The Press. — London, England, 1854-10-07 00:00:00

OCTOBER 7, 1854. ciENTRAL ASSOCIATION IN AID OF THE WIVES AND FAMILIES, WIDOWS AND ORPHANS, OF SOLDIERS ordered on Active Service. Under the Joint Patronage of HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN, FIELD MARSHAL H.R.H. THE PRINCE ALBERT, K.G., And HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUCHESS OF KENT. VICE-PATRONS. His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. Lieut-General his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, K.G. CHAIRMAN OF GENERAL COMMITTEE. General the Earl of Beauchamp. VICE-CHAIRMEN. Viscount Ingestre, Ist Life Guards.—Lord lAVont TRUSTEES. Sir John Kirkland, Lord Henry Cholmondeley, M.P., and Major the Hon. H. L. Powys. COMMITTEE. The Lord Bishop of London John Lettsom Elliot, F,sq. The Duke of Manchester Sir Robert Gerard, Bart. The Marquis of Blandford, M.P. Hon. A. Kinnaird, M.P. The Earl of Annesley, M.P. Lieut.-Colonel Browniow Knox, The Earl of Cavan M.P. The Earl of Kdingham Hon. Captain William Stuart The Earl of Shaftesbury Knox, M.P. Viscount Hill Captain Liam, M.P. Viscount Mandeville, M.P. Li eut. Lawrenson Lord Sondes Li-Colonel Hun. J. Lind- Lord Edward Howard, M.P. say, M.P. LortiHenryCholmondeley, M.P. Rt. lion. Joseph Napier, M.P. Lord Charles Clinton, M.P. Colonel Sidney North, M.P. Lord Faversham Captain Henry Owen, R.E. Captaiu Archdall, M.P. JohnWilsou Patten, Esq., M.P. Colonel Baker Melville Portal, Esq., M.P. Colonel Boldero, M.P. Major the lion H. L. Powys, Lieut•Colunel Hunter Blair, 611th Royal Rifles M.P. Andrew Spottiewoode, Esq. Major Carton, Staff Officer of Augustus Stafford, Esq., M.P. Pensioners Rev. F. J. Staiuforth Lieut.:Colonel Caulfield, M.P. Lieut.-Colonel Taylor, M.P. J. C. Colquhoun, Esq. Captain W. F. Vernon Captain J. Douglas, 60th Royal Sir William Verner, M.P. Rifles Shirley Woolmer, Esq. Colonel Dunne, M.P. General Wyndham, M.P. AUDITORS. George William Bell, Esq., Law Fire Office. B. L. Sowell, Esq., Bank of England. TREASURER. Sir John Kirkland, No. 80, Pall-mall. HONORARY SECRETARY. Major the Hon. Henry Littleton Powys, GOth Royal Rifles. ASSISTANT SECRETARY. Frederick Hayley Bell, Esq. The following REPORT was unanimously passed ate General Committee Meeting on the 3rd of October, 1854, the Right Hon. the Earl of EFFINGHAM in the chair : FIRST HALF-YEARLY REPORT OF THE CENTRAL ASSOCIATION. This Association originated at the National Club on the 94th of February, 1844, and was joined on the 25th of February by a Deputation from the Army and Navy Club. It was formally instituted at a public meeting held in Weeee on the 7th of March, 1854 (the late deeply-lamented General Sir Peregrine Maitland, G.C.8., in the chair), and has sow 000 k ileted the first half-year of Its operations. lee vest amount of undeserved misery that this Association has been the means of alleviating during the past six months induces the Committee to make a half-yearly Report of their proceedings; and this not only to show that the noble effort made by the country on behalf of the silent sufferers has not been a fruitless one, but also to direct public attention to the urgent and absolute necessity fer the establishment of some per manent National Provision for the Wives and Families, Widows and Orphans, of our soldiers. Notwithstanding all that has been said and written on the subject, the fact still remains in all its sadness, that for the wife and family, widow and orphan, of our best-behaved soldiers, whe ther non-commissioned officer or private, no provision whatever is made. Nothing but private charity keeps them from pauperism when their husbands and fathers are taken away. The marriage of these good men is fully permitted by military authority ; it is even granted as a reward for good conduct; and yet should they be ordered to the seat of war, ur die in the service of their country, their families are cast aside iu utter destitution and desolation. To prove that this is no over-statement, the Committee have selected a few cases out of hundreds, all of which are those of wives of nomcommiasiuned officers and privates, who, having been married with military sanction and appro val, had been placed on the strength of the regiment. Case 490, Mrs. B.—Wife of a sergeant of the 35th. Married with leave. Left destitute with six children, after she had spent the small sum her husband left for her. Five of her children provided for; the sixth being an infant, and the mother being weakly, she received a weekly allowance of five shillings until she obtained work as a washerwoman, for which the Association furnished the means, and she now earns her own livelihood, assisted by her two boys, aged 12 and 13, for whom situations as pages have been found. Mrs. E. F., Bth Hussars.—A most respectable person, married HUB leave, in delicate health. Left destitute with six children. Earns a little by washing, for which a donation of 21. was granted. A weekly allowance of seven shillings. Case 439, Mrs. W. H. IL—Wife of a private. 13th Light Dra goons. Married with leave; left destitute with four children. A most respectable person. A situation as cook obtained for her, and all her children provided for. Case 73, Mrs. S. J. G.—Wife of a sergeant in the 21st Regt. Married with leave. Left destitute with four children, and ex pecting her confinement. A weekly allowance of five shillings, in Addition to the parish outdoor relief of three shillings a week and four loaves. Case 460, Mrs. W.—Wife of a lance-sergeant In the 6th Dragoons. Married with leave. Left destitute with three chil dren, and expecting her confinement. A weekly allowance till she became a widow, when she was granted $Ol., and one of her three children provided for by the Birmingham Local Committee. Case 193, Mrs. E. IL—Wife of a private in the 38th Regiment. Monied with leave. Left destitute with four children. One child provided for, and a weekly allowance of seven shillings. Case 384, Mrs. A. F.—Wife of a private in the 77th Regiment. Married with leave. Left destitute with live children. A weekly allowance of ten shillings. Case 433, 38th Regiment —Mrs. A., the wife of a sergeant. Married with leave. Left destitute with four children. lies been provided with a situation at 141. a year, and all her chil dren taken care of by the Association. Mrs. E. F.,Bdril Regiment — Married with leave. Sixteen years wife e private. Left destitute with five children. A weekly allowance of seven shillings. Mrs, E. T., 46th Regiment—Married with leave. Left desti tute with five children under ten years of age ; unable to leave her infant. A weekly allowance of siren shillings. THE PRESS. Mrs. T. L., 28th Regiment —Married with leave. Wife of a sergeant. Left with five children. Her husband lett her some little money and his watch, to part with in ease of need. The watch had been parted with, when this Association helped her out of all her troubles, and she regularly receives money from her husband. Mrs. E. 8., case 321.—Wife of a private, 88th Regiment. Married with leave. Left perfectly destitute with five children. The two youngest twins born since her husband left. In very bad health since her confinement. A weekly allowance of twelve shillings. Cases Nos. 408, 407, 408.—The wives of privates of the 55th. All married with leave. Left destitute with ten children. A weekly allowance to each. Case No. 908, Mrs. C. B.—Wife of a private, Royal Artillery. Married with leave. Left destitute with six children in great distress. A weekly allowance granted. Case 971, Mrs. A. C.—Wife of a sergeant of the 38th Regiment. Married with leave. Left destitute with six children. A weekly allowance of twelve shillings. Case b 92, Mrs. T.—Wise of a sergeant of the 11th Hussars. Married with leave. Left with six children. Eldest daughter provided with a situation, and a weekly allowance of ten shil. hogs to her mother. This dreary catalogue of destitution might be continued almost to an endless extent, and all the harrowing details accompanying each case might be given, but the Committee are satietied that a simple statement of these facts is more than sufficient to prove the need for, and the reality of, their work. It is true that the parish of the soldier may be compelled to support his wife and family, but the Committee would ask whether the workhouse is a fitting place for the families of men who can write such letters as the following : • Camp near Varna, August 80th, 1554. " Sir,—l sincerely trust that I may not offend you by the liberty I take in addressing you, but having heard of your kind ness to the wives and children of soldiers now serving in Turkey 1 am induced to request your kind assistance on behalf of my little daughter. By the last mail from England I received the melancholy intelligence of my wife's death, which occurred on August 9, leaving my little girl entirely unprovided for, &c. I therefore humbly hope that you will kindly cause inquiries to be made, so that my child may not be left entirely unprotected or tweezed for. I will most gladly contribute, as far as my means will admit, to defray any expense which may arise in placing her in any establishment which you select. We expect to embark for Sebastopol to-morrow •, consequently I feel very anxious that some steps may be immediately taken to prod ie for her.—l re main, sir, most respectfully, "G. H., Sergeant. " To Major the lion. H. L. Powys, 80th Reg. Rifles, Hon. Set." The wife and child of this non-commissioned officer were en tirely supported by the Association until his wife died of cholera in London. His daughter is now comfortably settled at the In dustrial School at Birmingham, at the expense a the Associa tion ; and when thoroughly trained and educated will be pro vided with a situation by the managers of the Industrial School. " Devno, in Turkey, July, 1854. My dearest Mary,—l know yon will be glad to have this letter from your dear father. I hope and pray Almighty God that you and your dear little sisters are quite well and happy and comfortable. Give dear Fanny and dear little Margaret my very best and fondest love, with many kisses also to your little cotn panious. I have not been yet where the 88th Regiment is. When I see the regiment I will be sure to go and see their fathers. I I hope you are well and happy altogether, and love each other. und be kind to one another. But, my dear child, you must look after and see to your youngest sister, for she is but a baby yet, and may God bless you all and keep you under His almighty wings, always is the daily prayer of your loving father. Be kind to your dear sister Fanny ; kiss her for me ; tell her I send my very best love to her, and she is to learn all she can till I come home,which I trust, please God, won't be long. I hope you are all good chil dren, and do what you can to assist Mrs. R. ' who will, I know, be very kind and good to you. I hope she Is quite well. Give her my best respects. I hope you love and obey your teachers. You must write to me, my dear Mary, &c. &c. 'We are all in a very large camp ; I dare say 10,()00 men. We all sleep on the ground. We have our cloaks and one blanket to cover us. There are no houses near us for miles. We all went to a little valley yesterday and heard divine service, and very many of us re ceived the Sacrament of our Lord Jesus Christ afterwards. Oh ! my dear child, never forget your prayers, and be a good child, and you will have God fur your father and friend forever. Pray for your dear sister; pray for your father, and God will hear you. He will bless and keep us always, and bring us to Heaven at last for Jesus Christ's sake. And now, my darlings, good bye, and may God bless and take care of you all is the prayer of your loving father. " T. 1)." Letter addressed to the Honorary Secretary of the Dublin Association : " September 2nd, 1864. " Sir,—Only for the relief I received weekly from youl would have been obliged to go into the workhouse, with my two chil dren, which would have been worse than death to me; for if we were dead our mieerable existence would be ended here. I could not have maintained myself and children only for it, though I worked day and night to do so, and tried every means in my power, yet I found it was impossible. I was making alerts for Gilpins, in Molesworth-street, at rive shillings per dozen, and I could not complete the dozen in a week; so if I had not had that relief what should I have done ? I never re ceived any money from my husband since I left him, nor had no one to ask me or my children to have a meal of victuals since I lost my only friend—my dear husband. And now, through your kindness and interest, I have got a situation; and if you did not still allow me a little to pay for my children I should not be able to remain in it, as I have not enough wages to pay for them and clothe myself and them. " I hope God will reward every one who has so kindly helped the poor soldier's wife and child; for most of us have been thrown out of a comfortable home to face a frowning world. I hope the Lord will reward you also, sir, for the kind interest you have taken in the soldiers' wives, &c. &e. " Mrs. J." . . . Many more letters might be quoted showing how grstefi these line fellows are for the care that has been extended to their wives and children ; but quite enough, it is hoped, has been stated to satisfy the Committee that they not only are doing what is right, but that it is the bounden duty of England to carry out the work that ham been thus happily commenced. Nor are the poor women themselves ungrateful for all that has been and is doing for them. With a few exceptions, all have evinced the greatest thankfulness, and readiness to find employment for themselves. Two wives of soldiers who had been temporarily relieved with weekly allowances offered to re pay the Association as soon as their husbands remitted money; and one of them, directly she received a remittance from her husband, insisted on repaying a sovereign to the Association, sir:ing at the same time, That there was many a poor soldier's who needed it more than she did." More than two hundred have been placed in situations as housemaids, cooks, nurses, washerwomen, &c., and, generally, have given satisfaction; one of them writes thus to the Inspecting Officer:— " Sir, —According to promise, I now let you know how I am getting on. I never was so happy in all my life. I have, indeed, a kind master and mistress; they look to my ootnfort in every way; I might well say it is equal to my own home. I only wish to God that more of the women were so well provided for as I ern, sir. Will you return the Association thanks in my name for their kindness to me and my child; also for the ten shillings I have received, with which I have bought some clothes ? I hope that l will keep my situation a long time. The ►ady seems to like me very well, and she says that anything in her power she will do to promote my comfort. 'With my sincere thanks to you for your kindness,—Your obedient servant, P." Many women, natives of Nova Scotia and Canada, on being provided a passage by Government to their own country, have been granted a donation of SI. each, to provide them with com forts for themselves and children during the voyage. To seven teen women of different regitueuts, all married with leave, has the Association been thus beneficial. On the Seth June into.-nation was reeelved from the Ports mouth Local Committee that thirty-four women and seventy-two children would be forwarded to Loudon, on their way to their husband's parishes, from Malta, from whence they had been or dered home, their regiments having gone on to Turkey. The Inspecting Officer of the Association was Immediately ordered to the Waterloo Station, where having with difficulty got them all together, took them to the Pry-office in Westminster, where they were to receive passage warrants for their different destinations. But they were unable to proceed till the next day; and thus would have been left utt-fr strangers in the streets of Westmin ster, searching in vain fur lodgings, which, with the small Go vernment allowance granted fur that purpose, they were unable to pay fur. Respectable lodgings were found for them all and their children, and the next day they were despatched to their destinations, with a small donation for travelling expenses. It is needless to add that all these women were married with leave, and many of them most respectable wives of non-commisaioned officers. _ _ _ Upwards of Three Thousand Five Hundred Women, and Seven Thousand Children, have been kept from aetual want during the last six months, the greater part of whom still remain claimants ou the Association, especially those who have become widows and orphans. This hes been done by the outlay during the past six months of 9,1721., chiefly in weekly payuleuts, both by the Central Committee and the beveut•eight Local Committees. Besides these 10,600 women and children, fresh applications are wade almost daily to the office ; thus showing that the num ber of women and children left behind is much greater than the public were led to suppose by the Parliamentary return called for in both Houses of Parliament. This, however, a accounted fur by showing the inaccuracy of the Parliamentary Return, as follows _ 68rd Regiment 69rd Regiment. Parliamenuul Return. Association Return. No. of Women and Children, No. of Women and Children, 17U. 945. The Association Return was received during the same month that the Parliamentary Return wee given; and as It contained the name of every woman, and the number end ages of every child, and wu signed by the Colonel commanding the regiment, it may very fairly be considered to have been the most accurate one. if there be such a discrepancy in the returns of one regi ment, what must there be in forty ? MARRIAGE WITHOUT LEAVE. It is a curious fact that has been brought to light by the practical experience of tide Association, that, without exception, those soldiers who have married with leave, or whose wives were admitted into barracks and recognised by the regiment, have left the largest families, and, in consequence, are by far the moat deserving of commiseration. To these persons the Asso ciation has been of the greatest benefit; while, at the same time, amongst those women married without leave much misery has been found to exist, which the Association has nut refralued from alleviating. The Committee, however, regret to find that notwithetanding all the positive aud practical good that has been effected by the Association, there itillremain in the minds of come military men strong objections to its operations ; it Is still urged that undue encourageineut is given to marriage without leave, and that large numbers of soldiers have thus married since the institution of the Association. If the operation of the Association had afforded such encouragement, surely evidence of it would have appeared from a number of applications for relief on the part of women who had married in anticipation of it. Only one application has been made at this other by the wife of a soldier whore marriage certificate was dated in 1854; so that the objection would appear to be entirely groundless; and it might be considered al most needless to say more in answer to it. But the Committee have it to show that while they have only contemplated those cases as entitled to relief which they found already eauctioued by Government, or acknowledged by commanding officers, they have made a rule (No. 8), and have taken all the means in their power to give it publicity, which puts It out of their power to re lieve any who way have married calculating on aesistanee from them; thus taking Into consideration and providing against a contingency which might have arisen, but which has uut oc curred. The following are the rules with reference to this subject-- 1. No soldier's wife is entitled to relief whose name is not en tered hs the regimental return, which, though it contains the mimes of all women, whether married with or eithout leave, is yet signed by the Colonel commanding the regiment, and thus they are partially acknowledged. 2. The Government makes nu difference between these women; and the passages of all are equally defrayed to the parishes of their husbands. :h The rule for the relief of soldiers' wives married withoutleave Is only retrospective ; fur no soldier who has married without leave since July, 104, will be entitled to relief for his wife. On the 4th July, Ivsl, at the largest meeting ever held by the General Committee (General the Earl of Beauchamp in the chair), It was uuanimously resolved, — "That from aud after the data of this resolution, the 4th July, 1851, no wife or widow be entitled to a donation or pension who shall have married a soldier without leave, whether they belong to regiments on active service or to regiment* now under orders of readiness fur active service, provided that such orders of readiness were received subsequently to the formation of this Association, on the 7th March, lea 4." As the Government, the Officers Commanding Regiments,* and the Association have found it absolutely necessary to coun tenance, to a certain extent, marriage without leave, and as it appears from the returns of the married men of the thirty Regi ments of the Line, and the ten Regiments of Cavalry, that a large proportion of them in each Regiment are mart ted without leave,it beoomes a serious question how tar thetreatmenthitherto carried out towards wives of soldiers has been successful in the prevention of matrimony. It le evident that, in spite of all the certain misery entailed upon them, soldiers will marry, and can find respectable women to marry them; it is also evident, from the universal sympathy shown to their wives and families on the present occasion. that the cotintry would gladly befriend them effectually; the Committee would, therefore, direct particular attention to the concluding remarks at the end of this Report, in hopes that some practical measure may be decided upon so apeed;ly as possible to prevent the recurrence of so much un merited misery and destitution. • One commanding officer who could not find amongst his soldiers' wives married with leave a sufficient number willing to pinball( with their husbands, and leave their &milli., behind, was permitted by authority to complete the number by selections from the childless women married without leave, thing out of barracks. J I 1