The Express.
London, England, 1861-09-13 00:00:00

TO OUR READERS.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

A hite edition of the Expreas is publiabed every
evening daring the racing season, containing the
results of the dar's races.

Till; session of the British Association just con.
eludcd is spoken of by the scientific men who
ware present as one of the most successful that
has yet been held. The meet have been nu-
merous and of more than average merit. The at-
tendance in the SectiAts has been large, and the
proceedings animated without however reaching
that extremity of personal reference which troubled
the discussions at It ix ford last year. In one section,
indeed, something very like the lie direct was
given to a distinguished naturalist ; but the
missile seems to have inflicted no perceptible
wound. If those who took part in the meetings
are pleased, the public who participated in the
business at a distance have had their share of gratifi-
cation. Some of the things, indeed, which occu-
pied the time of the ,ansris, have appeared to the
uninitiated not only remote from a profitable
use, but hardly worthy of a liberal curiosity.
But on the whole oven the unscientific have been
able to follow the labours of the Sections with
respectful sympathy. Something must be left to
confidence in a wisdom which transcends our
comprehension, something to the tendency of all
science to a unity iu which every fragment will
find its appropriate place. So that we do not
doubt that not only the milk teeth of the gorilla,
but the hives of the spiders so amusingly described
by Mr. WEST, are indispensable parts of the great
circle of knowledge to be completed in the latter
days. It is, however, satisfactory to observe,
that those days are not to be unfairly anticipated,
and that the gentleman who announced that he
had discovered "the whole of the principles of the
" phenomena of nature " was persuaded by Pro-
fessor AIREY to wait another year.
The Mechanical Sciences, once regarded as
forming with Chemistry and Natural History the
almost exclusive objects of the Association, have
this year been considered by the Sections almost
exclusively in their subserviency to tho art of
war. The principal papers read in Section
G were on iron-clad ships, improved gun-
boats, and elongated projectiles. It is the
rifle movement in the halls of science. The
Duke of Sonzaarr should be glad of these
discussions, for the uncertainty which they
show must necessarily attend our expenditure
on Warriors and Black Princes is the best vindica-
tion of the caution of the Admiralty. If we may
trust Mr. REED, we are already in for an expendi-
ture of 8,000,0001. on a new iron-cared fleet,
which it will not be safe to send against the enemy
until we have built colossal and costly docks for
its reception. For it seems that, after all, "we
" know not what may happen to these altogether
" novel structures until they have been exposed
"to successive broadsides from a heavy naval
" battery."

It is well that while one section was devoting its
attention to destruction and expenditure, it was the
business of another to take account of our re-
sources. Mr. BAILEY'S survey of the great cotton
fields of the world was full of timely information
on a topic of vital importance. Papers like those
of Mr. Vai.ry on the trade between this country
and France, and that of Colonel SYKES on our
commerce with China, are very valuable. The
contribution of Mr. Boileau Purrs& on Co-opera-
tion, of Dr. FARR on the Health of the Army, of
Mr. WATT. on Strikes, of Mr. HEYWOOD on
Endowed tichoola, have this use in common, that
they warn us of wasting our means, whether they
are money, health, or capacity for labour. Din.
enasiorui on branches of government stand on a
different footing. A generation which has more
than once seen a Minister raise the rate
of a tax, and only lose by the process,
will be disposed to value Economic Science
even for the teaching it affords in the pursuit of
ends. But ends have to be chosen before they
can be prosecuted, and here the help of science,
though real, is partial. There are moral, social,
and political elements about such questions as
taxation and the treatment of pauperism, a con-
sideration not likely to be ignored by either of
the distinguished nien who brought these questions
forward at Manchester, but a disregard of which
sometimes made the discussions of the Economic
Section lees useful than they might be under
suitable limitations.

On a review of the Manchester Session of the
British Association, we can wish nothing better
for its members than that the Cambridge Meeting,
neat year, may be equally siassesikL

Sir Benjamin Brodies saanifesto against hoists°.
why, in Printer's Meossine this month, is, we (Critic)
Lear, goiegao call forth • winds series of tracts aid pamph-
lets is reply. The limanopithists are, lik• all sew sects,
pepaciew, sad delight is being attacked sad meddled with.
In Denmark has appeared • " Bookseller's
Asnuar—the secood year of its publlcathm—upon much
the Lime plan as the German "Hookas/lees Animal," pub.
lashed by Schulz. We learn from it that the Danish Book-
sellers' Association dates from 18d7, and is *imposed of II
members ; the Norwegian ASSOCkiiOII data !rem 1881, mad
numbers 53 members ; and the &radii\ Assiciatios, width
wen founded in 1843, has 63 seemhme. In Ospeshers
there are 78 bookselling houses ; Ile to lie rest of Den.
mark : 19 is Christiania ; 50 is tbe rod d Norway 22 in
Stockholm ; 90 in the Swedish proncee ; and 14 Is
Finland.

A Pru•nlau savant, Dr. Petschner, of Berlin, is
about to be gent by hie goverameat on a manta& eapedi•
tits to the top of Most Mane. Among ether thine' be
is to endeavour to ASCOlitill from • oomp•rissa of mem
sad previous observatioen to what enlist the inn%
of scow and ice may augment or diminish by chasm m the
temperature ; is to study the eryptopmie sod other plants,
and the iefusiiria which ate* gore • red colour to the snow.
The doctor is to be accompanied by twenty guides.