The Sun.
London, England, 1855-11-23 00:00:00

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

The address at the opening of the session was pro-
nounced by the Rev. Dr. Booth.
The Speaker began by some observations on the utility
and claims of such societies. In social intercourse a
friendly interchange of thought took place, during which
notions or casual hints might be thrown out, which, by
the operation of the laws of association, might connect
themselves with latent trains of ideas, almost forgotten,
but which, now kindled as by a spark into a blaze of light,
might lead to brilliant discoveries. Again, the system
of prizes was calculated to stimulate inventive ingenuity,
and frequently gave rise to inventions, conferring the
greatest benefits on our, manufacturing industry. Such
societies were useful not only for their action directly on
men of science, but for the means they afforded of giving
relaxation to persons who, exhausted by the press upon
their faculties during the hours of business, were but toe
happy and refreshed to find a path in which their hither-
to unoccupied faculties might wander with enjoyment.
The speaker then proceeded to mention the peculiar ob-
jects of the society. The members were not associated,
like those of the Royal Society, for the exclusive pur-
poses of physical discovery and mathematical research.
They did not limit themselves, like the members of the
Geographical, Geological, Astronomical, or other
societies. Arts, manufactures, and commerce, was their
field—progress in all three their intention. This would
absolve them, even if it should be found that some of
their plans had failed. Bacon had well observed that
" the abortions of time, as well as the births, should be
registered." Hence our failures were useful, because
they contracted the field for our investigation. Another
maxim of Bacon, which indicated a point of view which
the society adopted, was this : " The true and legitimate
end of all the sciences is to enrich man's life with stew
inventions and appliances." A peculiar chemical pro-
perty of the unseen rays of light had led to the inven-
tion of photography, and the society, by holding the
first exhibition of photographic pictures, had given rise
to the establishment of the Photographic Society. Dr.
Booth enumerated other examples of the same nature,
and afterwards glanced upon the indirect help which the
society must have afforded to the gradual development
of the principles of free trade. He then alluded to the
labours of the vice president, Mr. Twining, which had
called forth the distinguished approbation of the Empe-
ror and Empress of the French. Mr. Twining, by his
labours in the establishment of an Economic Museum,
had caused the society to be associated in the minds
of the French people with the movement. Dr.
Booth then directed his remarks to some peculiar
directions in which the society has been active,
and then alluded to the good which might be done
to the society, its journal, and the nation, if the
members would contribute cordially to its pages.
He considered that if this were done properly, the
Journal might become the organ of 70,000 intelligent
persons. He regretted that the labours of the counci,
to settle the question of the rating of mechanics' insti-
tutes and other establishments of the same nature had
not been brought to a satisfactory conclusion. In allu-
sion to the subject of the visit of the society to the Expo-
sition Universelle, and the reception of the members by
the Emperor, Dr. Booth remarked that one of the results
of that visit ha .l been, that the Emperor was induced by
the representations of Mr. Chadwick to place one of the
worst-drained localities of the capital under that gentle-
man's control. Dr. Booth then alluded to an important
change which bad been made in the bye-laws of the so-
ciety, the effect of which was to establish a body of mem-
bers to aid the council by their judgment and advice.
The subject of lecturers to the association in connection
with the society was then entered into, and it was ad-
mitted by the speaker that this department of the so-
ciety's activity had not as yet worked well. He ex-
pressed himself at the same time very strongly on the
inefficiency of scientific lectures in general. They were
too often mere " talk " about physicai phenomena. The
lecturer then adverted to the great subject, or, as he
called it, " the most important question to which the
council of the society could devote its attention duri4
the forthcoming session, that of education as promoted
by systems of examination." It would be doing injus-
tice to Dr. Booth to weaken his arguments by coin.
preseion. Any one who wishes to know what a pro-
found thinker and practical man can say on this vexed
subject of the competitive examination, may be referred,
as Dr. Booth referred his audience, to his pamphlet under
the title of "Examination the province of the State," in
which he argues the question fully. We may remark
that he alluded with triumph to the fact that of late years
the patronage of the directors of the East India Com-
pany had been appropriated by the Legislature to reward
successful candidates in competitive examinations ; that
the War Department was partially thrown open, that
the Admiralty was following in the same course, that
examination was revived in the inns of court, and so on.
The lecturer then finished an address which was well
received, with some eloquent exhortations to the mem-
bers on the duties which were required from them.
The following is the list of prizes awarded by the so-
ciety :

TO Charles Atherton, Chief Engineer of her Majesty's
Dockyard, Woolwich, for his paper " On the Capability
for Mercantile Transport Set vice of Steam-.3hips"—tae
silver medal.

To Colonel Arthur Cotton, late Chief Engineer, Ma-
dras, for his paper "On Public Works for India, espe-
cially with reference to Irrigation and Communications,"
and for his persevering and continued advocacy of their
extension—the silver medal.
To John Bennet Lawes, F.R.S., for his paper " On
the Sewage of London"—the silver medal.
To John Forbes Royle, M.D., F.R. , for his paper
of last session " On Indian Fibres fit for Textile Fabrics,
or for Rope and Paper making"—the silver medal.
To Chalice Sanderson, for his paper " On the Manu-
facture of Steel as carried on in this and other Countries,"
being an essay sent in competition for a premium offered
in the society's prize list—the silver medal.
To Peter Lund Simmonds, for his paper " On some
Undeveloped and Unappreciated Articles of Raw Pro-
duce from different parts of the World"—the silver medal.
The Council have also awarded the following premi-
ums for articles exhibited in the seventh annual exhibi-
tion of inventions, or submitted for the consideration of
the society's committees :

To Felix Abate, of Naples, for n ture printing from
wooden blocks and rollers—the silver medal.

To Field and Co., of Birmingham, fur the production
of microscopes to be sold to the public at the respective
prices of 106, 6d. and 3/. 35., tent in comp..tition for th•
special premium offered by the council—the silver medal.
To Andrew Peddle How, for his engine-room telegraph
—the bronze medal. _ _

To Messrs. %V. Muir and Co., Manchester, for their
improved grindstones—the bronze medal.
To Herbert Mackworth,.M. Inst. C.E., government
inspector of mines, for his instrument called Metra, in-
tended for the use of mining and other engineers, for
geologists, scientific tra.ellers, &c.—the bronze medal.
To Francis Herbert Wenham for an improved letter
lock, which prevents the combinations being ascertained
by any other means than by working out the entire sys-
tem of changes, sent in competition for the premium
offered in the society's prize list—the bronze medal.

ST. nARYLIBONR BANK FOR SAVlNGS.—Comparative
statement of progress, at specified periods, during the
last seven years :

Sums invested
with National
Open Deposit Debt Commis-
-lOn 20th November, 1849 A,counts. sion.rs.
20,382
PP 1850
PP 1851
,f 1882 . ..... 22,774
si, 1853
~ 1854
IP 1855
--D. FINNEY, Secretary and Actuary.
MURDER IN FRANCE.—An aged couple, named Bonet,
of Coulans (Sarthe), not 'having been seen for several
days, their neighbours deemed it expedient to force open
their doer. A terrible spectacle then presented itself, nt
they were both found lying dead on the floor, with ter-
rible wounds in the head and face, and part of the man's
face had been devoured by the cat. A large piece of
wood stained with blood was lyi ‘g near, anyl it was evi-
dent that it was with it that they had been murdered ;
the drawers and cupboards were in confusion, the mur-
derers having ransacked them for money and valuables.
The authorities have commenced a searching investiga-
tion with the view ' lumen the mtarderer,
____

.