The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-02 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 2, 1867.

A COSTERMONWEI...S TEA MEETING.

Yoaterday evening the building known as the
City Baths, Golden-lane, Barbican, was filled inside, and
surrounded without, by a very motley and rather noisy
assemblage, the occasion being " A Costermongers' Tea-
Meeting," which had been got up by some members of Mr.
Spur.zem.'s congregation. Barbican and the surrounding
regiona are, we were informed, the head-quarters and prin-
cipal home of the Loudon costenmongers, and until lately
the whole neighbourhood was one of the most turbulent
and disonlerly in eastern London. A most beneficial
change has, however, recently been effected, mainly
through the exertions of Mr. Gramm, a member of the
Evangeli,te Association, and who devotes all the time
he can spare from his duties as a clerk in
the General Post-office to the salutary work of
bringing she poor " casters " and their families
within the pale of Christianity and civilisation. At first
Mr. (Inman visited then, at their homes, or preached to
thew in the open air, but latterly, through the aid of
sympathising friends, and especially that of Mr. Vieweg, a
Swiss merchant, in Wood-street, he has been enabled to
rent the building at the back of the Baths, in which yes-
tenlay a singular soiree took place.
We had some difficulty in making our way to it in the
darkness across the waste of defunct Smithfield and the
intricacies of the Barbican neighbourhood. Half way
down Golden-lane, however, an eager crowd of women
with babies, young girls, and children of both sexes, all
holding up tickets and clamouring for admission
at • rather grim-looking door on the right hand
side of the lane, indicated pretty plainly that
the place of meeting had at last been reached.
Within, the humble chapel was crammed to suffocation.
Many of the men we could see were indubitable cosier-
mongers, and the general acquaintance of every one with
every one else in the meeting indicated that the women
and children belonged to the same community. Great
efforts bad obviously been made to get up a clean and
decent appearance ; but the traces of hunger, drunkenness,
and vice, were still horribly obvious in the facer of many
even of the younger persons present. The deportment,
however, of all was decorous and attentive, and when the
opening hymn was given out we could see by the open
mouths, and hear from the body of sound, that it was
being fervently joined in by every one in the chapel. Liter
in the evening the "rosters" listened well to all
the speakers, relished every joke that was given
by way of illustration with immense gusto, and
if it was one that told heavily against themselves,
the only effect was to increase their hilarity and intensify
their applause. The impression the poor people gave on
the whole was that they were far from being irreclaim-
able, but that they wanted reclaiming terribly, and that
men who, like Mr. Orsmen and his friends, devoted
themselves to the good work, deserved the warmest and
most efficient support from the public. The evening's
proceedings commenced with tea and bread and butter, of
which there was a pleutiful supply and • prodigious con-
sumption. We saw one young gentleman put four slices,
one over the other, and then almost dislocate his jaw by
taking bits out of the solid mass. A few of the young
ones wished to go when the tea had concluded, but the
great majority of the meeting were most anxious to wait
for the speaking, and even the juvenile would-be deserters
were brought beck by a hint that there were to be sand-
wiches and oranges at the close of the proceedings. The
chair was taken by Mr. James Leach, a gentleman who has
warmly 00-operated with Mr. Orsman in his minden, and
on the platform were also the Rev. James Spurgeon, the
Rev. Mr. rattan', Mr. (Taman, and Mr. Wilkins, a re-
claimed cmteruionger, who had come to tell his experience
and to give his advice to his brethren in trade. All of the
above-named persons addressed the meeting in turn, and
all in the same style—friendly, familiar, admonitory, and
encouraging. Mr. Spurgeon appeared to produce the most
impression, the assembled costermongers cheering vigo-
rously even when be exposed their drunkenness, idleness,
irreligion, and violation of the home duties. Mr. Wilkins,
who was a respectable-looking working man, declared
himself to have been a drunken profligate two years since,
drinking and swearing all the week and going bird-catch-
ing on Sundays, but that at the end of that time, and
through the benevolent exertions of good friends, he was
now a sadder, • wiser, and good deal richer man. This
poor moan's voice was hoarse, as is usual with coster-
mongers, and his style of speaking was rambling and inco-
herent, but be was evidently earnest and trutlitelling, and
his observations therefore made considerable impression on
the meeting. Mr. Orstuan followed with an excellent
address, and one or two more short speeches terminated
the proceedings.

THE MANSION•HOUSE METROPOLITAN
DISTRESS RELIEF COMMITTEE.

The committee met yesterday, and was nume-
rously attended, the LORD Maiou presiding. The minutes
of the meeting of Wednesday last were road by Mr. Joseph
Gibbs, the secretary to the Lord Mayor, and were con•
firmetL The report, presented by Mr. Ball, the cashier,
showed that the total amount melted np to that day
amounted to 9,121/. 12s. ld. ; of which 7,143/. bs. 4d. had
been received at the Mansion-house. The grants which
had been 'node amounted to 4,205/., leaving an available
balance at the bankers of 2,838/. ;a. 4d. To this may be
added the sum of 2,0784 to. 9d. lying at the various
bankers, and these two last items made a man of 4,914.4
12s. Id. now to be disposed of. The Lord Mayor, in the
court, of the proceedings, took occasion to draw atten-
tion to the almost exhausted state of the fund, in the
poor-box at the Mansion•house justice room. In cense-
creme of the vast addition to the number of the applicants,
and from the course of benevolence which usually flowed
into the coffers of the poor-box having been turned in the
direction of the funds to meet the general distress preva-
lent in the eastern diatricta, the finances of the poor-
box had been seriously affected and reduced. He
(the Lord Mayor), under these circumstances, suggested
that the poor-box had some claim upon the funds now at
the dispmal of the committee. The committee at once
adopted his lordship's suggestion, and made a grunt of 50/.
to meet existing exigencies. A deputation, consisting of
Mr. Stutlield, the treasurer, and the Rev. Mr. M'Gill,
attended from St. George's-in-the-East, and made a second
application for assistance, and mentioned that since their
last appearance the extensive parish had been subdivided
into tti.stricte, especially the poorest loulities, ►nd
these were now regularly visited by active local committees.
The Rev. Mr. 31`Gill detailed some extremely painful
cases of dire distress, and added that, although the poor-
law guardians had acted with rematkable liberality, yet
their workhouse was more than full, and that the
extent of the out-door relief now afforded was
enormously increased and alarming. The commit-
tee, after an interesting c---nvereation, made the
deputation • second grant of 300/., in addition to that
which had been made at a previous meeting. From the
district of St. James, Rateliff, a deputation beaded by the
incumbent, the 11ev. Mr. Atherton, attended and sup-
plied information as to the existing distress prevailing in
that remarkably poor and pauperised locality. It was men-
tioned that some charitable individual had sent to the
local committee • supply of 2.1 blankets, and for these
there were hundreds of applicants, principally fe-
males just delivered, and with scarcely • rag to cover
them and their newly born infants. The details pro-
duced a visible effect upon the whole of the committee,
and it was first proposed to make a further grant to the
deputation of LaM., but after • short discussion the
amount WAS increased to the sum of 2001. A deputation
from St. James, Kennington lane, headed by the Rev. Mr.
('arrow, attended, but failing to show that they had any
exceptional cases of distress in their district the claim for
assistance was negatived by the committee. The total
grants made during the day amounted in the whole, to
5:30/. The committee at its titan at a late hour adjourned
to Monday next, at two o'clock.

Kitbl inttlltQtntt.
COURT OP RANKRUPTCY.—Fss. 1.
(Before Mr. Cotnnuarioner Hohoyd.)
IN RZTHR HON: R. T. HOWARD.

The bankrupt. the Hon. Bernard Thomas Howard, •
younger son of the Karl of Suffolk, was described as late
of Winchester, retired military officer. He ascribes his
difficulties to having become surety for friends, who failed
to meet their engagements. The indebtedness, as shown
by accounts prepared by Mr. Banes, is returned at 3,0821.,
with assets of trilling amount.
Mr. Sargood (specially retained) was counsel for the
bankrupt ; Mr. Aldridge appeared for the official 'undoes.
Mr. Aldridge stated that further accounts had been
furnished, as directed at the last sitting, and the bank-
ruptcy hail been re-advertised, with full particulars of all
the places where the bankrupt had contracted debts. He
was not aware of there being any opposition.
The bankrupt was shortly examined, and said that he
had deposited with Captain Crofts a ring and parapher-
nalia. By " paraphernalia " he meant fishing tackle,
which was worth about l.'W. (A laugh.) A watch which
he purchased for 100 guineas at Benson's had been pledged
for 201., and the ticket wadi in the hands of a Mr. Worby.
Mr. argood said there would be no difficulty in paying
into court • reasonable sum, say 101., for the paraphernalia,
and Mr. Aldridge would no doubt make inquiries with
regard to the pawn tickets and any other matters he might
think necessary.
The Commissioner—l observe that the bankrupt's expen-
diture was at the rate of 1,3001. per year, and he now owes
3,0001., which includes liabilities of 4001. upon accommo-
dation bills ; what expectation had he of being able to pay
his debts?

The bankrupt admitted that he had no income, except
an allowance which he received from his father.
Mr. Aldridge remarked that a number of valuable
articles returned as having been given up to the official
assignee had not been received by him. Besides other
things there was • cigar case, a liqueur cue, • gold pencil
ease, and a tobacco pouch. (A laugh.)
Mr. Sargood said he was instructed that those articles
should be accounted for, or their value paid into court.
With regard to the bankrupt having brought himself
within the statute by contracting debts without reasonable
expectation of payment, he would observe that no creditor
was present to make such a complaint. A well known
author had characterised all expectations as unreasonable
--(a laugh)-but be submitted that the beet judge of the
reasonableness of • debtor's expectations to pay the de-
mands upon him was the creditor himself. In the present
case the creditor's expectations were founded, no doubt,
upon the fact of the bankrupt being an earl's son and a
gentleman. The court would also bear in mind that the
I bankrupt had not voluntarily sought to be relieved from
his liabilities, but he hadbeen driven into bankruptcy upon
the adjudication of a registrar made in consequence of his
arrest. Of the debts upon the schedule more than one-
half were due to money lenders, and the bankrupt had in-
dulged to • very moderate extent in the purchase of articles
of luxury or extravagance—such as horses, carriages, or
jewellery. He (Mr. Sargood) therefore hoped that an
immediate order of discharge might be granted.
His Honour maid that even if no creditor opposed be
thought upon the true construction of the 159th section
that it was the duty of the court to inquire into the cir-
cumstances of each case. Being of opinion that the bank-
rupt had incurred debts without reasonable expectation of
Rayment, the order of discharge would be suspended for
six months, but, as no creditor opposed, protection would
be granted.

LOSS OF THE SHIP MONMOUTH AND EIGHT
OF THE CREW.

LIVERPOOL, Faints.
The ship David Cannon, Captain Walsh, which
arrived here to-day, brings to this port 12 of the crew,
including Captain Jones, of the ship Monmouth, which
foundered at sea about the sth of January. The sufferings
of the survivors of the crew of the Monmouth will take
their place amongst the saddest episodes of the sea. It
appears that the Monmouth left New Orleans for Liver-
pool, via Pensacola, on the 17th of last November, and
since then, up to the time she was fallen in with by the
ship David Cannon, experienced, with but slight intei -
missions, a series of heavy storms. Nothing of any serious
consequence however took place until about the latter end
of December, when the unfortunate ship encountered a
terrific hurricane, in the course of which • heavy
squall, accompanied by an enormous sea, swept
over the vessel carrying seven of the crew and
the whole of the deck furniture, &c., overboard.
None of the crew were saved, as their fellow mates were
unable to render any assistance. From the report of Cap-
tain Walsh, of the David Cannon, we learn that on Sun-
day, the 20th January, about 4 p.m., he fell in with the
ship Monmouth, bound from Pensacola for Liverpool, in lat.
40 N., lon. 46 W., water-logged. The vessel was timber-
laden, the cargo being principally oak and pitch-pine, and
appeared to be • complete wreck. The after-deck house,
bulwarks, stanchions, coals, &c., were all gone from the
deck. The mainmast had been carried away by the board ;
the wizen topmast and jibboom were broken, and the sails
blown into ribands. The deck and beams had parted on
the starboard side ; the stern was smashed in, and the
timber part of the cargo was working out of the side.
Alter much difficulty and danger Captain Walsh suc-
ceeded in taking away 12 men from the rigging, all of
whom were disabled and many of them unable to stand,
the poor fellows having been m the rigging for six days,
during which time the weather was very cold and stormy,
the po"r fellows having been without food and with very
little clothing. All the provisions and clothes were
washed overboard, the hull of the vessel being completely
under water, and the sea making a complete breach over
her. In addition to the men washed overboard, one of
the poor fellows died from sheer exhaustion and hunger
in the rigging. Nothing was saved from the wreck but
the 12 men, among whom was Captain Jones. The night
of the 20th January was very dark, and a heavy gale was
blowing from the N.N.W., accompanied by a tremendous
sea. Notwithstanding all these difficulties, Captain
Walsh gallantly stood by the wreck until the 12 unfortu-
nate survivors of the Monmouth were safe on board the
David Cannon.

THE LAW OP TRADES' UNIONS.