The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-12 00:00:00

SOAP AND WATER.

(From Eliza Cook's Journal)
To the slang cry of " How are you off for soap," a
practical answer has been given by the Committee for
promoting the Establishment of Baths and Washhouses
for the Labouring Classes. And really the answer
proves to be most satisfactory. We do not wish to dis-
parage any of the numerous efforts made in so many
different quarters to wash the Ethiop white; but certainly
we do feel a much more lively and practical interest in
the philanthropic action of the above admirable associle
lion on the social and domestic habits of our own people.
Soap and water may indeed seem to many a very unin-
teresting affair—a thing difficult to get up a display of
stump oratory about, except of the most soporiferous
kind. It is so disagreeable to get up an agitation about
dirt, and to wage war against foul living. There are
no drums beat and trumpets blown at the head of such a
movement, and as for banners, what could you hold up
as a fitting emblem on such an occasion except a foul
shirt? But, really, there is much more in this move-
ment than appears at first sight. For, see what grows
out of cleanly habits:— First, health and comfort ;
second, decency and self-respect; third, morality and
virtue; fourth, religion. No mean authority has pro-
nounced cleanliness to be " next to godliness." It is a
too notorious fact, that the dirty classes are the dan-
gerous classes; that vice is invariably found to be most
prolific in the foulest and worst cleansed habitations.
The moral man is generally but a correct index of the
physical man; for the moral grows out of the physical.
Clean a man's skin, and you do something towards
cleansing his mind. You may not thus educate his in-
telligence, but you prepare him for the reception of true
refinement and wisdom. Tho report of the committee
above referred to shows that the number of baths taken
at the Whitechapel Model Bath-house during the year
ending Christmas last, was 156,310; at St. lefartin'!_le
the Fields, 213,485; and at Marylebone, 173,157. The
number of washers at the first place, during the same
and
period, was 43,462; at the second, 50,200; at the
third, 24,718. Tire total receipts of these th!:ee _. "
Tbere are
lishments for the year were 9,1551. 3s. I.d.
also the Westminster Baths and Washbodse3 ,
openedo in
May last, and the Greenwich, opened in Sptember,
The total
where the results are equally satisfaeitshereY; during the
of washers
number of baths taken in these
last year has been 647.242, end tfiliveenheiPietneber
established in
132,251. Similar institutions have
the country, the, most important
peeof which areston, and Bthose at
ng.
Liverpool (two), Hull, Bristol,
eThe income is satisfac-
stablishments, three have,
ham. Of these six country
been opened during the yeaar•
le y reasonable intereet on the
money expended; but the the .
tory, and sufficient
Pecuniary issue of the expo.
riment, though important,
is__ rthativiee most notable fea-
Pe
lure. Toe Habits of the Pen increased, and self.
been unproved,
their domestic comforts hav©
be
respect encouraged. I.3us we must not die,7,-uie from our-
serves the fact, that only a
taibeginningousoslitts as yet been
The baths and we - are erected and
made.
msintamtal by help 'J.° l)(opi without. The , i
'- in o must yet
take them up
and extend them all districts. But the
cultivation of a natural habit of
cleanliness is not the
growth of a day. It requires to quires obe carefully encouraged,
helped, and fo,tered; and this is what these
public
" !
baths and washhouses are now_. doing. The committee
say, in their report, that it 1I now satisfactorily proved
thee,. baths and washhou,es,.with let:one/awl
r3i,u ailuvicd
to different diA tv
riets,e.:7l.di g to the populetion,
can be
erected at a cost of 2,0 , 4,000 L
, or 8,0001., exclusive
of the charge for land, —a euggestion which we trust
will have its effect upon philanthropic men throughout
the country, and set t.iein s
-0 work, It is to be hoped
that the Legislature will contribute their mite towards
the same cause, by tellin2 (!iT the tax on soap daring the
I present sez,,:ion:
...........„__

Mr. Samuel Wall Jones is appointed colonial sur-
geou at the 091 d Coast,