more difficult for the nations to bear. It consequently seems evident that if this situation be prolonged, it will inevitably lead to that very disaster which it is desired to avoid, and the horrors of which make every humane mind shudder by anticipation. It is the supreme duty, therefore, at the present moment of all States to put some limit to these unceasing armaments, and to find means of averting the calamities which threaten the whole world. Deeply impressed by this feeling, His Majesty the Emperor has been pleased to command me to propose to all Governments who have Representatives at the Imperial Court the meeting of a Conference to discuss this grave problem. Such a Conference, with God's help, would be a happy augury for the opening century. It would concentrate in one powerful effort the strivings of all States which sincerely wish to bring about the triumph of the grand idea of universal peace over the elements of trouble and discord. It would, at the same time, cement their agreement by a united affirmation of the principles of law and equity on which rest the security of States and the welfare of peoples." An immediate reply, other than a sympathetic acknowledgment,_was impossible, owing to the absence of Lord Salisbury abroad and of members of the Cabinet. A full reply was sent to Sir C. Scott by Lord Salisbury on October 24th, and said: :-"Your Excellency was instructed at the time by Mr. Balfour, in my absence from England, to explain the reasons which would cause some delay before a formal reply could be returned to this important communication, and, in the meanwhile, to assure the Russian Government of the cordial sympathy of Her Majesty's Government with the objects and intentions of His Imperial Majesty. That this sympathy is not confined to the Government, but is equally shared by popular opinion in this country, has been strikingly manifested since the Emperor's proposal has been made generally known by the very numerous resolutions passed by public meetings and Societies in the United Kingdom. There are, indeed, few nations, if any, which, both on grounds of feeling and interest, are more concerned in the maintenance of general peace than is Great Britain. The statements which constitute the grounds of the Emperor's proposal are but too well justified. It is unfortunately true that while the desire for the maintenance of peace is generally professed, and while, in fact, serious and successful efforts have on more than one recent occasion been made with that object by the Great Powers, there has been a constant tendency on the part of almost every nation to increase its armed force, and to add to an already vast expenditure on the appliances of war. The perfection of the instruments thus brought into use, their extreme costliness, and the horrible carnage and destruction which would ensue from their employment on a large scale, have acted, no doubt, as a serious deterrent from

war.

But the burdens imposed by this process on the populations affected must, if prolonged, produce a feeling of unrest and discontent menacing both to internal and external tranquillity. Her Majesty's Government will gladly co-operate in the proposed effort to provide a remedy for this evil; and if, in any degree, it succeeds, they feel that the Sovereign to whose suggestion it is due will have richly earned the gratitude of the world at large. Your Excellency is therefore authorized to assure Count Mouravieff that the Emperor's proposal is willingly accepted by Her Majesty's Government, and that the Queen will have pleasure in delegating a Representative to take part in the Conference whenever an invitation is received. Her Majesty's Government hope that the invitation may be accompanied by some indication of the special points to which the attention of the Conference is to be directed as a guide for the selection of the British Representative, and of the assistants by whom he should be accompanied."

Defective and Epileptic Children (Report of Departmental Committee).-This Committee was appointed to inquire into the existing systems for the education of feebleminded and defective children, not being idiots or imbeciles, and to report on the best means for discriminating between the educable and non-educable of these classes on the one hand, and, on the other, between those children who may properly be taught in ordinary elementary schools by ordinary methods, and those who should be taught in special schools; also to inquire and report as to the provision of suitable elementary education for epileptic children. Legislation.-"Legislation is recommended to the following effect:-(1.) It shall be the duty of every School Authority to make such arrangements as the Education Department may approve for deciding (a) what children resident in their district, not being imbecile, are, by reason of mental or physical defect, incapable of receiving proper benefit from the instruction ordinary schools; (b) what children are unfit, by reason of severe epilepsy, to attend the ordinary schools. (Such children are hereinafter termed respectively defective and epileptic.) (2.) It shall be the duty of the parent of any child who may be required by the School Authority to be examined for this purpose to cause the child to attend such examination. (3.) It shall be the duty of every School Authority to make for defective and for epileptic children resident in their district, for whose elementary

in

or

education efficient and suitable provision is not otherwise made, such special provision as is in the opinion of the Education Department necessary. (4.) Such provision may be made in the case of defective children:(a) by means of day classes certified for the time being by the Education Department as special classes; or (b) by boarding-out, subject to regulations of the Education Department, in a home conveniently near to a special class; or (c) by a home for defective children certified by the Education Department, and (in the case of epileptic children); (d) by a home for epileptic children, certified by the Education Department. (5.) Every School Authority shall be empowered either to establish or acquire, and to maintain certified homes, for defective and for epileptic children, or to contribute, on such terms and to such extent as may be approved by the Education Department, towards the establishment, enlargement, or alteration, and towards the maintenance of certified homes. (6.) The School Authorities shall be the same as those constituted under Section 4 of the Blind and Deaf Children Act, and shall have the same powers as are defined in Section 5 of that Act, and may be required by the Education Department to contribute to other School Authorities in respect of children resident in their district, but attending special classes or certified homes in another district, the proportionate cost of provision and maintenance of such special classes or homes. (7.) It shall be the duty of School Authorities to provide guides or conveyance either to ordinary schools or to special classes for children who should attend such schools or classes, but are unable to do so without guides or conveyance. (8.) The duties of School Authorities shall not extend to children who are in the charge of guardians. (9.) Guardians shall contribute to School Authorities the proportionate cost of provision and maintenance of any special classes attended by children in their charge. (10.) For defective children over seven years of age in places where special classes are within reach of a child's home (including cases where a guide or conveyance is necessary), a parent's duty to cause his child to be educated shall be extended to causing it to attend such classes; and for epileptic children over seven years of age the School Authority may, if they think fit, apply to a magistrate for an order requiring the child to be sent to a certified epileptic home, and upon such order being made, the parent's duty to cause his child to be educated can only be fulfilled by compliance with the order. (11.) In the event of a School Authority failing to perform their duty towards defective or epileptic children, the Education Department may proceed as provided in the case of failure of duty under the Blind and Deaf Children Act, Section 6. (12.) The conditions on which a school may be certified under the Blind and Deaf Children Act, as laid down in Section

7, shall be applied to homes for defective and for epileptic children, except that no requirement shall be made as to the proportion of the expenses to be defrayed out of private sources. (13.) Special classes shall be treated as public elementary schools. (14.) Homes for defective and for epileptic children shall, as regards religious instruction, be conducted in accordance with Section 8 of the Blind and Deaf Children Act. (15.) The conditions of Sections 9 and 10 (1) of the Blind and Deaf Children Act, as to the liability of the parents for contributions and their freedom from disability or disqualification, shall be applied to defective children boarded-out by the School Authority, and to defective and epileptic children in certified homes. (16.) The period of compulsory education of defective and of epileptic children shall be extended to such age, not exceeding 16 years, as the School Authority in each case think fit. (17.) School authorities shall (if not already required to do so) make to the Education Department such returns as the Department require; and the Department shall make to Parliament annually such reports upon their proceedings with regard to defective and epileptic children as they make under Section 14 of the Blind and Deaf Children Act. The word 'imbecile,' as used in the first paragraph of these recommendations, shall be taken to mean not capable of receiving proper benefit from instruction either in ordinary schools or in special classes. Action of Education Department.-The action recommended to be taken by the Education Department is as follows:-To issue minutes as to the arrangements approved by the Department for deciding what children are defective or epileptic; as to certifying special classes; as to boarding-out defective children; as to certifying homes (a) for defective and (b) for epileptic children; and as to the scale of grants (if any) offered for such classes and homes, and for special provision in ordinary schools for defective children. To give notice requiring the provision of special classes where they are necessary. To consider whether a medical adviser should be appointed, whose duty it should be to advise the Department on all matters arising out of the education of defective and epileptic children, and to inspect homes and classes for such children when required. To issue instructions to Her Majesty's Inspectors as to the action to be taken by them. Duties of Inspectors. -Inspectors should be required to attend at the examination of children reported to be defective, to inspect and report upon special classes, certified homes, and boardedout children, to report any cases of defective children improperly attending ordinary schools, to approve arrangements for special instruction of defective children in ordinary schools where no special classes are available, and to approve annually teachers of special classes. Duties of School Authorities. -School Authorities should be required to

appoint medical officers to advise them as to the discrimination of defective and epileptic children. Those who already employ medical officers will presumably entrust them with the duty; and those who do not will arrange with some medical man to be their officer for this purpose. School Authorities will furthermore be required to make such provision as may be necessary by means of special classes, certified homes, boarding-out, conveyance and guides, and to report their proceedings annually to the Education Department. Duties of Managers.-Managers of ordinary schools should be required to report to the School Authority any cases of defective or epileptic children in their schools, and in places where other provision is not made may propose some special arrangements for their instruction in ordinary schools, to be approved by Her Majesty's Inspector. Miscellaneous. We suggest that the examination held by the School Authority should be utilized as a mode of admission to Darenth and similar institutions, and that this recommendation shall be forwarded to the proper quarters for consideration. Whether or not Parliament be asked to legislate with a view to giving general effect to these proposals, no doubt some special assistance would be looked for in the shape of grants from the Education Department; but we understand that it is no part of our duty to make specific recommendations on this head."

Report of the Committee of the Privy Council on Education for the year 189798. The establishment of Associations of Voluntary Schools under the Voluntary Schools Act, 1897, the increased grant to School Boards, the transference from the Department of Science and Art to the Education Department of the administration of the grants for drawing and manual instruction in elementary day schools, and the further development of the new system of inspection are noticed as having made the year one of the most important in the history of the Education Department. "On the registers of our public elementary schools on the annual grant list on August 31, 1897, there were 3,525 children under three years of age; 186,331 children over three but under four years of age; 401,507 who were over four but under five; and 564,930 who were over five but under six. It is estimated that, in the middle of 1897, the number of children of the class usually attending public elementary schools, who were over eleven and under twelve years of age, was 597,162. Of these, however, 19,261 were not accounted for on the registers of the public elementary schools. The corresponding number of children, who were over twelve but under thirteen years of age, was estimated at 589,138. But of these, as many as 94,450 were not on the registers of public elementary schools. The leakage is still more serious in the case of children who are over thirteen but under fourteen

years of age. In the middle of 1897, their number, as estimated for the purpose named above, was 580,131. Of these, however, as many as 373,782 were not found on the registers of inspected public elementary schools. Yet it is obvious that, from the point of view of attainment in those subjects usually taught in schools, the two years in a child's life between twelve and fourteen are of great importance. The

nation is certainly deprived thereby of much of the advantage which it has a right to expect from the devoted labours of the teachers, and from its immense and growing expenditure on the public elementary schools. The attempt to impart a sound elementary education to children who leave school at too early an age must result in failure and the education of the people cannot be made satisfactory until this defect has been cured." Discussing the complexity of the problem the Report states that "in many rural districts, at any rate, there is a rooted belief that elementary education produces a disinclination among many of the more promising children to enter upon a life of agricultural labour. This conviction lies behind much of the defective administration of the school attendance laws in country districts. The reluctance of some local authorities to enforce those laws in a thorough-going sense has recently been the subject of frequent complaint on the part of Her Majesty's Inspectors and of other persons interested in the welfare of many rural schools." The Report shows that the percentage of average attendance to the number on the registers is more satisfactory than the normal standard of attainment on leaving school; but it urges caution in the use of educational statistics. The great mass of children do not fail in point of regular attendance. "In most schools it is found that irregular attendance is confined to a comparatively small group of children." There has been a great increase in the average duration of elementary school life. In 1870, the average term was 3.76 years, and the average attendance 68.06; meaning an actual average term of 2.55 years. In 1880 the latter figure had risen to 5.19 years, in 1890 to 6·13, and in 1897 it was 7.05 years. The Report continues: "So much having been accomplished, we may fairly hope to see still more done towards securing a more general attendance at school. The present difficulties are, broadly speaking, different in town and country districts. And the defects, to which we have called attention, are partly due to unwillingness to enforce the law, partly to the low standard of total exemption from school which is prescribed by the bye-laws of some localities. So grave, however, are the dangers which spring from this insensibility towards the claims of education, and so materially does the attitude of some districts hinder the fulfilment of the general desire for increased educational efficiency, that we feel it necessary to direct further notice to the question, in the belief that discussion and

inquiry will help to dissipate some of the lethargy which now prevails. Much of the opposition to the fuller application of the law as to school attendance seems to spring from nothing more creditable than a desire for immediate gain, even at the cost of lasting injury to the moral and intellectual welfare of the children. The latter are thus sacrificed to parental selfishness, and that not only in agricultural districts, where prejudice against certain forms of education might be expected to survive, but in many industrial regions where on every ground a higher expectation of scholastic efficiency ought to prevail. Few would seriously maintain that the discipline of a good elementary education continued up to thirteen or fourteen years of age tends to disqualify a boy or a girl from becoming in due course a skilful worker in the factory, or handy in the duties of the home. If any such disqualification were the result from prolonged attendance at the elementary school, it would clearly be due to some serious fault in the course of training there given. In view of the conditions of town life, it is doubly desirable that children should not be allowed at a very tender age to pass out of the supervision of experienced teachers into the temptations which will beset them as soon as they enter upon a more independent kind of life. But we can only hope that the short-sighted selfishness of those parents who thus imperil alike the moral character and the intellectual aptitudes of their children by prematurely withdrawing them from the protection and moral guidance afforded by a happy school life, will gradually be overcome by the pressure of a more enlightened public opinion, and by the persistent enforcement of the existing law. We cannot but think, however, that the anomalies in the present law as to school attendance form an obstacle to the natural growth of healthy public opinion on this subject." Discussing the requirements of modern elementary education, the Report says that a mechanical form of bookish instruction is the cheapest kind of teaching. It tends to prevail in inferior schools, staffed by inferior teachers. Of all kinds of education it is the least fruitful of permanent good. But nowhere is its influence more obviously mischievous than in the rural school. The aim should be, not to produce multitudes of good clerks, but multitudes of good craftsmen. The new system of inspection -by which a formal annual examination day is superseded by periodical examinations, under the direction of school managers, and visits without notice by the Inspectors while the school is working under normal conditions-is shown to have worked advantageously in the opinion of the Committee. On the subject of the cost of "maintenance," discussed in the following quotation, it should be borne in mind that the figures do not include sums spent by voluntary school managers in buildings or in structural alterations:-" Care must

on

therefore be taken not to regard the amount of voluntary subscriptions which is recorded in our Report as a complete statement of the outlay which has been made elementary education during the year by the supporters of voluntary schools. Their expenditure, if everything is taken into account, largely exceeds the aggregate of which we receive official information. But a comparison of the amounts expended on the maintenance' of the schools serves a useful purpose, as showing the increasing cost of elementary education. With a few exceptions, which were due to special circumstances, this cost has risen every year in both voluntary and board schools since 1872, which is the first year in which the two systems can be compared. The average cost of annual maintenance' of each scholar has risen in voluntary schools from £1 7s. 5d. in 1872 to £2 Os. 6d. in 1897, and in board schools from £1 8s. 41d. in 1872 to £2 13s. 2d. in 1897. If the cost of buildings and of structural alterations were brought into account, the cost per child would be much larger in each case. During the past year (1897) the average cost of 'maintenance' per child rose in voluntary schools from £1 19s. 6d. to £2 Os. 6d., and in board schools from £2 11s. 11 d. to £2 13s. 24d. This year the voluntary contributions for maintenance' have fallen one penny per head on those in average attendance in voluntary schools. In 1896 the amount was 6s. 93d. per head, in 1897 it was 6s. 8d. In school board districts the amount expended from rates on 'maintenance' per child in average attendance in board schools has again risen. In 1896 the amount was £1 1s. 2d. per head. In 1897 it had risen to £1 1s. 11d. Here again it should be pointed out that these averages do not take into account the sums expended out of rates on the provision of new board schools, or on the structural alterations of existing ones. The annual grant paid out of the Parliamentary vote per child in average attendance has risen without intermission year by year in board and voluntary schools alike. In 1872 the average was for voluntary schools 11s. 10d., and for board schools 8s. 104d. In 1896 it was 18s. 7 d. for voluntary schools, and 19s. 74d. for board schools. In 1897 it rose to 18s. 11 d. for voluntary schools, and 19s. 94d. for board schools. This is exclusive of the fee grant." On the subject of Evening Continuation Schools, it is shown that there were 4,980 in the year under review, with 358,628 scholars, the schools earning in grants £162,158. Of the number of scholars 41,832 were over 21 years of age. The majority of the scholars were, however, under 16 years. The difficulty of teachers in meeting the different needs of the older and younger scholars is noticed. The Report continues:-" While the total number of scholars in the evening continuation schools has increased, during the year under review, from 298,724 to 358,628, the number of those among them who paid no fees rose

from 108,708 to 122,430. Of the fee-paying scholars, the great majority pay the nominal sum of 1d. to 3d. a week. The elementary subjects—reading, writing, and arithmetic -are more taught than any other subject in the evening schools. In 1897 119,520 scholars received instruction in arithmetic, 73,425 in writing and composition, 47,877 in reading and writing combined, and 39,849 in reading and recitation. This shows how many of the scholars still come to night schools in order to rub up or improve their knowledge of the elementary subjects. Of the other subjects, for which grants are paid in these schools, geography is much the most popular. Last year, 47,927 scholars received instruction in this subject. Next came needlework, which is taken up by girls and women only. Next, shorthand, which was studied by 40,882 scholars. Next, vocal music, which was taken by 32,019. Book-keeping, mensuration, and domestic economy follow in the order named. This indicates the practical turn which is being given to the studies of the evening schools. History, French or German, the science of common things,' ambulance work, algebra, 'the life and duties of the citizen,' human physiology, chemistry, English, magnetism and electricity, elementary physiography, hygiene, elementary physics and chemistry, and agriculture, come next in popularity and in the order given. A comparatively small number of scholars took up horticulture, mechanics, Welsh, Euclid, botany, sound, light, and heat, Latin, or navigation. The number of scholars taking from two to five subjects has again increased, and more have taken five subjects, which is the maximum number recognized for a grant, than in the previous year." The Report recommends the prohibition of children being carried on canal-boats, as being the only effective way of securing the regular attendance of canalboat children at school. In 1895 (the latest figures-those of Mr. Brydone), 1,545 children were travelling with canal-boats. The Report says that without the prohibition mentioned above there will always remain a residuum of children living on and habitually travelling with canal-boats, and that it will be found impossible to secure the regular attendance of this residuum at school. Quotations are given from the opinions of various school boards, to the effect that it should be made illegal for children of school age to reside on canalboats. Analysis of Statistics :-"On the 31st August, 1897, there were 19,957 day schools under separate management on the list for inspection, and claiming annual grants. These schools contained 30,858 departments, under separate head teachers, with accommodation for 6,220,158 scholars; the number of scholars on the registers was 5,509,845, and the average number in attendance 4,489,043. The increase of the population during the year is estimated at 1.10 per cent., but the accommodation has increased by 142,825 school places (or 2.35 per cent.);

the scholars on the registers by 84,050 (1.54 per cent.); the average attendance by 65,632 (1.48 per cent.). The voluntary contributions for 'maintenance' have been £832,429 against £845,278 last year, and the contributions from rates to the maintenance of board schools, £2,250,602, against £2,112,885. The annual Government grants (exclusive of the fee grant) paid to elementary day schools rose in the year from £4,217,506 to £4,339,739, and from 19s. oad. to 19s. 4d. per scholar in actual average attendance. The Evening Continuation Schools inspected during the year were 4,226, containing 4,980 separate departments, as compared with 4,347 last year. The number of principal teachers employed was 3,816 men and 1,127 women. Most of these teachers were certificated, viz. :-3,623 masters and 981 mistresses, as compared with 193 masters and 146 mistresses not holding certificates from the Department. There were 358,628 scholars on the registers, as compared with 298,724 in the preceding year. Of these scholars, 122,430 paid no fees; 86,877 (24-22 per cent.) were under 14 years of age; 186,435 (51.98 per cent.) were between 14 and 18; 43,484 (12-12 per cent.) were between 18 and 21; and 41,832 (11.66 per cent.) were over 21. Drawing was taught in 1,146 schools, manual or technical instruction in 449, cookery in 623, laundry work in 76, and housewifery in 6. Dairy work has only been taken by two schools. The total of the grants paid to evening schools was £162,157 15s. 2d., as compared with £129,542 6s. 4d. the previous year. Regarding the provision of school accommodation, the schools in England and Wales, visited by the inspectors, for the purpose of annual grants, which in 1870 provided for 1,878,584 scholars, or for 8.75 per cent. of the population, were in 1897 sufficient for 6,215,199 scholars, or 2001 per cent. of the population. The additional amount of accommodation which has thus been provided, since 1870, to the extent of 1,798,006 seats by voluntary effort, and 2,538,609 in board schools, has been supplied in several ways. "Of the five schools acquired by school boards during the year, four were Church schools. Since 1871 boards had acquired 1,347 schools, including 956 Church, 24 Wesleyan, and 265 British schools. Of the Attendance of Scholars, the analysis states: "While, with our present population, there might be 6,211,071 (1 in 5) on the registers, and 5,175,892 (1 in 6) in average daily attendance, our returns show only 5,507,039 children on the registers, and 4,488,543 in average daily attendance." Elaborate details are given of the various subjects for which grants are earned. The number of certificated teachers employed was 58,814. "The average salary of a certificated master, which in 1870 was £94 2s. 1d. is now £122 14s. 11d.; that of a schoolmistress was £57 11s. 1d. in 1870, and is now £81 9s. 9d. In addition to their other emoluments, 5,980 out of 22,115 masters, and 4,569 out