The Press. — London, England, 1857-06-06 00:00:00

J L to step, fortifying their power in every direc tion, not being content with the enormous influence already in their possession. The lesson taught by these events has its moral fur Catholic as well as Protestant Powers. Wherever the Church of Rome is allowed to get the control, her ambition swells indefinitely. A timely check must always be put on her grasping tendencies ; and hence on the Continent statesmen have been compelled to have recourse to concordats. But with the secret acts of her Jesuits, and with her affi liated societies disguised under fantastic forms of monkish brotherhoods, in spite of con cordats Rome continues at her old work of sapping and mining in countries where, osten• sibly, she has to submit to the authority of the State. In Belgium she has long sought—and with considerable success —to monopolise popular education. She has now endeavoured to legalise the priestly machinery, for the pur pose of wringing from superstitious fears those legacies which ought to be reserved for rela tions and friends. The bourgeoisie have taken the alarm ; but the blouses appear to be indif ferent, which is not to be wondered at, since the latter have no property to be assailed, and derive profit from the alms and indiscriminate relief of various conventual institutions. At present, therefore, the true point of view from which these Belgian movements should be considered, is the internal development of Ro►nanism. It is not, in its present condi tions, a question between Romanists and Pro testants (although it has much significance for the latter), but between priests and laymen, between spiritual terrorists and menaced pri vate families. The famous " Blackrock Con vent " case, which was before the House of Lords five years since, illustrates the question now at stake between the Belgian priesthood and the Roman Catholic families. In that ease, two Roman Catholic ladies, both nuns, were desirous of not profiting by their heirship to the will of an intestate father, and they de sired that their brothers and sisters should have the twenty thousand pounds which the Roman Catholic bishop of the diocese insisted should go to the convent. This is the kind of priestly interference from which the Bel gians now seek to be delivered. These manifestations in Belgium, coupled with other priestly movements in various parts of Europe, are of great importance; and there are signs in the times which portend that questions of the deepest spiritual interest will again engage the public mind of Europe before long. MILITARY EDUCATION. THE necessity for some organised system of military education is now universally acknow. ledged. Men no longer canvass the principle; they merely dispute its application. The ques tion has now become one of degree rather than of kind ; is not whether high professional know ledge be indispensable in our officers or no, but how far that can be made a test of prac tical efficiency. Our own opinion is that it can scarcely be made so at all ; that the utmost we can do is to take such precautions as are in our power to prevent the one from being detrimental to the development of the other; and that, having done so, we must be content to take our chance. We cannot have perfection ; and we must trust to the sagacity of those set over us not to be deceived by the pretensions of successful pedants who would fain make a long memory a substitute for a strong arm. Many of the recommendations and remarks of Colonel YOLLAND and his two colleagues have a bearing upon this point. One of the most important subjects noticed in their very able report is the age at which military educa tion should commence. We perfectly agree with them in fixing the period at some two years later than is customary at present—for thus may be insured almost the whole of that preliminary public-school training which has so powerful an influence on the formation of a manly character. Nor is this the only advan• THE PRESS. tage. It is a customary saying in England that the army makes a man fit for nothing else; and though there are two other very potent causes at work to bring about this result—i e., the formation of certain habits perhaps inseparable from military life, and the fact that that member of a family is too frequently sent into the army who would never have been fit to get on either in that or any other pursuit—still, no doubt the earlier the separation from general studies the more would this evil be discernible. It may be said, of course, that education is intended to qualify a man for success in his profession, and not for failure. But this, though very good logic, will not satisfy the complaints of the grumbling paterfamilias who may find a son thrown back upon his hands without either the intellectual culture or the business habits indispensable for a civil career. Young men intended for the Church, or for the Bar, and very frequently those intended for Medicine, do not begin their specific education till two or three and twenty years of age, and yet their subsequent pursuits lead them far less away from general literary culture than those of the soldier. Is it un reasonable, therefore, to ask that he should be removed from this beneficial school of training not more than five years earlier than the mem bers of rival professions, with whom it is the fashion to contrast him ? How far ordina►y public schools are com petent to undertake the work of military education is another point discussed by the Commisaioners, and decided by them, we think, justly in the negative. A separate department in a public school devoted to studies alien to the spirit of the place would never invest them with the desirable amount of dignity, or infuse into the student those professional feelings and habits which na turally grow up among the classes of a military college. A young man so educated would be less of an officer without being more of a gentleman, and would enter on his profession, if not exactly with a sense of its inferiority, still without that enthusiasm which is one great desideratum in the British army. It must be considered, however, that, as far as mere knowledge is concerned, a public school is probably competent to impart all such as properly comes under the head of general military education as distinct from that re served for the scientific corps. Should there fore the whole scheme proposed by the Com missioners be deemed too expensive in the present state of our finances, we might very well leave the education of our line officers where it is now, and confine ourselves to the establishment of better institutions for the Stuff, the Engineers, and the Artillery. Supposing, however, these several mili tary schools or colleges to be established, two other questions arise in connection with them first, is the entrance to be made au object of competition? secondly, are all arms of the service to be educated in the same school, and afterwards drafted off to special academies ? In regard to the first point, the Commissioners say very well that a low standard of examination could do no good, and that a commission in the army is not as yet a sufficiently tempting prize to induce any great number of candidates to undergo a severer one. With reg , ird to the second, they recommend that the option of proceeding to a special scientific school should be the reward of those cadets who acquit themselves honourably in the final examinations of the general school. Nor, do we think there is much ground for fearing what has been alleged in opposition to this plan, that few but plodders would avail themselves of the chance offered, while the more active and dashing young men would be tired of books, and anxious to begin life at once. The sup. pleinentary course of scientific study would not be protracted at the outside beyond two years—and many think it might be less—and the youth who had got interested in his work, and had been taught to regard his profession in a proper spirit, would not shrink from so cheap and advantageous a method of pur chasing his advancement in life. All these points, however, will have to be fully discussed hereafter ; and ample materials are afforde d SATURDAY, by the comparison of French, Austrian, Pile; sian, and Sardinian procedure, which the Commissioners have carefully compiled. But among the various recommendations and improvements which the Commissioners have seen fit to propose, there is none which elicits our more hearty approval than their suggestions on the subject of rewards. Their proposal is to found " Queen's cadetships " for the most successful pupils at the entrance examinations, and that "an increase of pay, " to last for five years, should be given to the " pupil most distinguished in the examination s " upon leaving college." These rewards woula correspond to a great extent with the scholar. ships and fellowships of our old Universities, and would be a step in the right direction, though by no means entirely adequate to the end in view, which is, we apprehend, to mike it worth the while of able and aspiring young men to enter the army as a working profession. The fact is, and there is no getting over it, that the English are not now a military people, and neither officers nor men will join the army from the stimulus of enthusiasm only. If officers are to be drawn from the wealthy and aristocratic classes, scientific education can never be pushed beyond a certain length. If, on the other hand, they are to be sought among the same class which now usually fills the highest situations in the Church and at the Bar, the same incentive must be given them. The one will not resign their yachting and their hunting for a profession that de mands severe study; nor the other their chances of a judgeship or a mitre, for a pro fession in which 1,0001. a year is a brilliant prize. We trust never to see the day in which the former class shall be excluded from the army, and we agree therefore with the Com missioners in deprecating competitive ex aminations for entrance into military schools. But we also desire to see a strong infusion of the scientific and hardworking element, which, while affording first-class men for special and responsible posts, would at the same time leaven the whole profession, and insensibly raise the tone of all our regimental officers. THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE AND MIDDLE-CLASS EDUCATION. THE following important report has just been made to the Senate of the University of Cambridge : June I.—The Council of the Senate beg leave to report to the Senate that they have received a deputation from Birmingham, consisting of Rev. E. H. Gifford, Mr. J. T. Chance, Mr. NV. L. Sargent, Rev. H. W. Bellairs, and Rev. F. Temple, on the subject of middle-class education. They have also received the subjoind memorials on the same subject. They are further informed that a scheme has been prepared by the Hebdomadal College of the University of Oxford for the purpose of establishing a system of examinations to be conducted under the autho rity and direction of the University, either at Oxford or elsewhere, and of conferring certificates or some title of proficiency upon those candidates from schools of a middle class character who may pass the examinations with credit. The council are of opinion that a scheme of a similar nature might advantageously be adopted by this University ; and accordingly they recommend that a syn. dicate be appointed for the purpose of conferring with the persons who take an interest in the matter, and of prepar ing, in the form of a report to the Senate, the details of such a scheme as they can recommend for its adoption. Philpott, Vice-Chancellor ; Robert Phelps, W. Whewell, G. E. Come, William Selwyn, E. Harold Browne, J. Grote, W. H. Bateson, G. E. Paget, W. G. Clark, F. France, Francis Martin, J. C. Adams, Charles Hardwick, W. M. Campion. THE PETITION OF THE QUEEN MOTHER ASP PRINCES OF OunE, as presented to the House of Commons, is a lengthy document giving the history of the recent annexation of Oude, and concluding with the following prayer - • Your petitioners pray your honourable house to take the premises into your full consideration, and to redress the grievances herein complained of, and that a select com mittee of your honou ra bl e h ouse may be appointed to inquire into the contents of this petition and the matters arising out of the same, and that his Majesty the King of Oude and your petitioners may be permitted to appear before such committee and may be heard by themselves, their counsel, agents, and witnesses, in proof of the allege. tions herein contained, with a view to the establishment of their rights, the fulfilment of justice, the maintenance of treaties, and the preservation of the honour and dignity of the British nation ; and that your honourable house will be pleased to grant to your petitioners such other relief and redress in the premises as your petitioners maybe deemed entitled to according to international law and to the first principles of truth, honour, and good faith, and as to you: honourable house shall seem meet, &Wig, and just.