Ocean
traffic under steam progressed equally rapidly; in 1812 the first
steamer appeared upon the Clyde, and in 1838 the famous _Great
Western_ steamed from Bristol to New York.
The quickening and cheapening of transport called for new and
improved methods of manufacture; small business concerns grew into
great mercantile houses with interests all over the face of the globe.
Everywhere movement and expansion; everywhere change. A powerful
commercial class came into existence, and power--that is, voting
power--passed to this class and was held by it until the year 1865.
From this year, roughly speaking, the power passed into the hands
of the democracy.
Education, which had been to a great extent a class monopoly,
gradually penetrated to all ranks and grades of society. In 1867 the
second Reform Act was passed; a very large proportion of the urban
working classes were given the power of voting, and it was naturally
impossible to entrust such powers for long to an illiterate democracy.
Therefore, in 1870, Mr Forster's Education Act was passed, which
required that in every district where sufficient voluntary schools
did not exist a School Board should be formed to build and maintain
the necessary school accommodation at the cost of the rates. By a
later Act of 1876 school attendance was made compulsory. Every effort
was made in succeeding years to raise the level of intelligence among
present and future citizens.
Pages:
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126