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GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

efficient and suitable provision is not otherwise made.' It is enacted further that all children attending these ' public elementary schools,' •whose parents are unable, from poverty, to pay anything towards their education, shall be admitted free, and the expenses so incurred be discharged from local rates. The new schools are placed in each district under " School boards," invested with great powers, among others that of making it compulsory upon parents to give all children between the ages of five and thirteen the advantages of education.

The following official return, relating to the Primary Schools in Great Britain, gives a view of the progress of education within the years 18G1-G9 : —

Years ended 31st August

Number of Schools inspected

Number of Chil- dren who can be accommodated

Average number

of Children in

attendance

1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869

1861 1862 1863 1864 I860 1866 1867 1868 1869

1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869

England and Wales (including Isle of JIan and Roman Catholic Schools for Great Britain)

6,259 6,113 6,227 6,470 6,867 7,134 7,601 8,051 8.592

1,215,782 1,292,560 1,315,988 1,332,553 1,470.473 1,510,721 1,605,409 1,724.569 1,838,416

773.831 813,850 846.805 862.817 901.750 919.922 978,3:i2 1,060,082 1,153.572

Scotland, exclusive of Roman Catholic Schools

1,446 1,456 1,512 1,421 1,573 1,619 1,739 1,843 1,745

180,701 183,680 196,794 188.904 207.335 213,487 231. S98 246,041 237,928

146,104 150,999 162,120 148,317 155,995 162.133 169,131 181.698 179.214

Total for Great Britain

7,705 7,569 7,739 7,891 8,438 8.753 9,340 9,894 10,337

1,396.483 1,476,240 1,512,782 1.521.457 1,677,808 1,724.208 1,837,307 1.970,610 2,076.344

919,935 964,849 1,008.925 1,011,134 1.057.745 1,082.055 1,147,463 1,211.780 1,332.786