140 Proceedings of the British Association, 



off the coast. These were first observed in 1841, and in 1842 eight 

 vessels were fitted out for the new fishery, and captured no less than 

 20,000 sharks, without any apparent diminution of the supply. The 

 quantity of oil obtained was about 1,000 barrels. The mineral trade 

 is not of much importance, but there is something curious in the fur 

 trade, principally carried on with Russia. The greater part of the 

 skins sold by the Norwegians are obtained from the Hamburgh mer- 

 chants, who buy them in London from the Hudson's Bay Company ; 

 the Norwegians convey them to Finmark, from whence they are taken 

 to Moscow and sold to the caravan traders for the purpose of being 

 bartered with the Chinese for tea at Kiachta ! The Norwegian ship- 

 ping is on the increase, principally owing to the laws which require 

 masters of vessels to give proof of their knowledge and skill by 

 undergoing a strict examination. 



Dr. Thurnam read an essay ( On the Liability to Insanity at differ- 

 ent Ages ;' the general conclusion was, that liability to insanity 

 does not increase with years, but is greatest between the ages of 

 twenty and forty. 



Mr. G. It. Porter read a ' Sketch of the Progress and Present 

 Extent of Savings Banks in the United Kingdom.' — After a few pre- 

 liminary remarks on their political and moral value, he stated that 

 these institutions owed their origin to Miss Priscilla Wakefield, who, 

 in 1804, induced six gentlemen residing at Tottenham to receive 

 deposits from labourers and servants, paying 5 per cent, as interest. 

 Four years later eight persons, half of whom were ladies, took upon 

 themselves the same responsibility at Bath. The first savings bank 

 regularly organized was formed at Ruthwell, Dumfriesshire ; its suc- 

 cess led to many imitations, so that before any legislative provision 

 had been made for their management, there were seventy savings 

 banks in England, four in Wales, and four in Ireland. In 1817 an 

 act was passed to encourage banks of savings in England and Ireland, 

 but it was not extended to Scotland until 1835. Tabular statements 

 of the progress of these banks illustrated their great success, but we 



