The National Register.
London, England, 1821-01-08 00:00:00

REFUGE FOR TIIE HOMELESS.

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'On Monday night the Loudest Workhouse, part of
`whiefi has been•granted for the us% of the Subscribers to
the Fond for the Houseless i'oor, was opened for the
reception of the wretched. The Committee had met
early in toe day for the purpose of superintending some
necessary alterations in the Workhouse fur the accom-
modation of the Houseless.
While the Committee were employed in the new
arrangements, an application was made by Mrs. Fry,
who has had a very great increase of unfortunates upon
her list, to the Directors, to permit the admission of
such females as might be dischaigcd from the prisons
in which she dispenses her coarities. The application
was accompanied by an assurance that the Governors,
in granting such a permission, would act up to the
spirit of the Act of Parliament lot the Regulation of
the House. The suitject is to undergo immediate con-

sideration.
It has been determined by the Committee, that the
cases of applicants for admission shall undergo the
strictest immediate examination that can be made, and
that none shall be received who have a distinct legal
claim upon. any
.parish. The object the Committee
profess la the saving front starvation, or the fatal effects
of an exposure to the cold, those who have no recogni-
zable claim to parochial relief; the existing opinion,
ihat parishes relieve all, being the most dangerous that
can be entertained, furnishing an adequate apology to
the affluent for withholding the requisite ant, and repre-
senting all beggars as ors:limes anti lazy wretches, woo
would not apply for relief where law gave them a right
to demand it.
It has not escaped the notice of the benevolent men
who thus " go about tlOng god," that cases are con-
tinually occurring in the metropolis different from this e
which occur in the country, and for which a ditierentaor
rather an additional mode of relief is necessary; that in
the cottony, even in large towns, people have a know-
ledge of each other, and distress never rises to that fright-
ful height so often to be seen in perishing sojourners in
the streets of London.
Alembers are to be appointed (ruin the Committee to
scour the markets and pent-houses of the metropolis
nightly, in search of fit of for the notice of the
Committee. Many a young man conies up to Londots
full of expectations, and with little or nu money, and
that unless he can get immediate employ, 1w is already
half undone—that boys bred up in London without any
means of livelihood, and, as often happens, of dissolute
patents, are in a still worse coodition, and servants out
of place are not much better off.
The remedy this deplorable situation of a great part of
the population of London for a time, will be the object
of the Society which is thus rearing its head amongst
the most sublime Institutions that have distinguished
lie national character of Britain. It is true that one
hundredth put of the misery which exists—of the
misery which is not to be seen in the streets., but which
lingers through shame, or sickness, or despair, in a
garret, is not known to those who are able and willing
to relieve it. Unfortunately the benevolent and charita-
ble have almost as lt difiiculty to break through
forms and conic at the unhappy, and know their real
wants, as the wretched have to come at them.
It is necessary to state, that during the period when
shelter was afforded last winter to the poor in Nlr.llicks's
warehouse, in London Wall, 1,522 persons were reliev-
ed ; and that the expense incurred was little more dams
upon an average, os. each individual. The Committee
of last year ascertained, that there at all nines persons
in the menorahs in want of nightly shelter. Several of
the gentlemen who composed that Column tee, amongst
whom were Messrs. Gauld, Ware, Statislield, and Hyde,
traversed the several districts, and found the accustomed
haunts of the miserable deserted by their former occti•
pants. They visited also different watch-houses, and
conversed with night constables, patrols, and others in
different partsof the town, who all concurred its opinion
that a vast improvement was discernible in the state of
the streets during the night, since the opening, of the
Refuge for the liouseless, and the Committee tali them-
selves warranted its asse • 4, that toe Asylum hail not
only afforded relief to many indostri•ins and deserving
persons, at a period when their aufferings were mare
titan usually severe, but that it had also its no inconsi-
derable degree lessened the opportunity for, and the
temptation to, the commission of ensue.

MONUMENT TO TOE LATE KIN G.—The commence-
ment at the New Year is too be distinguish( d by an act
of public justice to the memory of a Sovereign, whose
reign must always be ranked as one of the most eventfol
in the British annals, and of whose %tants there is, we
believe, but one opinion among men of all parties and
classes—we mean his late revered Majesty, Geroge 111.
The plan of an appropriate monumental gionpe, to he
executed in bronze, and erected in sonic public place, in
commemoration of his Maj 'sty, has been suinutied by
an eminent artist to the prior:opal members of the Royal
Family, and several of the Nobility, most distinguisned
for their taste in the Fine Arts. It has met with the
most flat writs; approuation, and a Committee of Noble.
men and Gentkinen has been formed, wilt the 5411C1.011
01. the highest authority, and under tile immediate pa.
trunage of his Royal Highness the Duke of York, to
carry the plan into ininninate execution.
Christmas morning, as the Rev. Thomas Hogan,
Parish Priest of Newcastle, was vesting himself in
order to celebrate first Mass, at eight o'clock, and
the Chapel crowded to excess, one of the galleries
suddenly gave way and fell ! The scene of conster-
nation which followed can be better conceived than
described—nothing was to be heard but the cdcs of
those in danger, and the lamentations of others
outside, for the safety of their children and friends ;
but by the singular ii.vance of the protecting hand
of Providence nut a single individual was seriously
injured.