178 Correspondence. [March, 
spades, and it work night and day without stop. The abundant 
water of the Isthmus seems the very means required for cutting 
it ; and, unless I am mistaken, the monitor is equally capable of 
dredging and deepening a canal wherever there is stream to 
carry off the debris which it makes. It is possible that a hilly 
district, with copious water, may be easier to cut than a dry 
plain of sand. 
Hugh Browne. 
THE SCIENCE-TEACHERS AND THEIR 
POSITION. 
Professor Galloway, in his able articles on Technical Educa- 
tion, has shown by the testimony of the official examiners 
(“Journal of Science,” 1883, pp. 542, 543) that Science-teaching 
in this country is unsatisfactory. But can anyone fail to see the 
why and the wherefore ? So long as the system of payment by 
“ results ” — so called — obtains, so long the teacher can only earn 
his modest remuneration by training his pupils not “ to know, 
but to pass.” Most of us would prefer to give bona fide practical 
instruction, but the “ Deparment ” will not allow us. It was 
an evil day for scientific education in this country when Sir Lyon 
Playfair was eliminated from the Secretaryship and his place was 
taken by Colonel Donnelly. 
Science-Teacher. 
THE SCIENCE AND ART DEPARTMENT. 
The thanks of the Science-teachers of this country are due to 
your contributor Mr. R. Galloway for his able and unanswerable 
impeachment of the Science and Art Department. In common 
with not a few of my colleagues I hope that the eyes of the 
public may be opened to the shortcomings of a system which 
effeCts little save waste of public money, and aims more at 
bureaucratic power than at the scientific education of the nation. 
It is truly sad that eminent men whose own published words 
condemn the Department should yet lend it their influence and 
the weight of their names. 
Chemicus. 
[We have received several more letters similar to the above.] 
