The Press.
London, England, 1853-08-20 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

Our first witness is the Rev. W. C. OSBORN,
chaplain to the borough gaol of Bath He
states that " the present prison treatment is
"most inefficient"—it neither deters nor re-
forms—.the companions of those who have beeu
imprisoned appear to feel no dread of the pu-
nishment—neither the number of children who
come into gaol, nor the number of recom-
mittals, is lessened. "The gaol system is quite
" unsuited to the nature of a child "—" he is
" made too much of in a gaol "—he is locked
up alone, " a very bad thing for children"—in
a gaol there are not the means of reforming a
criminal child. When they have been once
imprisoned witness expects to find them num-
bered among the criminal class. And, while
thus inoperative for good, the confinement
" mars their prospects for We." Prisoners
discharged at any age have difficulty in subse-
quently finding employment.
Not dissimilar is the evidence of the Rev.
Dr. Gum niE, a minister of the Free Church,
and chief promoter of a ragged school in
Edinburgh. " Three or four convictions to
" prison," says this witness, " render reforms-
" tion iu a ragged school almost hopeless."
Criminal habits have been acquired. There is
difficulty in managing any child who has been
once in prison. "No reformation of prison dis
" eipline," he thinks," can be devised that would
" make it beneficial to children." "To shut up
" a child within four walls and leave it alone is
" a process which it is impossible should tell
" favourably upon a human being."
So again speaks Mr. STRICKLAND, the Indus-
trial Superintendent of Parkhurst Prison.
" Short and repeated imprisonments have not
" a deterring effect ; they are rather a harden•
" ing process." "The present prison system
" is not adapted to the reformation of young
" offenders."

The chaplain of the Liverpool gaol likewise
admits that as regards this class " the prison
" system has failed."
Mr. HAMILTON, also a gaol chaplain, states,
" One of the great difficulties we experience in
" restoring young criminals to their friends is,
" that very bad persons', old companions in
" crime, meet prisoners on their discharge at
" the gate of the gaol."
" The oftener they are in prison," says Mr.
NAsu, another witness, " the more hardened
" they become."
A seventh adds the cause. " The only
" effect of sending a boy to prison for a short
" period is to disabuse his mind of the wrong
" impression that he had with regard to a
" prison." In other words, lie becomes
familiarised with punishment ; the reality is
less than the imagination ; the feeling of dis-
grace soon wears off; and "the process of
" gradation in the sentence gradually fami
" liarises the boy with imprisonment, and
" enables him to bear it much better than he
otherwise would."

We might cite other testimonies; but we
arc content to stop here. It is enough to add
a single instance to those already adduced.
In the Reading House of Correction it was
found tha.t out of 209 prisoners recommitted
(at Michaelmas, 1852) to separate confinement,
eightynine were not more than seventeen
years of age when first committed, and these
eighty nine have been in prison altogether
403 times, an average of five times to each !

In considering this subject it ought not to
be forgotten that the period of imprisonment
in the case of young criminals is so short as,
exclusive of other circumstances, to render
anything like reformation impossible. On an
average of all sentences, they are not found to
exceed forty or fifty days ; and this term is
greatly above the average where boys only
arc concerned. A punishment of from seven
to twenty-one days degrades without im-
proving—destroys the character and injures
the prospects of the criminal, without enabling
him either to break off habits of vice or sepa-
rate himself from vicious connections. Ac•
cordingly we have statistical facts—the testi-
mony of experienced witnesses, and the
evidence of reason and probability—all tend.
ing to prove that as regards juvenibe offenders
some reform of our present. system is abso
lately indispensable. What that reform should
be—on what principles based—and by what
means to be carried out—we reserve for
another day.

SATURDAY,

THE "NATIONAL" SYSTEM IN IRELAND.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS."

Sir,—The public have been apt to consider national
education in Ireland as if it were a party ques-
tion, and have been bewildered in disputes on minor
points, and in mutual recriminations, while the real
causes of the original differences of opinion have
been almost forgotten. The question itself is in a
very small compass. Those opposed to the present
system most willingly-admit that it is the duty of
Government to provide education for all classes of its
subjects who may be ready to accept it ; but they
also assert that it is no less the duty of Government
to see that the education so provided be beneficial,
and not injurious. If our rulers be willing to grant
this, will they, as Christian rulers of a Christian
country, deny that " all education repudiating the
test of scripture is not beneficial, but may be in-
jurious "? lam not sanguine enough to imagine that
there will not be found even many to deny this; but
let the nation judge, and, if their general consent will
allow the syllogism to be based on this major, let
the minor and the conclusion be filled up as their
fancies may dictate.--I am, sir, your obedient
servant, 1).

Paris, August 13, 1853.
P.S.—lt seems to me that while the original ad-
hesion of such men as Whateley, Blackburne, and
Greene was illogical, their secession is the logical
result of a system founded on a partial, and conse-
quently a delusive, admission of scriptural truth, as a
compromise with what you term the Obscurantists.

THE WEST INDIES.
TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS."

the letter which you did me the honour
to insert in the l'nzss of the 13th there is an error
of importance, caused either by my inadvertence or
your printer's : it should have been " the loss to the
planters and the island from the emancipation to
1850 has been computed at 50,000,0001.," instead of
50,000/. This loss to the island of Jamaica alone is,
therefore, more than double the whole sum paid for
the emancipation of all the slaves in our West India
colonies; and if we take the yearly average of the
sugar crop of Cuba, from 1841 to 1851, at 172,500
tons—the mean of 00,00) and 255,000, the crops re-
spectively of those two years—and allowing that it
sold for only 251. per ton during that period, the gain
or profit to Cuba would be in the ten years 43,125,0001.
on sugar alone. It was stated by Mr. J. Liggins, before
the committee on the slave trade (of which Mr. Hume
was chairman), on the 26th of July last, that in Cuba
rum and molasses pay the cost of production—that the
sugar was clear profit—that profits on small estates
were 25 and on large estates 45 per cent.—that the
slaves worked from eighteen to twenty hours per day,
Sundays not excepted. In Jamaica, prior to the
emancipation, it was well known that rum and mo-
lasses also paid the cost of production, &c., and
the sugar was all profit. The crop in Cuba for 1853-4
is expected to exceed 300,000 tons, and, allowing that
this should sell at only 201. per ton, it would give a
profit to the island for sugar in one year of 6,000,000/. ;
and can any person who knows anything of sugar-
growing prove, that with an average price of 20/.
per ton, the profits of all the British free-labour
sugar-growers put together would amount to even
one half of the profit of this one slave island alone ?
And a question, I think, must naturally arise as to
the extent to which these large foreign profits drain
money from Great Britain—not only as profits, but
also in capital for the development of these profits.
One thing is quite clear—viz., that the class of men
once so lavishly abused by your Liberal contempora-
ries, the rich absentee West India proprietors, is de-
stroyed, those who used, bad as they were represented
to be by these immaculate Liberals, at least to spend
their profits here for the benefit of these same Li-
berals : in fact, nearly the whole of the profits of
those colonies in their prosperous days in one shape
or another found their way to England. There is a
fable about a goose and golden eggs that I think will
apply in this case ; and how much profit in the ag-
gregate has fallen to the lot of these luckless colonies
since 1847 is now the question. Has there been
any ?—Your obedient servant,
AN OLD PLANTER.

St. John's-wood, Aug. 15, 1853.
P.S.—lt would be a curious statistic, if it could be
got at, to know the grocers' retail price of• the pound
of' scale sugar for each of the last thirty-five years.
If my memory fails me not, the retail price at several
periods during that time has been down to about the
present price, 4d. per lb.

A MEETING of merchants, shipowners, captains,
and others was held at Lloyd's, on Thursday, for the
purpose of hearing the explanations of Lieutenant
Maury, of the United States navy, and superintendent
of the Observatory at Washington, respecting the
system adopted by that Government for collecting
and disseminating information relative to the direc-
tion and force of winds and ocean currents in all
parts of the world, and making other meteorological
observations.

AIIGUST 20, 1853.

CARPENTERS' ADVANCE•OFAVAGES
MOVEMENT.
TO THE EDITOR OF!' THE PRESS."

Pimlico.
Sire-4f you aan afford space for the following
communication in your valuable paper, it will be
esteemed a very great favour by myself and fellow
workmen. I was induced to anticipate such indul-
gence from perceiving an article in the PRESS issued
July 21, headed 1‘ Working-Men's Strikes, and their
Remedy." Its truly vahu;ble suggestions ad reme-
dies for strike are evidently the Tf”llt of a practical
inquiry into causes and effects, and app.,: to me
to be the best I have hitherto seen. That mem
suggestions will be duly appreciated is the sincere
desire of your obedient servant, RouEor HOOPER.

The following memorial was presented on Wed-
nesday, May 18th, 1853 :

" MEHORIAL OF THE CARPENTERS AND JOINERS OF

LONDON TO THEIR EMPLOYERS GENERALLY.
"Gentlemen,—We beg most respectfully to inform you
that, at a general meeting of the above trade, held ou
Thursday, May 12, at the ' George the Fourth,' Leicester-
street, Regent-street, it was unanimously resolved to me.
morialise you for au advance of sixpence per day on the
present rate of wages. In doing so, permit us to state
that we are not actuated solely by selfish motives; neither
have we determined upon coming to any premature con-
elusion. Being fully sensible that we have not been remu-
nerated for our labour in a degree proportionate to the ex-
penses and losses we are liable to, and taking into consi-
deration the general movement throughout the country,
necessarily caused by the continuous tow of emigration,
and the unusual advantages offered.to the emigrant, it is
our firm opinion that our request is a jhsi dde, and one
that will not meet with any reasonable objection.
" Deprecating as we do any hostile feeling towards our
employers, and believing that the interest of both parties
is best secured by a mutual interchange of good feeling, we
submit our memorial to your kind consideration, trusting
it will meti with general approval.—On behalf of the
meeting, lt: 14(0.4et.-1 emartoti • .
"J. CALLAGHAN, Secretary."
The following requisition was drawn up by Mr.
Piper at the meeting of master builders, when the
deputation from the carpenters was received, at the
Freemasons' Tavern, which requisition expressed
the wishes of the deputation on behalf of the
trade :

" That the general standard for workmen be understood
to be ss. 6d. per day where it now is ss.
" That the employers he considered as quite at liberty to
exercise their cnk'n discretion as to whOtit they shall employ
at thk rate: _ _ _

That if the employers have in their shops workmen
who are really not worth this rate, but are willing to work
at a lower rate, neither the master nor workman is to be
molested on that account." _ _ .

The following are the masters' final resolutions :
" At a numerous meeting of the builders of the me-
tropolis it was unanimously resolved:—
" 1. That., inasmuch as labour, like every other article,
has its market value, varying according- to circumstances,
it is not expedient for workmen or employers to attempt
to establish a standard rate of wages.
" 2. That neither the present state of the labour market,
nor that of the market for provisions, renders necessary an
advance of wages at this time.
" 3. That the amount of wars now generally paid is, in
the opinion of this meeting, fair and ample, but that there
can be no objection to superior workmen being remune-
rated according to their respective merits.
" 4. That it is a matter of great regret that partial strikes
are taking place, and thus great injustice is being done to
individual tradesmen ; that other and better means of de-
termining such questions as the rate of wages and regula•
tion of employment may well be found, or it is to be feared
that the employers will be forced into a combination in
self-defenoe—s course greatly to be deprecated,
" By order,
"Geoxos Wat.es, Secretary.
" Freemasons' Tavern, August 10,10.'8."

We regret to hear that, at a meeting of delegates
last evening, the prospect of an amicable solution of
the question appeared to be so remote that a strike
among this important class of operatives may be con-
sidered imminent.

Three couriers had arrived at Constantinople on
the lith from Belgrade, with despatches—one for the
British embassy, another for the French embassy,
and the third for the agent of the Prince of Servia—
notifying that the Austrian consul-general at Bel-
grade had formally applied to Prince Alexander, in
the name of the Austrian Government, for authority
for an Austrian army of 25,000 men to occupy Servia,
in order to check any disturbances which might break
out in that country by reason of the occupation of
Wallachia and Moldavia by the Russians; and, on
being point-blank refused, had declared that the exi-
gencies of the times would compel Austria to turn a
deaf ear to such refusal, and to carry out its deter-
mination as a matter of urgent necessity. Prince
Alexander of Servia had thereupon ordered a general
arming of the people. This intelligence has given
rise to several cabinet councils of the Ottoman Mi-
nisters, as well as of conferences with the represen-
tatives of foreign powers, and meetings of the latter
wow themselves.

THE PRESS.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY.

Atm a protracted sitting, the report is now before the
public from the Commons' committee appointed "to in-
quire into the management of the National Gallery, and
also to consider in what mode the collective monuments of
antiquity and fine arts possessed by the nation may be
most securely preserved, judiciously augmented, and ad-
vantageously exhibited to the public." The committee
have come to the opinion that the imperfections and
gularities in the working of the present system originate,
for the most part, in certain fundamental detects and ano-
malies in the system itself ; in the want, more especially,
of any clear definition of the powers or responsibilities of

the -.waging body of the institution ; and in the absenee
• of specific regnam lions for their guidance in the perfor-
--aling with the subject of
mane of their duties. In ...
Tied some public
"picture-cleaning," which has lately stub.
'-,pled in
attention, the committee detail the processes am.,.

the Gallery, and state, as the conclusion front the evident'.
before them, that discrepancies, varieties of opinion, and
general uncertainty, even among professional men, prevail
upon this subject. The committee examined many artists,
amateurs, and picture•dealers on the condition of the pie.
tures cleaned itudei instructions itt the National Gall' ryi
and their evidence on the point exhibited gnat contrariety
of judgment, and inceoncilable differences of taste ; but
the preponderance of testimony is to the effect that the
appearance of the pictures has for the present been ren•
dered less agreeable by the operation of cleaning. The
committee recommend that, in figure, no picture•cleaner
shall be employed who does not give a Ulril explanation of
his wheel Of Meittiifig, add that this shoal flbt be done With.
out a written report from the dircetbrs df till; Gclll4y to
the trustees. They state that, after the National Gallery
became public property, the principal charge of it devolved
on the Treasury, and to this department of the Govern•
utent, ecingespferttft, tuts attaehed the primary responsibi-
lity for titit re'riatiet 6f the esiahliatiniettt the eotattliMPl.
consider it but an act of ju§tiee t 6 the trustees to add their
opinion that the defects in the present tuariagertioitt are
chargeable ou the system rather than oh the inOiiidual
managers. Ity way of conclusion to the report, the tstm•
mittee offer the hillowing recommendations :
In.reganl to the•Atutre management of the Gallery, the site
°lathe building, anellthe expedlemey of ()141111m( the national
collectintuoftttion .antiryiilty and tine art to one building
or group of buildings, per committee have coma to the follow-
hug resolutions :

"1. ThavitAis the opinion of this committee that a system of
management/by rboard of trusters should be continued.
" 2. That no person.shmild iu Atture, in virtue of any office,
benome a trustee of theNatinnal Gallery.
" 3 That the trustees be appointed by the Treasury
" 4. That itois expediene that the number of trustees be dimi•
ninhed as swamies occur.

"b. That the office of keeper of the Gallery should he abolished.
" 6. That a salaried director should he appointed by the Trea-
sury few a definite time, at the expiration of which he may be re-
appointed.
" 7. That every recommendation for the purchase of R p.r_ I ure
should originate with the director, and be made iu writing to the
trustees.

-71ii.That a fixed sum should be annually pmpesed to Parlia-
ment for the purchase of pictures, and planed at the disposal of
the trustees.

" t►. That the cite of the present Notional Gallery is not well
adapted for the construction of a new gallery.
" 10. That the estate at Kensington-gore, purchased by the
Royal Commissioners of the Exhibition of IMSI, and by them
offered to the nation, presents many of the advantages recom.
mended by the witnesses before your committee. The position
which has been suggested at the extremity of Kennifieton-
gardens would affonl a better guarantee for the future protection
of the works of art there collected front the evils incident to a
crowded neighbourhood, and would improve the opportunity of
emitting au edifice worthy of the purpose; but your committee
are Adly aware that the a•qulaition of much a site is attended with
difficulties they see no adequate means of removing; and. in
consequence, they are prepared to recommend the acceptance
of the offer of the commissioners.
"11. That the committee are of opinion that the question of
emnbining the various artistic and archaeological eollertions in
the British Museum with the National Gallery be referred to a
Royal commission.
" 12. That no time should be lost in obtaining the decision upon
the above question, In order that the new National Gallery
should be oommenced with all convenient speed,"

The committee, it seems, were by no means unanimous,
for as many as twenty-three divisions took plane, chiefly on
the picture•cleaning, the management, and the site. On
the question, "That a fixed sum should be annually pro.
posed to Parliament for the purchase of pictures, de.," pro.
posed by Mr. Vernon, Lord Seymour moved the omission
of the word "fixed." His lordship was supported by Sir
W. Molesworth and Mr. Ewart, but he was defeated by a
majority of two.

A CURIOUS MACHINE FOR SEWING has lately been
invented, and is now the nucleus of a company, en-
tided the Lancashire Sewing-machine Company,
which is attracting much popularity. The rapidity
with which stitching is effected by means of this
machine is suprising. In about six hours an entire
suit of clothes may be made excepting the button-
holes, and seaming may be done at the rate of a yard
per minute. It is equally applicable to heavy work,
such as sacks, sail, cloths, boots, corsets, &c. The
machine may be seen in operation daily at No. 2,
Lawrence-lane,Sheapaide.

THE WILL OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON.
Sunday's 3/mincer publishes the report of the com-
mission appointed to examine all questions relating
to the execution of the will of the Emperor Napoleon
I. It is signed by the members of the commission—
the Count d'Ornano. the Count de las Cues, and
MM. de Royer, Donley do la Meurthe, and Count
Eugene Dubois.

The report, whleh is addressed to Napoleon lU.. any by
stating that. after the re•establialunoit of the limotre. Mee of Ur
Mejemy's first thoughts war to carry into tmettetise Ibb boa wishes
Of Nalblkletbli I. as far as it was practicable. The We
writing on the suldeet a few days before his *Mb. "If
there should lw a return of fortune, and that my see aitield ii•
eellt: the throne. it is tlw duty of my testersagfin ninenteca to
plow under hiss eves all that I owe to lagy .44 maven amd „laws
soul to my faithful servings.' The report than Mahn *ft Napo-
lon died at the sth of May, 1821. ens/ a wads yews.
II is will in dated this lath 01. April. with lee Vii the
Nth and Nth of the Mlle month. The tetrad., innatigned in
Napoleon's will are of two kinds, individual and cottoning Mgr.
cies. The individual lega.'iea amount to 10,010,01/of. 'Tin est-
' 'env. legacies to •uo,soktigof. The Enipenw espected that
' locks %odd he paid nut of his prisons property, ofeltich
ileitis s.s. -vif.l had twist deposited. in Juno 18111.10 MO
a pittilin (1.101•••••... ••% Lange. This wan the only resclifelli
banitinvininat tot NMl's._ legacies. and it was Mead by
available Air tits hitytitellt of tow . The legatees only rs-
debts dna aWdoili hi N.-fir/TM% - the ez=i
vitt eelved about a moiety of fink Was .
of aunt* servants rite Tete These :d,
whether individual or collective, Ws Mfg
which saver reachml the executors, reaeleef inillre, Ito
eounninsien nest .h&en flog the retealle ==.lllf tie See
Etuperor,ethkh by the terms of 60 aerslbe pi ilwillo
of Jemmy. lel% 01101)4 "let Wider any Peiseek become the
property of the !gate, w- , lova ptraessittnot bythoGoserriust
of the Ihistoratiou ' ' ' dela

A telegraphic despatch fres Mote of the 18th
inst. announces a eonsiderable &aline is Cite price et
grain in that market.
At the Hague, the Second Chamber erstinues the
discussion of the flew !relating the control of the
State over public creeds. A great many member.
have already spoken without the Chamber haviaw yet
arrived at a decision. A greater number yet hem
inscribed their names, but the question has been SO
much and so long canvassed in the papers and diplo •
matic documents, that no new pro or con,
has been adduced on either . The adoption,
however. seems probable, notwithstanding the excite-
ment existing in the exclusively Catholic province of
North Brabant.

Prince Henry of Holland, and his recently-married
wife, the daughter of I'rince Bernard of Saxe Weimar.
is in the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, of which
Prince Henry is Royal Lieutenant for his brother.
The Queen Mother is at St. Petenthurg, on a visit to
her brother, the Emperor Niehulas. The reigning
Queen of the Netherlands is taking the bathe at
Interlaken, in Switzerland. _ . .

News came this day from Berlin that the customs
conference has refused each and all of the Pnsgsian
propositions for the reduction of import duties on iron.
At Athens, on August 7, the Senate was discussing
a law already adopted by the deputies, and prohibiting
the export of corn. The excitement, on account of
the Turco-Russian differences was subsiding. _

A telegraphic despatah from Berne %tate% that
the Teevin Government declared to the Yoder&

Council itv

to refuse soy more eon.

cession towards Austria.

The Emperor of Austria left Vienna for Isehl on
August 15.

The Duchess of Brabant ix to be the bearer of the
order of the Golden Fleeee for her husband.

TUE GREAT WRSTERI4 RAILWAY CONTANY'R HALF-
YEARLY 31Er.Ttso was held on Thursday. A dividend
was declared at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum,
leaving a balance of under 114,1X10/. to be carried over.
The balance brought down from last year was
013,770/., which has been reduced to the above
amount in order to provide for the dividend. Never-
theless. the gross receipts have expanded from
450,0001. to 521,11ig. as compared with the corre-
sponding six months of 18:04, though the net profits,
from various drawbacks, has sunk in the same period
from 149,000/. to 117,0001.

property of the NSW, was taken possawsiosal by litaChrfariaimot
of the Itemorstiou itt virtue of a .Mirkdeleheletelles *OM
the nth of August, MS, tn width tbi vales la salbasbal at
adatAldoWlhe
117,1116,1i1f. bile. Then h %OW it alt Imam ot d
duty of the eountlission to consider the badt otasavykiff
the last wisher of the Emperor Napoleon isle The sew
winn 4 Nag .4444 that but tau 0( the
8114 mi 41 • junl,ll, MI :iii The lessey 4800,000 e to the
11111111 li4llZlNit4 PO liii tilt ORM isitt Elio. ar ta lit&
%Wool mkt ,- irateit !,. 10 Tilley dT illit. ; Tme deo sidles
ti vpi
sittputeted or severity wintritreif At Lipini iih atititilk is
a eolleetive letntey of 2011,0000 IN: eitteit ais tist,AS.
exeetite. Halt of this stun is hegthellind tilt le .
ottleore 111111 144.i11iV111 who fought front lial to kits glory
tool intletedsolenee of the tuition, and the remsluin . . Si
'Pt.'''. 01111 A ilitVi of Aleare, I.orraitte, nitwit. Colitis
goane*; ti.• AA Mike*? Patoetilleilete. runs, and
muttered itioStt (TAM We trreststott- Of theo b ili):111241111t SA
deducted fo the hots of .iiriettie, And itinatifig IN lb. Midst
Mk,. A tifekkitileiy.ogdom the &aid if SOO ic
i. the inhabitants' of Marmite in ell ii ~ ' ' • ol*.
of ' •olt Ilia A Nisei( Of 140010,00 K iW
few mitrviving soldiers wild serval lag latil
In the will, or tufting their whims Mai ell• A mil of
tat,isof. is roootaatooded to he atm to lito tababilaola at %kw
town of Miens, are 'wpm to those le IMAy. awl a aria of
10M10.011K to the tavoty-shi dopsatataats obi& reposes& the
pnivineee which au,al by tbo bromism. The ealeatiosita. lit
ronclumitm, rereseimais that a law he mood a Nes of
amoomoof. to the oaaesoira it the Ikaparre 's win, to
carry his wisher into Whet