The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-17 00:00:00

THE UNEMPLOYED AT DEPTFORD.

Last night a crowded public meeting of the
inhabitants of Deptford and Greenwich was held at the
Literary Institution, High-street, Deptford, for the adop-
tion of measures to relieve the widespread distress existing
amongst the operative classes of the locality, in MOW
queno• of the closing of variou shipbuilding yards and
other works, by which upwards of 8,000 hands have been
thrown out of employment. The chair was occupied by the
Rev. Canon Miller, vicar of Greenwich ; and on the plat-
form were Mr. Aliens= Salomons, M.P., and numerous
ministers and other influential residents of the district.
The secretary read a report, from which it appeared that
upwards of 8,000 workmen had been for some time unem-
ployed, and in the majority of eases were destitute. Let-
ters were also read from W. M. Chambers, M.P., Sir John
Lubbock, &a, enclosing liberal subscriptions. The rev.
chairman said that when first asked to to in the
movement be was surprised at being told that nearly
30,000 men were out of employment, but he was
now fully satisfied that very general and severe distress
existed in the locality, and it was the duty of
all Christian men to come forward to the rescue.
The Revs. Rupert Turner, J. Gucoyne, and Isaac North
I addressed the meeting in support of reeolutions for sub.
scriptions and appeals to the various religious dopamine.
tons on behalf of the sufferers. Sir Charles Fox said as •
large employer of labour no person more highly valued
and sympathised with the working Glasses than himself.
nations no bland 7clstuwse Enthlansnddcog7dt in
°°t
onfwtahrrirn with o
reatest ntherum.
num-
ber of efficient skilled workmen and labourers, and the
most extensive and efficient machinery, which were the
true elements of wealth. It had fallen to his lot to
have the management of large numbers of working
people, and his experience went to prove that if
, they were dealt with as Christians and rational
beings, and not as cold chisels, to be laid aside when done
with, the best feeling would prevail between employers
and employed. At one time he had 12,000 men to super-
!intend, and although he had had several strikes, they
I always came to terms, because he said to them, "Send a few
I men to have a talk to me" and thus an amicable arrange
ment had always been arrived at. He would do all he
could to aid the present movement.—lt was also resolved
that an appeal be made to the public through the medium
of the press, and that • committee be appointed to carry
out • house-to-house visitation. Alderman Sakenons,
M.P., said the great mass of distress now existing was for
the moat part traceable to the late monetary crisis, to
which the Millwall Iron Shipbuilding yard, and the yard
,at Deptford-green had succumbed. He agreed withthe
I chairman that the calamity was too peat to be dealt with
by the inhabitants of that district, and that • strong appeal
should be made to the country at large for help, which
he felt satisfied would, as in the case of the Lancashirel
distress, be forthcoming.

CITY Comte Mien; OF SnWene.—The Commis-
sioners of Sewers of the City of London held their usual
weekly meeting yesterday at Guildhall, under the presi-
dency of Mr. De Jersey, the chairman of the commission.
A lengthened discussion took place in reference to state-
menta that have been published by Dr. Saunders, the
medical adviser of the City of London Union, appointed
under the order in council, alleging that there has been •
want of proper sanitary arrangements, and implying that
there had been some neglect on the part of the Commis-
sioners of Sewers in the matter. A motion was pro-
posed that the allegations of Dr. Saunders should be
referred to the consideration of a committee, to report
whether they were well founded or not, to
which an amendment was proposed that it be referred
to the Sanitary Committee to consider whether any
further measures could be adopted to improve the sanitary
condition of the City of London. This amendment, after •
long discussion, was declared to be carried. The sipping
sanitary inspector reported that during the week he had
inspected twelve vessels, and that two of them were in a
very dirty condition, and two others were imperfectly
ventilated. Dr. Letheby, the medical officer of health, re-
ported that during the week 4.0701ba. of meat had been
seized at the different markets, • considerable portion
of which was putrid, and the remainder was
from diseased animals. The meat consisted of four
sheep, 12 pigs, 14 quarters of beef, and 194 joints
of meat. With regard to mortality and the sanitary con-
' dition of the City of London, Dr. Letheby reported that
I there bad been 41 births and 41 deaths registered during
the week, and the mortality was still below the usual
BATHING TN REGEN'T'S-PARB. —A public meeting average (49). In 5 canes the cause of death was cholera,
WY held last evening in the German Gymnasium, Old St. and in 1 choleraic diarrhotml Dr. Letheby likewise reported
Pancras-road, King's-cross, for the purpose of furthering that he had tested the gas supplied by the different com-
the efforts which are being made to obtain permission for parties, and the result was that in every case the dlumuttit-
public bathing in Regent's-park. Mr. Joseph Taylor filled ing power was above the requirement of the act of paths.
the chair. Mr. Bere. the honorary secretary, read letters ment, but the gas supplied by the Great Central and the City
of apology from the Duke of Sutherland, Mr. Chambers, Gas Companies, was very much charged with sulphur ; that
M.P. Dr. Lankester, Mr. Geo. Cruilishank, Mr. Frank supplied by the Chartered Company also contained sulphur,
Buckiand, Mr. Coningham, late member for Brighton, and but in a much less degree. The court adjourned after
other gentlemen. The chairman, in opening the proceed- having disposed of some other business.
inp, said the meeting had been convened for the purpose THADHS' UNION AT NOTTINGHAM. —At the
of arousing the attention of the public, and of the working- Nottingham borough police-court yesterday three Irish-
classes particularly, to the necessity of places for public men, named Michael Tracey, Thomas Burke, and Robert
bathing which existed in London at present. Mr. W. Allen Dogherty, were charged with committing a violent assault
proposed the first resolution as follows That this , upon Robert Thirkettle, Sarah Dalton, and others. From
meeting warmly sympathises with the efforts being the evidence adduced, it appeared that for the last five
made by the press and by the expression of public weeks there has been a strike in the building trades at
opinion in favour of open air free public bathing Nottingham, and the masters have had to procure work-
in Regent's-park lake, and whilst it recognises the men from various parts of the country. Some of these
im of • due regard for ' vested rights,' and the men have been lodging at Mr. Dalton'', eating-house-
rig ts of property, this meeting is of opinion that bathing keeper, Parliament-street, and between seven and eight on
for the people in Regent's-park is fully as practicable and Monday night • large number of unionists assembled
desirable as in Victoria-park or Hyde-park. Mr. James round the -house. The prisoners having blackened their
Humphrey, who said hello di been 30 years • bather In the faces, went in and asked Mrs. Dalton for some soup. She
Serpentine, seconded the resolution, which was unani- told them she had not got any, and they then forced their
monody agreed to. Mr. Bere then read • memorial which way into the back kitchen and commenced a most brutal
had been prepared for presentation to Sir Francis Henry attack upou the men. Tbirkettle was so much injured
Goldsmid, who is a large owner of property close to the that he bad to be taken to the General Hospital, where he
proposed bathing place, asking hint to abstain from oppos- now lies in a most critical state. Mrs. Dalton ran to the
mg the project, and to give it his assistance, stating at door to call for help, and, on returning to the shop, was
the same time that with respect to bathing dresses, screens, violently asaalted. She was knocked down, her nose
and rules and regulations, every precaution would be smashed, and for some time she remained insensible. Mr.
taken to prevent any violation of public decency. Dalton and several other men were also assaulted, some of
Mr. Bere moved the adoption of the memo- whom were seriously injured. A strong force of police,
rial, which was seconded by Mr. Guest, who, under Inspector Berrington, was sent in pursuit, and the
while admitting the importanceof ornamental baths and prisoners were captured in Narrow Marsh late in the
bathing places in London, was not of opinion that the evening. The case was remanded for • week. Dogherty
benefits anticipated would be solely confined to what were and Tracey have been identified as having taken part in
called the working chimes. The next resolution proposed the outrage.
was:—" That this meeting deems it to be the duty of the Se PeRSTITION IN TEM WEST or ENGLAND. —The
medical profession, as being immediately occupied with Western Morninp News reports a strange case of superdi-
the sanitary condition of the people, to promote the Lion in the west of England. About three weeks ago there
estahlishment of national bathing places, and this meeting died the Rev. E. D. Rhodes, vicar of Bathampton, • vil-
earnestly recommends to the favourable notice of the lege two miles from Bath, and on the borders of Somerset
faculty the plan to obtain open-air free public bathing in and Wilts. Mr. Rhodes was a man of very remar'able '
Regent's-park." The resolution was carried non. con., and powers ; his teaching was far above the average of country
the proceedings terminated. clergymen, and his parishioners were commonly *append
SCOTCH RAILWAY AOCIDENTB. —Early on Sunday to be, so far as intellectual attainments are ooncerned,
morning • serious collision'occurred near Falkirk Station much above the level of an ordinary rural parish. Never-
between a goods and cattle train. Eight persons Were in- thelees, since his death the rumour has become current
jured, severed cattle killed, and • considerable amount of that his ghost has been seen in Bathampton churchyard,
rolling stock destroyed. The accident is said to have been and hes been heard groaning and sighing. The witnesses
occasioned by the guard of the cattle train, which pre- increased in number and in positiveness of assertion, and
ceded the ordinary goods train from Glasgow, having, the report obtaining general currency crowds of persons
when leaving Falkirk Statiou, where • stoppage had been came over from Bath to verify it. Their testimony was
made, and at which no night porter is employed, turned abundantly confirmed, and one old parishioner, entering
the signal so as to show that the line was clear. The goods wore into detail than the rest, said that he had aeon Mr.
train came up much earlier than usual, passed the station Rhodes with a crown of glory round his head and • trumpet
at full speed, and ran into the cattle train while it was in in his hand. The matter new became serious, and the aid
the tunnel • little to the east of Falkirk. A collision of the police wee asked. Constables accordingly were seat
attended with lees damage occurred on the Scottish Cen- over on Friday night. The ghost appeared, as usual, pals
tral Railway on Saturday morning. Several waggons and ghastly, groaning and sighing. He was captured, and
broke loose at lEinbuck Station, ran along the line, and turned out to he • great white owl, which is henceforth
came in °outset with a goods train. A fireman and driver condemned to humiliating imprisonment in • barn, with
were thrown off their engine, but were not severely hurt, hard labour in the shape of inseersatsdring.