The Express.
London, England, 1862-11-06 00:00:00

[Stamped, Id. Additional.]

THE DISTRESS IN LANCASHIRE.

(rim •

WIGAN, Nov. 4.

The Relief Committee which has hitherto
wrought so well in this town seems determined that it will
earn the gratitude of the operatives by promptly attending
to each new feature of the rapidly-growing distress. At the
meeting of the general committee yesterday, many subjects
came up for consideration, each of which bad reference to
the dread felt by many that our operatives may find the
winter come upon them before all is done which is ne-
cessary to shield them from disease and the many other
ills with which they are threatened. The increase
of sickness in the town, and the want of a Mill more liberal
scale of relief than that already afforded, had been pre-
viously talked about, but both them subjects had now more
attention given to them, owing chiefly to their being so pro.
minently put in an admirable letter which Lord Lindsay
bad addreeed to the mayor of the borough. The very
liberal propoad with which the letter concludes has evoked
may expressions of gratitude to the family from one mem-
ber of which it COMM Our mayor muerte that you will
publish the letter entire, as it may prompt others to follow
the example so nobly given them. The following is a copy :

Haigh-hall, Oct. 31
Dear Mr. Mayor,—Understanding that it is proposed thus
another meeting should be called ere long for the purpose of
taking into consideration what local subscriptions as be
depended upon towards the maintenance and clothing of our
diet:weed %menfolk durum the ensuing months. I venture
to address you • few words on this important subject.
Lord Crawford and myself have watched with the deepest
interest and the warmest sympathy the efforts made on all
sides to meet the ever-deepening and widely-spreading dis-
tress. Much has been done, partly by local subscriptions
and greatly by the contributions so liberally bestowed from
the funds raised throughout the kingdom • but the time has
surely arrived when • great and sustained effort should be
made by each several district, acting for itself, towards
mixing funds on as large and liberal a scale as possible for the
purpose of efficieetly maintaining our poor operatives during
the coming winter.
It may be impossible for the individual districts to pro. ,
vide adequately against the necessities of what can only be
regarded as a national calamity, and it is not unreasonable
to hope for a continuance of the assistance hitherto sup-
plied so cheerfully, not only by friends at home but with
narked liberality from the most distant provinces of her
Majesty's empire ; but till we have does all in our power
individually in our several districts, it is impossible to ex-
pect, or with grace to ask for, each assistance. It behoves
us then, in the first instance, to put our shoulders to the
wheel in real earnest. I believe I am only echoing your
own sentiments and that of the people of Wigan generally
when I add that this should be done throughout Lanca-
shire without delay. Owing to the early period at which
measures wore adopted in Wigan to anticipate the coming
calamity—owing to the friendly co-operation between the
Relief Committee and the board of guardians, and to the
judicious meuta by which the Relief Committee
have provided, ugh their system of ticket distribution, at
once to afford a variety of food to the operatives,
and in so far to support the small tradesman. '
Wigan, from these causes, has been hitherto maintained
in comparative well-being as contrasted with some other of
the distressed districts. The principle proceeded upon bee
been, as I understand it, to maintain the people, not merely
on each a pittance as an keep body and soul together, but
so that they may emerge from the trial in unimpaired
health and bodily power. As yet, through the effect given
to this principle, they have not materially lost ground in
this respect ; but I have been much struck, on returning
here after a few weeks' absence, with the shadow of care
and diminished hope impressed upon their countenances ;
and from all I have heard, as the result of much inquiry,
the suffering, notwithstanding every alleviative, is very
great. Ido trait, Mr. Mayor, that the good principle dun
far followed out will continue to be acted upon. But much
more will pow be needed to keep this merely comparative
well-being up to the mark. It is a well known fact that in
cold weather the body requires more food to maintain it
than during the warm, besides clothing by day and
bedding by night ; the absence of all which, and the conse-
quent huddling together in small rooms, the consequence,
again, of inability to pay rent, generates low
and typhus fever, the latter of the most malignant
character. Happily we are as yet exempt in Wigan from
thin dire concomitant, the pestilence, ever following in the
wake of famine and war. But to continua this immunity,
to preserve our population in their comparatively heathly
condition during the coming winter, the funds hitherto
sufficient must tall short, even supposing they may be kept
up to what they at present are. 1 think, therefore, that it
has been wisely determined to make another local effort for
the purpose of providing for the exigency • and I trust that
' all who have the power will come forward liberally, and as
becomes them. Blackburn has just set at excellent example
to all Lancashire. We owe it to ourselves and to our
wealthy principality to show that we are no laggards in
providing for the wants of those who am now dependent
upon ns for relief and assistance. And when we think of
the noble patience with which the operatives endure this
adversity—an adversity not brought on by their own fault,
but by external circumstances over which they have had
no control—l think we shall consider, not how little, but
how much we can each of us supply towards the great and
crying necessity before us.
I conclude by proposing, on the part of my father, who
has kindly commissioned me to act for him in this matter,
the following arrangement, viz., that we will contribute
1001 a week to the relief fund &trio& the next fire months,
towards maintenance in the way of food, and in the hope
that an increased scale of allowance may be adopted ; and
we will pay at coos 5001. to the fund for the purpose of re-
deeming or providing clothing and bedding, payment of rent,
or any such necessary demands, leaving the distribution of
this sum to the approved discretion of the committee.
Believe me, dear Mr. Mayor, yours very sincerely,
liar Worship the Mayor of Wigan. LINDSAY.

The letter having been read, formal votes of thanks were
passed to the noble writer, and to the Mansion-house Com-
mittee, who had at their meeting on Friday last voted
1.0C3f. to Wigan.
After that a long conversation ensued, in the course of
which it was stated that disease was very much on the in-
crease ; that there were known to be cases of typhus and
scarlet fever, as well asa general lowering of bodily health ;
all owing, in a very great degree, to the want of a sufficiently
generous diet, and to want of clothing and bedding. One
gentleman said he attended specially to plead for the district
112 which he resided, and in which the distress was extreme.
They had within the last few days given over 500 pairs of
clogs, and wanted the committee to sanction their giving not
less than 500 pain more. Even that number would not be suf-
Scent, he thought. Besides this want of covering for the feet,
be said that there was great want of bedding, and he asked
that steps should be taken to procure bedding at once.
Other gentlemen, from the same and from other districts,
urged a like plea ; and on a statement being made to the
effect that some gentlemen bad been visiting the pawnshops
in the town, to ascertain what could be bought there,•reso-
lotion was passed authorising the purchase of 200 pain of
sheets, 44 pairs of blankets, anal about 200 shawls.
After this the increase of themes was reverted to, and a
sob-committee was appointed to report upon the best means
of affording prompt and efficient medical aid where it was
needed. The same committee bed other instructions given
to it, which made its functions very like those of a sanitary
commission.
A rather novel resolution was passed. To those members
of the committee who spent much time in visiting it bad
been long and painfully manifest that great numbers of the
cottages were not in such a condition of cleanliness as wi.uld
I make them likely places from which fevers might be com-
bated ; and there was great fear that many of the owners
of cottage property would not take upon themselves any
thorough improvement of the sanitary condition of their
property. The committee resolved to purchase lime and
brushes, and to ask the board of guardians to allow a
number of the men who are labouring for them to form a
white-washing brigade; that thus the houses of our poor
might for once have a thorough cleansing.
It was also resolved that a school should be at once opened
for the young men and others of the male sex who are flung
out of work by the continued absence of King Cotton ; and
steps were to be taken towards the establishment of another
sewing school, in addition to those already open. Our pre-
sent schools have ID average attendance of about 1,600, end
as the new one is to be opened for about 500 more, we shall
then have more than 2,000 girls receiving instruction and
improvement, who would otherwise be very inadequately
provided for.

The Bishop of London has sent the following
circular to the clergy of his diocese :

London Hones, Nov. 4, 1862.
Rev. and Dear Sir —I have not hitherto taken any public
step to cull the atteitioo of the clergy in this diocese to the
distress in the cotton districts, knowing that many benevo-
lent persons were already ewleavouring to promote subscrip-
tions; and being assured that as the winter approached, the
necessity for our aid would become every week more press.
log. The time seems now to have arrived when every man
who feels for the sufferings of his felloweor.ntrytneu must
exert himself, unless we are to allow • vast population to
sink under the present calamity.
I doubt not that much has been already doing amongst
your people is ilia matter. It is not improbable that yon
have already appealed to them from the pulpit. But I
would uow urge you, if you have not hitherto done so, to
consider the desirableness of adopting some regular system
by which your people may be able at stated intervals to
contribute according to their means while this trial Luta.
Experience proves that our poor, out of their poverty, are es
ready as the rich to help to alleviate suffering. The rich
may find it easy to send their contributions through other I
chamois, but it is one of the especial privileges et the

[TWOPENCE

clergy to be able, through our church arrangements, to be
thquimoners of the poor.
The circumstances of your several perishes are so various
that I would not undertake to point out any one course as
the best for all to follow ; but whatever !arrangements you
may see good to make, with the view of thus appealing to
your people, end aiding them in systematic efforts of charity,
there are abundant opportunities at hand whereby their
contributions may be carefully expended. The Mansion-
house Committee, for example, and the Central Exans•
tire Committee, meeting in the Town-hall of Manchester,
are ready to mist you • and perhaps from your own per-
sonal acquaintance with your brother clergy in the die-
trammed districts, and your knowledge of the peculiar diffi-
culties to which their Books &reimposed, you may have heard
of local committees with which you think it better to com-
municate at once, that yen may more directly aid in parishes
in which your people or yourselves have already, from any
circumstances, become especially interested.
In respect both to the most desirable mode of stimulating
your people's charity, and the channel through which its
t to contribute, many of you will probably think it well
to take couneel with such laymen es are your chief assist-
ants in other good works. But whatever course you think
it best to adopt, I feel confident of your hearty cooperation
in this time of need.

Commending the matter to your careful consideration—]
remain, rev, and dear sir, your faithful brother and servant,
A. C. LONDON.

The subjoined paper is published to show the
' principle on which some sodetUs are already working for
the relief of Lancashire distress:—" For the purpose of
as the distressed workpeople and their families, at
this time reduced to severe privation in many parte of Lanca-
shire and other counties, it is proposed! that every heed of
a koaaahold should collect one penny weekly from loch
members of each household as may be wthiag_to entwelibt•
and pay the amount to • receiver monthly. As two
million pennies per week, collected throughout one year,
will amount to four hundred and thirty thousand
we may obtain—by adding thereto the sums which pouf,
employers would doubtless subscribe in aid—an amount
of half a million pounds without the smallest inconvenience
to any person. The receivers ot any sums so collected at
Hampton Court Palace will deliver them to Mr. Greenhill,
Office of Works, &c., for transmission to J. Bhrubsole,
Esq., banker, Kingston. Should you approve of the means
herein proposed for alleviating the calamity referred to, Mr.
Greenhill, Hampton Court Pskov, is the receiver appointed
to call at your residence en the last Monday in each
mouth for the purpose stated.—Say. W. P. R&M; Was.
Garatuu.c."

The chairman of the Central Fund, Manchester,
bas received a letter from Mr. John Dawson, treasurer of
the Lancashire Relief Fund at Rangoon, encloairg 3001.
imbscribed there. After speaking of the plural sympathy
in the distress of our operative. in British Burmah and of
the regret felt about the " unnatural strife" in America,
the writer save, " India and Burmah are DOW making
vigorous efforts to increase the oultivation of cotton. If the
demand continued steady for this staple of oar Indian pro-
duce, the supply could in a few years be increased a hun-
dredfold. In British %nub we have immense tracts of
unoccupied country, where the finest cotton could be raised
by British capital and British energy. Here are magnificent
lands lying waste in every direction, sending up as it were
a perpetual cry for industrious labour to come and occupy
them, and reap a golden harvest of profit. The toiling and
impoverished workpeople at home should be made acquainted
with this fact."