162 REPORT—1857. 
Distillation only pays in labour about 11 per cent. on first cost of raw materials ; 
cabinet-making 60 per cent.; coach-lace making 50; silk fabrics 20; curled hair 25, 
Prohibitory legislation is in accordance with the usual course of legislation, but 
neither sought for, nor desirable, until sustained by public opinion, Enlightening 
public opinion by calm discussion is therefore the great means we employ for attain- 
ment of the end in view. 
On Agricultural and Manufacturing Industry. 
By Joun Pore Hennessy, Inner Temple. 
Having contrasted the views of Adam Smith and those of the modern school of 
British economists, with reference to the relative importance of agriculture and manu- 
factures, the author proceeded to examine the principles on which the modern econo- 
mists rely. Regarding Mr. Senior as a fair and accurate exponent of the modern 
school, he made his treatise on ‘ Political Economy’ the groundwork of the memoir. 
Taking what Mr. Senior calls the fourth elementary proposition, the author stated 
it in a threefold form :—‘‘(1) Skill and space remaining unaltered; (2) additional 
labour employed on land occasions an increase in the produce, (3) but an increase 
in a diminishing ratio.”’ The five fundamental terms used in treating the agricultural 
side of the question are,—skill, labour, space, produce, and materials. In treating the 
manufacturing side of the question, however, he showed that the modern economists 
neglected one of these terms, and used another of them with a different signification. 
He traced at great length the effect of this omission, and pointed out the anomalous 
results to which it has given rise. Applying a general principle, similar to the fourth 
elementary proposition, to both sides of the question, he established the following 
conclusions ; viz.—1st. that skill and space remaining the same, additional labour 
is more efficiently employed in agriculture than in manufactures; and 2nd, that skill 
remaining the same, additional labour and capital are more efficiently employed in 
agriculture than in manufactures. 
Having disposed of the theoretical part of the question, the author proceeded to 
examine the practical facts which bear upon it. He quoted largely from the statistics 
of the growth and prices of cotton in America, and the statistics of the production of 
corn in Prussia and in Great Britain. From the statistical tables he exhibited, it 
appeared that practical experience completely confirmed the views of Adam Smith, 
and was altogether at variance with the opinions of the modern school. The final 
result of the memoir consisted of an application of the principles it attempted to 
establish to the laws regulating the incidence of taxation. 
On the Prevention of Crime. By Wi.iutam H. Jemison, LZ.B., Dublin. 
The proper object of criminal jurisprudence is the prevention of actions that are 
injurious to person or property. Such actions arise from one, or all, of three sources: 
the smallness of the offender’s means; the weakness of his moral principle; or the 
strength of the inducement. Hence, in order to prevent their occurrence, we must 
better the material condition of the lower classes, improve their moral principles, 
and diminish the inducement to crime by the intervention of punishment. ‘The 
material condition of the lower classes is promoted by diffusing intelligence and pru- 
dence; by the duties of the wealthy and educated being properly performed; by 
useful public institutions ; and by freedom for industry and security for its fruits. 
Secondly. Crimes that arise from deficiency of moral principle, will decrease with 
the spread of religion and morality. Lastly. Effective punishment must partake of 
three characteristics: its nature, and the liability to it, must be properly made known; 
its connexion with the offence must be felt as certain ; and its severity must be such 
as to outweigh the advantage expected from crime. The first-named characteristic 
is inconsistent with magisterial discretion as to the punishments awarded ; with their 
infliction being in any measure conditional on the after-conduct of prisoners; and 
with commuting sentences. Secondly. The certainty of connexion between an offence 
and its penal consequences must be attained by securing the detection, conviction, 
and real punishment of offenders. Detection is promoted by improvements in our 
police system; and conviction by reforms in our criminal law and its administration. 
