The Express.
London, England, 1865-10-06 00:00:00

4

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR VIZ
PROMOTION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE.

(rims am smut nr.roatua.)
SHEFFIELD, THMUIDAY.
This morning the business of the meeting of the
imcanatioe was forms/1y commuted by the delivery of an
address of moth Wattle length by Sir R. Philllmors to an
aggregate usestleg of the members, is the Muslc-hall,
opeakieg as Presidest of the Departmeat of Jurispradeoce.
In fraction A (latemaional Law) Sir It. PIILLIMOIM
wad, and a &anal= on the special omegas whether
• desirable to establish an uniform international law of
freight, and if so, on what priociples, was carried on
airing the slain.
Is Section B (Municipal Law), Lord Baouonsat took the
chair foe a time.
Mr. Morrarr, M.P., the Chairman of the Select Corn-
eae* on the &ohms Law, reads paper on that subject.
In section C al the same itepartniset, Mr. Fourra. M.P..
la the chair, the Rev. W. L. CIA! read • paper "Ou Recent
Improvements in our Penal System." who was followed by
ens " the desirability of retablishieg itedormatorice for
Adults." read by Mr. T. B. L. Baker.
The Falsoralon depart/neat net iu the Ilneiethll, Surrey-
rarest, under the prinidthey of Mr. THOMAS CHANIMIS,
Q.C., and M.P.: end was well attended, a large portion of
the sodomite hung Lobes.
The Rev. Hann STZPRILIYBOI4, M.A., read the report of
the standing committee of toe department, which reviewed
at some length the sweets of ititereat connected with educa-
tion once the last congress of the arautiatioo. In the ab-
sence of the Rev. F. U. Maurice, Mr. Stephenson reed a
paper by that patient I)s°, upon the special questnie," What
province meth to be made for the education of girls
of the upper and middle classes."
The peat paper was by Dothruth Blau, of the Ladies'
College, Cheltenham.
There was another paper by Mary Wolatenholme on the
game subject.
A discussion followed epos these papers, in which the
opinions expreesed were gradually in favour of giving girls
the advantages of the same education as that enjoyed by
boys. One of the speakers was Manselijee Ciunedjoe, of
the Supreme Court, Bombay, who complimented both
Indies on the ability shown in their contributions, and ex-
Premed a hope that they would allow him to bare them
teanslated into his motive tongue and circulated in India at
his owe i,peose.
Dr. LANKSSTZS, F.ILS., president of the Health Deport-
swot, took the chair, and made a few observations respect-
ing the business which would be trassaraed.
Mr. P. H. flottarn then read a paper oo "Is what way
can the ransoessery exposure of trinkets° redraws of life
or health be hest avoided, especially in collieries, mine, and
'manufactories."
Dr. J. C. HALL, senior physician to the Fleflield
• Path° Hospital, reed a paper of great length, " The effects
of amine Sheffield trades oo life and health."
In the warranty aid trade notion, Mr. Wrusox read •
paper oo trades union strikes and lucks out, and courts of
arbitration lad roscilisiioe.
Professor Fan crrr, M.P., said he thought working men
bad a most undoubted right to combine if they could sup-
port that combination without practising any coercion upon
those who migot sot wish to join such combinations.
(Cheers.) In copra:induce of the existing economic
relations between the labourer and the employer, which
were not satisfactory, these combinations were woes-
eery, presenting there was no coercion, in order to glie the
labourer the greatest possible price which he could obtain
for his labour. By combining labourers were more likely to
get a more satisfactory bargain than they would otherwise
do, But let them not make a mistake. Unjust demands
bed been made upon the masters in some cases, but what.
ever injury had beers inflicted upon the stainers, the injury
falling epos the working men was greater. Therefore the
*ties of :he cause should be well ascertained before com-
binations were rapthised.
Several other gentlemen took part in the discussion,
after which the department adjourned.

(rsou ♦ comarcorwarrd
SHEFFIELD, THMISDAT.
The Sociologists could scarcely have made choice
of a better rendezvous than Sheffield : they will be
able here to see for themselves bow some of the trades
most destructive to life exercisetheirdeadly injuries
upon a working class who must be, I should say,
from the tine situation of the town, some of the
healthieit born that could be wished for. The
whole place stands upon hills, and pretty country
hills peep in and smile upon the busy streets from
every aide through clouds of smoke rising from the
great factorise. The streets are admirably well
paved with large smooth stones, and swept beauti-
fully clean, so that what with this natural drainage
and the solid paving which so facilitates this and
keeps down all noxious exhalations, Sheffield ought
to be one of the healthiest of places, where life
could be prolonged to fabulous periods. But the
Sheflielders unfortunately happen to have long ago
set their faces exactly in the opposite direction to
health, long life, and happiness. The first thing
you see is the reception room of the congress on
the hack of your chair is the four pairs of crossed
swords as the arms of the Cutlers' Company,
the wealthiest body, perhaps, in Sheffield.
These swords are typical, in fact, of the staple
trade of the place for centuries in weapons of the
cutting order, in knives of every kind, up to the
murderous "bowie knife," which is made here in
numbers, and may after all he an old English
institution, for Chaucer tellsof one of his heroes that
A Shahid thwytel here he is his hose,
and this " thwytel " it requires no very great
stretch of one's etymology to see must be the I
original of the well-known " whittle " that serves I
Brother Jonathan so well in his (Mee fur meets
momenta. Saws, files, and edge tools of all sorts,
everything, indeed, that wants grinding, and this
unhappily is where the mischief lies, occupy man,
woman, and child here. To put this bright polish
on our knives and forks, and scissors and razors, and
to make them sharp, some thousands of lives are
regularly sacrificed—hopelessly yielded up—the
piteous victims themselves being far leas concerned
about it than the kindly students of social science
who have come down here to look into the matter
for them. The average life of a dry grinder, which
it must not be supposed means one who never
drinks, for this would be precisely the reverse of
the case, is 31 Many die as youths and even boys.
Forks and razors have to be ground dry, while some
other articles are ground with water on the wheel,
and the fink grinder never expects to live beyond
what we should consider the mere b'ginning of the
prime. The average of their life is net down at 29,
and the highest general figure given for the
grinders, whether wet or dry, is only 43. Imagine
what these poor fellows lose of social happiness In •
span so brief as this, with scarce time to know half '
the joy of a father's lot; with the constant desperation
of knowing that every day at the wheel is fatal,
leading them to drowning the thought in drinking,
and conducting themselves with the most reckless
disregard of life. In the Department of Public
Health, over which Dr. Laukester presides, the spe-
cial question for first consideration is, " In what
way can the unnecessary exposure of workmen to
dangers of life or health be best avoided, especially
in collieries, mines, and manufactories." Dr. Hall,
the senior physician to the Sheffield Hospital, read a
mostimportant and interesting paper upon the effects
of the grinding trade upon the health of the men. It
appears from this account that about 4,000 grinders
*reemployed in Sheffield. They work in sheds, which
we called by the ugly name of " hulls," and these
places are generally badly ventilated, as windows
interfere with the light cut upon the blade, and
&see the sight of the workman. The only method
adopted of protecting the men is by blowing away
the dust, which contains particles of steel and grit,
by means of fans ; and the workmen are positively
made to pay themselves for this simple piece of
most ordinary protection. Some poor fellows refuse
to pay the penny • week, and absolutely prefer togo
on risking everything. Perhaps they cannot afford
it. What shall we say then to the muter who as
take the life's blood of men in this way I Dr. Hall
*ells us that the cost of a few pounds would furnish
proper fans for any set of wheels ; yet it is almost
incredible that with all our parade of government
inspection of factories, times men are allowed to