retain inefficient servants, and to let the continuance of their inefficient services operate to swell the amount of their superannuation allowances.

In this way one of the most important objects of the Superannuation Act, that of relieving the heads of departments from all inducement to keep in the service those who are too infirm for their duties, is frustrated.

The statistics of this commission brought up to the commencement of the present year show the following results:

The total number of nominations to situations to which the Order in Council has been applied is as follows:-1855-6 (19 months), 3,495; 1857, 2,189; 1858, 2,258; 1859, 2,918;* 1860, 2,631: total, 13,491.

Of these nominations the following were nominations of one candidate only:-1855-6 (19 months), 3,037; 1857, 1,838; 1858, 1,425; 1859, 1,739; 1860, 1,923: total, 9,962.

The number of persons nominated as competitors and of the situations for which they were to compete have been:-1855-6 (19 months), 458 competitors for 109 situations; 1857, 351 competitors for 106 situations; 1858, 833 competitors for 258 situations; 1859, 1,179* competitors for 259 situations; 1860, 708 competitors for 242 situations: total, 3,529 competitors for 974 situations.

Of these 708 competitors in 1860, there are 48 who obtained places in the respective competitions sufficiently high to bring them within the number of situations competed for, and who would have received appointments had they not failed in particular subjects; the subjects in which they have failed being, except in four cases, of a practical character. Thus, 18 have failed either in book-keeping or account-states; 10 either in arithmetic, orthography, or handwriting; 16 in one or more of these practical subjects and likewise in other subjects; one in précis only; one in trigonometry only; one in Latin only; and one in history and likewise in geography.

The certificates and rejections in non-competitive examinations have been: 1855-6 (19 months), 1,587 certificates and 880 rejections; 1857, 1,311 certificates and 490 rejections; 1858, 960 certificates and 292 rejections; 1859, 1,260 certificates and 310 rejections; 1860, 1,469 certificates and 317 rejections: total, 6,587 certificates and 2,289 rejections.

of

Out of the total number of candidates rejected (2,289), all but 220 have failed either in arithmetic or in spelling; some, of course, in other subjects also. The cases in which nominees have been considered ineligible in respect age, health, and character, have been as follows:-1855-7, 218 for age, 42 for health, and 35 for character; 1858, 59 for age, 23 for health, and 20 for character; 1859, 66 for age, 16 for health, and 21 for character; 1860, 42 for age, 30 for health, and 31 for character: total, 385 for age, 111 for health, and 107 for character.

The number of competitive examinations conducted during the year 1860 was 80; and by those examinations 196 situations were filled up. The total number of competitors actually examined was 603; and of the 407 who were unsuccessful, 319 were not considered to have passed examinations which would have entitled them to certificates if they had presented themselves with absolute nominations.

The number of honorary certificates granted in successive years have been as follows:-1855-6 (19 months), 228; 1857, 159; 1858, 174; 1859, 182; 1860, 149: total, 892.

The foregoing results appear to call for little remark on our part. The proportion of rejections to certificates in non-competitive examinations seems

* Including 391 persons who competed for nine writerships in the India Office.

to have a tendency to diminish. It was in 1857 rather more than one-third; in 1858 rather less than one-third; in 1859, one-fourth; and in 1860 less than that proportion. We continue to think that this may be safely regarded as indicating increased acquirements in the candidates, and not any laxity in our own proceedings. We venture to state this with less diffidence, for we certainly perceive in the performance of the candidates who pass, especially in spelling and arithmetic, considerable improvement.

The results of the competitive examinations show that in a considerable number of instances. the candidates have obtained nine-tenths and more of the total marks in spelling, and more than two-thirds of the maximum in arithmetic; and that some candidates, even for the less important clerkships, have been absolutely faultless in their orthography.

We do not suppose it to be possible that in the multitude of questions which are required to be framed, in order to prevent unfair foreknowledge on the part of candidates, there may not be some which are open to just objection: but we believe that in general they will be found to correspond with the state of knowledge and instruction of those classes of persons who are called upon to answer them. It is certain that the more intelligent candidates in our examinations are able to answer a large proportion of the questions, and that there are but few questions which have not been answered by some of the candidates.

In support, moreover, of this statement we must again refer to the tables of competitive examinations in the appendix, showing the number of marks obtained by the successful candidates in all the different subjects in which they were examined. As respects geography and history there are a considerable number of successful candidates who have got two-thirds of the maximum of marks for these subjects. We may also refer to the long list of candidates who have obtained honorary certificates for subjects in which they have voluntarily offered themselves for examination.

Examinations for the Civil Service of India.

The open competitive examination for the civil service of India took place in July last. The large number, 80, of these valuable appointments offered for competition on that occasion led us to expect a considerable increase in the number of candidates beyond those in former years; but only 154 presented themselves for examination.

It is not difficult, however, to account for the number being thus limited, partly by the discouraging events in India in the previous years, partly by the slow diffusion of information as to the means and opportunities of obtaining these appointments, and partly by the countervailing prospects open to industrious and intelligent young men both at the universities, and in the Artillery and Engineers, especially in the latter, since open competition has been introduced.

The first two of these causes will gradually cease to be operative; and accordingly we find in the present year more candidates than in 1860; and the institution, at Oxford and Cambridge, and other universities, and public places of education, of courses of study corresponding to the requirements of the further examination of selected candidates, shows that the subject is receiving, from the public at large, the attention it deserves.

It is gratifying to us to find that, as in former years, the successful candidates continue for the most part to be those who have been trained at the universities, and we think that it is fair to state that the Irish universities, as

has been the case at previous examinations, send us candidates who do credit to the system of instruction and to the professors at those institutions. No less than thirteen of the successful candidates came from Trinity College, Dublin, and amongst them the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th in the order of merit. Five proceeded from Queen's College, Belfast, including the 4th in order of merit, and one from Queen's College, Galway. We ought to add that eight successful candidates have come from Scotland.

It may not be uninteresting to observe in which institutions the candidates most distinguished in particular branches had been educated :-In English composition, the best two were from Trinity College, Dublin, and the University of Melbourne. In English literature, the best was from Queen's College, Belfast; the second from North London Collegiate School. In classics, the best was from Corpus Christi College, Oxford; the second from Oriel College, Oxford; the third from Trinity College, Dublin. In mathematics, the best was from Queen's College, Belfast; the second from Queen's College, Galway; the third from Trinity College, Dublin. In natural science, the best was from Queen's College, Belfast; the second from Queen's College, Galway; the third from Trinity College, Dublin. In moral science, the best was from Aberdeen University; the second from Corpus Christi College, Oxford. In Sanskrit, the best was from Trinity College, Dublin; the second from St. Paul's School; the third from Queen's College, Belfast. In aggregate of merit, the first was from Corpus Christi College, Oxford: the second from the University of Aberdeen; the third from the University of Melbourne.

We are able also to state that those of the 80 successful candidates who, according to their marks, occupy a low position in the list, have not only done sufficiently well to justify our belief in their intelligence, and our confidence in their future industry, but in several instances have shown considerable proficiency in particular subjects.

We have watched with some anxiety that portion of the arrangements relating to the Indian civil servants which obliges the successful candidates at the competitive examination to undergo the further or pass examination after the interval of twelve months. This further special examination in 1860, including the selected candidates of 1859, took place in July last. As respects eight of these, they showed themselves so deficient in knowledge of some of the subjects prescribed that we were reluctantly obliged to refuse to give them our certificate. In discharging this duty, painful to ourselves and to those who were the subjects of it, we felt that it would nevertheless furnish a most useful and effective stimulus to future selected candidates, who would thus be fully convinced that their second examination would not be merely a matter of form, and that unless they made a proper use of the year allotted to them for this purpose, and acquired the rudiments of those branches of knowledge which are requisite to prepare them for their duties in India, they might run the risk of losing the benefit of their previous success. It was originally contemplated, as one of the regulations in reference to the candidates for the civil service of India, that any selected candidate who did not pass at the second examination should be struck off the list of selected candidates; but in the correspondence which took place between the department of the Secretary of State for India and this commission on the subject, Lord Stanley, then Secretary of State for India, intimated his opinion that this would be too severe a penalty, and that he would prefer the rule to be in the following terms:-"No candidate will be

allowed to proceed to India until he shall have passed the further examination, or after he has completed his 24th year."

This rule, which gave to a candidate, if within the limit of age, an opportunity of recovering his lost time, was accordingly adopted, and was subsequently rendered more indulgent, as regards candidates selected in 1859, by substituting the maximum age of 25 for 24.

Upon finding ourselves unable to grant certificates to the eight selected candidates alluded to, we communicated the circumstance to the Secretary of State for India (Sir C. Wood), requesting his decision whether these candidates should be permitted to present themselves again, and if so, whether in July next with the selected candidates who were to be examined in the present year, or at some earlier intermediate period. Sir C. Wood decided that these eight candidates, or such of them as we should think worthy of the indulgence, should be allowed another opportunity of proving their fitness for admission into the service, provided they should be within the prescribed age at the time of the next examination, but that a second rejection should be final. He was also of opinion that this further examination should be delayed till the ordinary further examination in July next, and that they should take rank according to their place in this second examination.

The difficulty of selecting the proper works for assisting the selected candidate in his legal studies will be, to a great extent, removed by the publication of the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, which it is expected will soon form part of the law of India. We propose that at future examinations the selected candidates shall be examined in these codes. As regards the former, substantially the work of the late Lord Macaulay, it is certain that it will furnish the student with sound principles of criminal jurisprudence; and as respects both, that the thorough acquaintance with them which results from careful study, tested by examination, will be found of the greatest practical value in enabling the selected candidates to learn and to perform the duties of magistrates at an early period after the commencement of their service.

In concluding our remarks on the portion of our proceedings which relates to the Indian civil service, we think it right to notice the gradual increase which is taking place in universities and colleges of the study of Sanskrit.

In the competitive examination of 1860, about one fourth of the 80 successful candidates had taken up Sanskrit, and some of them showed considerable proficiency in that language, and in the competitive examination about to take place in July next 34 candidates have signified their intention to take up Sanskrit.

Although we have been desirous not to tempt persons into any special study for these competitions, and have accordingly not included the vernacular languages of India as elements of these examinations; yet, believing in the value of the study of Sanskrit as an exercise for the intellectual powers, and as forming a basis for the study of languages as a science, we think that the introduction of this language as one of the subjects of literary education in colleges and universities may be regarded as satisfactory in itself, whilst it certainly will be useful to those who may be looking forward to become candidates for the civil service of India. The report was signed by Sir Edward Ryan and Sir John George Shaw Lefevre.

EDUCATION.

Report of the Committee of the Privy Council on Education for the Year 1860. DURING the year 1860, as compared with 1859, the number of schools, or of departments of schools under separate teachers, which were actually inspected, was increased by 848, and the number of children by 82,801; the number of pupil teachers, by 311; of certificated teachers, by 833; of students in training to become schoolmasters and schoolmistresses, by 32; capitation grants were paid on 14,315 more children; 229 new schoolhouses were built, comprising (besides class-rooms) 358 principal schoolrooms and 203 dwellings for teachers; 187 other schools were enlarged, improved, or furnished afresh; accommodation was created for 52,227 children, exclusive of the schools improved or newly furnished, but not enlarged.

During 1860, sixty inspectors, including twenty-four assistant inspectors, were employed in visiting schools and in holding examinations. They visited 10,403 daily schools or departments of such schools under separate teachers. They found present in them 962,932 children; 7,249 certificated teachers; and 14,949 apprentices. Of the schools or departments, 2,260 were for boys only; 2,214 for girls only; in 4,452 boys and girls were instructed together; 1,477 were confined to infants (children under seven years of age). Of the children, 531,643 were males, and 431,289 were females. The preponderance in number of the schools for children of both sexes over separate schools arises from the fact that this organization is almost universal among the Presbyterian schools in Scotland, and prevails largely among the schools of Protestant Dissenters in England and Wales; not to mention that it is necessarily adopted in many parts of the country, when the means to maintain two teachers are wanting. The inspectors also visited thirty-eight separate training colleges, occupied by 2,826 students in preparation for the office of schoolmaster or schoolmistress. In December last these students and 8,826 other candidates were simultaneously examined for the end of the first, second, or third years of their training, or for admission, or for certificates as acting teachers. The inspectors also visited 426 schools for pauper children, containing 27,728 inmates, and 72 ragged or industrial schools, containing 6,172 inmates.

By an Act of last Session (23 and 24 Vict. c. 108) the Secretary of State for the Home Department was substituted for the Committee of the Privy Council on Education to exercise the powers given by the Industrial Schools Act of 1857 (20 and 21 Vict. c. 48). From the end of the financial year 1860-1 the schools certified under the latter Act will cease to be chargeable for inspection or maintenance to the grant for public education, and will become chargeable to that for law and justice. A similar course will be taken with the industrial schools in Scotland which are sanctioned under the Act 17 and 18 Vict. c. 74. This Act (Dunlop's) was passed in 1854. It empowers the Secretary of State, not the Committee of Council, to sanction schools for its purposes. But the fund made chargeable was the grant for public education, and the inspectors of schools, as well as the inspectors of prisons, visited the establishments sanctioned. In 1857 the inspection of reformatory schools was assigned to one only of the prison inspectors as his separate province; and, from that date, the concurrence of