The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-15 00:00:00

QUEEN'S COLLEGE, LIVERPOOL.

On Wednesday evening the first anniversary
meeting of this college (which was inaugurated
by Lord Brougham last year) was held in the lec-
ture-hall of the Institute, Mount-Street.
Lord BROUGHAM, having taken the chair, said
after some introductory allusions—Now, one word
as to the course in which society is moving forward
at the present day. I do not say that it is moving too
quick—Heaven forbid; that is not my opinion ; but
I say that there are some persons—worthy and ex-
cellent persons—zealous, some of them even over-
zealous, some whose zeal is greater than their know-
ledge—who are apt to be impatient, and to say
that we are not going fast enough. And they go a
step further—these over-zealous and impatient
though worthy and enlightened individuals often-
times go a step further, and not only consider that
we are moving too slow, but sometimes consider
that we are stopping altogether ; nay, I have heard
some say, by way of complaint—and if it were well
founded a most just complaint it would be, and a
most grievous thing, too—that we are going back-
wards. Now, I could not help thinking of that as
I was coming along the other day on my way to this
town. I happened to pass, in another part of the
county, an old acquaintance of mine, the river
Lune, which I have known ever since I knew Lan-
cashire, and that is many years ago since I went
the Northern Circuit. I was passing in the railway
train, and the Lune was passing at its ordinary
pace, and upon looking out I saw this delusion,
which I cannot help thinking a little parallel to the
kind of other delusions to which I have adverted ;
the Lune seemed to be moving backwards—(laugh-
ter)—but immediately I saw how it was, and that
it could not very easily move up a hill. It was
moving at a very fair and rapid pace, but certainly
not moving backwards ; and what made me think
it was moving backwards was the rapid pace at
which I was going in the train. And so it is with
those whose complaints I have been commenting.
Nov, this no doubt is wrong—this is to be lamented,
because it is discouraging in every way. It dis-
courages their hopes who make these complaints ;
it has a tendency to relax their exertions ; it makes
them think things are desperate when they are in a
prosperous state; and it is very unfair to those,
whether of the Government or of the legislature,
oalu.thoorif ythaotthtearke ppartart ofin thdeireceolinnsgtituttehde
tieasn
progress of society, by the best means in their
power, and as they believe in the safest
and most practical way, because it has a tendency
to paralyse and discourage their exertions. (Cheers.)
Who can doubt that everything
depends upon the
culture which we and such as we are giving to the
best faculties of the mind ? Ay, and
with
those
faculties to the unfolding and the
best feelings of the heart. (Hear, and cheers.) We
may well say with a great poet :
44 The godlike form of man bespeaks control,
And borrows all its grandeur from the soul;
Hers is the splendour, state, and hers the throne,
The intellectual kingdom all her own."
(Cheers.)
Lord JOHN RussELL—After what
your chair-
man has said, it will be unnecessary for me to oc-
cupy your time—he has so well informed you of
what has taken place with regard to this institu-
tion. He took so large and so useful a part in
its foundation that he is better qualified than any
other man to speak of its merits. If I were to
make any remark at all it should be rather to this
effect—that I cannot but see in the success of this
institution, in its growing qualification for the
wants of education, not only that education is de-
sired, because upon that nearly all men are now
agreed—not only, that education is generally
making progress in the country, but that this in-
stitution has been so framed and has been so modi-
fied and so improved by those who are charged
with its conduct, that it does meet the wants
of the community. (Hear, hear.) Now, with re-
gard to the old systems of education. There were
too many of them, like that old house which is deT
scribed poetry,
with wiudows to shut out the

light, and " passages that lead to nothing." There
was many a flute when a window was put up
w'iich you were to suppose was to let in the light
of knowledge, but which, in fact, was so obscure
and so- hung with framework that it shut
out that very light that it should have intro-
duced_ to some •of the sciences that were taught.
In the olden time, and that not a very olden
time, we understood the introduction to • all
the, practical knowledge that is wanted in life
was merely a passage to some abstract, to some
abstruse science, which science itself, when mas-
tered, was utterly useless. When people attempted
not many years ago to improve education, were all
the institutions we have founded sufficient for
their purpose or well adapted to their end ? I
rather think in the case of the establishment of
mechanics' institutes in London—in which my
noble and learned friend, your chairman, took so
great a part, and in which Dr: Birkbeck was so
active—that in sonic cases those lectures which
were given, being upon deep.mathematieal subjects,
and given to working men who had had a hard
day's work, and perhaps' had to leave their homes
anti go through the rain to attend lectures,
were not at first attractive. But gradually these
things became modified, and the success of an
institution of this kind is, in fact, a test of the-
capacity, of the prudence, of the good sense of its
conductors. (Hear, hear.) I therefore ask your
approbation for this institution, as having been
conducted with that prudence, and as having led
to that success. (Applause.) I need not say
anything, I am sure, as to educatiOn in general,
or as to the improvements that may be made, or as
to the general state olsociety in this country. All
the subjects that belong to those important ques-
tions must be discussed and treated of elsewhere. I
am glad to hear that, with regard to this institu-
tion, no religious difficility has been-felt, and I ask
you to applaud the catholic spirit in which all its
proceedings have been conducted. (Applause.) I
am' glad to hear that lately-it has been se far con-
nected with the University of London that young
men educated here may be there examined, and re-
ceive those testimonials to their ability and profi-
ciency which they so well deserve. I will not trouble
you a moment longer, but will proceed to read the
resolution which I have to propose, which is—" That
this meeting, deeply sensible of the importance of ex-
tending the means of the highest education as widely
as possible among all ranks of society, heartily con-
gratulates the directors of the Liverpool Institute on
the establishment of their Queen's College in connec-
tion with the London University, and sincerely trusts
that a measure so large in its aims and so• catholic
in its spirit may at once_enlist in its favour the
sympathies of the public, and largely command the
confidence and co-operation of the class for whose
advantage it was specially designed.", (Loud'
applause.)
The Earl of CARLISLE, in supporting -the resolu-
tion, declared himself to be a cordial friend of all
efforts 'and all institutions which had for their
object to promote the spread of .useful education
and liberal accomplishments—of the knowledge
which made men wise, and the acts which made
them humanised and refined. (Hear, hear.) The
president of the institution, his friend Mr. W.
Brown, was one who had nobly practised what
others thought it honour enough to preach. (Cheers.)
They had read formerly of splendid public libraries
established by Ptolemies or by Caesars, in the
capitals of their wide-spread.empires ; but this in-
stitution had been achieved by a simple citizen,.
if I may so call one of our merchant princes.
(Cheers.) Mr. Brown is the true Ptolemy
Philadelphiis of Liverpool ; and like Mr. Astor of
New -York, Mr. Brown had conferred upon his
.fellow-townsmen those benefits which in former
times were provided by emperors, kings, or states.
(Cheers.)
The resolution having been put and carried,
Sir J. PAKINGTON, M.P., moved the next resolu-
tion, f‘ That this meeting cordially rejoices in the
;extension of general education ; and that not merely
in colleges for the middle and upper classes, but in
institutions and schools for the- instruction of the
working population." Looking to the subject of
the resolution, he felt. strongly the force of what
fell from his noble and learned friend in the chair,
that the cause of education now happily needed no
panegyric. The days were :fairly gone by when
any class of men or any individual man would
desire to_ keep his fellow-countrymen and his
fellow-men in darkness, and to deprive them of
the inestimable blessing of --cultivating that in-
tellect which is the bed blessing of the
Almighty to the human race. (Applause.)
His noble friend Lord John. Russell had told
them with truth that he would abstain from
entering into the general subject of education, • be-
cause now it was everywhere felt that no one stood
in need of exhortation to encourage education by
every means in his power ; and, above all, it was un-
necessary to enlarge upon the subject generally, after
the manner in which it had been treated by his
noble friend in. St. George's-hall on Monday night.
The first words of his resolution were—" That this
meeting rejoices in the extension of general educa-
tion." He was happy to say that he cordially
adopted that form of words; heartily rejoiced in
the extension of education. He rejoiced in the
proofs of that extension which they found on every
side. He was happy to say, that in almost every
part of England, and especially in our great cities,
like Liverpool, they found the most spirited and the
most benevolent exertions for the promotion of this
great and most important cause. And such was
the advantage which that cause derived from those
exertions—and he might appeal to the proceedings
of the meeting at which they were assembled; he
might appeal to the proceedings at the first meeting
of the association last year at Birmingham ; he
might appeal to the proceedings in London at the
conference which was held under the presidency of
the Prince Consort, at all of which men have
come forward from all parts of the country to con-
tribute the results of our experience, to offer them
suggestions which their ability might dictate, and
to give their utmost aid in the promotion of this
cause. These were not only. proofs that education
had extended, but they helot out the most cheering
and satisfactory hopes of future progress and con-
tinued success. But he ventured to hope that the
British public would not be content to leave the
subject where it was. No doubt the cause of
education had been greatly. and generally ex-
tended, and his earnest counsel, whenever he pre-
sumed to speak upon this subject—his earnest and
anxious advice to those who took an interest in it
was, look at both sides of the picture. Let them
not be led away by the flattering representation
that this cause had progressed to the extent
which the requirements of the country demanded.
Let them not be persuaded that they had
chalked out the best mode of extending the
education of the people ; let them not be de-
terred by self-complacency, by undue national
pride, from borrowing hints and suggestions
from the proceedings of other countries, whenever
those proceedings were calculated to aid them in
the promotion of a great national object. (Hear,
hear.) The more he reflected on the question the
more deeply he felt they ought to borrow aid from
whatever quarter was able to give it ; and he felt
convinced that we would improve by engrafting
upon our own system, not the exact system of
any other country, but the best part, as he
had often been told, and no doubt told truly, that
in no one respect, be it education or jurisprudence,
was it likely that the exact systems of foreign
nations would suit our habits of life and be fit to
be adopted by us entirely and as a whole. But it
did not follow that we might not borrow useful
hints from' our neighbours ; and he believed there
was no reflecting man—there was no man of judg-
ment or experience in public affairs, who would
deliberately say that with respect to the state of
our laws,•with respect.to our public health, with
respect to the various other subjects which had
brought them now together, and, above all, with
respect to the great question of national education,
that the institutions of England were what they
ought to be and what we wished to see them. This
was not drawing a flattering picture. It was not
trying to inculcate the idea that our country. was
everything she ought to be. He would rather look
at—and he believed it was the wise part of those
who studied the question—and dwell upon the un-
favourable than the favourable side of the picture.
It was not by boasting of what we had, but by
seriously reflecting on what we had not, by com-
paring other countries with our own, by looking
boldly in the face of all deficiencies which existed
that we could have a rational hope of raising our
country to the point we should wish to see her
attain. (Cheers.) Depend upon it there was no
part of our institutions, and no subject upon which
this was more strictly and literally true, than in
respect to national education. Go where they would
—go to the Crowded city, go to the rural districts,
in spite of benevolence, in spite of efforts which did
honour to those who made them, they would And,
that a large portion of the population was in
a state of ignorance, which is inconsistent with
their welfare, and dangerona to the welfare and,
prosperity of thp nation, (Cheers.) That was
what they should address themselves to amend.
That was the reason why they had come tO4PtlAer

upon this question to try to help each other in the
I common cause. (Cheers.) He was sure no one
would confirm him more than the distinguished
men around him—no one more than the noble chair-
man—no one more than Lord John Russell--when
he said that passing years made it more and more
important, if We valued the welfare of our country,
that we should cultivate the intellect of our coun-
trymen. (Cheers.) Depend upon it, as our institu-
tions became more free—as the glorious institutions
of which we were so proud acquired greater free-
dom--as we from time to time admitted more and
more of our fellow-Countrymen to the exercise of
civil rights—so would it become more and more
necessary that we should raise their characters,
that we should raise their intellectual powers, that
we should'raise their habits and power of judg-
ment, and make them more and more fit to exer-
cise the rights bestowed upon them. (Cheers.)
And here let him say, talking of that which we
might venture to borrow from other states, that we
would do well and wisely to borrow from the
avowed principle of our own noble offspring, the
United States of America. (Cheers.) Why had
they those educational -measures which, whether
we liked them in all their details or not, were well
adapted to their object, and were sound and good?
Why had they those institutions—for we must not
shut our eyes to the fact that they had gone ahead
of England in that respect ? (Hear, hear.) It was
because they had the wisdom and the _foresight to
lay it down as a political axiom undeniable, that
when they commenced their republican institutions,
and determined to try the experiment of the freest
political system the world ever saw, they felt and
knew it Wouldbedangerous if not impossible, unless
at the same time they raised the standard of educa-
tion, and cultivated the intellect. (Loud cheers.)
He had been led, speaking oil this subject, on which
he confessed he felt deeply, to enter further than he
had intended on the first portion of the resolution ;
but he could not sit down without a few passing
observations and expressing a few of those ideas.
which were suggested to his mind by the latter
part of the Words—" That this extension of education
is desirable not merely in colleges for the middle
and upper classes, but in institutions and schools
for the instruction of the working population." Be
concurred as cordially with this latter part of the
resolution as he did with the former. And herehe
could not refrain, coming as he did from another
part of England, from expressing that feeling which
he was sure must be strong in the mind of every
stranger who visited Liverpool—his feeling of
gratification at the noble institutions which he saw
around him. He would allude first to the building
in which they were assembled, and here lie could
not • avoid congratulating his noble and learned
friend at being there presiding three- and twenty
years after he had laid the foundation stone. There
they saw him still vigorous still enlightening and
delighting those whom he addressed, and presiding
over an assembly in one of the most prosperous and
-one of the most successful educational institutions
in the whole kingdom. (Cheers.) There was
another, the Collegiate Institution, of which he had
heard much, and which he believed was well
adapted to confer the greatest benefit on the town.
But great as were the advantages conferred by
these institutions, he found that the benevolent
spirit of the citizens of Liverpool did not rest con-
tent, but was still striving to add to those advan-
tages. That morning he had received a deputation
consisting of some of the most eminent citizens, to
communicate with him upon the subject of an insti-
tution intended to train a large number of boys for
the service of the royal navy and mercantile marine
—(cheers)—a floating institution to enable those
who were now in the streets, and who knew not
what their fortune in life might be, to become useful
citizens, and be brought up to a noble calling—the
profession of the sea. (Cheers)—He was delighted
to be able to aid in the establishment of institutions
of that kind, and it would give him sincere pleasure
on the part of the Admiralty, to give a vessel for
the promotion of so excellent an institution, which
he hoped would thrive and prosper, and be produc-
tive of allthe advantages expected fromit. He could
not be 'silent upon another subject, although it had
been adverted to by the noble earl near him, he meant
that magnificent donation by
.Mr. Brown of the
free library which was rising in the town---one of
the noblest acts that he had . ever known to be
done by an individual. (Cheers.) He was afraid
he had extended his remarks to too great a length,
but that had arisen- from the fact that-he had
always felt a deep interest in the education ques-
tion. He was deeply convinced of the extent -to
which the welfare .of our country depended. upon
it ; and so long as he was able to take an active
part in public life, whatever situation he might
hold, whatever might be his position, he should
never cease to feel the deepest interest in pro-
moting' it. (Cheers.)
Sir JAMES STEPHEN—Sir John Pakington has
told you that the object of this resolution is con-
gratulation. We record our joy in the progress of
learning, not only in colleges for the higher and
middle ranks, but in institutions for the poorer
people. I happen to be very much connected with
colleges for the higher ranks. I have the honour
to be. a professor of modern history in the Univer-
sity of Cambridge, and therefore I live in the midst
of vast libraries. I associate with every variety of
learned men. I am surrounded by a band of
cheerful young pupils. I have all learned leisure
—or leisure, at least—l will drop the epithet—to
pass quietly the evening of a long life. In short, I
am one who fares sumptuously every- day on intel-
lectual diet, and I should be a strange man indeed
if I at least did not rejoice to know that he who
lies at my door shoUld be fed, not with the crumbs
which fall from my table, but should come and
take his full share, as much as he will. (Cheers.)
I raise the voice of congratulation in answer to this
motion, in seconding it, because my university, of
which I hope I am a very loyal subject, has re-
solved to send forth persons to examine all manner
of school-boys of a certain age, and to confer upon
them certificates which in some sense -will attach
them to the University of Cambridge. Well, I
rejoice, such being the decision of that learned
body, that all that is passing here is of a kind to
meet cordially and heartily their efforts to promote
the cause of national education. One other cause
of congratulation is this—self-government, social
self-government, municipal self-government, na-
tional self-government ; these are our largest and
justest boast. We are emphatically the self-
governing nation of the world. (Applause.) But,
in addition to social and national self-government,
there is another kind of self-government wanted—
personal self-government (Hear, hear.) If you
give a mighty people the government of everything
else, and don't teach them to govern themselves, the
time is not very remote when they will cease to be
mighty. Sir John Pakington has had the kindness
to tell us of our faults. All I have to speak of is
what is welcome and agreeable. I say, then, that
this self-government is the one end, purpose, and
object of all education—the great power which our
Creator has put within us—the power of conscience,
the power of doing right or that of doing wrong,
the power of living and acting up to those commands
which He has placed in our bosoms ; these are the
things we need and which education must give us.
And let education give us that, and then—l, all my
life, I think, have been somewhat liberal, somewhat
consecrative ; I have been, I think, I hardly know
what, but I am become a radical to the utmost ex-
treme—in favour of universal suffrage, vote by
ballot, and everything and anything you like, if
only they to whom that mighty trust is to be com-
mitted shall be not merely collectively but indivi-
dually worthy of it. (Hear, hear.) It is a sort of
hymn of triumph which I have been asked to sing;
I have sung it entirely hypothetically, and in every
other way, that the education of which we hear so
much, and of which we talk so much, shall only be
that education leading to that kind of self-govern-
ment of which I have spoken. (Cheers.)
Mr. M. MILNES, M.P.—The resolution says it is
well to have educated as far as we have done the
working-classes ; and the way in which you received
the somewhat grave speech of my right hon. friend
Sir John Pakington shows that you are desirous
that that education should go further. And it is in-
deed, if I may be permitted to say so, an agreeable
thing for a man who passes the greater part of his
life in the rank and file of the House of Commons,
sitting night after night with one set of men look-
ing others in the face, to find himself here meeting
gentlemen who are there opposed, all combined
with full sympathy for such a work as this. By
iv side is a noble lord who proposed that a commis-
sion should be issued for the purpose of inquiring
into' the present state of the education of the people
of this country ; my noble friend proposed, and I
had the honour of supporting it, and it was rejected.
But a short time afterwards a proposal to issue a
o
commission to inquire into the present state of the
education of the country was made by righthon. friend Sir J. Pakington, who sits on the other
side, and then, happily, it was agreed teocni
. Thus we
see these two statesmen running together, ypoikisehtiii;
one noble career for the purpose of a
what I believe a very great practical good ?
Be-
cause it will show us the position in which we
TMlly are. It is most important these facts should
that when they
be substantiated, because I believe

" This is a land of settled government, .
A land of just and old renown,
Where freedom broadens slowly down, •
' - From precedent to precedent." -
Let us carry on the matter still further from
thse precedents of ancient, fillies. Let us esta-
blish the future political and social condition of
England upon this principle, narnely; that we will
not, as far as is in our power, permit one single
child to be born, male or female; throughout the
breadth of the empire, who
,has not the means given
to him to develop the intelligence with which God
has endowed him, to increase by all the means in
our power the development of that intelligence ;
andin that faith I believe we-shall ensure the. con-
tinuance of the prosperity of this nation, and pre-
se;.ve it from that decadence which has fallen upon
others; and which; if We Tail in this -duty, will per-
ha fall on us (Applause..)
Mr. W. COWPER also spoke in support of (the
resolution, and observed that hiS right hon. friend
Sir J. Pakington had alluded to the: certain amount
'Of:failure 'which had occurred in mechanics' insti-
tutes ; perhaps the reason why they had not suc-
ceeded so well as they ought was that they had
been arranged on a rather pedantic footing. They
had been too exclusively scholastic, and there had
not been. in them that agreeable' opportunity of
lonnging and being comfortable which the upper
classes found their clubs.- Some people had a
particular aversion to tobacco, and thought it was
connected in. some way with idle, desultory, and ill-
conditioned habits, but he knew one of the greatest
novelisti of ;the day (Sir, E: L. Bulwer) who some-
how or other never can write without a pipe in his
mouth. (Langhter.) - It might be that if Sir E.
Lytton Bulwer could not Write-without smoking,
the the ordinary mechanic found it more, easy to read
he had a pipe in his mouth. He would -allow
unintoxicating drinks to be sold.-
After some 'remarks' from Sir. J. K. SHUTTLE,
WORTH, the resolution was carried. _ -

Mr. W. •BROWN, M.P., moved a vote of thinks. to
Lord Brougham, which was seconded by the Bishop
or PENNSYLVANIA, which was carried by acclama-
tion, and gracefully acknowledged by the noble
and learned lord.

A vote of thanks to the noblemen and gentlemen
visitors was next carried, which Lord J. Russell
acknowledged, and the meeting then broke up.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE
PROMOTION OP SOCIAL' SCIENCE.

_ .
LIVERPOOL, OCT. 14.
The several sections re-assembled this morning.
In the' Department of Public Health, the chie
interest was in the reading of one , paper by Miss
Florence Nightingale on hospital instruction, in
which she pointed Qut the necessity. of selecting a
healthy locality remote from towns, and of paying
due . attention to the influence of right and•space.
She recommended, too, that' the wards should be -
larger in size_ if .smaller lillinmber than they were,
in existing .tnilitary 11°9444, and that. the beids
4hould not be placed against dead walls.
Mr. RAWLINSON eicpressed.' his concurrence in
the views' of the writer. . -

Dr. FENN, referred to the importance of .encou-
raging, &Male aid in hospitals, 'obser'ving '
where males ;only were the attendants-and managers,
the institutions. became dtiity And unlyholeaome. -
Some further discusoiop, took place, in:tbe course
of which Nightingale was highly .compli-
menttd, both' upon her piper and her exertions in
alleviating the sufferings of-our sick and wounded
soldiers during the Crimean war.
It was understood that Miss Nightingale had
requested that she might' have an opportunity of
correcting her paper before it, was publi4ted in
extenso.

Mr. CHADWICK read an able paper "On the
Application of Sanitary Science to the Protection
of the Indian Army."
Dr. MILROY gave testimony from his own ex-
periencc as to the extensive preventibility of the
diseases ascribed purely to tropical climates.
Mr. BRACEBRIDGE also stated illustrative •in-_
stances.

Mr. P. H.-HOLLAND, in a special paper, answered
the objections to water•closets, and proved that
health, cleanliness, and economy were consulted by
their use.

He began by explaining that he thought it neces-
sary to refute again the, oft-refuted fallacies urged
against -water-closets, because last session in this
year the corporation of the important, and supposed
intelligent town of Manchester had applied to Par-
liament to (virtually) prohibit the introduction of
these essential requisities of comfort, health, and
deceriey. The possible annoyance of collections of '
the filthiest of all filth close to dwellings, often
under the very bedroom windows, was described as
giving off offensive and poisonous emanations, caus-
ing many hundred unnecessary deaths, not less, Mr.
Holland believes, than 1,000 a year. The absurdity
of the objection that it was undesirable on sanitary
grounds to introduce water-closets into the dwell-
ing-houses of the poor was exposed by the simple
statement that no such thing was, proposed, or at
all probable, but only to convert the existing con-
veniences into water-closets, which, it is evident,
would be a most important improvement. Mr.
Holland denied that their use occasioned.anything
like the waste of water Mr. Hawkesley had said
they did, namely, 60 or 80 gallons a day ; it was
simply incredible to every one who had ever used
a closet, and pointed out a way by which the
waste might be reduced, so as never to exceed
10 gallons a day, or less if necessary or de-
sirable. To the objection that the introduction
of water-closets would cause obstruction of the
sewers, he replied that such evil had everywhere been
prophesied, but had never been experienced ; on
the contrary, by increasing the constancy of the
flow in rivers, and preventing the deposit in them
ever becoming dry and hard, they diminished the
chances of stoppage. Mr. Holland next proved.
that the additional pollution of rivers in such a state
as that of Manchester would be an insignificant
evil compared with that prtiduced by keeping the
filth close to the houses, and that the cost of remov-
ing the ashes, rendered useless as a manure if the
night soil be washed away, could only be a small
additional expense, and would probably be none at
all. Mr. Holland concluded by saying that the
expense of these extra poison pits was far heavier
than the largest possible cost of their removal. We
will not, however (he added), rest the case on that
issue. The health, decency, comfort, and safety of
the poor (who are the mass of the population) hung
on the decision. Their lives, the pains of sickness,
the privations and sorrows of widowhood, the
dangers of early orphanage, the agony of
_berea_ve-
ment, are not to be put in competition with a few
pence more or less of rate. The abolition ,of these
" admitted abominations," whether costly or profit-
able, must be done ; to allow their continuance,
shortening the lives, embittering the existence, and
-degrading the morality of our people, was a great
crime before man and a sin before God.
Mr. TITS, my:, believed the difficulty was a
practical one. The habits of the people were
against the use of water closets instead of open
privies. (No, no.) His experience taught him
that the lower classes, in crowded neighbourhoods,
were apt to make the cesspool in thewater-elos
instead of beneath it, and the closets were likely to
get out of repair and to become exceedingly costly.
Mr. CHADWICK observed that in Osso7 St. Mary
a
—and they could not have
ruder
a Devonshire population.—th e syphon population
soilt ion than
pipes
were generally applied, and the cost of keeping the
closets in repair, and cleansing out stoppages, was
not more than 9d. per house, while there, as else-
where, the substitution of the water-closet for the
open privy had lengthened the average duration of
human life by five years.
A gentleman from Manchester, concurred with
Mr. The, that in certain neighbourhoods the con-
sequence of introducing water-closets would be
that they would be constantly out of repair, and
the soilage remaining in the pipes and drains would
- produce fever.

- Mr. MARSHALL held, on the contrary, that it
would be productive of health. In Ely the Public
Health Act had been in operation for four or five
years, and such a thing as a stoppage was un-

Dr. FAItR considered the statement of Mr. Marshall
so important that he thought it would be wise to
send a deputation to Ely to inquire into the facts
and report upon them to the towns of Lancashire.
The saving of life in Liverpool resulting from sani-
tary improvements was 3,000 a year.
Several gentlemen of Liverpool and other towns
bore testimony to the grateful feelings with which
the poorer classes regarded the substitution of
water-closets for open privies.

I. 'ATILISPRIMENCE-AND AMENDMENT OF TILE LAW.
This de' artinent met in the Nisi Prius Court,
under the jpresidency of Lord Brow .ham ; the Lord
Chancellor of Ireland, who was to have presided,
not having yet arrived.
It had previously been arranged that the depart-
ment should be occupied in the first instance with
a discussion on Bankruptcy Law Amendment.
:Mr. G. W. HASTINGS, in opening the proceed-
ings, said-that the-special committee on the Bank-
ruptcy and Insolvency Laws had met on the pre-
vious day, in St.. George's-hall, and had framed
certain resolutiOns to be presented to the section,
which he should move at the end of his remarks.
Having recounted theproceedings of the committee
which had been appointed last year, dnd of which
he had been the chairman, Mr. Hastings went on
to allude to the expenses of the present bank-
ruptcy courts, which were very much greater than
should attach,to any court.. Above all, a court of
bankruptcy- should never be an expensive court,
because it was instituted for the purpose of divid-
ing among the creditors all the property that could
be laid hold of, regard being had to justice and to
the efficiency of the court. Many statements had
beedmade as to the expense in bankruptcy, but it
W2S impossible to give an accurate account. Unfor-
tunately, there was no actual and methodical record
of the Qxpeuses in bankruptcy ; but certain state-
ments had been made which might be taken as an
approximation-to-the truth, and these showed that
the expenses in bankruptcy pressed. most severely on
small estates. Two important questions-which sug-
gested themselves were—first, the question of com-
pensation to officers under the old act ; and,
secondly, the salaries to the present officers under
the recent system of bankruptcy—in both cases
the officers being paid out of the funds of the
court. He thought that there was no reason
why the present creditors in bankruptcy should
pay for annuities to officers under the old
Acts. The bill proposed to provide for the trans-
fer of all those annuities to the Consolidated Fund,
and he hoped that the department would express
its opinion that such a provision should be inserted
in any bill on the subject of bankruptcy brought
in by Government. (Hear.) As to salaries, the
Committee proposed that they should be defrayed
out of the public funds, inasmuch as the Bankruptcy
Court, like all other courts, was a court of adminis-
tration and a court of public justice. Another evil
in the present State of the bankruptcy- law. WAS the
small control that
,creditors were allowed to have
over the mercantile portionof the bankruptcy. He
was not desirous that the creditors should interfere
in the judicial-portion of the-bankruptcy, which_
should be kept distinctly in the hands of a highly--;
*id and conipetentjudge,.but\thp.ttlie mercantile
part of the bankruptcy should' be, as far as:pos-
sible, in the hands of those interested in the dis-
tribution of the estate—the creditors,— Those per-
, sons were the most likely to look after the estate
efficienctly, and to have the estate divided cheaply,
rapidly-, and honestly ; and if they did not look after
their own interests the consequences must recoil on
their heads lathe less of the dividend which would
otherwise accrue 'to them. The committee made- a
feature of that in their bill, and drew a wide dis-
tinction between the judicial and mercantile ele-
ment of the administration. They proposed that
en the first meeting of creditors 'after the adjudi-
cation had been filed the 'creditors should proceed
to the election of a creditors' assignee, who should
manage the whole mercantile portion of the bank-
rupt's estate, who might be the official assignee,
and should be the sole assignee of the bankruptcy..
The committee proposed that the mode of the pay-
ment of the dividend, which had been complained
of as dilatory and unsatisfactory, should be improved
and that- they- should endeavour to diminish the ex-
penses in court by decreasing. the meetings of credi-
tors. The committee felt that there was a great want
of adequate provision for the local adininistration
of bankrupt law. To meet this it was proposed that
after the adjudication of bankruptcy in the court upon
the day of election of the creditors' assignee, the credi-
tors should proceed to elect whether they would
take the case into the County Court, or proceed in
the Bankruptcy , Court. (Hear, hear.) Having
stated that the bill proposed to abolish the distinc-
tion between -the Insolvency and Bankruptcy-
Courts, Mr. Hastings said he could not see why pro 7
fessional men and traders should be dealt with dis-
tinctly, no such distinction being recognised in
Scotland. After explaining some other provisions
of the bill, as framed by the committee (which will
be best understood by the resolutions afterwards
moved by Mr. Hastings), and indicating the essen-
tial points wherein it differed from that introduced
by the Lord.Chaneellor,- he concluded by, submit-
ting the first resolution, which was in these
terms : .

" That in the opinion of this department, any measure
for the amendment of the bankrupt law ought to provide
the following reforms :—First, the transfer of the compen-
sations and salaries now charged on the estates under adju-
dication to the Consolidated Fund. Second, a diminution
of the entire cost of the court, by a reform of the mode of
administering justice therein. Third, a consolidation of the
statute laws relating to bankruptcy and insolvency, under a
single jurisdiction; the abolition of the distinction in the
administration of the estates of insolvent traders and non-
traders ; and the winding-up in bankruptcy of estates of de-
ceased insolvents. Fourth, to give all due facilities to
voluntary settlements providing for their registration in
court. Fifth, to assimilate the proceedings in court, _aisxt fir
i,
as possible, to those of a settlement out of court.. Sixth,
to provide greater local facilities fur the administration of
justice in bankruptcy."
Mr. E. HEATH said that lie had presided over
the conference of the mercantile representatives at
Birmingham when the 24 resolutions on which the
bill of the committee was based were adopted, and
he was bound to say that the committee of 9, who
had prepared the bill, appeared to have most ad-
mirably and faithfully performed their duty. He
had therefore great pleasure in seconding the reso-
lution.

Mr. RAYNER, secretary to the
Huddersfield
Cham-
ber of Commerce, supported the
resolution,a
lld
ex-
pressed his conviction that the bill of the commit-
tee would be infinitely
preferred by the commercial
community at llndeed, he arge to that of the Lord Chancellor.
thought that the latter might be dis-
missed from their consideration
altogether.
Mr. G. G
.Lloyd, as one of the representatives of
the Birmingham
Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Whit-
well, as the representative of the Bristol Chamber
of CoMmerce, Mr. Lupton, President of the Leeds
Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Darlington, of the
Bradford Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Bissington, of
the Trade Protection Society of the West Riding,
and Mr. Lillyman, President of the Liverpool Guar-
dian' Society for the Protection of Trade, on behalf
of the- several societies with which they are con-
nected, expressed their entire approval of the Bill
of the committee.
After some further discussion, shared in by Mr.
RYLAND, of Birmingham, Mr. JOWETT, of Leeds,
and others,
Lord RROUGHANI said that it was now generally
admitted on all hands that nothing could be worse
or more preposterous than the present mode of
paying the official assignee, the consequence of
which was that sometimes the emolument derived
by that officer amounted to 5,000/., and at other,
times to not more than 500/. Nothing could be'
more absurd than that, or more hard upon the
estate. The official assignee should clearly be paid
by salary and fee, a maximum being fixed beyond
which he should not be entitled to anything, and a
minimum below which he ought not to be allowed
to go.
The resolution was then carried
moved
unanimously,as
were also the three following, which were
by Mr. HASTINGS, and seconded; respectively by
Mr. -LurToN, Mr. DOWN (Vice-President (V P res • ident of the

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce), and Mr• 1
BISSINGTON :
" That, in the opinion of this department, the Bank-
ruptcy and Liquidation Bill introduced into the House of
Lords by the Lord Chancellor at the close of the late ses-
sion fails to meet the above-mentioned requirements."
" That this department approves the Bankruptcy and In-
solvency Bill prepared by the special committee appointed
by the Association at its last annual meeting, and mtro-
duced into the House of Commons by Lord John Russell;
and recommends the Association to endeavour to obtain its
enactment by law, with any modifications and improve-
ments that may be found desirable."
" That the Association be recommended by this depart-
ment to appoint a general committee on mercantile legisla-
tion, constituted similarly to the special committee on
bankruptcy appointed last year, such committee to be
charged with the care of the bill now approved by this de-
partment."

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean.
THIS EVENING will be presented Shakspere's Play of
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.
Shylook, Mr. C. Kean—Portia, Mrs. C. Kean.
Preceded by the Farce of
DYING FOR LOVE.

THEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET
Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone.
THIS EVENING will be performed LONDON ASSU•
TRANCE : Mr. and Mrs. C. Matthews, &c.
After which, THE DAUGHTER OF THE GUADAL.
QUIVER. Perea Nena.
With HE WOULD BE AN ACTOR.
And ANY PORT IN A STORM. •
Commence at 7.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Manager, Mr. Edmund Falconer.
For the Benefit of Mr. Emery.
THIS EVENING, EXTREMES or, Men of the Day.
Supported by Messrs. H. Vandenhoff, Emery, J. Rogers, J.
G. Shore, and Barrett; Miss Woolgar, Mrs. Weston, Miss
Kate Saxon.
To conclude with MY POLL AND MY PART NER JOE.
Messrs. Emery, Rogers, Miss Woolgar, and Miss K. Saxon.
Doors open at half-past 6,• to commence at 7. Box-ofilco
open from 11 to 5 daily.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE,
Lemke and Directress, Miss Swanborough.
THIS EVENING, THE LAST OF THE PIGTAILS ;
Messrs.C. Selby, J. Bland, J. Clarke, dm
After which THE MAID AND THE MAGPIE.
Followed by THE BONNIE FISH WIFE.
And MY AUNT'S lEUSBAND ; Mr. Swanborough, Mrs,
Selby, Miss Ternan.
Commence at 7 o'clock.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE,
Westminster-road.
Sole Lessee, Mr. William Cooke.
This Grand Hippodramatic Temple of the World IS NOW
OPEN FOR THE SEASON, elegantly re-embellished and
artistically decoir by Mr. Hurwitz, with new and ap-
propriate Act Dr , painted by Mr. F. Fenton, massive and
elaborate Chandel er by Mr. Hinckley. Powerful Dramatic
Company, comprising established favouriet tes and addietional
artistes, Gem and Star Equestrians, ton
her with th best
and largest Stud .of beautifully trained Horses in Eur
the
ope.
Notwithstanding the sum expended, the following is
scale of the reduced prices of admission
Dress Circle, 3s. ; Upper Boxes, 25. ; Pit, ls. ; Galleries, 6d.
Private Boxes, from £1 is. to £2 25., and upwards.
The opening piece, full of striking situations and effects,
is a dramatised version of a tale in the Waverley Novels, by
Mr. T. Townsend, entitled THE COVENANTERS ; or, The
Battle of Bothwell Brig. Produced with new scenery, cos-
tumes, appointments, and properties, and in which the entire
resources of this leviathan establishment are called into
action.
The Illustrations of all Nations in the Arena include the
united strength of the First English, American, and Conti-
nental Professors of the Art of Equitation.
To conclude with THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
Stage Manager, Mr. R. Phillips.

CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.—
OPEN EVERY EVENING.—The following Company
of Vocalists are engaged for the performance of Selections
from all the popular OPERAS, MADRIGALS, CHORUSES,
GLEES, DWETS, &c., viz.:—bliss Russell, Mrs. Badsey,
Miss Brunell, Miss Ray, Madame Bartoletti, Miss Montague,
Mrs. Lawrence, and Mrs. Anderson ; Herr F. Jonxhmans,
Mr. Msnshaw, S Jones, J. Barker, W. Melling, Senor Antonio,
E. L Hime, Mr. Badsey, Senor Tiroli, Mr. Cozens, Mr. Bell,
Mr. Barnard, and Mr. St. Albyn. Mr. John G. Forde and B.
W. Mackney. • Pianoforte, Mr. Cecil Hicks—Harmonium,
Mr. Courtnay -Director, Herr F. Jonghmans. Commence at
7 precisely. Suppers, &c., until 12 o'clock.
NOTICE.—The Proprietor begs respectfully to announce
that in the present month
A FINE ARTS GALLERY,

- -
now in course of construction, will be thrown open in con
nexion with the above Hall.

THE WEATHER.-SUN COMM OCT. 15.

THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
63—highest since noon yesterday.
57—lowest this morning and during the night,
64—this day at noon.

BAROMETER-30.10.
WiNil, Southerly ; light with dull weather.

THE SUN.

FRIDAY. OCTOBER 15, 1858.

The National Association for the Promotion of
Social Science—although but now only in the second
year of its existence—is nobly realising the hopes
of its originators. Eighteen hundred and fifty-
seven witnessed its inauguration ; and as the result
of its first year's deliberations there was published
a volume giving a report of the various addresses
delivered in the different departments of the Asso-
ciation—a volume in every respect worthy of occu-
pying a prominent place upon the national book-
shelves. It constituted, in point of fact—this re-
markable work—a repertory of information at
once valuable and interesting--enabling us at one
comprehensive glance to take in the whole round
of the social horizon, to see how far in every direc-
tion we had yet advanced, to estimate rightly the
exigencies of the time, and to understand as clearly
as possible where appeared the most alluring op-
portunities for advance and improvement.
Already the proceedings of the association
in its second twelvemonth give promise of
furnishing materials for another and kindred
volume, worthy, to say the least of it, of occupying
a place beside its predecessor. The inaugural ad-
dress of 'fifty-seven, by Lord BROUGHAM, has been
happily succeeded in 'fifty-eight by that inaugural
address from the lips of Lord J. RUSSELL, which
many thousands of the intelligent public have by
this time perused, we doubt not, with no less atten-
tion and advantage than interest and admiration.
Since then the business of the annual meeting or
conference of the Association has commenced in
real earnest. The noble and learned founder of the
enterprise has again very brilliantly embellished
its proceedings by the delivery of a luminou s
address, in which he weighed in the balance of his
judgment the good and evil of our cheap periodical
literature.. The generous and enlightened view of
his subject taken by Lord BROUGHAM in this
speech was precisely what could alone have been
expected from the chief patron of the Society for
the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. Later we have
had other addresses of extraordinary ability de-
livered 'at Liverpool by other gifted supporters of
the A. ;sociation. Mr. CowrEn has spoken
earnestly and ably upon the great question
of National Education. Lord CARLISLE has
scrutinised anew the profound problem of
Crime and its Treatment, with a view—here
to punishment, thei.e to reformation. The Earl
of SILWTESBURY, with an ardour eminently
befitting him as 'one of the most zealous
and noble-hearted of airii living philanthropists, has
pleaded at considerable length, has pleaded elo-
quently, wisely, huma rely, in favour of sanitary
innovations. Sir JA ABS STEPHEN has thrown a.
Mood of new light up 4 m the somewhat obscure and
misty science of Social Economy. Mr. HARDING
has expatiated upon one or two vitally important
points in the'
way of legal improvement. Mr. Rus-
KIN has disco ursed upon the systematic cultivation
of a taste for a A among the masses. Others have
spoken, others are still speaking upon a variety of
themes more or less profoundly affecting the,
interests of the I general community. And all
this with a riew to the spread of know-
ledge among t ho ranks of the population,
to the end than the ft wellbeing and happiness
of all" classes lit ay be more than ever effectu-
ally cared for I if possible secured. Honour to
the fellow-labc t firers in this noble field of enter-
prise. Hearti do we hope that their generous

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