TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 89 



The mortality of infants under 7 years of age, in every 1000, — 

 270 for the mining districts of Staffordshire. 

 180 in the agricultural counties. 

 242 in Sheffield. 

 In comparing the mortalities of different trades, the two classes of occupation most 

 unfavourable to human life, are found to be those which require frequent transitions 

 from heat to cold, and which generate metallic dust. In what is called " dry grind- 

 ing," the mortality is said to be " truly appalling ;" but the rate was not stated, save 

 that a " dry grinder " is considered an old man at 35. Early marriages in Sheffield 

 are more common among the underpaid than among the higher classes of workmen ; 

 and the ratio of children to a marriage is also higher in the more distressed class. 

 But Sheffield exhibits a less ratio of marriage than most other manufacturing towns. 

 In Sheffield (1839-40) the proportion of marriages to a thousand inhabitants was 9i, 

 while in Leeds it was 17. The writer of the Report then entered at great length into 

 the question of Savings Banks, for the purpose of showing that the amount of 

 deposits affords no trustworthy criterion of the prosperity or adversity of a commu- 

 nity. He stated that adversity, by forcing prudential considerations on the mind, 

 was more likely to make men become depositors than prosperity. As an example, 

 he stated, that during the last three years trade had notoriously declined in Sheffield, 

 and had gone on in a falling ratio, yet the amount in the savings banks had been on 

 the increase. 



In 1838 there were 4093 depositors to the amount of £142,000 



1839 „ „ 5088 „ „ „ 143,000 



1840 „ „ 5248 „ „ „ 148.000 



The proportion of artisans among the depositors appears to be very small ; and it 

 is least among those to whom a provision is most necessary. Out of 5000 cutlers 

 there were only 221 depositors ; while out of 450 silversmiths and platers, there are 

 89. The greatest number of depositors is found in the present year, which is the year 

 of greatest depression. 



Mr. Fripp read a paper on the Statistics of Education in the city of Bristol, which 

 was intended to complete and perfect the Report he had made on the subject at the 

 meeting of the Association in 1836. The present population of the city of Bristol is 

 about 120,000, and this number is assumed as the basis for the proportions between 

 the instructed and the uninstructed. The schools which formed the subject of in- 

 quiry are divided into six classes. 



Infant schools 14 with 1,705 scholars, IT 60 per cent. 



Dame „ 217 „ 3.015 „ 20-52 „ 



Common day and evening... 219 „ 7,900 „ 53*77 „ 



Free and endowed 24 „ 1,334 „ 9-08 „ 



Superior 38 „ 740 „ 5-03 „ 



Total day schools 512 14,694 



Sunday schools 86 7,171 



Schools 598 21,865 



The total number attending Sunday schools is 11,684, but 4513 also attend day 

 schools, and are therefore not reckoned. It appears that of the total number of chil- 

 dren receiving instruction, — 



10,181, or about 8^ per cent, of the population, attend day and evening schools. 

 4,513, or about 3f per cent., attend both day and Sunday schools. 

 7,171, or about 6 per cent., attend Sunday schools only. 



Of the total number of children in day and evening schools, — 

 7,825, or 53} per cent., are boys. 

 6,869, or 46^ per cent., are girls. 



In the Sunday schools there are — 

 5,780, or 49* per cent., boys. 

 5,904, or 50^ per cent., girls. 

 The following is a comparative statement of the ages of the children attending day 

 and evening schools : — 



