The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-06 00:00:00

The National Social Science Association.

(From the Scotsman.)

Among distinguished strangers who have already
axrived in town to attend the meetings of the asso-
ciation may be named—the Hon. Jadge Longfield,
President of the Department of Trade and Interna-
tional Lr,w ; and Mr. Thomas Hare, Secretary of the
Charity Commission. In all the departments papers
will be read of great interest, some of which are
expected to lead to important discussions. In the
department of Trade and International Law, sub-
jects of great national importance at the present
time will be discussed. The question of Interna-
tional Law as to blockade will be under considera-
tion in that department, and it is anticipated that
some interesting information will be given as to the
number of ships which have run the blockade in
America. Mr. Westlake, the Foreign Secretary of
the Association, whose opinion on the law of blockade
is entitled to great weight, will in all probability
lay a resolution on the subject before the Depart-
ment of Trade and International Law. It is also
expected that a resolution will be proposed on the
question of allowing neutral Powers to build ships
for or to sell them to a belligerent, Mr. William
Forsyth, Q.C„ will be added to the list of vice-pre-
bidents in the Department of Tradeand International
Law; and on account of the pressure of business to
come before the department there will be a sub-sec-
tion appointed, at the request of a number of ship-
owners in Liverpool and other towns, to consider
the question of the best mode of valuing ships—a
subject of importance to all engaged in the shipping
trade, as it appears that at present there is great
difficulty in getting ships properly valued.
On Thursday, the first day on which the depart-
ments meet, the leading business will be as follows :
—The Jurisprudence Department will be chiefly
occupied with papers and discussions on " The
De-
fects of the present system of Statutory L egis ation,"
and 4, The Law of Evidence in Civil and Criminal
Causes." In the Education Department (which
meets in the Assembly Hall), the papers on univer-
sity education will first be taken up, in which the
propriety of morning and evening classes at the
universities will be discussed. Working men's
colleges will also engage the attention of the de-
partment. In the third department, criminal statis-
tics and criminal legislation will form the subject
of the leading papers. In the fourth department
Professor Christison will read a paper on the
Changes that have occurred in the Type of Disease
in Edinburgh during the last 50 years, and papers
will also be read on Disease in Cattle. The fifth
department will be occupied all day with papers on
Emigration. The sixth department will be chiefly
occupied with papers on Direct and Indirect Taxa-
tion.

On Friday the business will be as follows :—ln
the Jurisprudence Department, Civil Procedure in
Scotland, and the Bankruptcy Law of Scotland,
will form the subjects of discussion. In the Edu-
cational Department the entire day will be devoted
to papers and discussions on National Education,
and the Assembly Hail will no doubt be well
attended during the whole day. Among the papers
read will be the following :—Professor Milligan on
the Parish Schools of Scotland; Rev. Dr. Bell,
M.D., on the Revised Code ; the Rev. A. Fraser,
" On the Present State of Elementary Education
in Scotland, with suggestions as to a commission of
inquiry." The tbird department will de occupied
all day with the kindred subjects of ragged schools
and reformatories, and among the papers will be one
by Dr. Buchanan " On the Advantages of Ragged
Schools," and another by the Rev. Dr. Robert Lee
"On the Advantages of Reformatories." In the
fourth department a paper "On the Recent Sani-
tary Works," from Miss Nightingale, will be read,
and Provost Lindsay will read a paper " On the
Police Improvement Act of Scotland." The subjects
of the drainage of towns and unhealthy houses will
also be brought under consideration. In the fifth
department (Social Economy) nearly all the papers
-will refer to charity and relief of the poor, ono of
them being "On the Lancashire Cotton Dis-
trict," by Mr. Edmund Potter, M.P. In the
sixth department there will be read papers on the
Patent Question, on a Uniform System of Weights,
Measures, and Coins, and on Decimal Notators.
On Saturday the Jurisprudence Department will
consider papers on tae Torrens System of Convey-
ancing, and o❑ the Extension of the Landed Estates

- ,
Court to Scotland. In the second department In-
dustrial Education will occupy the entire day, there
being four papers on that subject. In the third
department two papers will be read on the Convict
System, ono by the Right Hon. C. Adderley, M.P.,
on the "Reports on Penal Servitude and Prison
Discipline," and another by Mr. John Hill Burton,
on the Evidence at the Penal Servitude Act Com-
mission, not printed with the report. In the fourth
department there will be among other papers two
on Colonial Schools and Hospitals by Miss Night-
ingale. In the fifth department there will be five
papers on Cooperation, two onApprenticeships, and
one on Trades' Societies. The sixth department
ill be occupied all day with papers on Scotch
Trades.
On Monday the
13
Inrisprudence Department will
hear papers on
the anking and Currency Laws of
the United Kingdom,
and on a proposed public
Register of
Railway lebntures. There will also
he disCussions on the subjects
theof breach of contract
by workmen, facilities for
ge working classes ac-
quiring house property in large towns, and small
debt actions by retailers against consumers for the
price of necessaries.
On the last-named subject
Sheriff Hallard, of Edinburgh, will read a paper.
The Education Department will be occupied with
papers on the two important topics of middle class
education and the state of foreign education. The
third department will again devote the whole day
to papers on the convict system. The fourth de-
partment will take up papers relating to sanitary
arrangements in Edinburgh, Leith, and New-
haven. The fifth department will take up
all the day with papers and discussions
on important subjects relating to the con-
dition of the working classes, such as the dwellings
of the working classes in large towns, hinds'
houses, Scottish agricultural labourers' rural cot-
lages, Post-office savings banks, yearly societies,
and the early closing movement, Dr. Begg having
a paper to read on the last-named subject. The
visth department will hear three papers " On la.
ternational Law," the discussions on which will
occupy
the entire day. Among the papers will be
one by Dr. D. Chalmers, " On the Capture during
War of Private Property at Sea."
On Tuesday the Jurisprudence Department will
s " On the Marriage Laws and the
take up papers
Lunacy Laws" as affecting the medical profession.
ffecting
The Educational Department will be occupied with
Gearing a variety of miscellaneous papers, including
papers on Sabbath Schools, Music Schools, &c. The
third department will take up papers relating to the
causes and prevention of crime,the licensing. system.
Scotland and the traffic in strong drink being
among the subjects of the papers. Provost Lind-
sayf;°gill read
~,,,,,,tes for
.... one paper on
."The Granting of Cer-
ouses
The fourttic_enses to in Scotland..
Public-houses
reading of a number of pipers on
jects, including "On the Influence of Smoking on
the Being of man,,, by Mr, Thos. Reynolds. The
fifth department
papers on the will be occupied all day with
emploum In the sixth
will be
of women. . . ,
department papers'
salmonlll
Fisheries, the Irish be read on the Britian
tical finance of life
tadnesday,
assurance,
fisheries, and the prae-
The arrangements for;eee.
the meeting, will depend, the last day of
large upon
the manner in which thebusinessaextent,
Previous days.
THE UNIVERSITY CONVERSAZIONE
THE SOCIAL
SCIENCE ASSOCIATION.
We understand that great exertioaostx being
made by the professors to make the c
oniThnrsday evening next one of the most brilliant
and original things of the kind ever seen
in Edinburgh. The noble library, 190 feet long,
t
-
the eastern hall, staircase, and reading-room are to
be illuminated with gas. The different recesses are
to contain selections from the various museums and
collections of the institution, so as to illustrate the
science and arts taught within its walls. The
Photographic Society of Scotland will present the
chemical spec:in:fees of pliotograpby. Modern gal-