundays, said that the question was one peculiarly nffecting the working classes, for, if the principle or expediency of opening such places on Sundays were once admitted, the day of amusement would soon be substituted for a day of work, and nothing could