Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-10-03 00:00:00

INDIA.-THE IRISH NATIONAL BOARD OF
EDUCATION.

The following letter appears in the Madras
Christian "Herald of July 29 :--
Sir,—For once in my life I confess myself ashamed of
my country. My blush has been occasioned by the cir-
cumstance on w!.ich you dilate in your last issue. it is a
fact that the Mahommedans, Hindoos, and Parsees of Bom-
bay, have sent in a memorial to the Government, com-
plaining that the books read in the Elphinstone College
are too much filled with Christian ins'ruction ; and
requesting that other boo'ss, perfectly free from every
expression of Christian truth. shonli be substituted in
their place. The books complained of aro those edited
by M'Culloch, and those published by Chambers; and
the books solicited are those published by the Irish
National Board of Education. Sir, has it come to this,
that a body of men in Dublin, baptised into the name or
Christ, and professing Christian doctrine,, have published
for the ins ruction of the rising generation a set of books
which are preferred by the heathen, the Mussulman, and
the Fire worshipper, as being more congenial to their
anti-Christian min's than even the Socinian productions
of Chambers ? Is it the case that the educational works
put into the hands of the Irish youth are deemed suffi-
ciently unchristian to be pot into the hands of heathen
children without any risk of communicating any idea of
Christianity, and without awakening a single apprehen-
sion in the mind of the 'Endo() parent as to the safety of
his child's faith, of which he is so jealous ? And was it
for the purpose of introducing such a syitern of education
that Colonel Miller and his party combined to thwart the
Rev. G. H. Evans in his efforts to found on the Hills as
Orphan Asylum based on Scriptural principles? 0 tem-
pora 0 mores ! What a blessing that the Miller party
only succeeded in defeating the worthy chaplain, and not.
in bequeathing to posterity a goddess nursery of Infidelity.
Their effort was a grand blunder and a grand failure.
Confessing myself ashamed of my country's identification
with heathen notions of' education, I am, yours,

HIBERNICUS.

COALS FOR INDIA.—The East India Company invite ten-
ders for the supply of IP,OOO tons coals, deliverable, half
at Calcutta and half at Bombay.
CALCUTTA IN DANGER.—The 13.1 mail b-ings as q^ fol-
lowing note from a correspondent :—" There can b no
gaestioa that Nena Sahib's intended pint of att ck is Cal-
cutts. The forces now in rebellion cannot number less
than 100,000. Part of them will be appointel to keep
our troops in check in he upper provinces ; the others
will approach L>wer Bengal, and make their point of
attack Calcutta."

WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION OF SHEEP BY POISON.—Mr.
Henry Skinner, of Stone Farm, Exford, Somerset, has
this week had no less than 169 lambs killed out of a flock
of 212, by giving them a " draught" which had been pat
by a local farrier into a bottle contai'iing the residue of a

liquid usually used by wrst-country flock masters, for
killing what is commonly called " the fly" in sheep, and
which has highly poisonous properties.
LONGEVITY.—It is a fact that from January Ito August
31, there were foutt,en perso-s died in Halifax whose
united ages anantin'el to 1,183 yetis. Their tames are—
Alexander Troupe, 80; Mary B'ady, 78; G..orge Bossom
78; Mrs, M. L iwson, 81; Capt. Maynard, RN , 8.5 ; Gilbert
Hamilton, 80; Mrs. E. Miller, 83 ; Robert Snooks. 80 ;
Richard Duncan, 97 ; Mrs. S. Hawkins, 97 ; J. Grant,
82; Thomas Ship;, 102; Mrs. M QJinn, 78; Mrs. C.
.Lown Is, 86 Si, ce the present m n.h came in we have to
regret the death of rt 1 act two other old inhaftants, viz.,
Mr. Az ,r Stovens, aged 84, and Mr. Alexrlder M‘D maid,
60 years. There are several " old tolki" sti:l left in
the city; among them are the Hon. S. B Roble, and 111 r.
Moran (Tobin's Whart), both of whom have passe] four
score aid five. Probably the olde,t man living in the
country is John Manning. Esq . of Falmouth, who is nearly
a c-ntenarian.—Halifax Guardian.
THIC NEN COAL DUTIES ACT.—On Thursday, the New
Act on the Coal Duties in the City of London came into
operation. By a former act, a drawback of twelveper.ce
per ton out of the duty of thirteen pence per ton, payable
upon all seaborne and inland coals brought into the port
of London, or within the London distict, was allowed
upon such coals as were afterwards exported coastwise
or to foreign parts, or conveyed beyond the district, provi-
ded that the same coals bad not been previously landed from
the vessel, barge, or
_waggon as specified. Pis novr
d dared that s ach restr4ction is inexpedient, an i that the
drawback gran'ed by that act ought to be extended to all
seabaurne and inland coals upon which the duties have been'
paid, and which are bona fide conveyed beyond the London
district, or exported or carried coastwise, whither the same
had been or had not been receive I from the vessel, barge,
or railway-waggon. There are 13 sections to carry out
the object expressed which took effect on the tat Ootober
instant.