The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-31 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER.

applied in the present instance. It was impossible, he
considered, to overrate the importance of this subject ; yet
it was one to which, until lately, comparatively little at-
tention had been paid. Last year, a committee of the
House of Commons had investigated this subject; and, in
their report, that committee pointed out the rigorous and
effective efforts made in France, Germany, and Belgium,
and the United States, for the suppression of juvenile
crime. Mr. Horsfall then read extracts from reports of
the Kirkdale gaol, and also from a pamphlet published by
the late Mr. Rushton, illustrative of the value of a refor-
matory system. He then proceeded—l may also mention
a little circumstance which came under my own observa- ,
tion. A boy, a very little boy, many years ago, was ac-
cused, and justly accused, of stealing a watch. It was my
duty, perhaps, sir, to have prosecuted that boy. I did not
think it right to do so, but gave him in charge of his
father, who was an honest man. That father took him
away from Liverpool, which was a stipulation that I
made ; and, sir, instead of hearing of that boy being in
prison in subsequent years, I had the satisfaction of seeing
him receive a prize in one of our public schools; and, sir,
he is at this moment a teacher of one of our national
schools in this county. (Cheers.) Now, sir, there are
other schools founded in all parts of the country, having,
in some measure, the same object ; and I know of none
which have been more effective than that which are
termed the Aberdeen schools. (Hear, hear.) The
managers of these schools felt some considerable diffi-
culty, until they got the co-operation of the magistrates
and the police. They did so get their co-operation with a
view not so much of punishing criminals, or dealing with
those who had been convicted, as of arresting our youths
at the very outset when they commenced their begging,
which is always the precedent to theft. And what was
the success of that 2 Now, mark ! The success of the plan
in checking juvenile vagrancy and crime has been most
striking and satisfactory. An admirable plan has been
pointed out by Mr. Brown, with reference particularly to
the port of Liverpool—that of stationing a vessel in the
river, to which criminal children might be sent, with a
view of fitting them for sea. (Hear, hear.) I cannot con-
ceive any better thing than that an old man-of-war which
has done its duty to its country in one way should be
called upon to do duty in another way. (Cheers.) There
is no lion in the way. (Cheers.) The wise and prudent
conquer difficulties by attempting them. (Cheers.) The
slave of fear shivers and shrinks at the sight of danger.
(Cheers.) I will only add, that, with the blessing of God,
we shall succeed. (Loud and continued cheering.)
Mr. MANSFIELD (stipendiary magistrate) seconded the
resolution, expressing his hearty concurrence in the
opinions of the previous speakers. He cited cases which
had come under his own knowledge, where, owing to
the crime or the poverty of parents, there was a manifest
want of some institution where, against the will of the
parents, children might be placed, and receive those
cares and attentions which were denied them at home.
(Loud applause.)
The Rev. Mr. BIRRELL spoke in support of the reso-
lution. _ .

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

INDEX TO FAMILIAR QUOTATIONS.

TO THE EDITOR OS THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Sin,—" A Reader," in your paper of last Tuesday, in
questioning my title to praise for my book of quotations
refers to one at page 85—" He who fights and runs away:
&c.," and complains that, although I give three quota.

tions, two from Butler and one from Goldsmith, some-
thing like it, neither of them is the one in question. In
this he is correct ; but, had the passage been in Butler, to
whom it has been generally attributed, I should have
given it. It is not, howveer, there. The quotation in
question is sometimes made as above, and sometimes as—
The cock that fights," &c., or—" The man that fights,"
&c., and under this latter title (in letter T), " A Reader"
will find the proper quotation, and the authority for it.
Again, "A Reader" refers to—" Hedges have eyes ;"
the heading should, strictly, have been—" Hedges have
eyes, and walls have ears," which is the form of the
quotation or proverb (whichever it is) that I have been
accustomed to, and the quotation from Swift is the
nearest to it that I have met with. The same remark
may be made with reference to—" Birds of a feather flock
together ;" but the remarks of "A Reader," on this quo-
tation, are captious ; if " Birds will resort unto their
like," they flock together, and the figure in each quota-
tion I have given is perfect. I have not met with any
other authority on the subject.
The quotation touching—" A little learning," &c., and
" Drink," are quite correct, but are taken from different
editions of Pope, the one having the essay or criticism
divided into parts—the other not.
" A Reader " is informed that, notwithstanding the
alphabetical arrangement of the work, an index will be
given with the last number.
As I did not originally intend the collection for publi-
cation, I abstained from soliciting for contributions.
"With the exception of less than half-a-dozen quotations,
the whole is the result of my own reading.
Jan. 26, 1854. I am, your obdt. servt., J. C. G.

THE LIVERPOOL FREEMEN.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Sixt,—Observing that a publicnotice has been issued by
several respectable men, announcing their intention of
applying to parliament for a bill to disfranchise the free-
men of this borough, and not having seen any public
notification of any movement on the part of the opponents
of this measure, I take the opportunity of subjoining a
few remarks upon the subject.
That numbers of freemen have received a day's wages
as compensation for lost time in attending to give their
votes, is admitted ; but, on the other hand, have no non-
freemen received a similar reward for voting on the
opposite of the question ? If so, there is a parity of
criminality ; but the eriminalty depends much, upon the
view the common men take of this remuneration : they
may think they are committing no political or moral crime
in receiving this compensation for their loss of time.
Their superiors would not deign to receive this paltry
reward ; but are they never influenced by the• higher
motives in matters of interest in business ? Eve'', man
ought to vote according to his conscience ; but does every
one so vote ? Many may have motives to diverge a little
from his own views and; political feelings in giving: his
vote who would not deign. to receive money.
Admitting, however, that the freemen were disfran-
chised, does it follow, as a matter of course, that they
would then vote on the. Whig side ? The promotersof
this petition would probably be much disappointed in the
result, and I shall give a few reasons why the freemen.
probably would not desert theirpresent party. Those who,
have lived long enough iry Liverpool to remember the
time when the slave-trade- was carried on here in full
vigour must remember that nearly the whole of the
merchants who carried on that trade were high Tories,
ananearly all the West India,merchants were of the same
politics. These merchants were- the leading men of the
town rich, of the first rank). and of the greatest con-
sequence ; the American trade- was then in its infancy ;
there.were some few Whigs, but they were of minor im-
portance; and of little weight comparatively with the
African- and West Indian merchants. These merchants
employed, the principal part of. the leading shipbuilders,
who, of course, employed different tradesmen in the
various- departments of shipbirading ; well, at that time,
party spirit ran very high, antba.Tory merchant would
not employ a Whig tradesman, and all the workmen, as
carpenters, riggers, anchor-smithsi.&c., &c., all followed
the politics of their masters. They voted at elections for
their masters' member, and their master voted for his
Tory employer. Thus the town. was almost a Tory town,
and the•attempts to abolish the slave trade excited a strong
political disagreement between the two parties, and every
man was, expected to vote for his employer's candidate,
and did: se: Thus a strong Baling of Toryism took
possession of the• great majority of. the freemen, who said
that their living:depended upon. their votes, and thus the
attachment to the Tory side remained with the men, who
did not look.with a friendly eyeupouthe party which had
deprived them of their trade, ands which feeling, though
mitigathcl,,still exists; so that that they would, therefore,
still vote for the old party, even were they to be dis-
franchised, and were to receive-no reward for their vote.
Admitting.that neither Whigs nor Tories bribed, they
would vote for the Tories, because their fathers did so

Mr. Josern PoLeocs (Judge of the County Court)
moved the next resolution in favour of the foundation and
support of Reformatory Institutions by the public funds, a
liberal encouragement being afforded to the Reformatory
Schools already established, or hereafter to be established,
by voluntary effort, and that all such institutions should
be under local management, and subject to government
inspection. During the course of an eloquent speech, the
judge contended that were not some check applied to the
sources of vice and crime, that, to use the words of a great
orator, "we should be rotten before we were ripe." The
reform of adult criminals was practically hopeless; the
remedy must be applied to the young, and them only..
He, for one, was not inclined to credit the statement that
criminals were uneducated. They were educated and
trained, but unfortunately their education and training.
were of a most malignant character. They had their
rewards and punishments; their histories and traditions ;
their heroes and martyrs. Heroes whom they are taught
to look up to and emulate—whose successes they are
taught to sympathise in as objects of ambition—martyrs
not the less because they have been made victims of laws
which they are trained to evade and contemn. Hence
their admiration of the triumphs of a Dick Turpin and a
Jack Sheppard. He concluded by expressing his satisfac-
tion at beholding men of all denominations and creeds met
for the purpose of forwarding this great public object,
which was too essentially catholic to be- dealt with in a
spirit of sectarianism.
The Rev. Dr. M`NereE seconded the resolution, and in
doing so, said the chief object to which attention ought
now to be directed was the question, of what was the
remedy for juvenile delinquency, and how the remedy was
to be applied. He alluded, to the satisfactory provision in
the French criminal code, which, recognising the ignor-
ance and inexperience of the child, refuses to visit with
criminal punishment the infractions of the law, but pro-
vides for its reformatory education in an• institution where
it will be removed from. the operation of evil influences.
He proceeded to argue that the question was-too import-
ant a one to be looked at in only one point of: view. The
causes which lead to crime must also be considered and
combated. One of these causes he traced; with logical
sequence, and in eloquent language, to themultiplicity of
gin-shops, and called on. the magistrates and the well-dis-
posed members of society to aid in reducing their number.
But, continued he, there is another thing. in, connection
with this matter. In all these prison reports L find con-
nected with juvenile delinquency what are called " aban-
doned women." The question of prostitution:demands the
attention of the legislature and wise men. (Cheers.) But,
sir, the subject is not fairly dealt with in one sense, be-
cause the fault is not all. on one side. Let the real source
of the evil be fairly met and examined. Yout call these
" abandoned women." Ay, indeed, they are " abandoned."'
And by whom have they been abandoned ? They have
been " abandoned " by their more abandoned,. seducers ;
they have been abandoned by gentleman—nay...l cannot
call them gentlemen, though they have the narnev and ap-
pearance, and property, .and station in society. of gentle-
men ; but they have not the conduct of gentlemen., (Ap-
plause.) Men who will. seize upon the fair flower, and
shake all that is lovely. from it, and then, when their own
lust is sated, cast the•weed away ! Oh, vile ! These are
the abandoned. These-are like those winged serpents in
some of the tropical climates, infecting where they, fly, and
poisoning where they repose. (Great cheering.) Yet
these men are still received into society—theynre called
" gay gentlemen "—ladies receive them, and. introduce
them into society ; and: they are found in cur drawing-
rooms. I charge prostitution on the heads or these aban-
doned seducers, who have cast away the girls they have
deflowered, and thrown them upon the streets to be the
tempters of the children who fill our gaols, tempting them
in these gin-shops, these penny theatres, these free con-
certs, these dens all nver our town. (Cheers.) Are we,
then, to go to the•legislature for relief for these evils alto-
gether ? No legislative interference can remedy this evil,
while society tolerates as she does—ay, and encourages
too—the men to , whom I have made allusion. (Loud
cheers.) I don't know whether I speak in the presence of
such a man ; but if there be here a man who has seduced
a woman—who has traded on her as long as his fancy and
feelings and. lust haveprompted him, and has then, instead
of supporting her still, thrown her upon the streets to be
the tempter of children to commit crime—if I speak to
such a man, I say, against you, and not against the crimi-.
nal in the dock, should the magistrate 6301,a verdict of.,
guilty. (Cheers.) It is you, and not the poor victim,
who should .be sent to gaol ; it is yen . who should be-
whipped, and not the child whom you wereinstrumentat:
in leading into mischief. (Cheers.) And, therefore, here,,
as in all other cases, the real gist of the question will de-
pend upon ourselves; and we must say .if asked for reform,.
instead, of improving legislation, begin at home—aim. at-
your ardent spirits and your prostitution.. (Hear, hear,);
He then, in eloquent terms, advertetto the soothing and:
winning effects of kindliness and, love, in reclaiming;
even.the most dissolute and abandoned ; and again calling,
for an expression of public feeling for reducing the num-
ber of gin-shops; and for reprobationof seducers, the reve--
rand Doctor resumed his seat amidst loud and protracted.
cheering.
Mr: Joan CROPPER moved a resolution to. the effect
that,. as a cheek to parental negligence, the wholee or a
portion, of the cost of the child's maintenance while under
reformatory discipline should be recoverable- from, the
parents.
The Rev.. JAMES MARTINEAJI seconded thoresolution,
The Rev. Dr. Goss, Romish Bishop (of. Liverpool),.sup-
ported the resolution.
Mr. W. RATIIBONE moved.the adoption of atpetition to
both houses of Parliament in:conformity with.the resolu-
tions allopted by the meeting; that to the House of Lords
to be entrusted for presentation, to the Emil of liarrowby,
and that to the House of Commons to the members for
the borough.
lair. HENRY ROMXLLY seconded the resolution, which
was adopted unanimously ; and the proceedings closed
with a vote of thanks to,theMayor.

Wore them.
Bn ere is another consideration, which, perhaps, is
of national importance. The: safety anti welfare of the
Iringdona• depends greatly upow the; superiority of our'
ships, upon their excellence,. in every respect, compara-
tively with those of every European, nation ; and this
excellence, we may fairly assume, arises from the system
of the seven years' apprenticeship, which enables young
men to' acquire a perfect knowledge., of the different
branches connected with shipholding, to obtain which
skill he must serve seven years consecutively. But would
a yourg man bind himself to serve • seven years consecu-
tively unless he had some- adequate, reward ? Common
sense says very few would persevere;: therefore, the cor-
poration, for the benefit of 'commerce, and as an induce-
ment to young men to acquire. this -thorough knowledge
and skill in their respective trades,• promised the freedom
of the town to such young men as Avocild bind themselves
to • freemen for the term of: seven: years, and who did
actually serve the whole seven, years, faithfully and satis-
factorily to their masters... The young man was then
entitled to the freedom, and reoeived, it on application to
the Town-clerk. This privilege entitled him to exemption
from payment of town does, and, conferred freedom also
on all sons who might subsequently be born to him. This
is the reason why the number of freemen has so much
increased ; but the privilege. of making his sons also free,
is-a great inducement to a, young,manto submit to a seven
years' apprenticeship ; and does note young man deserve
the reward for the eniurance of a seven years' toil ? Is
it not also a wise measure to offer this. inducement for the
of making aaiartisan skilful in every branch of ,
rirbleiding, and of every collateral branch carried on in,
a: seaport ? A young; man, besides, must acquire habits
of regularity and steady perseverance by this long
servitude ; he must conduct himself well, otherwise his
master will not give:Aim a certificate of good condr.at,
without which he could, not obtain his freedom. Thus,. a,
body of excellent wosskuren: is raised in the town, well
skilled in every braneh of shipbuilding. Would it be just
to deprive such men of a valuable privilege which they
bare obtained by, seven yeae. unintermitted labour?
Justice says no. And as,th their future mode of voting,
should they be deprived of their present privilege, woadd
they vote, as mere householders, for that party who
deprived them cflheir quondam privilege ? I traw not ;
the sense of irhary would, iniluenee them to votstagainst
the Whig. It is a great: question, however, whether the
system of a seven, years' apprenticeship is not apoint of
great national importance.;. A enables the peoplatoacquire
skill in the different- branches of naanufacturea in the
kingdom, as well as in., the various branches. connected
with shipbuikling.. 'The prospects of the kingdom depend
mainly uporathe skilfulness of its artisans, andi we should,
therefore, infer that an,y measure which should interfere
with, or prevent, a coabnuation of the present system of
apprenticeship Nvould,be a dangerous measure, and detri-
mental to the interests of the nation.
Liverpool,. Jan. 250854. Crvi s.

EDUCATION FOR THE BRITISH COLONIES.

LETTER HI.

TO. 7111 X: EDITOR OP THE LIVEA.EOOI, STNADABD.

promised in this article ta. enter upon the in.
quiry, as to whether the West India Islands were affiuentr,'
enough to. bear the expenses of & system of education thr•
themselves. But, before entering upon the subject, it( is
haft right to observe that they have not in them a Isiah
and affluent middle class, sucla as we have in Englskud,
fall back upon for support for their schools in times, of de-
pression of trade. At sue} times they have to send to
England for pecuniary assistance. I could enumerate a
long list of schools in the, island of Jamaica which have
been largely helped by grants from societies in England,
but value for your space, and the time of year readers,
makes me refrain from doing so. Yet I will have to use
figures to substantiate what I say. They are necessary,
at times, to render perfect a proposition ; but believing
that, for party purposes, a most licentioua use has been
made of them, I will only use such as are absolutely ne-
cessary. Skifid partizans have made them tell many
tales to advance the cause of themselves and friends ; as
many changes have been rung upon the same statistics as
skilful players can do upon the same set of bells. Well,
but, it may be said again, " facts are stubborn things,"
and statistics are a bundle of them ; but this very fact of
their being presented in bundles makes simple-minded
persons fear them the more. The bundles have been so
skilfully managed that common people have been bewil-
dered by them, just as we read of certain traders who have
deceived the natives of the South Sea Islands, by
inpresent-
' log to them in traffie barrels of European wares which
the highly-prized articles appeared on the top, but under-
neath was sand, or some other worthless thing ; so sta-
tistics, favouring the cause of certain parties, have been
made into groups, and so deceived the public. But the
present question is too grave to admit of such conduct in
its advocates ; and its comprehensiveness renders it diffi-
cult for them to do so were they inclined. It is a ques-
tion in which is involved all that a Christian holds dear
upon earth, and one in the carrying out of which he hopes
to gain for himself a place in heaven. It is too important
to admit of levity, or trickery being employed in its ad-
vocacy. A plain statement of the truth is all that is
needed. This done, the question must make its own way.
The friends of education in the West Indies have, under
many gloornycircumstances, exerted themselves most laud-
ably for spreading instruction among the negroes. They
have acted upon the injunction of the Royal Preacher,
who says, "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the even-
ing withhold not thine hand, for thou knowest not whe-
ther shall prosper either this or that, or whether they
shall be both alike good." The unexampled depression of
trade, for the last few years, in the island of Jamaica, and
which has affected all classes in the community, has had a
most injurious effect upon the schools. I state this supply
as a fact ocenected with the apbject, Whether the me*.

HE wno can suppress a. moments anger will preven
basting sorrow.
THE GENERATION of men follow each other as the wave
in a swollen river.
Do NOT ANxioirsior hope for wbah has not come; do
not vainly regret what has already past.
TRITE MODESTY blushes for everything criminal ; false
modesty blushes for everything that is unfashionable.
MR. MACAULAY once observed, that prize sheep were
only fit for candles, and prize essays to light them.
VAPOUR BATHS, it is said, are now being successfully
applied in Dublin to horses,. for influenza, rheumatism,
rigors, &c.
A BUTCTIER, who stood like a lamb to be robbed, Near
Bristol,: had Bs. returned by the highwaymen, for his
" good behaviour."
AN ANoatAlor.—The recent marriage of Mr. Deor alxd
Miss Field presents this singular anomaly, that although
he won the field, she gained the day.
AN OLD LADY, looking at the curiosities in Barnum's
Museum, came to a couple of large sea dogs,. and after
gazhsg at them with wonder, inquired of a wag who stood
, near, if they ever barked ?" 'No, Madam,' replied he,
"not now—their bark is on the sea.—American Courier.
SUET OR DRIPPING.—It seems that names may be
affected and even changed by the state of the weather.
The late Mr. Suett, the comic actor, going once to dine
about twenty miles from London, and being able only to
get an outside place on the coach, arrived in such a be-
draggled state from an incessant rain, and so muffled-up
in great coats and handkerchiefs, that his friend inquired,
doubtingly, " Are you Suett ?" " No," replied the wag,
"I'm dripping."
STATISTICS OF DANCING.—A French arithmetician has
calculated that the space which a young Parisian belle, in
the exercise of dancing, traverses in the gay salons of
Paris, amounts, in the course of one dancing season, to
4341 miles. He has also calculated that a French lady,
fond of performing the functions of a teetotum, will spin
round in a waltz in one night as many times as the wheels
of a steam-boat revolve while running the distance be-
tween Dover and Calais.—Daily Paper.
A HUSBAND AND WlFE.—Grant Thorburn says of his
last wife, in a letter to a Philadelphia paper :—" My wife
is a comely lass of 40 summers. I succeeded in capturing
the prize only two weeks ago. My own age is 81, so that
my wife just meets me half way. She is two inches
taller, and five pounds heavier ; so I think, on reflection,
I have got the best of the bargain."
INCREASE AND MULTIPLY was the divine command,
and a woman, the wife of a street-sweeper in this town,
has strictly fulfilled the command, for in 21 years she has
had 21 children. On one occasion she produced her hus-
band two " pledges of affection." She is now in distress,
her" partner" being fonder of beer and idleness than at,
teuding to the wauto of his faraily.--.l3lackburn Standard.

sures of the imperial Parliament which have brought
about this change were wise or not, is a question into
which lam not going to enter. I may belong to those
who think they were very unwise, and for many reasons.
One thing in which I have great pleasure in stating is,
that, since the abolition of slavery in them, education has
continued steadily to advance. Learning, like all other
good things which belong to the soul, ourishes never
amid wickedness, cruelty, and wrong. Morals and reli-
gion are taught most effectually when their precepts are
reduced to practice, and their precepts in the mouths of
the slaveowners fell like dead letters upon the ears of the
poor negroes in the West Indies. That pure, deep-seated
religion of the heart, which imparts a child-like sincerity
to the really Christian man, may be sought for in vain
amid slavery in Cuba or South Carolina. No, it will not
be found in those places, for its possessors believe that
God has made of one flesh all nations of the earth, and
that they who love righteousness, and practice holiness,
will be accepted by Him as His people. The planters and
their agents might attend Church, and perform the out-
ward acts of worship, but they could not have that love
and charity without which no one can be acceptable to
God ; they belonged to that class who honour Him with
their lips while their hearts are far from Him. No won-
der, then, that education did not prosper among them,
and that it has done so since. I differ with many as to
the destiny in store for the negro race. 'With proper
culture, training, and favourable circumstances, I believe
they will manifest a force of intellect and grandeur of
soul of which they have been thought destitute. Our
duty towards them is to seize every opportunity of pro-
moting education among them—of casting our bread upon
the waters, and waiting God's appointed time for seeing
it again. If we do so, our labour will not be in vain, but
will be abundantly rewarded.
With the foregoing remarks, I beg now to call your
attention to the funds expended in the island of Trinidad,
for the purposes of education and religion. It is one of
the largest, most beautiful, and fertile of the islands be-
longing to the British crown in the West, and merits a
distinct notice in this place. Its capital, Port of Spain,
is one of the first towns in the West Indies ; the streets
are wide and long, being shaded with trees, laid out in
long lines, from the sea to the land, thus', catching every
breeze that blows, and forming a delightful shaded prome-
nade for the natives. The buildings have an imposing ap- ,
pearance, being built of a massive• cut stone.
In 1849 so large a sum as £9,403 6s. Bd. was given for
the purposes of religious instruction. Of this sum the
clergy of. the English Church got £4,773 6s. Bd. • the
Romish Priests got £4,630. The Romanist Bishop of the
island gets £l,OOO ; the curate of Port of Spain £3OO ;
four assistant curates get £l3O each, which makes £520:
the rest of the sum goes among the curates for the dif-
ferent parishes into which the island is- divided. In the
same year (1849), the sum of £1,562 10s. was given to
the schools ; eight Romanist schools got £328 ; schools
connected with the Church of England £1,234. The
revenue, for the following years, was as follows :-1844,
£76,395 ; 1815, £78,450 ; 1846, £85,422 s 1847, £81,121.
The police and gaol establishments cost £13,878: £lOO
is also givers to an immigration agent, who resides at
Sierra Leone, in Africa. These sums, paid annually,
show that Trinidad is a wealthy island, and fit to educate
itself. The very large sum paid every year for the main-
tenance of the poke and prisons show that the morals of
the people are not so good as they should be; or crime
would not be so prevalent.
Jamaica, with a population of more than 400pe0, and
a revenue of £192,088- 7s. 11d., claims next our attention.
The authorities of this island had it in contemplation' to
consolidate the funds of several charitable endowments,
and to erect in the centre' of the island a school and.col-
lege, after the manner' of Eton and Winchester. It was'
also agitated that the-working classes should have central,
groups of schools, int districts of about 25 square miles
each. In these schools; negro, dames were to have charge
of the children, until they were seven years of age ; the
children from about twenty cottages would form a school:;
they were to be a kind ofinfant schools. In another class'
of schools they would be•from seven, till fourteen years of
age, and in connection with. their instruction they would
receive from one hour to sir instruction in industrial
training. By the act of thelsand Legislature, of the 10th
Vic., chap. 47, £2,000 was- given for• the purposes of edu-
cation annually; 160 schooli• were to. he assisted by £2O
each, which, on an average; amounts to £3,209; 100
elementary schools each tot have £l3-1,000 ; sundry
minor grants for books and. dormitories, and expenses of
the' board, £100: total, £n)000. The board mentioned
here• consists of a council, which includes the governor,
bishop, vice chancellor, president of council, and Mr.
Jordan. They gave or voted £7OO for the purpose of
erecting a normal school, fetch as I have been advocating,
for the purpose of giving instruction in the art of teach-
ing- to twenty youths. The- bishop mac',e arrangements
with the rest of the board for getting a master from St.
Markti College, Chelsea, and a Mr. Findlay was made
choice nf., Premises were taken at Villa- Pen for the in-
stitution, with forty acres of land in cony eetion with it.
Pens-in Jamaica mean something different to what they
do in) Scotland or Australia ; in those places they mean
levellsheep-walks ; but in the • islands of the West—" the
poor man's best country," as it has • been called, by those
who know it well, they morn firms on the- sides of the
mountains. A popular poet, in a famous poem, has struck
out the 'delineation of an Fnglish hill by saying it was
" green and of gentle declivity;"' but such. as description
would .fail to characterise those of Jamaica, .for the tints
are most variegated, and their declivity anything but
gentles. As I have said before, in a former- article, the
Leg,ishilnere have done most fae the promotiewof religion ;
their-exertions in favour of it have been verygreat indeed.
The diocesan and the archdeaeonry are provided. from the
Treasury of the United Kingdom, which, affords the
bishopean annual income of • £2,100, as supplementary
emoluments for hiring the occasional services of mibeni-
ficecYcarates. The island itself sustains the expense of an
endowed *votary for each twenty-tvso,lperishes in
the ii 1. In addition to this, there are upwards of fifty
islauCcuracies, for each of which a stipend of 190 a-year
is provided. These sums, in addition to whatthe dissent-
ing ministers get, show that, in this respect, Jamaica has
done well.
The actual revenues of thenther islands, se/14M to this
country, Mr. Montgomery Martyn, in his "History of the
Colonies," gives as follows e—" The estimatederevertues are
sometimes given at a very lima sum ; but the, actual often
falls-far beneath the estimated one. Barbadoes, £17,000 ;
Antigua, between £16,0000 and £17,000. The-governor of
this-island is also governess: and commander-in.-chief over
Menteerret,Bermuda,St. Kitt's, Nevis, Ange)Ota, the Virgin
Islands, and Dominica, are might not these small islands
be grouped together for educational purposes? St. Kitt's
has, a house of assemblye, with a revenue of £7,000.
Nevis sends a deputy to., the house of assembly in St.
Kitt's. Dominica has a council, house of assembly, and a
revenue of £7,000. Ste Lucia has £9,000; Montserret,
£3,000; the Bermudas,,,Xlo,ooo ; the Bahamas, £19,000.
These sums, got from ianposts upon trade, licenses, and so
forth, show that these •islands have the means of helping
themselves. Revenuee-ehange very much like commerce,
ftom which they are derived, and since Mr. Martyn gave
the above, no doubt some of them have changed; but it
must be in the way oteineeease, as Jamaica and Trinidad
have done.
To show the coneillien of the labouring classes, I give
now the rate of wageapaid in the principal islands ; also in
the Mauritius and. Guiana :
Mauritius .. Jamaica.. .15d. St. Lucia .. 15d.
Antigua.... 7d. Montserret .. 6d. St. Vincent 10d.
Dominica .. 10d., Nevis.... ...10d. Tobago.... 11d.
Grenada .. 9d._ St. Kitt's ..12d.
Trinidad .. 25d.. --- B. Guiana 201-de Barbadoes 71d.
Considering the. many valuable fruits which grow wild,
and the generahalleapness of living, the-wages in Trinidad,
Guiana, St. L•acia, and Jamaica, arc quite as good as
labourers get itesome parts of England, and if the poor in
this country bare-te contribute towards the schooling of
their children. in the shape of weekly pence for school
wages, I don!‘t see why the West Indians should not do
the same. I; doubt not but that they are willing to do so..
Thus setting- down 200,000 children as the number in
Jamaica, ifethese were distributed. over the island into
schools whialewould contain 60 eacsh., then there would be.
about 3,033 schools. Now, considering the number of
schools isethe• island at present,, and the number which
would be-wanted to make up the. number just named, one
good normal school would be quite sufficient to keep ;up, a
supply of teachers for the schools, as death, age, or- any
other thing might incapacitate. or remove them. There
are also,, I have no doubt, many youths that have_ just
comeleted their apprenticeships in this country whoavould
fill up. the vacancies in the sea cols, if the full number at
presene existed and requiredanasters. A fair start_could
be hart ila the matter with proper qualified persons. The
meat cost of purchasing an estate for a normal. Wessel
would not be a great deal, as some of them have become
retry cheap within the lase- two or three years, while, many
have been abandoned altogether. One of the latter might
be had at a price which the greatest stickler for ecommy
could not demur to ; £2OOO would put up a building suit-
able, and one thousand, would fit it up with, the fixtures,
and set it a-going. The expense annually would not be a
great deal, as the students might be made to contribute
to their own supports as they do now at St. Marks, Bat-
tersea, and Westminster. A large model. school in con-
nexion with the institution, in which the young men
would have an opportunity of learning practically the
business of tuition, would also bring in. something for the
institution. The result would soon be, felt in a reduced
expenditure forgaols and police. Trinidad might find that
five thousands pounds would do for those things instead
of thirteen are she has to give at present. It is a trite
thing to say, now, that the schoolmaster is a cheaper and
more effectnal public servant than the policeman and
gaoler. The subject has been so thoroughly sifted, that
hundreds, will be found to agree with the declaration.
The • I would propose to, give to the heads of train-
ing schools for the West Indies would be £l5O per annum,
to begin with. The master of the model school I would
give £lOO. This is something more than they get at
home as an inducement for them to go out ; without
something of the kind it is not likely that men would
leave home and fatherland for a strange one. At the
same time, the sum is not so large as to excite the cupidity
of the sordid—it is just sufficient to reward men for a
servitude of a few years of usefulness, and nothing more.
What subjects of instruction should be taught as best
suited to the negro mind, it would be premature at present
to inquire into. The negro mind has its peculiarities,
which should be attended to, so as to bring out its best
and strongest powers. This, competent educators would
soon accomplish. Local boards for the islands would be
a necessary thing at first, also inspectors. These two are
important wants, which should be supplied early. Ano-
ther thing would be a union of the boards for the smaller
islands,—one board would do for the Bermudas, or Somers
Isles, and one for the Bahamas. Nassau would be the
place for assembling the board for the latter islands. As
little communities at home benefit one another by asso-
ciating together, so the small West India Islands would
benefit one another by being joined together educationally.
One board for a group would throw a unity into the in-
struction ; thus a harmony of sentiment and thought
would be created in the rising population ; mutual attach-
ment and goodwill would be fostered among them, and
they could act together in concert for the good of one
another. This is a blessed state to live in. The psalmist
tells us that "It is like precious ointment upon the head,
that ran down unto the beard—even unto Aaron's beard,
and went down unto the skirts of his clothing." And
lest the description should not impress the mind enough
with the beauty of the state, he adds another simile by
way of climax, sayiug, that "It is like the dew of Hermon
which fell upon the hill of Sion,—that hill where the
Lord had promised leis blesriing and life for evermore."