The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-13 00:00:00

habitants of 'aistrict of Blackhea, *eetit_nd s
Lewisham, was held
_at the Gymnasium, Dacro
Park, Lee) to consider the present lamentable dis-
tress in the cotton manufacturing counties, and
adopt measures for its relief. The chair was
occupied by Major-General Alexander, and those
present included Gen. Jamieson, Gen. Clarke,
Lieut.-Col. Hilyard, Col. Smythe, Col. Dawes,
Capt. Farrar, Dr. Carr, the Revs. Messrs. Honey-
will, Selwyn, Battiscombe, Sims, Crackneli,
The gallant chairman commenced the proceed-
ings by reading a letter from Mr. Parnell, of
Manor House, Lee, one of the poor-law inspectors,
who regretted his absence in consequence of
being compelled to leave home that day for Man-
chester, to attend a meeting relative to the ex-
ietiu which was rapidly spreading,
and he 'strongly appealed to his friends Biack..-
heath to aidithose who were suffering from in un-
avoidable calamity, who in the midst of their misery
had evinced patience and braverT and who, though
willing to accept with gratitude the hearty charity
of England, were too independent t.o beg for it. He
ith-vehairman) bad conversed with ea:lw residents
of that district, who thought the presmzt meeting
should have been deferred until it was seen'
whether
the remedy already in operation was sufficient to
cope with the distress. He did not concur in
this
view. The misery which these noble people of t•he
north now endured demanded the sympathy ar\d
aid of all true Christians and philanthropists. The
manufacturers themselves were not to blame, but
had done all they could to lessen the evil. He was
recently at the residence of a nobleman, when Mr.
Cobden was present, and that gentleman said he
knew a manufacturer who held in hand raw cotton,
by the sale of which, at present prices, he might have
cleared £20,000, but he preferred rather to work
his mills and thus continue employ his hands.
The patience evinced by the sneering wcrkpeople of
the north was beyond all praise. Should the dire
distress continue they could not wonder even if
some indiscreet acts were committed ; but the best
plan was to give relief to these starving men at once.
His counsel was to feed their mouths and thus stop
their hands. (Cheers.) The Chairman concluded
by announcing numerous large subscriptions' in aid
of the fund.
The Rev. J. HONEYWILL moved the first resolu-
tion, expressive of sympathy with the existing dis-
tress, and pledging the inhabitants of that district
to contribute to its relief. As a clergyman of the
Church of England he had resided for years in the
cotton district, and could state that although in
some cases the manufacturers made money like
usurers, they also spent it like princes in benevolent
and charitable objects. It was impossible that they
could now feed the starving thousands they were
unable to employ, and he trusted and believed the
Christian people of England would, without any
law to compel them, come forward nobly
to the rescue of their deserving and unfor-
tunate fellow-countrymen. At a former period of
great distress the workmen went about in mobs and
demanded food, but nothing of that kind had yet
occurred, although numbers of the unemployed had
formed themselves into glee clubs, and went about
the country obtaining relief in this manner, and it
was generally freely accorded.
Mr. INGLE, in seconding, referred to the war in
America and its baneful results. It was highly
creditable to the suffering population of the cotton
districts that they had withdrawn large sums from
the savings banks, thus proving that when they had
the means they were industrious and provident.
The Rev. Mr. Stars moved, and Gen. JAMIESON
seconded, that subscriptions be paid in six monthly
instalments.
Mr. J. LLOYD moved, and the Rev. J. CRACK-
NELL, of Lee, seconded the appointment of an influ-
ential committee to carry out the objects of the
meeting, and that the aid of the ministers of all de-
nominations be invited.
Mr. PELLATT suggested that donations of old
blankets, clothing, B:c., might also be made.
(Cheers.)
A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the
proceedings.

FATAL CAPSIZING OF A LARGE IRON

SHIP IN 711 E .RIVER.

Yesterday afternoon, about half-past two o'clock,
shortly before high water, a very alarming occur-
rence took place in the river, opposite the Shad well
entrance of the London Dock, which resulted in
the sinking of a large iron ship called the Ganges,
Capt. Monroe, and the loss, it is feared, of several
of her crew. The Ganges was a large class ship, of
about 1,000 tons, and was only built last year at
Sunderland. She went on a voyage to India, then
took coolies from Calcutta to Trinidad, and returned
home to England, and has recently discharged her
cargo in the West India Dack. Her crew consisted
of between 30 and 40 Lascars, which were shipped
in India. Having to undergo an overhaul in Brodie's
Dock, Rotherhithe, prior to being placed on a berth
for Australia, she was hauled out of the West India
Docks about two o'clock yesterday afternoon, and
taken in tow by the United Steam Towing Com-
pany's steam-tug New Unity, the ship being in
charge of a waterman pilot named Osgood, who is in
the habit of conducting vessels on small trips to and
from the various dry docks, and proceeded safely up
Limehouse-reach ; but it was noticed that she was
rather unsteady, arising, it is stated, from the insuf-
ficient quantity of ballast that was in her. On get-
ting abreast of the London Dock and the entrance
of the Grand Surrey Dock, near which Messrs.
Brodie's dry dock is situated, the ship was being
turned round to the tide, and she had got athwart the
stream, when she took a heavy cant to the port
side, and the water flowing into the port holes she
gradually went over and sunk. Many of the Lascars
were below at the time clearing out the hold, and it
is a matter of surprise that they were not all
drowned on the ship going over. They scrambled
up on to the rigging of the mast, which just kept
above the surface of the water, where the
until boats came off and rescued them. they held on
however, it is feared that four of the crew sit is,
lives. A pilot, named Charles 1 a lost their
i w
aid in preserving
the hands, saw two poor fellows s, who went
off in his boat, and rendered great
jammed
spar against a portion of the bulwark, butin
he y
was
One of the sufferers is unable to get at them. b
sup-
posed to be what is known
Lascars—the man as the doctor amongst the
Who mites up the physic for
them when unwell,
be a sharp-col Another sufferer isreported to
oured boy, servant of the captain, and
was a great favourite on board. The waterman
who had charge and the mate who were on the fore-
castle, had a narrow escape of going down with the
ship. They had barely time to get over the bow,
and were picked up by a boat. The captain find-
ing that the ship was sinking jumped overboard
clean of her, and eventually got ashore. As may
be imagined, the occurrence created quite a sensa-
tion in the lower part of the pool, and swarms of
boats soon flocked to the spot. The Thames police
and the Thames Conservancy boat were quickly in
attendance, and every precaution was taken to pro-
tect the navigation and to warn approaching ves-
sels. As the sunken ship now lies, she is not only
a serious obstruction in the fairway
of the river,
but a hindrance to the traffic of the London Docks,
although ships are not prevented leaving or enter-
ing by the Shadwell entrance. Vigorous efforts are
being made with a view of raising the ship, but
owing to her size and peculiar position, it is feared
that the work of lifting her will occupy several
days. Her masts will have to be struck, and as it
is thought that the ship will have sustained some
damage, the whole affair, with the expense of rais-
ing, will involve a very heavy loss upon the owner,
r he capsizing
uthealaslst, ship
is attributed to her not
having and the action of the flood
The
en otf
ballast,
tide when she was athwart the stream. It is also
stated thot the tug had her full power upon the
ship when she came round and went. over. It was
intended at low water to make a survey of theship,
when probably some of the bodies of the missing
men might be found. The Thames pollee remain
in attendance.

Said Pacha, the Viceroy
vvhose health
Of EgEgyptwas unsatisfactory before leaving England, Ends himself
(remarks Galignani) much better since hie arrival in Paris.
liaghnesa is staying at the Hotel Bristol.