TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 191 



mentioned; its effects are not permanent; they are so meagre and superficial that, 

 to a large extent, they are lost : they are evanescent and unfruitful ; and on this 

 account the system is exceedingly costly, without a commensurate return. If tested 

 by economic principles, the system would he pronounced unsound and wasteful. 

 In reference to school accommodation in Bradford, many of the schools would 

 accommodate more than are in attendance. The present provision in the elementary 

 schools is for 21,171 children. The eight schools that are being built by the Scho^ol 

 Board will accommodate 4800 more ; so that there will be accommodation for 2.5,971 

 — say 26,000. It has been shown that there are 30,036 childi-en requiring accommo- 

 dation ; but if we deduct 3000 for half-timers, we shall have 27,036 as the ^ross 

 number of children who require accommodation, with a provision of 26,000. There 

 is, however, accommodation for about 3000 in the private adventure schools. Passing 

 now to evening schools and classes, there are a great number of night schools held 

 in private houses and private schools, of which no statistics can be given. In the 

 public institutions and elementary schools, a list of which is given, it was found 

 that there were on the books last year 3027 students, with an average attendance 

 of 16-57. Art- and science-classes have greatly increased of late years through the 

 encouragement extended by the Government. A detailed table of the statistics for last 

 year of all the classes of both art and science in the borough, the subjects studied, 

 the number uuder instruction, and the number examined, shows the following 

 results : — That 595 persons were uuder instruction in art, and 465 of these were 

 examined. In science 564 were under instruction, with G13 individual examinations. 

 It thus appears that in the science and art classes together 1159_persons have been 

 instructed. Another educational agency in extensive operation in Bradford is that 

 of Sunday schools. From the statistics supplied in the paper, it appeared that 

 there are on the books of all the Sunday schools in the borough 31,460 children 

 and young persons, with an average attendance of about 21,000. Statistics as to 

 the Public Libraries of the town were given, and show that in the libraries of the 

 Mechanics' Institute, Church Institute, Female Educational Institute, and the Free 

 Library, there are 32,226 volumes, with issues last year amounting to 156,000. 

 And then we must not forget the interesting fact that almost every one of the 

 eighty-six Sunday schools has a library for the use of the children and teachers ; 

 and these contain altogether about 47,000 volumes. 



On Postal Reform. B]) W. Hastings. 



On Railways Amalgamated in Competing Groups. 

 By B. Hatjghxon, C.E., F.S.S. 



The author said that the railways of England had now settled down into some- 

 thiii"- like a complete and efficient system, suitable for the necessities of the 

 country. Their cost had been something like £600,000,000, and the period of 

 time occupied in their construction had been, dating from the commencement of 

 the construction of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway (1826), forty-seven 

 years. The trunk lines were finished, and the question arose. What next ? The 

 answer was natural ; let them arrange and control and manipulate this vast machi- 

 nery so as to produce symmetry and order out of the seemingly chaotic mass, and 

 so as to extract a maximum of effective work out of the minimum of efforts. This 

 was the problem which the English people had now taken in hand. He believed 

 that the railway traffic of the country was conducted as perfectly as it could be, 

 considerin"- the extent of our experience, the nature of the instruments we were 

 obli"-ed to^use, and the patchwork character of the general railway reticulation, 

 One^of the methods proposed as a panacea for the existing unsatisfactory condition 

 of affairs was that of a surrender of the railwavs into the hands of the State. 

 Assumino- that State management must follow State purchase, the advantages 

 claimed "by its advocates might be stated as follows :— (1) Unification and 

 symmetry; (2) economy of working ; (3) elimination of Parliamentary charges; 

 (4) immunity from accidents; (5) reduction of rates and fares ; (6) increase of 



