860 REPORT—1899. 
consequence of the greater attention paid to natural science in the lower 
part of the schools.’ The following table shows that such is the actual 
result :— 
Oca aa 1891-92] 1892-93 | 1893-94 | 1894-95 | 1895-96 | 1896-97 | 1897-98 
ildren 
Algebra. . | 28,542 | 31,487 | 33,612 | 38,237 | 41,846 | 47,225 | 53,081 
Euclid . 5 927 1,279 1,399 1,468 1,584 2,059 2,471 
Mensuration . | 2,802 3,762 4,018 5,614 6,859 8,619 | 10,828) 
Mechanics . . | 18,000 | 20,023 | 21,532 | 23,806 | 24,956 | 26,110 | 27,009 
Animal Physio- | 13,622 | 14,060 | 15,271 | 17,003 | 18,284 | 19,989 | 22,877 
lo 
Botany ; ele 8a0 1,968 2,052 2,483 2,996 3,377 4,031 
Principles of | 1,085 909 1,231 1,196 1,059 825 870 
Agriculture 
Chemistry . . | 1,935 2,387 3,043 3,850 4,822 5,545 6,978 
Sound, Light,and | 1,163 1,168 1,175 914 937 1,040 1,155 
Heat 
Magnetism and | 2,338 2,181 3,040 3,198 3,168 3,431 3,905 
Electricity 
Domestic Eco- | 26,447 | 29,210 | 32,922 | 36,239 | 39,794 | 45,869 | 51,259 
nomy 
Total - | 98,706 | 108,434 | 119,295 | 134,008 | 146,305 | 164,089 | 184,464 
It may be noted that every one of these specific subjects shows an actual 
increase ; and the totals indicate an increase of more than 20,000, a 
larger rise than has been recorded in any previous year. 
In last year’s report the number of scholars in Standards V., VI., and 
VII. was estimated at 615,000. The Government returns, in the form 
in which they are now presented, enable your Committee to make a much 
more precise estimate ; and it now appears that the number of scholars, 
including the Ex-VII., must have been about 650,000. This figure would 
give 25-3 per cent. as the proportion examined in these specific subjects 
as compared with the number of children qualified to take them, and the 
table below has been altered accordingly. The mean number of such 
scholars for the year 1897-98 is 693,242, which will give 26°6 per cent. 
as the proportion of actual to possible students; but it should be 
remembered that many of the children take more than one subject for 
examination. 
The following table gives the percentage for each year since 1882, and 
shows that the great depression which characterised several years has 
been succeeded by a gradual and steady rise :— 
1882-83 . - 29-0 per cent. | 1890-91 . . 20°2 per cent. 
1883-84 . .' 26:0 5 | 1891-92 . > oe 7 
1884-85 . - 22:6 ds | 1892-93 . . 20:2 3 
1885-86 . Fae i 1893-94 . . 209 7 
1886-87 . bios cat! 1894-95 22:7 a 
1887-88 . Se hohe) u | 1895-96 24-2 * 
1888-89 . a7: “A | 1896-97 25:3 * 
1889-90 . Bes ee 4 1897-98 26°6 s 
The Returns of the Education Department given above refer to the 
whole of England and Wales, and are for the school years ending with 
August 31, The statistics of the Londen School Board are brought up to 
