The Express.
London, England, 1849-12-25 00:00:00

To this memorial the following is his Excellency's
; Dublin Castle, Dee. 18, 1849.
Bir,—ln acknowledging the receipt of your memorial, the
lard lieutenant hasdirected nee to state, that his excellency
has received' with deep regret the intelligence of the me/ast-
*holy loos of life which has (occurred or the Ferry of Bilreek.
and of the destitution stated to prevail is taw union. He
that the guardians have not pat rates in course et
regrets collection, from which funk could be afforded kr the relief
of the poor, the responsibility of providing whisk rats with
that body. Your ocannonication has bees referred to the
pew law cconinissionera.—l ass, air,
Tyour most obediesd
humble servant, T. N. Itimnoxon.
Rev. T. Kelly, P.P., ILikadi.

SCOTLAND.

UNITED INDUSTRIAL SCROOLS.
The annual meeting of the subscribers and friends -•
of this important and most interesting institution takes pleas
on Wednesday first, in the school premises, eolith Gray's
Clue, Edinburgh. WeForeman) give the prieeipel por-
tion of the Annual Resort about to be issued to the rub-
scribers, and recommend to special attention what it says
regarding.the two distinguishing features of the institution,
—industrial training, sad separate or unsecterian religious
teaching :
t It is only necessary very briefly to remind the subscribers
to this institution that it was established on the principle of
affording to the children attending it secular education, with
industrial training and maintenance, in such a shape as
would enable them to receive separate religious instruction
according to the creed of their parents, uncontrolled by the
mansgers of the secular branch of education. To
aotomplish this end, the committee devote their time
and attention to secular matters entirely, and they use
none of the funds placed at their disposal by the public at
large for religious teaching, either protestant or catholic. To
give facilities, however, for religious instruction being fully
communicated to the children, two small committees are
appointed, the one consisting of protestant, the other of
catboat, gentlemen, whose duty it is to attend to this essen-
tial department of education ; while, to render their opera-
tions the mole convenient, it has been arranged that one of
the confiner' teachers shall be a protestant and the other a
catholic. The committee believe that the seal with which
the offices of religion are performed for the catholic portion
of the pupils by their clergy, is not likely to be questioned.
The protestant children, we believe, are eate'ully attended
to, and continue, accompanied by the protestant master or
the superintendent, to attend the Tron Church, to the reve-
rend pastor of which (Dr. Bunter) the committee have to
express their thanks for the attention which has been
paid to the portion of the children belonging to his
flock. The selection of a place of worship for these
children :ell on the parish church, on the principle that as
the choice involved in some measure a burden, it would more
equitably fall on the church established by the state, and
supported by public funds, than en any ecclesiastical institu-
tion supported by private contribution. But, on the other
hand, the committee do not prevent any church or religious
body from retaining within itself a child who may, by
parentage or otherwise, be connected with it, provided an
assurance be given that the child shall be required to give
regular attendance at worship. The committee have great
pleasure in saying, that the same complete unbroken har-
mony. which they announced lest year still continues to dis-
tinguish eacht of the protestant and catholic children
towards other. In relation to the moral and intellec-
tual progress made by the school during the past year,
the masters, Musts. Cranduff and Donlevi, report moss
favourably. The skilled industrial system, which had only
been commenced when the last year's report woo pre-
pared, has been rule and effectively carried out under the
able direction of the superintendent, Mr. Maxwell. * •
But, besides the prospect which it affords of bringing up
useful members of satiety, the industrial system has proved
of eminent advantage to the discipline, harmony, and effect-
iveness of the institution, sea mere place of education. It
has been found eminently adapted to the nature of the
children, and hence, to their contentedness and good conduct
it is too often forgotten, that the mature outcasts of society
and the chili of want or degradation are two totally distinct
beings, both in their physical and mental nature, and de-
u.ana as different a scald treatment. The former becomes
supine, inert, and hopeless, during his career of vice and
misfortune —the latter often shows an acuteness and energy
beyond his years. It has been observed that children early
deprived of their natural guardians exhibit remarkable
precocity, as If by a wise provision their natures were
adapted to the aitficulties of their petition. Among
those poor abandoned children whose daily ingenuity is
taxed to supply their daily wants, the young human facul-
ties are subjected heir artificial forcing system which en-
larges them to utmost stretch, and the extent to
which they are developed seems aometimes incredible.
These qualities have an accompanying excitement which de-
mands afield of development. Employments which do not
in some degree fix the ingenuity and the pow. rs 01 body
and mind, exhibiting results which increase with the ener-
gies bestowed on them, cannot fill the vacuum left by the
exciting occupations of mendicancy, imposition, and plunder.
When the hands are occupied in picking old ropes and sort-
ing wool, the mind is at the old haunts, accompanying the
pickpocket and the gambler, or revelling in the II ish-houes.
On the other hand, skilled labour totnferring progress with
effort, has served entirely supersede these dan-
gerous banksaings, while it keeps up a healthy
energy of body arid mind, visible in the seal with
which the children betake themselves, whether to
their work or their tasks. The turning lathes are
especially popular ; ILIA it is impossible to avoid feeling a
sympathetic interest with the evidently keen and absJrbing
emotion with which the boy sees the evidence of his own
enlarging skill growing into tangible shape before him. In
fact, , the hearts of the children are in the otablisnment,
and t .sir wires and hopes are in union with all its aims
and objects. The girls continue to be trained in needle-
work, and, so far as the capabilities of the estsblishment
permit, in cookery and tidy housekeeping. Fully tiny-
seven girls, whose probable fate, bad they not been taken in
hand, it is distressing to reflect on, have been taken
from the achuol into service. With very few exceptions,
the employers of these girls have given the most
gratiftieg testimony to their honesty and industry. The
secular teaching, by its practical character, has been
made, in a great measure, auxiliary to the system of
industrial trailing. The main object has been to
provide the pupils with such knowledge as may
be practically useful to them in the affairs of life. It has
happened to individual members of the comm ittee to wit-
ness examinations of schools for the humbler classes, where
distant or ancient names in geography or history were glibly
told off by rote, while the practical deficiency of the children
in these sciences was testified I y their total igncruce of
neighbouring towns or other territorial divisions, or of me
kind of persons who hold rule in the city they inhabit.
Great pains have been taken by the masters to obviate any
such reproach, by well grounding the children in familiar
and useful kix:wledge, referring in a great measure to places
and their government, and productions, to industrial oczups-
liens, to the mechanical powers, and to machinery, tools,
and other means of production. It has been found advan-
tageous, at the same time, to impart to them a few of the
more simple and unquestionable principles of political
economy—such is, that welt directed labour is the source of
all wealth. Care iv taken to uproot the dangerous ter.
lacy natural to their class, that wealth and poverty arc dis-
tributed through mankind by arbitrary chances, over which
the human energies ht tee no control. They are taught that
plunder and mendicancy only transfer wealth, they do not
create, but rather reduce at; and that them occupations
afford at all times but a limited field for adventure, while
the capabilities of well-directed industry are illimitable.
The considerate liberality of the public has enabled the
committee lately to admit to the benefits of the institution
forty children, all taken from the lowest grades of destitu-
tien, and selected from multitudes of objects of compassion
pressed upon their notice. The number now led, clothed,
unigh*, and trsioed, is 140; and the committee confidently
believe, that if a wealthy, intelligent, and liberal public,
could see realised b store them the incaiculable good accom-
plished by their system, the stream of future liberally would
he rather incrossei—Junes A. bleanse, Cho man.

EXHIBITION.

----_,
BANVARD'S PICTURE OF THE OHIO.
Last evening there was a private view of Mr. Ban-
yard's new panoramic picture of the Ohio River, in
the Egyptian-hall, which is to be opened to the public
to-morrow. It is on the same plan with this artist's
well-known picture of the Mississippi; the spectator
being carried up the Ohio, from its confluence with
the Mississippi to the city of Cincinnati. The scenery
of the Ohio is incomparably more interesting than
that of the Mississippi, which has scarce,y any other
feature than monotonous vastness. The Ohio is a
beautiful stream of pure transparent water, and its
banks present an endless variety of grand and pic-
turesque scenery—hill, rock, and forest, animated bys
towns, villages, and plantations. Mr. Bancard'
picture gives a iively representation of ail these ob-
jects, and their effect is heightened by the different
atmospheric influences ander which they are pre-
sented—gleaming in the bright sunshine, darkened
by clouds and misty, or mellowed by the light of the
moon. The view of Cincinnati, which termi-
nates the exhibition, is especially striking, and
gives a wondrous idea of that misrhty progress
wit which has called into existence a msgnlticent city
h above a hundred thousand pen*, where fifty
years ago, there was not a humeri tv.hi,stion. 'As a
work of art, Mr. Banvard's picture has the merit of
great apparent truth. Every ohjtct senns to have
been closely copied from nature, and yo successfully
that the effect is often that of at's, la'c illusion. He
himself makes an excellent eicerone—Mr ..xplinktory
lecture, as it may he called, being b h c., ertaining
ice.

UNIVERSITY AND CLERICAL.
Cauestnox. Dec. 24.—Pars1 81.711ZEC P.—l. His Hord
Highness the Prince Albert, Chancillor isagi. for Ow
theU encou-
niversity,
ten this
yesr
being p`mased to give annually a goio m
ragement of English Poetry : Toe prize will be gi
to um
inch resident undergraduate as shall canton/
best Elegiic Poem on the late Queen AdeLeitl:. NB. Toe
exercises are to be sent in to the Vice-Chancellor on or Orlon
March 30, 1850, and are not to exceed 200 hoes in length.
11. The Most Noble the liarrois Camden bung pinata to
give smasally a gold medal, as a prize tor the but swim

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