The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-30 00:00:00

THE WELLINGTON and UNITED
SERVICES BENEVOLENT INS' ITIITION.

Founded October 21,,1852.
At a PUBLIC MEETING held at the Freemasons' Tavern, Great
Queen-street, Lincoln's-Inn-fields, as a NATIONAL TESTIMONIAL
to the late DUKE of WELLINGTON, for the RELIEF of VETE-
RAN SOLDIERS and SAILORS of her Majesty's and the Honour-
able East India Company's Service, and their WIDOWS and
ORPHANS.

COMMITTEE.
HONORARY CHAIRMAN.
The Right Honourable Lord ERKINE, Slaugbam Park.
Lieutenant-General the Most Noble the Marquis of Tweeddale. K.T.,
Lord Lieutenant of Haddingtonshire, and late Governor and Com-
mander. in-Chief, Madras, Yester House.
General the Most Noble the Marquis of Londonderry, K.G., G.C.8.,
Lord t ientenant of Durham, Hoidernesse House.
Rear •Admiral the Right Honourable the Earl of Cadogan, K.M.T.,
Chesharn-place.
Captain the Right Ilonourable Lord Alfred Spencer Churchill, Ox-
fordshire Yeomanry Cavalry, and formerly of her Majesty's 83d
Regiment, Blenheim Park, Woodstock.
General the Right Honourable Lord Viscount Lorton, Lord Lieute-
nant of Roscommon, Rockingham.
General the Right llonourabla Lord Viscount Combermere, G.C.8.,
Constable of the Tower of London, and Lord Lieutenant of the
Tower Hamlets, Combermere Abbey.
Colonel the Viscount Le Couter, Aide-de-Camp to her Majesty, and
High f.‘heriff of Jersey, St. Heliers.
The Right Reverend A. Olivant, D.D., Lord Bishop of Llandaff,
Hardwick House.
Captain the Right Honourable Lord Dunsany, Shorborne
Lodge.
Tice Honourable Edward M. Mainwaring Ellekr Onslow, late Lien-
tenant-General, Scots Fusilier Guards, Woodbridge House, Guild-
ford.
Sir Edmund Bacon. Bart., Deputy-Lieutenant of Norfolk, Premier
Baronet of England, Raveningham
Colonel Sir William Alexander Maxwell, Bart, Deputy-Lieutenant
of Lanarkshire, Calderwood •
Major Sir Trevor Wheeler, Bart„ Cross House, Torrington.,
Sir Ralph Abercromby Austruther, Bart., Deputy-Lieutcnant'of Fife-
shire and of Caithness-shire, formerly Lieutenint-ColOnel Grena-
dier Guards, Balcaskie. • • ' ' '
Lieutenant Sir Henry S. Wilmot, Bart, R.N., High Sheriff of Der-
byshire, Chaddesden. . .
Sir Richard Paul Jodrell, Bart., Deputy-Lieutenant of 'Derbyshire
and of Norfolk, Sall Park, and Nether cotS House.
Lieutenant Sir henry Jervis hieredyth White Jervis, Bart., R,N.,
Donnyeamey.
Sir William Fowles Middleton, Bart., Shrubland Halls.
Sir John Shaw, Bart., Susse. -gardens; Hyde-park.
A:exander Charles Maitland Gibso,! Maitland, Bart., late 79th
Highlanders, Deputy-Lietßenant of Midleth an.
General Sir Thomas Macdougall Brisbane, Bart., G C. 8., LL.D.,
Makerston. •
Rear-Admiral. Sir Au fustus W. J. Clifford, Bart., C. 8., Gentleman
Usher of the Black Rod, and Deputy Great Camberlain, West-
field House. -
Sir Moses Monteflore, Bart , Deputy-Lieutenant of Kent, and of the

City of London, Giosv, nor Gate.
William Wigram, Esq., Director of the Honourable East India Com-
pany, Grosvenor-, quare.
William Dent, Esq., Director of the Honourable East India Com-
pany, East In 'is House.
General Sir Richard Darling, G.C.H., Brunswick-square, Brighton.
Admiral Sir Francis W. Austen, K.C.8., Portsdown Lodge, Ports-

mouth.
Admiral Sir George Mundy, K.C.8., Grosvenor-street West.
Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Chetham Strode, K.C.8., Deputy-Lieute•
nant of Somersetshire„Santhill. - -
Lieu errant-General Sir John Grey, K.C., late Commander-in-Chief
of the Honourable East India Company's Forms at Bombay, Mor-

wick Rail.
Lieutenant-General Sir George Charles D'Aguilar, K.C.8., formerly
Adjutant-General, Brunswick-square, Brighton.
Lieutenant-General Richard Seeker Brough, Ro3 al Artillery, Onslow-

square.
Ileuteuant-General Richard G. Hare Clarges, Bitchtleld, Grantham.
Lieutenant-General James Welsh, Madras Army, I I, Queen's-parade,

Bath.
31ajor-General A. Macdonald, C. 8., Royal Artillery, Onslow-square.
Rear-Admiral Henry Prescott, C. 8., Southampton.
Poet Captain t,ir Eaton Slam a d Travers, R.N., K.H., Deputy-
Lieutenant of Norfolk, Ditchlngham Lod ;e.
Major Sir Wm. Lloyd, H.E.I C.S., Deputy-Lieutenant and Major
Commandant of the Denbighshire Yeomanry Cavalry. Brynestyn.
Rear-Admiral Sir John Ross, C. 8., F.R.S.E , North West Castle,

Strarititer.
Rear-Adiniral Gordon T. Falcon, 27, Westbourne-terrace.
Tbeirery Reverend J. H. Cotton, 8.C.L., Dean of Bangor.
The Very Reverend A C. Tait, D.O L., Dean of Carlisle.
P. Sa'omens, Esq lath High Sheriff of Sussex, Brighton.
William T. Keville Davies, Esq., Deputy-Lieutenant and late High
:Sheriff of Herefordshire, Croft Castle, Wigmore.
Francis Jervols Ellis Jervois, Esq., late High Sheriff of the county

• of Southampton, Heriard Rouse.
William Money Kyrie, Esq., Deputy-Lieutenant and High Sheriff of
licrelordshire, Romme House.
The _Rev. T. P. Wright. M.A., Honorary Secretary to the London

Orphan Asylum, Hackney.
The Rev. _Philip W. Ray, Greensted Rectory, Ongar, Essex.
The Rev. Thom::s Stanton, M.A., Burbagc Rectory, near Marl.

borough.
The Rev. Charles Causton, M A., Stretton, Moreton-in-Marsh.
Charles Ormson Eaton, Esq , Tixover.
Nathaniel Hibbert, Big., alunden House.
George OliTe:, Esq , Blackheath.
Robert Nicholas Fowler, E.q., 50, Cornhill.
Theodosius Uziolli, Esq., 23, Thre idneedie-street.
John Pielbert Belbert, Esq., Gloucester-place, Portman-square, and

•
Stock Exchange.
.41bertliam Justice, Put., Thurlow Lodge, Wandsworth-road.
(With power to add to their number.)
HONORARY TRUSTEES;
atThe Right Honourable Lord Erskine.
. ~.:1401utehison, Esq., Bromley-hill, Kent,
Aviv; J. Bartlett, 2d.A., Chairman et the Athenaeum Life
'Office, Sackville•street.
SiOarrAny-11. Tommey, Jun., Esq., 12, Pall-mall East.
BANKERS.

Agra and United Service Bank, Head °Mee, Agra; London Agency,
9, Old Jewry ;.Branche., Bombay, Calcutta, Madras.
Messrs. Barclay, Bevan, and Co., 54, Lombard-strett.
Messrs. Bouverie, Murdoch, Bouverie, and James, 11, Ilaymarket.
Sir II i liam B. Call, Bart., G. R. Marten and Co., 2f., Old Bond-st.
Messrs. Cocks, Biddulph, Cocks, Biddulph, and Cocks, 43, Charing-

Cross. - -.
Messrs. Currie and Ce.,229, Corphill _
Messrs. Dimsdale, Drewett, Fowler, and Barnard, 50, Cornhill.
Sir Richard P. Glyn, Bart., Halifax, Mills, and Co., 67, Lombard-
-street.- •
Messrs. Herries„ Farquhar, and Co., 16, St. James's-street.
Sir john William Lubbock, Bart., Forster, Clarke, and Co., 11, Man-
' siourbouse-street.
Messrs. ommanney, Son, and Co., 40, Chasing cross (Navy Agents).
Oriental Bank Corporation, Head Offices, 7, Walbrook and Bombay ;
Branch Offices, Calcutta, Madras, Colombo (Ceylon), Singapore,
- Victoria (Hong Kong).
Messrs. Prescritt, Grove, Cave., Ames, 'and Co., 62, Threadneedle-st.
Uessrs. Puget, Bainbridge, and Co ,12k•St. Paul's-churchyard.
Messrs. Ransom and Co., 1, Pail-nualiSt;
Messrs. R.:Marti, Curtis, and Co , 15,: • rd-street. •
Sir Samuel Scott, Bart., and Co., We • . ish -square.
Simile Bank, Head Office, Simla al Offices, 4, St. Martin's-
place, Trafalgar-square, and Calen*,..,7,-
Messrs. Williams, Deacon, Labouthep, Co., 20, Birchin-lane.
"Among the many benevolent and tflifillilthropic institutions with
which this vast metropolis abounids, laid which shed their lustre
under the bountiful hand of charity., ti is not a single institution
in existence .directly imparting to (1; Veteran Warrior, his relict,
and destitute Orphan children, their'share of that bounty so gener-
ously apportioned to every other branch of society. To supply this
want, so long felt and acknowledged as a national reproach, this in-
stitution has been founded, under the uapices of their fellow-coun-
trymen, for the relief of Veteran "omrnissloned and Petty
Officers, Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines, of her Majesty's and the
Bonoarable East India Company's Services, and their Widows and
Orphans, as a grateful and lasting tribute by the British nation, in
honour of the great and distinguished services of the late Duke of
Wellington, and to give effect to the benevolent wishes and inten-
tions expressed in his letter of October 10th, 1846, subsequently re-
ferred to.
This unconscious neglect towards so meritorious a body of men,
500,000 of whom are engaged in the naval and military services of
the country, is obvious to every reflecting mind, when we consider
that the majority of them are debarred iron the exercise of those
civil rights and social privileges enjoyed by their fellow-countrymen,
to which, in common with them, the Soldier and the Sailor have at
least an equal, if not a paramount claim.
The painful and harrowing scene, on the compulsory separation of
the Soldier and Sailor, perhaps for ever, from his family, can be bet-
ter imagined than described, conscious, as he is, that should he fall
on the battle-field, or be swept away by contagion in a foreign clime,
how little if any protection or succour will be extended to those he
May happen to leave behind ; but should be survive, and return to
his native land, exhausted both in mind and body, the probability is
that he finds his family in the same utter state of destitution in which
be left them, and they are compelled on a scanty pittance to eke out
the remnant of a miserable existence, until at length death puts a
period to his sufferings, when that pittance ceases altogether, thus
leaving his widows and orphans totally unprovided for. What lan •
tuage then can depict the wretchedness of that forlorn and dejected
widow, who is cast on the wide world friendless and destitute, with
her famishing young ones looking up, and clinging to her for food,
ralraeat, and shelter, which, alas! she is unable to afford, and whose
cheerless prospects fund refuge in the union-house, or terminate in
the grave.
There needs no rhetorical display to arouse the feelings and enlist
the sympathy of Englishmen to a sense of the deep obligation they
•we to those who have devoted their youth and vigour to the service
of their country ; and with what zeal and alacrity will those brave
men go forth, in future, to encounter the enemies of our country, and
maintain unimpaired her renowa and her wealth, when they reflect
that those having claims upon them are admissible to this Institu-
tion—which, while it administers to their wants, will at the same
time soothe that bitter anguish known only to the heart of the deso-
late, and extend to all the fostering hand of kindness.
Row great, therefore, are the claims of these classes when stricken
with years, or overtaken by sickness, apon our sympathy and bene-
volence, but more especially when it is remembered, that it is to them
we are mainly indebted for the liberty we enjoy, and the protection
afforded to those pursuits which have so signally contributed to the
unexampled prosperity of our country. To whom, then, can her
defenders appeal? Why, gratitude promptly answer to all, from the
Queen on the throne to the humblest individual in her realm.
On referring to the correspondence of the Secretary with the late
Duke of Wellington on this subject, we feel bound, hi justice to the
memory of that great man, to publish the following extract from his
letter, dated " Warmer Castle, October 10th, 1846," which will be
preserved among the records of the Institution as the basis of its
foundation
:
"When the Duke will see a well-considered plan for relieving the
distresses of the Widows of Non-Comoissioned Officers and Soldiers,
and for the care of their Orphan Children, which last, in his opinion,
ought to be formed on a plan similar to, or identical with, that of the
London Orphan Asylum. He would willingly contribute towards the
expense of carrying such a plan into execution.
" In respect to the Widows and Orphans of Officers of the Army,
the Laws and Regulations of the Service have already made provi-
sions for these, the administration of which has been placed under
the exclusive control and direction of the Secretary-at-War, who
decides the question whether the Widow of an Officer should have
the Pension allotted by the Regalations to Widows of Officers of the
rank of her deceased husband according to the view which he may
take of the adequacy or otherwise of her ether means of living. It
will be seen, therefore, that in every case in which an Officer's Widow
or Orphan Children might have a claim to a provision under the Laws
and Regulations administered by the Secretary-at-War, a Grant from
this intended Fund would only tend to diminish to an equal amount
the Grant solicited from the Public Fund under the administration of
the Secretary-at-War.
"But the Duke confesses that he sees many objections to levy
Subscriptions from Officers of the Army to provide for the Widows
and Children of some already provided for by Government."
We cannot close this address without expressing a confident hope
that the public will, by a well-directed aid combined movement, co-
operate with us, and give effect to the benevolent intent so affinir-
-- Ably expressed in the communication referred to
By granting limited pensions, in accordance with the funds of the
Institution, and admitting the recipients into an Almshouse and
Home, the neglected Veteran and Widow will be sheltered and pro-
vided for; and, by establishing a Collegiate Asylum, the Orphans
and Children admitted during the lifetime of their parents will be
protected and educated in a manner suitable to their several condi-
tions in life, and placed on an equality with those of the civilian.
The Institution will be supported by subscriptions and voluntary
contributions.
The Design of the Institution will be :
I.—That a pension not exceeding £ per annum (the amour t
to be fixed at the first Meeting of Subscribers) be granted to Widows
in distress and to Veterans not otherwise provided fir; and to excite
emulation and good conduct, that an Almshouse be provided for
Widows in the decline of life, also a Home for the aged Veteran, and
that pecuniary aid be rendered in cases of emergency.
ll.—That ample provision be made for the maintenance and edu-
cation of Orphans and Orphan Children, whose relatives or friends
may not be in a position to do so, until an Asylum be provided for

them.
IlL—That a Collegiate Asylum be endowed for the Orphans and
Orphan Children, and those Children who may be received on the
foundation, during the lifetime of their parents, on terms c commen-
surate with their means. That the management of the Asylu, a
regards inmates under 14 years of age, be adapted to the plan re-
commerded by the late Duke of Wellington.
IV.—The Veteran's Home and Widows' Almshouse will be at-
tached to the Asylum, and, in accordance with the resolutions passed
at the public meeting held 21st 0-tober, 1852, the Wilding will com-
prise a commodious and Magnificent structure, upon the most ap-
proved plan, bearing the name, and recording the triumphs of
" WELLINGTON."
Candidates for !Wier are admitted by election ; but in the case of a
soldier or sailor being killed in action, or dying on foreign service, his
family shall be admissible to the Institution upon the nomination of
the directors. Annual subscribers are entitled to one vote for every
guinea subscribed yearly. Life subscribers are entitled to one vote
for every ten guineas contributed by them. Persons collecting sub-
scriptions or contributions are entitled to the like privileges in pro-
portion to the amount subscribed or contributed.
The property and funds to be vested in trustees, to be nominated
at the first general meeting of subscribers ; and the Institution will
be under the manage rent of a pr. sldent, vice. presidents, and a
board of directors, consisting of 36 life governors.
Noblemen, military, naval, and other gortlemen, who feel an in-
terest in the welfare of the Institution, are earnestlyrequested to
give their patronage and support, and those noblemen and gentle-
men who may be desirous of becoming members of the comm.ttee,
will have the goodness to signify their wish to that effect.
Subscriptions and contributions are earnestly solicited, and will be
thankfully received on account of the Institution, by the committee
and honorary trustees, at the Offices of the Institution, or by the n-
-4pective bankers.
A numerous list of country bHEankers will shortly be announce].
NRY TOMMEY, Jun., Secretary.
'All communications to be addressed to the Secretary, at the Offices
of the Institution, 12, Pall-mall East, where attendance is given
daily from 11 to 4 o'clock.