The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-06 00:00:00

THE DISTRESS IN LANCASHIRE.

THE CENTRAL RELIEF FUND.
A meeting of the Central Executive Committee
eras held yesterday afternoon, at the Manchester town-hall,
the Earl of Derby presiding. There were also preeset_iiir
J. K. Shutt'swath Lord Egerton of Team; Lord E.
Howard, M.P., Colonel Patten, M.P., Major Egertou
Leigh, Mr. T. Ashton, Mr. E. Ashworth, Mr. G. L. Ash.
worth, Mr. R. Gladstone, Mr. J. Fenton, Mr.J. Goodair, Mr.
R. H. Hutchinson, Mr. J. R. Kay, Mr. H. Memo, Mr. R.
Machin, Mr. J. Platt, Mr. W. Rathbooe, junior, Mr. W.
Roberts (Burnley). Mr. M. Ross, Mr. S. J. Shiro, Mr. Wor-
rell, the Mayor of Manchester, Mr. Commissioner Farwell,
Mr. A. H. Heywood, and Mr. J. W. Mardure (hoe. sec.)
The tots' receipts of the week were reported to have been
50.786!. The number of bales of clothing seat out was
557. The following subscriptions were announced :—Oltho-
lie churches and chapels in the diocese of Liverpool, ioclud-
ing 1001. from the Pope, 1,2612 ; Hertford, 1001. ; Rich-
mood, 200 ; Tunstell, 1341. ; Mr. Aseheton Smith's quarry.
men and others, et Dioorwie, 1501.: Lowestoft, 1001. ;
Ellsod cum Greetland, 150/. • Cockermouth, 3601. ; miles-
tone in the diocese of Armagh and Clogher, 1,285/.
The following correspoodence was read :
"Charlton Mills, Sept. 10th, 1862.
"The Guardians of the Poor, Charlton-upon-Medlock.
" Gentlemen,—We are about to throw a considerable
number of our workpeople out of employment, in conse-
quence of the ruinous state of trade, and it is our intention
to make them a weekly allowance in money, provided it
will not be taken into account in the relief which you would
be called upon to give them if they received nothing from
us. A line in reply will oblige—Your obedient servants,
" Maur AND Co."
"Sept. 12th, 1862.
" Gentlemen,—l am directed by the Guardians of this
union to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th
inst., and to thank you for the kind sod timely intimation
conveyed by am, gentlemen, yours obediently,
" W. N. Ennui., clerk.
" Messrs. Burley, Charlton Mills."
"Charlton Mills, Manchester, Jan. 2nd, 1863.
"The Central Relief Committee.

" Gentlemee,—We have already more than once called
your attention to the conduct of the Charlton Board of
Guardians in regard to our operatives now out of work.
" When we found it necessary to close our mills, we
communicated to the guardians of the Manchester and
Charlton Unions our intention to make an allowance to the
workpeople (Dopy of our letter enclosed), not to relieve the
ratepayers from their responsibility, but to provide oar
workpeople with some of the comforts which could not be
obtained by the ordinary scale of relief from the poor rates.
"The reply we received from the guardians led us to be-
lieve this principle was agreed to, but we find that the
Charlton board are practically disregarding it, and ass re-
ducing or refusing relief in consequence of the allowances
made by us. We shall feel much obliged if you will favour
us with your advice, as, unless this cane of complaint is
removed, we are otiosely disposed to abolish oar system of
relief altogether.—We remain, pi:Alamos, yours faithfully,
"Boum and Co."
Mr. Fantail was deputed by the Executive Committee
to endeavour to bring about an ecoommodatios of the
dispute.
A long letter was read from Mr. J. L. Brenton, dated
from the queen's Hotel, Manchester, Dec. 29, relative to
the project of the North Devon Relief Association, of
offering shelter, food, and employment to distressed °
tires during the next four months. The followingr:
extract :—" The two point" that have erred to us
of most importance as regards the Lemonlike dis-
tress are removal and employment. In proportion to
the duration of the distress we fear the great
demorelisatios that must result from such a
mass of pauperism. If the scarcity should be likely to be
permanent, or to last one or two years, there can be little
doubt that emigration on • large scale' ought be projected.
But if the stoppage of the cotton trade is only to be
matter of months their simple removal to other parts el
England would be very easy through the railways. If assay
thousands are simply to be sheltered and fed for • few
mouths it is probable that the agricultural districts could re-
ceive • very large number without any peat strain on
their resources. What would be required would be a pa-
notes from the wealthier classes that those farmers, trades-
men, and others who would receive, shelter, and feed tree
poor people for a few months, should sot thereby be in-
curring any indefinite or permanent liability for their own
hmilite or n hbourhoods, And supposing they are to he
simply kept alive for a time, without employment., they
would be so, probably, more economically, and
more cheerfully and innocently,. thus dispersed certainly
the general population than in their own pauperised
districts. But looking also to the immense importers
of employing as well re feeding them, it is to be soreheadthat no small part of the population now in direr has
been oomparatively recently attracted from the rand ille•
trier ; and that alert a deficiency of labour has latterly
been experienced in tree districts. It may be stippo
therefore, that • Aix of labour from Lancashire let,
other parts et England would Dot be improbable. There
is a further consideration respecting employment which
seems of importance at the present crisis. It is perhaps sot
generally known how much the production of meat, milk,
and wool is becoming a manufacturing rather than en agri-
cultural process- I mean that the use of purchased food
(core, linseed, peas, Ica) is every day reading to set the
meat predawr free of the law that limits the mere farmer's
profits to the resources of his land. The cost of tars-
port is now so small that yams may be pur-
chased as cheaply as they can be growls, and there
is reason to thank that animals may be fatted on
grain as profitably ron roor The chief requisite in arti-
ficial feeding is cleanliness and regularity. By the use of
sand, burnt clay, and even dry sifted earth, large sheds may
be kept perfectly tweet, and the operation of tending
animals be as wholesome as any manual employment. I
think, therefore, that at no great risk, but with probable
profit, meat and milk factories may be started to supply OW
ployment for the sufferers in the present distress."
Mr. FARSALL read the following report :
" To the Central Executive Belief Committee.
" Manchester, Jan. 5, Ma
"My Lords and Gentlemen,—A reference to iny tabidse
reports for the week ended Saturday, the 27th alt., A
show yon that there is a revere in the number of prone
receiving parochial relief as compared with the number 110
relieved in the previous week of 3,911. This decrease d
3,911 is explained as follows :—There is • decrease at Ali
too of 516: Belton, 105 ; Burnley, 617 ; Bury, 980 ; Cher-
ler, 231; Clitharee. 8; Fria% 78: Heelingdes, 481;
48 ; Maschenter, 40. Oldham, 530; Prestos, 211;
isle. 454 ; Bread, 10D; freskpert, 1,025 ; T
125 ; real, 5,19 ft There is as teener at Baden=
of 40; .Markham 419 ; Morita% 375 ; Clanteng, 14 ;
Oleeter. 81; Ihnerter. 1 : Meggesfrd, 113 ,• Preskride
121: Warriors, 41 ; Wipe, 74 total, 1,279 ; seeldeg a
net decrease of 4911. There were co the 27th ult. 900,506
to;ersons reeelving pareeadel relief in the arose adverted
t in the correspoeding week al last year 6,390
were so relieved ; there is therefore an Morrie of Avert96 76a
persons is receipt of parochial relief, or 306.8 per cent.
The total weekly sent of nut-door relief on the 27th nlt.
an 17,911/. se. Bd. • in the coarspooding week of last year
It
was 3,2304 16s. ; there is therefore as increase of
14,7031. Be. lbi., or 455.1 per cent. The average per
tentage of pauperism on the population of these unions on
the 27th ult. wee 13.2 ; in the conseposding week of last
year it was 3.2. The average amount of out-door relief per
bead per week, both In wiry and kind, in Own unions, on
the 27th ult., was le. ; the lowest was Is. lid. ;
and the highest was ls 40. at Stockport.
Of the 260.506 persons receiving parochial relief on the
27th ult., 12.927 were in-door reopen. The amount of
money to the hands of the treasurers was 78,417 f. 9e. 44.
I have returns from 100 local committing, formed for the
distribution of charitable aid in the cotton manufacturing
districts, and I am enabled to stets that at the date of thins
returns there were siding 169,141 persons who were not
receiving parochial relief from the guardians of the poor,
and that the weekly expenditure of the 100 com-
mittee' was 28,154/. 17e. 2d. The total cumber of
persons therefore included in the report who are either re-
ceiving parochial relief or who are assisted by local committee*
of clarity is 430,347, or 21.7 per cent. of the whole pops-
Imre. The reser total weekly expenditure by the
guardians on 248,179 out-door paupers is 17,934/. se. Bd,
and by 100 local committees on 169.841 persons, aided by
those alone, is 28.154/. 17e. 2d.. making together 418,1:193
poems, at • weekly cost of 46,099/. 2s. 10d., or 2s. to
each recipient. I beg to heed you • tabular report showing
the number of peruses sided by each local relief committee,
each persons not being in the receipt of parochial relief,
and showing also the weekly expenditurefor ell purposes by
those relief committees.—l as, my Ice* and gentlemen,
your obedient seilvent,
H. B. FAENALL, Special Commissioner.

" P.S.—I have Jost received three other returns from
local relief committed.. viz., Rochdale, Newchnrch Ira
Poodle. and Whitefield, showing that during last week they
relieved 13,698 penes*, and that the total amount of maw
expended was 1,0681.4 X sd. I regret to say that I hays
received no return from the local committee at Oldham."
Mr. E. Anemone made a statement in reference to the
probable 'ripely of cotton and employment during the cur-
rent year. Our weekly consumption during 1862 had ave.
raged 22,990 bales, which compared with 1860, the last year
of full working, when the weekly average was 18,700 balsa,
gave a little short of three days a week. If the American
blockade continued we might fairly ammo that the 'apply
of 1863 mock, be similar to that of 1862,4 with such addition'
only as might have been caused by Merriam or growth, 'Untw-
isted by high prices. Theeesupplim, the growth of 1862, wage
now gathered, and being packed or brought to market. He
took the estimates of Mews. Stead Brothers, of Liverpool. II
appeared we received from Egypt, Braille, West Indies,
kr.. 300,907 bales, and from Ida, 1,071,768. Their esti-
mated Mamas from the 6rat.named places was 50 per teal,
or 150,000 bales ; and from the East Indies, 25 per web. is
25000 bales; total, 400.000. Prom this mulles dedneted
theism amount of eta* in Liverpool now as assayers& with
January, 1862, being 265,350 bales. The notable Immese
for 14483 would thou be 131,650 bales. It was here siellimed
that the Indian crop about to arrive would exceed *et el
last year as one million was to 1,210.000 bales, Imam&
;eerier the consumption of 1862 with that of 1088.
doe allowance must he made for the differenee in weight and
quality of the balm East India bales averaged alxmt
2841ba. ; American about 444 Th.,, and Feet India cation COO.
Mined Meer cent. atone dirt and waste. Taking 1880 as the
gangs of consumption, and le
easetrieg last• yeses messernp-'
tion of 23,990 bales weekly with the heavy bales of 1860,
we should find they hardy repreented 19,000 Was per