The Press.
London, England, 1857-01-03 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

On Tuesday morning the Rev. G. R. GLEIG, M.A.,
Chsplain-General to the Forces and Inspector-
General of Military Schools, delivered a lecture on
" The Influence of the Teacher in promoting Civili-
sation." The lecturer remarked that the schoolmaster
was neither the cause nor the effect of civilisation on
human society, but he combined both characters in
his own person. Where he existed, there civilisation
more or less existed also. Wherever you found him
not, no progress whatever had been made towards
social refinement. He proceeded to show the in-
fluence of the teacher in promoting civilisation, and
urged them to work zealously in the good cause
which they had taken in hand. It was satisfactory
to know that great progress hail been made in edit.-
cation, but much remained to be done. He hoped
to see the day arrive when parents, even the poorest,
would consider no money was so well laid out as
that which they expended in the education of their
children, and when the Government would take the
subject heartily in hand.
Mr. W. M‘LEon then delivered a lecture on "The
Teaching of Physiology in Schools," after which a
discussion took place on the topics of the address.
At the evening sitting, in the absence of Mr. Tate,
the president, from illness, Mr. BUCKMASTER delivered
a lecture on "The Use of Philosophical Apparatus
in Schools," with experimental illustrations, and at
the conclusion explained several points upon which
information was required. The session was then
brought to a close.

THE GREAT SEWAGE QUESTION was discussed once
more at a meeting of riverbank occupiers on Mon-
day, at the London Tavern, with Sir Culling Eardley
in the chair. Resolutions to the effect that the
meeting viewed the proposed plan of the Metropoli
tan Board with considerable alarm, but approved the
appointment of a Royal Commission, were passed,.
and a committee of gentlemen appointed to watch
the progress of this important question.
THE REV. DR. LIVINGSTON.—A meeting is to be
held in the Egyytian-hall, Mansion-house, on Mon-
day, the sth January, for the purpose of offering a
testimonial of admiration and respect to Dr. Living.
ston, the intrepid explorer of South Africa.

AT THE MEETING OF THE METROPOLITAN BOARD
OF WORKS, on Tuesday, Mr Burslem called attention
to observations made by Mr. D'lffanger at a meeting
held at the Bridge-house Hotel, London bridge, in
reference to the majority of the board, by whom the
plan now before Sir B. Hall for the drainage of the
metropolis was adopted. Mr. D'ltfanger was reported
to have said that—

He was no party to the nefarious transaction of which the
meeting complained ; that there were some good and useful
members of the Board of Works, but that there were also
some who appeared to have been sent there to bring local
aelf government into contempt.
He also was represented to have said—
That those gentlemen had formed themselves into a
brutish tyrannical majority, and that the consequence was
that Sir B. Hall had been slandered, maligned, and insulted
by them.

He (Mr. B.) now asked Mr. D'lffanger if he was pre •
pared to adopt that language, or whether it was lan-
guage that should be used in reference to members
of the board. Mr. D'ltranger declared that he was
justified in using the language complained of, and he
would not be deterred from expressing his opinions
at a public meeting on any question that was brought
before it.

The CH XTR'sikti expressed his regret that such observe.
dons should have been used by Mr. IYI ffanger, and repeated
on that occasion.

Mr. D'ive ‘NGF.R : They are true.
The CHAIRMAN, in continuation, suggested that the
hoard should not take any further notice of the language,
which was not courteous or gentlemanly.
Mr. DIFFANCIEH: I will not retract one word.
Mr. SAVAGE had voted with Mr. D'lffanger, but hoped he
would retract the observations complained of.
Mr. D'IFFANGER: What is the word objected to? Brutish
or tyrannical ?
Mr. BITHSLEM : Both. . .

Mr. i;' Then I think I must abide by them
I cannot withdraw them. _ _ _

Mr. RASIII.F.V having moved that the board should pass
to the order of the day, the discussion was dropped.
THE CONSERVATIVE LAND Souvry have just com-
pleted their thirtyfirst land purchase at Epsom, in
West Surrey. The property is called the Parade
land, and is situated in the heart of the town of
Epsom, between the railway station and the race-
course, close to that world famed hotel—the Spread
Eagle.
THE REGISTRAR-GENERALS RETURNS for the week
give 1,069 deaths against 1,472 births. The highest
temperature was 40.5 deg. (on Sunday, the 21st) ;
the lowest was 24.0 deg. (on Friday). The range of
the week was therefore 21.9 deg. The highest tem-
perature on Thursday (Christmas-day) was only
31.2 deg. The mean temperature of the water of
the Thames was 40.6 deg. ; the lowest in the week
was 38.4 deg. on Saturday.

Vrobintial.

TILE NEWCASTLE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE,
according to the Bradford Mercury, addressed on
the sth ult. the subjoined letter to the Earl of Cla-
rendon:—

My Lord,—On behalf of the Newcastle Committee for
Investigating the Action of Diplomacy, I beg to inquire of
your lordship whether the information be authentic that a
hostile expedition from Bombay has been ordered against
Persia ?—I have the honour to be, your lordship's obedient,
humble servant,

G. CRAWSHAT, Chairman.
The Right Hon. the Earl of Clarendon,
Secretary of State.
After a lapse of seven days, Mr. Crawshay received
the following reply from the secretary of the Foreign
Minister (Lord Clarendon) :

Foreign-office, December 12.

Sir,—l am directed by the Eit'rl of Clarendon to ac•
knowledge the receipt of your letter of the :,th instant, and
I am to state to you in reply that his lordship must decline
to communicate with the Newcastle Committee for Inves-
tigating Foreign Affairs on matters affecting the foreign
relations of this country.—l am, sir, your most obedient,
humble servant, _

E. HAMMOND .

Mr. G. Crawsliay, Gateshead.
THE LkTE REGIUS PROFESSOR OF ECCLESIASTICAL
HISTORY, the Rev. Robert Hussey, 8.D., has be..
queathcd his valuable library to his successor, the
Rev. A. P. Stanley, of University College, on the
understanding that it is to be retained for the use of
all succeeding Regius Professors of Ecclesiastical

History.
THE TICKET-OF•LEAVE SYSTEM', at a meeting of
the Stafford Town Council held last week, was
brought under discussion by Alderman Morgan
moving that a petition be presented to the Houses of
Parliament condemning the present system of trans-
portation and penal servitude, and praying for a re-
vision of the law, to be signed by the mayor on be-
half of the council. Mr. Morgan spcke at great
length, and urged the necessity of finding employ-
ment for their convicts. He had beard them remark
when they were liberated from prison that they had
tried to get work, but instead of obtaining it were
driven hack to their former pursuits. If Govern-
ment, however, would take these men and find them
employment, they would have no plea that they
could not get work. There were numberless works
on which they might be engaged. They might be
employed in a Government colliery. The new
sewage of the metropolis would furnish employment
for hundreds, and lie thought if they were to pay for
the maintenance of men who bad broken the laws,
they ought to be made to do something in return
which would be remunerative to the Government.
He thought the criminal laws of the country required
entire revision. The motion was seconded by Alder-
man Mort, and without further discussion was unani
mously adopted.
THE REV. ROBERT RICKERSTETH,D.D., was glided
Bishop and Pastor of the See of Ripon, by the Dean
and Chapter, on Tuesday last. The confirmation is
to take place in York Minster after morning prayers
on Saturday, the 17th instant, and the consecration
. .

at the parish► church of Bishopsthorpe, near York
(adjoining the palace of the Archbishop of York) on
the following day.

TILE ELECTION OF A CHIEF CONSTABLE FOR LIN-
COLNSHIRE has resulted in the appointment of
Captain Bicknell, out of 102 candidates. The, newly
appointed officer on Thursday commenced his organi-
sation of the subsidiary departments of the force.
Major Chester, the next on the roll, was within one
vote of Captain Bicknell.

10

Reviewing at length the conduct of the British Go-
vernment in the Neapolitan and Persian affairs, and
professing his inability to discover the moral right\ of
England to interfere with Persia at all, lie
concludes :
T trust that I have said enough to convince not only
the Irish, but the British reader, that a common effort
ought to be made to check the tendencies which are
encouraged by that deplorable facility with which na•
tions open their purses at the suggestion or for the behoof
of those who excite the passions of ambition, revenge, or
cupidity.
Ma. DAVID LYNCH, Q.C., of the Leinster circuit,
has been apcointed assistant-barrister for the county
of Louth, in the room of Mr. John Perrin (son of
Judge I'errin), who retires in consequence of con-
tinued indisposition. Mr. Lynch is a Roman
Catholic.
THE agitation against the income tax is gaining
ground in Dublin. A requisition addressed to the
Mayor for a public meeting, to pronounce against
the war ninepenee, has received the signatures of all
the leading commercial men in the city, without
distinction of creed, political or religious. Similar
demonstrations are in preparation throughout the
provinces.
IN THE ELECTION FOR A DIRECTOR of the Hiber-
nian Bank, in place of the late Francis Pilsworth,
Esq., Mr. Rafferty was declated elected, over Mr.
Ford, Town Clerk of the Dublin corporation, and
an active and influential member of the Liberal
party, by a large majority of 186. The number was
283 to 147.
THE SALES IN THE ENCVMDERED ESTATES COURT
last week amounted to 167,638/. The estate of the
children of the late Eliot Warburton, author of
" The Crescent and the Cross," whose melancholy
fate is so well known, was amongst those which were
disposed of.
THE LORD LIEUTENANT returned to the Viceregal
Lodge on Tuesday, the 30th ult.