The Sun. — London, England, 1861-07-12 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.--(YESTERDAY.) ROYAL COMMISSION. The Royal assent was given by commission to the fol lowing bills : Cork Infirmary. New Provinces (New Zealand). Offences in Territories near Sierra Leone Prevention. Public Offices Extension. Guildford Hospital. Landed Property Improvement (Ireland). Holyhead Road. Portsea Gas. North British and Peebles Railway. Shireoaks District Church. Weston Super Mare Gas. Lambeth Bridge. London and North-Western Railway (Eccles, Tyldesley, and Wigan). .Kingstown Improvement. Wivenhoe and Brightlingsea Railway. Dublin and Antrim Junction Railway. Cheshire and Midlani Railway. London and North-Western (Chester and Holyhead) Railway. Penarth Harbour, Dock, and Railway. Thames Haven Dock (Abandonment). Westminster Improvements. Bognor Railway. Sittingbourne and Sheerness Railway. London and North-Western Railway (Liverpool Lines). Downpatrick and Newry Railway. North London Railway (Widening). Metropolitan Railway (Improvement). Fife and Kinross Railway. North Eastern. Railway (Castleton Branches). Birkenhead Railway. Rhymney Railway (Additional Capital, &c.). South Essex Water. Glasgow (City) Life Assurance. Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway. Midland Railway (Otley Extension). New Ross Harbour. North Eastern Railway (Extension). Parsonatown and Portnmna Bridge. West Cheshire Railway. South Staffordshire Railway. Staffordshire Potteries Water. Great Southern and Western Railway (Extension). Great Southern and Western Railway (Capital). Greetwell District Drainage. Manchester and Milford Railway (New Branches). Grand Junction Water. Wolverhampton New Water. Great North of Scotland Railway. The Royal Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, Lord Sydney, and Earl St. Germans. Their lordships then adjourned during pleasure. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. THE ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE. Lord HARDWICKE made an explanation with refe rence to a speech he lately made on the subject of the Royal Naval Reserve. His observations had been misinterpreted in a sense that might be calculated to give offence to the Merchant Service. As he had no intention whatever of doing anything of this kind he explained his meaning. LOCOMOTION BILL. The Earl of CAITHNESS moved the names of Earl Dade, Lord Boyle, Lord Redesdale, Lord Llanover, and some other noble lords, to be the committee on this bill. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed : —The Brighton, Uckfield, and Tunbridge Wells Railway ; Hawick Police and Improvement; Oswestry, Ellesmere, and Whitchurch Railway ; Stockport, Timperley, and Altrincham Junction Railway; and Dublin Corporation Water. THE TURNER PICTURES. Lord ST. LEONARDS postponed a series of resolutions which are on the paper against his name, having reference to the disposal of the Turner pictures. He spoke rather in distinctly, and the reasons for the postponement could not be accurately heard. Lord OVERSTONE expressed regret at the postpone ment of this subject, which he considered one of im portance. TRAMWAYS (SCOTLAND) BILL. This bill was read a second time. TRAMWAYS (IRELAND) BILL. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE moved the second reading of this bill. There was alraady in existence in Ire land a Tramways Act, but it was of such a nature as to render it exceedingly difficult to carry out any undertaking. His bill enabled persons to go before grand juries to obtain permission and powers to constsuct tramways, but provid ing any points of law, they were to be settled by the judge of assize. Lord LUCAN thought the bill a most objectionable one, and moved that it be read a second time this day six months. Earl GRANVILLE! thought it would be better: to read the bill a second time, and then they could consider its defects in commttee. Lord REDESDALE objected to the bill., The Earl of DERBY would not oppose the second read ing of the bill if the noble marquis would consent to strike out the clause which repealed the 42d clause of the Act of last session, which limited the compulsory power of taking land for the construction of tramways within 30 yards of the public road. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said he had no objec tion to take the course suggested by the noble earl. The bill was then read a second time. POOR ASSESSMENT (SCOTLAND) BILL. The house having gone into committee on this bill, Lord CAMPERDOWN moved an amendment to one of the clauses which would, he said, make the bill extend to the whole of Scotland, and abolish assessment by means and substance altogether. The Earl of EGLINTON said the adoption of the amend ment would defeat the bill, as it would interfere with a money clause. Lord MELVILLE supported the amendment. The Duke of ARGYLL opposed it. If there was any.. thing objectionable in the measure he should oppose it, but he believed it one much required in Scotland. The committee then divided on the amendment— Contents Non-contents Majority . . —2O The amendment was accordingly lost. The Earl of CAMPERDOWN then moved a second amendment, the effect of which would be to suspend for two years the assessment of stock in trade, which, after a short discussion, was negatived, the numbers being as follows— Contents 9 Non-contents Majority against the amendment —2o The bill was then passed through committee and reported. INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS (SCOTLAND) BILL. n the motion of the Duke of ARGYLL this bill was read a second time. HARBOURS BILL. This bill was, 'with some verbal amendments, then passed through committee. INCLOSUP ES BILL. 1 This bill was passed through committee. p LOCAL GOVERNMENT This bill was possed through committee.!4 11 ENT AL BILL. TRANSFER OF STOCKS AND ANNU ITIES BILL. This bill was passed through c omm i ttee. BOUNDARIES OF BURGHS EXTENSION (S COTLAND) ACT AMENDMENT BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. LEICESTER-SQUARE GARDENS. Lord REDESDALE inquired whether the attention o f the Commissioners of her Majesty's Works, or of the Metropolitan Board of Works, has been directed to the manner in which the garden in Leicester -square is now, and may be hereafter, occupied. The noble lord drew attention to the circumstances under which Mr. Wyld was allowed to erect his exhibition upon the Garden, and the attempts which had been since made to have his possession of the site conferred by Act of Parliament. The inhabi tants of the Square looked upon the erection in question as a great nuisance, but, independently of that, the public at large was equally interested in the matter, as the area in question was the only open space between Hyde Park and Lincoln's-inn-fields, as in a crowded city it was desirable to have as many of them as possible. The building to which he referred ought not to be allowed to remain there, Earl GRANVILLE said the subject had been for the last twelve months under the consideration of her Majesty's Board of Works, but there was some difficulty in dealing With tine master, owing to the gardens being in some mea sure private property. He fully concurred with the noble lord upon the importance of having as many vacant spaces as possible in a large city, and did not think Parliament would ever pass an act which would enable any one to per tnanently build upon the site in question. The subject then dropped. 4/, SPEED ON RAILWAYS. The Marquis of WESTMEATH inquired of her Ma jesty's Government, in ( onsequence of what has transpired D,yeatthq recent verdict of a coroner's inquest respecting the :birehie'tfaial way i n individual employed upon the North Stafford. n conducting a locomotive engine, and which the jury found was occasioned by undue speed, whether it may bo in their con tetnplation to propose any amendment of the II tw to contr o l witdin - easonable linathites ?speed of railway engines in future Earl 'GRANVILLE said it was not the intention of her Majesty'; Governmenttointr i oduce any such measure, as the con -zmissioners appointed railway accidents had reported inquire th into the causes of that those arising from sped N vere not so numerous as to call for Parliamentary interfere m ce. The s abject then dropped, and their lordships adjourn'ed at half-i ,ast seven o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS—yE anitt The S PEAKER took the c hair at four o'clock. Ir. NEW MEMBER. Mr. •R. PALMER, the new Solicitor-General, took oaths a 4tul his seat on his election for the borough of Rici mond and Xorkshire., PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Lords' amendments to the Trent, Ancholme, and Grimsby Railway Bill were considered and agreed to. The Blackburn Water Bill (Lords) was read a third time and passed. • ROYAL COMMISSION. The Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod summoned the members to the Upper House to hear the Royal assent given by commission to several bills, for which see Lords' report. PETITIONS. Several petitions were presented in favour of the Lords' amendments, introduced in the Upper House, in the Bank ruptcy and Insolvency Bill ; in favour of the Parochial Assessments Bill ; for the restoration of the Galway sub sidy, &c. SOUTHWARK NEW STREET. Mr. LOCKE moved an address for returns of the dates of the respective purchases made by the Metropolitan Board of Works of properties required for the purposes of the new street from the High-street, Southwark, to Stam ford-street ; of the particulars of all payments of land-tax made by the board for the properties purchased by them from the commencement of their proceeding to purchase such property to the present time ; of the aggregate amount of interest paid by the Metropolitan Board of works to the present time for moneys borrowed for the purposes of such new street, from the overseers of the poor of the parishes of St. Saviour, Southwark, and Christchurch, and different other particulars in connection with the sub ject. THE WARRIOR AND THE OTHER IRON CASED SHIPS. Mr. HORSFALL asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Admiralty had enforced the penalties against the builders of the Warrior , Black Prince, Resistance, and Defence, amounting to £50,000 each for the Warrior and Black Prince, and £lO,OOO each for the Resist ance and Defence, as stated in the Parliamentary re turn ordered by the Hou , e of Commons to be printed on the 21st day of Jun!) 1861; and, if they have not yet en forced these penalties, whether it is their intention to do so. And, whether the Admiralty have already given fur ther orders for building iron-cased ships to any of the build ers of the above named vessels; and, if they have not, whether it is their intention t o d o so un til t h e con t r acts th e y have in hand are completed ? Lord C. PAGET said that the penalties had not been enforced. There wer e t wo groun d s fo r i m p o si ng such penalties—namely, with respect to the time in which the contracts should have been fulfilled, and the deficiency in materials and labour. As regarded the first ground, there were perhaps reasons why the penalties should not be enforced, but with reference to the second, it was still open to the Admiralty to enforce the penalties. As respected the second question of the hon. member, he had to state that orders had been given to the builders to proceed with the iron-cased ships. MR. ROBERTS'S TARGET. In reply to Sir R. PEEL, Lord C. PAGET said that every opportunity would be afforded for testing the merits of this target. THE ROYAL ATLANTIC STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY. Mr, KER asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether, as a select committee had been appointed and was now sit ting to inquire into the circumstances attending the termi nation by the Postmaster- General of the postal contract with the Royal Atlantic Steam Navigation Company, it could be correctly stated that the subsidy had been with drawn, and that the contract would not be renewed, under any circumstances, by her Majesty's Government ? Lord PALMERSTON said that, as had been intimated by the Post-office authorities, the contract in question had terminated. However, be was not prepared to say what might result from the report of the committee. THE HUNGARIAN ADDRESS TO THE EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if it was true that the English Ambassador at Vienna recommended the Emperor of Austria not to receive the Hungarian Address, agreed to by the Diet at Pesth, unless such address fully recognised his sovereignty and title as King of Hungary ; and, if so, whether the British Ambassador was acting under instructions from the Government at home ? Lord PALMERSTON, in the absence of Lord J. Rus sell, said there was not the slightest foundation for any such report as that alluded to by the hon. member. CRIMINAL LAW BANKRUPTCY, &c., BILL. Mr. HADFIELD asked the Attorney-General, when it was intended to proceed with the consolidation of the Cri minal Law Bill, offences against the Person Bill, and the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Bill (Lards Amendments). The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that it was pro posed to proceed with the Offences against the Person Bill on Thursday next, when ample time would be afforded for discussing the clause that remained to be considered. The other bills would also be brought forward on Thurs day. BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY BILL. In reply to Lord HoTHAm, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that on Monday next he would state the course which the Government proposed to pursue with reference to the amendments in troduced by the Lords in the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Bill. NATIONAL EDUCATION. On the motion for going into committee of supply on education estimates, Sir J. PAKINGTON said he was quite aware of the value of time in the present state of public business, yet he hoped the house would not consider that he was unduly trespass ing on their indulgence in calling attention to the important report of the education commissioners which had been re cently laid on the table. Having referred to the circum stances which led to the appointment of the commission, the right hon. gentleman proceeded to state that five grounds had been urged by him and others in favour of immediate further legislation, or of an inquiry on which to base such legislation. Those five grounds were that large masses of the people of this country, notwithstanding the efforts of the Committee of Privy Council, were in a state of the most de plorable ignorance ; that' in large districts of the country there were either inefficient schools or no schools at all ; that the early age at which children left school prevented them from receiving the full benefit of the instruction which was available ; that it was indispensable that local agency should be added to the central establishment if the education of the people was to be efficient ; and lastly, that the system now carried on could not be so extended as to meet the require ments of the country. These were the grounds on which it was urged that an inquiry was necessary; and though the motion was strongly opposed in the house, and by none more strongly than his right hon. friend the member for Oxfordshire, it was carried, and the commission was ap pointed. The noble lord opposite was then at the head of the Government, but a few days after the Earl of Derby's Government came in, and the members of the commission were appointed by his noble friend the Marquis of Salis bury. He considered that his noble friend exercised a wise and sound discretion in. omitting both himself and his right hon. friend the member for Oxfordshire from the commis sion, and that he exercised an equally sound discretion in appointing at its head a noble duke who was distinguished for his temperate and dispassionate views on this subject. The whole of the commissioners were in his opinion entitled to the gratitude of the country for the manner in which their duties had been discharged. No document was so well calculated to increase the information or to lead to sound and safe conclusions as the report which had been produced by them. It was satisfactory to him to find that every one of the five grounds which had been urged by him and the noble lord opposite for further legis lation had been confirmed by the report. The very lan guage which he used in moving for the commission had been repeated almost word for word in the report. The commissioners reported that in the earliest report on the subject there was only 1 in 17 of the population at school; Ja and a 1833, but lin 11, w h ereas now th ey state d th a t 1 i n 7 eerla satiefnd ee, e fractiont were at school. He admitted that that was perhapsryfor i t a greatershowed per tentage e w n i t t a h g t e h a e f e t x h c e ep p t a i p o u n la o t f i S on wi o t f schoolc - council this country attended e dthtann observeivan other that a Europe.in planupon which the aid o f the The commissioners l 3 n proceed e d was given had prod u ced results far short of what had been anticipat e d, and that 15,700 de nominational schools, conta ining thetfe 6 o 7l,ooo schol ar s, h a d b een left unassisted. They w ere the present system had not effected ea, and d hey said, afraid that effect a diffusion of sound education amongst ( commissioners had also referred to the nature educa tiongiven under the present system. g as stt o b t adapted to of elp h oor. The They sal:, theerevvas overwhelming evidence that even in the inspected schools not more than one-fourth of the children received a good education, and this they attributed to the fact that the in. , superficial •in struction given was too ambitious and tooits character. (Hear, hear.) The next subject to whi c h h e would advert was the nece ssit y for t i that local inspection an d care without which an; effective system of education was impossible. The commissioners admitted the want of local interest and of local support, and they also in substance ad mitted that local aid and superintendence were indispen sable. They proceeded to point out the fallacy of the argu ment that the present system helped those who helped themselves. The poor, they observed, could n,et help them • selves in districts where the rich would not help them. They repeated the statement that the present system was not fit for a national system, and a proper reference was made to the undue amount of cost which it entailed upon the clergy of the country. The report con tained a good illustration of the last points. One of the assistant commissioners had' ascertained the expenditure in 16S polishes upon 168 schools. The total average annual cost of those schools was £6,600, and towards that sum 1 £1,500 was raised by voluntary contributions, of which £1,7e0 was contributed by 169 parochial clergymen. (Hear.) 1 it appeared from the accompanying returns that the clergy contributed twice as much as the average landowners, and j six times as much as the average householders. (Hear.) In deed if it were not for the undue exertions which the clergy were called on to make, the system could not be carried, on. The right hon. baronet having read the concluding para graph of the rep or t of the commissioners containing a sum mary of their recommendations, said that no one could deny that with the powerful machinery at its command the pre sent system had done a vast amount of good, but he con- Waded that it was not sufficient, and that they now stood in iiteinf some supplementary system, In substance tke eup- , THE 'SITN„ LONDON. FRIDAY EVKNiNG. JULY 12, 1861. plementary system recommended by the commissioners was the same as that recommended by the noble lord and by him self ; it recognised the necessity for local aid and assistance, and for local funds. The commissioners advised a county rate. He had on various occasions advised a parochial rate. He would not now enter into the question of the compare • live expediency of a parochial or county rate, but in prin ciple they were all agreed that local aid and control were necessary. It had always been predicted that the expenses of the existing system would gradually become larger than the house could bear, and already had' that prediction been fulfilled. Tho sum granted by this house every year for the promotion of national education had increased from £30,000 in 1839 to 14830,000 in 1859. From that time it had retrograded ; he was sorry to say that many allow ances had been reduced. The time had come when the Minister had said that the grant must go no further, and that diminished grants mutt henceforth be proposed. A most valuable class of schools—the refuge—which had ren dered the most important aid to thousands of poor children, had received notice that they were no longer to enjoy the assistance now extended to, them after the close of the pre sent year. A more unwise economy had never, he thought, been practised, and he deeply regretted it. (Hear, hear.) In the present estimate there is a large, an*, as he thought, a most unfortunate decrease in the grant for reformatories and ragged schools, the grant beingl9,7oo, and the decrease from last year no less than £8,200. The class benefited by ragged schools was peculiarly entitled to the consideration of the house, but looking at the question only as one cif pounds, shillings, and penoe, he contended that no money should be spent more economically or to better advantage than that bestowed on those schools. Last year he had made an appeal in their favour, but he was sorry to say it had been sternly refused by the right hon. gentleman oppo site (Mr. Lowe). They had, however, last year been asked for a grant of upwards of £lOO,OOO for the cultivation and improvement of science and at t. He had no objection to grants being made for that purpose, but he did object to those grants being accompanied by a declaration that they could no longer afford grants for the elementary instruction of those who were too poor to educate themselves. (Hear, hear.) He could give an illustration of the working of this grant for the promotion of science and art. Examinations were held in that department in different party of the coun try, and last December one of those examinations took place at Brighton. His youngest son, who was at school at Brighton, and who had a considerable taste for drawing, became a competitor. A first cousin of the boy also com• peted, and they both of them had the luck to gain prizes. Those prizes were paid for out of the grants passed by this house. (Hear, hear.) He would ask the house what consis• tency there was in granting such a large sum for such a pur pose, when they saw by the report on the table that there were 15,000 schools languishing for want of funds to enable them to give elementary education. (Hear, hear.) He thought he could not mention a more apt illustration than that of his own son, and the facts showed that the present system im peratively required an alteration. (Hear, hear.) He held that this question was most important as bearing upon the business on which they were about to enter, namely, the an nual grant for education. Whatever might be the merits of the present system—and he had not denied them—it would be impossible to expect that the educational require ments of the country could be adequately met by this sys tem alone. (Hear, hear.) He thought ,the able report of the commissioners had proved to demonstration that the present system under which the education of the masses was assisted must be still more assisted by a further grant. (Hear.) He did not littend now to press the Government to give their opinion upon the report, because he could not deny the difficulties which surrounded the subject, though he had often urged its importance--(hear)-e-and therefore it would be most unreasonable to expect any Government to have made up their minds on a report which had been issued Only a few months. All he would ask was that the Government should consider the valuable contents of the report during the recess, with a view to legislate on the sub ject in the next session of Parliament. The noble lord, the Secretary for Foreign Affeirs, and the noble duke, the Se cretary for the Colonies, were members of the commission, and that would lead the house to hope that the Government would found upon the report a measure which would be satisfactory to the house and the country. Mr. HENLEY said he cordially coincided in the recom mendation which his right hon friend had given to the Go vernment, that in the coming recess they would seriously consider this large and valuable report--(hear, hear)—and he thought he might say that no man would be more than himself satisfied with the judgment the Government would come to in legislating upon. it. He was not surprised that his right hon. friend had—indeed, it would have been un natural if he had not—congratulated himself on the report of the commissioners, because there were many parts of it which sanctioned the course of action which he had recom mended on secular education. His right hon. friend bad read passages of the report to the house which showed that the recommendations of the commissioners were identical in principle with those which be had recommended. He would ask the hougt to seriously cone der what those re commendations were. The commissioners, after discussing the propositions upon which themeasures of the Manchester school and others were founded, said that they were all framed with remarkable skill in every detati, nut that they had failed partly because the ratepayers would not provide the funds, and partly because they interfered with religi ous teaching in the schools. (Hear.) The commissioners further expressed an opinion that the calling forth of local action was an essential requisite to mass. He (Mr. Henley) would be surprised if the local action which the commissioners proposed would not be found upon examina tion to interfere with the religious character of the schools. His right hon. friend said that the expenses of the present system must be supplemented in some way, and so said the commissioners ; and it came to this, that so much ahead, about 205., was to be paid for every child that could read and write, and the amount for each school would have to be ascertained by a county board and local examiners consisting of schoolmasters. The amount required would have to be paid out of the county rates. Now, if that were all that was required to make the present sys tem perfect, why not do it at once, without waiting further legislation next year ? It should be remembered that the re port throughout the length of it showed that the opinions of the commissioners were nearly balanced—(hear)—and that they supported the most conflicting and contradictory views. They said the present plan of the Education Board was the only ono by which it was possible to secure the re ligious character of the system. The commissioners did not enter upon a proof of their assertions, but said it was enough for their purpose to say that that was their deliberate opi nion. (Hear.) The commissioners in another part of the re port said that their inquiry impressed them with the con viction that no other system than the present was practica ble in the present state of religious feeling in England. That was an important admission. (Hear, hear.) Then they came to the recommendation of the commissioners as to how pub lic assistance ought. to be given to schools. Now his right hon. friend had throw it out, almost as a matter of reproach, that there were 15,000 schools, educating 1,200,000 or 1,300,000 children, carried on without the aid of public money. But he (Mr. Henley) could not understand why people should not be allowed to educate themselves and their neighbours if they thought fit so to do. (Hear, hear.) Why should they be paid public money if they could do without it ? (Hear.) His right hon. friend said he saw that every thing which he had desired should be done was coming about, and that he was now satisfied with the number of children at school, but that he wanted to improve the qua lity of education. He (Mr. Henley) thought that if they showed the people the right way to proceed and then left them alone, they would arrive at a satisfactory result. The , commissioners did not say one word about religious teach ing in their conditions for public money grants. They were that the schools should be properly ventilated, that they should be drained ;, that there should be eight square feet to every child ; that the schools should be open to inspec tion, and that they should be favourably reported upon. Those were the conditions of the commissioners, and they recommended, under the head of public relief rendered ac cording to their scheme, that the funds should be provided from the general taxation of the country and from the county rates. (Hear,) The report showed the rate per head of relief, and the circumstances under which it should be paid to the schools. Now all these were serious matters when the Government was pressed to legislate upon them, and they would require a very careful consideration on the part of the Government, the house, and the country. (Hear.) A committee had been appointed to watch the proceedings of Parliament with reference to education, which commit tee included many influential names, and that committee had come to conclusions widely different from those of the commissioners. The National Society reported that there was great danger to religion from the sort of education re commended by the commissioners. The commissioners had taken too limited an area for their calculations, 108 parishes third, assessedm making i L u g 5 0 4 8 6 , 0 8 0 0 0 0 , () t o o . which Had theyt h e y adopted arbitrarily a wider added basisene - \ they would have ' come to entirely different conclusions. lie em employedpupilswho were m u years of age less cultivation. they much better have teachers of the believed the teachers meats, and if they had qua lity of education at stofleatovoe haitghloatotrainu prr, hear.) With respect to the between the repoertsesnotiven there was great discre pancytables of the Privy the commissioners and the Council, th cc we ll," "fir," in thousands o of latter giving •° excellent," com missioners had reported the acquirements in which the to be of the roost superficial character.Thets of the children rasher better in regard to writing than reading, reports were 7,486 schools, good reports were returned from Out of . 6,782, a very large proportion. In regard to arithmetic, th e ~., ,- J were 7,459 schoOls and 6,23 - ; good reports; and what ap peared to be still more inconsistent was the result it re gard to grammar—out of 5,800 schools inspected 4,300 being reported as excellently well grounded in grrmmar. If, in return for £500,000 a year for these trained teachers and pupil teachers, they only got ore-fourth of the 900,000' children taught, it would be wftl fel the Privy Council to take the matter into their eonsiteration in the retess to determine whether it would be better to teach all the children to read, write, .and cypher, ant' leave alone the higher branches of education. (Hear, heir.) But the commissioners were anxious to make a little Addition to the qualifications of teachers, and it was a nyst curious one. They said there was a capital defect in tNse trill-nod marl ters ; it used to be said that's cleanlinesawas next to god liness," but the commissioners.were o' opinion that the next thing to godliness was political neotoiny—lauzb ter and chiers) ; another capital defect in the teaChers was a want of knowledge of sanitary science ; and these were the quail • fications necessary for the instruction of children up to 10 or 11 years of age. Ono of the commissioners was formerly a professor of political economy, and it was said that people were apt to look with great favour upon what they did well, and perhaps this might account for that part of the report. But there was one sentence in the report which, if the whole of the rest was, set aside, he believe d would entitle the commissioners to the thanks of the country, and that was their description of what a schoolmaster ought, and what he ought not to be. They say—" We may observe, in con clusion, that the occupation of an elementary schoolmaster is not well suited for a young man of an adventurous, stir ring, or ambitious character, and that it is rather a misfor tune than otherwise when persons of that temper of mind are led into it by the prospect which its earlier stages ap pear to afford of rising in the world socially as well as in tellectually. It is a life which requires a quiet, even temper, patience, sympathy, fondness for children, and habitual cheerfulness." A more beautiful description of what was ne_ cessary for a schoolmaster, and which so entirely accorded with his judgment of what these teachers should be, he never remembered to have seeu. The commissioners went on to say —" It wants rather good sense and quiet intelligence than a veryinquisitive mind or brilliant talents, and the prospects which it affords appear well calculated to attract the class of sons best fitted for it." He asked the right hon. gentleman the Vice-President of the Board of Education, and the house, whether the system now practised for training these school masters was likely to secure such men as come within these descriptions. They took the quickest child, with the greatest precocity of intellect, and of the greatest energy, and forced him in a kind of hot-bed of instruction as a pupil-teacher till he went into the training school, and when he got into the training school the process' f forcing still went on. The country paid £lOO,OOO a-y ear to these training colleges, and there was no doubt the training colleges were obliged to come to the house for this large sum of money, because a very large proportion of the community out of doors—the people who supported the 15,000 schools—said they did not get the article they wanted—that the article was too high. If the training schools were to produce an article that would suit the 15,000 schools they might depend upon it that the same elements that supported the schools would prevent the demand upon the public purse for the support of the training schools. (Hear, hear.) But if they would have Oxford and Cambridge men at the head of these institutions, and tested the qualifications of the teachers by examination papers of such a character that half the members of that house would turn their backs upon them unable to answer the questions— (a laugh)--and these qualifications, let it be remembered, were for the education of children of ten or eleven years of age only—it behoved those who had the charge of the grant to look cloeely into the matter, and to tell the house in an other year how far they agreed and how far they disagreed with the commissioners, and whether they thought that the addition of political economy and sanitary science to the present requirements would make the trained teachers more likely to buckle down to the difficult task of teaching young children reading and writing—(hear, hear)—and whether the forced system of educating pupil teachers was likely to produce " even temper, patience, sympathy, fondness , for children, and habitual cheerfulness." (Hear, hear.) , He had not had the experience that would enable him to pronounce an opinion upon the matter—he merely stated these things=he had looked carefully into the report, and he saw these results, thcugh the evidence the commissioners had adduced did not lent him exactly to these conclusions. He was only sorry that to had occupied so much of the time of the house, but having made a strong appeal to the Government in the direction of education, he could not help saying a few words upon the subject. (Cheers.) Mr. LOWE thought it would be for the convenience of hon. members, and he was sure it would be for his own con venience, if he postponed his reply till the house went into committee. hear.) The object of the Privy Council had been to create a system and standard of education, and for this purpose they had given capitation grants, whereby the school was entitled to a certain sam of money for every child who attended the school 176 times in the year. But they had not perhaps taken as much care of testing the results of the teaching and attend ance as they had of the teaching and attendance themselves. It was quite possible that they might have erred in net providing machinery for this purpose, and so far they might have something to answer for, if the reading, writing, and arithmetic of the scholars were not as good as they wished. The commissioners brought a fourth charge against the system, which could not be denied—that it waseone of great complexity. They had to pay 7,700 masters and 15,300 pupil teachers, in all 23,000 persons, and they did this by post-office orders directed to the homes of the indi viduals. This was not without its advantages, but it led to enormous expense and labour. Perhaps this was neces sary in the beginning of the system, but they might have been wrong in adhering to it in its full complexity. They had also to correspond with 6,000 sets of managers of schools. The commissioners found another fault with the system, which was that it did not—and probably could not —cover the whole country ; that there were large districts in the land to which it had not penetrated. This was also very true ; but it was a [necessary concomitant of the sys tem of giving grants founded on voluntary efforts. These were the faults which the commissioners found with the system. He had no means of judging how far they were right—how far the inspectors were right, or how the con flict between them was to be reconciled. Their recom mendations, however, were entitled to consideration from those whose duty and wish it was to make the department as perfect as possible. Notwithstanding the fault found with the present system the com missioners recommended that it should be continued. He would not say that in that they expressed the opinion of the whole country, or that of philosophers and abstract thinkers, but he believed they expressed the views of those to whom the existence of general education in this country was due. If the Government spent £4,800,000 in educating the people private liberality had spent double that sum, and he felt persuaded that the question of education would be regulated by the opinion prevalent among those in whose hands the system was now. As long as they who paid the money considered that the present system was the best, so long would it be continued. (Hear.) He might, therefore, say at once, that there was no intention on the part of the Government to infringe on the organic principle of the sys tem, he meant the denominational origin, it being founded on the support of the religious bodies—the system of grants from a central office in aid of local subscriptions and the principle of inspection. There was no intention of change in any of these respects—(hear)—and so far it was the deter mination of the Government to continue it unimpaired. The next point was, how they should remedy the faults pointed out; and in order to find the remedy he looked into the re port itself. The diagnosis of the commissioners was good, and he wished to know if they supplied a cure. First, as to the question of expense, they recommended the abolition of the book grants, and they originated a scheme which might relieve the grant from the central board. But as it consisted of a transfer of payment from the central to county boards, it was a transfer like the late Mr. L'ston's joke, who used to fine himself by transferring his money from his right-hand pocket to his left-hand one. (Laughter.) Next, with a view to remedy the complexity of the present system, the defects in teaching, and the imperfect develop ment of the system over the country, they recommended two kinds of grants, one paid out of the fund of the Go vernment, and the other out of the county rate. The fund at the disposal of the Government for ca/Sitation grants they proposed should be paid in certain proportions not easy to be understood, as the children were under a certifi floated or under a pupil teacher. That was the plan for the one. The plan for the other was that a county board should be appointed, that they should appoint the schoolmaster, that he was to examine the children, and that a certain sum of money should be paid for each child who answered satisfactorily in reading, writing, and arithmetic. It seemed that that plan had the support of the right hon. gentleman opposite. [Sir J. Pakington—l did not say so.] Well, it was asked if the Government would bring in a bill to effect that object. Now the house would observe that the duty thrown upon the county board by this plan was purely ministerial. They had no discretion. The only discretion was in the schoolmaster, who might make a report favourable or other wise, and so influence the amount to be paid out of the county rate. Having done this the rest was merely mechanical. The advantage of local control was good, be cause it led to economy and closeness of management. But the proposal he was now considering seemed to retain the evil and reject the good, for it imposed on the counties the burden of payment but did not give them the indemnity of management. (Hear.) Neither, as far as ho could judge from the tone of the house, was there any disposition to impose on the county rates any additional burden. (Hear.) These grants were to be given to all schools, not merely to the schools in connection with the board but to ordinary adventure schools. In this respect he thought they might take a wise lesson from the history of the capi tation grants. Those grants were given in the first in stance in order to afford assistance to the small rural schools. But as soon as they were given to these schools others applied for them, and it soon became a question how a rural school was to be defined. In the end the Privy Council settled the matter by giving the capitation grants ' to all schools. The result was that they were now absorbed by the large schools in towns, which did not want them, and to which it was never intended that they should be assigned. (Hear, hear.) He was afraid that the result would be the same in the present case, and that under the semblance of giving aid to the poor schools an unneces sary augmentation of the public expenditure would take place. He could not, therefore, acquiesce in the justice of the proposal that they should give aid to the private ad venture schools. (Hear, hear.) He said this indepen dently of the objection that they ought not to enter into competition with private teachers. One of the great disadvantages of the present system was, that it went into opposition with itself. They made a statement, and because other people could not keep up to that standard they made a second, and thus raised an opposition to themselves. (Hear, hear.) Then, they were asked to give grants to the ragged schools. He now turned to that part of the recommendations which had reference to the capitation grants to certificated masters and pupil teachers, and which might be met by a minute of the Privy Council. He could hardly adopt the proposal made at present. First, it would break up the system of pupil teachers, and this, for two reasons: at present the average payment for every pupil teacher was £l5, and if you only paid him 2s. 6d. for every 30 children you would pay him less than £4. Now the striking off of this sum from the salary of the pupil teacher would be such a blow that he was afraid it would be impos sible to carry on the system after it. It would amount to a revolution of the whole system. (Hear, hear.) The second reason was that the main difference between the monitors and the pupil teachers was that the former were employed by the job, whereas the engageT•ent of the latter extended over five years. For the first two years the pupil teacher was of Tittle value, but for the last three years he was a valuable junior teacher. It was essential that they should continue to be apprenticed for five years, and it would destroy their efficiency if they were to be replaced by moni tors for a year or so, then to be turned off. With regard to expense, he hoped to lay before the house in a few days a minute showing all the reductions which had been made, and he trusted that something more might be done in that way without impairing the efficiency of the system. He wished to call the attention of the house to a point to which he had never before adverted—he alluded to the position cecupled by the National Society towards the Privy Coun cil. That society was founded for the education of children in the doctrines of the Church of England. He had no fault to find with the rules of that society, and the council had entered into a concordat with the society with full know ledge of their terms. It was, however, left to the discretion of the managers of the schools whether they should adhere i to those rules or not. Mr. lIENLEY—The clergyman, not the manager. Mr. LO WE—The manager or the clergyman, it made no difference b his argument. The result was that he was sometimes placed in a very difficult position. He was asked, as the representative of a public department, for a grant of public money, on the understanding that the manager or the clergyman would not enforce the rules of the society. It was desirable as a matter of economy that this question should be considered by the National Society. That society constantly came and asked for a school for a parish. If he granted the school for the whole parish he ran the risk that the manager would insist upon the terms of his trust, and act upon the rules of the society, and that he should thereby do an injustice to the Dissenters, by excluding them from the school. He was then applied to by tie Dissenters for another school ; they made out an irresistible case, and the consequence was that two miser able schools were established where one good school would have been much cheaper and much more efficient. Untold mischief and heart-burning had been created by this state of things, and he hoped his appeal on the subject would be taken into consideration by the National Society. This was, however, a delicate subject, and he only alluded to it under a strong sense of duty. He quoted the opinion of a right rev. prelate who had lately written upon this topic, that it • would be well to reserve the teaching of doctrinal points until the children had arrived at a sufficiently advanced age for confirmation. Three faults were found with the present system ; ono was, that the teaching was superficial ; another was, that the schools were not sufficiently diffused over the country, and the third was the complexity of the system. It was thought possible that a system might be suggested which would remedy all these evils. He would briefly state the nature of the propositions which the Government intended to make, and which would be ex plained more fully in a minute shortly to be laid on the table. They proposed to substitute for the present system of graduated payments, a system of payment in the nature of a capitation grant. The question would be what ought to be the conditions of that capitation grant ? They thought they ought b be satisfied that some adequate results had been obtained before they made the payments. They there fore proposed to give a capitation grant upon the attend ances of a child above a certain number, provided that the school was in a proper state, and there was a certified nuts, ter in it. They &so proposed to create a four kind of certificate, lower than those now us,e(A, available for rural schools. They toga propcised that the inspectors should , examine the children is reading, writing ? auk} FOimetic, and that a certain proportion of each grant should be with drawn if the child failed in either of those subjects. He hoped this plan might have some effect in correcting those evils of teaching which had been complained of, and that the attention of each master would in future be given to the whole of his school. They did not intend to break in upon the present system of pupil teachers. They would, if these propositions were adopted, secure some test as to the manner in which each of the masters had done his duty. Some of the advantages of the proposed system would be, that the whole Privy Council organisation would be left intact, and a great deal of trouble would be saved in its working ; that the masters would be left much more free of control than they were at present, and the interference of the Govern ment would be minimised, and that the schoolmasters would have a much stronger motive for exertion than they had at present. In this way, too, theywould carry out, as far as they could, the idea of the commissioners' report, free from many of the objections to the machinery which they had suggested. They were of opinion that it would be expedient to continue to select inspectors from the same class of society as at pre sent instead of substituting schoolmasters, for the inspection was one of the evils inseparable from a central system ; but if it should be carried to too great an extent, the house would 1 ave the remedy in its own hands. Each denomina • tion had now inspectors of its own, and the house might at some future time put a check upon an increase in the num ber of inspectors, by enacting that one inspector should be appointed to all the schools in a district, to whatever deno mination they might belong. They had endeavoured to meet the case as well as they could, and they hoped to be able to place this department in a state of efficiency as far as the state of the case would allow. It was their constant endeavour to render the department as comprehensive, ef fectual, and he would add as economical as possible. (Hear, hear.) Mr. ADDERLEY expressed his satisfaction at the an nouncement just made, and said that he was glad to see that the deficiencies indicated by the Commission were likely to be remedied by the Government. Sir G. C. LEWIS pointed out the practical obstacle in the way of the recommendations of the Commissioners There would be great difficulty in transferring the educa tional charges from the Consolidated Fund to the local rates. Then under the county and borough rating which they proposed, it would be impossible to carry out the deno minational system, while they would not obtain the advan tages of local supervision. Mr. BAINES thought the people should be as much as possible thrown on their own resources. He objected to the capitation system, under which a series of grants would be made founded upon the necessities of the poorest classes of the people. He himself knew many schools perfectly able to support themselves, which at present received public money, and he denounced such a state of things as a scandal. As regarded religion, he believed that a sound religious teaching was a main and essential element. People who were afraid that the country would not be educated without Government aid for got the good sense of the parents of the country would not prompt them to give their children a good educa tion. He utterly denied the statement of the right hon. gen tleman that there were large tracts of country where there was no education at all. The report of the Commissioners showed an average of six years' education to every child in the ceuntry, and that he thought a very satisfactory state of things. England, in point of fact, stood above many of those countries in Europe which stood first in reputation. He denied that such a state of things m as to be ascribed to grants of public money, for the great part of the work had been done before Parliament granted a farthing. In the Sunday-schools, to which not a penny had ever been given, there were at present 2,415,554 children, and 320,000 volun tary teachers. He would ask the house to consider whether the time had not arrived for abandoning an extravagant and useless expenditure. It was gratifying to find that as educa tion had increased crime had decreased. Tho house ought, however, to recollect that if the present system went on un checked, it would cost, if extended over the whole country, £2,500,000 a year. He saw no more reason for training schoolmasters at the public expense than for training law yers, doctors, or manufacturers. According to the opinion of some of the best authorities on the subject, the tendency of any system of Parliamentary grants was to extend itself upwards,so that they might expect to see a sys; em which had been established for the poor gradually extend itself so as to include the middle classes. It could easily be shown that the effect of the Parliamentary grant had been, in some cases, to diminish the amount of voluntary contributions. He re gretted to hear that the Government intended to adhere to the system of pupil teachers. The house ought not to for get that a minority of the Commission of Education were of opinion, after all their inquiries, that the education of the people might safely be left to themselves. (Hear.) His conviction was, that popular education ought, like religion and industry, to be left entirely free. (Hear.) Mr. HENLEY referred to the rules of the National So ciety in explanation of the statement he had made at an earlier part of the evening. He regretted to hear the state ment which the right hon. gentleman had made that night, and was afraid it would lead to great incumbrance if not to heartburnings. No member of that society could forget that the right hon. gentleman had not only endeavoured to force into Church schools trustees who were not Church men, but had argued ex debit() justitio, that wherever there was a conscience clause they were bound to admit into the trust a Dissenter. Sir S. NORTHCOTE declined to commit himself by the expression of any opinion with respect to the plans of the Government until the minutes of the Committee of the Privy Council were before the house. He suggested that all minutes which might involve the expenditure of money should be laid before the Treasury for its sanction, before it was acted upon by the education department. Mr. WHALLEY proposed that the sum of £77,000 for capitation grants be reduced by a sum of £12,000, being the amount of the proposed increase for the present year under that head. Mr. HENNESSY said that if it were the object of the hon. member to put down the Catholic schools, he had taken a course which would not carry out his object, because the capitation grant was paid equally to all classes. The ameadment was withdrawn, and the vote was agreed to. A sum of £77,484 was next proposed for the Department of Science and Art. Mr. LOWE stated that this vote ineluded the sum of £6,000 for the Royal Dublin Society, and he proposed that the house should agree to this vote, but that the money should be retained in the hands of the Government until some arrangements were made with that society. Lord W. GRAHAM moved the omission from the vote of the sum of £15,009 for the new building proposed to be erected at South Kensington. The plan of Captain Fowkc would involve two very expensive frontages and the addi tion of a very extensive range of buildings. He thought that the Government was not justified in inducing the com mittee to the commencement of this very expensive and ornamental frontage of these schools and residences. Mr. LOWE explained that the Government had not adopted the plans proposed by Capt. Fowke. The amendment was withdrawn and the vote agreed to. A sum of £185,000 was next proposed, being the re mainder of the vcte for public education in Ireland. Mr. CARDWELL stated that the entire vote was £285,000, and showed an increase of £14,000 over the amount asked last year, the increase being made up prin. cipalfl , of the expense of normal schools, and the increased payment to teachers. For this sum 5,623 schools were supported, the number of scholars borne on the books was over 800,000, and the average daily attendance was 262,000, There had been a slight falling off in the num ber of pupils. This was due, to a great extent, to the extreme severity and inclemency of the season, during the last winter, which had prevented the attendance of many of the pupils. The board, as new constituted, consisted of six members of the Established Church, of four Presby terians, being 10 Protestants, and 10 Roman Catholics. He hoped that all the difficulties had now.been surmounted, and that the committee would grant the vote which he.now asked for. (Hear, hear.) Mr. BUTT said that as many members were anxious to address the committee on this question, he should move that the chairman report progress. (Cries of "go on.") After alluding to the increase which had taken place in the vote, he asserted that matters had been taken up by the board which did not come under the head of education. His wish was to have an opportunity of discussing the entire question at a reasonable hour of the night. Mr. CARDWELL would give the hon. gentleman all the information in his power, but he hoped that the com mittee would pass this vote to-night. Mr. LONGFIELD thought that the discussion should be adjourned, as most of their time had that night been occupied in discussing the vote for England. The present system was one forced on the people of Ireland, which they were compelled to adopt. It was equally distasteful to Pro • testants as to Roman Catholics. After some futher conversation, the house resumed, and progress was reported. SALMON AND TROUT FISHERIES BILL. The house then went into committe on this bill. The first 5 clauses were agreed to. On clause 6, Colonel FRENCH said it was now half-past one o'clock, and they had passed only 5 clauses out of 136. Ile wi sh e d to know how long they meant to go on. Mr. CLIVE hoped the committee would consent to pass some few more clauses. Clauses 6 to 14 inclusive were ordered, as amended, to stand part of the bill. On clause 12, prohibiting the catching of salmon fry by rod and line, in rivers and streams, Mr. GARNETT proposed from the word "destroy" to insert the words " except by rod and line." If the clause were allowed to remain as it was now framed, they would have their rivers and streams swarming with those salman and other small fry. Some discussion ensued, of rather an amusing took part, in which Colonel Pennant and other hon. members o and in which Mr. Clive objected ti the amendment. The committ ee divided, and the numbers were— For the amendment, , bTajority . • ............................... _ 8035 A g ainst it ... ...... ................ 45 Clause 12 was then ordered to stand part of the bill; as were clauses 13 to 18 inclusive. On clause 19, Inrcl a " mooed an amendment to leave out " Friday" and insert " Saturday," the object of the amend ment being to abridge the time of closing the rivers against fishing. The committee divided and the numbers were— For the amendment Against it Majority —B7 (The result of this division, which took place at a quarter past two o'clock, in a numerously attended house, was re ceived withloud cries of " Hear, hear," indicating the deep interest which the house feels in the preservation of salmon fry and trout.) The remaining clauses were agreed to, and the houso resumed. SUPPLY—REPORT. The report on Supply was brought up and agreed to. QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT BILL. This bill was read a third and passed. CONJUGAL RIGHTS (SCOTLAND) BILL. This bill was read a second time ; as was also the Trus' teas (Scotland) Bill. LANDLORD AND TENANT LAW AMENDMENT (IRELAND) ACT PROCEEDINGS BILL. This bill was read a third time. The White Herring Fishery (Scotland) Bill, as amended, was considered. The other orders on the paper were disposed of, and the houso adjourned at a quarter past three o'clock. SUPPLY. The house then went into committee, and upon the vote of £643,724 being proposed for public education in Great Britain, Mr. LOWE said:the estimate for this year was necessarily forwarded to the Treasury before the report of the corn. missioners, and the consequence was that no trace was to be found in it of any opinion, or of any measure the Government might have adopted upon the report. The estimate was of a very ordinary character, being only £5,000 in excess of the estimate of last year. The right gentleman the member for Droittiich (Sir J. Pakington) had stated that the estimates of this department had on one occasion reached the enormous sum of £836,000. That was an error in fact, but for which he attached no blame to the right hon. gentleman. The estimate for 1859.60, being the first year in which he (Mr. Lowe) had the honour of moving these estimates, was increased to that amount by the deficiencies of three former years, which amounted to £75,000, and the actual estimate for the year was there fore only £761,000. In that year the number of children found in the schools was 821,000. In the following year, 1860-61, the number of children found by the inspec tors in the schools had increased to 880,000, showing an increase of 60,000, and the estimate had increased to £798,000, or by £37,000. In the present year the . and thA numbrr of children now in the schools 962,000. Considering what they heard of the increase of this estimate he trusted the house would not consider that ee result since he had been connected with the department was unsatisfactory ; the number of children had been increased by 141,000, while the estimate had only increased by £42,000. Certainly, he had not ex pected to be rebuked on account of the increase in the esti mate by the right hon. gentleman the member for Droit wich, who in the same breath had reproached him for attempting to economise. During the whole of the time that he had been in oSce this question had been before the com mission, and any measures of importance had been post poned for their decision. But a reduction had been effected in the number of pupil teachers by the right hon. gentle man the member for North Staffordshire, and there had also been a reduction in the building grant effected by the Lord President; and he (Mr. Lowe) could not regret that the sum of £40,000 had been saved to the country without, as far as he could see, in any way damaging educa tion, (Hear.) He now passed to a question of very great interest, namely, the criticisms of the commissioners upon the working of the department, upon which he had been challenged by the right hon. gentleman the member for Oxford (Mr, Henley) to plead guilty or not guilty. The charges made by the commissioners were four. The first was the great expense of the present system. They com puted that in the course of time, at its present rate of in.; crease, the vote would reach £2,100,000, and they very truly said that that was an enormous expense. But when he looked to these criticisms he endeavoured, as far as pos sible, to discover how much was the fault of the system upon which they were working, and bow much the effect of maladministration, and he was satisfied that whatever might be the merits or demerits of the system, it could never be an economic one. If persons were spending their own money, or if the expenditure were under local control, economy could be practised or enforced, but all that the Privy Council could do was to insist that certain conditions should be observed in return for the granls, and those who were the b:st able to pay were the best able to comply with the conditions. '1 his, therefore, must always be the evil of a central system, that its benefits must fall to a great extent upon those who were able to do without them. (Hear.) The grants were also paid out of two funds, and they could never adapt the one so closely to the other as to save expense in the manegement. But rio doubt there were some ex penses In the system that might in some degree be reduced, and he should when he recurred to the subject, point out what view the Government took of the recommendation of the commissioners in this respect. lie thought it was the duty of those who had charge of the public money, and of the system upon which it was spent, to make it as economical as they could, for he was satisfied that there was nothing more likely to bring the system to the ground than to make it intolerably-burdensome. {Hear, hear.) Another charge brought against the department by the commissioners was that the instruction was deficient—that it was too ambitious and too superficial—tha; the lower boys were neglected for the sake of the upper ores--that a child ought to be able to read, write and cypher it an intelligible manner when he left school. But all that the department was responsible for was the collecting ant tabulating of the inspectors' state ments; for the words themselves the inspectors were re sponsible. He believed the criticism was well founded, that the clever boys were ?lashed forward instead of the modest and unassuming ; but there was not a school in the coun • try to which it did art equally apply. (Hear.) The next objection was, that E great number of children left school without the degree cf instruction which they ought to have. , It would serve no toed purpose to deny that ; and though he hoped and belieted the system was capable of great im provement in this natter, he did not expect to see the time i when the same might not be said under any system of pub lic education in tits country. There were some defects arising from the manner in which the system was worked. The right hon. gentleman opposite spoke of tha high train ing of the schoolraasters. He did not pretend to say whe ther it was too hth Or too low. It certainly was too high if the schoolmaster had only to teach persons between ten end eleven years of age. But they were called upon not only to instruct these children tent the pupil teachers who were to be the future school masters of the country up to 18 years of age, when they were sent to the training colleges. If those training colleges were, as he thought they should be, in the hands of the Go - vernment, he should feel more responsibility in this matter, but though the Government exercised considerable influence over these colleges, it was not in their power to make them exactly what they wished. Then the right hon. gentleman raised the risibility of the house by his remarks on the circumstance that these teachers were taught something of political economy. Notwithstanding what the right hon. gentleman said, he considered that in these days of strikes, \vie n class was set against class, it was desirable that there • should be persons throughout the country who should be able to give a sensible opinion on these melancholy contests. If they knew somewhat less of the contests between the Roses, something less of the Gnostic and other heresies, and could show that the amount of wages did not depend altogether on the master, they would not be the less serviceable name bers of society_ ([fear, hear.) Neither did he think it wrong that they should know something of sanitary science —that open drains and cesspools led to disease and death— that thdy would anevizely in throwing open their windows awi selecting healthy situations for their dwellings. (Rear TERRIBLE BOILER FXPLOSION. Yesterday morning, at nine o'clock, a fearful boiler explosion took place at th e manu f ac t or y of Mr. E. Mincher, bone button-manufacturer, Hack" ney-wick, near the Victoria-park station. The ex plosion has caused loss of life, injury to many per sons, and extensive damage to the factory of Mr. George Spill, waterproof clothing- manufacturer. The premises of Mr. Mincher occupy a large s pace • of ground near the North London Railway, and Mr. George Spill's factory, recently constructed, is within fifty yards of Mr. Mincher's premises, with a wide road between. There was a large Cornish boiler in a shed outside Mr. Mincher's factory , which furnished steam to the engine and machinery in the workshops. A few minutes before nine o'clock the boiler exploded with a loud report. The boiler-house, engine -house, a large portion of the factory, and a shed were destroyed, and a portion of the materials were thrown over and upon the North London Railway, 200 yards distant. Mr. George Spill's counting-house, a large brick bnild ing three stories in height, was exposed to the full force of the explosion, the plate glass 'windows were shattered, and other damage was inflicted. Directly the explosion occurred Mr. Spill and his men, and Mr. Barnes, the proprietor of a chemical factory adjoining, rendered every possible assistance. They raised ladders against the walls of the factory, and after one end of it had been blown out they ca=ught the people as they jumped from the windows, and saved them from destruction. The engine -house and factory were a heap of ruins directly after the explosion occurred. A man named Bishop, who' was lying asleep on his back near the engine-house't was scalded and burnt; he was also covered with hot bricks and the debr. , B, and when extricated was a pp' rently lifeless. He was taken to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where he died a few hours afterwards- Several other persons were injured. Mr. Spill caused them to be removed to his premises, and obtained the assistance of several medical men. After the necessary attendance and surgical treatment the parties were removed to their own homes. Messrs. George Spill and Co.'s premises, occupying an area of two acres, are muoh damaged by the explosion- Mr. Spill and his son were crossing the road be tween the two factories when the explosion toot place, and were knocked down by the concussion). They soon recovered themselves, and proceeded t the assistance of the women in Mr. Mincher's em ploy. The boiler which exploded is a very large one, and nearly new. The general opinion is that the water spaces were too contracted and collapsed.. Last night many thousands were proceeding tor the scene of the disaster. A strict inqiry will take place respecting the origin of the explosion and the state of the boiler. COUNTRY mAiexErs. BIRMINGHAM-JULY ii, At to-day's market there was a short supply of Eft lish wheat from the farmers, and highP,r prices were de manded, but no reduction submitted. to; and the sales made of both foreign and English realised quite as much . , money. Barley sold at 6d per gy d earer. O ats, b eans , a nd peas unaltered. MANCHESTER-Jury 11. Holder of wheat demanded the extreme prices of til e previous week. The inquiry for flour was restricted to good fresh qualities ; inferior sorts unsaleable. Oats all oatmeal at previous quotations. Egyptian beans and Indian corn held rather against buyers. LYNN-JrLy 9. There was a moderate attendance. 1 1 he supply of *hest was middling, with a slow business, at rather more money Barley maintained the prices of last week. Oats, beans, and peas firm. Old white 52s to 55s Old red .. 46s to 509 I Barley. 2 Bs t o 32s Oats •.22s to 26s Beans .24s to 44s I Peas 48s to Ms CORK—JULY 10. The following were the quotations this morning :- wheat, 27s Od to —s Od ; white, 28s:6d to —s Od; barb 0Y 15g 6d to 18s Od ; oats, 13s 6d to 15s 6d. EDINBURGH GRAIN—JULY 9. Foreign and home supplies very small, and, the mark et being held off the usual day, the attend ance was unusll ally small. Scotch wheat in demand, a t f u lly i s advance, and the same may be said of foreign. Other articles dull. DERBY SMITHFIELD-JULY 9. The market was well supplied with fat beasts to .40' The demand was good, and high prices were obtmine (l. A large supply of sheep, but short of lambs, at tivrale z prices. The supply of calves was large. Fat pigs Wer e an average supply Beet 7id to 71d I Veal Mutton ... 7d to 71d Pork 6d: I -,o 6i" Lamb Bid to 9d Rough fat, 4s 8d pd." stone' Hides, 3d to 41d ; calf skins, 5d to 6d. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—We are happy to quote the follov/- ing interesting information from Du Barry's Report on cures without Medicine by Du Barry's Revalenta Ai,abie¢ Food. Cure No. 4,2oB—S ervant of Rev. John W. Flavel' Ridlingthn Rectory, Norfolk, of eight years' dyspepsia. lie f : vousness, debility, w ith cramps, spasms, and nausea. 'Cu.„l.-, 18,216—Dr. A n d rew U re o f constipation dyspepsia, tier ver, irritability. Cure No. 36,212—Captai n All an o f e pil r ePt"- fits. Cure No. I,6o9—Three years' excessive nervousiaes* with pains in my neck and left arm, and general de b ' . lity, which rendered my life very miserable, has bee° radically removed by Du Barry's Revalenta .A.ra bies' Food. Alex. Stuart, Archdeacon of Ross, Skibbereel l : Avoid Pills and Medicines : th e y i nvar i a bly aggrava te and perpetuate diseases ; their annoyance, disappoir anal , / and expense may be avoided by using Du Barry's F which, at a few pence per day, saves 5C times its cost is other remedies, removing effectually, without p urg,ill6l constipation, indigestion (dyspepsia) nervous, bilious alai liver complaints and all their consequences. Certificate No. 36,418. We find it the safest remedy. Andrew Ure, MD., F.R.S., Dr Harvey, Dr. Wurzer, Dr. Shorland, Dr. Campell. Let invalids avoid the fearful dangers of spa, rious and injurious imitations offered under a variety 0 ' false pretences. Nevill's imitations are prohibited by the high Court of Chancery under a penalty of £.5,000 age ine t Alfred Hooper Nevill and his agents ; and the pretm loes that Nevill has a patent for Arabica Food and that Du Barry's are connected with such patent are utterly fstite• No canister is genuine without the name Barry Du Tarr/ and Co., 77, Regent-street, in full, on theseal and wrt,Pre t i Shopkeepers who attempt imposition in one article to expect to be distrusted in all others. Packed in tine lib. 2s. 9d.; 21b. 4s. 61, ; 51b. lls.; 121 b. 225. ; 241 b. 40a. The 121 b. and 241 b. canisters are sent carriage free on race of Post-office order by Barry Du Barry and Co., 77, Ike" gent-street, London; Fortnum Mason, and Co.; A b 1 0) 60, Gracechurch-street ; 4, Cheapside ; 63 and 150, Cts bard-street ; 330 and 451, Strand; 49 and 60 , B!shoPan .. a te" thotehyereaprericlietdasn, cutaneous street ; Batty, 16, Finsbury Pavement . ; P l h v i l l th h.P a s m af il li ree C: tea-dealers; Petty, Wood, and Co., Sing s a o ll inr e men r t gi and City v a E t ß l T 2 l 7 si H mE ig N b r. H i— ol u bo o r l a lo : w an ay d , d H i s e e a a l e t Healthy are S k i n m . on such occasions are these two famous remedies most — or A e t t ro c u er b t l a e i s n om s • figurements ariti c iF from scrofula, scurvy' re markable for their curat s iv a e n p d o h w e e a r l e the externally the disfigurements solids and fluids composing the body. P" pills purify the eeastohnasnoaft 0 ringworm, pimples, blotches,, an similar. disorders. ointment not only soothe them, beneath, cleansese to the glands m •ons. , expels all impurities The surface,ntmbeun see and removes all obstructiHolloway' s renowned ointo went and pills p ossess tke very desir a i) le power of ejt f ro m the human frame the seeds of the slightest or mo st virulent skin eruptions and ulcerous distempers.. p BIRTHS. BARNES . —On the 31st May, at Kussowlie, the - widow °f t h e late George Car nac B arnes, Esq., C. 8., of O. SOn• MENDS.—On the 9th inst., at 3, Bloomfield-crescent.Wes n. bourne-terrace, Hyde-park, th e w if e o f C a pt a in '- Mends, R.N., C. 8., of a son. W the wife of ILLIAMS.—On the 11th i ns t . , a t 22 , L ons d a l e - sq upV R. Griffith Williams, Esq., barrister- itt-lav i ' of a son. MARRIAGES. Dic Ksow—NOßTH.—On the 10th inst at St. Georg (lt !' Hanover-square, Major Dickson, 13th " Light Drag-o°ll' and Belchester House, near Coldstrearn, t o Charlot te Aliria, dau g hter of Lady Gray de Ruthin and the late H on . an d R ev . W. Ed en , and widow of DudleY, Lord North. JAMES—HILLIARD.—On the 9th inst., at the British En' bassy, Paris, Edwin James, Esq., Q.C., to Mariann e, widow of Captain Hilliard, late of the 10th Hussars. DEATH COLEPEPER.—On the 9th inst. , at 4, Darnley-road, Wick" ney, John Spencer Colepcper, Esq., late Police Magis' trate in Ceylon, aged 57. COTTON.—On the 7th inst., at 25, Bryanston-square,W ra• Cotton, Esq., aged 81. NEWTON.—On the 10th inst., at Clarence House, Berne Bay, William Newton, Esq., A.1.E.C., of 66, Chancery lane, aged 76. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUN. of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TnE SUN Office, No. 112,Stirau" in the Precinct of the Savoy, In the County of Middies° Friday, July 12, MI, 1 o • 29, I Subserib , ITERCI the Pcrt c company liberality ALBS 3 NOTIC rEARLI SeTen per o the Sh July 3, : L ° N Z ustoTOLTRI n Si LAKE! NORTI taF/ Wood. LAKE; FURNI LAK LANCA YORKS] gate, ISLE BURT( Prozrat Easton S and Stati Ruston ....____ L ° N RETIC Month, a; From To Edint To Glasg To Stirth To Dunk To Dund , Monty Aberd For fur Ruston S In Londo Euston ()RN. ad tnent o n tl stands, b e rmPcrtee ogist Te MINER facilitate C ROLOI each. PRAC' RA.LOG SPEC DE c reme ca ?Mania Into the giant sen moved. • them t o very LIONS ot Parent y mventio: very age Most less mag Changes ante.-3! Hotel T EL ge very sm 18 lenses a person an objec Guard preferei stalking scopes, and knc tance ; 31100/19, seen ; tl increasi letters Albema Mit, Option 1 Phantai Glass, ; Which 1 a clear Slides i new In structiN Planets 255. A Fitzro3 now an Scienti dilly, "V ~... I, a D lI c( hecari nbove. Lose o of both gems' HA 11, 1, 1 9 111 1 e( Also, t nts The (Gonoi he Ul The heir 'QIIO tlOn- Their and o )print Their Cure Dr tione abov T Roy: Roy: NEI AT Sid DIS num ease amU trea Salt 44 Al Bo t]