endowment of the see to the amount of 15,000l. It was in hopes that her Majesty's Government might consider this so desirable a a measure as to consent to the erection of the see.

To this the Right Honourable Sir E. B. Lytton, Bart., answered on the 7th October, to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, as follows::

"To lay the foundation of a Christian church in all its completeness simultaneously with the establishment of a civil policy is a worthy system of colonization, in which, as your grace rightly apprehends, her Majesty's Government will gladly co-operate to the best. of their ability, and will offer every facility for the erection of the new see. For my own part, as the Minister especially charged with the superintendence and administration of the new colony, I would desire, through your grace, to express to Miss Burdett Coutts the high and grateful appreciation which I entertain of this her latest, but not least munificent, contribution to the purposes of Christianity and civilization.

"Of recent years, from various causes, the State has greatly departed from the ancient practice of supplementing by grants of land or money the requirements of the colonial church. That church, in consequence, following the analogy of the freer system of self-government which has with happy effect been conceded to many of our colonies, has thrown herself upon the voluntary efforts of her children, both abroad and at home; but the provision thus made for her spiritual organization, if indeed less large in amount than it would have been had it been drawn from the ampler resources of the State, has been made in a spirit of selfsacrifice and devotion calculated to give permanent life and fixity to her teaching and ecclesiastical system.

"The best recognition of the present munificent endowment will be found in its leading the colonists of British Columbia to imitate the self-denial and zeal to which their church will owe her early and effective organization.

66

Starting in her career under episcopal guidance, and complete in all the parts of her system, that church will commence her missionary work with more than the usual promise of success. Her field of labour will

undoubtedly be arduous. There must be many difficulties in the earlier stages of a society gathered from all parts of the world, and reflecting every variety of the human character; but thus constituted she will prove, I cannot doubt, not only a teacher, but a civilizer; not only a spiritual, but a social blessing, lending in the new world, as in the old, her direct and powerful aid to law and order, bringing education in her train, and reminding the adventurers and colonists of British Columbia that it is the right use, and not the mere acquisition, of wealth which makes communities, as well as individuals, truly prosperous and happy."

On the 4th of November, 1858, his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury recommended to the Right Honourable Sir E. B. Lytton, for the appointment, the Rev. George Hills, honorary canon of Norwich and incumbent of Yarmouth, where his ministery for the last ten years had been remarkably successful, and Sir E. B. Lytton received her Majesty's commands to convey to him her approval of the appointment of Mr. Hills to the new see.

NATIONAL EDUCATION (IRELAND).

The Thirty-second Report of the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland, for the Year 1865.

On the 31st of December, 1864, we had 6,263 schools in operation, which had on their rolls, for the year then ended, 870,401 children; with an average daily attendance, for the same period, of 315,108 children; and an average number of children on the rolls for the year, of 575,486. At the close of the year 1865, the number of schools in operation was 6,372. The average daily attendance of children for the year was 321,209; the average number of children on the rolls was 598,408; while the total number of distinct children at any time on the rolls for the year was 922,084.*

*(I.) By the total number of children on rolls during the year is meant the gross aggregate of distinct individual children whose names have appeared on the school-rolls at any time during the entire year.

As compared with the year 1864, there is an increase of 109 in the number of schools in operation for the year 1865; while in the daily average attendance the increase amounts to 6,101, in the average number on the rolls the increase amounts to 22,922, and in the total number of pupils enrolled during the year the increase amounts to 51,683.

We have in course of erection, 45 ordinary national school-houses, which will contain 64 separate school-rooms. There is also in course of erection 1 model school-house, containing 3 school-rooms. When these 46 buildings shall have been completed, they will afford accommodation to 5,670 additional children. Of the above 45 ordinary schoolhouses, the erection of 14 was sanctioned during the year 1865.

There were 24 vested schools opened during the year, towards the erection of which grants had been made, and 3 suspended schools reopened. These are included in the 6,372 schools in operation on the 31st December, *1865.

The number of schools struck off our roll during the year 1865, was 73. Of these, 68 had been previously in operation, the remaining 5 being merely cases in which grants for building were cancelled.

The number of schools in the "suspended list," at the close of the year, was 71, of which 4 were suspended during the 1865. year Many of these suspended schools are from time to time re-opened, as the causes for their suspension become removed.

The number of applications for grants to new schools in the year 1865 was 241. To 172 of these we promised the required assistance, either for building or for salaries and requisites. The remaining 69 applications were rejected for various reasons, of which official records are kept.

(II.) By the average number of children on the rolls during the year is meant the mean or average of the several numbers appearing on the rolls through out the year, and which in point of fact vary from week to week, and from month to month.

(III.) By the average daily attendance of children during the year is meant the mean or average of the numbers fonnd in actual attendance-not on rolls merely, but present in their classes, from day to day throughout the year.

Of the 172 schools added to the list, fiftysix were in Ulster, forty-two in Munster, twenty-eight in Leinster, and forty-six in Connaught.

On the 31st December, 1865, there were 6,372 schools in operation and 6,510 schools in connection. Of those in operation, 2,357 were in the Province of Ulster, 1,558 in Munster, 1,442 in Leinster, and 1,015 in Connaught.

At the termination of the year 1865, we had on our list, vested either in trustees or in our board, or secured by bond, 1,176 schoolhouses, containing 1,790 rooms, accommodating distinct schools. The number of these schools vested in trustees was 986; the number vested in our board in its corporate capacity (including 148 assigned) was 709; the number for which we held bonds for the observance of our rules was 95.

The number of non-vested schools in connection with us on the 31st December, 1865, was 4,699.

The following table shows the distribution of the schools in operation according to the several provinces, with the pupils in attendance therein, and the averages for each school :

As in previous years, we have confined the returns of the religious denominations of the pupils to the number on the rolls for the last quarter of the year. But could we procure, with the same facility, similar returns in reference to the 922,084 pupils on the rolls for the entire year, it is probable that a proportionate increase would be found in the numbers of the various religious persuasions, and that the numbers would then stand thus:Established Church, 61,492; Roman Catholics, 752,328; Presbyterians, 101,616; other persuasions, 6,648; total, 922,084; i. e., Protestants of all denominations, 169,756, or 18·41 per cent., and Roman Catholics, 752,328, or 81.59 per cent.

The following table shows the per-centage of schools from which returns have been received exhibiting a mixed attendance of Protestant and Roman Catholic pupils, for the year 1861, 1863, 1864, and 1865:

We have received returns showing, as in the subjoined table, the literary proficiency of 675,156 of the pupils on the rolls of national schools for the last quarter of the year 1865. As compared with the year 1864, there is an increase in the proportion of the pupils in Third, and in Fourth and higher books. With respect to the junior classes, there appears a decrease in the per-centage of pupils in Sequels and Second Book, and a consequent increase in the per-centage in Frst Book: but this is due to the introduction into many of the schools of a portion of our new series of Lesson Books, from which the Sequels are omitted. In schools where the new classification has been effected, the pupils of the higher Sequel are amalgamated with those of Third Book, and the less advanced with those of Second. Similarly, the less advanced pupils of the late Second Book are amalgamated with those of the higher sections of the new First Book.

The total amount of salaries, premiums, gratuities, and allowances paid in 1865 to the principal teachers, assistants, monitors, and workmistresses in national schools including the central and other model schools, and the payments to organizing teachers-was 252,248/. 18s. 2d. This sum includes 3,584. 17s. 10d., school fees apportioned to teachers in model schools. The details for each species of service are given in our financial statement, hereto appended.

The amount received for books, school requisites, and apparatus sold at reduced prices to national schools in the year 1865, was 13,9041. 3s. 5d. The number of orders was 10,287; and the average amount of each order, 11. 78. 0ld.

The value of the grants of school requisites and apparatus, given as free stock, in 1865, was 2,750l. 10s. 7d. The number of grants was 711; and the average value of each, Bl. 178. 4 d.

The number of pupils on the rolls of our model schools in Marlborough Street upon the 31st of September, 1865, was-males, 725; females, 662; infants, 360; making a total of 1,747.

The religious denominations of the 1,747 pupils on the rolls of the model schools, Marlborough Street, at the end of the past. year, are specified in the following return :

We trained during the year, and supported at the public expense, 308 teachers, of whom 152 were males, and 156 females. We also trained, for the office of teacher, 21 persons who supported themselves during their attendance at the model schools. The total number trained in 1865 was 329. Of the 308 teachers trained during the year, 59 were of the Established Church, 165 were Roman Catholics, 77 were Presbyterians, and 7 were of other persuasions. The total number of male and female teachers trained from the commencement of our proceedings to the 31st

December, 1865, is 7,247. We do not include in this last number those teachers who, at the time of their training, were unconnected with national schools.

Besides the teachers trained in the ordinary courses of literature, science, and schoolkeeping, during the past year, we caused an additional number of teachers to be instructed in the principles of navigation and the use of nautical instruments. In admitting teachers to this department, we select those only who are possessed of the attainments necessary to profit by the special instruction given, and whose schools are the most favourably suited for the introduction of this branch of education.

The establishments in which the teachers, both male and female, attending at our training institution, are boarded and lodged, continue to be efficiently conducted. The inmates have been distinguished, as heretofore, for the general correctness of their conduct, for the maintenance of order and discipline, for the exercise of kindly feeling towards each other, and for the careful observance of their religious duties.

At the end of the year 1865, we had in our service 6,000 principal teachers, and 1,754 assistants, making, in the whole, 7,754*-of whom 3,385 are trained; also, that we had in our service, at the same period, 733 workmistresses, many of whom act in the further capacity of junior assistants in the literary business of the schools.

The following table exhibits, in counties and provinces, the total amount of local emoluments received in aid of salaries of teachers of national schools (excluding workhouse schools, prison schools, lunatic asylum schools, and closed or suspended schools) during the year 1865; also the average for each school and each pupil in daily average attendance.

*This number is exclusive of teachers in the prison schools, lunatic asylum schools, and workhouse schools, in connection with us; and also, of teachers in convent schools-the former not being paid by the Board, and the latter being paid according to the average daily attendance in their respective

schools.

The total amount received by the teachingstaff of the schools in connection with our Board for the year 1865, appears to have been 303,7231. 11s. 7d.-only 16.95 per cent. of this sum having been locally provided, whilst the large proportion of 83.05 per cent. was derived from the funds placed at our disposal by the State.

The number of workhouse schools in connection with us on the 31st December, 1865, was 145. Of these schools 32 are in Ulster, 49 in Munster 35 in Leinster, and 29 in Connaught.

The total number of distinct pupils appearing on the rolls of these 145 workhouse schools, for the year ending 31st December, 1868, was 19,065; the average number on the rolls was 12,155; while the average daily attendance was 9,189.

The number of districts and minor model schools in operation at the end of the year 26-including the central or metropolitan distict.

The total number of pupils on the rolls of these schools for the year ended the 31st of December, 1865, was 16,883,* and the average daily attendance for the same period, 8,048.* We have obtained from our inspectors' returns showing the religious denominations. of the pupils on the rolls of the district and minor model schools, for the quarter ended the 31st December, 1865.

It appears that the total number of pupils on the rolls of our model schools for the last quarter of the year 1865 was 11,886; of which 3,412 were of the Established Church, 4,596 Roman Catholics, 3,053 Presbyterians,

* Maritime and agricultural pupils included.

and 825 belonged to other persuasions. In the subjoined tabulation of these returns we include the schools of the central or metropolitan district.

The district model school at Cork was opened for the reception of pupils in the month of September last.

The erection of the Enniskillen district model school is in progress.

The number of district model schools in operation at the end of the year was 18; the number yet to be built, 1; total, 19.

The number of minor model schools in operation at the end of the year was 7.

The total number of district and minor model schools already erected, together with those which we have agreed to erect, amounts to 26.

The total number of school farms in connection on the 31st December, 1865, was 104 -of which 20 were school farms of the first class, under the exclusive management of our Board, and 18 were school farms of the first class, under local management. Of the remaining number, 62 were ordinary school farms, and 4 were school gardens one of the latter being under our own management.

The Commissionerss expended during the year ended 31st December, 1865, the sum of 349,6077.