The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-12 00:00:00

TffE SICK OP THE HIMALAYA.

THE PROGRESS OF BIRMINGHAM.
At tIAO veinal fortnightly meeting of the euardians of The year that has passed affors no sant the poor poor of the Portsea Island Union, held at the Poor-
trospect so far as the social and sadnitaryunilea improvement
house, Kingston, Portsmouth, on Wednesday evening and the material progress of Birmingham is concerned,
last, the 10th last,,
at which were present, Mr. J. F. There have been few parallels to it in the old world at
Pratt, J.P. (chairman), Mr. Alderman Levy (vice-chair. least. Within the last half century the town has al-
man), and Messrs. Dore, Hannam, Batchelor, King, J. most increased in size fourfold. ..When the nine.
Jolliffe, White, Saunders, Rout, Parker, Daw, Newlyn, teeuth century began, Birmingham consisted of only
and Howell (guardians), and Mr. Devereux, solicitor some 15,600 houses; its population was about 73,000.
(clerk to the board), attention was called to the death of During the first 40 years after there were many
John Williams, a seaman, who had been landed from the' alterations of prosperity and adversity, bad trade,
Himalaya. This seaman had died seven hours after his l' and poverty. But, taking the average, we find that the
admission into the workhouse, and his death, according I yearly increase of houses, was about 608, with an addi-
to the records of the house, had taken place from " ex. tion of 3,000 to the population per atnhnem
haustion and neglect." years ending March, 5
ina.st
cFeonrsuths
was
In answer to Mr. Levy, Mr. Miller, the governor of taken, Ithe average increase of houses was about S9O
the union-house, stated that the deceased was admitted every year, and an annual augmentation of the popula-
secoreance with an order from the relieving officer, tion of nearly 5000. Since that period our progress has
in A_a 5 was a Welshman. been more rapid still. In 1852 nearly 3000 houses
and that a- T should like to ask why the coroner were erected, equivalent to an additional population of
Mr. -Fr
___owell—e -
air inquest on the body, about 15,000 souls ; in 1853 no less than 3784 houses
saidold
er
he saw no necessity were built, giving an increased population of about
14,000 persons ; andnow that 1854 has passed away we
Howell—Did you write to him on the subject' are enabled to show that although the great increase of
Mr.
'ller No • I hed a personal communication the two preceding years is not altogether maintained,
foofri‘tiihtr.i.s
Miller
—ghThdeidconrootn,
Mr. ,
with him in reference to the matter. yet that our progress is steady, and very satisfactory.
Mr. Howell—What was the answer he gave you, or A return of the building plans registered with the
the reason he assigned for not holding the inquest 1 borough surveyor, according to the Improvement Act,
Mr. Miller—He said he saw no necessity for it. from the Ist of January to the 31st of December, 1854,
Mr. Howell —And the medical officer said that the shows this ; and for the sake of contrast we give the
man had died from exhaustion and neglect ? corresponding statement of the year preceding :
Mr. Miller—l shall bring you the book and show you 1853. 1854.
the medical officer's report. Houses ................................. 2'784
Mr. Howell said he knew the usages on board some Chapels .............................. .. 3
of the merchant ships, and he thought it highly fleece. Synagogues ........................... 1
Schools . .............. 5
nary that such a case as the present should be fully in-
Manufactories ........................ 22
vestigated.
Warehouses ........................... 23
The dispensary book was here produced, and the Workshops ............................ 38
chairman read from it the following ent signed by Sets of offic,es..., ...... 4
.................
Joseph Bull, the house surgeon of the union:— Foundries ~,. .......................... 3 ...
" January 3.--John Williams, aged 24, admitted at 8 Casting shops ........................ 1
New shop fronts ..................... 37
p.m., and died at 4 a. m. of January 4 from exhaustion and
Show room ................. . ...... ,„ 0
neglect on his passage from the Black Sea, and while on
Saw-mill ............ 1
board the Himalaya. Allowed 3 ounces of wine. Other-
Bakery ................................. 1
wise he bore the appearance of a fine strong man, and or-ganically. healthy. Machine-houses ..................... 2
Dancing-room ........................ 0
Mr. J. Jolliffe—How soon did the surgeon see the man
Lecture-room ........................ 0
after his admission to the house ?
Music-hall .............................. 0
and Mr. Miller—The surgeon was immediatty sent for, Savings-bank ........................ 0
he saw him within an hour. Baths a. .......................... 0 ...... 1
Mr. Dore—l have seen the burial certificate of the Slaughter-houses ..................... 0 ..... , 4 medical officer in reference to the deceased, and it says Stables ................................. ...... 17 that the man died from exposure on land and likewise Coach-h0u5e5,...,,.,.., 0 ...... from neglect daring his passage home. The certificate Alterations aid additions
is signed by J. Bull,* and (addressing Mr. Miller) did The number of houses built during the last year, there-
not the man say he had nothing during the last two fore, is equivalent to an additional population of about
days—that the only thing he had was a drop of cold 11,000. Taking the number of houses, then, altogether,
water? as the basis of data, we find that the population of Bir-
Mr. Miller—l can't say that. He presented, however, mingharn at the present time must be upwards of
a most wretched appearance, and I know that his clothes 272,000 persons. And while alluding to the material
were in the most filthy state. If he had been a tramp progress of the town, it must not
be forgotten that
he could not have been worse, there have been hundreds of houses springing up on
Mr. Howell said that after the statement which had every side beyond the limits of the borough, which are
come from their medical officer, it was only right that excluded from the above return. Probably we should
the public mind should be satisfied with regard to the not be far wrong in estimating these at an additional
way in which this man had come by his death. The 1,000 dwellings. We find also that industry has not
man was a Welshman ; he had no friend to look to him suffered to the extent which had been apprehended by
here ; his friends knew nothing of him, and under the the disturbing influences of the war. In warehouses
circumstances the guardians ought not to let the mat- and workshops, and premises for retail trades, there
ter rest, He (Hr. Howell) should move that appli- had been a marked increase.
cation be made to the coroner of this borough to hold But it is not merely in material wealth alone that the
an inquisition. (A Member of the Board—" The man vitality of the community has been developed. Chapels
is buried,") Well (continued Mr. Howell), I beg to and schools are making progress ; that higher education
move that the coroner give us a perfect statement in than mere elementary instruction is being imparted by an
writing of the reasons why he did not hold an inquest. institute, the complete organisation of which we hope by
Here is a man, a Welshman, far from his home and his this time next year to be able to record ; and while sonic
friends, and he dies under circumstances which certainly attention has been paid to the cultivation of the intellect
call for investigation. I wish to know how, and by and the improvement of morals, there are indications
what means, he came by his death, and if Mr. Cooper, that the amusement of the people will not be forgotten.
the coroner, will satisfy my mind as one of the public, I Sanitary measures have not been neglected; and the
will have done with the matter. I cannot, however, charities of Birmingham have been neither few nor insig-
after the statement of the medical officer, allow the case nificant. The year that has gone has been one of great
'to pass over without inquiry; and I move that applica- mutations and some privations. This community has
tion be made, by letter, to the coroner, to know his well sustained its individual part among the other great
reasons for not holding the inquest. towns of the kingdom. The year that has dawned brings
Mr. Dore—l think it quite right that we should have with it, however, many things to be accomplished, which
some explanation en the subject. We ought to know should have been done in that which has passed away.
the reason the coroner had for refusing to hold the in- Amongst other things, whre are the parks for the people,
quest, and I therefore second Mr. Howell's motion, and heir free library ?—.Birminaltant Jouraca.
Mr. Levy said the coroner was a public officer, whom
they did not think they could interfere with. The coro-
ner ought to know his duty-.
Mr. Hannam—But if he don't do his duty ?
Mr.'J. Jolliffe—l think that this matter touches the
Board of Guardians as much as anybody. The man dies
from exhaustion and neglect ' • he is buried out of this
house ; of the circumstances his friends know nothing,
and it is quite right that the coroner should give some
explanation to us.
Mr. Levy said he only gave it as his opinion that they
had no power to call on the coroner to give any explana-
tion which he did not think it proper to give; the man
had been buried now for 6 days, but no matter how
long, they could dig him up, and if the coroner had not
done his duty there were means which might be adopted
in such a case. It might be all very true that was said,
but, really, the coroner had to come to the conclusion
that it was necessary to hold an inquest. This man,
John Williams, had been admitted at eight o'clock on
the evening of the 3d, and had died at 4 in the morning
of the 4th from exhaustion and neglect, according to
the statement of Mr. Joseph Bull. Now, Mr. Bull was
not near the Himalaya, was not present en any occasion,
and could not give evidence as to how the man was
treated; but yet he jumped to the conclusion that he
had died from exhaustion and neglect on board of a
vessel which bore the British pendant. That was more
than their officer should have done.
The Chairman observed here, that Mr. Levy's re•
marks with regard to the medical officer were ill-judged.
Mr. Levy —I make these remarks in consequence of
the report of the raoclioal oEfioor that the man died from
exhaustion and neglect which he had suffered on board
the Himalaya, and this, I say, the medical officer could
not speak to.
The Chairman.---Perhaps the man stated so to the
medical officer, who saw the state of the body, and could
judge as to any statements made by the man, touching
the cause of his wretched condition,
Mr. Miller then stated that the man had got an order
of admission to the house from the relieving officer ; he
(Mr. Miller) had ascertained that deceased was first
taken to the Sailor's Home, Queen-street, near the dock-
yard, where he was refused admission, on account of
being sick. He was then taken to the hospital (the
Royal Portsmouth, Portsea, and Gosport Hospital, at
Landport), and there refused admission for want of an
order. He was next taken to the offices of Messrs.
Garratt and Gibbon, the agents to Lloyd's (at Point,
Portsmouth), and they advised that he should be con-
veyed to the union-house. The relieving officer was
applied to ; he at once granted an order, and deceased
was admitted into the house.
The Chairman—The man has been carried about in a
way far from proper.
In answer to Mr. Howell, Mr. Miller stated that the
medical officer had given it as his opinion, when he first
saw the man, that he could not live long. He added
that deceased had first of all been taken to the relieving
officer at Portsmouth, but that the officer had been out
at the time.
Mr. Howell said that the poor unfortunate man had
been placed in their custody before his death ; be had
died in the house, and they, as guardians, were bound
to see how he had come by his death. The coroner was
appointed by virtue of the powers vested in the town coun-
cil; he was responsible to them; and if he (Mr. Howell)
did not prevail on the guardians to agree to his motion,
he should certainly bring the matter before the corpora-
tion. The man had been "hawked" about; he had
been refused admission into the Sailors' Home—a place
in connexion with the meetings of which he saw the
names of right reverends, and nobles, and gentry ; but
if a British sailor knew hat he was liable to be treated
in this way, what would he think ? He had been re-
fused admission, too, into the hospital, to the funds
of which so many gentlemen contributed, and
where many medical gentlemen attended, and yet, after
all that was known of the man's treatment, no inquiry
had been made as to the cause of death. He (Mr.
Howell) held that upon the report of the medical officer,
such a report as had been read, it was the duty of the
coroner to held an inquest. It was his duty to do so
to satisfy the public mind, even if no ground appeared
to him to call for it. If the board did not agree to his
motion, he should certainly to-morrow put a notice on
the paper and bring the subject before the town council
at its first meeting, and then he should immediately for-
ward a copy of the resolution to the Home Secretary.
The Chairman (to Mr. Miller)—Did the coroner see
the report of the doctor ?
Mr. Miller—l copied the report myself, and took it
and showed it to him.
Mr. Levy was not opposed to calling on the coroner
for an explanation, if he thought the coroner would con-
descend to answer their note ; ho thought it would place
this board in a very awkward position.
Mr. Howell submitted that Mr. Levy was not in
order ; it was not fair that Mr. Levy should make fur-
ther statements after he (Mr. Howell) had replied. He
hoped they would see the propriety of agreeing to the
motion ; if, however, he brought the subject before the
town council, he would "let out evidence to show the
necessity of applying to the coroner," If he (Mr.
Howell) went there he would make out a stronger case
than some gentlemen expected.
Mr. Levy was satisfied--perfectly satised—that they
had nothing to do with the coroner ; to show them,
however, that he had no objection to their receiving any
explanation they could from the coroner, he should vote
for the motion--"although it was ridiculous he should
vote for it." ,
Mr. Devereux' the clerk, then road the motion, which
was couched in the following terms :
"That au application be made to tho coroner to inform
the board why ho declined to hold au inquest on the body
of John Williams, late a seaman on board the Himalaya,
who died in the union-house ; and from the report of the
medical officer, and the circumstances, appearing to require
investigation."
Tho motion, as above, was put to the vote, and carried
by a majority of nine to four.
We copy the following from the report and journal of
the governor of the union-house :
of" Thureday, Jan. 4.—Reported to the coroner the death
ieeaul'aan named John Williams, a seaman landed from
reassienral'la7a, who died about seven hours after his ad-
of the ,_
..., s
ea, inrothe recorded opand neglectinion of the"medical officer
__eus m exhaustion
.
* Th-

SPURTING INTELLIGENCE.

.ie following is a copy of the burial cortificate reformd
y
to b Mr. Dore :
. I hereby certify I attended Alm Williams, a sailo aged
24 • I saw him on Janua 55 ; that ho died on Jan. 4,
at 4 a.m., at the PorticolslandUnion-honse, and the cause
of his death Was exhaustion and exposure, and hating been
landed from the Himalaya whhen unable to walk to proper
shelter; ho hats also been mile neglected during the passage.
"JOSEPH BULL, Medical Office passage
rcosea Islanc), IlLtiort-11911$9."

11,113

46,873

12,755
41,211