The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-19 00:00:00

IV. EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND ART.

The aggregate of the fourteen votes in this class is
722,8121. while that of 1853 was only 598,4231., and
that of 1852, 470,7621. The principal votes are the
following—
(1.) Pubic Education in Great Britain.—For this
object 263,0001. is the amount proposed. The total
amount to be expended (including as its largest item
130,0001. for the annual s ipen,;s of pupil teachers and
gratuities to their instructors) is 343,8731. ; but a
balance in band is taken as applicable to the diminution
of the estimate.
(2.) Public Education in Ireland.—The vote pro-
posed is 193,0401. the largest item being 92,000/. for
,alaries to teachers of national schools. There is an in.
crease. but not a very large one, on the votes of the last
two years.
(11.) British Museum.—For this establishment the
vote is 55,2251, nearly the same as those of 1852 and
1853 ; but a charge of 101.1421. for buildings occasions
an excess of about 78,0001. in the total requited for the
current year. The principal item is 61,0001., as the
amount required for the erection of a build ng within
the quadrangle of the Museum, for the purpose of
affording increased accommodation." For " cases and
all other fittings" the additional sum of 25,0001. is asked,
making the total charge under this head nearly 160,0001.

V. COLONIAL, CONSULAR, AND OTHER FOREIGN
---_--

SERVICES.

Under this class 17 votes are included. The total
asked for the current year is 333,4501, and as that
voted in 1852 was 369,318, there is a decrease of
35,8581. On comparison with the vote of 1852 thete is
also a decrease, but not of equal magnitude. The Civil
establishments provided for by this vote are principally
situate in North America, the West Indies, Africa.
Australia, and China ; but the salaries of all consuls and
the extraordinary expenses of ministers at foreign Courts
are also included. The amount charged for the Consular
service is 156,8651., and there has been no great 'lstria•
tion in recent years. There is a trifling increase at St.
Helena, hut eoi,eidera,ble reductions are to be noticed in
almost all the other colonial establishments, owing to the
transfer of charges to local revenues. In the case of
New Zealand, the vote, which was 10,0001. in 1852,
and 5,0901. in 1853, has now wholly disappeared, and
the estimate for Western Australia is rapidly dimi-
nishiug.

RECAPITULATION.
1852-3. 18534. 1854-5,
Class I. .
Class II £•;21,2.11. .. £Bll 391 ... 2815,829
1.0.12;233 ... 1,033,415 ... 1,094,786
Cl:Lis 111. - ... 1,381,428 ... 1,478,851
Class IV.
Class V 369,318 ... 347,3 A ... 333,460
24,171,984 £4,443,738

, Total £3,767,918

•
Lim-ease of estimates fur the current year :
Cornparea with 1852-3 .................. Xfi57,820
754
mpured with 1853-4 .................. 213,

---- -
THE WEATHER AND CROPS.—The wheat crops in the
neighbourhood of York appear strong and healthy,
but oats and barley, which were sown late, in conse-
quence of the drought, are backward, and on the higher
lands some of the bark), does i.ot look very promising.
Potatoes also are backward ; a large bri adth has been
planted with this esculent this year, having taken the
place of chicory, which used to be extensively grown in
this district, but is now being abandoned, on account of
the reduction of the duty on the foreign-grown root.
Meadow land, under good management, looks well' and
promises a heavy crop, but seeds and artificial grasses
are very scanty and bare. The price of both beasts and
sheep has lately advanced in York market, the former
from 6d to 9d. per stone, the latter Id. per lb.
LONDON JOINT-STOCK BANKS.. It is understood that
the arrangement for the London. Joint-Stock Banks to
be admitted to the clearing-ho QB. will come into opera,
tion in about sx weeks ft-OA this:
other step has just been taken . date. Meanwhile an.
amount of bank note circulation lay
which a considerable
...ion
balances due atnuti the various is ecotioniised, the daily
1 .by cheques ou the
adjusted 1 private banks being now
i of by bank-notes. Br ink of England, bawd