ECONOMIC SCIENCE. 85 



remarkable fact that not only is our British shipping 

 rapidly on the increase, but it is increasing relatively 

 to that of the rest of the world. In 1860 our' tonnage 

 was 5,700,000 against 7,200,000; while it may now be 

 placed as 8,500,000 against 8,200,000; so that con- 

 siderably more than half the whole shipping of the 

 world belongs to this country. 



If I say little with reference to economic science 

 and statistics it is because time, not materials, are 

 wanting. 



I scarcely think that in the present state of the 

 question I can be accused of wandering into politics if 

 I observe that the establishment of the doctrine of free 

 trade as a scientific truth falls within the period under 

 review. 



In education some progress has been made towards 

 a more rational system. When I was a boy, neither 

 science, nor modern languages, nor arithmetic formed 

 any part of the public school system of the country. 

 This is now happily changed. Much, however, still 

 remains to be done. Too little time is still devoted to 

 French and German, and it is much to be regretted that 

 even in some of our best schools they are taught as 

 dead languages. Lastly, with few exceptions, only one 

 or two hours a week on an average are devoted to 

 science. We have, I am sure, none of us any desire to 

 exclude, or discourage, literature. What we ask is 

 that, say, six hours a week each should be devoted to 

 mathematics, modern languages, and science an ar- 

 rangement which would still leave twenty hours for 

 Latin and Greek. I admit the difficulties which school- 



