The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-06 00:00:00

Commence at 7.

ROYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
Manager, Mr. Benjamin Webster.
EMINEN P TALENT AND COMEDY DRAMA.
This Popdlar Theatre is now Open.
THIS EVENING, a new Musical Drama, entitled THE
BARONET ABROAD ANL, TILE RUSTIC PRIMA.
LON NA : Mr. Ft ank Jlatthc 8 ; Miss Constance -Roden.
After which, at a quarter to Eight, a new and original
Comedy Drama, in three acts, by J. ealgrave Simpson. enti-
tled SY ItIL LA ; or, STEP BY STEP. Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Mathews.
To conclude with Mr. Maddison Morton's New Comedy
Farce of WOOD, OCK'S LITTLE GAME. Mr. Charles
Mathews, Mrs. Frank Matthews.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Sole Lessee and Manag-eress. Mrs. Swanborough.

THIS EVENING, WILFUL WARD. Messrs Parselle
and Belford; Miss Palmer.

Followed by, at Eight, MILKY WHITE. Messrs. Craven,
Etoyle, James; Mesdames Swanbor ,ugh and Manders.
To conclude with MAZEPPA. Mesdames Raynham,
impson, .tc.

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.1 MOSES AND SON'S
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List of Prices with Rules for Self-measurement, Fashion
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TEIGNMOUT 11, Devoo.--11r. ANDREW
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house it pleasantly situate; contains dining, two drawing-
rooms, nine l-ed rooms, three dres,vi.,,--room,, library, house-
keeper's rcom and offices, conservatory, garden, three-stall
stable, two coach-houses, &c. It stands on high ground. and
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HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
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To-Konnow.-Morning, 7h.' 54m.—Afternoon, Bh, 30m.

16k
Inv
4rde- **AV t-4,12111-1.
Ana,{ll6l. 5;41 jj

LONDON, TUESDAY, DEC. 6, 1864.

Education is one of the chief subjects of the day
in interest and importance; but amid the many
conflicting opinions and divers remarks made upon
this question how few are there who have entered
upon the topic with the purpose of dwelling upon
" Self-education." This want has been well sups
plied by Lord STANLEY in his recent address at
the Manchester Mechanics' Institute; and many
may peruse this speech with profit to themselves
and benefit to the numerous class concerned. It
has billy been said that one of the chief faults of
education is not to teach the young to apply the
knowledge they acquire. It would be better for any
child or young person to learn half what he does if he
thoroughly understood it, and was thus enabled to
put it to good account, than if he merely acquired
a confused medley of information by rote, which
he never took the time to understand nor his
teachers to explain to him. Sir WALTER SCOTT'S
memorable answer concerning a man who boasted
of the immense extent of his reading deserves to
be remembered, and should be applied by all to
themselves who look to the letter of the thing,
and not to the spirit. Upon being told that a man
read twenty hours a day he asked, "and how many
does he think ?" This is just the case with those
who make overhaste to be learned, and to cram
the minds of children with what they never can
appreciate, and what it would take many years for
them to do justice to. Lord STANLEY is no flat-
terer; he does not confine his remarks to saying
that the institution commented upon is excellent,
the purpose praiseworthy, and the results most
satisfactory. This sugar-plum style may suit the
requirements of the moment, but can never conduce
to any practical results or confer a beneficial in-
fluence upon those favoured by it. It is surely a
wiser, kinder, and truer task to speak of errors
and mention failures in such a manner that they
may be rectified and remedied than to attempt a
false and unfounded mode of proceeding. In pur-
suance of this stable method, his lordship said
that these institutes had not always succeeded,
because their founders attempted too much
and ventured to believe that consequences would
ensue from them which were more rare than fre-
quent. They talked too much of the benefit of
knowledge in the abstract, but did not apply it
practically to the real business of life. Now, how.
ever, much of this has been changed, and those in,
stitutions which are likely to last have become less
ambitious in their views but more useful in their
practice. Lord STANLEY forcibly and pithily set
their work before them when he said that they were
to continue and extend the limited and imperfect
teaching which alone a school for the industrial
class, or indeed for any class, can pretend to give.
Most true are the observations we subsequently
meet with as to the absurdity and impropriety of
stuffing children's memories with facts to which
no definite idea is attached." If a boy must leave
school at the age of twelve it is idle to suppose that
he can be proficient in anything beyond the rudi-
manta of learning; but let him acquire these
thoroughly, and he is so far independent: but to do
more he must apply his more matured faculties at
a further period of life. Lord STANLEY affirmed
that if teaching on the whole was better adminiE.
tered in the higher than in the lower classes, it was
chiefly because not more but less was taught at an
early age. Time is taken, that the wall is not run
up in haste, that the bricks are set in carefully, and
the mortar allowed time to dry, and so the struc-
ture, whether high or low, is likely to stand. An-
other important fact, mentioned by his lordship,
ought long ago to have occurred to all who have
charge of the young, and not only been seen by
them but acted upon, that it is injurious for a young
child to be kept so many hours a day learning, or
at least pretending to do so. Not only is mental
growth not attained, but physical health materially
suffers by this unnatural confinement ; and what
can compensate for health and strength to those
who have to gain their own livelihood ?
The case is well put here—." Nature says to a child
' run about,' the schoolmaster says ' sit still,' and, as
the schoolmaster can punish on the spot, and nature
can only punish long afterwards, he is obeyed, and
health and brain suffer." How strange it seems
that in this intelligent age such practical truths are
so little recognised, and still less cared for. Parents
and teachers persist in making the attempt to force
the knowledge that belongs to riper years into the
early days of tender childhood, and they think they
can compress the work of years into months. But
a greater teacher than they are says no, and in
many a stunted form, and in many a shattered con•
stitution, we may read the sad effects of the fatal
errors fallen into in the golden days of youth by
those who should have been ministering spirits, and
fostering agents, instead of dealing ruthlessly the
fate that has made life a failure and burden instead
of a blessing. Lord STANLEY was careful to guard
his hearers from falling into a common error, and
supposing that a man of talent would be sure to
get on without culture. Because some gifted indi-
viduals did so it was not to be deduced as an in-
controvertible theory, that all might or could be
exempt from training without harm accruing to
their progress. Thus, GEORGE STEPHESSON, a
man thoroughly versed in the requirements of the
class from which he sprang, was always most
desirous that others should enjoy the advantages
he missed, and always spoke in favour of such
institutions. As for State interference and State
support his lordship spoke most strongly against
the principle of it, and made good his view of the
question. He said that there always existed a
wholesome jealousy among the middle classes of
England as to this matter of State meddling in
this and other things, and he trusted not
to see it decrease as it was sometimes
threatened to do. Self reliance is the chief
feature in our national character, and if we lose
iu that nothing can make up for it. It
will be better to expect and endure many private
losses, for the sake of the great public gain con-
ferred by this means on the country ; and individual
discomfort and inconvenience are as nothing in com-
parison with the general principle embodied in the
practice of independence. No nation ever really
flourished where the Government does the work for
it, It may seem fair and prosperous in times of
prosperity, but if the clouds lower and the whirl-
wind rise, the elements of Om endurance will not
be found that can rice to face the danger and resist
the difficulty. It is al ways among the races that
exhibit self-reliance and independence that we find
the hardy virtues flourish, and the manly qualities
most in vigour and perfection. It has truly been
said,

"'Tis the black north-easter through the snow storm burled
Drives our English hearts of oak seaward round the
world 1"

And the same metaphor applies, in its way, to the
social arrangements of society. Lapped in luxury
and guarded from care, the youth cannot attain to

' a manhood worthy its duties and its privileges '
and so with undertakings and societies and institu•
tions, they must be able to stand on their own merits,
or their foundations will be insecure, and their fate
similar to that of the house built upon sand. As
Lord STANLEY said, the help given to boys and
girls' schools is very well, because this generation
has to make up for centuries of neglect ; but further,
the help of the State is not wanted or ought not to
be, State help has not, it is here truly put, done
any thing for English manufactures. English farmers
and great engineers are not taught by Government.
" Yet our manufactures travel to every corner of the
earth, our engineers travel to every country, and
our farming, imperfect though it may be, is probably
the highest in Europe." Such things are worthy of
note, and those who peruse this speech may well
ponder over its meaning and prcfi by its teaching.
Education is the theme which excites ail minds and
bears associations to the thoughtful and refined that
the hardy and sterner employments of existence are
powerless to supply. If simpler ends were aimed
at more solid and sterling advantages would be
gained in early life, and further and more freshness
and vitality would remain to pursue the delightful
journey with more vigour, and to more happy and
honourable results. This discourse of Lord STAN-
LEY'S is full of suggestive subjects, and puts facts
before us that are worthy of all attention. if the
education of the young be neglected generations to
come will mourn the day, but if those competent to
act and able to support the great work of teaching
of childhood and improving youth do their part,
they will be investing their wealth in a speculation
that cannot utterly fail ; and while they may not
live to see the fruition of their works, they will
know that one sows that another may reap, and
that their children's children may rise up and call
them blessed for the practical benefits conferred on
society through their agency. There is no more
satisfactory work for human beings to perform
than to reform and regenerate the fellow-proba-
tioners for eternity, and those who thus devote
their efforts and assist those who do so may rejoice
to think that long after they sleep in dust their
example will be left to others, and that the coming
years will witness the happy effects of the efforts
now made, while, looking still higher and yet be-
yond this transient sphere of human husbandry,
they can trust that useful, honourable, and virtuous
careers may be their abiding monuments, and be
reserved to form a portion of the harvest scene of
the great hereafter.

The naval affairs of this country are sufficiently
interesting to the general public, to make them
turn with some curiosity to the speech of a Lord
of the Admiralty. Accordingly when Mr. CEUL•
DERS, who now occupies the post of Civil Lord,
comes forward to address his constituents, his
words gather some importance from his official
position. It is true that every one is petty well
prepared beforehand for the substance of an Ade
miralty address, that it is not difficult to foretel
the general defence of the policy of the Administra-
tion, especially of naval affairs, and the assurances
that every effort is being made to combine economy
of public money with efficiency of public service.
Still there are several topics which have recently
occupied a good deal of public attention upon which
Mr. CHILDERS might be naturally expected to
touch, and therefore his observations to his consti.
tuents were not altogether words of course. One
of the most prominent of these topics was the
Victoria, a large line-of-battle ship, which is to be
despatched as flagship to the Mediterranean. The
Admiralty has been attacked for sending a wooden
three-decker on such an office instead of an armour•
plated vessel, and therefore Mr. COBDEN has gone
so far as to term our wooden vessels " floating
slaughterhouses," and to object to their being put
in any prominent position. The Admitalty has
undoubtedly sins enough of its own to answer for
without being blamed unjustly, and the outcry
about the Victoria has been altogether out of place.
In the first place, a wooden ship being far more
rocmy and more healthy is in every way better
suited for the flagship and its train of supernu-
meraries. This point was especially insisted upon
both by Mr. CHILDERS and by Lord CLARENCE
PAGET, who alluded to the subject in a recent
address at Deal. The want of ventilation in an
armour-plated vessel renders it very unfit for a
large body of supernumeraries, of which there are
sometimes one or two hundred on board the Medi.
terranean flagship. As Lord CLARENCE PAGET
showed, fevers and other diseases would
be liable to break out among a large
body of men crowded into a ship which was
only calculated for immediate action. The flag,.
ship in the Mediterranean has hitherto been
a wooden ship, and no complaint was made
when the last was commissioned. But a mania
has now spread about iron ships, which have as
yet been tested theoretically rather than practi-
cally. During time of peace it is the first ques-
tion to regard the health and efficiency of the
crews, and this alone is a powerful argument in
favour of a wooden flagship. But even in time
of war it remains to be seen how far an armour
plated ship would prove so vastly superior. We
observe that the new vessels do not carry the
number of guns which was proposed for them.
In some instances they have no more than half
the number. Great as may be the improvements
made in iron plating, the rapid progress in gun-
nery more than keeps with them. We hold it to
be impossible for any ship to carry the weight of
iron necessary to resist the new shot, but a very
much slighter quality of plating would servo to
protect the vessel in some degree, by making shots
glance off, B:c., and consequently there is no reason
why our old wooden walls should not be turned to
good account, by thus defending them above and
below the water line. Much as has been said about
the merits of these iron clads, we must remember
that they have not been tried in action, and that
their practical advantage in naval warfare have
jot to be proved, while there is no question that
they are less handy, and frequently less sea-
worthy than the wooden ships. It is certainly
well and wise to give every new plan a fair trial,
and therefore, while we need not take it for
granted that the iron vessels are invincible, neither
should we condemn them hastily; but if we are
to discard all others, however sound and tried,
we must say that our fleet consists of a very few
vessels. It is certainly not wise to pledge the coma•
try to the vast outlay required for the construction
of an ironclad fleet, before the advocates of iron
plating can even agree upon the best method, Mr
CHILDERS was, of course, not bold enough to admit
this, but he was courageous enough to say a word in
defence of the singular conduct of his Board,
with respect to the Royal Sovereign. Since public
opinion expressed itself an unmistakeably respecting
the treatment which Captain COLES'S invention had
received at official hands, it has become the fashion
to speak in high terms of its merits, and therefore
we are not surprised to find Mr CHILDERS styling
the Royal Sovereign "an admirable model," and
the system on which it is constructed " very suc-
cessful." However Mr CHILDERS supports the
view of his superiors as to the Royal Sovereign's
want of capacity for cruising, and her consequent
fitness for harbour defence and practice in gunnery,
in Isrhich ease she is no more than a floating battery,