The Express.
London, England, 1853-04-14 00:00:00

7ARY GRANTS IN AID OF

INSTILUCTION IN ART.

The following minute has just been issued by the
Board of Trade At the Council Chamber, Whitehall, the
23rd day of March, 1653, by the night Honourable the
Lords of the Committee of Privy Council appointed for the
consideration of all Matters relating to Trade and Foreign
Plantations.
My Lords take into consideration the estimates about to
be submitted to parliament for affording aid to the Local
Schools of Art, during the year ending 31st March, 1854.
At the establishment of the schools it was understood that
a government grant was promised far a limited period of
three years, upon the condition that a sum equivalent to it
we, raised is the locality, and, in the expectation, that
after three years the schools would be so established and
supported as not to require any further assistance from go-
ferment. These expectations have not been fulfilled ; but on
the contrary, the tendency of the system until very lately has
boon to encourage increased reliance on government aid,
rather than upon the value of the instruction or local exer-
tions, and has been found adverse to economy. My lords
are of opinion, that by more judicious arrangements it may
Ibe pcasible greatly to increase the advantages which now
result from the outlay of ro large a sum of public money ;
and while they do not propose to withdraw grants from the
places which now receive them, they are d.siruus to intro-
, duce a system of greater efficieuey and economy by which
I the independence of the local bodies may be increased, and
the objects of the parliamentary vote more adequately
attained. My lords desire to relieve the localities altogether
from the obligation to seise a sum equivalent to the parlia-
mentary vote, and instead, to leave the whole general
management, and the control of the cost of it, entirely to
the local committees. le future, the local committees will
not be required to return to this board any account of their
local exi.entlitare, or of any receipts from subscriptions or
donations ; each local committee will, therefore, determine '
for itself what premises shall be used—subject, of course, to I
' their being considered by my lords as suitable for the pur-
poses of instruction—what rent shall be paid, what furni-
tare provided, what managing officers, servants, he.,
shall be engaged, and what shall be the cost of general
management.
My lords, on their part, propose to confine the parlia-
mentary grants wholly to the promotion of instruction, and
evert in this point to exercise control only so long as the
local committee elects to receive the parliamentary aid.
Their lordships would view it as the highest mark of the
progress and saxes of art education, in any locality, to
find that the committee preferred independence of the
government grant altogether.
My lords will require that the parliamentary grant for
the year ending 31st March, 1854, should bo paid to the
following objects—the present masters' salaries, an increase
of masters where necessary, especially for affording instruc-
tion to public schools ; pupil teachers, and to deserving
students in holding scholarships both in local and metropo-
litan schools ; and to students in training to become mas-
ters; lectures and examples fur teaching. Atter communi-
cation with the local committees, my lords will apportion
the greet to these respective items.
As the fees paid by the students may be considered as
the product, partly, of the grants furetshed by parliament,
and partly of the funds raised in the locality, nix lords a ill
require as a condition of receiving any parlisiffentary aid
that an equitable portion of the tees shall be applied to-
wards instruction, and in accordance with their minute of
the 28th January, 1853, and for the reasons given in the
letter of the 30tb June, 1852, which has been sanctioned by
the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, they
propose that such portioa of the fees shall be paid to the
master or ruasten of the school as part of their income.
Hagar COLE, Secretary.

MRS. H. B. STOWE IN LIVERPOOL—A meeting
ins held yesterday (Wednesday) in the large room belong-
ing to the British sad Foreign Bible Society, Slater-street,
for the purpose of presenting the talented authoress of
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" with a testimonial in the shape of
an elegantly worked purse, containing 1301. contributed by
the ladies of Liverpool. The chair was taken at 11 o' lock,
by Adam Hodgson, Esq., who, as the representative of the
ladies, made the presentation. Professor Stowe, in an ap-
propriate speech, returned thanks, and also read an address '
from Mrs. Stowe. A vote of thanks to the ladies was pro-
posed by the Rev. C. M. Birrell, for their untiring energy
and seal, and seconded by Sir G. Stephen. Mrs. Stowe
and party started by railway for Glasgow at 1.13 the same
FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—On Saturday- night
last, at seven o'clock, a shocking accident occurred near the
goods station on the Midland line. Nottingham. It rip-
, pears that at the time in question a man of the name of
I Potts (one of the company's servants) was shunting some of
the carriages on the line, when he unfortunately stumbled,
and got underneath the carriages, the wheels of which
passed over his body. He was extricated as quickly as
possible, and conveyed to the General Hospital, where
r every means were used to restore animation, but without
effect, as the unfortunate man died a few hours after-
wards.

ABSCONDING OF A RAILWAY OFFICIAL. —A few
days since a rumour, of the truth of which no doubt now
remains, prevailed to the t fleet that Mr. If. Cole, an official
holding a situation of considerable trust and responsibility
in the service of the Eastern Union Railway Company, had
suddenly abscondel. Cole fil ed 'he post of s.ation muster
at Ipswich, with a salary of 120/. per annum; and in this
capacity all meheys received at the cation for the transit of
passengers and goods passed through his hands. Some dis-
crepanu, it appears, was discovered in his accounts at the
audit-office, and a more rigid inquiry than ordinary was ac-
cordingly determined upon. Apprela naive of the result of
this examination of his books, Cole took his departure by
the late train on Mon,fty night. Before leaving he took the
precaution, A ems, to dispose of his furniture by valua-
tion. His wile and five children arc still in the town, and
much commiseration is Ica tor their susfortnnate puaitien.—
Apy rose.