The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-20 00:00:00

Middle-Class Education,

A deputation from the Council of the National Associa-
tion for the promotion of Social Science waited upon Lord
Palmerston at Cambridge •house on Saturday to represent the
expediency of issuing a Royal Commission to inquire into
the grammar schools and other endowed schools in the United
Kingdom not yet reported upon, and generally into the state
of education of the middle classes. The deputation consisted
of Lord Brougham (president), Earl Fortescue, the Bishop
of London, Lord Lyttelton, Mr Samuel Gregson, M.P., Hon
Arthur Kinnaird, M.P., Mr James Heywood, F.R.S., Mr
Shaw-Lefevre, M.P., Mr Pollard-Urquhart, M.P., Sir J.
G. Shaw-Lefevre, K. C. 8., Mr George W. Hastings(general
secretary), Rev R. Burgess, Rev F. Dellamere, Rev David
Melville, Rev H. J. Barton, the Archdeacon of Coventry,
Mr Edwin Chadwick, C. 8., Mr Edgar, Mr M'Clelland, and
Mr T. H. Bastard. Lord Brougham having introduced
the deputation and explained its object and the great need
experienced for such an inquiry, the following memorial was
read by Mr G. W. Hastings :
" The Council of the National Association for the Promo-
tion of Social Science desire to represent to your lordship
the expediency of issuing a Royal Commisaion to inquire
into the grammar schools in the kingdom and other en-
dowed schools not reported on, and this obtain much useful
information as to the state of the education of the middle
classes. The association has from year to year collected a
large amount of evidence bearing upon the condition of
middle-class education, and there has been a general con-
currence of opinion that it is at present in a most unsatis-
factory state. Several of the eminent men who have at our
annual meetings filled the office ot President of the Depart-
ment of Education have expressed themselves strongly to
this effect. Sir John Pakington, in his address in 1857,
remarked that it was a great error to suppose that the only
educational difficulties were those relating to the working
classes. ' I know,' he said,—
" That the middle classes find themselves in a position
of great difficulty on this subject. It is the respectable
tradesman, the small farmer, the clerk, and men ot that de-
scription who know not where to get education for their
children, and who, practically speaking, pay very dearly
for a bad article.'

The Right Hon. William Cowper, in 1858, said,—
" The education given in the middle-class and commer-
cial schools is, generally speaking, as faulty, in comparison
with all other education, as it is bad in itself. It has great
pretension and snow without substance or solidity. There
is uo superintendence whatever.' There is no test of the
capacity of the master and no test of the success of his
teaching, The parents are left to judge, after their own
uninstructed notions, of the excellence of the school, and
generally pay most attention to what is really of the least
importance.'
Iu 1859 the Right Hon, C, B. Adderley pointed out that
the middle class have reason to be dissatisfied with their
present means of education, the private, comtnercial,and en-
dowed grammar schools of the country, and Sir John Shaw-
Lefevre in 1861, speaking of the civil service examinations
for appointments, which are filled up from the middle
classes, as a practical test of the education they received,
said—

" 'I may mention the incredible failures in orthography,
the miserable writing, the ignorance both of the elementary
theory and practice of arithmetic. It is comparatively rare
to find a candidate who can add correctly a moderately long
column of figures, and many do not understand common
notation so as to write down is figures a number described
in words. When the examination extends to lingle3l4 com-
position, or history, the performances of some of the candi-
dates are poor beyond belief, and we are under the necessity
of keeping the standard very low, in order to prevent the
Inconvenience which would arise from an indiscriminate re-
jection.'

Mr Nassau Senior, quoting, in his address to the Associa-
tion, last autumn, at Edinburgh, the above passage from
his predecessor's observations, and enforcing it by his own
opinion, proceeded to make the following suggestion :

" The first step towards a remedy for this lamentable
state of things is to know accurately the amount and the
causes of the evil—and for this purpose I venture to propose
that this Association petition the Crown to issue a Commis•
sion to inquire into the present state of the education of the
middle classes in the British islands, and to consider and
report what measures, if any, are required for the extension
of sound education to these classes.'
" This recommendation of their President was duly con-
sidered by our Department of Education, and a resolution
was unanimously passed requesting the Council to use their
endeavours for the issue of such a Commission as was pro-
posed by Mr Senior. In perfarmance of the duty thus cast
on them the Council approach your Lordship to-day, and they
may be permitted to say that the recent loss incurred by
the Association in the death of Mr Senior makes them the
more solicitous that his advice, given on the last occasion of
his performance of any public duty, should not be disre-
garded. The Council would further observe that full and
searching inquiry has recently been made into the state
of education among two considerable classes of_society ; the
one by the commission to inquire into the revenues and
management of certain colleges and schools, and the studies
pursued and the instruction given therein; the other by the
commission to inquire into the state of popular education in
England ; that much valuable information was obtained in
each case, and that considerable improvements, by legisla-
tion or otherwise, have already resulted, or may be expected
to result, in the education of the children of the rich and
those of the class who live by manual labour. These facts
seem to constitute a claim for some inquiry on behalf of
that large portion of her Majesty's:subjects who cannot look
for the education of their children either to the great public
schools on the one hand, or the national schools on the other.
Earl Fortescue, in a work just published, has pofnted out
the injustice of leaving this class in their present educational
position, and has shown that an authoritative inquiry may
be conducted on their behalf without involving any more
interference with private instruction than has been the case
with the commission already issued. This appears from the
fact that there are in this country some hundreds of gram-
mar schools and other endowed schools, which have never
yet formed the subject of adequate inquiry, and,which might
probably be made available for supplying hi a great degree
the want of efficient education for the middle classes. It is
true that these foundations were inquired into by the Charity
Commissioners, but the investigations of that body were
mainly directed to the amount and use of the endowments and
not to the education imparted in the schools. The Council
would strongly urge on your lordship the necessity for in-
quiry into the whole condition and management of these in-
stitutions, and while dist,nctly disclaiming any recommen-
dation of interference with private schools they suggest that
the investigations of a commission, if properly conducted,
would probably lead to the communication of voluntary in-
formation, which would throw much light on the condition of
middle class education and the beat means of improving it.
For these reasons the counsel venture to urg .) on your lordship
the favourable consideration of their request that a Royal
Commission be issued for, hwith for the purposes they have
above indicated.
" BROUGHAM, President.
" GEORGE W. HASTINGS, General
Secretary."

Lord Fortescne, the Bishop of London, Lord Lyttelton,
Mr E. Chadwick, C 8., and Mr James Heywood supported
the memorial.

Lord PALMEILSTON admitted the importance of the sub-
ject, and promised to give it his best attention.

The Galatea, 26 gun screw frigate, Capt. R. Maguire, ar-
rived at Spithead on Saturday from Corfu, Malta, and
Gibraltar, with troops and invalids on board. She sailed
from Corfu on the 2d inst., Malta on the 6th, and Gibraltar
on the 12th. She brought the following troops from Corfu :
—29th company of Royal Engineers—Second Capt. G. W.
Stockley, Lieut Jones, 5 sergeants, 13 corporals, 73 privates,
16 women, and 16 children ; Staff of the Royal Engineers—
Brevet-Major de Vere; Lieuts, Savi, Rowe, and English,
Assist.- Surg. Meares ; Medical Staff—Surg.-Major Grant ;
Ist class clerk of works Marshall ; 2,1 battalion, 4th Regi-
ment, 1 serg., 1 woman, and 2 children; Ist battation, 9th
Regiment, 1 serg., 2 women, 9 children; 2d battalion, 9th
Regiment, 2 men, 1 woman, and 1 child; Commissariat Staff
Corps, 3 men and 2 women; barrack department, 6 men, 5
women, and 29 children; prison staff, 4 men, 3 women, and
17 children ; two widows of soldiers and 5 children. From
Malta the Galatea brought as invalids from regiments in the
garrison, 5 sergeants, 3 corporals, 97 privates, 8 women, 22
children. The Galatea steamed into Portsmouth harbour
and landed the troops from Corfu at the dockyard on Satur-
dayforwarded on by the military authorities to Aldershot by the
afternoon, the 29th company of Royal Engineers being
South-Western Railway at 4 pan., and the remainder to the
depots of their respective regiments. The invalided soldiers
will be landed from the ship to-day and forwarded to the
Royal Military Hospital at Netley. A few naval invalids
brought home in the ship were transferred on Saturday to
her Majesty's ship Victory and the Royal Naval Hospital
at Haslar,

The hired sailing transport Star of India, Capt. Morris,
arrived at Spithead on Saturday with time-expired and in-
valided soldiers on board from India, having sailed from
Bombay on Feb. 26, and called in at St. Helena on May 6.
The officers accompanying the troops on board consist of
Lieut. Budgen, 82d Foot, Capt Robinson, 89th, Capt Lloyd
and Lieut. Sharpe, 98th. The troops comprise 22 sergeants,
330 men, of whom 150 are invalids and the remainder time-
expired men, 24 women, and 33 children. The whole will
be disembarked to-day under the supervision of Col. Shad-
well, Assist. Quartermaster-General, the invalids sent on
to Netley, and the remainder to their regimental depots.
The Walmer Castle, hired sailing transport, Capt. Orms-
by, arrived at Spithead yesterday from Bombay with troops
and passengers as follows :—From Kurrachee—Brevet-
Major M'Bean, V.C., 93d Regiment; Capt. Malthus, 94th ;
Lieut. Burgoyne, 93d ; Lieut. Parkinson, 82d; 266 men from
various corps serving in India, 21 women and 25 children.
From Bombay—Mrs Westrop, 2 children and servant; Mrs
B. J. Poner. From St. Helena—The Rev. Mr and Mrs
Helps, 4 children and 2 servants ; 2 soldiers and 1 woman
of the St. Helena Regiment. One birth and 11 deaths
occurred during the voyage home. The disembarkation
of the troops on board the Walmer Castle will tale place
to-day at the same time and under the same supervision as
these on board the Star of India.

The Atalanta, hired sailing transport,also arrived at Spit-
head yesterday from India, with a part of the 74th R egi.
went on board from Madras, whence she sailed on the Bth
of March, calling in at St. Helena on the 9th of May. From
the latter place she brought a mail, which was landed at
Portsmouth yesterday. The Atalanta entered Spithead by
the western channel, but before reaching the anchorage she
was met by Mr James Garrett's (Lloyd's agent) cruising
cutter, and received from her instructioas to proceed to
Gravesend, where the 74th are ordered to disembark, and
she consequently passed through Spithead to the eastward
without anchoring. The remainder of the 74th are hourly
expected in the Hornet, which vessel will be sent on, like
the Atalanta, to Gravesend.

The Channel Fleet at Spithead is engaged filling up with
coal, provisions, and stores, in readiness to proceed to the
Baltic, should its presence be required in that quarter.
Every ship in the fleet is in the most perfect order.
The Pearl, 21, screw corvette, Capt. J. Borlase, C. 8., was
paid out of commission at Portsmouth yesterday, under the
superintendence of Captain F. Scott, C. 8., and Aicde•de-
Camp to the Queen, commanding her Majesty's Victory.
James Hawton, coxswain of the Pearl's launch, and John
Stone, captain of the mast, received a silver medal and gra-
tuity for long service. ;
The paddlewheel stoamsloop Bulldog, 6, Capt. Charles
Wake, left Plymouth Sound on Saturday afternoon for
Bermuda.

The screw steamship Lion, 68, at Devonport, went into
the Channel on Saturday to test her engines and machinery,
preparatory to receiving Capt. Arthur Farquhar, and the
crew of the Hogue, the duties of which ship in the Coast-
guard are to be performed by the Lion.
The paddlewheel steamsloop Gladiator, 6, Capt. Francis
11. short, having discharged her freight of Irish provisions
at Devonport, was towed on Saturday from the Victualling
Yard, to the Dockyard, to be stored and victualled with all
despatch. It is probable that she will be ready for sea to •
day, and that she will be sent on troop service to the Wrest
Coast of Africa.

On Friday and Saturday the C, G, E, and II troops of I
the 16th Lancers arrived at Colchester, where they will
occupy the recently-erected cavalry barracks. The head-
quarters of the regiment will be at Colchester, and
two troops have been sent to Ipswich and two to Birming-
ham. A party of dismounted men has also arrived at
Colchester. It is not expected that the regiment, which is
under the command of Colonel Dickson, will remain more
than a year in England, as it stands first on the list for
India, and will doubtless proceed to the east in the course
of 1865. The detachment stationed at Ipswich is under
the command of Major Burnell.
In accordance with the finding of a district court-martial
held at Aldershott, Troop Sergeant-Major Morton, sth
battalion Military Train, has been convicted of having, in
his capacity of pay-sergeant, received discount on moneys
r a
igar are i s a
armys
expended for vegetables, Sec., supplied to the men of the
battalion, and been sentenced to be reduced to the ranks.
The charge was brought by Mr. Durston, lately manager
to Messrs Chidell Brothers, army contractors, the offence
alleged being in contravention of par. 29, p. 154, Queen's
Rv
iedguuallaotifown sh.a t ery ehr k
i srank
r
gratuity in the shape of discount, or under any other deno-
mination or pretence, on payment for articles furnished or
work done for the troops:, ifao lrloovs :
receive '(
anyN o
fienedoi
At the court martial Sergeant-
Major Morton pleaded his entire innocence of the offence
charged against him, denied having received any discount
from the complainant or bis late employers, and asked to be
allowed legal assistance. This application was refused.
The finding of the court martial was read to the prisoner at
the sergeant's mess of the battalion on Thursday morning,
and was then carried out, A Memorandum has since been
issued, in which the Lieutenant-General commanding,
while calling attention to the case and to the paragraph
above quoted, mentions his expectation that commanding
officers of regiments will afford him their best assistance in
enabling him to eradicate the system of discount given and
received on payment of articles furnished to the troops—" a
system which not only engenders discontent among pri-
vate soldiers, because it is prejudicial to their interests, but
induces and promotes fraud and dishonesty among pay-ser-
geants and others." The memorandum concludes by ex-
pressing the determination of the lieutenant-general com-
manding to bring to trial any person under his command
who may be reported for receiving discount, either directly
or indirectly, and to visit upon the offender the utmost
penalty the court martial may award.
The headquarters of the Scots Greys under the command
of Colonel H. D. Griffith, C. 8., arrived at the North Camp
Aldershot, on Thursday, from Birmingham, via Reading.
The strength of the regiment in marching in was—officers,
30—sergeants, 38—rank and file, 510—officers' chargers, 65
—troopers, 365. The women and children of the regiment
are still at Birmingham, Coventry, and Weedon, where
they will probably remain until the regiment moves into
barracks.
The Aldershot Camp Industrial Exhibition will be opened
at the Clubhouse at noon on Wednesday, the 20th inst., by
the Duke of Cambridge, Field Marshal Commanding-in-
Chief, who early extended his patronage to the undertaking.
The idea was originated by Lieut.-Col. Ponsonby, com-
manding the 2d battalion 12th Regina..
and was first car-
ried out by that battalion at Dublin under his superin-
tendence, and with signal success. The articles to be ex-
hibited will be divided into two classes--first, those in-
vented or made by officers, noncommissioned officers, and
men now quartered at Aldershott, or by their wives and
children ; and, second, of articles collected by officers, non-
commissioned officers, and men now quartered at Alder-
shott, or by their wives and children (bona fide their own
property), during the course of their service in various parts
of the world. The exhibition will be open until the 14th
of July (Sundays excepted), and the sum received for ad-
mission at the doors will go to defray general expenses, and
any surplus will be divided among committees of regiments
and corps exhibiting.
detaching from the Aldershot division,
The flying column,
under the command of Major General Russell, consisting
of the 6th Dragoon Guards, the Royal Horse Artillery, de-
tachments of the Royal Engineers, Military Train, and the
37th and 87th Regiments, after encamping at Sandhurst for
several days,,in accordance with instructions, returned to
Aldershot on Wednesday, and took part in the evolutions
of a field-day on Thursday.

officer, Major-General \V.
Sage. The deceased served as an
distinguished Indian
We have to record the death of a
ensign in Rewah in 1812, and as a lieutenant in the Nepaul
war in 1815, for which he received a medal. He was as a
major with the army of the Indus in Affghanistan, and at
the storming and capture of Ghuzneo. A medal was
awarded him for his services on that occasion. He was the
brigadier who commanded the Saugor field force, and during
the great mutiny of 1857 he held the fort of Saugor with, a
small and inadequate garrison during upwards of seven
months, under trying circumstances, and until relieved by
the force under Sir Hugh RO6O.

3. That the Government of Japan has also been induced
by this same fear to make with other Europeua nations and
with the United States treaties generally similar to that
which it has cm-icluded with her Majesty.
4. That under the above named treaty British subjects
are entitled to claim admission into certain portions of the
territory of Japan without being subject to the jurisdiction
of its Government, her Majesty having taken upon herself
the obligation of enforcing on their part good conduct and
obedience to the law.

5. That the reports of her Majesty's diplomatic servants
show that her Majet.lty has not been able to fulfil this obli-
gation; the provisions of the statutes authorising her
Majesty's consuls to try and punish British subjects for
offences committed in Japan, and the means available for
carrying these laws in to effect, have proved altogether in-
sufficient to prevent gross outrages and insults from being
inflicted on the people of Japan by British subjects and
persons assuming that character.

5. That the animosity against foreigners excited in the
minds of the Japanese by these outrages and insults has in-
creased the repugnance, long felt by the most powerful
classes among them to in creased intercourse with European
nations, and has led to tl'le perpetration of some murders
and several daring and desperate attacks upon foreigners,
diplomatic servants and other subjects of her Majesty
having been among the Bull :rers from these acts of violence.
7. That the Government, of the Tycoon has professed the
strongest desire to prevent title commission of these crimes
and to punish their perpetrato rs, but has declared itself un-
able to do so; nor does there appear to be any reason to
doubt the truth of these declarations, since two Tycoons
and a Regent of Japan have themselves been murdered ; and
one of the principal Ministers narrowly escaped the same
fate, owing to the hostility they had incurred from being
supposed to favour an increased intercourse with foreigners.
8. That in order to enforce a demand made by her Ma-
jesty's Government of redress for the murder of a British
subject it was found necessary to undertake hostile operations
against one of the Daimios, in the course of which consider-
able loss was experienced by her Majesty's ships and a large
and flourishing Japanese town was burnt to the ground.
9. That this experience of what has already taken place
leaves little hope for the future of its being possible to avert
fresh collisions between herM,ljesty's subjects and the Japa-
nese if the existing arrangemonts for regulating the inter-
course between them are maintained unaltered; and if such
collisions should occur they must sooner or later lead to a
war which would necessarily cost many lives and much
money both to this country and to Japan, and would pro-
bably bring upon the latter the heavy calamities of general
anarchy and confusion, from the destruction of its existing
Government, while there would be no means of creating any
other authority to replace it. _ _

10. That, apart from all higher considerations, the true
interests of this country, and especially its permanent com-
mercial interests, require that such calamitous results should
not be risked by maintaining the existing treaty with Japan
unaltered, and that it is desirable that the provisions of this
treaty should be so modified as to place tha future inter-
course of the two nations on a better footing for the future.
11. That it would therefore be advisable that her Ma-
jesty's servants should without delay enter into friendly
communication with the Government of Japan and with the
Governments of other nations having treaties with Japan
similar to our own, for the purpose of determining what
changes it would be expedient to make in the provisions of
these treaties.

12. That an humble address bo presented to her Majesty
to lay before her Majesty the substance of the foregoing re-
solutions, and humbly to pray that her Majesty will be
graciously pleased to take the same into her serious con-
sideration, with the view of adopting such measures as
may be found best calculated to avert war between this
country ant Japan, and to provide an increase of trade and
friendly intercourse between the two nations to their mutual
advantage.

The Second Trial Trip of Mr, Coxwell's New

Balloon,