The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-25 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1868.

Although there was no exciting question before
the House yesterday, a good deal was referred to
that was of importance in many ways to the
public. Mr. SAMUELSON moved for a Select Com-
mittee to inquire into the provisions for giving in-
struction in theoretical and applied science to the
working classes. We are glad that the motion
was agreed to, because the subject is of great inte-
rest, and affects the progress and welfare of the
classes referred to. For some time past the ques-
tion has been debated by those well qualified to
judge of the case, and a reference to the superior autho-
rity and better judgment of a Parliamentary Com-
mittee cannot fail to set the importance of the
affair more plainly before the public. The remarks
-which were made upon the subject will be found
well worthy of notice, and the speech of Mr.
SA3ILTELSON itself was especially interesting. The
hon. member evidently entered into the question
con amore, and gave the house the benefit of his
inquiries into it. It is not satisfactory to find that
the working of the Schools under the Science and
Art Department does not answer the expectations
that were formed of them ; this is rendered of the
more consequence on account of the influence it
has upon our manufacturing prosperity. There
has been indeed too much neglect in all relating to
the education and training of the working classes
of late years, and although some improvement has
taken place, it is of the utmost consequence that
more should be done, and that in an efficient style,
if we would succeed in keeping this country up to
the mark and our manufactures equal to the re-
quirements of their position. It is worthy of notice
that in France, Germany, and the United States
they have les ecoles des arts et du metiers esta-
blished, but in this country there is nothing of
the kind. Lord R. MONTAGU did not dispute
what Mr. SAMUELSON said ; on the contrary,
he agreed in the main with his arguments.
He said, however, that the close pressure of fo-
reigners upon our manufacturers might be attri-
buted to the improvement that had taken place in
the manufactures of the Continent quite as much
as to the more deteriorating effects produced among
us. It will be a satisfaction at any rate to know
that the subject is to be minutely investigated by a
committee, and we may hope that some beneficial
result will follow.

Mr. MARSH called attention to the present sys-
tem of license duties, and be showed the House
how hardly they pressed on the poorest
classes, and their inefficiency in answering
the ends desired. The hon. member, how-
ever, very wisely refrained from pressing his
motion on their abolition to a division. The re-
marks which were made in connection with this
subject fully justified the protest which he made,
for Mr. GLADSTONE declared that our present
system of licenses was most anomalous, but with
the true official spirit he confessed that any altera-
tion was hedged in by difficulties ; and the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer admitted that there was a
good deal of truth in some of Mr. MARSH'S obser-
vations, but he tcok refuge in denouncing "piece-
meal legislation," and finally promised to give Mr.
MARSH'S scheme his best attention. So far,
then, it may be considered that the hon.
member had done good service to the cause he ad-
vocates, and bas a benefit also conferred upon
the House in setting the matter before them in a
better light. Mr. MARSH'S proposition has some
advantages to recommend it. He suggests that,
instead of the retailer or manufacturer paying for
preparing or selling the articles, it would be far
better to have the articles sold by adding to the
customs and excise duties on them. The CHAN-
CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had at all events the
opportunity of looking at both sides of the ques-
tiou, and considering the pros and cons of the affair.
The Bill for the London Coal and Mine
Rates Continuance Bill was passed through com-
mittee, notwithstanding some opposition. A large
majority, however, decided in favour of it, and
the clause proposed by Mr. AYRTON to exempt
factories in the Metropolitan Police area was nega-
tived. Mr. GLADSTONE'S Church Rate Abolition
Bill was read a third time and passed.

Among the many important questions with which
a Conservative Government has been called upon to
deal, the subject of National Education is cer-
tainly not the least interesting nor the least
vital to the welfare of the country. More
pressing and exciting topics, the change in the
head of the Government, and the necessary
interregnum in the session, have for a time delayed
its consideration, and last night the Duke of MARL-
BOROUGH introduced the long-promised measure to
the notice of the Upper House. The bill, after
some discussion, was read a first time, and is now
awaiting the criticism of the public. On the whole,
we think the verdict will be favourable. There will
necessarily be many who will find something
to cavil at, something they wish to amend, some-
thing they deprecate, but we may fairly believe it
to be absolutely impossible to devise any scheme
which should give universal satisfaction. In any
case it would not be easy to do so; but in a matter
in which religious feeling complicates the social and
political question, the difficulties are increased a
hundredfold. The Government Bill has avoided
any party aspect ; it does not favour one particular
sect or denomination, but is on the whole liberal
and enlightened. It deals with the per-
plexities of the case in a fair, equitable,
and straightforward manner, and while,
retaining as much as possible the best and most
successful features of the old scheme, it introduces
some changes and amendments which will greatly
facilitate the progress of national education.
The Duke of MARLBOROUGH began his speech by
taking a survey of the rival plans, which have been
suggested of late years, and quoted a good many
statistics to enable the House to comprehend the
true state of the case. It appears from the figures
given by the nobh duke, that although there re-
mains much to be done, the actual deficiency has
been much overrated. The Report of the Royal
Commission in 1861 shows that whereas, in 1803,
the estimated number of day scholars was 1 in 17
of the population, in 1858 the proportion was nearly
lin 7. In Prussia, under the boasted compulsory
system, the proportion is 1 in 6, so that the con-
dition of England, in an educational point of view,
is scarcely so black as it was painted. There is no