The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-24 00:00:00

amendment that the Treasurer's letter, with the
accompanying ones, be printed and circulated
among the members, and an early day be appointed
for their consideration. Alderman PHILLIPS truly
declared that the question was one of money ; the
public press and the Commissioners in Lunacy had
declared that Bethlehem Hospital wes unfit for
the treatment of the insane. Alderman SIDNEY
went still further, and declared that they must
consider whether they were prepared to " wage a
war of opinion with the public at large." He assured
them that the Legislature had decided the question
that country air and recreation were more instru-
mental towards the recovery of the insane, and pro-
phesied that Parliament would sanction by a large
majority the removal of the Hospital to a distance
from the metropolis. He concluded by giving the
Governors this salutary advice that " they had now
an opportunity, such as might never occur again,
of doing a great public service in the interest of the
sick poor and the insane of the metropolis, and he
counselled them to avail themselves of it while the
chance remained." This was true wisdom, and it is
to be hoped that those referred to will avail them-
selves of the excellent advice offered in these
forcible remarks. It is an opportunity that may
not occur again of doing a great benefit to those
who are afflicted in many ways, and who is har-
dened enough and presumptuous enough to say
that he will undertake the responsibility of throw-
ing the chance away ? It is sot often that such an
opportunity occurs of bestowing benefits on
the unfortunate as this proposal for removing the
site of Bethlehem Hospital for that of St. Thomas's
has offered. If it is lost or thrown away, those who
are responsible will not have an enviable position
when they face the tribunal of public opinion. It
is to be trusted that when the proposed meeting of
the several Governors takes place that both sides
will agree to meet half way, to sink personal feel-
ings and party prejudices, and to make the great
object of their discussion the one absorbing object of
interest. If they do so the result will be of incal-
culable advantage to all concerned, and if not the
astute and intelligent observers among the pub'ic
will see where tt.e fault lies, and deduce their
opinion accordingly. It is all very well for those
concerned to argue like Mr. HARWOOD, that " if
the Governors of St. Thomas's bear them harmless
in the matter of expense they should have their
hospital," but what becomes of the duties of
the Governors of Bethlehem. How can their
funds be better laid out than in the
arrangements and alterations which will so
materially conduce to the benefit of those entrusted
to their care. Why should others bear all the ex-
pense of a removal that will further so greatly the
objects of their institution, and the purposes of their
establishment. The medical staff of St. Thomas's
Hospital have given their opinion in favour of two
sites, which they consider of first rate excellence—
one the site now occupied by Bethlehem, the other
the site at Standgate. Of the two the preference is
given to Standgate, a circumstance which of itself
is sufficient to urge upon those concerned the im-
portance of not throwing the chance away. While
some have urged objections of one sort, and some
another, a third party has appeared that may carry
off the prize. At this meeting that is to be convened
let not the statement of the medical staff of S

Thomas's Hospital be neglected ; let it be as the
handwriting on the wall to warn them of dangers
ahead, and let them speedily come to a mutual un•
derstanding, or else some other plan may be adopted
''hat will frustrate the endeavours of the well-

wishers of both aides, and militate against the ad-
vantages that will accrue from the first pro-
posal of settling the question. If the original
plan of mutually benefitting the community
by placing St. Thomas's Hospital on the site of
Bethlehem, and removing that institution to a
more suitable locality, be not carried out, blame
will rest with those who interposed vexatious
delays and made unsuitable demands. The issues
of life and death, the decision for sense or sanity,
rest not in mortal hands; but an awful responsibi-

lity falls on those who take upon themselves the
responsibility of checking the means devised for the
most safe and speedy cure of such direful ailments,
and who to their societies " give up what was meant
for mankind."

It is with great regret that the public will
hear of another naval disaster, although in the
present instance the results cannot, happily, be
compared to the terrible tragedies which have so
lately aroused all our sympathies. The Norwegian,
sister ship to the unfortunate Anglo Saxon, left
Liverpool for Montreal on the sth inst. She was a
steamer of 1,800 tons, and belonged to the Ocean
and Montreal Steam Company. She was lost, it
appears, on the night of the 14th, on St. Paul's
Island, in the St. Lawrence, having crossed the
Atlantic in safety, to perish so near the end of her
journey. The catastrophe is, however, divested of
its terrors by the safety of the passengers, crew,
and mails. We have no particulars of the wreck,
and must therefore reserve judgment upon the ma-
nagement of those in authority, since we know not
what unforeseen accident rendered their skill or
knowledge fruitless. The noticeable part of the
story is that it adds another to those wrecks of
large vessels which have lately been of no rare
occurrence, It is time that we should look into
the causes of these disasters, and consider what
can be the reason of their increasing frequency
With the present high state of workmanship, with
all the advantages of applied scientific knowledge,
how is it that shipwrecks of vessels such as these
are not few and far between ? In most cases un-
fortunately, the disaster can be traced to some de-
degree of carelessness or foolhardiness. In one
instance the absence of a proper fog signal led to
the destruction of a noble vessel and consequent
loss of life, but the rapidity with which the steamer
advanced to her ruin no doubt heightened the
disaster. Another time the captain, though an
experienced commander, showed considerable want
of prudence in attempting to cross a peculiarly
dangerous bar without due precautions. Both
these vessels might have been wrecked in any
case, but it would be some consolation to the
sufferers to know that human care and prudence
had fully done their part. What has led to this
fresh disaster it is impossible to say. The safety
of the men and mails is probably due to the fact
of its having taken place in the river instead of
in the open ocean. Pessibly the proverbial reck-
Lessness of American steamers had had something
to do with it, by collision or otherwise. It is to
be hoped that our countrymen do not mean to
imitate that recklessness, and consider life and
safety nothing in comparison to "going a-head,"
but it certainly appears as if the cardinal virtue
of prudence were sometimes held to be more
honoured in the breach than the observance.
While we are supporting charitable societies for
the assistance of distressed mariners, and rejoicing
over a life saved by the lifeboats on our coasts,
hundreds of our countrymen and women go down
in distant waters, thanks to the neglect of some
precaution, or the rash desire to Lake a speedy
vmoyaci h
voyage at all risks. We, cannot of course, com-
e winds and waters, nor can any human
prudence
always avert such calamities, but it can
do much to lesaeu the chance of their'occurrenu•
Let us go back to the old times when safety was