The Express.
London, England, 1847-04-10 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

LA\CASIIIRE.

............. ~.....
MEETINO FOR TRY EDUCATIONAL SCHEME.— A public
meeting of the Episcopalians of Manchester was 'held yester-
day morning, in the Town-hall, which drew together a nu-
merous and highly respectable auditory of both sexes. The
Rev. On Wray, Vico-demi, took the chair, and the Venera-
ble Archdeacon Ruston moved the first resolution : That vo-
luntary efforts to meet the educational exigenciesof the na-
tion, great and magnificent as they had been, were totally
inadequate to accomplish the proposed object.—The Rev.
Mr. Brooks seconded the motion, and it was carried, with
only three or four dissentients.—Tho Rev. Canon Clifton
moved, That it was the unquestionable duty of a Christian go-
vernment to see that an adequate and scriptural education be
provided for the poorer classes of the community. He
denied that the nonconformists had any right to complain
of this measure, for if any party made a sacrifice,it was the
church. The object of the government was to see that
religious principles were taught in the various
schools, but not a farthing of their money was to go
to religious teaching, properly speaking.--The Rev, H. W.
M'Grath, in seconding the motion, contended that on scrip-
tural principles the government was hound to provide for the
religious education of the people. The nonconformists had
asserted that this principle was contrary to scripture, but he
knew not from what part of it they drew their argument,
except the solitary expression of the Saviour that his king-
dom was not of this world, the meaning of which he denied
that they applied in its true sense. He appealed to the effort
made in London six years ugo by the bishop and clergy
there, and followed by the (haunters, to raise money
to meet the scriptural and educational waists of
the people, as showing that the voluntary efforts of
the country could never accomplish the desired end,
for it had been proved, he said, that after all, they bad not
been able to do so much as increase the means in proportion
to the increase of population. The Rev. Hugh Stowell
moved, That the meeting hailed with pleasure the ',Noosed
extension of the minutes of 18.39, regarding thins as equit-
abie towards all parties, and well fitted to !observe instead
of suppressing private exertion, and desired to express its
astonishment that the proposition had met with such unex-
pected opposition. He expressed his entire satisfaction with
this measure, which he should has e been ashamed of him.
self if he had rejected because of the men it had come from.
He hoped government would persevere with it, and not, like
the government of Sir Robert Peel with the measure of Sir
James Graham, after they had given it their hearty support
throughout, turn round and desert them. He was satisfied
that, though he had raised 2,0091., and built a school
for the children of his congregation, it was im-
possible for voluntary effort to meet the requirements
of the people. The nonconformists opposed it, because they
said the church would get the lion's share of the. money.
Well, that was because she raised the most money. Let
dissenters do as mach by, voluntary effort as the church did,
and then they would have as much •, but, after all their
bout about their voluntaryism, he denied that they had done
so much as the church. Besides, he thought, though a good
deal had been done lately by dissenters, it was only a kind of
spasmodic effort, and he did tot like to trust to those mere
gusts of wind, which, after all, might leave the bark of edu-
cation becalmed and stagnant: he would prefer the regular
trade-wind of government aid, which would always keep her
afloat and her sails well filled. He characterised the objec-
tions of the oongregationaliats as unreasonable and quixotic:
they seemed at a loss for arguments against the measure,
and yet would not support it ; and they reminded him of the
old doggerel :
I do not like thee, Dr. Fell •
Thereupon why I cannot tel
But this I know full well,
I do not like thee, Dr. Fell!
(Much laughter.) Mr. W. Townend seconded the motion,
and it was agreed ta, like the others, with only three or four
dissentients.
A LIVERPOOL CHARACTER: THE ASSIZE MONOMANIAC.
—The old lady whose vagaries in court we (Liverpool Mer-
cury) have so frequently noticed, did not make her ap-
pearance at these assizes till lost Monday morning, when
she entered in breathless haste, and took her place
in the witness-box before his lordship arrived. Looking
across to the reporters' seat, she said, somewhat abruptly,
" You short-band writers, put down my words exactly so
I say. I don't want to be misrepresented any more.
Put down exactly what I say." hating said so, she
retired until Mr. Baron Rolfe took his scat, when she
again stepped forward, evidently bent upon making her
wants known to the bench. One of the officers of the
court attempted to remove her, but some of the gentle-
men at the bar, who, by the bye, are all on the best of terms
with the old dame, interfered, and she was allowed to pro-
ceed. She said, "My lords and gentlemen, I hope you will
give me my rights.' The judge: " What rights you have
will be duly attended to. Now withdraw." " Yes, I will,"
was the answer; " but will you give me my rights before
you leave that seat, and let me know the position I stand
in ? It.has been delayed too long already, and I expect you
will do me justice." His lordship again assured her that
her rights should be attended to, and she immediately re-
tired, although her voice, denouncing the " law's delay,"
could be heard for some time, as she threaded her way
through the crowded court and passages.
YORKSIIIRE.

COMMISSION ET THE LORD iii;iztiArer.—E. S. Cayley,
jun., Esq., to be Deputy Lieutenant.
THE EDUCATION QuEartox.—The agitation at Leeds,
the centre of Mr. Bainea's influence, on the subject of the
minutes of council relative to education, does not appear
likely yet to terminate. W. Aldam, Esq., ene of the members
for the borough, has been staying at Leeds during the week,
and is understood to have expressed opinions in favour of the
scheme, upon which, with a view to influence, not to say
coerce, him, a private meeting of the requisitors for the late
borough meeting on the subject has been called.
ANOTHER DOUBLE SUICIDE.-011 Thursday morning the
bodies of two young persons, in comparatively humble life,
named Joseph Watson, aged 18, and Maria Wilson, aged 17,
were found drowned in the river Aim, near to the Low Fold,
at the Bank, in Leeds. The unfortunate couple were tied
together by a handkerchief, as was lately the case with two
young persons found drowned near Wakefield. It appeared
I that they had some time ago become attached to each other,
end of late both of them had been out of employment, which,
it would appear, had preyed on their minds so far as to lead
them to the commission of suicide. An inquest wail held on
their bodies, before John Blackburn, Esq., coroner for the
borough, when a verdict of "Felo de se ' was returned.
VITEN.= I DP

A RAILWAY ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE GRAND JUNC-
TION LINE to the Express train on Wednesday night. The
train left Crewe at its usual time, and proceeded towards
Liverpool at the speed of about forty-five miles the hour,
when, on reaching Whiteford, it met with an obstruction on
the rails, and the engine was thrown violently off the line.
The first and second carriages from the tender were also
forced off the rails, and dragged by the engine a considerable
distance. The accident happened in a cutting, and from
that circumstance the lives of the passengers were in all pro-
bability saved. The cause of the obstruction is not vet ascer-
tained • but it is supposed that sonic points on the rills where
it occurred had been disturbed, al a branch line, leading to
some salt-works, is situated at the spot. The engine-man
was seriously injured, and the driver was also much hurt.
Fortunately, none of the pawengere austaincd damage.
They were all detained on the line for several hours, and
did not reach Liverpool till after three o'clock next morning.
The engine-man and driver were too ill to be removed.
WARWICKAIIIRE.
THE FOUNDATION STONE of the Leamington Proprietary
College was laid on Wednesday by Dr. Jephson, amidst a
large concourse of spectators, attracted to witness the cere-
mony. The procession to the ground intended for the new
edifice was formed of the resident clergy and principal inha-
bitants, together with the several masters and pupils of the
establishment, which has been hitherto conducted in a tem-
porary building.
THE SANITORT GUERTION.—THE INQUIRY IN RIR-
MINGRAH.--Mr. Austin, the poor-law commissioner, con-
tinues in Birmingham for the purposes set forth in this
journal on Monday. The last four days have been chiefly
devoted to the examination of medical gentlemen. The fol-
lowing is a summary of the evidence thus obtained. Oa the
subject of the eligibility of the site of thepresent workhouse
for the erection of a new building, Mr. T. Hodgson, a sur-
geon of twenty-eight years' practice, said, that his opinion
was adverse to the present site, and his reasons were, that it
was situated in the centre of a dense population—contained a

large number of the lowes arm- of inhabitants, living in
billy-ventilated and undrained courts, containing a vast
accumulation of filth. It was also in the vicinity of numer-
ous works and manufactures, which emitted vapours render.
ing the atmosphere impure. These causes, though, not per-
haps, productive of any specific diseases, gave rise to a state
of low health, which he considered detrimental to the general
health of the neighbourhood. He considered that it would be
essential, supposiag the new workhouse to be erected on its
present site, that there should be a complete reconstruction
of the drainage. He was adverse too to the proposal to erect
a new workhouse on the Heath—the situation was too cold,
In reply to a question as to whether he did not consider the
officers appointed under the Sanitory Regulations Bill
would remove the whole of the evils in the centre of the
town, arising from the load state of ash-holes, Mr. Hodgson
replied, that he did not conceive such would be the result.
As one of the medical officers under that bill, he considered
it very defective in its powers. It would not allow of any
great improvement ander its provisions. The inspector, al-
though empowered to lay informations on the com-
plaint of a householder, could cot, under this act,
seek out nuisances himself.—ln this observation, Mr.
Austin (the commissioner) expressed his concurrence. He
had himself found, that although a locality in his own neigh-
bourhood was of the most unhealthy character, he had no
power to lodge a complaint under the provisions of the bill,
not living
,in close proximity to the nuisance in question.
Mr. Hodgson, in continuation, said that he was acquainted
with the provisions of Lord Morpoth's San'.tory Bill, but he
considered that a vast acceleration of speed in carrying out
the drainage of such a town as Birmingham wan essential
to the preservation of the public health. Recurring to the
salubrity of the present workhouse site, he said that he was
of opinion that two-thirds of the whole of the persons who
died in Birmingham were buried within a quarter of a mile
of the workhouse. He considered that the horrible state of
St. Philip's and St. Mary's churchyards, must prove
inju-
rious to the health of the immediate neighbourhood, and
that steps should be taken to stop the further burial of dead
bodies in those places. He considered the Bluecoat boys,
though not positively unhealthy, were pale-faced and spindle-
legged, and were suffering from what might be considered a
low state of health, which predisposed the inhabitants of
Maras generally to sickness and general ill-health,
tending to dyspeptic, hypochondriacal, and similar diseases.
Mr. Joseph Iliithesden, a surgeon, spoke to the exceeding
mortality amongst Ills infants, which was referred to in this

paper on Monday.—Mr. P. Smith, the town surveyor, gate
a detailed account of the state of the drainage of the town; he
admitted that it was defective, and said that it was now in
contemplation to re-construct the sewerage of the whole town,
the minimum depth of the whole of which would be four-
teen feet. Re was of opinion that in the ordinary course of
things the neighbourhood of the present workhuuva would
not he drained under five years. The inquiry is still pro-
ceeding ; a great number of witnesses have been examined,
and the whole of their evidence goes to show the very
defective state of the drainage of the town, and the vast
amount of disease arising therefrom.
WOUCESTERSEURF.

DONATION TO A PUBLIC INSTITUTION.—A large portion
of a very fine Roman tessellated pavement, found about
eight inches beneath the surface in Bays Meadow, near the
town of Droitwich, has been presented to the Worcestershire
Natural History Society by Mr. M'Caul, the engineer, and Mr.
Tredwell, the contractor of the Oxford, Worcester, arid Wol-
serbampton Railway. On the 3rd inst. the interesting relic
was removed ; it is about three yards long by two and a-half
wide. This pavement not improbably belonged to a Roman
residence, and if so it is an interesting historical fact in con-
nexion with the ancient Sallow. Another detached frag-
ment wits found near the same spot.
PUBLIC FOOTTATHS.—Now that approaches and people
begin to make excursions into the green fields and lanes, the
inhabitants of some of the provincial towns are bestirring
themselves again to prevent the uncen monious encroach-
ments upon the public footpaths which of late have become
so fashionable. But while the inhabitants of smaller and
lees important localities are spiritedly exerting themselves
to protect the public rights in this particular, we do not find
a corresponding feeling exhibited in our own city, so cele-
brated for the picturesque character of its suburbs. It is
notorious to all who aro in the habit of seeking recreation
and health in the green fields, away from the smoke and
dinginess of the city, that within the past kw years there has
bees a considerable mal-appropriation of those public conve-
niences to which we here allude, a very serious proportion of
the pleasant walks of the environs of this city having been
blocked up without leave or license. We may specify these
on a future opportunity should circumstances call for it.—
IVorcester Journal.