150 REPORT—1862. 
STATISTICAL SCIENCE. 
On the Progress of Instruction in Elementary Science among the Industrial 
Classes under the Science Minutes of the Department of Science and Art. By 
J.C. Buckmaster, B.A. 
The author referred to the origin of mechanics’ institutions, and the influence of 
the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. The want of a better elementary 
education was the great obstacle to further improvement. The Royal Dublin 
Society, the old schools of design, and the industrial museums of Ireland and 
Scotland were intended to promote, in a variety of ways, a more general know- 
ledge of those arts and sciences which relate to our national industries. In 
1852 all these institutions were united under the Board of Trade into a Depart- 
ment of Science and Art. The old schools of design were superseded by drawing- 
schools or schools of art, and 90 of these schools are now in active operation, 
teaching the elements of art to 92,000 persons, of whom the larger number belong 
to the working classes. In 1857 the Science and Art Department was placed in 
connexion with the Committee of Council on Education, and in 1859 a very com- 
prehensive Minute was passed for aiding instruction in the elements of all the 
natural and applied sciences. There is annually held at South Kensington an 
examination for teachers of elementary science, which is free to all who give notice 
of the subjects on which they propose to be examined. The State avoids all the 
responsibility and expense of training teachers and providing them with employ- 
ment. At the first examination, in November 1859, there were 57 candidates, of 
whom 49 were successful ; in 1860 there were 89 candidates, of whom 75 were suc- 
cessful ; in 1861 there were 103 candidates, of whom 97 were successful. By far the 
larger number of certificates have been taken by elementary teachers ; but certifi- 
cates have also been taken by a weaver, a eee, a wheelwright, clerks, and 
assistants in shops. Wherever a class is established, there must be a local com- 
mittee of at least five persons. This committee superintends the examination of 
the pupils, which is conducted on the same py ne e as the Oxford middle-class 
examinations. For every pupil of the industrial classes who has received 40 lessons 
from the teacher, and who passes a satisfactory examination in the elements of the 
subject taught, the teacher receives a payment of £1, and for every first, second, and 
third grade sh prizeman he receives higher payments. The successful pupils 
receive rewards of books and medals. The department is merely an examining body ; 
it does not pretend to interfere in any way with local organization and} authority. 
All that is looked for is a successful result, and on this the teacher receives his 
payment. The examinations this year were held in May in 75 places; 60 of these 
were in connexion with mechanics’ institutions. Last year only 563 pupils were 
examined ; this year 1260, of whom 1038 were persons belonging to the industrial 
classes, and their ages varied from 9 to 53 years. 
On the Cotton Famine, and the Substitutes for Cotton. By Davip Cuapwicx, 
F.SS., Honorary Secretary of the Manchester Statistical Society. 
The civil war in America has stopped our supplies of cotton from the Southern 
States, which during many years have supplied us with more than three-fourths 
of our total consumption. In 1860 we received the following supplies of cotton :— 
United States, 2,581,000 bales; Brazil, 103,000 bales; Egypt, 109,000 bales; West 
Indies, 1000 bales; East Indies, 563,000 bales; total, 3,357,000 bales. The total 
amounts of cotton imported into Liverpool in the two periods of 81 months were 
respectively as follow:—To September 1861 (81 months), 2,508,672 bales; to 
September 1862 (8 months), 725,917 bales; deficiency, 1,782,755 bales. The 
average price of New Orleans cotton, in September 1861, was from 7$d. to 103d. 
per lb. ; in September 1862, from 24d. to 30d. per Ib. ; increase 163d. to 20d. per lb., 
or more than 200 per cent. In ordinary times the price of yarns (40’s) has been 
from 4d. to 5d. per Ib. more than the price of the raw cotton, and a proportionate 
additional price for weaving. It is now (September 1862) no unusual thing for the 
spinner and manufacturer to take orders for the yarn and the cloth at the market price 
