MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS. 
511 
in England must be very imperfect. He 
thought that the excess of females over 
males, above the age of fifteen, might 
be accounted for by the dangerous occu- 
pations in which men are engaged after 
that age, and also from the well-known 
fact, that male emigration is infinitely 
greater than female. — Dr. W. C. Tay- 
lor observed, that no stronger proof of 
the inaccuracy of the data, hitherto sup- 
plied to statisticians, could be given than 
the fact that the number of unregister- 
ed births in Glasgow, according to Dr. 
Cleland,'very nearly equalled the num- 
ber registered. He had always under- 
stood that the Scotch system of regis- 
tration was superior to the English; 
and if those registers were actually defi- 
cient by one-half, he should be almost 
disposed to question the accuracy of 
every conclusion which has been hitherto 
deduced from parochial and official 
returns. — Mr. Fripp directed attention 
to the fact, that the number of Dissen- 
ters who objected to infant baptism was 
much greater in Scotland than in Eng- 
land, and that this might in some degree 
account for the great desperately between 
the registered and unregistered births. 
— Col. Sykes said, that in a report em- 
bracing such a vast variety of subjects 
as that of Dr. Cleland. it was scarcely 
possible to avoid desultory discussion ; 
he should not, therefore, apologize for 
passing at once to the subject of pawn- 
brokers, whose rapid increase in Glas- 
gow was, he feared, no good sign of the 
comfort or morals of the lower classes 
of the population. — The Colonel has 
suggested, said Dr. Bowring, a subject 
well worthy of the consideration of the 
Section ; namely, how a series of inqui- 
ries could be framed which should pro- 
cure information on topics similar to 
that now under discussion : in France 
the government had direct superinten- 
dence over the pawn-offices, and thus in- 
formation in that country was attainable. 
He did not know how similar informa- 
tion could be procured in England, but 
he felt assured that an accurate return 
of the number and nature of articles 
pledged in pa'Wn-brokers’ shops would 
throw great light on the moral condition 
of the lower orders of society — Mr. 
Fripp agreed with Dr. Bowring ; and 
added, that he had procured from Dr. 
Cleland a return from the largest pawn- 
broking establishment in Glasgow, by 
which it appeared that women more fre- 
quently had recourse to this mode of 
raising money than men. As the subject 
would probably again engage the atten- 
tion of the Section, he would, .with the 
Chairman’s permission, read it. (At this 
moment the Right Hon. Spring Rice 
entered the room, and was very warmly 
cheered.) — Mr. Fripp then read the fol- 
lowing return of articles pledged at the 
largest pawn-broking establishment in 
Glasgow : 
639 men’s coats. 84 bed-ticks. 
35.6 vests- 108 pillows. 
288 pairs of trousers. 263 pairs of blankets. 
84 oairs of stockiii»s, 300 pairs of sheets. 
1980 womens’s gowns, 162 bed. covers. 
.540 r>etiicoai9. 36 table-clotlis. 
1.32 wrappers. 48 nmbrellas- 
12,4 diifli.s- 102 bibles- 
90 pelisses. 204 watches. 
240 silk handkerrbiefs- 216 rings. 
294 shil ls and shifts. 48 Waterloo medals. 
60 hats. 
It was agreed that this subject should be 
deferred for future consideration ; and 
most of the members intimated their 
intention of endeavouring to devise 
some plan by which more extensive 
information might be obtained on the 
subject of pawn -broking. 
A long and desultory conversation 
followed on various topics mentioned 
by Dr. Cleland. The chairman re- 
commended that the discussion of this 
Report should be resumed at a future 
day. Col. Sykes recommended the 
part relating to Education to the atten- 
tion of the meeting, as that important 
subject w’ould soon be brought under 
discussion by a Report from the Man- 
chester Statistical Society, on the state 
of education in the borough of Liver- 
pool. 
Section.— G.MECHANICAL SCIENCE, 
President— "D Gilbert, Esq. 
Vice Presidents^ l. BnUNKL, Esq, John 
lloBisoN Esq. 
Secretaries— "V. G. Bunt, Esq., G. T. Clarke, 
Esq., William West, Esq., 
Committee- Gausa'wx Chapman, G. Cnbitf, Esq , 
J.S. Eiiys., E- Hodgkinson, Esq., Dr. Laidner, 
Professor Moselev, M. Le Pla 5 e. Sir, Jolm Ben- 
nie, George Bennie, Esq , John Taylor, Esq-, 
Bev. W. Taylor. 
This Section of the Association is an 
off-set from the Section of Mathematics 
and Physics. At each of the previous 
Meetings it has been found necessary 
to appointment a Sub-Section, for the 
discussion of a variety of questions, 
having reference to the application of 
Physical Science in Mathematics — ques- 
tions which, in the present mechanical 
