The Express.
London, England, 1860-07-17 00:00:00

INTERNATIONAL STATISTICAL CON-

DRESS.

yollterday the fourth session of the Congress wan
Sin due form by his Royal Highness the Prince
in the Great Hall of King's College, which was
with dele=ustateemen, and men of literature
and science from of the world.
Previous to the arrival of his royal highness a preliminary
meeting took place under the presidency of Mr. Milner
Gibson, for the appointment of officers, and the adoption of
reetoris for the general meeting and the sections.
Caumaci, who spoke in French, expressed his
seam of the honour conferred upon him, and the great satis-
faction he felt in having to move that his Royal Highness
the Prince Consort be the Resident of the present Congress,
the Right lion. T. Milner Gibson and the Right Hon. W.
oowpm the vice-presidenta, acting under the general pre-
sidency of his royal hihness. (Cheers.)
The motion was put cud carried by acclamation.
The CIUIRMaIt then suggested that the official delegates
he **pointed honorary vice-presidents, which was also car-
gied, and they were therefore called upon to take their
mats on the platform.
The general regulations for the conduct of the business of
the Congress, se recommended by the executive com-
mittee, were then read mid affirmed and the business of the
peelinunary meeting being thus completed, Mr. Gibson
nested the chair, end the national anthem, played by the
band of the Westminster Ride Volunteers outside, • troop
otwhich regiment were drawn up in the college yard as a
Vof bosom to receive his royal highness, indicating
the Prase Cow:et .101 seised, the right hon. gen-
Stmeia, and the other vice-pwseideute and principal
members' proceeded to meet the Prince, to escort him to
the presidential chair.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS having taken his place as the
president, immediately rose and addressed the meeting.
Dwelling upon the objections which have been raised to the
study of statistical science, he said :—We hear it
said that its prosecution leads necessarily to Pantheism
and the destruction of true religion, as depriving, in man's
estimation, the Almighty of His power of free self-deter-
mination, making Hie world • mere machine, working ac-
cording to • general pm-arranged schen e, the parts of
which are capable of mathematical measurement, and the
scheme itself of numerical expression ' • that it leads to
fatalism, and therefore deprives man of his dignity, of his
virtue and morality, as it would prove him to be a mere
wheel in this machine, incapable of exercising • free choice
of action, but predestined to fulfil a given task and to run •
prescribed course, whether for good or for eviL These are
grave accusations, and would be terrible indeed if they were
true. But are they true? Is the power of (`kid destroyed
or diminished by the discovery of the fact that the earth
requires 365 revolutions upon its own axis to every revolu-
tion round the son, giving us so many days to our year, am!
that the moon changes 13 times during that period, that the
tide changes every six horns, that water boils at a tempe-
rature of 212 degrees according to Fahrenheit, that the
nightingale sings only in April and May, that all birds lay
eggs, that 106 boys are born to every 100irls? Crisman&
less free agent because it has been ascertained that •
generation lasts about 30 years, that there are annually
posted at the Post-office the same number of letters on
which the writer had forgotten to place any address • that
the number of crimes committed under the same local,
national, and social conditions is constant ; that the full-
grown man ceases to find amusement in the spode of the
child • But our atatimical science does not even say that
this must be so ; it only states that it has been so, and lessee
it to the naturalist or political economist to argue that it is
probable, from the number of times in which it has been
feud to be so, that it will be so main as long as the same
causes are operating. It thus gave birth to that part of
mathematical science called the calculation of probabilitim,
and even established the theory that in the natural world
there exist no certainties at all, but only probabilities.
Although this doctrine, destroying man's feeling of security
to • certain extent, has startled and troubled some, it
is no lees true that, while we may reckon with a
thoughtless moony on the sun rising to-morrow, this
is only • probable event, the probability of which is
Capable of beingexpressed by a determined mathematical
fraction. Our insurance offices have, from their vast col-
lection of statistical het& -eetabhshed to such a precision
the probable duration of maw's life that they are able to
enter with each individual into a precise bargain on the
value of this life ; and yet this does not imply an impious
pretension to determine when this individual is may to
die. But we are niet also by the most opposite objection,
and statistim are declared useless because they cannot he
relied on for the determination of any given case, and do
only establish probabilities where man requires and asks
ter certnintg. This objection is well founded, but it
doss not aft6ct-the science itself, but solely the ass which
man has in vain tried to make of it, and for which it
b not bowled, It is the essence of the stetisticil science
that it only makes apparent geriaal lawe, bat that these
laws are inappliable to any special case ; that, there-
fore, what is proved to be laws in general is uncertain in
particular. Herein lies the real refutation also of the first
objection, and thus is the power, wisdom, and goodness of
the Creator manifested, showing how the Almighty has
established the physical and moral world on unchangeable
lime conformable to His eternal nature, while He has
allowed to the individual the freest and fullest use of his
faculties, vindicating at the same time the majesty of His
laws by their remaining unaffected by individual self-deter.
mination. Gentlemen, lam almost ashamed to speak such
homely truths (of which 1 feel myself at best to be • very
inadequate exponent) to a meeting like this, including men
of such eminence in the science, and particularly in the
presence of one who was your first presulent, M. Quetelet,
sad from whom I had the privilege, now 24 years ago, to
receive my flint instruction in the higher branches of
mathematice—ase who has so successfully directed his
great abilities to the application of the science
to those social phenomena, the discovery of the
governing laws of which can only be approached by the
accumulation and reduction of statistical facts. It is the
social condition of mankind, as exhibited by those facto,
which form the chief object of the study and investigation
undertaken by this Congress and it hopes that the re-
sults of its -labours will afford to the statesman and
legislator • sure guide in his endeavours to promote social
development and happiness. • I should detain you
longer than I feel justified in doing, and should perhaps
trench upon the domain end duties of presidents of sec-
tions, if I were to allude to the points which will there
be specially recommended to your attention and considera-
tion ; but I trust that it will not be thought presumptuous
in me if I exhort you generally not to lose yourselves
in points of minute detail, however tempting and attrac-
tive they may be from their intrinsic interest and int.
poi-Mace, but to direct your undivided energies to the
establishment of those broad principles upon which the
common action of different nations can be based, which com-
mon action mint he effected if we are to make real progress.
I know that this Congress an only suggest and recommend,
and that it must ultimately rest with the different govern-
ments to carry out those suggestions. Many previous
recommendations, it is true, have been carried out, but
many have been left unattended to, and I will not except
oar own country from blame in this aspect. Happy and
indeed, should I feel if this noble gathering should
enabled to lay the solid foundation of an edifice, neces-
sarily slow of construction, and requiring for generations
to come laborious and persevering exertioo, intended as it
is for the promotion of human happiness by leading to the
diecomey of those eternal laws upon which that universal
happiness is dependent. Hay He, who has implanted in
our heart. • craving after the discovery of truth aril given
us our reasoning faculties to the end that we should use
them for this discovery, sanctify our efforts and bless them
in their melte.

The Prince wee loudly cheered at the conclusion of his
address.

Load BROVOll•ll—Gentlemen, I rise to afford you the
opportunity of giving vent to what I ant sure are your (col-
ter of gratitude and respect to his royal highness for his
able, comprehensive, and moat practically useful address.
(Cheers.) It is not necessary fur me to my one other word,
for I know you will at once testify (a an unmistakeable
way whether or mot I duly and rightly express your feeling
on the present occasion by moving our respectful thanksand
deep gratitude to his royal highness for the admirable ad-
drew we have just beard. (Loud and general cheering.)
The resolutive was carried amid loud applause.
Lord BROUGHAM added that he wax exceedingly glad to
find that, notwithstanding So. Swithin had been true to hie
word in bringing • thorough wet day, it had in no way
affected the attendance at the opening meeting of the con-
gress. (Hear, hear.) And he hoped his friend Mr. Dallas
would excuse him for further stating that he had great
pleasure in obemving a sego gentleman ansoogst them.
(Loud laughter and gams.)
Heuer Dg CAIVALHO NOILITRA very briefly expressed, on
behalf of the foreign dateptes, his thanks to the Prince
Consort for presiding and high appreciation of the able
and oomprehensive address with winch his royal highest
had opened the session, and his entire concurrence in the
views upraised by the Prince. (Hear, hear.)
Dr. MILLAXT, the negro gentleman alluded to by Lord
Brougham, said—l thank you, my Lord Brougham, very
much fur the kind allusion you have made to me ; and
beg to assure you and all the gentlemen present that I too
am • WILD. (Crest cheering from all parts of the room.)
The Pageant/cc then adjourned the meetiog, and en-
sassed that the sections would meet to-morrow (this
meaning) at ten o'clock.

CRYSTAL PALACE. ONE SHILLC6O DAY. -
111014 TAT, Jrr.v 16. Admissions on payment, 5,924 ;
dine by season tickets, 446 ; total visitors, 6,370.
SOUTH KENEINOTON MUSEVIL —During the week
July 14 the visitors have been u follows :-
I€7,:tialoodaY. Tues and Satuniay (free days), 5,941 ;
on Monday and Tucvlay (free evenings), 4,635. On the three
students' days (adnoseion to the public 64.), 1,92.4; one
students' evening (Wednesday), ; total, 12,700. From
the opening of the %mum, 1,546,110.