The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-22 00:00:00

MR. COLERIDGE, M.P., ON EDUCATION.

Mr. Coleridge, Q.C., M.P., presided at the annual
dinner of the Warehousemen and Clerks' Schools, at the
City of London Terminus Hotel, Cannon street. In giving
the toast of the evening, the hon. and learned gentleman
said there was no better insurance in the world than a
good education, and no better insurance for a good edu-
cation than a well-conducted school like this. He believed
the school was admirably well conducted, liberally con-
ducted, religiously conducted, and that in its vigorous
youth it gave fair prospect of a long and enduring matu-
rity. But he regretted to find that like our own dear coun-
try—although with no Abyssinian expedition to explain it
- the society's expenditure was in excess of its income.
(Laughter.) And all must agree that it behoved them, in
humble imitation of our country, to take steps to equalise in-
come and expenditure, and to try and make both ends meet
for the future—(cheers)-21,200 was required to bring the
income to a level with the expenditure, but no doubt a
mere statement of the claims of the institution would be
met by an immediate acknowledgment of them. The insti-
tution was established for the benefit of the necessitous
children of our friends and equals, of our fellow-labourers
in the great workshop of life, and they appealed to our
best and tenderest feelings ; they were bound to us by ties
the strongest, most lasting, and most holy, and we could not
do better than to give them a good education. Education
was not the only great question but the great necessity of
the times. He was not about to embark the company,
into the mysteries of an education controversy, and had
not the ability to decide between the rival systems.
Having himself had the advantage of an education which
was now considered somewhat rusty and old-fashioned,
but for which he could not help humbly thanking God
every day of his life—(cheers)—like some other men
upon some other things, it might be that his sympathies
upon this matter were more conservative than his convic-
tions. (Laughter.) But, truth to tell, he was very careless
what we did so long as we did something for education.
(Cheers.) Any education in the world was better than
none, and he had come to think that as it was the direct
interest, so it was the duty of this great country to see that
our citizens were properly educated by example, by sug-
gestion, and then, if all other means failed, by sterner
measures. (Cheers.) In conclusion, he would say: We of
the middle classes have manifestly a magnificent political
future opening before us, and it is our solemn duty
to make ourselves and our children, as far as
we can, fit for the exercise of those great powers
which it has pleased God to put into our hands, to
be used, not for our own benefit merely, but for the
benefit of our country and of mankind ; and as beings,
as Shakespeare says, " of large discourse, looking before
and after," we are bound to improve ourselves to the
exigencies of. our situation, and to all ennobling, refining,
and elevating pursuits. Remember that there is a very
great difference indeed between greatness and strength.
You are strong now ; you will be still more strong in time
to come ; but if you would be great, you must acquire that
temperance of judgment, that tolerance and charity of
feeling, that large and liberal cultivation of mind which
a good education alone can bestow. (Cheers.) And
for my part, I have ceased to care whether the educa-
tion be old-fashioned or no, whether classical or maths.
matical, or physical, so that it be real or true. (Loud
cheers.)

MALVERN COLLEGE.—The Rev. G. P. Harris,
M.A., of Trinity College, Cambridge, has been appointed
to the professorship of English Literature and Modern
History at this college,

JUMPING FROM A TRAIN.—Early on Tuesday
morning a fatal accident happened at the Shrub-hill rail-
way station at 'Worcester, through a passenger alighting
from a train when in motion. It appears that on the pre-
vious afternoon a special train left Gloucester for Birming-
ham, calling at Worcester and other intervening stations,
taking passengers to Birmingham for the pantomime, and
returning next morning. The train was a heavy one of
between twenty and thirty carriages, and on reaching
Worcester was stopping at Shrub-hill station, when a
carpenter named Steed, residing at Merryvale, in that city,
imprudently opened the door of the carriage in which he
was riding, and jumped out before the train had come to
a stand-still. The result was, that he was twisted round
and fell back upon the line, the wheels of the carriages
passing over his legs and inflicting fearful injuries on other
parts of his person. On the train coming to a stop be was
extricate& in a fearfully mangled state, and a stretcher
having been procured, was carried at once to the Worcester
Infirmary,fact,
he7n insensible
lived
t h raened
or
four
hours, apparently
o• in a dyin state In
when deathb put an
end to his sufferings.

THE JAMAICA PROSECUTIONS. —lt may be remem-
bered by our readers that after the rebellion in Jamaica in
1865 certain resolutions were passed in the then existing
House of Assembly regarding the conduct of the British
officers who had taken part in the suppression of the revolt.
The public will readily recollect that Brigadier-General
Abercromby Nelson was among these officers, and occupied
a conspicuous position both as regarded the progress and
the events of the rebellion. On the 23rd of November,
1865, the House of Assembly in Jamaica passed a vote,
from which the following is an extract :—" That this
House, being desirous of conferring a special mark of its
approbation on Brigadier-G eneral Abercromby Nelson for
the distinguished services rendered by him during the
rebellion in the eastern parishes of the island—Resolved,
that a sum of 200 guineas be granted to her Majesty for
the purpose of procuring a suitable testimonial to be
presented to him with the grateful thanks of this
House." It is now completed, and consists of a silver
'epergne and candelabrum. At each of the angles of the
tripod base of the epergne is stationed a figure in relief of
a crocodile, and between these figures the, arms of Briga-
dier-General Nelson, the arms of Jamaica, and an inscrip-
tion of the extract from the votes of the House of
Assembly, given a:vve, are engraved on three shields.
From the base rise several sugar-canes in blossom, and
between these stand two figures representing the aborigines
of the island, each supporting a shield. These figures,
with the representations of the crocodile at the base, are,
it may be added, illustrative of the Jamaica arms. Above
the sugar-canes rise six branches for lights, surmounted
by a crocodile couched in the midst of palm-leaves, and
supporting a bowl for flowers or fruit. The testimonial
will be immediately forwarded to General Nelson, who is
A present on duty in Ireland.

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22, 1868.

Ix has more than once been noticed that the
Abyssinian expedition has met with much greater
favour in India than in England. It is easy to explain
the sanguine enthusiasm on the one side of the
Red Sea, which contrasts so strongly with the
somewhat sulky sense of compulsion that prevails
on the other. India will enjoy all the prestige of
success ; England will endure all the burden of
payment. It is the consciousness of this unequal
division which has made our Indian policy so peace-
ful since its administration passed entirely into
)ur liands. We have avoided the romantic and
perilous expeditions which the Iridian army loves.
'The present invasion is exactly what the venturesome
spirits of the East, wearied by the monotony of
Indian military life, have been longing for. It
has, however, rather whetted than satisfied their
appetite. The conduct of it has been entrusted
almost entirely to the Bombay army. Disappoint'
of their expected share in the African enterprise,
the armies of the other Presidencies are once more
endeavouring to get up new undertakings in Asia.
There is one aztument which never fails them.
They can always point to
,the steady advance of
Russia towards our frontier, especially during the
last fifteen years. They are once more pointing
to it, and warning us that it must be
checked, or the very existence of our Indian
empire will be imperilled. They say that
whenever the great and inevitable struggle
for the possession of Constantinople comes off,
England will be paralysed
.in her efforts to stop
Russian aggrandisement by the presence of a
Russian army within 300 miles of the Indus. Even
now, in time of peace, we are compelled to keep'
80,000 European troops in India ; and in time of
war, if Russia were our enemy, we should be not
only unable to draw upon this force for service in
Europe, as we did in the Crimean campaign, but
we should have to increase it, and so put a further
strain upon the military resources of the country,
already tried to the uttermost. They who argue
thus would have us forestall future encroach-
ments on the part of Russia by establishing
English garrisons in Candahar and Herat, " the
Malakoff and the Mamelon of our position in the
East." Or, if we cannot make up our minds to
advance thus far from our base, they would have
us take possession of Quetta, so as to overawe
Afghanistan, and be ready to march upon its two
strongholds at the first sign of a Russian advance.
These schemes and the arguments for them are a
standing topic of discussion in every Indian news-
paper. Anglo-Indians and native Indians alike see
their importance. The first are impatient, the
second surprised, at the indifference with which
the Government appears to treat the matter. Wero
this indifference real there woulel be reason for
both emotions. Russian conquest in Central
Asia is an • undeniable fact. Scarcely was the
ink dry with which Prince GORTSCHAKOFF wrote
his circular explaining away the invasion of Kho-
kand when hostilities were renewed upon the
Jaxartes, and the important city of Tashkand was
captured by treachery. Later still, Khujand was
carried by storm and its garrison put to the sword.
Since then Oratippa has shared the same fate.
Provinces have recently been annexed by which
the line of the Syr Dania is united with that of
Siberia. At the present time the invaders are
pushing their conquests to the Turkoman steppes
of Merv, which lie on the road to, and are
separated by only a short distance from,
Herat. The possession of this last-named
place. would enable Russia to hold Afghanistan
in subjection. That country is now a prey to civil
war. Rival Amcers fight for the throne which five
years ago was filled by the powerful Doss
MAHOMED. All the rivals in turn request our
friendship, and seem to offer us the desired oppor-
tunity of counteracting Russian designs. That
opportunity the Indian Government is urged to
seize, and, by giving our support to pne of the
rivals, establish a ruler in Afghanistan who would
be bound to us by the double ties of interest and
gratitude. The Government is warned that already
the approach of Russia has rendered the frontier
tribes insolent, and that their insolence is likely to
spread among our native troops. With these Russia's
movements are a theme of constant discussion.
They firmly believe that our sovereignty is im-
perilled, and that we shall shortly have to fight
over again, with a European Power, the battles
which we have won over Indian kings. Even the
adverse critics of our policy, who are not prepared
for important military measures, advise an active
diplomacy. At the present moment the various
kingdoms and tribes on the North-west of India
arc seeking for alliance and commercial relations
with us. Of late months the Chinese have been
driven out of that portion of their empire which
adjoined ours, and the Mussulman rule has been
established in the important cities Kashgar,
Yarkand, and Koten. The new rulers would
gladly be our friends and customers. To grant
this wish seems even to non-bellicose Anglo-
Indians a wise and prudent policy.
To all these representations, warlike or peaceful,
the Indian Government returns the same unvary-
ing reply. We will enter into no fresh alliances ;
we will not anticipate war by commencing hosti-
lities ; we will not promote commerce by diplomacy.
Russia may treat Afghanistan as she has treated
Khokand and Bokhara, and we shall see without
regret a stable government substituted for constant
civil war, and the odious slave traffic which now
prevails in Central Asia abolished. Holding
Peshawur and commanding the mouths of the
passes which lead into India, we can contemplate
with indifference the phantom of a Russian inva-
sion. As for commerce with Central Asia, this, if
it is of any value, will come of itself, and is cer-
tainly not worth the diplomatic complications in
which we are asked to entangle ourselves. By
friendship the Asiatics mean something more than
good wishes, something more even than the " moral
support " which we are so ready to give in Europe ;
they mean armed assistance. This we cannot give.
Neither will we send agents to countries where the
la's of nations is little known and less respected. Wo
do not desire another Abyssinian expedition in the
heart of Asia. This is the policy which Sir JOHN
LAWRENCE has consistently pursued in spite of all
the pressure which has been used to move him from
it. In accordance with this policy he has, while
welcoming the Ambassadors of the various Central
States, and loading them with presents, especially
specimens of British manufactures, refused to send
them a British-representative, or to enter into any
diplomatic relations with them. In this
"masterly inactivity" the Viceroy is thoroughly
supported by the Secretary of State. Sir
STAFFORD NowrneoTr. and the majority of the
India Council, while fully alive to the importance
of maintaining British prestige among our Indian
subjects, hold that this is to be done by far other
means than the measures which ardent Anglo-
, Indians desire. Instead of showing alarm at the
approach of Russia, the Government rather desires
to let it be known that Russia is the friend of Eng-
land. The recent visit of the Prince of WALES to
St. Petersburg did more to remove the prevalent
belief that the QUEEN'S Eastern Empire is threat-
ened by the Czar than would have been effected by
the despatch of a British army to Herat.