The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-20 00:00:00

DOUSES FOR THE LABOURING POOR.

TO TAE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,-It has given me much pleasure in seeing that
houses for the labouring poor have been brought under
public consideration, and that many talented, influential,
and amiable individuals have given their decided opinion
that better cottages should generally be built for the
labourers and their families, in which opinion I most
fully coincide. If this should happily take place it
would be attended with much less expense than is gene-
rally imagined, as nearly the same expense is incurred
in the doors, windows, and grates iu small rooms as in
rooms of moderate size. The chief difference of expense
is in the building of the cottages. I now speak of it in
a pecuniary point of view, without giving an opinion
of my own, as my wish is to draw the attention
of the public to the subject. Suppose, for argu-
ment's sake only, the whole of the landed and
household property of England belonged to one
individual, and he would, consequently, be obliged to
pay all the poor rates, county rates, all expenses attend-
ing transportation, &c., &c., would he or would he not
find it his interest to build them all, or nearly all, larger
cottages, as
pure air is so conducive to health ; they
would then learn more self-respect from their infancy,
there would be fewer invalids sent to the different
unions, less number of persons transported, and fewer
cases come before the magistrates; the head or father
of the family, finding his house more comfortable, would
become more domestic. I now speak of houses for the
labouring poor in large manufacturing towns. There is
no necessity for the whole of the labouring poor to live
near the manufactories, comfortable houses could be
built for them at some distance from the town, and I
would stronglT recommend, if possible, it should be on or
by the side of a hill. Owing to the elevation you would
then, in a great degree, avoid the exhalations of the
earth at night, which is detrimental to health. The
labourer would consequently always have pure water
for his coffee or tea, breath pure air after his return home
every night and on Sundays, and they and their families
would most probably enjoy that invaluable blessing,
good health. The workmen of the different manufac•
tories could go every morning, and return every evening
by the railroad, at a trifling expense.
I would recommend the manufacturers, merchants,
clergymen, &c., to form building societies with limited
liability. The houses could be let to the labourers at a
fair and moderate rent, and there is a great probability
that they would receive a fair return arising from this
investment ; but eren if this should not he the case, they
will have the pleasing satisfaction of knowing that they
have increased the comforts, and consequently the hap-
piness, of so many of their fellow-countrymen. Hoping
to hear shortly this desirable improvement has taken
place to a considerable extent,—l remain, sir, your
obedient servant, MERCATOR.
October 17, 1855.

STEAM TRAFFIC WITH GERMANY,
FRANCE, AND TEE UNITED STATES.

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The American steamer Ericsson left Southampton yes-
terday for New York, with 150 passengers, a French
and German mail, and a large cargo. Bonds were' en-
tered into by the commander to be answerable for da-
mages which an English court of law might adjudge her
liable to in consequence of her coming into collision with
a collier in the Straits of Dover, whereby damage was
done to the collier, and one of her crew lost his life. The
Ericsson belongs to Messrii, Dunham and Son, mer-
chants, of New York. Another steamer is about to be
put on the same line—viz., that of Bremen, Southamp-
ton, and New York—by the same parties. New steamers
are about to be built in America, in the room of the
Washington and Hermann. These steamers are to be
4,000 tons burden, and to be propelled by paddle-wheels.
They will be larger than the gigantic steamer Himalaya,
the largest in the world. Vanderbilt is also about to put
on a steamer of similar tonnage, to run on the Havre,
Southampton, and New York line. There will shortly
be eight first-class steamers running between Bremen,
Havre, and New York. The Havre steamers do not
touch at Southampton, but call at Cowes to drop and
take in their English mails, passengers, and cargo. The
Bremen steamers call at Cowes for a similar purpose on
their voyages to Bremen, and at Southampton on their
voyages to New York. The object of calling at Cowes
is to avoid the light, river, pilot, and dock dues, charge-
able on their coming to Southampton. The Bremen
steamers are obliged to call, however, at the latter port
on their homeward voyages to take on
French cargoes for America which
them. Small steamers run between Southampton and
Cowes to tend on the American one, and to convey to
nt
there board
theaiting large
for
and fro their English mails, passengers, and cargo. The
Americans have now completely secured a monopoly of
the immense passenger and goods traffic between Ger-
many, France, and the United States, and all attempts
to draw it away to Liverpool have failed.