The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-10-19 00:00:00

The WRECK of the PRINCESS ALICE.

In London, on Monday afternoon, a meeting of the
Executive Committee of the fund now being raised at
the Mansion-house for the relief of the sufferers by the
recent calamity upon the Thames was held in the Long
Parlour for the despatch of business. Alderman Sir
Thomas Dakin presided.

The fund was reported to amount to about £37,000,
of which over £16,000 had already been disbursed to
widows, widowers, and other relatives of the deceased.
In many instances only first grants had as yet been
made, for some of the eases were of the most serious
character. None of the orphans had yet been finally
dealt with, but the committee were actively engaged
in making provision for them by purchasing them into
one or other of the large orphanages of the country,
and by investing certain sums to apprentice
them on leaving the institutions. This would natu-
rally involve a considerable outlay, but the committee
had ample muds to deal liberally with such cases.
The committee had had an interview that morning
with the authorities of the Royal Albert Orphan
Asylum, where there were vacancies for 40 children,
and they were also iu communication with the
National Orphan Home, the Alexandra Orphanage,
the London Orphan Asylum, and other institutions,
including the Masonic charities, to which many of the
deceased parents were subscribers.
On the motion of Dr. Piggott, seconded by Mr.
Anson, it was resolved to inquire into the educational
standard of, and the general class of children admitted
into, the various asylums before taking steps to place
any of the orphans into them.

Captain Baynes, ef the Metropolitan Police, said
on the last occasion he undertook to make inquiries
into the exact number of bodies recovered. He
found that the Coroner for Kent had held inquests
on 523 bodies and the Coroners for Middlesex and
Essex on 35, and that inquests were held on the
bodies of nine persons rescued, but who died afterwards,
making 572 bodies in all; and there was reason to
believe that there were still in the river 38, showing
a total estimated loss of life of 610. The Steamboat
Company stated that the number of saved was 262,
which made the total on board 812. Mr. Herring said
the newspapers asserted that 635 bodies were re-
covered. Captain Baynes said he was quoting from
the Coroners' and the police returns, and these were
reliable.

Mr. Anson, before the committee separated, men-
tioned that the Bishop of the diocese, who had just re-
turned to England, had written to him expressing his
sympathy with the sufferers and sending a donation to
the fund. The meeting then separated.

Applications have been made to the Woolwich Burl a
Board for permission to erect tombstones in memory of
several of the deceased persons, and where the interments
have been in private graves there is no difficulty about the
matter; but no authority can at present be given to place
any permanent memorial upon the space allotted to the
churchwardens for the public funerals, as it is not yet de-
cided what exhumations are to be made. The rector, the
Hon. and Rev. A. Anson, has received several voluntary
designs for the national memorial which is to be erected
on the spot; but no plan can be adopted until the amount
of the public subscription is ascertained. Contributions for
this fund are still coming in, and applications also for new
collecting cards. Until the money subscribed is all paid in
the total amount available will not be known, but judging
by the number of cards issued, it is estimated that about
£BOO has already been contributed towards this object. The
brothers Weile, who were saved from the wreck by swim-
ming and were subsequently taken to the infirmary of the
Woolwich Union, have written to the Board of Guardians as
follows:

"As it is our wish, in conjunction with others saved from
the wreck of the Princess Alice, to offer some thank-offering
to the Almighty for our preservation and some little me-
mento of the very great kindness shown to us by all the
officials in your infirmary at Plumstead, we desire, with
your permission, to place some little token or a small
stained window in the Woolwich Union Chapel, depending,
of course, upon the contributions collected by the others
who were received with us in your infirmary. We have
heard this suggestion from several quarters, and we are
most anxious to see it carried out. We shall, therefore, be
obliged if you will grant us the required permission."
It was resolved that the request should be acceded to, and
the Rev. H. J. Balchin, the union chaplain, was authorized
to answer all communications on the subject.