Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-01-30 00:00:00

..-13111LORgi .1131-.81E.-ANNUAL MEETING-

Tne annuil meeting of the friends and supporters of
Liverpool Sailors' Home, Regis t ry, and Savings'
Mink was held. en Saturday, in the boar&rOom of the
institution, the gentlemen present being Messrs. ',Cerbie
(in the` &air), Darbyshire, Josisa Booker; Tirane, Lar-
kins, Worrell, and Tomlinson.

The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedingsisaid---As
you are aware4entlemen., you have been invited 'to meet
here to-day to receive .from your committee a report of
our proceedings during the past year, and if that report
does not speak of any unusual amount of prosperity, I
am happy to think that it shows steady progress, and,is,
upon the whole, of a highly satisfactory character. Not
onlyhas there been an increase in the.number of boarders,
but it is very pleasing, to see that among these there- has
also been avery considerable increase in the number of
men who had 'previously been inmates of the Home,
showing that
,they appreciate its comforts and advan-
tages. The treasurer's account, duly audited, will also
be laid before you. As I see present gentlemen con-
nected with the press, I &mild wish to take this
opportunity, through their kind instrumentality, of
reminding the public of some of the advantages which
are offered to those who become inmates •of this
institution. 'While every attention is paid to their
personal comfort, they not only have the free perusal
of the daily' arid weekly newspapers, magazines, &c.,
but have also gratuitously the use of a well-
selected library, to which, I may _remark, dona-
tions of . suitable books would be most acceptable.
Concerts of a high character, lectures on useful subjects,
and amusements of different kinds are also, from time to
time, provided 'for their entertainment and:instruction,
and to render their home attractive. There are like-
wise in the building, though under the immediate direc-
tion of a sub-committee of the Board of Trade, both day
and evening schools, in which arithmetic and navigation
are taught to seamen and apprentices at a very low
charge; and the committee would be glad to see these
excellent scliOols more largely availed o£- I. feel
assured, gentlemen, that you will agree with me in
thinking that • there
-is' perhaps no class of our fellow-
countrymen that has greater claims upon our 'Christian
sympathies than our Sailiirs. While exposed. to many
temlitations, not only in foreign lands, but, I grieve
to. think, in our own Christian land, the sailer,. from
the very nature of his avocations, while fulfilling
'the 'behests of commerce, from being during se large
a poi-Hon of his time -on shipbOard, is sadly shut-
out from, the ordinary means of Christian instruction,
and if in this respect we are to benefit him at all it
must be: during the short time between his voyages
while he is at home. While, therefore; in addition -to
attention to- their bodily comforts, and we de our best
to raise the moral and intellectual character of those
who become inmates of the Home, we also endeavour in
all kindliness.to impart to them a taste for the "bread
of eternal life." Our worthy chaplain, Mr. Butler, in
addition-to the usual '
..Sunday ministrations, holds
frequent converse with • the men during the week,
and, I have reason to believe, with the happiest
results. . Having said this much in reference to what
we endeavour to do in the Home,. perhaps I may also
be permitted to state something of what we do not
do. We occasionally hear complaints 'made against
the Sailors Home in reference to the shipment, &c.,
of seamen. Now, it is only right it should be universally
known that the Sailors' Home has no connection what-
ever with the engaging or shipping of sailors, and that,
although this takes place in the same building., it is done
exclusively under the control, of the Board of Trade, and
managed by a staff of their own. I make this, remark
simply in justice to the Home, and not in any spirit of
unkindnef s ; for lam led to believe that, , considering
the difficulties which have to be contended with, the
work is row done efficiently and well, Besides those I
have alluded to; there are other advantages to the, sailor
boarding in the .Home; but I will not anticipate the
report; and; therefore, without flirter preface, will re-
quest our secretary, Mr. Hamner' now to read it.
The following report was read by Mr. Hanmer, the
secretary :7 • ' '

,
The time having arrived when your committee are expected
to report upon the business of the past year, they at once, with
pleasure, proceed to do so.
. Front the following . comparative statement, it will be seen
that during the year there has been in the number of boarders
in the some a small increase, and-in the "returned Warders!'
a considerable increase, facts which prove that the Institution
:s making steady progress, though not Sc' rapid as your coal-
mittbe had hoped for, or as they, feel confident .would: have
been the case were s 'amen left to the unbiassed exercise of
their-ownjiidgment in the selection of their place of residence.
It is, however, well known that this unhappily is hot the case;
and .i.tz,,therefore affords • your committee much • pleasure to
know.that means are at length, being, adopt!d in order that
seamen may not :be subjected. to improper and 'baneful in-
fluence,. such as the
.boarding of their vessels immediately
upon their arrival, in the river. by designing men, who ply
them with drink; Bec.-' and th s make them an easy prey, and
da with them almost 'vehat they please. The following is the
statement referred to

Returned
Men. Apps. Total. Boarders.
No. of Boarders' 1858 ... 3;576 ... 748 ... 4,324 ... 1,076
18.59 ...• 3,817 ... 634 ... 4,357 ... 1,150
The amount received from boarders during the year in
current account (which account comprises board money, cash
temporarily deposited upon which they draw day by day, and
moneys transmitted to their families and friends to almost all
quarters of the globe) is £15,827 Is., being £1,281 19s. in
excess of the year ,1858.
The deposits made by seamen resident and non-resident in
the Home, in the Temporary. Deposit Bwak, have amounted to
£12,066 13s. Id.; these two• items together make a total of
£28.605 9s. 7d. which has pass ,d through the hands of your
cashier. The balance remaining to the credit of seamen in
the deposit bank is £5,979 13s. 4d. • ,
These large pdyments by seamen will be considered very gra-
tifying when it is remembered that, besides the Temporary
Deposit Bank conducted by the officers of the Home, the Sav-
ings' Bank, 'which was originated by your committee, and
most successfully carried on from the inauguration of the
Home, till three years ago, when the Board of Trade required
its transfer to their (own superintendence, is also in operation
under the same roof. The free money-order system, by which
sailors' wages are passed from one port to another, is availed
of to a very large amount annually. Nor are the labours of
your officers confined to the boarders in the Home only ; but,
as the Temporary Deposit Bank testifies, are made available
so as to_render ess ntial service gratuitously to a very large
and increasing number of seamen residing elsewhere, and also
to their wives and families. The correspondence in relation to
the whereabouts of husbands, fathers, brothers, and friends, is
very large; and the collecting of allotment-note moneys, bills
of exchange, &c., is growing year by year.
Your committee need not remind you that the past year has
unhappily been remarkable for shipwrecks, not'only of fearful
character, but in unusual number ; consequently, the Home
has been the refuge to a greater extent than usual of poor
'unfortunate seamen cast upon our shores, not only in the
immediate vicinity, but also brought hither from other coasts,
the scene of the catastrophe. This has, of necessity, entailed
considerable cost to the funds of the Institution.

The chaplain, the Rev. J. J. Butler, your committee are
happy to say, reports a comparatively large increase in the
number of boarders attending Divine Service upon the Sabbath,
in the room in the building licensed for that purpose; and also
a very pleasing increase in the attendance at the week evening
exposition of the Scriptures and prayer. lie also expresses
thankfulness in the fact that more of the inmates than usual
have, upon their return from sea, spoken in terms of gratitude
for the good advice given them before they sailed, and for the
tracts and papers put into their hands, which have been read
when opportunity has offered on the voyage, inducing reflection
and a determination, by God's help, to do better for the future.
Your committee receive this report from the chaplain with lively
satisfaction, and earnestly pray that greater success may yet
attend his efforts.
The concerts, lectures, amusements, &c.; have, as usual
be: n sources of great grat fication and plef sure to the inmates,
who have, in a variety of ways, testified their appreciat'on of
these efforts. Your committee feel themselves greatly indebted
to those ladies and gentlemen who have thus so kindly given
theft valuable time and their superior talents to the interests of
the Home. Everything of this kind must have a softening and
elevating influence. upon the sailor, and, therefore, much credit
and praise are due to those who gratuitously take an interest
so deep and long-continued lit his welfare.
To those who have kindly presented books to the library of
the Home during the year, the committee take this opportu-
nity of returning their best thanks ; and, at the same time,
they would gratefully acknowledge the continued generosity
o the proprietorEr of the/weekly papers, namely, The Albion;
Chronicle, Courier, Gore's Advertiser, Journal, Mercury, and
Hail, in supplying them gratuitously, as published, for the
use of the reading-room. To these your committee add the
daily papers, magazines, periodicals, arc., and so keep the.
general hall well supplied with the news, and reading of an,
interesting and instructive character.
The schools in the building, under the able superintendence
of Mr. Smart, are, with the exception of the juvenile depart-
ment, making favourable progress. Another department is
contemplated by the Nautical School Committee, for the de.
sirable purpose of instructing men and boys following the sea,
who have had no education, to read, write, and cipher ; and
then, as opportunity offers, to draft them into the next higher
de;g:rtment, and so upwards, until from the lowest they may
have the privilege of reaching the highest step in nautical
navigation.
Floating schools are also, it is understood, contemplated by
the Board of Trade, so that very shortly the sailor will have
every help that can be afforded him, to raise himself morally
.and intellectually in the social scale.
The mission to seamen afloat being a' kindred institution to
your own, the committee, at the request of the Reverend the
Rector Campbell, recently sanctioned the holding of a meeting
in the Lecture-room of the Home, or the purpose of giving
greater publicity to the existence of such a mission, and for the
amplifying of its means and the range of its operations. Your
committee, knowing that you have deeply at heart the moral
and spiritual elevation of our seamen, rejoice to see in this
mission an instrumentality promising much good, and which,
if effectually w..rked, m.:v contribute greatly to the future
prosperity of the Home, In the several objects its promoters
had in view in its establishment.
Your committee view all these ameliorative movements with
very great satisfaction; and, in conclusion, think that they
may cordially .congratulate the ft-tends of this Institution and
of the British sailor on the improviog aspect of matter affee7
tang his interests, and trust that the Year upon which we have
now entered may be marked by still further progress.
From the Treasurer's statement I.t appeared that the
expenses for the past year w.exe £7, OW .1135..40,.., and