The course advocated by the Duke of Wellington and Mr. Gladstone has been fully justified by the results. Drunkenness has decreased and breweries have multiplied. The measure of advantage is to be found in the increase of large breweries whose product is distributed through many channels, for these furnish what is to take the place of the ardent spirit formerly consumed when one was away from home or wanted a change from the home-brewed ale to which he was accustomed. They also attract the favor of the poorer classes because they furnish so much more in bulk and nutritive power at the same or a less price. There are, however, many small breweries, such as those attached to country inns or to private houses. Some breweries also confine their business to supplying families with pale and table ales, stout or porter, in small barrels of four and a half, nine, and eighteen gallons. The number of breweries in Great Britain—aside from those which are strictly for private use—is, according to official returns, twenty-six thousand, two hundred and fourteen, which it will be seen is about nine times the number in the United States. The cost of good ale is about one shilling sterling a gallon. [Illustration: M. T. BASS, ESQ. MP. THE GREAT BURTON-ON-TRENT BREWER, ENGLAND.] It is worthy of notice that the brewers of England are distinguished for a wise generosity and public spirit, and such men as Charington, Fox, Meux, Alsopp, Hanbury, Buxton, Mann, Truman, Guinness, Walker and Bass,[17] will be long remembered for the magnificent charities that ennoble and perpetuate their names. To a greater or less degree the same characteristic comes to light in every country where beer is established as the popular beverage. Jacobsen, a brewer of Copenhagen, before his death set aside $280,000 to found a laboratory of scientific research. A part of the money is to be spent in keeping up the laboratories attached to his brewery, in which chemical and physiological researches are carried on with a view to establish as completely as possible a scientific basis for brewing and malting. [17] Michael Thomas Bass, the senior member of Parliament for Derby, is best known as the largest brewer in the world. He is now over eighty years old, and has been engaged in the brewery business founded by his grandfather for about sixty-two years. He was educated at the Buxton Grammar School, and has supplemented this early instruction by a course of reading that leaves him not at all behind many University men in the matter of scholarly attainments. He has always been noted for the efficient discharge of his public and private duties, and has for more than thirty years represented the old town of Derby as senior member of Parliament. His public and private gifts have been frequent and munificent, the last of importance being a free library for the town of Derby.