Total Expenditure Balance to provide for Extras and Accumulation £122,045 17 6 122,045 17 6 16. Interest on Capital, £4,340,342 17s. 7d., at 5 per cent. per annum NOTE.-Straw not charged, because returned in manure, £286,045 19s. 4d. On some Results of the Society of Arts' Examinations. The author divided the subject into scholastic examinations and institutional examinations. The former include such examinations as those so successfully undertaken by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, for the middle classes, and the latter were those conducted by the Society of Arts for the artisan or working class. There was no competition whatever between these two systems. They formed, in fact, one comprehensive scheme, each system supplying the wants of its own particular class. The advantages of the examination of the Society of Arts had already been experienced in Such a large and widely-distributed list of local Boards was an evidence of unequivocal success. On looking to the results of the final examination which had taken place some months ago, and comparing these results with the operations of the preceding year, it will be seen that the number of candidates has very much increased. The following Table exhibits this comparative position of the results for 1858 and 1859: No. of Candi- No. of Candi dates Examined dates who passed No. of Papers No. of 1st Class No. of 2nd Class Certificates at the Final Examination. Final Exami- worked at Final Certificates 1858. 1859. 1858. 1859. 1858. 1859. 1858. 1859. 1858. 1859. The ages of these Candidates varied from 16 to 47. The following Table has been compiled from the return papers of 525 candidates, 480 of whom underwent the final examination : Age. Candi- Age. Candi- Age. Candi- Age. Candi The return paper also exhibited the number of years the various candidates had spent at school. It appeared from this important portion of the returns that a prolonged period of school life was by no means the most satisfactory indication of educational progress. Many candidates had not only obtained first-class certificates, but had even carried away prizes, whose school attendance was far below the average; and, on the whole, it would appear that the instruction afforded by Mechanics' Institutes, and other educational agencies, subsequent to the school period, was equally valuable, if not more so, than that usually given during the last few years of school life. If we could get young workmen to avail themselves of this secondary education, there could be little doubt but that a short period of elementary school attendance would not be so serious an evil as was generally supposed. Even with the present imperfect condition of Mechanics' Institutes, the results of the Society of Arts' Examination supplied ample evidence to prove, at least, this important fact, that we should not attempt to estimate the educational position of the working-classes merely by looking to the census returns, or to the official reports on school attendance. "Hitherto we had no opportunity of ascertaining what effect Mechanics' Institutes produced. Although our present information was not as extensive as could be wished, it was sufficient to indicate the great value of institutional instruction. On Decimal Coinage. By R. L. JOHNSON. On some Questions relating to the Incidence of Taxation. Statistical Account of the Whale and Seal Fisheries of Greenland and Davis Straits, carried on by Vessels from Peterhead, N.B., from 1788 to 1858, a period of 71 years. By THOMAS LAWRANCE. The Greenland Whale Fishery began in 1788; a vessel called the 'Robert,' of 169 tons register, sailed from the port in the spring of that year, and continued its solitary voyages until 1801, when it was sold. The 'Hope,' of 240 tons, followed, and was joined by the Enterprise,' of 299 tons, in 1804, and by a vessel called the 'Active,' of 308 tons, in 1810. They continued to increase from year to year; and in 1821 the whale fishery of Davis Straits was attempted, as well as that of Greenland. In that year the combined fleets consisted of sixteen vessels, of an aggregate tonnage of 4584 tons. The Fishings appear to class themselves into three periods, viz. the whale period of Greenland, from 1788 to 1820; the whale period of Davis Straits, from 1821 to 1840; and the whale and seal period of both fisheries, from 1841 to 1858, viz. :—— The total number of complete voyages was 700, and the gross quantity of oil brought home 44,582 imperial tuns, which shows an average of 64 tuns a voyage. In the year 1838 the fleet numbered ten ships, and from that time to 1851 the number did not exceed thirteen any season; but in 1851 they rose to twentytwo, in 1853 to twenty-seven, and in 1857 to thirty-one, the largest number which ever sailed from the port. During the period from 1838, the Seal Fishery of Greenland has attracted much attention, and has been sedulously pursued. The largest number of seals caught by the crew of one vessel previous to 1844 was 6130; but in that year the 'Plover' brought home 12,300 seal skins, and 135 tuns of oil; and in 1850 the Victor' captured 16,135 seals, which produced 185 tuns of oil. The fishing continued with varied success until 1855, in which year the large number of 131,049 seals were taken: since that season, the fishing has fallen off, and attention has been directed to the capture of whales at Cumberland and Davis Straits. Vessels from Peterhead, Aberdeen, and the United States of America have for some seasons gone out and wintered at Cumberland Straits, where whales are caught in autumn, the latter end of spring, and during summer; but the risk and expenses attending these voyages, compared with the produce caught, has rendered them as yet unremunerative. The steam-tug 'Jackall' accompanied the ship 'Traveller' to Cumberland Straits in 1857, to assist in towing the boats and dead whales to the vessel: both have since been lost there. The same year the iron screw steamer 'Inuit' entered the trade. The owners were sanguine that the application of steam at those fisheries would prove as serviceable and profitable as it had been in other trades, but the experiment did not come up to expectations; the trial, however, was short; the vessel was crushed in the ice at the seal fishing of Greenland this spring. The walrus fishing off the coast of Spitzbergen was tried, but failed for want of sufficient success. The whale fishing off the coast of Nova Zembla was attempted last year; but, though unfruitful, another and more vigorous trial is necessary before it can be said that whales are to be found, or not, off the shores of that island. The total number of vessels engaged from first to last was 58, of the gross tonnage of 15,617 tons register, averaging 269 tons each. 504 voyages were made to Greenland, and 214 to Davis Straits, but only 700 voyages homewards, as eighteen vessels were lost at the fisheries. The losses, sales, and number of vessels now engaged at the fisheries are as follows: Assuming the value of these vessels at £20 per ton, including provisions and wages, the total first cost would have been £312,340; but as they decline in value as they increase in age, the average during employment may be calculated at £15 per ton for those going to Greenland, and £17 for those in the Davis Straits Fishery. The losses at the former would therefore amount to £18,915, and at the latter £69,887. Comparing the losses at Greenland with those at Davis Straits, out of 504 voyages to the former 4 vessels were wrecked, and out of 214 to the latter 14 were wrecked, which demonstrates the risk at Davis Straits to be eight times greater than at Greenland; at the one country the loss is under 1 per cent., and at the other about 6 per cent. It may be observed, that the class of vessels which has gone from Peterhead to Greenland of late years has been superior to those of some other ports, and consequently the casualties have been less in proportion amongst Peterhead ships. The rates of premium and policy of insurance to Greenland is £3 7s. 6d. per cent., and to Davis Straits £6 10s. 6d. per cent: formerly the rates were higher. Of all places frequented at these fisheries, the danger of shipwreck is greatest at Melville Bay, on the east side of Davis Straits. In the year 1830, one French and nineteen British vessels were lost in that bay; the loss of life, however, is very small, as the men can instantly get upon the ice and walk to other vessels which may have accompanied them. The total importations from these fisheries for the 71 years has been, 1,121,685 seal skins, 3797 whales, producing 44,582 tuns of oil, and 1731 tons of whalebone, and of the approximate value of £2,323,380 sterling. The value of produce has changed very much from time to time; oil has been sold as low as £20 and as high as £54 per tun. Whalebone at one period was nearly valueless, and of late it has been sold in the London market at £580 per ton. Seal skins twenty years ago sold at 1s. to 1s. 6d. per skin, and they are now realising 3s. 9d. to 8s. 6d. per skin. In the early years of the fishing the vessels sailed in the end of March and beginning of April, but now they take their departure in the middle and end of February, returning in May, June, July, and August from Greenland, and in September, October, and November from Davis Straits. There is no record of the loss of life from accidents and disease, but the per-centage, if ascertainable, would no doubt be found to be small; the crews on their return from the icy seas always look healthy and strong. On the Trade and Commerce of India. By J. T. MACKENZIE. The paper gave a view of the exports and imports of bullion and merchandise for twenty-five years, ending in 1858. The value of exports from British India amounted, in the five years from 1833-38, to £10,300,000 annually, while, for the five years from 1853-58, the amount annually was £22,810,755. Imports of merchandise, exclusive of treasure, averaged £4,717,278 yearly in the first period of the same series, and £13,457,015 yearly for the last. The total bullion imported into India for the twenty-five years was £110,329,428. The number of vessels entered into India from foreign ports in 1858 was 4309-increase £1,686,558. The largest item of merchandise imported into India consisted of cotton, twist, yarn, and piece goods, and amounted in 1858 to £4,695,400, of which £4,608,655 were supplied by the United Kingdom. The writer next alluded to the importance of the extension of this great market to every class at home; and the obvious means by which this great object is to be attained are, on the one hand, by increasing the producing power of India, and by enabling her to dispose of a large quantity of her own productions, and, on the other, by our manufacturers studying, more than they do at present, the habits of the people in the manufacture of articles best suited to their real wants, tastes, and fancies. The total value of merchandise exported from British India in 1858 was £27,453,692, of which £9,106,635 was for opium, none of which is entered for British consumption. Deducting this, the exports still exceeded £18,000,000, of which more than £10,500,000 came to the United Kingdom. The largest item of Indian exports, after opium, is raw cotton, which in 1858 amounted to £4,301,769, of which £3,296,698 came to the United Kingdom, and this is about £1,500,000 below the value of the manufactured cotton we sent out to her. He pointed to the importance that would attach to organized efforts made to promote the consumption of Indian produce, and thereby to stimulate her productive power. He next said the whole system of banking in India requires to be changed. The means of transport and irrigation were also noticed asgreatly needed and greatly important. It should be clearly understood, however, that, for the real extension of great commercial intercourse with India, it is no part of the duty of Government to aid, either directly or indirectly, by pecuniary grants, gifts of land, or guarantees of interest, any industrial or commercial undertaking of the country. On the Statistics of the Trade and Progress of the Colony of Victoria. By the Hou. THOMAS M'COMBIE. Before entering upon the subject matter of this paper, I may be permitted to state that I have confined myself entirely to the bare statistics of the subject, and leave the members to draw such deductions as they may think fit. Victoria has many claims on the people of this country in being the greatest instance of successful colonization in the history of the world; in being called after the greatest and most popular sovereign that ever ruled the British dominions; and in having, after an existence of twenty years, productions amounting to £20,000,000. The colony of Victoria contains within its area about 54,000 square miles. Its boundaries are Bass's Straits to the south and east; the colony of South Australia, near the line of 141° of longitude to the east; and the colony of New South Wales to the north and north-east by a straight line drawn from Cape Horn to the nearest point of the River Murray, and thence by the course of that river to the eastern boundary of the colony of South Australia. This large tract of fine land was settled in 1836 by adventurers from New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land, and was said to contain 7000 aborigines, who have nearly all died out, only from 300 to 400 remaining. The commercial relations of the new territory were confined for some time to the intercourse between the new colonies and the neighbouring settlements on the Australian coast. The Customs revenue for the last quarter of 1840 was £1597; for the first quarter of 1841 it was £5609. The total of the ordinary revenue for the last quarter of 1840 was £3319; for the first quarter of 1841 it was £10,490. In April 1837, the population of the colony was but 500, and the stock consisted of but 14,000 sheep, 2500 head of cattle, and 150 horses. In 1841 there was a census taken, and the following was the result:-Population of Melbourne, 4479; of county of Bourke, 3241; of the district of Western Port, 1391; of Geelong, 454; of county of Grant, 336; of Portland, 597; of the county of Normanby, 1260: making a total of 11,728. Houses: In Melbourne, 769; county of Bourke, 432; Western Port, 110; Geelong, 81; county of Portland, 100: total, 1559. Condition of the people.-Convicts in the employment of the Government in Melbourne, 64; in the county of Bourke, 34; Western Port, 5; Geelong, 20; Grant, 17; Portland, 2; county of Portland, 4: total, 146. In private assignment-in Melbourne, 10; county of Bourke, 70; Western Port, 122; Geelong, 6; Portland, 23: total, 213, making a gross total of convicts in the districts 369, and 2 female convicts, or 371 in all. Of the male free population, 215 were born in the colonies; 6500 arrived free; 104 were emancipated convicts; and 124 ticket-ofleave holders. Of the free female population, there were 341 born in the colony; 2908 arrived free; 104 were emancipated; and 2 held tickets-of-leave. Station in life. Of those who can be ranked as employers and non-labourers, there were 1767; and of labourers 8926, In March 1846, another census of the portion of the Australian territory which |