revenue. The course which we think should be pursued, with respect to the reduction of these schools, is, first, that all children who are fit to be apprenticed should be disposed of with as little delay as may be; and, secondly, that there should be no new admissions of children until the total number be so far reduced that the establishment can be maintained by its own private funds. It will then be for the Society to judge in what manner they can most usefully apply the large revenues which have been intrusted to them by the donations or bequests of charitable individuals, and to decide whether it be still expedient to maintain boarding-schools at so large an expense, and, as we think, to so little purpose. They have already acted upon the principle of establishing day-schools; and if hereafter they should determine to extend their application of that principle, the superintendence and management of the schools maintained by them might readily be brought under the powers of the Board which we have recommended to be established. A more desirable course, and, perhaps, still more conducive to the interests of the Established Church, would, in our judgement, be an application of their funds to the assistance of the Association for discountenancing Vice, in the distribution of religious books, and the promotion of catechetical instruction. We have next to consider of the course which it is desirable to pursue, with respect to the Association for discountenancing Vice. Of this society, the objects are threefold: to promote catechetical instruction; to distribute Bibles, Prayer-books, and other books of religious instruction; and to give assistance to schools established by the clergy. We have already stated our opinion, that the obligation of providing schools should be removed from the clergy, and that they should be charged only with the duty of personally superintending the religious education of children of the Established Church, in their respective schools of general. parochial instruction. With that duty, the distribution of Bibles and Prayerbooks, and the promotion of catechetical instruction, strictly conform; and we think the Association would constitute a most useful auxiliary to the clergy of the Established Church in those objects. With respect to their present schools, we think it desirable that they should be transferred as much as possible to the general control and inspection of the new Board, and that every facility should be given for that purpose. The Kildare Place Society directs its attention to the publication and sale of cheap and useful books, a model-school for the training of masters and mistresses, and to the maintenance of schools for instruction. The selection and arrangement of the books have been extremely well conducted, and we have no doubt, that the various works which they have prepared are as well calculated as any can be for schools of general instruction, from which everything is to be excluded which can offend the religious tenets of any persuasion of Christians. We think, therefore, that the arrangement and circulation of such books for the use of schools, and the sale and distribution and grants of school perquisites, may still remain with the Society, subject to the approbation or rejection of the board of Superintendence, as to all schools under its management. With respect to the model-schools also, and the establishment for training masters and mistresses, we find them to have been extremely well managed; and as the maintenance of such an establishment must, for a considerable time at least, continue to be highly desirable in Ireland, we think that the superintendence and direction of that Institution may, with great advantage, be left to the care of the Society. The schools under their management, we think, form a separate and highly important subject for consideration. It appears to us, in the first instance, to be expedient for the Society to withhold all grants to schools in connexion with, or deriving aid or assistance from, any other society; and that for this purpose, all schools that derive aid from other societies, should be called upon to decide to which they will continue to belong, and the aid from this Society continued to such only as reject that of others. We recommend also, that after the appointment of the new Board, the establishment of which we have suggested, the Society should not make any new grant of money in aid of building any school-room, or under take to pay the master or mistress of any school which is not at this time in connexion with them, or to which they are not already engaged, but refer all applications for the building of new schools to such Board. Every facility and power should, we think, be granted both to the Society and to private patrons, to transfer their schools to the care and superintendence of the same authority. We cannot entertain the plan of destroying any existing class of schools, which are useful to a considerable extent, though not so much so as, we hope, they may be rendered. We are, however, of opinion, that if, after the lapse of a certain time, the schools of general instruction which we recommend should be found to answer their purpose, any schools continuing to belong to other societies, and refusing to transfer themselves to the management of the new Board, should gradually cease to receive any public aid. In seeking for the means of establishing in Ireland an adequate number of such schools as we have described, it is hardly necessary to state, that a most zealous wish to promote education exists on the part of a great number of private individuals, who are ready to sacrifice to this object a portion both of their time and property. In addition, therefore, to the parochial schools of general instruction which we have proposed, we have no doubt that individuals will continue to contribute their assistance, by founding schools under their own immediate care. A part, therefore, of the necessary means for the establishment and maintenance of such schools, may be confidently expected from private contributions; and such schools, we propose, should be liberally assisted by the new Board, upon condition of submitting themselves to its jurisdiction. As to the funds for the maintenance of the new Parochial Schools, we recommend that they shall be derived partly from the State, partly from parochial assessments, and partly from payment by the pupils. Looking to the results of our own personal examination into schools of all descriptions, to the practical effects of the system so long and so beneficially in operation in Scotland, we are satisfied that the schools should be founded on the principle of pay-schools, and that the payment should go to the master and the usher. At what sum the rate of payment should be fixed, must depend upon local circumstances. By appointing, in certain situations, a higher rate of contribution, a most eligible class of schools may readily be provided with instruction suitable to a better description of persons, Although, in all cases, payment by each scholar should be the rule, we recommend that there should be lodged, in certain individuals, a pow of dispensing with the payment, and of admitting, as an exception, certain free scholars. Payment, however, should be the rule, and gratuitous instruction the exception. By the gradual reduction of the charter schools, and by the transfer of a part of those which are now maintained by the Association and the Kildare Place Society, a large amount of the public funds at present granted for education will become available for the new schools of public and general instruction. The plan which we have recommended cannot be put into full operation without the aid of powers which can only be obtained from Parliament. We think it, however, desirable to attempt, with as little delay as possible, to establish schools upon the system we have recommended; and we think the grant to the Lord Lieutenant for the general purpose of aiding schools should at once be made applicable to this object. We have already shown, that, according to the present management of that fund, it may be so applied as to assist schools of any description whatever. We recommend that the Commissioners should be enabled, out of the grant made in this session, to fulfil such engagements only as they have actually entered into, and that the remainder of the fund, with such addition as may be thought sufficient, should be applied, under such directions as any new authority to be erected for the purpose may think fit, to the establishment of schools of the description which we have proposed. In the early part of this report, it has been stated, that we addressed a form of return to the parochial clergy of the Established Church, to the Roman Catholic clergy, and also to the several Presbyterian ministers. The form of this return will be found in the Appendix. The information thereby obtained from these several authorities is extremely important. It is, however, so voluminous, that it will require a separate report for its elucidation, and we propose to devote to it our earliest attention. At present, we shall merely state the general result. According to the returns made by the ministers of the Established Church, the total number of schools in Ireland (Sunday-schools excepted) is 10,387, and they contain 498,641 pupils. According to the Roman Catholic returns, the number of schools is 10,453, and the number of pupils 522,016. In the enumeration we have excluded Sunday-schools on both sides, as the children in attendance upon them are almost universally to be found in the day-schools also. The total numbers in education are, according to the Protestant returns, thus distributed :Of the Established Church Presbyterians. Roman Catholics Children in education, whose religion is not stated in the returns 91,026 43,236 3,308 357,249 3,822 In the year 1812, it appears by the Fourteenth Report of the Commissioners of Education, to which we have so often had occasion to refer, that at that time the number of schools in Ireland might be estimated at 4,600, containing about 200,000 pupils. It follows, that during the last twelve years, the number both of schools and pupils has considerably more than doubled. It must not be forgotten, however, that education is still in a great degree administered in the pay-schools of the country unconnected with societies, and, generally speaking, not subjected to any particular control or superintendence. FISHERIES. Sixth Report of the Commissioners of the Irish Fisheries (commencing the 6th April, 1824, and ending the 5th April, 1825.) In their Report of last season, the Commissioners gave a short sketch of the different projects which seemed to them best calculated to give effect to that section of the 59th of the late King, c. 109, which places at their disposal the annual sum of £5000, for the promotion of the coast fisheries of Ireland. Amongst the measures most likely to advance this object, were the construction of small piers, quays, and safety-harbours; the building of hook We cannot more fully express the conclusion which we come to upon this part of the subject, than in the words of the Report above quoted:-ers, smacks, and small boats, suitable "Were it, therefore, even admitted, that the benefits of education are not to the lower classes of the people so great as we conceive them to be, yet the necessity of assisting in obtaining it for them in this country would not be diminished, but increased; for such education as has been objected to, under the idea of its leading to evil rather than to good, they are actually obtaining for themselves; and though we conceive it practicable to correct it, to check its progress appears impossible-it may be improved, but it cannot be impeded. to the fisheries of the different districts; the repairs of poor fishermen's boats; and the promotion of small fishing companies, so as to give an impulse to more important establishments of this nature. On the first head, (the erection of small piers, &c.) the Commissioners beg to observe, that some of those works have been since completed, and others in progress; but the difficulty of procuring the neces sary contributions from those whose private interests must be promoted by their erection, has tended in some measure to retard the progress of similar works, which, if executed, must prove of equal utility to the coast fisheries of Ireland. Ón the next head, (the building of hookers, smacks, &c.) proceedings for carrying this measure into effect have been taken, and the project seems to promise very satisfactory results. As there is, however, a material difference in the principles laid down for the application of the funds allocated to the hooker and smack building, the Commissioners beg leave to enter somewhat into the detail of the arrangements decided on for their construction and ultimate application. The arrangement laid down for the building of hookers, (a species of boat peculiarly adapted to the southern fisheries,) was a grant of one-fourth their estimated cost to such adventurers as were disposed to build the same, conformable to an approved plan, and to supply the remaining three-fourths from their own private means. The arrangement for the smack and smallboat building was formed exclusively on the principle of loan, repayable by instalments at stated times, so as that the whole may be liquidated at the expiration of a certain period, when the boat will become the property of the fisherman. In the mean time, the proceeds of each instalment are to be applied to similar uses, thereby adding annually to the number of boats, and consequently multiplying the means of employment and food. On the third head, (the repairs of poor fishermen's boats,) the Commissioners beg to observe, that loan funds for this desirable object have been established in many of the maritime counties, and essential benefits experienced from them in those quarters where local difficulties have not tended to impede their prompt operation. Those difficulties are, however, every day diminishing; and as the principle on which this species of aid is given, renders repayment by easy instalments absolutely necessary, the benefits arising from such loan-funds become thereby perpetuated. With respect to the fourth head, (the encouragement of small fishing companies,) the Commissioners entertain sanguine hopes that the speculative spirit of the times will tend to the establishment of fishing companies on a more extended scale than was originally contemplated by them. By such associations the productive fishing banks which surround the coasts of Ireland may be fairly tried; but which, from want of capital and suitable craft, have hitherto been but imperfectly ascertained, and only casually visited. The Commissioners have to state, with much regret, the diminution which has taken place in the white fishery of the last year, (particularly on the southern coast,) and without any apparent cause, save the uncertainty which must ever attend the return of such fish as periodically visit the coasts of this country. The success, however, of the preceding years, justifies the hope of a more abundant fishery next season; and the Commissioners expect that the measures they have adopted for the encouragement of the hooker and smack building will tend materially to render the hake fishery (the chief fishery of the south) a more productive source of industry than heretofore. It is, however, with unfeigned satisfaction the Commissioners have to state the gradual increase in the herring fishery of this season: the excess over last season amounts to 13,776 barrels. With respect to the coast survey, adverted to in former Reports, much additional progress has been made, and a good deal of interesting information obtained as to the fishing banks along the western coast. The Board have, however, directed a suspension of its further prosecution for the present, until they shall have given a due portion of attention to the information it contains, and the suggestions held out in it. Although the regulations adopted by the Board for the peaceable and legal prosecution of the fisheries have tended much to the attainment of that object, yet a spirit of outrage will at times break out, and call for the interference of the powers vested in the Commissioners under the act of the 59th of the late King, c. 109. Were it not for the occasional exercise of those powers, that vast and productive fishery, which pe-, riodically occurs on the western coasts |