THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



185 



students, or the curriculum. Those who desire further 

 information will find it in tlio advertismenfs of the 

 College, and in a work on Tlio Principles of Collegiate 

 Education, as discussed and illustrated in a descrip- 

 tion of Gnoll College. Tlie work is illustrated by 

 a railway map of England, which shows Gnoll to 

 be so centrally siluated that one is almost tempted to 

 think it ought to be the seat of Government as well as 

 of learning ; nor, when we read of all the undeveloped 

 resources of the district, can we doubt that Neath is a 

 very rising place. 



Taking leave of Gnoll, let us direct a little attention 

 to the proceedings of its humbler neighbour, the Bristol 

 I\Iining School, in Nelson-street. 



Its first annual examination, as we said, has just taken 

 place before Mr. W. W. Smyth, IM.A., F.G.S., assisted 

 by Mr. G. S. Grcenwell, M.E., and Herbert Mack- 

 worth, and — Grcenwell, Esq?., Government Inspectoi's 

 of Coal Mines. Besides the general pupils, several 

 underground agents, we are informed, pi'escnted them- 

 selves for examination on mining suiyccts. They were 

 tested for the most part orally ; and by the answers, 

 we are told, which were made to some very important 

 and telling questions respecting the direction and man- 

 agement of coal-mining operations, they evinced a 

 considerable degree of intelligence, and, in some 

 cases, a very satisfactory knowledge of some of 

 the more important branches of mining prac- 

 tice. As regards the pupils the answers were 

 given in writing till the afternoon of the second 

 day, when for upwards of three hours answers 

 were given orally to questions put to Messrs Smith, 

 Grcenwell, and Mackworth. They were directed cliiefly 

 to mineralogy, the chemical and local differences of 

 coal, the management and principles of safety-lamps, 

 the chemical and' mechanical properties of gases met 

 with in mining, and the laws and practice of colliery 

 ventilation. Can it be doubted that if coi-rect know- 

 ledge on some of these latter points were more generally 

 (liflused among working miners and underground 

 agents, we should hear less of those fearful colliery 

 explosions of which we have had so many lamentable 

 instances of late ? 



So much for the general mining public who pre- 

 sented themselves for examination. 



As regards the pupils, we are told that few of them 

 had been in the school longer than four months, while 

 some of them had very limited means of previous edu- 

 cation. Much certainly could not be expected under 

 these circumstances. It is added, however, that the 



progress they had made in an acquaintance with the 

 subjects taught was such as to draw forth from the ex- 

 aminers some highly commendatory remarks. With re- 

 spect to the course of examination to which the pupils 

 were subjected, it comprised the following subjects — 

 surveying, levelling, plan-drawing, mining and machi- 

 nery, ventilation, and prevention of accidents, together 

 with geology and mineralogy. Now if we except those 

 points which specially relate to mining, and substitute 

 for thein others having special reference to agi-i- 

 culture, adding chemistry also as essential for both, 

 why should not agricultural as well as mining pupils of 

 the same rank in life have received instruction in the 

 same establisliment, and have been subjected at 

 the same time to a similar examination. It 

 cannot be said, in this case, that Bristol is 

 situated in a barren mining district, whose mines, 

 minerals, and metals constitute its sole wealth. 

 It is the centre of a district having as great surface 

 value and as great a variety of soil as any in England. 

 It is in an agricultural and a maritime district. It 

 was formerly one of our greatest manufacturing capi- 

 tals, and still carries on many important branches of 

 manufacturing industry. Why, then, sliould not the 

 Bristol Mining School be converted into a general 

 school for miners, manufacturers, farmers, aye! and 

 for sailors also ? In these days of steam and railway, 

 much of the knowledge which these mining pupils must 

 acquii'e, in order to reply to the questions of the exami- 

 ners in a satisfactory manner, is equally necessary for 

 the engineer of a steamer, and the driver of a locomotive. 



We hope to hear more about this mining school — 

 how founded and supported. We hope also to hear that 

 it has assumed, oris about to assume, a more general 

 form for the scientific education of those who are to 

 apply their science to practice of various kinds. 



In concluding the examination, Mr. Warrington 

 Smyth remarked that no branch of study and industry 

 formed so extensive a field for thought as that of mining. 

 The man who had spent a lifetime in its study and 

 practice would be almost sure still to learn something 

 li'om every mine he visited, and from every overman 

 and captain with whom he was brought in contact. 

 And is not the same remark equally applicable to agri- 

 culture ? Is not every day adding something to our 

 knowledge either of its science or its practice ? May 

 not every farmer and labourer learn something which 

 might improve their practice? and may not men of 

 science learn something of the secrets of Nature from 

 every farmer and labourer they converse with ? 



THE TRADE MUSEUM AT SOUTH KENSINGTON. 



One of the deficiencies under which we have long 

 laboured in this country is about to be supplied : a good 

 Trade Museum of Animal Products, for general refer- 

 ence, is now in course of formation by the Department 

 of Science and Art, and the nucleus admirably arranged 

 has been thrown open to the public at the South 



Kensington Museum after a private inspection, by the 

 Queen, and a visit from the nobility and fashionable 

 world. We have at present a good Museum of 

 Vegetable Products at Kew. The East India Company, 

 and Crystal Palace Company, are forming excellent col- 

 lections of the same kind in other localities. The 



