The Express.
London, England, 1855-07-02 00:00:00

THE POLY TECHNIC INSTITUTION.

There is now added to the many varied entertain•
mints given at 319, Regent-street, a very interesting Arctic
collection, being contributidos from officers serviog
in the various squadrons despatched in search of Sir T.
Franklin, and lent for a short time to the institution by J.
Barrow, Esq., of the Admiralty. A private view of this
collection, and also a lecture by Dr. Scoresby, was given on
Saturday to a numerous company, among whom were ob-
served Captain Hachure, Captain Collipton, Captain Ingle-
' field, Sir J. Rost, Captain Beecbey, Dr. Rae, Captain Bar-
row, Captain Hull, &c. Dr. Scoresby, at the com-
mencement of his lecture, observed, that having '
himself been a whale fisher in the far north,
and having often bivouacked with his men at places 60 or
70 degrees below freezing point, he knew perhaps aa well
as anybody what were the dangers and difficulties encoun-
tered by Artie explorers. It had often been urged, be con-
tinued, that by undertaking these voyages we risked
valuable lives in ureic* researches. He differed from that
opinion. Au Arctic expedition was peculiarly a British
adventure, and for all great Arctic discoveries the world
was indebted to those brave adventurers this country had
produced. At the head of them stood the enterprising
Baffin, but the greatest discovery was due to Captain
Machu*, who had excelled nearly all others by the actual
discovery of the North West Passage; and he did not
doubt, when peace was spin restored, but that some
one equally daring would also be found to plant
the British flsg at the North Pole. Flavin paid a tribute
of respect to the memory of thp brave Bellot, Dr. Scoresby
reverted to the expedition of 1845, and concluded by ex-
pressing his opinion that, notwithstanding the proofs
brought home by Dr. Rai, there was no positive evidence of
Franklin's party having perished, and that it was quite
pallid' for some of the poor fellows to be still alive. At the
close of the lecture, a vote of thanks was accorded to Dr.
Scoreaby, after which Mr. Pepper showed his experiments
illustrating the transmission of vocal and musical sounds
through solid conductors.

NEW ACT FOR THE EDUCATION OP POOR CHILDREN.
—The new act, which received the royal anent on Tuesday,
hu.been printed, to provide for the education of children in
the receipt of out-door relief. It is declared to be expedient
that means should be taken to provide education for the
young children of poor persons who are relieved out of the
workhouse. It is enacted that poor law guardians may
grant relief to enable poor persons lawfully relieved out of
the workhouse to provide education for any child of such
person, between the ages of 4 and 16, in any sehcol to be
approved of by the guardians, for such time and under such
conditions as the guardians shall see fit. Tte Poor-law
Board may issue orders to regulate the proceedings of
guardians. "It shall not be lawful for the guardians to
impose as a condition of relief that such education shall be
given to any child of the person requiring relief." The
eat of relief is to be charged in the same account as the
other relief. Further the act provides that orphan and
deserted children may be educated in the manner prescribed.
The set ha immediate operation.
AWFUL AFFAIR.—On the night of Sunday last a
man named William Ewers, living at Gravesend, wee en-
gaged in a dispute with a woman with whom he cohabited,
and being at high words expressed a wish" that God would
strike him dumb" if he was not cornet. At the moment his
speech failed him, and up to the present time he has not
been enabled to speak a word. Bested the loss of spook he
is in no way affected, either by paralysis or epilepsy, so
that there appears ao hyskel saw for the impediment.--
Wookeeh I