The Express.
London, England, 1847-04-13 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 13, 1847.

NOTICE.
The Proprietors of the Daily News (Morning) and Ezpren
(Evening) papers have been induced, in consequence o
the representations from various respected quarters, to
open Offices at No. 4, ROYAL EXCHANGE-BUILDINGS,
tse r•rner of Ccrnhill, and fr wting the Roytt Exchengs,
in addition to their other offices. This arrangement will
afford greater convenience to the numerous connexions and
friends of these mere in the City and its eastward environs,
who may desire to communicate intelligence of interest and
utility: and a geatleman will be in daily attendance there to
receive such communications.

The office will be open from nine in the morning till
eight in the evening for advertisements.--No. 4, Exchange-
buildings, corner of Cernhill, fronting Me Royal Exchange

We doubt, therefore, very much, that shortening the
period of enlistment will alone have the effect of in-
ducing a better class to enter the army. Educa-
tion, future pensions, and the eight of a respectable
-cured class of soldiers in every town will in time
supply the defect. Althougk the shorter term may
not induce a better class to enlist, it will probably
render the enlisted a better class. They will be re-
garded by officers and sergeants as no longer slaves
for life. There will be an anxiety to keep the service of
the steady, and farriers' whips will not do this. As
the Irish poor-law is destined not so much to feed the
poor as to force the landlord into proper care of them,
so the Short Enlistment Bill, by compelling officers
to employ new modes of discipline and manage-
ment, will indirectly have the effect of improving the
soldier. . _ .

With a view to the working of this bill and its
concomitants, let us consider how the French system
works with regard to those who enlist voluntarily.
Such soldiers arc of two kinds ; those that enlist for
the sake of the bounty or redemption money—some
60!. or 801.—which they invest, and thus a little capital
is obtained to begin with on retiring from the army,
which the soldier may virtually do in four or five
years. He can then marry, pursue his trade, purchase
a cottage and land. The redemption money secures
his existence. The other class of French recruits
embrace the army as a profession, they rise to be
non commissioned officers, or full officers, serve to the
last, and retire respected with cross and pension.
We cannot hope to attain either of these results by
our present plan of military reform. We can only
take a few steps towards them.

Tire state of public opinion on the subject of educa-
tion on the continent, generally, forms a curious con-
trast to that now expressed in England. The pro-
viding means of education is in most countries sup-
posed to be one of the most important duties which a
government has to perform. In Germany, where, on
all other questions, religious and political opinion is
so jealous and so divided, all the government can do
to enlarge the sphere of education is received with
unanimous applause. At the present moment petitions
are lodged in the bureaux of the chambers of all
constitutional states, and with the ministers of public
instruction where there are no chambers, praying for
an appropriation of a portion of the state revenue to
increase the salaries of country schoolmasters. In
some cases extra allowances have been made to them
this year on account of the dearness of provisions,
and no measure has been more popular. The univer-
sality of government education argues its beneficial
working. Provision is made by the state for the rudi-
molts of education, and every subject is bound to
show that his parents and guardians have not allowed
him to VO wup in ignorance. An examination is imposed
wheriffiren well be introduced, at all points of entrance
into life; the smallest place in the civil service, even
the office of turnpike-keeper or messexger, is applied
for with certificates from class teachers, that would
excite some surprise in England. An unmistakeable
social result is obtained by this general diffusion
of education. It has been objected that the
continental schools have not helped the people
to political advantages. The truth of this asser-
tion remains to be proved : that it has pre-
served them from rash attempts to overthrow exist-
ing forms of government is certain. It is equally
undeniable that the most despotic governments who
have done anything for education, are rapidly conced-
ing to the growth of public opinion in the mass of the
I people, whatthey haveall alongrefusedtothe influence
of the noble and learned classes of their subjects. This
is the ease both in Prussia and Austria, countries
which a few years will see in possession of full con-
stitutional rights, that cannot be withheld from think-
ing and mentally trained millions who demand them.
In Spain and Portugal, free institutions have been
thrown away upon ignorant nations. The Germans
and northern Italians, as nations, are so far in advance
of their present institutions that they shame the rulers
who deem it possible to keep them longer in slavish
dependence. This is the natural result of awakening
the power of thought, whether through government
or any other schools. Let the mind be awakened in
youth, and it will find work for itself in later years.
With the provision for good schooling, partly at
the expense of the state, and partly defrayed by the
contributions of the school children, the government
task is done, and then commences the sphere of the
voluntary principle. Private schools of all kinds,
private instruction with every grade of latitude is
allowed and encouraged in Germany. The state only
adheres to its test. On the occasions when the fre-
quenters of public schools are examined, privately
educated persons must show that they have been
properly dealt with.
The arrangements of Prussian schools are generally
known, having been frequently treated both by French
and English observing tourists. Those of Austria
are less known. We, therefore, subjoin a succinct
survey of the state of public education in the Austrian
empire, from official sources, which will show the
pains that are bestowed upon schools and educational
establishments by the government, which is generally
supposed to be adverse to progress. The statement
may, therefore, be taken as the minimum which the
government of a continental state holds it to be its
duty to perform towards the nation. Table 1 shows
the number of children that attend school in all the
provinces, with those who have left the daily schools,
but who attend the Sunday repetition schools. Not
more than two-thirds of all the children appear to
attend the day schools :