The Express.
London, England, 1862-10-10 00:00:00

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LONDON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10.

THE discussion which has taken place on
Mr. PURDY'S paper, read in the Economic and
Statistical Section of the British Association at
Cambridge, is of the highest interest in the
present state of Lancashire. Among the remark-
able facts brought out, one of the most sug-
gestive is that, generally speaking, the sickness
and mortality of the district have decreased, except
in Manchester, where there is a considerable
aggravation. At-Coventry, it appears, there was
a much improved state of health during
the long period of distress ; and this
was attributed by the medical men to the
better care taken of the children while their
mothers were compelled to stay at home. The
same cause seems to be operating in Lancashire at
present, reducing the infant mortality in a marked
degree. The improved health of the adults may
be accounted for by the compulsory abstinence
from drink, by the wholesome quality of the relief
food, and by the employment of the men and boys
in the open air. In the discussion at Cambridge
some fears were expressed of damage to the chari-
table funds if the impression gained ground that
the people are better off under their present than
their usual circumstances, while it is widely be-
lieved on the spot that the relief given is, in most
of the towns and villages, altogether inadequate to
the support of the health and spirit of the reci-
pients. The apprehension seems to be reasonable;
for it is certainly true that ls., or Is. 3d., or
even Is. 6d. per head per week is insufficient to
provide the food that a strong man and growing
youths require. It would be so under the best
management that is ever to be looked for among
factory workers: and it is too well known that
nothing is rarer than good management
in the women of that class. There
are long intervals in the degrees of deficiency.
Some of the better qualified housewives can
make the relief food palatable, as far as it goes,
while others can do little with it ; and then the
monotony and the bad cookery cause a loathing
which drives the poor people to such drink as
they can get, or to solace themselves with savoury
scraps which do no good as nourishment. We
spoke of this lately, in connexion with the pro-
posal which had appeared in the Manchester
Guardian of an apparatus of cooking schools, in
analogy with the sewing schools, which are doing
so much good throughout Lancashire, and we re-
turn to the subject now because it appears that
some attention has been paid to the suggestion,
but that a great extension of zeal and enlight-
ened effort is required to meet the present oc-
casion.

It appears that somebody has been to Glas-
gow for the purpose of studying the management
of the Cooking Depot there ; and the intelli-
gence
brought by this good citizen to
Manchester ought to stir the spirit of
the place so as to establish, without
any delay, an institution which would do as much
good at as small a cost as at Glasgow. It is
strange not only that this should remain to be
done, but that it has hitherto been found impos-
sible to interest the Manchester people in it. The
ladies cannot, it is said, be induced to set about
the work, though they are very zealous about the
sewing 'schools, which answer a corresponding
purpose in regard to clothing. There seems to be
no dispute about the facts of the Glasgow plan ;
and, taking them as set forth in • letter to the
Manchester Guardian, we venture to appeal to the
public-spirited among the citizens and the ladies
to try at once what can be done. One gentleman,
we observe, proposes to open a kitchen on the
Glasgow model. Will not his neighbours work
with him, and prevent his effort being crushed by
the pressure which his benevolence will otherwise
bring upon him ? If the facts are as follows,
where is the difficulty f It cannot be said that
any mode of relief can be of greater or more
immediate importance.
There are twelve of these cooking depOts in
Glasgow, each being in the heart of a populous
_ .

neighbourhood. Nothing can better show their
value than the fact that they art is 113,fiportiny.
In two years they have yielded • fair per centage
to the founder, and a surplus of 1001. (which he
has given to the poor). Seventy girls and women
are employed in them ; and this is one of the
beat features in the scheme. It would be no
small blessing to Manchester if a hundred factory
girls and women could be taught to cook, or two
hundred, or three hundred, in rotation ; and if
the scheme were extended to all the factory towns,
a blessed improvement in the domestic economy
of the district would date from the year of dis-
tress. The food (all of the best quality) cooked
in the Glasgow kitchens consists mainly of beef,
potatoes, broth, puddings, and tea and coffee.
These are served out in penny portions ; and of
these portions 66,000 were sold in August
hat. Comfortable eating-rooms for men and
women apart are attached to each kitchen ;
and in these rooms a hot breakfast
is ready every morning at eight, and
a dinner and tea at the usual popular hours. The
breakfast—porridge or coffee and substantial ac-
companimenta—costs twopence ; and the dinner,
of meat, and vegetables, and pudding, coats three-
pence. In too many their homes, the factory
people have, at a greater cost, dry bread, or some
distasteful mess which does them no good ; and,
if the best materials are given to them, the women