428 
Currents ;”” and after referring to the various papers about to be 
read to the Section, he concluded his address by expressing his 
conviction, founded on all recent information, that Dr. Living- 
stone was alive and amongst friendly natives, and that Sir Samuel 
Baker would shortly meet him with fresh stores of provisions, &c. 
Secrion F. —Economic Science.—President, Prof. W. Stanley 
Jevons. 
In the President’s address, which was of some length, after 
some introductory remarks, tending to show that the Economic 
Section has to deal with a class of subjects capable of strictly 
scientific treatment, and that the social are the necessary com- 
plement to the physical sciences, Professor Jevons proceeded 
to state that in this kingdom during the last thirty or forty 
years we had tried a mighty experiment, and to a great extent 
had failed. The growth of the arts and manufactures and the 
establishment of free trade had opened the widest means of 
employment, and brought an accession of wealth previously 
unknown ; the frequent remission of taxes had left the working 
classes in fuller enjoyment of their wages; the poor laws had 
been reformed and administered with care, and the emigration of 
millions might well have been expected to leave room for those 
that remained. Nevertheless within the last few years we had 
seen pauperism almost as prevalent as ever, and the slightest 
relapse of trade threw whole towns and classes of people into a 
state of destitution little short of famine. This state of things 
was exactly what Malthus would have predicted of a popula- 
tion which, while supplied with easily earned wealth, is deprived 
of education and bribed by the mistaken benevolence of the 
richer classes into a neglect of the future. We now had an 
Education Act, but this ought not to withdraw attention from 
many other causes of evil still existing in full force. Amongst 
these was the mistaken humanity of charitable people. The 
amount extended by the upper to the lower classes was almost 
incredible ; but it did more harm than good. The helpless poor 
were most numerous precisely in those towns where charitable 
people and institutions most abounded. But far worse than 
private charity were the innumerable small charities established 
by the bequests of mistaken testators. It would be well worthy 
of Mr. Goschen’s attention whether all such charities might not 
be transferred to the care of the guardians of the poor, so as to 
be brought under the supervision of the Poor Law Board, and 
distributed in accordance with sound principles. The State, 
which undertook the ultimate support of the poor, was bound to 
prevent its own efforts to reduce pauperism from being frustrated, 
as they are at present. As regards medical charities, Professor 
Jevons said no one could for a moment propose to abolish 
hospitals and numerous institutions absolutely necessary for the 
relief of accidental suffering ; but no working man was solvent 
who did not lay aside so much of his wages as would meet the 
ayerage amount of sickness falling to the lot of the man and his 
family. So it was not easy to determine thisamount. There were 
or might be sick clubs which would average the inequalities of life. 
Hospitals need not be self-supporting, and in cases of severe and 
unforeseen suffering they might give the most lavish aid; but 
they ought not to relieve siight and ordinary disease without 
a contribution from those benefited. | With respect to the 
Poor Law medical service, every one admitted that where 
medical aid is given it ought to be good and sufficient; but, 
on the other hand, the better we make that service the more 
do we tend to increase and perpetuate that want of self-reliance 
and providence which is the crowning defect of the poorer classes. 
In this and many other cases we ought to regulate our humane 
impulses by a stern regard to the real results of our actions. 
Referring to the financial policy of the kingdom, Professor Jevons 
pointed out that in Cobden’s sense free trade is now actually 
achieved. For the future the remission of customs duties would 
be grounded on other motives than it has often been in the past. 
It was a mistake to suppose that foreign trade ought to be 
encouraged before everything else. The intert.al trade and 
industry of the country were at least equally deserving of atten- 
tion, and it might be that there were stamp duties, licence duties, 
rates, and other taxes which, in proportion to the revenue they 
returned, did far more injury than any customs duties now re- 
maining. The question of local taxation was one which especially 
required attention. The amount raised by local rates was more 
than equal to the whole of the customs duties ; nevertheless they 
continued to be levied substantially according to an Act passed 
in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. There was szre to be a con- 
NATURE 
[ Sepz. 22, 1870 
tinuous increase of local taxation. Turning to the question of 
surplus revenue, Professor Jevons said that there probably now 
existed no grievous pressure of taxation, and no considerable 
inequality as regards the several classes of the people. He cal- 
culated that average families spending 40/., 857, and 500/ a 
year, consuming moderate quantities of tobacco and spirituous 
liquors, all paid about 10 per cent. of their income in general or 
local taxation. Only the taxation of the middle classes was 
mostly, unavoidable, whereas at least half the taxation of the 
poorer classes depended upon the amount of tobacco and spiritu- 
ous liquors consumed. The present incidence of taxation, 
therefore, was such that it seemed inexpedient to proceed further 
in the reduction of the customs and excise duties. To do so 
would be to throw the whole cost of Government upon the 
wealthier classes, and especially those who have tangible property. 
Besides, when really hurtful taxes were removed, the working 
classes were not sufficiently temperate and educated to render it 
certain that the further remission of taxes would lead to the profit- 
able expenditure of income. The true channel for surplus 
revenue was the reduction of the national debt. The wars at the 
commencement of this century had secured for us fifty years or 
more of nearly unbroken peace, and yet at the end of this period 
of ever-advancing wealth the great debt stood almost at the same 
figure as at the beginning. We enjoyed the peace and left our 
descendants to pay its cost. If it was said that this country is 
now far wealthier and better able to endure the annual charge of 
the debt than ever before, it must be remembered that the expense 
of war is also grtealy increased. In a great war we should now 
have to incur an expenditure of hundreds of millions, or else 
relinquish our prominent position. In dealing with the subject 
of the excessive mortality in great towns, Prof. Jevons expressed 
his surprise that more attention had not been drawn to the probable 
influence of a poor Irish population in raising the death-rate, 
According to the census returns of 1861, the unhealthy towns of 
Liverpool, Manchester, Salop, Glasgow, Dundee, &c., were all 
distinguished by possessing a large Irish population, whereas the 
healthy towns of London, Birmingham, Bristol, Hull, Aberdeen, 
&e., had less than 73 per cent. of adult Irish residents. Sheffield 
was the only remarkable exception to this indicated. Prof. Jevons 
referred to the approaching census of 1871, as likely to afford 
many data for the investigations of economists, and insisted that 
it ought to be taken in as nearly as possible a uniform manner 
in all the three parts of the United Kingdom. He also directed 
attention to the copious and excellent statistical publications now 
provided by Government ; referred to the efforts which were 
being made, previous to the present war, to facilitate the adoption 
of an international currency ; and concluded with some remarks 
on the transference of the telegraphs to Government control. 
Many people looked forward to the time when the uniform cost 
of a telegram would be 6d. ; but such a reduction of the rate, by 
bringing an increase of work, would greatly augment the ex- 
penses of the department, and inflict a loss upon the nation. 
CONTENTS 
Pace 
Tue GOVERNMENT AND THE EciipsE EXPEDITION . . . «© « 409 
Rep.y To Pror, Huxtey’s InAuGURAL ADDRESS AT LIVERPOOL ON 
THE QUESTION OF THE ORIGIN oF Lire. By Dr. H. Cuartron 
BASTIAN; PERS!) 3 he tie ON ee ee ee 410 
LETrTeERs TO THE EpiTor :— 
English Physiology.—Dr. P. M. -Traipwoop. . . . . . . . 413 
Mirage.—Rev. CANON KinGSLEY. . . 6 ss 5 s>s e ss 4th 
Astronomical Science.—T. S. PRIDEAUX . » « 2 0 » 0 + © 44 
Insects'upon aswallow ©. s « + «| a © ist ie o's) ot eee 
WoreS Fae hfe) Sh Ye ee ee, Sey aa FOP OE eae See 
Tur British AssociaTioN.—OuR CORRESPONDENT’S LETTER . « « 416 
Report OF THE CoUNCIL. . . APs ste cs a lee 
SECTIONAL PROCEEDINGS :—SeEcTI0N A.—Prof. J. Clerk Maxwell’s 
Address. Section B.—Papers by D. Forbes, F.R.S., and H. 
Deacon. Section C.—Papers by G. H. Morton, Dr. Ricketts, 
J. Thompson, W. H. Bailey, W. S. Mitchell, G. Maw, and Prof. 
Williamson. Section D.—Prof. Rolleston’s Address. SECTION 
E.—Sir Roderick Murchison’s Address. Section F.—Prof. W. 
Stanley Jevons’s Address . . » » «© 2 « » © «© » + 419—429 
saci 
