New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-16
GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL SOCIETY

GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL SOCIETY.
The American Geographical and Statistical Society
met at their rooms in the New-fork University on
Thursday evening the Rev. DR.. HAWKES. IN the char,
the Rev Mr. ADkMsoN Secretary. The minutes ol
the previous meeting read and approved, altel
which several new members were elected iIe i.s
ular business of the evening was then suspenaea io
the purpose OF enabling the SectOn Oh 'iVi"i S'"
to present their report. r., e .ho
Mr.. ARCHIBALD RUSSELL, the Chairman OF the
Section. presented an able report, embracing ecces
astica eleemOsynary, educatlonal ana crlilaI saa
tics By way of introducing his paper he used the
folownG extract from the Annual Report OF the Coun-
ell The Council have divided the objects OF the 80
cety into two general diysions-Geography ana Sta-
tistcs These in their turn, are each divided INTO
seven sections and each section has been placed under
the care of one of the members OF Council IL Is
earnestly desired that members should select tn6t
tonic which most interests them, and ~ acting WIN
the appointed chairman, form sub.socety or section
for the mutual cultivation of the topic selected. AT
stated intervals say in three months the section
will be expected to rpOr to meeting OF the Society
the most interesting topics which have occupied their
attention, and thus make public the result their Ia
bors Owing TO the great range OF topics, every per-
can select that which is most congenia to his
tastes; the student of natural science has geology
zoology or astronomy the medical msn-statstics
sanitary regulations and oil their kindred Inquiries
the lawyerpolitical statistics or the moral condition
of our pee pfc; the divine who looks from Natures
God down to Nature has spread before him in tuii-
est detail, and he has only to Gull the Hover whlch
most pleases him. the merchant can select CONNER
cia statistics finance Mythology the manufacturer
has mines and the statistics OF manufacture IN all their
various notifications TO select from.
On the first Thursday of each month the stated
meeting of the Society will be held in the chapel of
the University, when lecture will be given on some
suitable topic. On the intervening Thursdays, meet
ngs will be held in the rooms above, when the sec
tons in succession il is hoped, will be prepared to
report and thus each Thursday during the season,
members may expect to find some topic Of interest un-
der discussion.
Mr.. RUSSELL then proceeded to discuss the general
umeliablity of statistics and to point out the loose
manner in which they are usually compiled. AT the
same time he claimed that authentic statistics upon
all subjects, the most trivial IN themselves
were of permanent value to society. lie sald;
In connection with the importance OF tabulating
facts may be mentioned the great variety OF facts
which become valuable if properly tabulated. ln
crude and unGigested form they are so cumbrous and
unwiedy that they cannot be SAID to nave any value,
but properly arranged they at once enter into state
mens Of great interest. The Interesting book PUBLISH
ed by the French Government, edited by lie Play,
giving account of the condition OF working people
throughout the world, is case in point There the
individual facts noticed are trivial 10 Themselves but
assume importance by juxtaposition. Aud it Is with
regret notices how very imperfect the details oil
the American workshops are in lie Plays book. In
fact, data exist that know of for determining cor
rectly the great social question whether the working
classes are improving or are retrogradng IN domestic
comforts Wages alone do not determine the question,
anC IL Is Only the amount OF payment winch Is recorded
in the census, in the very valuable report made by
the various COnsuls, and published by the State De-
partment The questions OF rent, steadlness OF EN-.
ploymeD price food, of clothing healthtulness, and
other causes of which have few or no records are
essential to full survey Of the question. How inter
esing would II be TO determine whether the comforts
of the grea, body of workmen around us are increasing
or whether in the constant Improvement OF machinery,
the comforts Of this class sacrificed Accurate de-
tails Of expenditure OF the various classes of the COM
munity would enable us IN the future to determine
some Of these social questions.
Ecclesiastical Staiistics-ErIense Of Supporting
Religion.
The jealousy in regard to any int rference with
religion in this country has excluded from the national
much reference to this most vital subject, and
therefore peculiarly ignorant of the true state
OF our community. The alienation of sects, and the
total absence of all reciprocity among them, prevent
any alluson TO the labors of others differing from
Themselves and it is only by the collation. of the dii
fer nj reports that any statements can be made out.
May not look upon such Association IA this a.
common ground upon which the various religious de-
nominations may be fairly represented and their sta
tstcs, at least the local statistics fairly portrayed.
In England, very interesting report was made by
Mr.. Horace Mann upon the statistics of religion 10
1851 The number of places OF worship was accu
rately taken, their area measured their accoInnOiG
ton ascertancd the cost Of maintaining them inquired
into, and on a certain day the number of worshipper-
in every part OF England during each Of the three
services-iorenoon afternoon andn ght-were counted.
This OF course gave very good idea OF the nature OF
the accommodation made for the population. In this
country have nothing TO correspond with this in
formation. but we have noticed very gratifying sim
ilarity in the number and accommodation of churches
IN this State between the national O 1870 and
the State census of 1870:
Cost Of churches In this State ~
Cost Of churches IN This State lG55......... 1887
Accommodation o. ehTh hes in This STATE I2o.... el5l79
Accommodation Of churches IL this state, 1855 2lfIp
But connected with religion we are in great wan; Of
systematized statements Of the proceedings Of the
various enterprises which come under this head. The
American Bible Societies, the Baptist Bible Society
the Bible and Prayer-bOok Society the Tract Society
the Methodist Book Concern and the various reigiou.
papers connected with the respective churches are all
elements which should enter into a correct statement
Of the religious influence Its fruits in this country
But where We turn for any statement of these;
statement reliable in ts figures accurate in it, de-
tails Yet these societies all publish reports and were
this SECTION to get and preserve these reports and tab.
late annually the result the information would be most
valuable. The most unauthorized anc contradictory
stamenis are circulated about the religious condition
Of this country, but materials exist by which they
can be corrected or confuted, and while making for
mankind new experiment Of relieving the civil gov
eminent from all the expense and trouble Of caring for
the religious training OF the people are not maxim,