The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-01-06 00:00:00

DISTRESSED SEA 31 EN.

Yesterday a Mreting was held at the City of
Loudon Tavern, fur the purpose of taking into
consideration the means of relieving the distresses
of the wretched scanien now exposed lu wdot and
misery in the streets of the metropoliii.
Notwithstanding the very unfavourable state of
the weather, the Meeting was numerous 1111311 must
respectolile.
At two o'clock the following Gentlemen. g
others, took their seats at the piiiicipal : the.
Load Mayor, Lord Cochrane. M.P. Sir JJntrs
Shaw, Bart. M.P. Win. Wilberforce, Es4l. ALP.
James Stephens. sc. &v.
On the motion of Mr. Maimits, Mr. 11111-uecti.
FORCE was called to the Chair.

The CiIAMMAN Said he was very entexpectrelly
placed in this situation, 1111 he was 'sot snare, tautil
day or two since, that the Meeting was in
phenol'. Ile was sensible of die honour door lone
by the manner in which lie was violed to the Chair ;
but he was quite persuaded that it was unnecessary
to address tiny observations to the Meeting upon the
subject of the distress for winch they were assem-
bled to commiserate stud relieve. Every Gelid, -
mail present must have been ass eye-Nitliessi of the
wretched state of the unfortunate manor's now ex-
posed to lan i lie ,end want in the buten' of the me-
tropolis. lie Intel himself taken smite pains to
asceitani the true character of litany of Verse
men. and he found that they wet e %adios salt,'
had fought and bled in the battle% or their couisit.
It was impossible to know these facts without
Irrt-
ing an ardent desire to relieve such claimants upon
public humanity. Ile could not help nothitig that
some persists more able and better acquaint, ti with
mercantile urines than himself hail Leen dimwit to
preside oil this occasion ; but as the ohji et was a
humane sod charitable our, lie felt little reluctance
in Monition; liiinself into the City of Luadon, to
lend his I Isle support in relieving the wretched-
ness of his fellow-creatures.

Mr. MARTIN bore testimony to the great num-
ber of milliners who were (icily and nightly exposed
to hunger and cold in the streets, and that many of
these men hail bled for their country. Socha state
of wretchedness to which such u body of men were
exposed could not but lay a strong hold oil British
feeling, owl produce the necessary relief. He coil-
eluded by moving the first of a string of Resolu-
tions—(for which see Adrerissemeni.)
A Geotleman in the crowd requested to know
whether the object of the Meeting was not iiiso to
bring moiler consideration, and adopt some welts,s
of relieving the gentle! Slide of urrudtctty iu un•
metropulis ?
NU. MARTIN replied, that the object of 'Lis
Niel-wig was confined solely to .horelocett

Mr. IllowcatiFT, in a short address to the Merl-
Mg, stated, that there was a division betaren tl r
friends of humanity upon this subject. One set ist
Gentlemen was for taking into consideration the
general state of mendieity in the mettopolit, and
the other, the condition of distressed seamen 01.1%.•
It haul been thought advisable to confuse this Alert-
mg to the latter. considering the magnitude of the
object, which, in fact, was Ws !Cif 11111Vr, its fully
to occupy the time of the Gentlemen compo.log
the C tier, and simply to employ the means
%inch the Meeting should be 1119/411.td to intrust
to their distribut. . It was impossible for any
one ttttt sitter to attend to both subjects. latticed.
he understood that another Meeting was autveatised
for Thursday neat, to take Into co ttttt leintion tint
general state of metudicsty, at which the Gridle•
wen alto relt illiterrlitcd in dot subject would have
ru OppollUilit) of exprrspitig their 11.
Mr. WILLIAM IF-111'*D added his testis-tautly lav
the misery of the metropolis, deriving los know_
ledge, as he did, febtal him% served as a jury Min
sin Cormier.' Inquests. It had color to his know_
ledge by these means. that several individuals had
lab-fatly died for wind in the morels; MIA Olt our
occasion he was c pellet' In find a verdict upon
the evidence before I . that the wretched 'nth.
victual had perished from hunger. So crying wtis
these distresses, that lie had himself .cut a better to

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-orts,

:.a..

Alr. Daleai ARD asserted that he was in order in
tint!' fer 1111 rcuuomy of the orit..et of their
proceedings. Ile said, that whets the time of 'lay-
ing the hire of a ship came, they would then see,
like all early tb Its, the I. het• had to dr frmy
beyond their migisial t•alcul.st . Ile was firmly
opittino that the hest coarse would hr to apply
to I.ord Solmositli for • ship, who would give the
ortrur try intimation to the Admiralty to have it iii
o complete state. The Noble Lord wa. the proper
Prro4,lB. Serrrtr of State Tor Ilse Mole

a Morning Paper, annnuncing his iatention of call-
ing a inweing, if no ether person (lids for the pur-
pose of relieving the distresses of the atilispoy
heisigs who were daily perishing in the streets. *Vs
tin. solar day another letter hied appeared upon the
name subject in soother Morning Paper, asst io
resoweiseuce of the rutint having hero taken up
br other seruttessen, isitUsil 'Sewed his lineable ser-
vice* on the Committee, peresatted that much good
inight•bes • dune by the exertion of the common
feelings of charity:
Mr. Menne mid, the „subject had been several
time, cansaseed be the Committee. mid that Mr.
S,eploors had mast slily supported the cause, by
an wiplirseti gggg to time Ailieinelty fur their co-opera-
tion; that'ilw Admiralty had agreed to grant all
rcasserewidemesiatatice, and desalts'. necessary inquiry
Lail learn made relative to a ship for the accommo-
elation of the destreeesed. At 1111k-tnsil a vessel
bey. which. was in every respect calculated to re-
ceive tlw seamen; and it was to be belted dud
sisiercentile marine would, upon ascertaining the
somberw lit for service, give them employment as
see..ve as prositile.
Mr. I /aixgrato declared, that it was wholly
ttttt wresseiry to hire a thip,--a proceeding which
wessililereate se very iwrious expense; for there were
ow lying at l/eptfoed and Woolwich, two vessels
1,9 every respect adapted to the views of the Com-
mitter, and lowing slow the additimuil recensions.-
elation of being attended with no expense. The
..DD.. of the two veseelito:which he alluded. were
t'w Dedurgaerree and St. nerves*. bins useless at
It'uolwo h wool Deptford. 'His only object ire murk-
iest; this communication was, that the Committee
Awed,' cononetwe elwir duties with economy. slid
be hied Ms elffilbt Ilia!, on an application to the Se-
crrtary stow time Home Ilepartment, the
Admiralty would be ordered to tiring one or both
ref dose veseels iiito the River, to I,l'OlllOlC the object
of time Steeling. They might be had up in 14
boss rs.--(//e,ww. hear.) •
Sly. STeelltNe said, it might save lime if be now
slimiest ter tommunications which time Committee
hail already lwlettrith the Admiralty on iiiis 'abject.
Ile (Mr. Stephens) had waited on Mr. Croker (time
.144,14,118 y Secretary). as a sort of proxy for his
friesid, Mr. Willwrforce, who was prevented by the
wale of 'seethe? hoot going himself. The rtsult of
this intereieer ass, than the Secretary promised
every co-oprratiose se his power to protnote the views
of the 31reting.—(blear.)—Ile had since that re-
ceived, ors the part of the Committee,- au official
letter. stating. that the Loreto of the kliniralty
were ready to second the views of the Meeting in the
lost manner in their power. Their Lordships offered
to place a ship for the reception of sailors its the care
of the Committee ; they could not, however, give
officers to it, or enforce discipline on Wind, as this
could not be legally done by them to the case of
others, who were. not *hen so put on board rept
tarty entered for the service of his Majesty. When
the Committee took this letter into their considera-
tion. they hail also before them an offer of the ship
Cringes (a 74), now It *forgo at 131acksvoll, where it
was employed. by the East India Company, for the
ace tation or 'Awing in their rervici. The
i;aager lad aczo 1111 l nalaiion now in a full state of
readiness for 700 sailors. soil her use was offered ou
the moderate terms or merely paying •the interest
ern her Mow for the lie C * tee may waist
her service,. From a review of hods offers, the
Committee preferred the latter, as being snore eli.
gible and cheaper. In consequence of u letter
vehicle lee received from I.ortl Steleille (the First
1.4wel of the Atimiraltj) he had me interview with
the Noble Lord this morning, and lee had the sails.
faction to at quaint the Sleeting that the Admiralty
lewd the wannest desire to efford every frua,ible as-
sistonce to give Ore ct to the laudable Irtoine, iu
the pr tion'of whirls the present assembly teas eo-
grtgerl.—(Hene.)—Fle thought it right to surestitos
that the expenses of Inhofe the Gariger would
amount to (wily twelve guineas a month.
Mr. 51ATTIIIEW 11IAW11,1 stated that time great
object ow, to procure suitable clothing fur poor
melon., but this should be dune with proper care
nod artenti 111 l to the object. soul his respect of
eilinnately ttrueuting, ettspluyment fur I • -elf by
his own exertions. He had clothed many of tune
people. There were three descriptions of sailors—
eresei-of-war's men, merchantmen. and Eat !oldie
Conopeolv's salon. Stone of the lint claws had pen-
sion's. The greet difficulty, lie would repeat. lay
ire the veleetioso, fur witted of those who had hero
telirved were found at once to have diaposed of
their clothes for other stecessaries. The protwr
course wnold In to leo.' these people clothes. or
to ore that ramie were given unless the party really
vermeil disposed to seek the prospect of employ-
snent.

11r. STEPHENS here read Mr. Croker's letter,
slated Ad by, December 29, promising the use
of a ship in the manner already explained in his
Causer statement.
Air. DRUNKARD thought this letter very moot's.
factory. As to the 4..tertints that the Ail by
could not supply Officers fur the ship, it was grow
tenuous. They hod Officers aletody to superintend
them where they lay, sod why not, as it would in-
coke no additional expense. let these Officers sic-
cesitrowny the ships up the River.) The real fact
swiss, that most of the poor sailors ibout the streets
were KiSleltnes, and few of Owns lit for the lller.
OSHA service ; they had either gone or been 11111
lorts!ell lulu the navy at • Isle pr • lof ilk, aisil I
were *Mee the peace throws. off, Muhl the moat
41.101ValellelgelillS circumstances.
Mr. MARTIN rose to order, and thought the
comae which the Gentleman" was taking was teat ex-
actly that fur which the Alerting was converted—
namely, to promote 111 subsciiptrun fur the relief of
the distressed sailors.

knowing that some time ago this integer had been
beforeNhe City Magistrates and the Coalmen Coun-
cil, wished to know allot had beers done les the
matter; or why it had limo abandoneelf
Sir J. Susw Feeling I • self so poinrodly called
upon, could not sit still without giving the best
answer in his power to tits quest' just put to
him, About eighteen months or tit° oars ago,
the attention of the City Nliegistrntes in the time or
the late Lord Nlayor, was called to the state of the
metropolis from the influx of poo'r distressed sailors
who were di-charged at the conclOsion of the war.
The bliegistrates had had several initerviews on this
subject with Lords Sielinotith and 3lelville, who .11. w.
ell every sincere desire to assist in Velievisig these
!root sailors. It was then arranged that a ship
should he visored in the River within the jurisdic-
tion of the City of Loudon ; that it should be
furnished by Government, have °Seers appointed
by the same (inviter, and a reuser to attend to the
distribution of provisions. All tragraets found in
sailor's attire were to be conveyed on board and
carefully remained ; those who hod been in the
King's service, and were fit to be• employed again,
were to be provided for on board, until the Admi.
ralty put fresh «hips in commission, by which they
were to he put again in the service. Those who
were disabled from further service, were to be peas-
ed on to their respective homes. The men of co-
lour were to be sent by Lord Sideurnitle to Sierra
Leene, or to bis Majesty's Colonies in North A us.!-
rice ; and all foreign sailors were to be sent, under
the care of constables, to their respective Con.
aids. This arrangement was adopted seed carried
into rigorous execution, and the moult was, that
in a short lime not a vagraut of this description
was to be found in the streets of London. If
the Gentlemen asks why this ship is- not now in
the River, end the same reguhitioies -subsisting
(Mr. Dornford, G. That is the iniportmet part or
my question"), lie (Sir J. Shaw) could give him no
answer. lie had 110 slifficuliy in stating it as his
own opinion, that from the mount" io which Go.
vereement had acted me the former occasion, and in
which he was persuaded they would now again act,
the whole business might be effected as it had been
before, by the aid of the City Magistrates, and
without any public subscription.
Mr. COMMANEY recaminended caution in the
pursuit of this object. If the parishes really took
up their several duties as they ought; Mid cleared
the streets of such vs:mints as they found loitering
in them, • gresc deal or the evil complained of
would be removed. A number of impostors were
among the loiterers, who would now be easily
found-to encounter a second time the 'discipline of
Bridewell.

Captain FRANKLIN stated, that he had the cont•
mend of a ship in the service of the East India
Company. He could assure the Meeting, that a
great number of the poor sullen about the streets
were real objects of cloudy. He met, almost every
thy, men who had served with himself, who were
in every sense fit sod willing to serve again, but
who could nut get entploymesit. The Imor fellows
invariably said, what he knew to be true, that in
then, staked and destitute coudition, nubady would
take theist ouloatd. Those who were littiug out
chips very naturally looked out fur young sod able
men—they would not take miserable-diseased ob-
jects, who had been suffering in nakedness and
poverty about the streets. His sense of the import-
ance of, this Meeting induced him to come there
to-day to offer his mite, roil to tender his personal
a.sistance if it were steceptable.-(App(anse.)—
lie had done his duty its relieving the &Stresses of
many of these poor sufferers ; he had lately clothed
souse of theist, and got thena on board Captain
Janteson's ship, dun ready for see. The great
thing was, to get the poor fellows clothed, for the,.
they could look out themselves fur that employment
which he knew they were most anxious to obtain.
It was oio later thaw Friday last stave be saw more
than fifty of these poor fellows turned adrift, massy
of ohms, he had no doubt, might have got out
board, if they were in a state to be looked lit.—
(Hew, hear.)
Lieutenant GORDON, R.N. drew a most affect-
ing picture of the wretchedness of the unemployed
sailors now lying in the streets of the Metropolis.
About nine o'clock owe night, at the oud of last
week, he went down to St. llotholp's;'Aldgitte, to
one of these *retched receptacles Into which these
Inner creatures sometimes gain admitnusi.e. He
there saw, in a room 14 fret by 16,•en:arly eighty
of them stowed together. He staid there amidst
the tuffocatiois until 1w rm. eee i t bed nearly fifty, and
had no doubt that they were really what they stated
themselves to Ire—distressed sailors. One of them
had been a petty officer, who had distinguished
himself in the memorable action of the Shannon.
and earuestly inquired alter Capt. Briske's address,
raying, that if his old Captain knew his distress, be
would soon afford hots relief. These distressed men,
one and all, exclaimed. that in vain had they sought
employment, they were always rejected as naked and
starving beggars, lie agreed in the opinion that
if these poor people were clothed, a great number
of there would hod out employment foitheniselves.
He assured the Meeting, that the pluce in which he
f el these miserable men was, it, itself, es filthy nue-
sauce, awl enough tip create k general pestilence, and
this was a luxury in their situatiusi,and to which such
only could gain admiwitiii as were able to pick up
9d. io the course of the day. There wins another
, which might be entered fur LI, As hr
quitted this noxious abode, he saw several poor
creatures loitermwolousit, who were unable to pris-
tine the scanty putative which would afford them
shelter front the inclemency of a very frosty
night ; they !helloed completely motionless from
cold and ; and one of them, front the ap-
pearance of his I.IOE, was evideolly lahowing
titider a fever. These creatures were constantly
.1) mg ilur the streets. The St. George'a tiatrole,
not litany shays ago, took up one stotkrer alto lay
in the streets, after being expelled Irons one of
these floosies, where lie could 110 hoigrr 4111 y her his
looting, and 1113 creature died in the ail of removal.
Anollwr died in the same place. and under "ilia,
Eill'UlliStillieVll. S. tar events occurred at Great
!hermitage, ‘Vopionee„ and at Greesse kit. Sailors,
the Meeting well knew, were a very peculiar class
of prolate. When they I.:I nie on sbllifr, and had
their
g Ireor .b.rper., or every description, who
in-
s'asrvly robin el them. awl left them without a
Their transit ttttt 170111 111,411/11 to want was,
therefore pectiliatly sudden, and without any inter-

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vesting preparatino. in such • state they were.
the must helpless victims Alit could loy found in
the whole ritrige of araiiity.F.-1 (NW Awry)Mr. Blvrittej felt himself filled "pros, otter
what 1,4 Wien from two Gentlemen who lied
ceded fin (Sir J. SWIM and Mr. Oininaney), to
state the object of the promoters of this Meeting,
mod. es an individual, to plead guilty to the charge,
if such it wet, of calling the attention of the pub-
lic to the stale of the sailors now about the metro.
pubs. The Committee load not acted so hasty or
iiijudicions is part as to convene this Meeting, until
they found all these means alluded to by the worthy
Baronet quite impracticable on the present occa-
sion. They had consulted the. Lord Mayor, who
saw with them insuperable difficulties. according to
the worthy Baronet's plan ; indeed, difficulties of
such a nature, that great numbers of the victims
whose sufferings it was their object to alleviate,
must perish before any effective measures could be
resorted to.—(Hear.)—lf the worthy Baronet's
notion of the remedy be a right one, then the mea-
sures of this Meeting, and of the larger one already
agreed upon, will be quite unnecessary, and there
will be no occasion whatever for the exercise of pri-
vate charity, so long is the Government and the
City Magistrates do their duty. He (Mr. S.) was
glad to hear this declaration from • Magistrate, who
must be supposed to know the fact—he would re-
joice that the result fortified the worthy Baronet's
present view, for then the only business of the Coin.
'entire would be to turn round to their subscribers,
and say—" Friends, take bet*, your snowy, we
have no longer need of it ; welte, been anticipated
to our hearts content in this grWeliiikle of charity."
Most heartily should he rejoice in this consumma-
tion of their labours. But he could not bring
himself so to yield to this Battering anticipation. as
to recommend a relaxst. of their efforts. They
load seen the distress of the poor sailors in all parts
of the town. They hail heard a touching descrip-
tion of it from Captain Gord 00000 who in the whole
course of his honourable life was never more Ito-
'monthly employed than he was in visiting
these victims of affliction—a:rear applense.l—
had heard the evil stated, and lie hoped they
would apply to it their view of a remedy. It was
not expected from him there to enter upon a proof
of the mendicity in the metropolis—this was too
obvious, too admitted a fact. to o i 000 es of lem Ines-
sure, various and complicated distresses were ob.
servable, which the Poor Laws could not relieve;
but these wretched sailors had iii general no settle.
meant, or knew not where to apply for it. They
were to be seen every day half-naked, relating their
tales of distress and famine, with countenances cor-
roborative of their sufferiags. They were to be
found seeking that employment which was denied
to them. owing to their abject and forlorn condi-
tion, and surely this constituted no small claim for
their relief and amelioration. If the Magistrates
could remedy such u state of things, why had they
not before now come forward and removed it ?
It was not, be was convinced, through any back-
wardness on the part of their worthy Lord Mayor,
fur when he was waited upon relative to the busi-
ness of the present Meeting, he instantly offered
every co-operation ; he declared himself ready
with 501. to aid their subscription, if that would
do any good —(Applaose)—ood he also offered the
Egyptian Hall for a public Meeting. His Lord-
ship pointed out how useless it was to send the pour
creatures to seek a few pence from parochial over-
seers, useless something on a general scale could be
adopted. Equally futile, but more indefensible
was the suggestion of committing them to Bride-
well. To commit a poor sailor as a rogue and vigil-
bond, and t 'slo him aa suck because he was poor.
forlorn, and houselers, was a sort of remedy which
most shock a humane and feeling mind.—(Ap•
plawee.f—The only photo which struck him was to
call for public assistance in behalf of these objects,
and then to apply it in a discriminating manner,
and wider the observation of fit and proper persons.
It was Arid that the Admiralty might do more than
merely supply a ship—that they might do every
thing which the nature of the case required. Thor
was erroneous. for the Admiralty could toot at will
apply the public money to purposes not authorised
by Parliasneut—they could not legally ilo so.—
(Hear. hear.)—But he the public aid what it 11114 y,
there could be no doubt that the evil to be reme-
died was of sufficient magnitude to call for. in addi-
tion, a large share of private beneficence. It would
be ill vein to give partial food or clothing, unless
the men were kept in a proper place until employ-
ment could be procured fur them. 'I hat would be
the only way of getting at the root of the evil.
While pursuing this good work, they ought, and
mould no doubt, avail theniselvea of every sugges-
tion which would be made to them ; but they
could not delay any longer commencing their work.
—(Hear, hear.)—Let individuals pursue. at their
owu discretion, their own views of relief—the more
the better ; hut let them, in one mode or another,
endeavour to deliver from It state of distress. pitiable
and nowt deplorable, a class of men whose sutler-
nig* must come home to the hearts of Englishmen.
for they' had been their country's defenders, and
dust co y could never see them, in the language
of the Poet, driven

" To beg their bitter breast
" 'Through Realms their valour sas'd!"
—(applause./—lt was impossible to view this state
or distress without sympathy. and also without
affording it every possible relief.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir JAMES SHAW, hi explanation, said, he I►arl
not doubted the existence of this di•trera in its
most aggravated sliape; Ids only doubt was, as to
the application of the best and most efficacious
nmde of relief.—(Hear.)—No swan was more
anxious than he was to relieve from statteritu, that
brave class of men who had nobly fought ml7l bled
fur their country. His only wish was, that the aid
should be given ou a suitable scale, in conjuliction
with Goversianeut and the Civic Magistracy. Fur
this he was certainly most anxious, from a persua-
sion that without it no permanent good could be
accomplished. This was his firm belief. from a
kitowledge of the former ci►cuuistsice. when. by
their united means, a much I:►rger number of
sailors than could be now picked up were relieved
throughout the metropolis. He had by no means
said that this Meeting was unsteermary.—t
The LORD MAI/UR said. that he attended tl►is
Meeting. nut as Chief Magistrate, but iii Isis pri-
vate capacity as • man. anxious to I to its ob-
jects. After the observations thet must have all
formed, and the statements they had heard, it WOO

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quite nnuecesery fur him to say dhy thin?, in con-
lirqpf of the disteesats 'hick prevailed nisson.c
the unemployed sailors. Any mode of relief would
be better than to delay further any active attention
to these poor people, in the expectation of t.otor
re effective plan being struck out. It was most
to be wished that Government would go Wool in
hand with them—but if they did not, they must go
to work by themselves.—(Appleese.)—The grrot
thing would be to commence with a discriminating
plan, so as to separate the real sailor front the im-
postor. It was only last week, that, by getting
doilies for some poor sailors, lie was able to pro-
cure them employment at the West India Docks.—
If the same aid were afforded on a general scale,
the same result must inevitably follow.— 1 I tear,
hear./—He felt it his fluty to Niteroi there to-day,
nod offer his services in the promotion of a hiv.iiirss
in which the motto was " Charity." His Lordship
concluded by saying, " They (the sailors) protect-
ed us in the worst of times, and we should prove
unworthy of their future services and ungrateful
for their past, if in their hour of greatest distress,
we did not commiserate and relieve their situa-
tion."—(Great applause.)
Lord Cocuitang said he would not trespass long
on the attention of the Meeting. If they hail not
been unanimous before they tort on the subject of
the prevailing distress, and the imperative necessity
of relieving it, the statements made in the course of
the day must most certainly have made them so.
—(Applause.)—lle came there with ast g and
natural feeling for the 1 sufferers whose distresses
called forth their sympathy, urid prepared to give
his poor mite for their relief.—(Applause./—lle
remembered two years ego the great subscription
entered into for the relief, as it was said, of the dis-
tresses of a whole kingdom ; and the hopeless view
he originally took of that subscription was borne
out by the result. Great as that subscript'
amounted to, what had it dine? The distress ails
now as great arid universal as at any preceding
period. But lie would ask, what had the Admi-
ralty done to relieve the !mom sailors ? 'They hail
no funds, it was said. What then had become of
the immense Units which they held and no-
nage(' I—were purposes of charity to be alone
excluded from their disposal ?—('/ear, Acur./
The Admiralty were ready, forsooth, to give ail old
hulk, but without a single officer to see her fixed
in the River, and this was to be the amount of their
contribut. .—4 Heur.)—lt was of a piece with
every thing else that they were ready to do for the
poor sailors, to whose great and unparalleled ser-
vices Englishmen owed whatever of liberty they
still possessed, oriel not to the exertions of soldiers,
for whom such ample provision had beets made. if
sailors were not protected they would abandon the
country they had so gloriously served—they would
go to America, where encouragement was held out
to theni.—(Order ! questioa !/—The Noble Lord
insisted that be was in order, arid would lint be
interrupted. The Meeting was for the relief if the
distresses of sailors, and it was essential that the
cause of these distresses and their extent should
he universally known.—(Hear, hear, hear.)—
Writhing, as he was, under the infliction of unjust
treatment from the Government, lie could not but
feel a more titan cons interest for those who
were exposed to equal injustice. It had been said
that many of those poor 'serious had discharged
',elisions. Some of them Neurally had, but others,
' who were within a few mouths of the time which
would entitle them to pensions fur their services, hail
nothing. Nine years was the time of servitude,
and why not put on board the new ships pot in
commission such of these men as haul but a short
period to serve, end let them there finish the term
instead of taking up new men ? If the Secretary,
or any of the Lords of the Admirably were there,
let them come forward, either to exploits or justify
their conduct. His blood rim cold when lie recd.
lected the deeds of these men, and LIM the treat-
ment they had experienced. There were on itirrt
jugs for the relief of soldiers; there were nu sol-
diers begging Omni the town—they had been well
taken care of. The subject was too painful for
contemplation. He again said, that some person
from the Admiralty should have been present ut
this Aleeting.—(4 Geutlesman exeliiimed ii We could
riot compel their atteadastre.")—The Noble Lord
said he was sorry for it. If they were here, as they
ought, lie would not only she./ them how they
could do all that was necessary, hut he would him-
self be ready to subscribe 1,0001. nut of his claim
on the Dhotis. Look at the distribution of that
fund in the Parliamentary Papers, and let any man
say if it was conscientiously disposed of. He was satis..
lied that the present Meeting would do some tr,"4 ;
but lie could not flatter himself that it mould he
of that permanent nature which Mettle gentlemen
expected, without the cordial aid of Guyer ttttt era.
The true cause of the want of ruiploymesit for sail-
ors, was iii the fetters which the CllO/111101111 weight of
boxes imposed upon the commerce of the country.
The Noble Lord concluded by giving in live gui-
neas as his contribution, and wishing most hearty
success to their attempt. He at the same time
said, that Ise disliked the plan of consig . g to con-
stables the disposal of sailors, in the arraugenients
hinted at in the course of the day.
Mr. Z. MACAULAY expected from the Admiralty
every assistance, and suggested that every informs-
time should be given by professional men to the
Committee, to enable the members of it to dis-
charge their duty efficiently.
Mr. STEPHENS said the Admiralty distinctly pro-
mised their co-operation. If the Noble Lord
(Cochrane), in addition to. his subscription, which
did hint much credit, would also lend his assistance
to the Committee, there was no man more compe-
tent to give them effective co-operation. Auto 04•
diers, there were many of them to be found objects
of compassion in the streets, as well as pour sailors.
The pensions and provisions for both services were
regulated by Act of Parliameist, arid therefore the
persons in office, immediatoly administering either,
'oust be governed by the rules of service legally
instituted.

Mr. STuitor (one of Ilse Society of Friends.),
said, that the object of the 11erting was to relieve
the distress of all sailors, whether employed in the
King's o► the u►rrchasit service. Ile Irlt it right to
say this, lest Inv imb.cription should he supposed
to sipply to throw only win) hail suffered in wars,
whirls Isiv ionic of thinking taught hin► were un-
lawful. Ile strongly reeo tttttttttttt economy in the

iaNktaMM

.

irrnitgentrulP nt the Coni-ottittep, ti;t4patc;, ,u
executing them.

. _
Lord COCHRANE. said, dint the ri as;nee why the
risme was so well off was., that it ic7a• kept up as tt
whole, while the whole siaq were tor,,iseis lip.
Mr. LEtr hoped the t xeriimis of Goveromeitt
would lie broieglit to hear upon this subject ; and if
so, that the exertions of the present Meeting would
be tttt iteil with a future one on the general subject
of nersidecity.
Mr. Itowcitorr drew o strung• outline of the op=
pressive extent of the four's It ire% in the district
where lie resided. They exceeded seven shilling;
iii the pound. lle knrv► our ilitetuployed ware=
house from which the owner derived no profit, that
was first charged 400 i. for Poor's Rates, and afters
wards the stem was ►educed to ecoi. The worthy
Gentleman condemned any alluann to pnli!ics or
details, where only gen►ral feeling and harmony
should he cultivated. He hoped relines would
always he kept alive, and free opinions passed upon
them iii their proper place and on special occasions;
but he deprecated their being intermixed with eine.
citable topics. The better feelings of charity and
humanity sl►ould alone be found to prevail on occa-
sions of this, kind. The introduction of irrelevant
matter had marred a runner sttl►scription, and pre-
vented it from being as beneficial us it otherwise
might have been. As to the efforts of Goverument
for sailors, who could say that they had not been
ah►e to their situation, when there was 3,900 sea•
Mril and marines in Greenwich Hospital ?
The list of subscripti was 'hell reud—(see Ad-
vertisement
.1—at!!l thanks were voted to the Chair-
man, who hri►fly expressed his. acknowledgments
for the favour done him.

The Nltettog rhea separated soon after five
o'clock.

liotv.—Hultelay at the BJek, Exchtviscr, East laths,

wad. Swat' S* ihmues.

(For Foreign Intelligence, c. sic last page.)

THE BRITI SQL. PRES S.

lON DON.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, iais.

Dutch, Flanders, and Hamburg!' Mails have
brought, since our last, Paper% from every part of
the Contineut, the spl;►stance of which is given in
our subsequent columns. We regret to find that
the favourable Report of the state of Sweden, made
by the Government of that country, has not truest
fully borne out by facts. lis the subsequent deli-
heretionsi of the Diet, on the Address to his Maje%ty
on the Report. an amendment was proposed and
adopted, *fisting, that the people of property were
unable to pay the ordinary taxes without danger of
entire ruin, and praying his MAJESTY to adopt. as
speedily as possible, measures to prevent it. The
anti-commercial policy Gf the present Government,
prepared us for this remit, and it was, therefore,
with surprise we read the favourable representa-
tions. which now appear to have been to a ce►tarn
extent fallacious.—His Royal Highness the Duke
of CmastutscE recently paid a visit to his intended
Convert. at
.Cusisel.

We hare received Paris Papers of Tuesday,
Wednesday, mid Thursday. last. The law tots
the Journals, prohibiting the appearance or all
political periodical works, without the special au-
thority of the Kt St 0. until the end of the Session of
1818, has been adopted by the Chamber of Peers,
and receives) the Royal Assent.
Orders have been issued by the Court of Madrid
to proceed with a levy of nerdy Is,ooo men, fur
the pi-racist year, to he drawn by lot from all the
rried between the ages of 17 and 36. Several
of the numerous rxeu►psioos from personal service,
which were formerly allowed its Spain, are u•.
longer in existence; and as the new system of
tistat:ce embraces every species of property, and
equalizes the pecuniary burdens of the State, •
so does the present ballot subject all lies-
sons not actively engaged in the perform-
ance of indispensable civil am) religious duties
to the military service of their country. A
key of this description was in France denounced as
an arbitrary and cruel measure. and the con-
scription was deservedly the object of universal
execration. We are not aware that the legitimacy
of the Government will in Spain change the cha-
racter of the measure, or whether the iieople will
endure this last outrage on thei► personal liberty.
On the 31st of December the Five per Cents.
were 61 1. 60 c. ; Bank Actions, 1,46 a

We have received New Yolk Papers to the 3,1
of December, anti Charleston to the 7th. Thy.!
repeat the rumour of the cession of Florida by
Spain to the Uuited States► upon ativatitagemo
term..

It appears from an article in our subsequent co-
lumns. that the Antelope owes tier safety to her
good fortune in having sailed bow St. Lucia the
day before the hurricane came on.

The Courier, in continuance or ite late inibcciie
attempt to degrade the character of Dr. WAISoN,
returned yesterday to its rr ucrinininolift
of gslt" against this eminent Pulite nod worthy
iimn, whose only offence Wag illatTriltlerre of tonl,l
and a conscientious supped or gr Mime- W big !.tio•

promos. tor„ as :Serrelasy of Stale Tor site Iloto
i‘ priairilispoit, it was los slortsi iltil) to low AI th,
tor•ots In his poser to 'or% rot that isivrrdibleti
I. 111.4.11•111 IRI6IOI was ostsw so gs ',ridgy felt SIP,
•lil.l..rii.
Mr. Doitanuto terns Sir J. Show present, am
1.4 ,
a. 4
.
tihihih

~~
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