The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-04-28 00:00:00

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reloymint,

Secondly,—The advocates of reasonable
out any cramming of invsterioys d( Alt
A —Puseyisin ! (Cheers)
Mr. M•NEILE. —llave patience,. tml 1 will come to that
knownst
presently. (Ulcers and laughter.) Now, every one ,or
that the division of a subject is one of the most im
tePr.) A,tB
parts of it, and that roan has stopp-d it. (Laugh
must therefore bcg. the liFt again. (Hear.) re-
-1
First,—The advocates of ycne, a 1 ',nowdqe without e
t
ligion. with-
Secondly,—The advocates of reasonable de elopanit
ri

out any cramming of mysterious dogmas.
creeds'Thirdly,—The advocat -is of equality among all I
, ) yes,
(Some confusion here took place ' • ihe "1! 1.1" •fividi-
-_,,,, th Jut
bi.
am describing them right—(Laii, h e oted
attempt to distinguish between truth' and
fal ee"
ous preference or persecuting yartiality, or anYsl^orh
(Cheers.) in all
Fourthly,—Those who substantially I gree otith us II
__,
these more abstract questions; but also differ fronenu''
!.
and among one another,. as to the particular enactor
ese, Sir, are in the field together,
of this bill. (Cheers.) • mazes
All th
intricate their abstract theories with their Practical °Yin-
tions ;in one sentence rationalizing, on the sublimities 0. a
moral virtu
tellectual enlightenmant and .
the beauties of
articu
without religion • , and in the next, combatting the p
_ii.
lar. manner in which Sir James Graham nropoSes to eeet:;w.
tute the board of trustees for the management of thell the
schools: in one sentence taking scientific flights in A' laugh.
pride of a modern Icarus in an aerial steam carriage—(tet.
mingling, in hie.
ter)—and in the next, crawling upon the earth in all tu.„Tow,
is obvious that the arguments necessary
tlenessit. of a political special pleader. (Great cheers.)
to'„ne
class of these objectors will not appear to have any direct Hp;
plication to another class, and vice vend ; and, therefere4cih
endeavouring to answer them seriatim, we roust, at ' s.
the quer,
stage, while grappling with what some have made
tion, be liable to the charge of wandering from what othe t
feel to be the question ;—(hear, hear)—therefore, I mega
entreat your patience in this matter; a little indulgenee'_.
littlet refraining from interruption, and I will endeavour, as
far as I can, to go through the whole four. (Cheers.)
quote
a
to reply .
Now, Sir, as a specimen of the first class, 1 beg to ~„red
passage or two from a speech reported to have been tleuv'
at a meeting held last week in this town, in Paradise-street
Chapel. ( Hear hear.) The speaker is reported to have said,'t
" It WII3 a melancholy fact, that the greatest obstacle at the PI:
moment to national education was afforded by the religion oft hiscn,jiti
(Hear, hear.) It was most melancholy to reflect, that if religio! ...„,
not stand in the way there would be no difficulty'whatever in devl9l"fi
asstem of popular instruction which would extend the Ides'illgot,
. education to all, and impress ideas of order, or morality, and ° .
into the minds of the people. * *

•
And ag
theain he said—
there 0!
sumetUing sgoliniiettillieintgh,m)uefoshttorofusin religion!hepugto the education oife—theapi vioii)il,e(.:()ldie;
a• snugt, , orry
prevent the spread of humanizin
war with e—faith •
(Hear, hear.) In that meeting, and in that lace, he did n°'• that
cistinction.,
witu
improper to say that it was their (Mr. Marthileau's)
theirs was a Christianity which could never be found in e 00.
sctr
tito:Ti
dutee.wr
ilielstititbstreu
ovpitiattci
li
b highest interests of society ; it never could be brought in., tu;°' tho
tion with the benign agency or instruction ; theirs was a reogg etitt'
never could be found opposed to the best hope of the
cation of the people.••
clge
Now, sir, it may be fairly asked what is that knowl ess
contradistinguished from religion upon which so olge%sortote
is laid ? That humanising ki.iowledgc which would Pi•°njith With
the highest interests of mankind ? A favourite theorTchool
the religionists, or the dogmatists I should say, of this Lon
is, that nature teaches everything that man requires so-
it gives religious instruction. both for his needful instruction and for the protection
Fiety as a mass. lsiteryucsatiyont h. a tAnature e
rtesapce country—d'
cation
meeting is reported to have said, when *caking °1.5,4.10541'
graded system of education in the Corporation
which he very much approved of— ta, the Tel':
" In the. Corporation Schools there was no interference
were voiko-
opuo,tils feelings of individuals ; they were instructed,—the die coo'
y Instructed, aye, in the line of secular 'education, but
OC
currence of all • • •
clergy;
were tauht the history of the Holy
brandies of knowledge necessary for the Christian, aye, , d gettr,
Paz nes ,—with the avowed concurrence or various
better taught than many of those whom lie now addressed•
laiekserrealitgion,--L,lOlPe

near.) , . . _
They were instructed, religiously instructed, in
•
and geography of the holy land. Upon the concludi.ngisea
tence of this quotation from Mr. Rathbone's speecni
rnia
unwilling to comment—(hear hear)—he says, "n 4 tint
the children in the schools, they were better taug° ledge
many of those he then addre • d I have some ,in"' he
of the modicum of information.sse ' b the children f
possessed Y , ...,,ount °‘`
describes, but I
have no means of estimating ne urnileers.)
informa • tion possessed by a meeting of Unitarians. VI pded
Mr. Rathbone ought to know them, and as they Wel& in
his sayings, they cannot be offended at us if we coinory.of
Ins assertion. (Laughter and cheers.) Sir, the the, erg"
A the to
this school is, that the book of nature and the book 0' ,
titre are parallel ; they came from the same hand, anu,„ad to
the his_!entril..
fore say they, they must teach the same lesson and. l'; end
the same end. Having laid down this first proposittonnce to
mistaken the assertion for the proof of it, they ad, !,9dten of
the second. It is found, as a matter of fact, that cilu for
allt denominations of people can read the book of natur`4ool,
_tie. moment the book of scripture is produced ainoribgettier is
dons are occasioned, therefore they saY it ig e 10°1
national education to confine it to the book of miter, ,
wok-
all may read together. Now, sir, the very fact of so two
tor°
able a difference being produced in the study, °I tweire°""
books might have induced the notion that possiblY4 et tbeY,,
tents are not parallel—that possibly as a matter 01 lid, Pi'
aret not parallel, True they came from the same ha e fore
lie book of nature has received damage since it earn_ eagle
hear,
that !-land; a disaster has fallen upon it;
bas been pronounced upon it, and accordingly it Palesr,,'
egrand mystery is death: I-looter
ofof learning the loving, amiable, and merciful c„sses d
mystery which no where it explainns;„y tali.
God from nature, and the speak of the various (•"ban`ll;
life, and the enjoyment of living creatures under h's,atures
it
tn tt)lei e
good(;rea Great
() Creator,g ivo
life,of
but, sir, how comes it to pass that all these living c'-a 105,e,
die? If life be a mark of goodnessand kinilneslian,- ) rt`
he, then, that takes •
away life ? Death is spreai tere ,„
face of
whatis it gi os ( death
tl t o
iS
thetthil the mystery
remedyes
ra
therefore,
disaster,efe:rtht ehl
ye
d o t
lobutt disasterfo;
teachrf
ot
rh
teh theve esrvayemrye purpose
purpose
po t expl a i n wh y the r e sho u 1 d b e de a sameewti 1
p.:031:re:::
r. is.
ce.
,' , .
tr us', I
pt tbi
tagui
g. .
.. .
iiiti,
neid:ie
yi,
,e,
Bible explains it it is given from the hand. ying; :
to cannotm au lead
victory t
otiolevesramtheeesnvdo*rldWi
mystery under which the disaster has involcc,.fore •.t-,,.,.-,
in all
kintso lesson,wrlaerdyea;s t7rtare' Os ips.ste,'°nted:
around him ?
What knowledge is it that gives, as o*n ntlirt,
rector. was saying just now, to the poor Irian ,a; l'aen-C
against despondencY, and to the rich man an antiaesethe ticl;.
6elf"'"fficielicY? What knowledge is it that 018k,eLkfall)d.'
man give cheerfully, arid thepoor man receive t"— ths s"-F
What knowledge is it that pthe divers 11,„rs °'
sweetens . twin.- •bp
society in this world,
and prepares the various ‘,710 1/.
~
them fora better society in the world to come? 'Tot bein§
that overcorrietlethe world—overcometh the world," id ? I°
overcome by it? Who is he that meth the wor lure
overco
...
Is
rjr....0
it he that can describe the orbits
of the planets' 'r tbe " ,
the distances
of the fixed stars ? Not at all•
is i• us_,Ot
candu analyse the various substances and classify the
earth?. P°-
ctions that are to be found uon the face-of the gatie
at all. Is it lie who finding onefossil bone, by his eiji-fill.luvir
of ani.--/I it
~.0
anatomy can construct the whole skeleton
or,. as he thinks, anti-Adamicbeasts ? Not at all. .01'49°
thwielo, cultivated in all the niceties, and delicacies, 31,, s faiset
nts, of classical literature has his ears shocked ?" Not B.t
m"entiorener ofPlichpearaedd;
;:bil_let:ll:sielsavtili
tuyh,
thatai d
j hises tuass te
Christo iitr a
igse dthbey falsesaon
of cool:Ledo r. ',t flee, a
stsli'lt
But who is he that overcometh the world, ? (class
religion. Now, sir, as a specimen of the second
class I
~ to0"1,-,
a mentioned, I will read the following resoluti " di
t another meeting held in ‘ this r days ag-i ois-it
town a fewl. is been dP
with a few comments upon it, reported to have the mover : advocates
a, toof hearkeng el)
o r
al knowledge,to t
is svg
electeusi

a~'Lxt thoisrzeting regards the education of the poorl-e',Pi 46'1
intellectual,'
mural, and religious, as au object of Par--

h the
The comment is this—
in vibie n'erel
interests of of such a declaration showed the danger ~.ich tiiqoutp
of the country were la • dby the messure ,*.' ti.,i a Non
this day convened to 1 i roes. PdTch€l resoluttneatrioLt,einPle'iirst el' ere
Deno-, aie Ortittia
physical, intellectal, n'i'iat 1, of which he eonceived to bealtil culturerelgi()u' eof the. mind, . hi cc 4 al
cramming of it with certain d ie;r, s was the practiltell„,e,iiel,
schools to which the Ch• •1 • o -Ina ' -"I as Inisenthle lugsf the '',Ull.
schools ; the element of somea"u nilttettin'itleiw the culture °, and 7 fro
tdarianwtihng out its energies, and enabling it to cope with ertv.sr.iirit,
,o, oje
. truth under all disadvantages,—to
enquiry,ethie,,,,and
.incuicate habits of independent judgmeitit 7,70 v, .'
awaken tlic. lot if, de-
Viich Englishmen claimed, and woe be to
ultet cheer'3•l ,
flied
them the very first birthright of Britonship. (1•0 eon,
This is what I have ventured to call the ieasoneb(l,eppoldthis
nt system,
3,6,ates of this
the culture of the mind system,
the examining of mysterious dogmas. the env"iit on'Yrr
school are of opinion that children should be tauF teach 6,
c theo
they are enabled to understand : that the aim °‘ t° 1c1;
should be, by simple and plain things, ehictlY sef the eb' 1,
of devel°P,ecte
jectsan at first, to deyetope the reasoning. faculties
t d then as those faculties become more and more coin% Poe
o present more and more advanced things, it:ebr,thist,f is
reason
the pupil's advancing „powers of comprehens'°,„,, its the
taken
of every step may be appreciated, as the -s.';',ipon,iv'ett
4 ; but not to attemt in any case, to force reel' or'
young mind,
,se Jeer
upon the dark and unintelligible things, to - tit ee 4.
authority of the
teachers, without
iie
dit is tha• col' y
prehension of the learner. Omi this grout' . alos .te
'the Pr-t the . ,
and abstruse doctrines, or as theyt cell them in ' loY' ler
ion, to invest them with a '1
c of tuiddlelg,f,e stall-
the dogmas of Christianity carlaeraob'eelc. led to; and " -rote 6,ito
elements of history and morality are preferred, r ailOcei'e of
able for beginners. (Hear, hear.) Now, Sir, I°,,,torisAt we
this, we say, that if reason were the only ehlre-velePei"raiake
man ; and his intellect the only faculty to be " and '- ill
Dv of
Shollid agree to the general principle here laid dew ore lig
ener° • WI
the advancing comprehension of the pupil -the are In prole
tilts,
attainments.
, The proof that we are siii,i this' ; the
tilus, is, that in.tnatters purely intellectual we -,°„_ op -°, .4
?eelementary rules of arithmetic, for example. adve2S'be"
chain, highest
branches of mathematics, knowledge is - rasped are
f.hain, each link of , which must be intelligently gond weero"
ore the link 'next above it can be appreciated: ic,, conoes
platy of no such absurdity as to cram a
childproos'tl orbto: was
log cubes or conic sections into the mind of a nut 0'441 4
not know the multiplication table. (Cheers.) " loan at-
knowledge is a very different thin • it addrerfeCent,itiTee se
very different character, and demands a very ,ition q-is de-
ment. meta. There is another feature in man's eon":(1 thsttos: characteristic of the species as reason itself; 810,, tim„ son
pertdance upon a superior. Man in every condit!znors9" rest
educated and powerful, equally with them llll of a foe-
ineignificant, is dependent upon the sovereign will
iii of
superior ; entirely dependent for the exercise 01,, the . sny
tion of life at every moment of his existence. fi•withotoolo
the great superior, without any reason assigned,ceptrewith.,
from the
afforded to ask for a reason, tile°o.oo
er....;-
rorn the hand of the expiring monarch, and t • li PellaPod il
out a stone to mark it, is open for the Pnii)ate.---Tr WO
(Hear, hear, hear.) There no help, no "e inel'"io b°
King, Man is subject__ hear hear)—absolutebtiusity to is
eventually, dependant. To resist this is eve,l:o, win, to
miserably--(hear,)—it is to kick against time Pr',:6essitY'.,ithis
hard. Simply to admit this as an undeniable nt`to enjelpro-
9tliet, or as called resigned.-7-(Hesr.) ever °tin-till°
is to be happy. Alan's best happiness orill cc; ~,,,, ow.
portionated to the voluntariness - of Imis.dePendia,ita' true-tater•
voluntariness will ever be proportionated •t.? This iS life
b Orl e 0
ledge of the Being on whom he de is •t w thi
nal to know the only true God, aripclen.Tes.us ChritsesehilttguallY
hash sent.—(llear, hear.) This is religion• In,ntellee cl;
to rnan, the morally responsible as well as the is adrl e%'
reasonable creature is appealed to. Conscience's tear)
conscious of guilt, conscious of exposure, ee7Hear, ;icor./
Pesure, conscious of helpless dependance.-7,,.,,..--('-wooS
Here are elements which" puss all understantit:in judietacti,
Ilere man is not a self-complacent pupil, Sittif.couvictjudge.
upon every statement by his teacher, but a se., creign de'
winal. gasping for relief before the bar of the sov , by 001,01
—(Loud Cheers.) Relief here is not obe haus..? a ~.°,5 ---
but -, f to,"' Is
velopement cif the faculties of the man, ._„a eves
and implicit• reception of the deep sayings
re ore
(Hear, hear, hear.) The gospel of Jesee.„--., th Sere
the only way of relief from moral (AM w" n
iatio-• ler, es
cult' . _jaw jog,'
one only way of access to true moral
therefore we do not, we dare not, begin withtlie:ol, Jib, hot
is supposed, and shallower elements of morality.r.st, Can u p or
and geography. We know that all such atoYf the cop 146
superficial at the last, polishing the outside(i tside
platter, and, therefore, we begin a once 'II

.
ifOtOtnaiiol id }4l/4 WI,Q 444, WA 'WV, ii/CPA 04? i','soti4
the; 4,114110 Witli the re •u+ atiXs:tilotifiliog 114013 iif l''i
1'i1,'.41,Y, tap Incas nation, and tint Atonanient, (Lud elipero.)
ve do press these upon-the young niind, although the coca-
Pl'ebension of the pupil is overborne by them, because we
Press them not upon the reasonable creature alone, but upon
.e uependent creature also, where God has a right to his
fiend RS well as every other power belonging to hitp. Foi-
this reasontl
, then, w(; cannot agree with those who think that
M,)eould deep and obscure and
mysterous doctrines of the Gospel
/e be kept back from the children's mind. I pray you
jttember this, for it is very plausible to say that people
ob„°_ll..ld. only learn as they are able to understand nit tie-
''lo 10 the modern philosophers of these times I
to transfer
vi_ hat is true about secular things, and apply it, where
oio
c.sefa,pe to be true, to sacred things. (Cheers.) I %in: )a-ne
`1"tiol, difference. Upon this account it is that w t t
."' from that school. (Hear.) And now I come tothe
third class.
With regard to the third general class I will read the se-
:—
eand resolution Passed at the meeting before referred to
2(1. That an legislative enactment for the
.p. notion of this objet
nit% gave to Y
d promotion
and privileges
*lU'l'eld fromO re"g" deummnatm" a "uq, to be stivnuously
Posed, OtherS, Would be unjust, and otn, t
That •
.n : :quality among the third school. Henarp.u)sitAmlnl
thatch gof
__ere
°lents and assertions proceed upon the s
tp e
Is nothing here upon earth higher than ht.
nm_ind
Alattit,.3 ; that there is no such thing as divine revela io ,
.., s oles so•
Ur ist,s,'"—'•‘o. nO, I deny that.
fi°.e • 4, titz.--My sentence was not finished,—or, Ivew-aa-s
014 g to
L aaY,--or, if there be such a thing as divine re
_illy.
ie._ taere is no such thing as any man or class of men
. los
_y tli6e:.1111 4 certainty of what is revealed truth, as to justify
it 4' in exercising their influence and authority in
Ipfrde
ivine
_ v P.Oll. other men or upon children. (Cheers.), it is
rtLelati"
. be SO uncertain that no man can know what
e__t; sildefilrhelY it is practically useless ; a conclusion
. of infidelity
434 the e Melt I now speak of would be unwilling .
Irian el °ther hand, if divine revelation be so
. certaion that a
od's aY indeed know what it is, God has said then, t,o. press
bigot,. '',Yinff upon other men is not tyranny but ....,Lut.%,wnoet. the __Y. but true charity. (Great cheers.) In this vti w
la:
iediTeartter a
IT Inc"iv truth in a fallen world becomes no t I
the s itt men would make it, an empty scabbard, be. what
‘
Sir, ..11,1.011r has declared it to 'be, a sharp sword. (Ch.eerszt.
this
point
ddeismseaentiou a the question of national education
n-n-t
esti.
the "ted and attended ds that the rights of children should 13 i .
parents ,
religiee , ended to, as well as the rights of boreal, rights of children as well as their civil and. cor-
eaker
alainstitleilstt.(llear.) It was argued by another speaker Alt, 'lll that,—
eoaset,e;Portion of human obligations ought to be to individua
tnllti,44 ta'!'llcl the larger the portion of such obligatio.ilieesftthey dared to
:Lie' iVoillri,Pidinti er„,,,,dome, and with satety, tn 'better and the
Agreed. 1 It the state of society.
it, let es tstbil principle we agree most cordially : andw.hna(.t.si_s
let
ttax, that has rendered legislative interferenceweakening, farasite',even between parent and child, thus
o ca-
racter ) li`ands, the independent manliness ot the nai ,
,frectio,...istead of placing implicit reliance 9pon tbl( illifinttuirnadl
neeessa!! and tender management of parents, it has . eelaroun .
theirto throw a shield of legislative protection
crue.
yd
English
their 's_t° g
ua r d them against the covetousness andth s
tritti.
s.,egiisk :arents,,
(Hear.) And what has forcedut
thei de-
fair
fat
izt proceeding upon the legislature, b
tem which
enrliber g factory system—(hear, hear)—
fair fi I al agitators for free trade desire to aexsteyisid (r t1(1)e
11farailie 4°f the whole count ? (Hear.) Tile affairs. .1
41 4 edllgn'ed Ili hat system that system are no longer left to indivi.
thdld IThe preferences of parents to maaknedtmli_nir.
to the injury of. their health
right
parents° Longer allowed to have undisputed sway.
havt,
(Hear.)
"lilitaa., are corn ell d to feel that their children. e
takes lced as p e
than: the libethemselves, and. that
.. a paternal legislature
an such fiber of supposing. itself wiser and more humane
El kg. Parents. It interposes between parent and child,
the nee*es and
Publishes laws at once for the instruction of
state in and the protection of the other. (lieJr, hear...), The
and
,e,lailts scibtlai,ng Presumes a right standard of humani.
~,,a,
'• standard to compel reluctant parents to confolL'oant,ol Of the e-'O-4d, for the good of their childreu personally, '
the
ten haeri,rl,llity generally. (Hear.) 17). hat
lel
ettslative idi ' but an exercise of such 3
Digitised Oterference ? (Applause.-
) wi .ea nt
principlebseenieviosleriLt
This
460 with, not only in its application to
instruction
physical labour, but
is snatch reference. to schools, so far as secular
all theserees.
0,0, Certain books re prepared by authority, and.e
Parenfsssgaren who attend are compelled to read thsitn.
con,,dt are not who
d • it would be worse than. useless
.
oah • "neli e
then h„ Parents, or to be influenced
en, sitoulq,,eve,r sincerely entertained. (Hear, hear.).. Why,
'Ned a., , s this
the hi r acted principle, so wisely and benefic"aliy recofn-
oPon in all other respects,
tiously
be repudiated givegehe:t of all respects y should it be ostenta , . eeretoir 'lt the Matter of religious instruction ? (!jar.)
hisil
chid's Lot. cruel
parent is not allowed to injure
of Da ""V, 13Y • • labour, or depriving i
dni re ttir * , compelling it to over
ed for so
;„--eg. 11,4 -the legislature interposes, and is prais
to in-
cal""teh. "'' an infidel or idolatrous parent is allowed
le • 15 child'
truth, and if the
gislatnr s soul, by depriving it of divine ..(4 e attempt to interpose, it is denounced as 1
t •ranni-
- d re-
ettniz em%) I ask why 's this Have we a deli- an f
all „, e aandard Of h -i • b 'f' re which it is the duty o
atrea to bo umanity e 0 , .
becoming in a wise
.A.,,Paternsf , and before which it is
bow ?
And 5a,,,,,--• governme tto compel cruel recusants to ,
uses ;--- %sens
standardsuelin of religion ? The very ye-
We Is thels fact. R le' l e only subject upon whi.ch
41V
-all jilt' irble 1-I°l -s t ' l • subject upon which.
voice has ka 1 e standard ; the on }. .
the dt nt
all me oeen uttered u ion earth, which it is
l°r lah4o,,everY where to obey Concerning the time usablea110..t,
various -ar' and the time needful for rest and recreation c.i ,etnrided grea ; concerning the state of the atmosphere in
transition °alas
which may still be innoccuous, and the
health •
and _ state when it becomes injurious to human_. ,t
instrZt""i"
and all kindred questions, the opinions of the best l'e hatedic'enost competent men may and do difTe.rt
;daned
anal 'lathe ?itandard, no rectifying tribunal, of acknow e g
In
etatters City to
appeal to. Nevertheless we legislate.
velatio of religio we should be similarly situated, if no re-
i„ , n ha,,
ever
been , . .
But if it he
lqiecd trueu
rally hi that
merci-
Almighty God himself has beets
In it,ll'."!cl to make a communication to men, and to desire
re
ate
Iv, atit.
t Otould be made known to children ; then,
,ae
aod wednnilarly situated ? We have a standard 11!.r ,
that it i venture to affirm without fear of ref9tation,
rq reads the right, the di; ine right, of every child _
that
telteer-v-, to be made acquainted with God's most holy word.
the
eh].) That, air, to Whom is the duty intrusted of putting
the ~al din possession of his right? Doubtless primarily o
kers:. rent. mid in a Late ofuncivilized life, if the parentbe
for • l'alde or onwili• e .
_t it, there is • duty, Lag to perform his there is no help
;41%41, no higher power on earth, .no controlling go-
be like pa-
' of
like' knia progresaive improvement, it must
__.
Ir.,4hiaitt.C`"• But under a government ; a civilizing, r.I
"atieti '''. Improving government; a government professing
rbile anitry, moreoVer, there is a higher power; there is a
ireets4l al, not interfering with right-minded Christian
„igent, LuattLt most properly interfering with barbarous, neg-
"a to --' anti-Christian parents : interfering at least so far
the put the children iii ossession of their best birthright—
,.Nist?„r„d °Lt. Gad. Th ePstablishment, as it is called, of the
ee s".eaurch b the state,is the great legislative interf!-
,_, for the Y.
.
d er ose • and it
7 to oft'
accomplishment of this goo p P ,
t'el mtalagaus to the ten hours' bill, and other mea-
is I ;l
Otkli,. banallegislation in things temporal. his analogy
T tl e re.
evedeeeer, rashly. denied by our opponents ; and 1 P
eqcor gl:c,n to the,L4stablislied Church, is evidently the
4044 eth tneir grievance. Against this they speak with the
of 4 N'oa and mortification. Of a - degraded class. (Loud cries
tb,4tioll4 "°," and some interruption.) " Toleration ! tole.:
,why : , exclaimed they .ll •ii nation "toleration. !
oku'itoieration is de degradation !" 11(e% (great cheering.) Their
aim ie:iie,V of yelligiougs libertyi°a
is that all creeds, good, bad,
,s' Prseti"e,rent, should be treated alike—that is to say,
, it
losetb Rhocal- rejection of the Bible. (Great cries of ' No,''_
tk, unter cries o es" and cheers.) Who, I woulit
'l'le they Poke in thiswayabout degradation ? (Hear, hear.)
le di ~ not them
us loudly, that
Us ssee„.__ selves told us, anti told
Established
te"nrch are conferred on the clergy of the
(f2llie l'oyceretarnal 7
referred us
(Cheers.) Have they not
boon eerts) Yof the apostles as a Christian
. ornament?_e.
14_4 es
,heave they not contrasted it with what, they d
til:tor) siss"Le unchristian riches of our bishops . (Hear,
4 411 e theY not spoken with the condemnation of scorn
444 , and
air grandeu_>concerning all, the dignities of worldly rank
lain,
(0, that they • (Cheers.) Well, if this be so, why complain,
dee'ee!rs,). 'l',Y,,lare deprived of these Babylonishg r
amPerovi-
lied e Whith"i: Y Uot. rather be thankful for thekind
Aos e%ferred as shielded them from so much temptation,
ti .ettY ade pop them the glorious privilege of primitive
.
leir t ' a°. degr d• •
at the .earn et a ati.on, and persecction. .
' , (Cheers.) Either
our owl()affectation, or their
et thLr own „„_,,J3 nis complaints
seetZ speakeeanson are inconsistent. (He ,
ar bear.) One A '''' said, ra at the meeting from which I have already
'''sviZY little
it IN ,em the attention to the history of legislation on this subject
t '' delik,,k to the conclusion that this 'articular bill was, in fact,
th, Its but "aTate ithd
v -'''` a Most wily plan forchurch extension. (Cheers.)
,Ittkilen, 5eZ.,....e4rs ago that billl
_sintroduced into parliament by
iti -,..e1,1)--a 1-,`,,,"Y State mf
the\"llento Department (Lord John
iiiejl4icli 1,;.'4 truly national for
its objects and in its principles,—a
ttect ,J)yovidentht out all classes together on an equal principle.;
,t,l,4eZaltdi di,Z.l,.....twhei.rjoint education in a mannerrelfirgoinmw,wphairtthy
t,
,it .e`evi,li(„sii, owui%iiiizeh gave full power to every lt,„Nlab,ll%.aint nationniu'.i their °.ti
wag thrown out
aud that bill, national in
by the church
ts ~sodiy. , aided
am
_.)tlndits spiri.,
"t 1 tilt, '44(1%e Baptists e, he gi•levet • 1. to say, by the Wesleyan
(If e ' t/eeSSio (Rear.)
usork„on. n here refered to, in the debate in the House
at :ell's ed' e.Lord Stanley's motion against Lord John
t e tiekt, ucation naeasure the Right Hon. Baronet now
t,‘Vith i. q csf her Alae t ' '-- said,
,to meiet to ~ Js y a government,
,•Pa49l fro, ''''c fstablished church, I hope, rather than. consent
they which ecelesiastical authority is excluded, !t would
Litciqe(tlae,,7oll°.gether
„. front the state on this point; that it would
ti,11,55 ,hut in,,7sie th(o' Pere into its own hands ; that it. w_9aurld
_az!
tii_ t.„411:;11.at it xiviguld- d publication
the
irlis ,rot'; ZI et"slioul.ii be
‘,4°,t,t4lll4:tfits power by demand
,thatutih,itt!),i%
1 i 'tile minds of children
tt,e, el: tlie , Prtped tlie basis being insole
I very much doubt
Ziliti4ll,l'en, i'e'Ples of Christian faith being thus inculcated among
k'tql:P' thate°l chance of harmony would not bfi secured, as by
tllAlirt tor nittruatZligion was an open question, not
that each of thesieut
ti, a, that perpuaisbil; a Minister of his own creed on a certain day
41 ( re' ttod (lo b 'as% 4steers 0 n Bess still are, the sentiments of Sir Robert
na
ie'att Vegtach,,,,,,,,.‘nd we rejoice in the assurance that now. l
Rto, liropot-Set, jog measures as that of Lord John Russel
addf; of the oy the Government, or carried by the legis-
letailll4l44filati". (Cheers.) And here, sir, I would
lehtuie dal:4 tsPeeially to the Wesleyans. I frankly con.
teliee,a, tdte which the bill will occasion to some of your
nf %La ate,N bed
?toe ask, for what purpose came your
(4
grapeyse Poor ard Was it not for the christian education.
clam, , 1-,aubtle ' andnot for the building up
IAN niter as it was,
'l4'4 %ell that eats of Your own. (Hear.) Suppose i
at• Its. ' this bill will operate against your class
s„ Viet tL! Yet, n„,
Sh,po-" 'le ehr• •e as You can show that it will operate
d chi.; Ltian education of the people, you can show
ItithYoi it abaci reason for o osin it (Hear, hear.)
(litillt any t atnongst thosePwPho seek 'their own things,
tey r,) star rOth
1 -erly consider ti nof the things of others.
a o
have °oti d el you
are
olden one, .__ . not amon thosho are envious of
ein "leas done by yourselves And now you
144), °toes ePPortunity of showing the true elevation of
the aaY as "t 1 Princi 1
fse lees, e hoe _ P
.es by which you are actuated. You
trrwttl of sem_ anephed for a season, as far as we could,
t:ie Ditr to etsetice af both Church and State : we have been
ot tiidg4e• Tit Itt the gari, and by all our energies to stay
tel ous b i t work, indeed was too heavy for us, but
tifeeltealn 11... the State'
is to the necessity
Ale urge „g In this,._ ow,. rouzed
0 Ya-th ‘toireitn, "Tit. with a power such as we could not
it
,e ets,„
,u, and instead of employing us, she ena-
Ana Zristlse'"•"aned church as her agent. What then, is
.IvorCortang"rae ? IS it to be contentious, and' envious
`,Yeet:,,°, with-et; or is to be thankful that now, at last, the
ttive ;lIY do, ist° do, and endeavoured to do, but could not
eit t`k e' •to be effeetuall done by others' ? If you say,
titt.„..4,POiled 3°lee to see ill y .
tht 6). 111 th .' as anoiled e work done,' but
.we griev
e to
heihilotioo ell Present
church
it must.be by the established
ur_
or 'A t or the
_, . semi-popish state ;we cannot end._ 7
~ s boa en fr.,..._ eaddren for whom we have so long toiled
'reetd of"'" oOr institutionand consigned to the care
4114
.41.1411 trustees th ,
.. , is a
aidlt artier 'ltho en., ' e Officnil
.chairman of wmc".o_,
NI 4 his d . (teams the princi le of the Reformat' 1:,
I tia..
this esi to uuprot 1)
h church.
rteqteeldrati /
agree
w.t. estan.tise the Englis„ _ ,senet
iv little d4l ber i e you In this, with aII ror" ha_
etl Otlld Of the 1 ieeed that such views were indeed c
et i ativoe c ergy of the established church as a body,
et e 4 thei ate oothi
inflo-
th, leu , r ham_
Bug
that would place power or
one
ht, t a fewEloze4
47',.. BUt is this so Remember that 7
ti Nit , Perwallows don't make a summer. Remember
hes toil,. noos
e, of nO,tl
it L are b,. card Makes peculiarities seem
to be many,
eculia-
bt-:tty.of ::_4ru of an
_se . them active, and their
Pao large
tile' tOirseren as the 7, 17 side. Remember that in
would
14e 4Pro ePt to ha'4erinr of the English church, it
side of
!stoProxfrev.ez Path of !sa few peculiarities, on either side
b also
laikaee italt Proirokinuth and wisdom. Remember
vernent,
stsseatetee a grstif„i g cause of this Tractarian rea
_wing
so, nti;,...., 14 of tile A tig proof of the general and gr....rs
tte, ";'" Pastore • ergY as a body. The influence t'l
The 01 111 the church
h increase every-owl, was on t..e . A for
U 4144 qgiticelleet IA hich clatFLlc"
.
i

ioel,f; *PtiiN i41040..4141114yr vtitokiiii iiiwi,-L, TO 1'4,!

iyaiitirk, k►u; il4o=3al4i►ii4

7.1.114 Wwogiiiltiani,pl4-YitiOi*4l)(l
upc3''L • - W •
sy uewspi.,per•rea, nig, it. Cdof e 1.4 ft 0.4p0un., hat
was to be done What new aspect conhl the nallw;4.; o'ati
assume to hold his ground, and, if possible, regain his influ-
ence ? Ritualism, formalism, pliariseeism, these having a

semblance of piety, might answer his purpose for a time.
They have done so. They have ensnared the unwary
through a professed regard to the orders and authority of the
church. They have intoxicated a few young men, presenting
to them a short cut to supposed influence, influence derived
from office, not from character. But do you seriously be-
lieve that these things have made an impression upon the
body of the church, so as to characterise her general teach-
ing ? There is no evidence of any such thing. A flagrant
instance here hnd there may be cited ; but compared with the
hundreds of sound men, who teach the articles of the church
as they are, such an instance may be truly called " rara avis
in terris ;" I may appropriately finish the quotation, "
que cygno."—The rev, gentleman proceeded' at
considerably further length on this subject, in the course of
which he quoted a letter to the Wesleyans on the Education
Bill, just published by Simpkin and Marshall, but in the
observations we have given the substance of his argument
will be found. lam anxious, he then proceeded, that you
should yet bear with me a little longer. (Hear.)
I proceed now to the fourth class ; to address those who
agree with us in the main upon this question, but who differ
with us, and among one another, about the particular enact-
ments of this bill. There are some extreme churchmen who
seem desirous of joining in the cry of extreme anti-church-
men, that it should be thrown out altogether. (Hear.) This,
I apprehend, is out of the question, seeing that it has passed
the second reading in the House of Commons, and that,
therefore, the principle of the bill is already affirmed by
parliament. Granting, therefore, for argument sake, that it
would have been originally wiser or safer for the government
to have availed themselves of the two great existing edu-
cational societies, the National Society and the British and
Foreign School Society, and to have made them their agents
in carrying out more vigorously and universally the education
of the people ; the advocates of such a view should now re-
member, like wise practical men, that it is too late, and
should see that their alternative is now not between this bill
and no bill, neither is it between this bill and a better bill,
but it is between this bill and a worse. (Hear, hear, and
cheers.) They should also take into their consideration the
present state of the factory law as regards education,
and the suggestions for improvement which have been laid
before the legislature by persons who, from their personal
observation of the working and deficiency of the present
system, arc best qualified to form a correct and comprehen-
sive judgment. (Hear, hear.) The present factory act was
passed in the session of 1833, and the educational clauses
came partially into operation early in 1834; but they did not
apply to their full extent until the spring of 1836; and in
consequence of proceedings then pending before parliament,
they were not really in operation till the month of June
1836. In 1838, on the motion of Mr. Grote, there was a

Return to an address of the Honourable the House of Commons,
dated 15th August, 18:38 ; —That her Majesty would be graciously
pleased to give directions, that each of the • Ibur factory inspectors do
report separately, at the period of his quarterly general report, on the
effects of the educational provisions of the Factories' Act, as exemplified,
in not less than twelve of the schools situated in his district, in which
those provisions hive been obserted in the most efficient manner; and
that the four factory inspectors do make a joint report, as to any modi-
fication of the existing educational provisions of the Factories' Act,
which may appear to them desirable.

In consequence of that address reports were made by
Mr. Horner, Mr. Howell, Mr. Saunders and Mr. Stew-
art, the Inspectors of Facturids; and in conclusion there is
a joint report in which they all five agree. In Mr. Horner's
repoi t I find this passage—

As the lair has made it obligatory on parents to send their children
to school, if they are to be employed in a factory, it is neither equitable
nor consistent legislation to impose this obligation without affording
the means of its being fulfilled, by providing suitable schools whete
none exist. It is not unreasonable to require parents to reserve a
small portion of their children's weekly earnings to pay for their edu-
cation; but us the parents of such children cannot unite to build and
furnish a school, it must be done for them. Unless, therefore, good
primary schools be establisl e i generally tan ou laout the country, or
unless schools be specially pr,viocd for factory children at the public
expense, the educational provisions nuistcontinue to be inefficient in by
tar the greatest proportion of instances, except where good schools are
voluntarily kept on their premises by the proprietors.

Observe the practical suggestion of this inspector ; and this
suggestion we shall find made into one of the provisions of
the bill now before parliament, upon the recommendation of
the inspector. The same gentleman, Mr. Leonard Horner,

At present, factory schools on the premises are established either by the
liberality or benevolence of the owners, or because it is the most conve-
nient arrangement for their works, or from both motives combined. But
this only happens in large establishments, where the number of
children employed is considerable. It is in those factories where the
number is small that the educational provisions are in general carried
into operation with the least efficiency; and, although we do not hesi-
tate to interfere when the compliance is merely formal, we are often
obliged to acquiesce with a very imperfect fulfilment of the spirit of the
law, because no better system of schooling is within reach. Forinstance,
it is not at all an unusual thing to have certificates presented to us,
subscribed by the teacher, with his or her " mark;" this generally hap-
pens in the case of female teachers, but they are held to be equal in
qualification to the majority of those who keep " dame-schools " In
the last quarter I had a school voucher presented to me with a " mark,"
and when I called on the schoolmaster to read it before me ho could
not. It had been written out by the clerk of the factory, and the school-
master nad been called to put his mark to it. I have had to reject the
school voucher of the fireman, the children having been schooled in the
coal-hole, (in one case 1 actually found them there,) and having been
made to say a lesson, from books nearly as black as the fuel, in the in-
tervals between his feeding and stirring the fire of the engine boiler. It
may be supposed that such a thing could only happen at the mill of
some poor ignorant man; but that, I am sorry to say, was not the
case ; it occurred at factories where a large capital must be embarked.
(Hear, hear.) This was the way they met the letter of the
law. Mr. Howell says in his report—

Where good :schools are open to factory children I do not observe any
reluctance on the part of the parent; that they should be sent to such
schools, although the parents are, of course, disinclined to pay a twelfth
part of their ehildren's earning; in order that they may remain two
hours every day, vith a tattered spelling book in their hands, in some
room which is called a school, under the valueless tuition of the over-
looker's wife or daughter, or some other ignorant person who is meta-
morphored into a teacher for the purpose o a literal compliance with
the educational provisions of the Factories' Act.

(Hear, hear.) In Mr. Saunder's report there is an account
from the mill of Messrs. Rawson, at Sowerby Bridge, in
which the mill occupiers make the following suageations

As long as the act ►imply prescribes "teaching to read:", I do not see
what improvement could be made upon the present law. A better class
of masters spi.ears required to give " u sound, religious, and moral edu-
cation ;" but, excepting in very large connected manufactories, there
could scarcely be procured masters of ability without great incresse of
expense. I cannot see bow any other arrangement could be advanta-
geously made, except " by the establishment uf district schools, with the
masters appointed and pull by goverinneut,(probably from lines under
the act in part,) and under the direction and superintendence of the pa-
rochial clergy. The introduction into such schools of instruction in
sexing and knitting to the girls, would, in nir opinion, be of quite as
much or more advantage than the mere learning to read."

Another suggestion from Mr. Saunder's report was by
Messrs. Wood and Walker, of Bradford— '
We are decidedly of opinion that learning, without such sound reli
gious application as is provided for by the national system of the esta-
blished church, will only create more adepts in mischief, and that the
popular proposition of a national system of education without religion
in any settled form, under the pretext of avoiding bigotry or sectarian-
ism, is nothing less in effect than a proposition to spread infidelity and
anarchy.

The Rev. Gentleman expatiated at some length on these ex-
cellent suggestions ; after which he read the following extract
from a letter addressed to one of the inspectors by the Rev.
Archdeacon Lyall—

Iladleigh Rectory, November 9, 1838.
MY DEAIi have great pleesure in replying to the questions
put to me in your letter respecting the effects produced upon the conduct
and morals of the children in the silk factory established in this town
by the regulations under which it is conducted. Those regulations are
inserted in the lease of the premises occupied by Messrs. Brown and
Moy. The premises were built by a certain numbea of shareholders, of
whom I am a principal one; and one ottject was to obtain a power over
the children employed, which the law does not give. These regulations
are very simple, being, limit, that the rector, churchwardens, and three
other individuals, should form a committee, and that no children should
be received into the mill without their certificate; and that they should
have a power sunituari:y to dismiss any child or per Son employed in or
about the factory whose conduct was disapproved Second, that the
committee should be empowered to stop lid. per week from the earn-
ing of all children under 13 for education ; and that the children should
attend school daily for one hour and a half. I have never collected
more than ld. a week, and have been satisfied with the attendance—
oue hour per day.

I may also observe, as a confirmation of what I have said respecting
the children, that the owners of the factory, who, at first thwarted me a
good deal, have now become so sensible of the advantages to themselves
of the regulations in their lease, that upon building a new fitctory,
about eight miles from here, the year before last, they told me that it' I
would prevail upon the clergy of the neighbourhood to accept and exer-
cise the same authority as I do here, they would convey the ground to
them and them successors for 99 years, and take their factory from them
under a lease for that time, subject to the same, and even to more strin-
gent regulations than I had intended to insist upon.

In the joint report of the four inspectors there was this
clause—

We are of opinion that, in order to secure his fees to the schoolmaster,
which he very often loses when he has to look to the children for them.
it should be enacted, that in every case the occupier shall be entitled to
deduct from the wages of the (-alibi such sum as may be approved of by
the inspector, not exceeding 34, in each week, to pay for the schooling,
and that, upon demand, he shall pay the sums so deducted to the
schoolmaster.

It appearS to me, therefore, continued Mr. rvl`Neile, a
strong argument in favour of the provisions of this bill.
that they are not theoretic experiments originating in the
present measure, but progressive improvements upon the
existing system, suggested by practical men conversant
with the details of the subject. And I hope the men as-
sembled here, and thousands besides in this great town, will
lose no time in appending their names to this petition, and,
thereby performing their constitutional duty in strengthen-
ing, as far as they can, the hands of her Majesty's govern-
ment in this great measure, so that in the committee
of the House of Commons upon the bill, they may maintain
unimpaired the scriptural character, and Church of England
management of the proposed district schools. Opposition
must of course be counted upon, but painful as contention is,
and must always be, to the Christian, I hope we shall ever be
found willing to " contend earnestly" rather than compromise
Vie great principles of scriptural education. (Cheers.)
And let us, sir, always bear. in practical remembrance,
that in a revolted world like this, the Bible itself, containing
the will and law of the great Sovereign, must always be a
cause of contention among his rebellions subjects. (Hear.)
They can bear any thing with more patience than to have his
authoaity forced upon their reluctant minds. The imagina-
tions, commandments, and traditions of men, in their vari-
ous and innumerable forms of falsehood, can all amalgamate
with convenient pliancy, for the attainment of secular ad-
vantages or the gratification of envious and jealous antipa-
thies. A wonderful illustration of this is at hand. At a
meeting where Mr. Blackburn was in the chair, and where
there were Mr. Bevan, Mr. Martineau, Dr. Youens, Mr.
Kelly, and Mr. Thom, a certain Mr. Rowland spoke. (Hear.)
And Rowland said—(laughter)—" He felt they were united
in all that was fundamental and all that was important—that
they were now assembled upon the same platform, within the
common bosom of Christianity." They were all agreed in
fundamentals!! (Hear, hear.) And what were the funda-
mentals? (Hear, hear.) Is the Trinity fundamental? Mr.
Martineau denies it ! (Cheers.) Is the incarnation funda-
mental ? Mr. Martineau again denies it ! (Loud cheers.)
Is the atonement fundamental ? Again Mr. Martineau
denies it ! (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Is infant baptism
fundamental? Mr. Giles denies it! (Laughter.) Is infant
baptism to be opposed? Here is Mr. Bevan who adopts it !
Is the one mediator between God and man fundamental?
Here is Dr. Youens with a thousand—(hear)—screening him-
self behind the anti-Scriptural figment of a difference between
the one mediator of redemption, and the many mediators of
intercession ! Yet, they are all agreed to fundamentals !
(Cheers.) I will tell you what the real fundamental point is
upon which they are agreed—opposition to the Established
Church of England ! (Cheers.) I said that all these forms
of falsehoood could amalgamate with convenient pliancy; but
truth, divine truth, has a chemical test which separates and
precipitates all the dregs of falsehood. All the images of the
false gods of the Amorites might have been brought into the
house of Dagon, and all stood quietly together; but
when the Ark of the God of Israel was introduced, the
idol of the Philistines tottered and fell, and was broken.
(Cheers.) And so it is now. The philosophy, falsely
so called, of the Socinian, the Mass Book of the Ro-
manist, the revived Breviary of the Tractarian, the Jewish
Talmud, the Mahometan Koran, the llindoo Shasters, the
classic Pantheon, all these May be cast by the witchery of
Liberalism into one cauldron :
Blear spirits and white,
Red spirits and grey,
Mingle, mingle, mingle,
Ye that mingle may !" (Tremendous cheer%)
But attempt to add the Bible, in the vulgar tongue,tolthh'e
s
beterogenous mixture, and you will raise ab
setßrm
ible which ,
and the
de
witch cannot allay. All these are against
Bible is against all these. The an3pttto mix them must
produce contentioa,— _

" Till the burley burley's done,
Till the battle's lost and won !"
The rev. gentlemen then resumed his neat amidst applause
which almost rent the building.

liti,i4+,,,te,4 p'idoi!rti SfIPF
1-'ft• 041 :Ad r. i•iii-111PV, I,'Vg/volOi4.44t•Crt)i

ph., that. OiP W!)uitiyang fii4l.l4ly"
tp ties

On the [notion of Mr. SHAND, Seconded by Mr. J. B.
LLOYD, it was resolved that the petition should be sent for
presentation to the House of Commons to the borough
members.

14. TATTERSALL then moved, and Mr. WILKINSON,
churchwarden (elect), secondcd, a vote of thanks to the
chairman, which was carried by acclamation, and the pro-
ceedings terminated about tine.. o'clock.

THE DOCK COMMITTEE

The usual meeting of the Dock Committee took place yes-
terday. There were present—Messrs. Horsfall, Barclay,
Evans, Holmes, Holt, Nicol, Smith, Aikin, Shand, Mid-
dleton, Bulky, and Bold.
The CHAIRMAN called the attention of the members to
the result of an experiment in the application of sheet-iron
under a wooden floor, with a view to ascertain its effects in
preventing or retarding the spread of fire to the timber,—and
requested the Secretary to read Mr. Whitty's (Head-consta-
ble) report on the subject, of which the following are the
principal points

_ .
Mr. Whitty, at the request of Mr. Hartley, superintended
the improvement, which was made on Tuesday last. A
building had been constructed for the purpose at the " Old
Dock Yard." It was 18 feet square, and 10 feet high, covered
with a strong wooden floor; and about an inch from the joist
was placed very thin and not very good sheet-iron rivetted
together, enteuding the full extent of the ceiling, so as to ex-
clude the flames from the woodwork. The interior of the
building was filled with 30 empty tar barrels, two large bun-
dles of oakum, half-a-barrel of pitch, two cart loads of broken
timber (very 'dry), one cart load of chips and shavings, and
two gallons of dirty fish oil sprinkled over the other articles.
There was a thorough draft through the building, and when
the materials were ignited the combustion was most rapid,
the whole interior becoming in ten minutes like a furnace.
The building being new, it gave off much steam, and cracked
in several places. Through the fissures smoke and vapour
issued, but no flame until after a lapse of 40 minutes. It
then appeared round the interstices of the flooring, &c., and
in forty-five minutes the fire was extinguished and the flooring
raised. The joints and boards were found to be greatly charred,
and on exposure to the air quickly ignited. The sheet-iron
was old, and by no means air-tight, as it ought to have been ;
but still the experiment was important, as showing :—First,
that a building so constructed cannot be considered perfectly
fireproof; and, secondly, that, though not fireproof, it still
offers such impediments to the progress of fire as closely to
approximate to it. "To prevent the extension of fire for
forty minutes (says Mr. Whitty) amounts almost to a perfect
impediment, and points out a very easy way by which exist-
ing warehouses could, at a trifling expense, be rendered infi-
nitely more secure against tire that they are at present." He
also states that Mr. Hartley may possibly, after this experi-
ment, be able to suggest further improvements. Mr. Whitty
also reports on another experiment, which he witnessed, to
test the security of brick arches—models of those intended
for the floors of the new dock warehouses. On the respec-
tive merits of the two plans with reference to fires, he says—
" Supposing a fire in a warehouse protected by sheet iron, I
would approach it with apprehension ; but to a fire in a ware-
house constructed with brick arches, &c., I would go, not
only with perfect confidence that it could not extend, but that
it would be extinguished in a few minutes."
The report of Mr. John Stewart arid Mr. Samuel Ilolme,
on the model arches for the warehouse floors, which have
been erected at the dock yard, was then read. These gentle-
men express an opinion that " floors so constructed would be
as fireproof as it is possible to have floors in lofty ware-
houses, and are perfectly sufficient to carry a proper stowage
of merchandise. The concrete flooring on the top of the
arches appears to be very sound and good, and is a very de-
sirable floor for a brick arch." They, however, recommend
that it should be ascertained whether narrow-wheeled trucks
for moving heavy weights would not injure such a floor; and
" still retain their opinion that the floor, distinguished as No.
1 in their former report, is, so far as refers to the general
strenth and completness of the warehouses, the best ; and
that the only advantage which the arched floor possesses is
that it is more fireproof." They state in conclusion that they
understand that a successful experiment has been made with
sheet-iron, and that its use in the mode which they originally
recommended would tend in a great degree to limit the spread
of fire with a floor constructed according to No. 1, and pro-
tected by sheet-iron.
The CHAIRMAN stated that it was desirable that members
of the committee who had not seen the model-brick arches
should inspect them.

Mr. HARTLEY said they could be seen any day between
10 and 1 o'clock.

Several members expressed their intention to visit the
dock-yard this day for that purpose.
A Report from the Marine Surveyor was then read, sug-
gesting an application to the Trinity Board for the laying
down an additional buoy and a beacon for the better guid-
ance and protection of vessels in the south channel into the
harbour—to be placed at points where chiefly for want of
them no fewer than 20 vessels have been lost within the last
seven years. This was agreed to.
The Crt AIRMAN stated that the owners of two vessels had
expressed a wish to have the use of the transit sheds—west
side of the Prince's Dock.

This was concurred in, and orders were given to prepare
them with partitions of trellis-work, requisite to separate the
weighed from the unweighed goods.
Matters of finance were then entered upon, and the re-
porters withdrew.

THEATRE-ROYAL.

LAST NIGHT OF THE OPERA OF " MARINETTE."

We perceive that this evening the composer and author of
the new opera of Marinette take their benefit. As this will
be the only opportunity our readers will have of witnessing
this production of their townsmen, we hope it will not have
to be said that the cold shoulder has been shown to those
who have exhibited a laudable pride in wishing the result of
their labours to be seen for the first time in their" ain tour."
Very great promises of support have been held out, which
will not, it is hoped, be _

_
" kept to the ear,
But broken to the hope."
The opinions of our contemporaries have been given, in spite
of some extra-critical flourishes, in its favour; and if a
bumper house this evening rewards those concerned, any per-
sons in doubt on the subject as to its merits or demerits will
have the " living fact before them" ; and the public voice
will show whether, in better times, the authors will be jus-
tified in trying once more to afford amusement to the public.
The composer and poet's place is recognised in all festive
circles;—we own their influence in the quiet evenings at
home—in the brilliant concert hall—at the social board—in
all cheerful societies—in hut, in hall—in drawing-room or in
humble cottage-parlour ;—the sailor sings at the capstan,
and the lover seeks to win his mistress by his serenades ;
the soldier is inspired with " deeds of arms " by ;the 'soul-
rousing march, while the husbandman indulges in " native
strains that melt us as we sing them" ;—the schoolboy
" whistles to keep his courage up" ;—the maiden warbles at
her wheel, or while plying the busy needle ;—the peeress—
nay, all classes, to the Sovereign herself—own the power
and sway of music and song : and surely the rich rewards
which every foreigner in this country can command ought
not to be withheld from those who are " native here."

We add the following ballad as a specimen of the author's
style of versification. It is sung by Mr. Shrivall with taste,
feeling, and pathos :

BALLAD

(From the new Opera of " Marinette.")
When the clouds of misfortune shall shadow us o'er,
And life's golden sunshine shall cheer us no more ;
When the gloom of despair seems our fate to invest,
And sorrow impending brings friends to the test:
Then we find that dear woman still icy will confer,
She'll smilingly meet us, no change is in her.
May her gentle dominion o'er man never cease,
And may Heaven watch over her pathway of peace!
Would we see lovely woman in colours of truth,
'Tis not where she mingles, in pride of her youth,
Where garlands of flow'rs with lamps we festoon,
When night time is made like the brightness of noon!
Not amid mirth and music she'll seem the most fair,
But where kindness is needed, go seek for her there.
Oh, may her dominion o'er man never cease,
And may Heaven watch over her pathway of peace!