The Express.
London, England, 1864-11-15 00:00:00

NATIONAL TEMPERANCE LEAGUE.

Last night the Lord Mayor presided overt meet-
ing at the Guildhall in furtherance of the objects contem-
plated by this emaciation. An enormons noncom,e of per.
sons were present, the vast ball being completely tilled, and
hundreds being nimble to gain admission.
The LORD Mstoa having briefly opened the business of
theeveninc.

Mr. S. ticeNer, M.P., read a statement respecting the
objects of the association.
lit. Sancti. Morthet was anxious to appeal to the citizen.
ship of his fellow-citizens on • greet social question, deeply
affecting the welfare of the great 111111111 l• of the people. He
wanted to see the people happier—(hear, hear)—and he
felt convinced that the habit of drinking was doing more
than all other causes put together to keep them down—
socially, politically, and religiously. (hear, hear.) He be-
lieved in the prosperity of England, but he feared that the
wealth of the country was getting into fewer hands. He was
afraid that the poor were getting poorer, and he thought he
saw more anxious faces iu the streets than formerly. (Hear.)
A nation always lived in its cottages—that was to say, the
majority of its people won their Iry lug by the sweat of their
brow ; and that they were cup..l,le of being greatly influenced
by the example of their social ruperiors. lie did not pre-
tend that total abstainers were more virtuous than pe3ple
who took their glass of ale or wine ; but he did say that
four-fifths of the crime, and • large portion of the disease,
lunacy, and untie& onus of the country was due to drink.
(Hear, hear.) The greatest obstacle to the school, moreover,
was the public •house. We were threatened with a general
election very shortly, and he was told that 2,000,001.4 was
spent upon public-houses on such occasions. He thoroughly
agreed In the suggestion that those houses should be closed
for • week before and a week after. (Enthusiastic cheers.)
He was iu favour ef an extension of the suffrage, but he
could not shut his eyes to the fact that many • working
man disfranchised himself by spending money on drink
which he might better lay out in a house that would
give him a vote. (Hear, hear.) He was thankful to see
the large number of clergymen who had joined the league,
and he quoted a passage from the Beau of Carlisle to show
that the clergy derived a great increase of influence from
taking that step. He (Mr. Morley) would treat habitual
drunkards as lunatics, and imprison them. (Hear, hear.)
He would forbid beer to be drink on the premises. if it
was wanted, let it be bought and taken home. (Hear,
hear.) lie was also in favour of closing public.houses
at six o'clock in the evening; and be thought that there
should be some change in the licensing system. The system
of licensing music balls where iutoxicatiog liquors were sold
was the fruitful source of demoralisation. (Cheers.) le
was glad to see that that was also becoming the opinion of
a great number of the Middlesex magistrates. It would be
hardly orthodox to refer to the Permissive Bill. He was a
very ardeet member of the League, and was not • member
of the Alliance ; but he was deliberately of opinion that
something in the nature of the Permissive Bill was noires-
eery. (Great cheering.) He thought that with great rno-
diEcation and with much care such • measure might be
• adopted—in short, rather than give to the magistrates the
power of determining where drink should be sold, he
would give the power to the inhabitants of the district.
I(Loud cheers.)
The Rev. R. MAGUIM next addressed the meeting.

The Crry CLIAMBEHLALY congratulated the right boo.
chairman on the manner in which he was inaugurating his
year of office. It was quite true that the upper and middle
dares were not now much addicted to drinking ; but if Gog
and Magog could speak, they could tell • veryldifferent tale
about the past. He found it written in the City records
that " Charles IL, in 1674, dined at Guffdhall, and Sir
Robert Vyner, the Loth Mayor, getting elated, the King
stole off and made towards his coach, which stood ready for
him in tie Guildhalliard. Then the Lord Mayor had
grown so intimate that he pursued the King, and, catching
him first by the band, cried out, ' Sir' you shall stay and
take Vother bottle. The monarch looked kindly at him
over his shoulder, and, with • smile and graorifil air, re-
peated this line of the old song

• Ln that tattrunk is as great u a king'

—(laughter)—sod immediately turned beck and complied
with Ina host." In thirty years—since the movement was
first inaugurated at Preston. in Lancashire—its progress has
been very remarkable. There are more than 3.000,000
British subjects now affording demonstration that health
end wealth are both promoted by total abstinence. Speak-
ing for himself, be (Mr. Scott) had experienced during the
last twelve years that total abstinence fro¢ alcoholic bever-
ages bad brought Lim better health, increased strength, en-
larged girth, sounder sleep. sod a clearer bead. Be bed
during that period worked hauler, and had done more good
to himself and to his fellow men then st any former period.
(Cheers.) lieneralisations based on few facts were, how-
ever, dangerous, and night be deceptive. They had now a
body of statistics to prove that their abstinence was the
mercy " twice blessed ;" that the abstainer wee benefited,
and made no sin:mince himself, while he eodeevoured to save
the victim of excess.

Addresses were also delivered by Mr. Dixon, coroner for
South Oxfordshire, Mr. U. Crurh.Lauh, and the Rev. N.
Hal Thanks were then voted to the Lord Mayor, and
the meeting, after singing the National Anthem. and giv-
ing three cheers for the Queen and for the temperanos
cause, broke up.

TER LOSS OF Tilt ONTARIO-The assesson of
the Board of Trade gave their decision in the case of the
Ontario at Liverpool yesterday. It was as follows :—Tbe
court, having carefully investigated the circumstances con-
nected with the loss of the screw steamship Ontario on
Hasbro' Sand., on the morning of the 16th ult., has come
to the conclusion that this is not one of the class of cases in
which blame attaches to the master. The evidence shows
that the ship was under the charge of a licensed pilot, ap-
pointed by the owners, and that the master was locally
unacquainted with the coast. The court does not hold that
in all comes the fact of a pilot being on board is to relieve
the master from rempousibility ; but in this case, as they
see no neglect or dereliction of duty, either on the
part of the master or Lis crew, Mr. John Brooking cannot
fairly be held amenable for the loss of his ship. The
court has, therefore, great pleasure in returning Mr. Brook-
ing his certificate. The court regrets that it cannot take
so favourable a view of the conduct of the pilot. It is of
opinion that Mr. Alexander Scott e►inced a want of caution
is the navigation of this vessel, in continuing his course at
fall speed after failing to make either the Dudgeon or
Dowsing light-vessels, instead of hauling up and proceeding
slowly until he Lad ascertained his position. Tbe court
cannot, however, deal with the pilot under the pro-
visions of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, which
regulates these inquiries, but will feel it their duty to
report the opinions thus expressed to the Board of Tiede.
It is unnecessary, in giving this judgment, to edd anythieg
bearing upon the collateral question which has arisen out
of this inquiry relating to the services of the Yarmouth
lifeboat. The matter will be dealt with in the report
which the court will make to the Board of Trade. This
decision was read by Mr. Raffia., the legal assemor, on the
part of himself and Captains Harris and Baker, nautical
assessors; and the certificate was immediately handed to
Captain Brooking.