The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-28 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TIMES.—A few days ago we were listening to an
address by Lord Grey in support of the Mechanics'
Institute at Newcastle, and to-day we report some
remarks by Lord Harrowby on a similar occasion at
Birmingham. Lord Harrowby appears at first
somewhat puzzled why au institution of such solid
and unquestionable utility should find it necessary
to solicit the support of a great name or a title, to
fetch a country gentleman from a distance of 30
miles in order to descant on the value of knowledge
with which he may have far less acquaintance than
many of his hearers. Mechanics' Institutes are not,
however, at all exceptional in this disposition. There
is not a public institution of any sort or kind in the
country, from a university to a ragged school, which
does not seek this sort of patronage, and put it for-
ward on all special occasions. The tendencyis easily
ridiculed, but in reality it arises, perhaps, from a
better motive than a mere vulgar adulation. Men
dislike to work at anything alone, or at a subject
which has a.solitary interest. They have a natura
and very reasonable desire to see their favouritel
pursuits or objects publicly recognized ; they like to
see them admitted into good society, acknowledged
as an integral element in the body politic, and as
possessing a public importance. For this purpose
there is no method so effectual as to obtain the patro-
nage and support of the person of most influence in
the neighbourhood. Their presence acts as a pub-
lic recognition, and helps to make the institution
feel itself a part of the general society. It is no sign,
therefore, of an inherent weakness in Mechanics'
Instituesthat their managers like to get a lord or a
country gentleman to preside at the opening or close
of the annual work ; and we are disposed to think
with Lord Grey, that if there be an appearance of
failure in such institutions, it is due rather to the
exaggerated anticipations which were formed at their
foundation. If any people expected, as perhaps some
did, that as soon as the well-head of knowledge was
set up in a town the whole working population
would rush to drink its pure streams, and would
desert the turbid potations of the publichouse or gin
palace, such sanguine dreamers could not be other-
wise than disappointed. Lord Harrowby very justly
observes that the students are compartively few who
will pursue knowledge for the mere pleasure of
intellectual exercitation. They must have some
personal motive, or some impulse more substantial
than a bare scholastic enthusiasm. But among a
working population there can scarcely be a very
large number who will have any pressing motive to
pursue the severer studies of a Mechanics' Institute.
Men of more than average ability and energy may
well be induced to undertake the labour of such
studies, in the hope of raising themselves to a higher
grade in their business ; but the average man may
naturally think that he can scarcely expect sufficient
success to reward him for the necessary toil. It
could not but be vain, therefore, to expect the ma-
jority of men to devote their evenings to the study
of such subjects as French and German, geometry,
geology, and the science of mechanics. These in-
stitutions would achieve all the success which could
be reasonably expected of them if they placed sound
instruction within the reach of all, and if the more
intelligent and enterprising of the artisan class
availed themselves of the opportunity. If we may
take the Birmingham and Midland Institute as an
example, this amount of success seems to have
been amply attained. This Institute includes a
reading-room, public lectures, and classes for ladies
—and, besides these, the strictly industrial classes
have been attended by as many as from 800 'to
'l,OOO students. Even in such a town as Birming-
ham this represents, we think, a not unsatisfactory
attendance for purposes of serious • study.
If the Midland Institute provides instruction
simultaneously for 1,000 artisans in such sub-
jects as French, German, Latin, and mathematics, it
discharges an office of no slight utility and import-
ance. Nevertheless,Lord Harrowby displays a credit-
able unwillingness to forego altogether the more ex-
tensive anticipations we have referred to. After all,
if we have benefited only the higher class of men,
we have merely accomplished the least important part
in the task of statesmen or philanthropists. Men of
superior ability and character will always, more or
less, take care of themselves. It is the average mass
of mankind who supply the most urgent as well as
the most difficult field for improvement. Something
ought to be done for their elevation and instruction,
and if mechanics' institutes are not the proper instru-
ments, it only follows that we have still to look for a
more effectual agency, and that our task is but
begun. Lord Harrowby, however, is disposed to
think that the old instrument may still be utilised,
and that means may be found to make the mecha-
nics' institute reach the mass as well as the leading
members of the working classes. For this purpose
he ventures on a somewhat bold suggestion. Hav-
ing observed, as we have seen, that the severer or
more special studies of a mechanics' institute are
without sufficient general interest to attract the
mass of artisans, he inquires whether there arc any
studies which would exert a more universal attrac-
tion. He considers that this interest is to be found
in politics and religion, and he regrets that the cau-
tion of the founders of mechanics' institutes should
have excluded these subjects from their range. It is
unquestionably true, as he states, that these are the
two subjects which have always possessed the most
powerful attraction for Englishmen of all classes
and capacities. We have ample evidence at the
present moment that the artisan class are not
indifferent to politics, and they are wholly unlike
their countrymen if they are indifferent to religion.
If, therefore, suggests Lord Harrowby, you wish
your mechanics' institutes to .be more generally
made use of, why not offer instruction in subjects
about which every one would care to learn ? The
suggestion is in many ways instructive, but we
are afraid Lord Harrowby's advice must be sum-
marily rejected so far as religion is concerned. The
happy day has not yet arrived, and we do not see
how it is to come, when the evidence of our com-
mon faith" can be studied with equal advantage in
the works of a Unitarian Nonconformist, an English
Churchman, a Presbyterian, and a Roman Catholic.
The common faith must be somewhat slender
for which each of these writers would furnish
equally cogent proofs. If theology is taught at all,
a particular system of theology must be taught,
and it would then be idle to expect the support
of all classes. Moreover, Lord llarrowby overlooks
the fact that there is already, for practical pur-
poses, a Professor of Divinity in every parish in
the kingdom. Not to speak of the ministers of
other denominations, it is the express duty of the
clergyman of the parish to supply instruction in
theology to every one of his parishioners, and, what
is more, to see that they have it. That this duty
is greatly neglected, that the sermon has become a
mere practical exhortation, and that scarcely any-
thing is done to satisfy the inquiries and awaken
the interest of able and intelligent men, we readily
admit ; but, nevertheless, there is a person in every
parish whose business it is to perform this duty, and
it is as unnecessary as it would be mischievous to
take the office out of his hands and attach it to a
Mechanics' Institute. Lord Harrowby's remarks,
however, may be profitably recommended to the
notice of the clergy. They are far too much inclined
to expend all their energies upon old women and
little children. It is a harder task, no doubt, to en-
gage the thoughts of grown-up men, but it is a task
of infinitely great importance and utility. Unless
the fathers and husbands of a parish be religious, the
clergyman's work must rest ou a very insecure
foundation. But these men will not be gained with-
out more solid work than is usually expended on
them. It is idle to attempt to influence an artisan by
a tract or a story book. He deserves to be offered
some more substantial food, and the suggestions of
Lord Harrowby for a Mechanics' Institute might
furnish useful hints to many a clergyman.
DAILY NEWS.—The Wreck Register of the Bri-
tish Islands once more makes its appearance just as
we are expecting the equinoctial gales. It is so
natural to connect shipping casualties with great
cornmotions of air and sea, that but for evidence as
indisputable as that of a systematic record of obser-
vations, we should not believe that the greater num-
ber of those which have happened during the last
ten years took place when the force of the wind was
less than that of a strong gale. Out of 10,039
casualties recorded in that period, 118 took place in
a calm, 176 in light air just sufficient to give steer-
age way, 450 in light breeze, 220 in gentle breeze,
784 in moderate breeze, 1,280 in fresh breeze, 1,217
in strong breeze, 441 in moderate gale, and 836
in fresh gale. ,873 took place in strong gale,
1,444 in whole gale, 505 in a storm, 693 in a hur-
ricane, 50 with variable winds, and 400 under
unknown conditions. Thus, while gales and hur-
ricanes must continue to exercise the foresight of
our meteorologists, the provident care of ship-
owners and the skill of mariners, it is still clear
that we have a margin of loss to work upon, which
is independent of the paroxysms of air and ocean,
and capable of being reduced by improving the edu-
cation and habits of our seamen, and increasing the
responsibility of special classes of owners. The total
number of casualties reported in 1865 was 1,656 of
which 354 befel colliers. Of the whole number 540
resulted in total loss, and the remainder in partial
damage, more or less serious. It is remarkable that,
while 47U total losses took place from causes other
than collisions, 845 only were caused by stress of
weather ; 99 were caused by inattention, careless-
ness, or neglect ; 38 arose from defects in the ship
or in her equipments, and of these 30 appear to
have foundered from unseaworthiness. So, again,
of the 832 partial losses caused otherwise than by
collisions, 137 are reported to have been the result of
carelessness ; 48 were owing to defects in the ship or
equipments, and the remainder from various causes,

believed to have been preventible if ordinary skill
and care had been shown. It is to these points that
pubic attention must continue to be directed. No
fewer than 423 vessels havefoundered or been totally
lost on our coasts from unseaworthiness during the
last ten years, and with these have perished pro-
perty of the value of one million and hundreds of
human lives. It appears that out of the 2,012 ves-
sels lost or damaged last year the greater number
belonged, as usual, to the collier class, 533 were
laden colliers, 140 colliers in ballast, 150 were carry-
ing metallic ores, and 109 were laden with stone
ores. The colliers of the north-east coast have an
established reputation as the rottenest and worst
found vessels that leave our ports. Year after year
we learn that the casualties which might be expected
have overtaken them, but still the mischief goes on,
neither the provisions of the common law nor the
special acts which relate to shipping being sufficient
to control it. There is only one thing apparently
that will remedy the evil. If the men who navigate
these wretched craft had received the education
which brings intelligence and self-respect, and which
in some other countries is the birthright of the poorest
citizen, they would not be leading the dull and
sensuous life, which at present disposes them to per-
mit themselves to be sent to sea in what are no
better than floating coffins. But when we have done
our utmost to diminish casualties at sea, there will still
remain a large class of them which we may hope to
diminish or mitigate, but cannot expect wholly to
prevent. Of late years we have had experience of
gales and hurricanes of terrible severity, resulting in
great loss of life. The westerly winds are especially
destructive. The number of lives lost on the coasts
and sands of the Irish Sea during the last seven years
is more than double the number lost within the same
period on any other parts of the coasts. It is in view
of such calamities as these that the value of that
admirable organisation, the National Lifeboat In-
stitution, is so conspicuous. It is gratifying to
observe that the courage and frankness with which
the managers of this institution commit their work
to the judgment of the public, and throw themselves
on its voluntary support instead of accepting a posi-
tion of dependence on the Government, is rewarded
with return of public confidence. Of the 200 life-
boats on our shores nearly the whole number belong
to the National Lifeboat Institution, which has
been so happily administered as to draw all classes
of the community into co-operation with it, and at
this moment enjoys the approbation and assistance
of the public in a degree unprecedented in its history.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

MANCHESTih—TuunsDAY.

There was a good attendance at our market this morn-
ing. The best samples of English wheat were taken at an
advance of 2s. per qr., and other sorts wore fully as dear.
Foreign likewise brought is. per qr. more money. Flour
was is. and 2s. per sack higher. Oats must be quoted id.
to 2d. per 451 b., and oatmeal is. per load dearer. Beans,
peas, and Indian corn each sold at an amendment of ls. to
2s. per qr.