Statistics. 339 



Celtic race of later intrusion, and probably, as he shewed, 

 passing from Spain to Ireland about the second century B. C. 



Section F. — Statistics. 



Mr G. R. Porter read a long paper, being an inquiry into 

 the question, whether, under our existing social system, there 

 is a tendency for tlie increasing of capital in the hands of 

 those already possessing riches ? The result of his paper 

 was, that he came to the conclusion, that the fears enter- 

 tained and expressed by many as to the probable disappear- 

 ance of the middle classes from among us are unfounded ; 

 that it is far from being true that the rich are growing richer, 

 and the poor are becoming poorer ; but that, on the contrary, 

 those who occupy a middle station (perhaps the safest sta- 

 tion as regards personal respectability, and that which offers 

 the surest guarantee for the progress and continued well- 

 being of the country), are progressively increasing in num- 

 ber, and in the proportion which they bear relatively to the 

 population of the kingdom. 



Mr Joseph Fletcher, London, next read a paper " On the 

 relation of Crime and Ignorance in England and Wales." 

 The paper stated, that in every light, whether under indus- 

 trial or political agitation, the more instructed localities shew 

 the most buoyant and favourable character. A discussion 

 took place on the subject of this paper, which was partici- 

 pated in by Colonel Sykes, Mr G. R. Porter, Mr F. G. Nei- 

 son, and Professor Hancock. Colonel Sykes said, he hoped, 

 in the consideration of this question, that they would guard 

 against assuming that an increase of crime was necessarily 

 and entirely to be attributed to defective education, for, in 

 his opinion, there were many other elements to be considered. 



Section G. — Mechanics. 



Mr Nasmyth gave an account of his new arrangement of 

 the reflecting telescope, by which great additional comfort 

 was afforded to the observer. This consisted in having the 

 centering or trunions at the centre of gravity, through one 

 of which, in a tubular form, the rays from the reflector with- 



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