The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-18 00:00:00

FESTIVALS OF MECHANICS' LNSTITUTES.

HALIFAX.

The soirje of the Halifax Mechanics' Institute was
held on Tuesday night, iu the Odd Fellows' Hall, and was
most respectably attended. The company included John
Waterhouse, Esq. the Mayor, who presided on the occa-
sion ; the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who is one of the
borough representatives; Richard Cubdtn Esq., M.P.,
John Abbott, Esq , John Baldwin, Esq , Alexander,
Colonel Pollard, dke.,
The Rev. M. TURNER, the Secretary, reads very gratify-
ing report of the position of the Institute, showing that
during the past year it has made cousiderable progress,
and has now subscribing and ordinary members to the
number of 628, besides an i xtensive and excellent library.
The CHAIRMAN briefly addressed the meetiag, and
was followed by

JOHN CItOSSLEY, Esq., who in a few appropriate re- I I
marks moved that the report read by the secretary be
adopted by the meeting.
Sir CHARLES WOOD seconded the adoption of the re- '
port, and said he could nut hut look to these institutions as
use great branch of that general education which he felt I
deeply anxious to ace promoted throughout the length and '
breadth of the land. (Cheers.) Their worthy chairman
(the Mayor) had alluded to some of the great difficulties
which attended this subject of education, because of those '
feelings which are implanted in those interested in the '
promotion of education triensgs which, even if one '
thought them mischievous, they were bound to respect.
(Hear, hear.) Education was, therefore, one of those
subjects which must be pressed forward, but they must
leave it to the people to speak for themselves, aid them in
their efforts, and not drive them on faster than they are
willing to go. (" Hear," and applause.) He was glad to state
to them his opinion that the—he would not call them prejo-
judices, but—strong feelings which hail interfered with the
progress of general education, were Liss wearing away.
(Hear, hear.) lle believed that the general conviction was,
that education was one of the first things which they ought
rasromontetantdwlttalititliut
lties, he hojityheo,i,ettlahtingi:
aw hitch
years they would see is much mute rapid prostre,x made in
favour of general education than limit been the case for
many years past. (Cheers) With regard to that portion
d their mechanics' institution which provided instruction
he the junior members, he felt the same interest as in the
other departments ; he believed it be even mire useful than
the other, as it tended to raise the character of society at
large. (Hear, hear.) Now, with regard to that which was
not a portion of general cluention—that which afforded the
means of self-instruction which members of these institutions
were able to acquire, he believed that to be of the greatest
value. One of the greatest advantages which persons in easy
circumstances possess over those less favourably placed than
themselves, is the command of books and the means of
' information ; but institutions of this kind put into
the power of the claws alluded to facilities which they
I would otherwise be enable to obtain. Having at some

length pointed out the importance to the working claws of
using the opportunities afforded to them in these institu-
tions of access to useful information, he concluded by ob-
serving that they must look to others than himself for in-
formation to guide them. All he could do in this way was
that which be had door, to express his approval of the
principle of Mechanics Imitations. The only ether way
in which he could help them was by contributing to the
new building, and if 100 f. would be of any service to
them, they should be most heartily welcome to it. (Loud
end repeated cheers.)
Mr. RICHARD COBDEN, M.P., next addressed the
Mee tin g, strongly recommending the Halifax people to
emulate the example of their neighbours at Huddersfield,
who possessed a much larger and more imitable institution,
with one-third more members. Ile (Mr. C.) had heard
Lord John Russell say something to the effect that an edu-
cational test would not be a bad franchise to be admitted
into this country, and he had bevel trembling—he hoped
their right hon. member would not say anything about
it at the next meeting of the Cabinet. (Laughter
and cheers.) Huddersfield has 1,650 members in its
Mechanics' Institution, with only one member, while
Halifax has two representatives, and only 600 members in
its institution ; and while Huddersfield has built and pro-
sided accommodation suitable for her institution, Mati-
lda, which has gut plate-glees windows, luxurious private
houses, and superior mills, has thrust her institution into
garret. (Laughter, and cheers.) lie (Mr. Cobden) hoped
nothing would be said about it out of that hall—(hear,
hear)—but if it was, that it would be mentioned with the
distinct understanding that the men of Halifax bad resolved
that before the coming year runs out, this stigma—this great
stigma—on so important a parliamentary borough should be
wiped out ; and that they would have a nobler—a far nobler
—institution than anything his friend Schwann could boast
et at Huddersfield. (Cheers.) He was the other day at-
tending a dinner given to Mr. Walker, a distinguished
American citizen, who was entertained at a public dinner in
Manchester. In the course of his speech, Mr. Walker took
the opportunity of counselling them in the same way as
Mr. Abbot Lawrence had done, and telling them to see
that tho people of this country were better educates'. Now
he (Mr. Cobden) did not like it that people are to come
from a new country and tell them that the people of old
England were an ignorant set of people, cud wanted to be
better educated. (Hear.) England should take the lead of
America. About this ti twelve months, when alluding
to this very subject in tfe Manchester Athenaeum, he quoted
a remark made by a writer to the effe ct that there was
more useful knowledge iu the Times newspaper than in the
whole history of Thueyilides. Well, this was a strong opi-
nion to express, but he thought, after twelve months' re-
flection, that there was a great deal to be said fur it. For
instance, he that day brought with him a copy containing
the message of the American President, which would be of
great importance to all time, but every particle of which
was important to men of the present day; therefore, to tax
newspapers was teatimes as bad as the taxes on the worksof
Thucydides. But in the case of modem newspapers, they
tax it twice, firstof all the paper, and then the stamp. (Hear.)
But in addition to this advertisements were taxed, and a
mechanic who advertised fur a situation had to pay Is. 6d.
duty; while the malt who advertised an estate of 100,0001.
had no more to pay. (blear, hear.) He then contrasted
the conduct of England with that of America, it being in
the latter country a fundamental principle that every-
thing which bore on the education of the people was
freed from fiscal exactions. In conclusion, he said if be
bad any claim upon the working men in tho way his
friend Mr. Crossley had mentioned—that was in having
been instrumental in cheepening their bread, he would
implore them to spend what they now saved in the educes
lion of their children, in giving them food for the mind.
If they did this, it would be the means of raising society
intellectually and morally.
Mr. CROSSLEY, referring to the proposed new bun& !
log, suggested that tour large mill-owners, who employed es
dee aggregate 12,000 workpeople, should subscribe 2,00111.
seerept them ; and the rest should be raised by sulkier*.
dem t the merchants, the bankers, and the car
lasaity et •
Mr. Alderman Baldwin, Colonel Pollard, and Mr. Wm.
Fairbairn, of Manchester, having addressed the meeting,
the latter in some practical remarks on the importance of
mental culture to mechanics and artisans, the usual vote of
thanks was given to the visitors and the chairman.
The meeting did not break up uutil after 10 o'clock.

NORTHAMPTON.

On Tuesday night a soiree upon a scale of con-
siderable magnificence was held in the Corn Exchange of
this town, to commemorate the opening of a new suite of
buildings destined for the occupation of the Northampton
and Northamptonshire Mechanics' Institute. The Com-
pany, who were in full dress, could have been little less in
number than NO, and included the principal nobility
and gentry resident in the neighbourhood, the families of
the higher and middle classes, and those of a greet number
of the operatives in the town. Earl Fitswilliam,
presided, and among the noblemen and gentlemen who
surrounded hint on the platform, were Lord Althorpe, Lord
Henley, Lord Wodehonse, the Err. Lord Alwyne Compton;
the Earl of Aboyne, the Hon. G. Fitzwilliam, Mr. Vernon
Smith, Y.P., Mr. Layard, the distinguished antiquary and
traveller, the Mayor of Northampton, Mr. Charles
Knight, Mr. George Cruikshank, Dr. Conolly, the lion. R.
Watson, the Revs. T. \V. Barlow, C. H. Hartshorue, E. T.
Priest, G. Nicholson, T. James, and many others. Addresses
were delivered by Lord Fitswilliam, Mr. Layard, the ex-
plorer of the rains of Nineveh, Mr. C. Knigkt, and several
other gentlemen.

REINTORCTMECTS FOR TIIT CAPT.—The Ist Bat-
talion Rifle Brigade, which returned last year from the
Cape of Good Hops, are again to moored forthwith to that
colony.
EARTIIQUATE.—The Impartial de Sinyrne, in its
correspondence from &Moira, has melancholy accounts of
an earthquake at Beret. We learn that a part of the fort-
ress had been thrown down, and 400 soldiers buried in the
ruins. Boma days after the catastrophe, and after great
exertions, their lifeless bodies were withdrawn from the
ruins, and their numbers ascertained. About &JO houses,
two mosques, and a church suffered considerably, and many
are no longer habitable. The Governor of Tatting sent
teats and assistance to the remainder of the soldiers in gar-
rison there. Among Christians and Mussulmans, 800 per-
eons are miming, but it is as yet unknown how many among
those have bean lost, or bow many have sought safety in
Sight. Near to Beret the top of a mountain was detached
from its Wee, sad thrown to a considerable distance. In
the centre a crater has been formed, from which dense
volumes of black smoke, atones, and lava are emitted.
Fetid sulphurous exhalations escape and corrupt the air.
The villages and environs of Bent have suffered great
damage.
BELFAST AND COUNTY DOWN BAlLMAT.—Traffic
for the week ending Deo. 14 :-1811. 24. IW. For the week
ending Dec.l6, 1860, 1371. 134. 7d.