The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-02 00:00:00

£360 13

„ due from the
Local Marine
Board .. £5B 1 0
„ of seamen's
notes in hand 142 17 6
„ in the hands
of treasurer 33 3 6-234 2 0-360 13

The accounts had been audited, and found correct, by
Messrs. Harwood Blnner and Son. .

The Savings' Bankaccolint--showed that £13,707 17s 2d
had been paid to seamen during the year ; that the deposists,
by seamen, had amounted to £12,545 7s 41, the balance
from the previous year in the B.snk being £8,910 19a 3d,
leaving, with interest, a balance in this year's account of
£8,983 9s 64, of which £3,537 Gs lld remains in the Bank,
£5,000 invested in dock bonds, and £447 2s 7d in the hands of
the treasurer. .
•

• The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report,
observed that it appeared from it that, during the past
year, they,had had a fuller success than in any previous
year, the number of inmates having greatly increased,
and consequently the prpsperity of the Home, as to its
finances, greatly improved. The Savings' Bank was
continued to be worked successfully and with considerable
benefit to the sailors. In conclusion, the chairman inti-
mated that they were willing to tranfer this branch of
the institution to the Government Savings' Banks as
soon as it was arranged that the benefit they were doing
to the sailors would not be lost by the sailors, but it was
the intention of the cammittee, until such a plan was
matured, to carry on the bank as at present. He then
moved that the report and statement of accounts be
adopted; printed, and circulated.
Mr. James Aikin seconded the motion. In doing so,
he said that it was a subject of great gratification to ail
of them to find the institution realising the confident
expectations entertained of it in the first ins'anee. It
was, however, to be regretted that though the institution
affo dcd the greatest amount of confidence and. advan-
tages to the sailor, it was not availed of to that extent it
should be. It afforded accommodation fur 350
slilors, but the average,nuoiber of those who availed
themEelircs of it did not exceed two hundred ; some-
times they had three hundred ; but two hundred
was the average number. it was was a source of satis,
faction to find that those who passed through the Home
once invariably came back to it again (hear, hear). But
it was to be regretted, when they sal from the cases before
the magistrates the number and audacious character of
the robberies committed on sailors, that sailors did not
avail themselves of the advantages which the Home pro-
Vided for them to the extent they ought to do. He would
mention a case which came before him at the Police
court, in illustration of this system of robbery practised
on sailors by crimps and lodging house keepers. A
foreign seaman, who received with 'n the building £4l
wages, was induced by a:lodging house keeper to
deposit £3l of it in his sacred keeping. In the
course of a day or two he informed the sailor that
the money had been burned ; but, when brought
up at the Police court, his witnesses not only failed to
prove that the money had been so btirned; but actually
proved the case against him ; and they had the audacity
to say, that £lO and a watch, which was offered the
sailor as compensation, was a large and righteous pay-
ment under the circumstances. The Bench thought
otherwise, and ordered him to repay the £3l, with £5
damages, or to go to jail for two months, He mentioned

the case in order that the public might know how sailors
were robbed by: such people,_ and that captains, and
mates, and pilots might make known to sailors the great
advantages which they would derive by resorting to the
Home. In reference to the savings bank, he should say
that it would be a source of great comfort to them,
inasmuch as it would relieve them from a considerable
degree of responsibility, if the board of trade would
adopt the plan which the committee had laid down, and
which had been so successful. In such an event the
committee would be glad to band over the bank to their
Management, but it should be remembered, that if there
were many regulations respecting the deposit, they
would defeat their own object. It was very difficult to
make Jack understand any regulation in reference to
such a matter when sober, but it would be impossible to
make him understand them when drunk, and the result
'might be, that he would refuse to deposit his money at
all. He was glad id leant, therefore, that the local
board, under the instruction of the board of trade, were
devising a plan which would relieve the f.loramittee from
the responsibility of the bank, and at the mind time
continue the present benefits to the sailors. One of the
great objects they had in opening the Sailors' Home, was
the establishment of nautical schools in connection with
it, and it was a gratification to them all,. to. find that
under the board of trade, their origin ii intention xv2s
being well and ably carried out. They had a first-ra'e
man from Cambridge at the head of the school, and it
was so successful, and became so soon self sustaining,
that they had to get a second master from the
Greenwich scholars, who had proved them-
selves efficient teachers, and the .school was
still growing so much that they would have to apply for
another master. They were also about to arrange
different rooms, one for shipmasters, another Toiniates,
preparing for examination, and a third for boys ; and
the charges were so moderate that all might easily avail
themselves•of the school, the rates 'being as a week for
masters, and 6d a week for seamen and boys. In con-
clusion, Mr. Aiken declared that the Home offered a
better means of nautical tuition than could be found in
any other part of the kingdom..
Mr. W. Tomlinson suggested that it shout l be ex.
'stained that seamens' wages were not paid at the Home.
Mr. Aiken then stated that the wages were always
paid in the office of the Local Marine Board, but as the
Board had its offices in the same building, they were
frequently confounded with the Home, which was, in
fact, the boarding house and club of the sailors visiting
the port.
The resolution was unanimously adopted.
The Chairman then moved that the out-going members
of the committee, who were eligible, be re elected.
Mr. B. Derbyshire seconded the motion, and observed
that some steps should be taken by the police to prevent
" crimps!' from going on board ships. They had no
right to go on board vessels, and could be prevented
from doing so.
Mr. W. Watson seconded the motion, which was
nnanimonsly adopted. •
The• Chairman moved that the thanks of the meeting
be given to Captain Ainley and the officers of the Home
for the satisfactory manner in which they had conducted
the business during the year.
Mr. Tomlinson seconded the motion, and, in doing so
sPoke in the high-est terms of the officers. He expressed
the satisfaction of the committee at the manner in which
Mr. Williams, the indoor superintendent, discharged his
duties, and was confident that he would be a most valuable
officer.

The motion v►as unanimously adopted.
On the motion of Mr. Rankin, seconded by Mr. R. C.
Crosbie, thanks *ere voted to the chairman ; after which
the meeting separated.

SLAVERY-WHAT IS SLAVERY ?