344 



KNOWLEDGE • 



[Oct. 24, 1884. 



would be more than sufficient for one year, and can be re-charged 

 in less than five minutes at a cost of 2s. 6d. without disturbing the 

 woodwork of the w.c. It is specially valuable for private houses, 

 hotels, public offices, factories, ships, and railway stations, hospitals, 

 schools, public institutions, &c., for which special prices will be 

 'juoted when taken in large numbers. 



Carbolic, or anj' other soluble or liquid disinfectant which may 

 be desired, can be used. It is of the most simple character, can- 

 not possibly get out of order, and, being made of copper and brass, 

 will last for many years. 



'■';,The importance of the subject of disinfectants and anti- 

 septics to the inhabitants of this vast metropolis and other 

 large communities need not be urged. It is part and 

 parcel of the great sewage question which has of late dis- 

 turbed ns. We are of opinion that an e^-il of such magni- 

 tude cannot be suppressed by extraordinary measures; no 

 discussion in the Houses of Parliament, no voting of large 

 sums of money can be adequate to the wants of the case. 

 We are confident that nought but a careful cooperation of 

 the householders and landlords will avail. If each one 

 would apply himself to the healthy conduct of his abode, 

 to the application of the remedies we have discussed under 

 the head of disinfectants, the annoyance would be abated. 

 Thereafter a gradual process of reform might be introduced 

 in the construction of healthy houses, and we may rest 

 assured that ere long a trustworthy and lasting system of 

 sanitation will be established in our midst. 



In our next we shall enter into the details of some of 

 the most valuable advances that have been made with 

 r«gard to the protection of our homes from filth, infection, 

 and disease. 



" OUR BOYS " IN THE ARENA. 



IT has been sagely remarked that " all work and no play 

 makes Jack a dull boy." Now, owing to cer- 

 tain misgivings of our own as to his identity, we are 

 imable to consult the author of this trite remark in the 

 matter, yet we have no hesitation in saying that the appli- 

 cability of the adage may be extended to boys generally, 

 even though they may not rejoice in the possession of so 

 thoroughly downright a name as Jack. However that may 

 be, the spirit of the proverb has been liberally accepted Ijy 

 the directors of the Polytechnic Institute for Young Men, 

 the aims and objects of which were discussed in an article 

 recently printed in these pages. 



We do not propose here to revert at any length to the 

 educational advantages ofiered to yotmg men by the Insti- 

 tution ; the soundness of that portion of the scheme pro- 

 jected by Mr. Quintin Hogg and his coadjutors was suffi- 

 ciently demonstrated in the article above referred to, and 

 may at present be dismissed with a confirmation of Mr. 

 Slingo's assertion, that the " idea is to foster and promote 

 every feeling, every exercise, every train of thought, which 

 is calculated to help a man in his eflbrt to become a good 

 citizen and an honour to his race." 



Our special object is to draw attention to the social ad- 

 vantages held out to young men as inducements to them 

 to become members of the Institute ; for it appears to us 

 that the ultimate success of the undertaking is to a great 

 extent dependent upon the maintenance of a spirit of 

 camaraderie amongst its members. This was readily per- 

 ceived by Mr. Hogg and his friends, and their untiring 

 efforts have been directed to the formation of various clubs 

 in connection with the Institute, each one of which is cal- 

 culated to form a strengthening link in the chain of com- 

 panionship which binds the members to each other. 

 Already there are clubs in full swing for swimming, 

 rowing, cricket, football, lawn-tennis, and bicycling ; there 

 is an excellent gymnasium ; a Volunteer company has been 



recruited ; and the members of the Institute have also 

 established three bands — brass, drum and fife, and 

 orchestral. Besides these, there are, of course, the usual 

 chess and draught clubs, debating societies, kc. 



At the first blush it may perhaps be thought that there 

 are " too many irons in the fire," but this supposition 

 vanishes when we consider that three thousand members 

 are enrolled on the books of the institute. These numbers 

 are quite sufficient to warrant the hope that the clubs will 

 be, to a great extent, self-supporting, aud, as a matter of 

 fact, all of them are now in a flourishing condition. It 

 would be strange, too, if this were not the case, consider- 

 ing the munificent help rendered by the patron of the 

 scheme. For instance, a swimming-bath has been provided 

 by Mr. Quintin Hogg at an outlay of £8,000, the same 

 gentleman having also purchased a cricket-field for the 

 members, of such a size that Lord's ground sinks into 

 complete insignificance in comparison with it 



Nor are these athletic and other amusements pursued at 

 the expense of the more serious work. On the contrary, 

 it is manifest that, being properly managed, they can but 

 act as incentives to study. The annals of our Univer- 

 sities aSbrd abundant testimony to the pre-eminence as 

 scholars of those who were foremost in the field and on the 

 river. It can hardly be denied that the activity of the 

 brain is promoted by a healthy condition of the body : and 

 this being so, opportunities for recreation should be doubly 

 welcome to those who are studiously inclined. In short, 

 the importance of physical exercise cannot too strongly be 

 impressed upon the young men of to-day. Then, again, it 

 must not be overlooked that the existence of these clubs is 

 in itself a security for constant attendance at the classes of 

 instruction, simply through the esprit de-corps thereby pro- 

 moted amongst the members. For these, as well as for 

 other equally important reasons, the value of these branches 

 of the Institute cannot well be over-estimated ; and, there- 

 fore, we are glad of the opportunity of oflering a few words 

 of encouragement to those directly concerned. 



A few evenings since we were present, at the Royal 

 Albert Hall, during a performance given by members of 

 the Institute gymnasium, the popularity of which latter is 

 amply testified to by the fact that upwards of sixty members 

 took part in a programme consisting of the usual features — 

 singlestick and dumb-bell exercises, vaulting, horizontal 

 and parallel bars, boxing, fencing, ic. We must say that 

 the proceedings were carried out in a manner highly 

 creditable to aU concerned ; indeed, it is no exaggeration 

 to assert that some of the items on the programme could 

 not easily have been excelled by professional gymnasts. 

 We were much struck by the smart and picturesque 

 evolutions performed during the " maze," and the 

 vaulting over the " horse " was also very efiective. 

 But where all was so well done, it would be invidious 

 to further particularise, so we will content ourselves 

 on this head by acknowledging the evident ability of 

 the gymnasium instructor. Colour-sergeant Barber. As 

 we watched him in the arena, strictly and impartially 

 using his judgment, and witnessed the near approach to 

 perfection displayed by his pupils, we mentally invested 

 him with Artemus Ward's oft- reiterated description 

 of the gentleman in " black close," who brought the 

 skittish Octoroon under his notice ; for (having regard, of 

 course, only to his capabilities for his post) Mr. Barber was, 

 to our mind, " apeerently as fine a man as there was 

 ennywhares." We wish the gymnasium and its kindred 

 institutions all success. 



No excuse need be oSered for presenting these remarks, 

 even to those of our readers who are not personally inter- 

 rested in the matter ; for surely we are merely writing in 



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