The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-06 00:00:00

NATIONAL EDUCATION UNION.

The Manchester Congress of the National Education
Union resumed its sittings on Thursday, the Hon. Algernon
Egerton, M.P., taking the chair. He referred in his open-
ing speech to the address of Lord Robert Montague on the
previous day which he feared would lead people to
imagine that the present state of education was more
satisfactory than it really was. Any scheme proposed for
the improvement of popular education should, he thought,
be threefold. First, it should aim at increasing the effi-
ciency of the present existing schools; secondly, at pro-
viding masters and mistresses in larger number; and, thirdly,
at sweeping up the residuum that never went to school at
all. Mr. Egerton said he believed that on the whole the
tone of our schools had improved rather than deteriorated,
a statement which called forth mingled expressions of
approval and dissent. All persons were, he thought,
agreed that a number of children made the streets, not
only their playground, but their only means of
education. He had taken great interest in the question,
and had put his name on Mr. Bruce's bill, which had
been partly misunderstood. It was a Permissive Bill only,
though many gentlemen thought it would lead to the
eventual substitution of schools supported by rates. In
Mr. Bruce's bill the rates were to be applied to the educa-
tion of all persons; but the National Education League
would apply them to the pauper and criminal population
only. Mr. Bruce's bill was not likely to work
so well in rural districts as in the large
towns. The principal point which they were
mot to discuss was the practicability of extend-
ing the factory system of education. Mr. Egerton, in con-
clusion, adverted to the ignorance which prevailed in
the mining districts, and insisted on the neces-
sity for educating the mining population. Colonel
Ackroyd, M.P., read an interesting paper on
the practical results of the factory system of education,
and said that, like all educational measures, the Act
worked but slowly. There were defects which might be
remedied, but the system had special advantages, for it
combined industrial training with scholastic instruction,
and 0,,1 .to,l -kho ottcntion of employers, compelling them,
in their own interestp, to take part in the education of the
people Mr. Redgrave, the chief inspector of factories,
read a paper on the half-time system, which, he said, had
worked most satisfactorily in Lancashire and Yorkshire.
He proposed that for agricultural labourers no attendance
at schools should be compulsory during certain months,
but that no child should be allowed to work in the fields
who had not attended school regularly during the winter.
Subsequently Dr. Rigg, principal of the Wesleyan Training
College, Westminster read a paper on compulsory education, '
which was, lie thought, impracticable. It must, if tried at
all, be applicable to all classes, and would not, with its
necessarypolice supervision,be tolerated in ourlarge centres
of industry. Mr. Ford, the secretary of the Reformatory and
Refuge Union,thought that the Industrial Schools Act of 1866
would, if properly applied, clear our thoroughfares of "street
Arabs," and the same branch of the subject was taken up
in a paper by Mr. John MACGREGOR, proprietor of the Rob
Roy Canoe. If one-tenth of the trouble and talent now
expended on the detection of crime were devoted to the
discovery of the causes of ignorance, destitution, and vice,
there would be a vast improvement of our town popu-
lations.

The Right Hon. W. CowPim, M.P., who presided at the
afternoon sitting, said that in dispensing with voluntary
effort they took a dangerous step towards the destruction
of self-respect and independence, and the production of
pauperism in the working classes. They should not
hastily rush into a system which would introduce foreign
ideas and habits into the country. Later in the day
the Rev. Canon Beechey gave an account of the efforts
made by the Bridgwater Trustees for the education of
the children of colliers in their employment. Not half
the collier boys in their employ attended the night schools
provided for them, and if the employers endeavoured to
compel their attendance, the men would strike in a body.
—Mr. GAINSFORD, of Sheffield, examined the experience of
foreign countries in secular and denominational education,
and said that the latter had become universal wherever
practicable. Mr. Oliver, secretary of the Wesleyan Educa-
tion Committee, protested against compulsory attendance
at Sunday schools, and after some further discussion on
the objects of the Union, resolutions were passed adopting
its general principles, and the proceedings terminated.

Mr. Charles Dickens is, according to the Athenaum,
engaged on a new story. The work will come out in the
old serial form, the first part to appear in March.
A mill, near Oldham, said to contain 40,000
gpindleP, has been nearly destroyed by firo, and the damage
is estimated at £30,000.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is still
enjoying the pleasures of field sports on the Willerby and
Seamer estates of Lord Londesborough, near Scarborough,
and his visit is likely to be continued for a few days longer.
The United Kingdom Alliance have held a meet-
ing in the Workmen's Hall, Birkenhead, in support of the
Permissive Prohibitory Bill. Resolutions were passed call-
ing upon Legislators and Statesmen to provide a remedy for
the great national vice of intemperance, and entreating those
members of Parliament who had already supported the Per-
missive Bill to continue their efforts until that measure, or
a similar one, was embodied in the legislatoion of the
country.

THE EMPRESS AT CONSTANTINOPLE.—In the
Standard of Monday last are described some of the
arrangements made by the Sultan for the entertain-
ment recently of his fascinating and illustrious guest,
as follows:—The palace of Beylerbey, where the Em-
press was lodged, is furnished with all the luxury of the
East, combined with the good taste of Europe. The
Empress expressed her admiration of this magnificent re-
sidence. The Imperial bedroom is superb. The canopy
of the bed is of the finest Cashmere, supported by four
pillars, and having in the centre a crescent of the purest
gold. The livery of the servants attached to the Imperial
service cost £2,000. These magnificent liveries, it will
be recollected, were exhibited to the public by the manu-
facturers, the well-known firm of D. Nichol' and Co., the
extensive wholesale clothiers of Fall-street, Wood-street,
Cheapside, early in September last, invitation to inspect
them having been given by public advertisement in the
London papers. These gorgeous liveries were prepared
and manufactured by Messrs. Nicoll, the wholesale manu-
facturers, as is their custom, for one of their agents, the
old established firm of Laurie, of Constantinople, by whom
the Sultan was directly supplied. Messrs. Nicoll also are
the patentees of the rug palotot, an article which appears
to supply a public want, as a great and general demand has
arisen for it which much enlivens that branch of trade,
and gives welcome employment to numbers who have
been suffering in the great general depression.

[ADVE3tTISENIENT.—HOIIOWay'B Ointment and Pills.—
Scarlatina a•ad Diphtheria.—These two formidable dis-
ea,es are now as prevalent and as fatal as they were dur-
ing last alttainn. In the bills of mortality deaths from
s allot fever and diphtheria weekly show their fatal cha-
racter; to check their debilitating and dangerous course
nothing has yet proved itself so efficacious as Holloway's
detergent preparations. The Oiatineut, diligently rubbed
on the neck and chest, being absorbed, penetrates each
gland and capillary, corrects in them all inflammatory ten-
dency, extrudes all noxious matters, and at once heals up
any diphtheric ulcers, and prevents the extension through-
out the throat. At the same time the administration of
the Pills by purifying the blood vastly assists the curative
effect of the Ointment.