The Express.
London, England, 1848-12-12 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

EDINBURGH, Dee. 10.
The Scottish Educational Institute has issued its
seoond report, from which it appears that the body
now consists of 386 fellows, 193 senior, and 121
junior lioentiatee, in all 700, a strength that is very
creditable, and shows strikingly what teachers and
other professional persons can do when, instead of
waiting for external means of elevation, they take
their cause into their own hands. Dr. Schmitz, the
late president, says truly, however, that until the uni-
versities exact a minimum amount of scholarship from
their entrants, educational reform will not be consum-
mated ;—but the Institute must persevere. One of
the Aberdeen Colleges is already on their aide. They
have 8001. of surplus fends ; let them use the money
well and collect mote, and the universities will in
time be compelled to repair their broken fences. The
attendance at the Edinburgh University is more than
usually numerous this session, the number of matricu-
lated students exceeding by 102 the number that
were enrolled at the corresponding period last year.
The principal increase is in the law and literary facul-
ties. In the matter of pure secular education, Mr.
George Combs and Mr. James Simpson have started
a school in Edinburgh where religious instruction is
to be left to parents and guardians and excluded from
the subjects taught.
An effort is to be made in Aberdeen for the aban-
donment of open fishing-boats and the substitution of
small-decked vessels with air-tight compartments to
prevent sinking. The boats at present in use cost 504
those. proposed would cost 1601. ; but then, instead of
being employed, as at present, for some six weeks in
the year for the herring fishing only, they could be at
mall the year round for every kind of fishing trade.

A raw Txtionarir COMPANT has been established called
the Scottish Electric Telegraph Company, for supplying the
chief towns and cities of the north.
Paisox BRICLIINO.—The Glasgow Saturday Post reports
an attempt made by three convicts to break cut of the North
Prison, which, in the case of one of them, was successful.
About four o'clock in the morning a small dog belonging to
the governor gave tongue, and altogether showed so much
meanness that the yard watchman became convinced somas-
thing was in progress. He gave the alarm, and imme-
diately the governor, along with the head warder,
came down, and with some 'difficulty succeeded each
in capturing a prisoner at opposite sides of the yard.
There men were under sentence of transportation, and
had been confined, along with a third convict, named
John White, in one of the cells on the third story of the
new wing. White was no where to be men. The examina-
tion of the cell, and the statement of the captured waybill,
left no doubt as to the manner in which the escape had take
place. It appears that the prisouen by means of a file, had
esessected in dividing one of the iron bare of their window,
end then wrenching part of it out. They had then torn up
their hammock, and converted it into a strong and service-
able rope, one end of which was fastened to the stamp of the
iron her, and, as they had been working se tailors. they
dived to the other end the lapboard, which served as a com-
fortable seat in their descent. The prisoners were shut up
in their cell about seven o'clock in the evening, and they
must have been engaged in their preparatory operations
during the greater part of the night ; but they had dead-
ened the sound by plating their bedding "Lanka the all
door. and thus nothing was heard from the inside by
the watchman who noiselessly perambulates the ward dur-
ing the night. The end& watchman makes his rounds
every fifteen minutes, and every hall hoer he touches the
tell-tale clock, which acts as a voucher for, or check upon,
the regularity of his movements. On the night in question,
his rounds bad been regularly made. Immediately after the
alarm, the most minute search was made throughout the
grounds for White, the third convict, but he was fairly off.
The enter wall, which he must have scald, is of great
height ; there was neither ladder nor rope to assist him; the
hammock-made rope was left dangling, to the window
stanchion • and yet the wall does not bur any trace of
having been touched In any part.