The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-06 00:00:00

ZRE DISTRESS IN LANCASHIRE.

Robert Townley Parker, zkl., Mayor of Preston,
convened by private circular a meeting
of the clergy,
manufacturers, gentry, and leading
inhabitants of
that borough, for yesterday afternoon „'at tiao Theatre
of the Literary and Philosophical Institutiorif " to
consider what further measures should be adopted
to relieve the wide-spread and unparalleled dis-
tress in the town," the funds at the disposal of
the relief committee having already become
nearly exhausted. There was a very influential
attendance, and the proceedings were com-
menced by his worship reading the letter from the
relief committee stating the failure of the fund, and
requesting him to convene a meeting to consider
what should be done. He also read letters from
Sir T. G. Hesketh, M.P., and other gentlemen;
and an offer from General Tom Thumb to give an
exhibition in aid of the funds for the relief of the
poor. Mr. William Livesey read a report, from
which it appeared that the receipts of the commit-
tee, from the establishment of the fund to the pre-
sent week, amounted to £3,234 16s. 4d. with 200
tons of coals. 120 visitors were employed. The
smallest amount of destitution was in Christ Church
Ward ; the greatest in St. Peter's Ward, where the
greater part of the population were unemployed.
The number of factory operatives in Preston was
25,000, of whom 7,600 worked full time, and
7,700 short time, while 9,700 were entirely out
of work. If those directly affected by the
stoppage of mill work were taken into the
account, the total number would be not less than
10,000; and if these had each one dependent upon
him, then the ordinary means of livelihood had been
withdrawn from 20,000 persons. The amount of
wages withdrawn from circulation was £B,OOO per
week. Since the commencement of the fund,
102,600 allb loaves had been distributed, at a cost
of £2,065, and 14,000 quarts of soup weekly; the
total expenditure being £3,018 19s. 7d. It had
been estimated by the Overseers that the amount
of the poor rate to be laid for the present half
year would not be less than 3s. in the pound.
There were in the workhouses of the Preston
Union 914 persons ; and last week there
were relieved in Preston alone 2,668 cases (in-
cluding 7,882 individuals), at a cost of £475, or
more than three times the average of the past nix
years. The committee regretted that the
£2l man
5
left in the hands of the Treasurer was only
16s 9d being less than the cost of one weelfe
distribution. Mr. Alderman GOOdttir moved the
adoption of the report, and showed that the com-
bined relief given by the Board of Guardians and
nd per
head,
who the Relief Committee amounted to tloarognely
head, besides which there number of
necessitous personho had not hitherto applied
for relief. The Itev. Andrew Reed seconded the
resolution, which was carried: The Rev. Thomas
moved the next resolu-
n ,
t Ci
ol a r Christ,Btateof h
Church,t e 0
That, considering the continued dis-
tressedperative classes, owing to
the working short time and the closing of the
mills, this meeting considers it of urgent
necessity to Continue the Relief Fund, and forth-
with to re-open
ence for the all •
eviation of the distress." The
resolution Was seconded by Mr. Alderman Walms-
ley) who referred to the absence of a number of
names of influential gentlemen from the relief sub-
scription list. He urged that the time had now
fully arrived when they should contribute to the
fund so nearly exhaused.—Other gentlemen fol-
lowed, and the subscription fund was re-opened, as
proposed; and steps were arranged to obtain addi-
tional funds. Mr. Alderman Miller has promised
an additional £200; Messrs. Birley Brothers gave
£100; Messrs. T. and B. Meek, £5O; and their
example will no doubt be followed by the other
wealthy owners of property and employers of la-
bour.

FATAL EXPLOSION OF AN EIVGINE ON TILE
LONDON AND NORTH- WESTERN RAILWAY.

Yesterday morning, shortly after two o'clock, a
very sad occurrence took place on the London und
North-'Western Railway, at Harrow.
train bad just arrived at Harrow station, drawn by
one of Fairbairn's most powerful goods-train en•
when th
gives, and was just pulling up,A good
boiler ex-
ploded with a fearful noise, blowing the unfortu-
nate fireman, Henry Cowdry, together with the
massive ironwork of the engine, to atoms. James
Beckwith, the driver of the engine, was also blown
high into the air, and had one of his arms broken
any account as to the accident or
and received other injuries, so as to render him in-
nomostiN o-ef
after
capable of giving
its probable cause. Mr. Henderson,
foreman at Camden Town, soots thloec news
the occurrence reached London proceeded to the
spot, with a view of ascertaining the circumstances
which had led to the catastrophe, and inrcumstances
mean-
time the driver (Beckwith) was _
brought to London,
and conveyed to University College Hospital,whero
he lies under medical
treatment. Up to list • ht
night
nothing definite had occurred to show the causes
which could have led
to so lamentable a catastrophe.
The remains of the unfortunate fireman were col-
lected, as far as possible, to await an inquest.
A

fly-sheet in the last number of The Cornhill
Magazine contains the " unqualified assurance" of Messrs.
Smith, Elder, and Co., that the average sale of each num-
ber of the magazine was 84,427 at the time of making up
the accounts at the end of last year ; and that the smallest
number of copies sold, up to that period, of any single
number of The Cornhill Magazine, was 67,019, while of
some of the numbers more than 100,000 copies Niue .$Oll,