THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.
Leeds, selected as the rendezvous of the British Associaiion this aa- tumn, began to fill with visitors on Monday. The earliest proceedings took place on Tuesday, when the general committee bold its meeting in the Town-hall. The report submitted to the meeting states some facts of which in the course of the year our readers have been informed, such as the history of the Livingstone expedition, but it also contained others not so well known. Thus, it appears that the Prince Consort has ac- cepted an invitation to preside over the meeting of the Association at Aberdeen in 1859. General Grey on behalf of the Prince Consort says- " His Royal Highness cannot but feel gratified at the wish thus ex- pressed by the committee, though he is sensible that his own proficiency us scientific subjects is scarcely such as to entitle him to such a distinction. 14 therefore, he expresses his readiness to comply with the wishes of the committee, he begs that it may be considered merely as an expression of the deep interest which he takes in the advancement of science in this coun- try, and as a mark of the high sense which he entertains of the importance and usefulness of the Association. His acceptance of the presidency must also be considered, to a certain degree, conditional—depending upon his being in Scotland at the time proposed for the meeting. His Royal High- ness's time is not his own, and it is impossible for him, at this distance of time, to say whether the call of other duties may not be such as to prevent his attendance."
Much attention has been paid to terrestrial magnetism, and the report tells us that Dr. Lloyd of Dublin, proposed to the late Government that an expedition should be sent to the Mackenzie River to take observation there; a proposal Lord Palmerston declined to adopt. Mr. Napier having become Lord Chancellor of Ireland retired from the Parliamen- tary Committee ; his place is to be supplied by Sir John Pakington. The financial report shows that the Association is about 3201. better than it was last year.
On the same evening Professor Owen delivered the inaugural lecture in the Town Hall before a very large audience. It occupied three hours in the reading ; and treated of the great unceasing mutations of nature, manifested in the results of minute and comprehensive scientific research; described the most recent discoveries ; and moralized the whole theme by showing the effect of scientific truth upon civilization. One passage, allowing how useful a public servant is science, we may quote.
On the part of the State, sums continue to be voted in aid of the means independently possessed by the British Museum and the Royal Society, whereby the Natural History Collections in the first are extended and the more direct scientific aims of the latter institution are advanced. The Bo- tanical Gardens and Museum at Kew and the Museum of Practical Geology in Jermyn Street are examples of the national policy in regard to science of which we can hardly over-estimate the importance. Most highly and grate- fully also do we appreciate the cooperation of the Board of 'Trade with our meteorologists by the recent formation of the department for the collection of meteorological observations made at sea. But not by words only would or does science make return to governments fostering and aiding her endea- vours for the public weal. Every practical application of her discoveries tends to the same end as that which the enlightened statesman has in view. The steam-engine, in its manifold applications, the crime-decreasing gas- lamp, the lightning conductor, the electric telegraph, the law of storms and rules for the mariner's guidance in them, the power of rendering surgical operations painless, the measures for preserving public health and for pre- venting or mitigating epidemics—such are among the more important prac- tical results of pure scientific research with which mankind have been blessed and states enriched. They are evidence unmistakeable of the close affinity between the aims and tendencies of science and those of true state policy. In proportion to the activity, productivity, and prosperity of a community is its power of responding to the calls of the Finance Minister. By a far-seeing one the man of science will be regarded with a favourable eye, not less for the unlooked-for streams of wealth that have already flowed, but for those that may in future arise out of the applications of the abstract truths to the discovery of which he devotes himself. After pointing out the benefit which had arisen to the State from the discoveries of Black, Oer- sted, Hunter, Priestley, and Babbage, and the advantages accruing from the establishment of the British Observatory at Kew, and the application of pure mathematics and astronomy to trade and commerce, in making voy- ages safer and speedier, and after acknowledging the aid which the Govern- ment had afforded to scientific expeditions recommended by the Association, to the Kew Observatory, and to other institutions, the learned professor concluded as follows—" It now only remains for me to express how deeply I feel the honour conferred on me by the position in which, through your kindness, I am now placed ; how highly I esteem the opportunity afforded me of addressing so distinguished and influential an audience in this most noble hail; and how sincerely I thank you for the patience and favour with which you have received the address."
Professor Owen was frequently interrupted by bursts of applause, which rang loudly through the hall as he sat down. Professor Philhps then stated that tickets had been taken by 150 old life members, 31 old annual members, 26 new life members, 62 new annual members, 519 associates, 415 ladies, and six foreigners, making a total of 1259, whose subscriptions amounted to 1400/. The sections began their labours on Thursday, when several important papers were read.
Mr. William Angerstein, of Woodlands, Blackheath, has published an address to the electors of Greenwich, declaring himself to be a candidate for their suffrages. He is a Liberal. There are thus two Liberals in the field—Alderman Salomons and Mr. Angerstein.
The Bishop of Winchester in commencing his annual visitation this week addressed the usual charge to his clergy. In the course of re- marks on church-rates, the revision of the Liturgy, and other topics touching ecclesiastical reforms, he spoke of the practice of confession. It had been the custom, he said, to draw from the Prayer Book author- ity for practices "which were in antagonism to the whole spirit of our liturgical services." He went on to say—" The language of the formu- laries gave no sanction to private confession, while by the homilies it was expressly condemned. He believed that the practice was attended with the greatest danger, and that it had been perverted to the vilest purposes, and that it was as repugnant to the spirit of the Gospel as it was to the manly common sense and independent mind of the great mass of the Eng- lish people. They might depend upon it that their congregations would not tolerate the substitution of confession to a priest for conversion of the heart to God, and they would never endure to see the weaker members of their families subject to a process which would destroy the moral sense, and render them captive to the will of a spiritual director."
The Bishop of Bath and Wells has recently attended a dinner given at Wells to the navvies engaged on the Wells and Glastonbury line. The Bishop made them a hearty and sensible speech, and Lady Auckland gave each man a copy of the New Testament.
After a poll, which lasted three days, and closed on Saturday at four p.m., Gainsborough has refused a church-rate by a majority of 68 votes ; the numbers being for the rate 371, against it 439. This decision, how- ever, scarcely settles the question. By the act of Parliament for the augmentation of the living, the sum of 4001. ought to have been invested inland, and the rent paid to the vicar. This sum waa never raised, and consequently never invested ; in lieu of it the sum of 201. has been paid to the vicar annually out of the rate. The question now arises, how is the 201. to be raised? The great northern towns are fast supplying themselves with that luxury to human creatures "long in city pent "—a park. Manchester set the example. It has been followed in Bolton, Halifax, Macclesfield, Blackburn and Ashton. Last winter the panic and its consequent dis- tress threw hundreds out of employment, and the corporation of Stook_ port wisely set them to work to convert a piece of waste land given to the town years ago by Lord Vernon into a park. The work has been done well, and the site being good, and diversified with water, the Park will in time become a beautiful as well as healthful place of recreation. It was opened, with due ceremonial, on Monday, by the Mayor, the Marquis of Westminster, Lord Talbot, and others of note. The Chord Society sang the "Old Hundredth" ; the Mayor made a speech; and a salute of twenty-one guns was fired. The Mayor gave the people a bul- lock, 200 loaves, and two barrels of ale.
The Welsh Bards have held their septennial gathering known as the Eisteddfod, this week in the vale of Llangollen. There have been speeches, the recitation of poems, playing on the harp, and a curious procession to the Bardic circle. It was led by the band of the Denbigh Rifle; followed by the Druids ; women, on horseback in the ancient costume of Wales ; Bard; and " Ovates. The presiding bard was the Reverend J. Williams, whose bardie name is Ab Ithel.
A deserter has been seized at Manchester. Not an ordinary deserter, but one who went over to the Russians during the siege of Sebastopol. He fled one night, betrayed the position of his comrades, and thereby caused the death of many brave men. This man is Private Thomas Tole, 7th Fu- siliers. He now awaits justice at the hands of a court martial.
Blackwell, a publican, has killed a soldier at Dover with a poker. The publican refused to admit the soldier into the hour a second time; a quarrel ensued, and Blackwell fetched a poker with which he killed the man. A Coroner's Jury call it manslaughter; the Dover Magistrates have committed the publican to take his trial for wilful murder.
Two young persons, a lad and a lass, have been drowned near Wolver- hampton, under remarkable circumstances. Joseph Smith " kept company" with Jane Bowdler. One night the lovers were out late, and Smith says he took the girl home. After she had gone in he did not go away because she had expressed her determination to come out again. She did come out and run away. Smith followed, brought her back. This process was repeated four times. When she last entered the house she began, says the father, to unlace her boots, and said she would go to bed immediately. She slept in the same room with him and his wife, her mother. After being in bed ten minutes he again called to her to come to bed. The kitchen was on the same floor as the bedroom. .When she did not reply he went to the front door, called his daughter by her name, but received no reply. Smith says she ran off to a pool and jumped in. John Bebee, happening to pass, jumped in to save her, but she clung to him, and in spite of the efforts of both Smith and another man, they were drowned. A coroner's inquest was held. In the ease of Bebee they found that he was drowned while attempting to rescue the girl ; but in the case of the girl they requested that a pOsg mortent examination might be made before returning a verdict.
The inquest into the causes of the accident at the Sheffield Music Hall has been resumed. Statements, tendered in abundant quantities by wit- nesses, leave it still doutful whether the alarm arose from an explosion of gas, or the firing of a pistol. Several persons swear that they saw the pistol, saw fire leap from its muzzle, heard the report, and smelt gunpowder. On the other hand there were not wanting witnesses who say that they detected the presence of gas before any explosion took place, and saw the explosion' the match of the young man who • would have a smoke" setting it on fire. But gasfitters who gave evidence are of opinion that there could have been no explosion of gas at all.
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