Adverting to a statement of the number of deserted children
in Manchester, recently made by the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Man- chester Courier says- " It is well known to our Manchester readers, that it has been the practioe for many years, (and a most humane and excellent practice it is,) to convey an children that are thund in the streets to the Pulice.office ; and that the plait was adopted for the purpose of affording facilities for the restoration of loit children to their parents. So successful has it been, that all the g,650 children reported in the return were claimed and restored to their homes in a few hours. We believe that there has been only one instance since the system was established of a child so found being deserted by its parents. Such are the facts ; and we hope the Marquis of Lansdowne will take an early opportunity of confessing his mis- take, in order that the erroneous impressions which his remarks have produced upon the public mind may be removed as soon as possible."
[This explanation of an alarming and painful statement shows the danger of founding conclusions on imperfectly-understood statistical returns.]
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