The Press.
London, England, 1856-01-19 00:00:00

dropolitan.

A DEPUTATION OF GENTLEMEN residing in the
vicinity of St.James's-park waited upon Sir Benjamin
Hall last week in order to ascertain the intentions of
the Government with reference to the projected road
across St. James's•park. Mr. Keating, Q.C., Mr.
Benjamin Hawes, Mr. Whateley, Q.C., &c., accom•
panied the deputation. Sir Benjamin Hall, in reply
to the request of the deputation, explained that he
personally had no authority in the matter, that he
had been ordered by the Secretary of State for the
Home Department to prepare from certain data a
plan for such a road, and that beyond the prepara-
tion of the plan, which would be submitted to the
House in due time, nothing further had been done.
In conclusion, Sir Benjamin Hall assured the depu
tation that he was not at liberty to exercise any
judgment in the matter, but that in the meantime
they might rely that nothing would be done in the
execution of the work without the matter being
brought under the consideration of the House of

Comiiions.
THE METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS held their
usual weekly meeting on Monday last. The salaries
of the engineer-in-chief and accountant were
severally fixed at 1,0001. and 4501. per annum,
including travelling expenses. The offices in Greek
street, when repaired, were decided to be used as the
permanent offices of the board, and the election of a
clerk to the board was proceeded with, when it was
finally determined that the actual election of both
engineer-in-chief and clerk shall take place on
Friday week.
THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL'S RETURNS for this week
show a decided improvement in the state of public
health, compared with former years : 1,100 deaths,
and 1,563 births, were registered for the past week.
AT THE MEETING OF THE MIDDLESEX MAGISTRATES
on Thursday a resolution was unanimously passed
expressing the deep regret of the court at the death
of Mr. Sergeant Adams. A copy of the resolution
was ordered to be forwarded to Mrs. Adams.

THE CAST IRON CARRIAGE-WAY PAVEMENT i MOM
being laid down in Leadenhall-street. The invention
is that of General Knapp, of the United States.

Vrobzutial.

LORD CRANBORNE delivered a lecture last week at
Kilndown, Kent, to the members of the local reading-
room and library. The lecture excited great interest
in the neighbourhood. The subject chosen by the
noble.lord was " The Crusades." After a brief intro-
duction, explanatory of the sources from which the
history of those times is derived, Lord Cranborne
proceeded at once to sketch the later events of the
Roman and Greek empires, the early history of
France and England, the origin of the feudal system,
the history of Mohammedanism, and the events of
the first crusade. His lordship concluded by stating
that he differed with Mr. Hallam, who said that
these great events were injurious both to Eastern
and Western Europe, because he (Lord Cranborne)
believed they wrought a great good, morally, politi-
cally, and intellectually, by awakening men's minds
to seek more anxiously after truth in religion as well
as in science, by lessening the power of the nobles
and reducing them to a position more subservient to
the authority of the Crown, and by laying the basis
for future progress both in science and literature
from the vast stores of ancient learning which they
brought to light. They also made Europe wealthier,
by introducing commerce and trade amongst the
people, and they even improved agriculture, by
spreading abroad a knowledge of the best methods of
cultivation then known.
ADMINISIMATIVE AND ACADEMIC REFORM was the
subject of a lecture delivered on Monday by Mr.
Heywood, M.P., F.R.S., at the Mabchester Atheneum.
The hon. member commenced by stating that we
had arrived at an era in our history when favoritism
and patronage were at length giving place to merit.
Taking the various public departments in turn, Mr.
Heywood read the current regulations for admission

57

into their several services, and pointed out that a
proper system of competition was now introduced into
many departments, an example which ie hoped to
see followed up in all, and particularly in the army
and diplomatic corps. With respect to the civil ser-
vice of India, Mr. Heywocd expressed himself in
favour of permitting Hindoos to compete at the
examinations, and stated as his belief " that we
should never thoroughly gain the affections or the
confidence of the people of India unless we gave
some places to natives." At the conclusion of his
lecture, the hon. member read a memorial addressed
to Prince Albert by a deputation from a public
meeting recently held at Birmingham, proposing a
more liberal government of the Universities, and,
alluding to their state, said he did not believe that
the Oxford Act had at all improved the condition of
things in that university, and unless Government in-
terfered more directly than hitherto, he feared no
change could be effected.

THE ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM ASSOCIATION held
a public meeting at Rochester on Friday last, with a
view of placing the aims and objects of the associa-
tion before the electors previous to the approaching
election. A deputation from the London society
attended, with Mr. Jacob Bell at their head. Mr.
Bell, Mr. R. Moore, and other gentlemen addressed
the meeting at some length, expressing the usual
sentiments of the association, and stating that a bill
had been prepared and would be presented at the
ensuing session proposing a system of competitive
examinations, and asking for a royal commission of
inquiry into the present system of appointing officers
in the army and navy.
THE REFORMATORY SCHOOL MOVEMENT is making
great progress in Essex and Kent. A committee
has been appointed by the magistrates for the latter
county, while the High Sheriff of Essex has convened
a preliminary meeting on the 21st to consider the
question, when a public meeting and an appeal to
the county will be decided on.
THE MIDLAND INSTITUTE held its annual meeting
on Tuesday, at Birmingham. The council in their
report announced that a difficulty had arisen with
reference to the possession of a portion of the new
site, but the building fund, already amounting to
11,0001., would permit them to continue the erection
of a certain portion of the hall. Several additions
and changes in the classes for students were men-
tioned, and the Earl of Dartmouth elected pre-
sident for the ensuing year.
AN INFLUENTIAL MEETING AT MANCHESTER WBB
held on Thursday, to determine upon wbat steps
should be taken by that city to promote the objects
of the Nightingale Fund. Mr. Sidney Herbert, M.P.,
Lord Stanley, M.P., Mr. Monckton Milnes,
and the leading gentlemen of the town and neigh-
bourhood, were present. Mr. Sidney Herbert, in
addressing the meeting, explained the aim and in-
tention of the Central Committee of the Fund, which
was to establish and create a " Profeesi n of Nurses "
—to found a central institution in London, to which
nurses might be sent from the country, there to be
taught and trained to hospital duties. This, Mr
Sidney Herbert explained, was the object of the
Central Committee, and he trusted that the nature
and amount of the subscription would be such as to
enable them to extend the anticipated advantages of
the plan over the whole country. With respect to
the management and, arrangement of the institu-
tion, he believed that if we wanted the thing well
done, we could not do better than intrust the details
entirely to Miss Nightingale:—
Don't shackle and fetter her (said the hon. member)
by yourselves making minute regulations, which her ex-
perience may show to be impolitic or perhaps impractica-
ble. You must trust her with all the details and arrange-
ment, and for this reason, that she is more competent
than anybody else. You have got, to use the slang term
of the day, " the right woman in the right place," and,
having got her, trust her. And trust her—why ? Trust
her for your own interest, because she is the one who will
carry out this reform the best. Trust her for another
reason—because the whole grace of your compliment to
her consists in the oonfidence the people of England have
to place in her, having seen what her talent, her integrity,
her selfdevotion can accomplish.

Lord Stanley, M.P., in a brief but brilliant speech,
disclaimed all desire on the part of the committee,
to share Miss Nightingale's popularity. Pointing
out that Miss Nightingale, "working for a large and
worthy object in the pure spirit of duty towards God,
and compassion for man," was one who held the
faith of universal brotherhood in action as well as
speculation, and by breaking through custom and
convention had opened out for her sex a new sphere
of usefulness, the noble lord earnestly appealed
against the popular belief that a woman's sole
sphere of duty lay at home. On the detail and working
and plan of the institution proposed to be formed,
Lord Stanley observed :
_

have heard it said that, before applying for money in
a city like Manchester, we ought to have been prepare d
with a plan more definite and detailed than that laid before
you. My answer is, much must be left undecided, if free
play is to be given to the judgment and experience of
Miss Nightingale. It is not rulus, not forms, not paper
checks or guarantees, that make an enterprise prosper; it

is the living, unfettered human energy. You ought to
know that in Manchester, if others don't; and I believe
you do know it. Without a rare original talent this work
could not be done at all, and with such a talent, the best
thing you can do is to let it work out its own ends and
its own way. We promise to leave Miss Nightingale free
and unhampered; and we believe that is the best guarantee
for efficiency we can give.
His lordship then briefly sketched the origin of the
institution of hospital nurses on the Continent, and
concluded his speech amidst loud applause. Mr.
Monckton Manes, and other gentlemen, then ad-
dressed the meeting ; and resolutions were passed
appointing a committee to further the aims of the
central committee in Manchester.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL OF PRIOR-PARK, near
Bath, has become bankrupt. Prior park, built by
Ralph Allen, will be remembered as the spot where
Fielding wrote " Tom Jones," taking Mr. Allen as
Squire Allworthy.
THE LEA-BROOK Worms, Tifton, South Stafford-
shire, were the scene of a boiler explosion on Mon-
day, by which three men were killed and fifteen more
or less severely injured. The explosion was tre-
mendous, and the damage done estimated at 700/.
An inquiry into the cause has commenced.
THE Tows COUNCIL OF CAMBRIDGE held a meet-
ing on Monday, to consider the state of the Eastern
Counties Railway. Colonel Wynne's late report was
freely commented on, and resolutions requesting
the Board of Trade to cause survey to be immedi-
ately made upon the other lines of the railway.
A TESTIMONIAL TO LORD CARDIGAN, in the shape
of a handsome sword, valued at 250 guineas, has
been subscribed for and purchased in Yorkshire.
A meeting was lately held at Leeds, to consider the
proper mode of presentation, and a strong wish ex-
pressed that the presentation should be public. A
deputation, however, was appointed to wait upon
Lord Cardigan and ascertain his wishes upon the
subject.