The Express.
London, England, 1861-07-03 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

A late edition of the Express is publisbed every
evening during the racing season, containing the
results of the day's races.

Tim Society for Improving the Dwellings of
the Labouring Classes may fairly claim the
honourable distinction of having attacked the
misery and degradation, the vice and crime of the
metropolis, at its most prolific source and centre.
The intimate relation that exists between physical
and moral degradation is now so thoroughly esta-
blished and universally recognised, that it may be
assumed as a fundamental axiom in sanitary and
social science. Not a single step can be made
towards the permanent improvement of the
lowest class of our town populations without deal-
ing first of all with the filthy hovels in which they
live. It is impossible to describe, much less to ex-
aggerate, the revolting physical horrors of those dens
in which, throughout the changing year, in spring-
time and harvest, bright summer days and bitter
winter nights, so many thousands and hundreds of
thousands of our fellow-creatures drag on a weary
and miserable existence. In one of these dens up
a court leading out of Drury-lane, where the
Society had purchased some premises, there was
an open trough or sewer filled with putrid garbage
running through the rooms in which the people
lived, while tons of filth sod vermin were carted
from beneath the rotten floors of the fetid tene-
ments. To talk of improving the moral or social
condition of people who continue to live in such
places as these is simply absurd, and all attempts
to do so are time and labour thrown away. The
visitor or the missionary may come and
go at intervals, but their visits produce
at best only the faintest and most tran-
sient impression. The filth and vermin, the
huddled space and poisoned air, always remain,
and their baneful influence is overwhelming and
' besseartt. They produce the physical depression,
tia Graving for coarse stimulants, and the despo-
nd', temper which soon destroy the last treess of
sellsespesj, and leave their victims • prey to the
warn exessess of criminal and vicious passion.
Obviously the first and most essential step
towards the permanent improvement of this dam
is to make it at least possible for them to secure a
decent home. At present this is absolutely impos-
sible in many parte, not only of London, but
• most large towns throughout the country. To
meet this first necessity of urban social reform two
aesociations were established nearly twenty years
ago—the society referred to above, for Improving
the Dwellings of the Labouring Classes, and the
" Metropolitan Association for Improving the
" Dwellings of the Industrious Classes." These
societies have together accomplished • great work,
not only in what they have done themselves, but
in whet they have stimulated others to do ; and
we are glad to find from the reports read at the
annual meetings which have recently been held,
that the activity and usefulness of each con-
tinue unimpaired. The first of these societies,
whose seventeenth annual meeting was held
on Friday last, may be regarded as the
pioneer and guide in the great national work of
improving the dwellings of the poor. Its object
from the first has been to organize effort, to stimu-
late and direct local activity in this direction,
rather than to undertake on any large scale the
erection of new dwellings on its own account. It
is essentially • model society, formed for the put-
pope of obtaining the fullest information as to the
actual dwellings of the poor, the best and cheapest
plans for their improvement, as well as various de-
signs for the (section of new dwellings in an econo-
mical manner and in harmony with the sanitary and
social principles established for securing the prime
requisites of health, decency and domestic comfort.
But in order to attain the highest usefulness as
• model society it was necessary that Its schemes
for improving existing dwellings, as well as for
erecting new ones, should be reduced to practice,
and thus brought to the decisive test of actual
experience. The Society has aooordingly from
the first devoted a considerable portion of its
funds to this practical purpose, and it now pal-
ominos nine establishments, or stacks of model
dwellings, in ea many different localities, where its
plans have been for years past in active opera-
tion. These establishments comprise old houses
that have been converted into dwellings
of decency and comfort, and new houses
erected on the best principles for securing health,
convenience, and economy—model buildings for
the accommodation of families, as well as for
single women and single men, together with
several " renovated lodging-houses "for the latter
class alone. These various establishments provide
house-room for nearly two thousand persons. As
a rule, they are always full, and the rate of mor-
tality amongst the inmates is considerably less
than in the general average of London houses. In
a pecuniary point of view they are also thoroughly
successful, the majority not only paying their ex-
penses but bringing in • large revenue to the
Society. The only drawback to the full useful.
ness of these establishments is to be found in the

fact that they are often partially occupied by
tenants rather above the lower and lowest clam
for whose accommodation they are specially
designed.
The Society has been equally successful in ita
primary object of stimulating local effort, and fur-
nishing plans and suggestions for its guidance. It
is now in active correspondsuce and co-operation
with a number of similar associations that have
been formed, not only in various parts of this
country, but also on the Continent. With re-
gard to future effort., there is one practical ques-
tion of the utmost importance that just now
I reams itself on the attention of the Society.