TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 87. 
ative cheapness and style of living in ancient times. Mr. Heywood also presented 
a table of the comparative number of students in Trinity College, Cambridge, who go 
into lay pursuits and into the church, Of 1443 students admitted in ten years, from 
1831 to 1840 inclusive, only 413 took out testimonials for deacons’ orders, from 
which it follows that about two-thirds of the students of Trinity College are intended 
to be laymen, f 
On the Trade and Navigation of Norway. By R. Vaury. 
[This was the abstract of a Report made to the Government by J. B. Crowe, Esq., Consul 
General for Norway. ] 
The chief exports are wood, fish, and minerals. The wood consists of deals cut in 
twelve-feet lengths, and balks either round or square. Proprietors of forests are 
under no restrictions as to felling; they generally cut down the trees in autumn or 
winter, and convey them to a river to be floated down thestream. The reproduction 
of the timber is believed to be equal to the consumption. Formerly England was the 
chief market for Norwegian produce, and had in return the almost exclusive trade in 
manufactures ; but since the establishment of discriminating duties in favour of Cana- 
dian timber the English trade has fallen, and the consumption of English manufac- 
tures greatly decreased. Hamburg and the German States have become markets for 
Norwegian produce, and the manufactures of Germany have superseded those of 
England. The annual average quantities of timber exported in the seven years from 
1835 to 1841 were 618,769 loads of 50 cubic feet, which, with firewood, hoops, and 
other less valuable timber, may be deemed worth 435,000/. The fisheries rank next 
in importance to the forest, ‘and afford the chief occupation to Norwegian industry. 
The exports consist of stockfish, round and split, clip-fish, salted cod, and halibut, 
Jiver and shark oil, and live lobsters. Stockfish is chiefly exported to the Catholic 
countries of southern Europe. The exports fluctuate from the varying nature of the 
fishing trade, but in 1841 they were,—stockfish, 14,196 tons ; clip-fish, 11,285 tons ; 
herrings, 608,086 barrels ; cod-roes, 20,21 7 barrels; liver and shark oils,41,715 barrels ; 
and 552,272 lobsters. Salmon for several years has ceased to be an article of export, 
The disappearance of this fish is attributed to the swarms of sharks which have re- 
cently taken possession of the banks off the coast, These were first observed in 
1841, and in 1842 eight vessels were fitted out for the new fishery, and captured no 
less than 20,000 sharks, without any apparent diminution of the supply. The quantity 
of oil obtained was about 1000 barrels. The mineral trade is not of much importance, 
but there is something curious in the fur trade, principally carried on with Russia. 
The greater part of the skins sold by the Norwegians are obtained from the Hamburg 
merchants, who buy them in London from the Hudson’s Bay Company; the Nor- 
wegians convey them to Finmark, and from thence they are taken to Moscow and 
sold to the caravan traders for the purpose of being bartered with the Chinese for 
tea at Kiachta! The Norwegian shipping is on the increase, principally owing to 
the laws which require masters of vessels to give proof of their knowledge and skill 
by. undergoing a strict examination, 
On the Liability to Insanity at different Ages. By Dr. Taurnam. 
The general conclusion was, that the liability to insanity does not, as is generally 
supposed, increase with years, but that it is greatest between the ages of twenty and 
forty, and that it subsequently gradually diminishes. The author also adduced facts 
which appeared to warrant the conclusion, that in some countries and communities 
the liability to mental disorders is greatest between the ages of twenty and thirty; 
whilst it is usually highest during the decennial period from thirty to forty years, 
Sketch of the Progress and present Extent of Savings Banks in the United 
bes Kingdom. By G. R. Porter, F.R.S. 
_ After a few preliminary remarks on their political and moral value, he stated that 
these institutions owed their origin to Miss Priscilla Wakefield, who in 18()4 induced 
six gentlemen residing at Tottenham to receive deposits from labourers and servants, 
paying 5 per cent, as interest. Four years later eight persons, half of whom were 
