The promoters of extended and improved means of general edu-
cation have been very active this week. The advocates of the Manchester National system have held a conference and a public meeting ; the advocates of the Local Manchester and Salford scheme have held a meeting and sent delegates to Lord John Russell. Lit- tle more has been done, however, by these movements, than to dis- play an unabated or perhaps an increasing interest in this mo- mentous question. The delegates stated their case ably and tem- perately to the Premier ; and he criticized their statement judi- ciously and fairly. But all they drew from him with respect to his own intentions was, that he would consider their bill and after- wards communicate with them. This was probably as much as could be expected ; but it would have been more satisfactory had we not experienced in other matters the slow process of Ministerial " considerations " and the inconclusive nature of their results. It does appear that the authors of the two rival non- official schemes now most prominently before the public have ap- proached so nearly to each other that a sincere and resolute Ad- ministration might produce a plan which both might support with- out inconsistency ; and in the Educational Committee of the Privy Council, Government have an instrument that might easily be rendered competent to the realizing of a plan that could be agreed upon.
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