Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/729

 SCOTLAND 703 principal. The counties have been grouped into districts, and one sheriff principal serves for all the counties in a district. The sheriff's court has no jurisdiction in questions of land rights nor of personal status, as marriage or legitimacy, but in other matters of civil right there is no limit in pecuniary value to the causes that may come before it. The proceed- ings in the civil department of this court are chiefly conducted in written pleadings. The sheriff has a separate court for the recovery of small debts, in which the procedure is oral and summary. The magistrates of municipal corporations and justices of the peace appoint- ed by the king have jurisdiction both in civil and criminal matters in a limited sphere. In many particulars the law of Scotland differs from that of England, and bears much affin- ity in theory and practice to the systems of the continent, especially to the old systems of judicature in France, on which it was mod- elled. The public revenue of Scotland for the year ending March 31, 1874, was 7,138,543, and was derived from customs, excise, stamps, land and assessed taxes, property and income tax, and the post office. The assessed taxes comprise duties on inhabited houses, servants, carriages, horses, dogs, game, &c., for the sup- port and relief of the poor. In 1872, out of a total of 117,611 poor persons, 74,752 were classed as paupers and 42,859 as dependants. The whole amount received from poor rates was 888,002, of which 862,171 was ex- pended in relief. In the same year 3,042 criminals, of whom 2,354 were males and 688 females, were committed for trial. Of these 2,259 were convicted, and 744 acquitted. The established church of Scotland is the Presbyterian, from which there are several se- ceding bodies, the most important of which are the Free church and the United Presbyte- rian church. In 1874 the established church had 16 synods, 84 presbyteries, 1,280 congre- gations, and about 1,300 ministers; the Free church, 16 synods, 77 presbyteries, 954 con- gregations, and 957 ministers ; and the United Presbyterian, 31 presbyteries and 611 congre- gations (including those in England). The In- dependents had 119 ministers; Episcopalians, 6 bishops and about 220 clergy ; and Eoman Catholics, 3 vicars apostolic and 228 clergy. In 1695 it was enacted " that there be a school founded and a schoolmaster appointed in every parish by advice of the presbyteries; and to this purpose that the heritors do in every con- gregation meet among themselves and provide a commodious house for a school, and modify a stipend to the schoolmaster, which shall not be under 100 merks (5 11. 1-Jrf.), nor above 200 merks (11 2s. 2fd.), to be paid yearly at two terms." This was the foundation of a system of common schools, under which the Scottish people in the 18th century became more generally educated than any other in Europe. In 1803 the salary of the schoolmas- ter was raised so that it should not be less than 729 VOL. xiv. i5 16 13. 4d. per annum. In 1828 it was again raised so that it should not be less than 25 13s. 8fd. A further increase was made in 1859, dependent somewhat on the price of oat- meal. In addition to the salary fixed by law, the teachers receive fees commonly averaging for each pupil not more than 5*. a year. Be- sides the parish schools there are many schools maintained by the "Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge," and by the established church and other denominations. There are also a large number of private schools. In the cities and larger towns there are gram- mar or high schools and academies, and there are several normal schools for the training of teachers. In 1873 the number of primary schools inspected by the government inspec- tors was 2,108, of which 1,379 belonged to the established church, 577 to the Free church, 86 to the Episcopal church, and 66 to the Catholic church. The average number of children in attendance was 225,178, number of certificated teachers 2,657, and number of pupil and as- sistant teachers 3,623. The income of these schools from government grants was 100,370, from endownments 28,853, from voluntary contributions 66,921, from school pence 115,- 706, and from other sources 802; total in- come, 312,652. The total number of schools under inspection was 2,507, with 241,798 pu- pils present at annual inspection. The whole number of children in Scotland from 5 to 13 years of age in 1871 was 629,235, of whom 494,860 wore receiving education. The num- ber of reformatory schools was 12, with 791 boys and 257 girls ; the number of industrial schools 27, with 2,493 boys and 992 girls. The higher seats of education in Scotland are the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and St. Andrews, for accounts of which see the articles on those cities. The periodical press of Scotland has long been distinguished for its vigor and ability. The "Edinburgh Review," "Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine," the " North British Eevievv," and "Chambers's Journal " stand in the front rank of that spe- cies of literature ; and the first two especially attained in the first half of this century a repu- tation that has no superior of its kind. As a place of publication Edinburgh is the only rival of London in the British empire, and has long been celebrated for its issues of books. Scot- land was known to the Romans by the name of Caledonia, and was inhabited by 21 savage tribes of shepherds and hunters of Celtic race, who jvere polygamists and idolaters, their re- ligion being druidical, and their habits so dis- orderly that the Roman writers call them rob- bers. They were exceedingly brave and hardy, and their arms were short spears, daggers, and shields. Their habitations were miserable huts, and they disdained the use of clothes. To their Roman invaders they offered a fierce and ob- stinate opposition. In the reign of Titus (A. D. 79-81) Julius Agricola led a Roman army beyond the friths of Forth and Clyde, pene-