The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-27 00:00:00

TIONAL EDUCATION.

The report of the Commission on National Education
in Ireland has just been published in a formidable blue-
book. It begins with an encouraging statement of the
increase both of schools and scholars. The year 1867, to
which the report refers, shews an increase of 67 in the
number of schools, of 2,379 in the pupils on the rolls,
and of 5,453 in the average daily attendance as compared
with the statistics of 1866. There are in course of erection
Si national school-houses, affording accommodation to
10,510 children. Seventy-three schools were struck off
the rolls in the year for various reasons, such as
insufficient attendance, 'incompetent teachers, unsuit-
able school-houses, and similar causes. In the
mixed schools, 1,039 in number, which are taught
exclusively by Protestants, nieL, was an nvorcuoc or 111'4
Protestants, and 281 Roman Catholic pupils. In those
taught conjointly by Protestant and Catholic teachers,
which amount to 132, there was an average of 1121
Protestants, and 100'2 Catholics. In the 2,649 schools
taught exclusively by Roman Catholic teachers, there was
an average of 9.3 Protestants, and 125'9 Catholic
pupils. The commissioners insist very strongly upon
the advantages of their leading rule, which protects
their pupils from the possibility of proselytism. In most
cases the patrons and managers would rather be exempt
from such rules, but the commissioners emphatically
declare that the toleration now enjoyed by the minority
who attend the national schools would cease to exist
if the attendance of that minority compelled the patron to
observe rules from which he would otherwise have
been free. They therefore insist that the protective rule
shall exist in every school. The consequence is that the
Protestants of Mun;ter and the Catholics of Ulster alike
receive the protection which their slender numbers require.
The regulations by which all proselytism is avoided are
very stringent. The religious instruction is to be
given separately, either before or after the secu-
lar instruction, and in either case a notice is
to be put up in the school to announce it during the time,
so that those children whose parents object' to their
receiving it may withdraw. The only common doctrine
,nculcated is the duty of living peaceably with those who
differ from us. Full particulars are given of the working
of the school forms, of which there are 112, twenty-one
being under the exclusive management of the commis-
sioners. The total amount of salaries, allowances, &c.,
paid in 1867 to the teachers and assistants of all kinds was,
£267,671 Bs. 3d. The number of teachers in receipt of
good service salary at the end of the year was 504-364
males and 140 females.

DEATH OF A CENTENARIAN,--A Mrs. Pyrn, of
Ivybridge, Devonshire, has just died, after a lingerin-
n ss, aged 100 'years and 3 months. g ill
A deputation consisting of Mr. S. Lloyd, Mr.
Akroyd, M.P., and other' gentlemen, from Newcastle.
Birmingham, Exeter, Stoke-upon-Trent, Bradford, Dun-
dee, Goole, Southampton, Plymouth, Bristol, and Leeds,
had an interview with the Right Hon. J. Bright, at
the office of the Board of Trade, on Friday, on the
treaty of commerce with Spain and Portugal, the regis-
tration of trade marks, and other matters relating to
commerce.

FIRE AT A LUCIFER FACTORY.—On Friday
morning a fire took place on the premises of Messrs.
Bryant and May, lucifer match makers, Fairfield-row,
Bow, originating in the drying-house, a building not more
than thirty feet long, and was occasioned by the over-
heating of the stove. In the course of a few minutes this
building was in a general blaze, and the workmen could
only succeed in rescuing packets of matches which were
placed in the packing-room. Whilst attempts were being
made to subdue tb_ flames in the drying-house, some
children got playing with the matches in the packing-
room for the purpose of sheaving that they would not
ignite unless rubbed on the peculiarly, prepared paper
paste-d on the boxes, or exposed to the action of extreme
heat. Whilst so engaged they dropped one of the lighted
matches amongst a vast number of others, and the conse-
quence was that some thousand gross of matches broke
out into flames. It was a wonder that the children were
saved from instant death. The fire was eventually ex-
tinguished, but not until the drying-house was burned
out and about one-half of the packing-room destroyed,
and the greater portion of the roofs burned off. The fir=
was not insured. Fires took place in the same premises
on the 13th of October, 1,367, on the 9th of June, and 'OD
the 21et_ef July. 186.8.