The Sun.
London, England, 1836-09-07 00:00:00

MODE OF SUPPORTING THE POOR

IN BELGIUM.

Viscount Villain XIII, who has long been appointed
Minister to Rome, has resigned his office as Governor of
East Flanders. Before quitting Ghent, Viscount Villain
addressed a circular to the different functionaries under his
government, in which are some interesting details relatinc,
to the operations of the charitable workshops (ateliers de
charite) established in different parts of Flanders. He
states that the number of these institutions amount to 43
—that the total prime cost of material and salary paid to
the poor amounts to 176,378 E, and the same of manufac-
tured articles to 162,583 E, leaving a loss upon the whole
of only 13,804 f. Thus, at the expense of 13,804 f., provi-
sion and employment have been given to 2,265 poor peo-
ple during the whole of the winter and part of the spring,
and thus at the trifling expense of 6francs per person, forty-
three parishes have been rescued from the evils of
mendicity, and a large body of poor creatures, who
must otherwise have begged or starved, have been ac-
tively and usefully employed, and have had the means of
supporting their families without other parochial relief. The
letter adds that the average loss of six francs only arises
from defective administration in some of the parishes, since
it results that in 25 out of the 43, the loss has not ex-
ceeded two francs, and indeed in some of these has not been
more than 80 centimes per person. In seven parishes the
receipts nearly balance the expense, so that the poor have
cost little or nothing ; and in four parishes the returns have'
exceeded the expense, so as to leave a balance in the hands
of the directors after supporting' all the poor. These are
remarkable results, and are well worthy the attention of
the philanthropists in England and, retand. For what can
ne more praiseworthy, more advantageous or honourable to
She community, than the establishment of institutions by
which pauperism, idleness, and immorality are neutralised
without expense, and by which a number of poor persons
who would otherwise be thrown upon the public workhouse,
or become burdens to the parish, are actively employed and
encouraged in habits of industry and economy ? Viscount
Villain earnestly recommends the establishment of similar
workshops throughout the whole country. Were he able to
effect his benevolent object, he would obtain one of the most
important and most beneficial results ever effected in a ci-
vilized nation, and Belgium would present the phenomenon
of a whole population purged, as it were, of idleness and
pauperism. Whilst upon the subject, it may be observed,
according to official statistical documents published by order
of the Minister of the Interior, that the total gross amount
of the revenues of hospitals, charitable establishments, and
of the divers sums expended upon the poor amounted in
1833 to 11,647,000 francs, or about 285 francs per indivi-
dual. The number of poor in the provincial workhouses
had been reduced from 3,454 in 1827 to 2,662 in 1833, a
remarkable diminution, seeing that the population has in-
creased in an inverse ratio, having augmented from 3,800,000
in 1827 to 4,061,000 in 1833. The same documents state
that the total number of persons receiving instruction at the
various colleges, schools, and places of education of all deno-
minations amounted altogether to 353,342 in 1826, whereas
in 18:33 the number of children attending the 5,229 primary
schools alone exceeded 370,000. If the progress of edu-
cation has been great, the diminution of morality is not
less striking, for one finds the number of foundlings
(enfans trouves) to have amounted to 11,023 in 1823,
whilst in 1833 they did not exceed 7,997. This is not a
place to develop subjects of this kind, but the above ex-
envies will suffice to show that Belgium is making consi-
derable progress in those branches of administration and
general morality which are the most essential to the well-
being of a nation. It must not be omitted to state that
the tables in question give the population to the Ist of
January, 1835, at 4,165,953 souls : the superficies of the
soil at 3,420,570 hectares (each 2+ acres), of which
381,470 hectares, or about one-tenth, are uncultivated,
not including more than 100,000 hectares, or 1-34th, of
roads and canals. In France, the uncultivated land, out
of a superficies of 52,570,000 hectares, amounts to
9,000,000, or one-sixth ; and the roads, canals, streets,
&c., to 1,216,746, or one-fifth ; both of which show a
remarkable balance in favor of Belgium.

HOPE IS A GOOD BREAKFAST, BUT A BAD
SUPPER.—The reader who is accustomed to breakfast upon
more substantial stuff than Hope, will find it nearly as difficult
of digestion in the morning, as in the evening, and will be apt
to exclaim against any such new-fangled and airy innovation
upon the al t of living. The proverb, nevertheless, holds
true—" Hope is a good breakfast, but a bed supper." Its,
effects on the constitution are diametrically opposite to those
of opium, or any other similar drug. During the earlier part of
the day, a very small portion proves deleterious, but more and
more of it can be taken progressively. On the contrary, Hope
may be administered in the largest doses in the forepart of
the day ; but the capacity for receiving it gradually dimi-
nishes. It will be noticed, however, that we are speaking at
present of the morning of life, which is not limited betwixt the
usual hours of diurnal cock-crowing and noon. When Alex-
ander the Great took breakfast in Macedon, his goblets over-
flowed with Hope, and he quaffed them off in immense pota-
tions ; but he found the supper totally without nourishment,
when he desired some worlds to conquer. So was it with
Cmsar, after all his victories, when the fatal Ides of March had
come. So it was with the Spanish Monarch when he resigned
his crown and sceptre and power to his son. So it was with
Napoleon, when a prisoner at St. Helena. So has it been, so
shall it be, with other men, whether monarchs or mendicants.
—Leamington Chronicle.
SINGULAR EXPEDIENT TO OBTAIN A DINNER.
—Monday at noon, a gentleman highly respectably dressed,
his fingers ornamented with the most costly rings, and gold
seals banging dependent from his waistcoat, entered a cele-
brated restaurateur's at the west end, and ordered a most sump-
tuous dinner. Venison, hare, turtle, and soups formed but a
part of his expensive entertainment, and the waiter saw with
delight joint after joint disappear, thinking, no doubt, to make
an immense profit from the articles consumed. Two bottles
of champagne were consecutively called for—brought—and
drank ' • a fine melon was placed upon the table and disap-
peared: a basket of peaches shared the same fate, in short,
there was searcely an article but what was produced, and
hardly a luxury but what was consumed. The last bottle of
champagne had, however, scarcely been drained, when a she-
riff's officer, accompanied by a policeman, entered the apart-
ment, and desired to know if his name was Thompson? and
being answered in the affirmative, they immediately called a
coach, into which he was forced, and in the hearing of the
waiters ordered the coachman to drive to Bow-street, telling
them at the same time, if they called at the office they should
be paid whatever expenses the defaulter had incurred. But,
upon inquiry at the Police Office, it was discovered to be a
trumped up tale, and that the officer, policeman (who had no
number upon his coat), and gentleman (?) were all confede-
rates belonging to the same party, and who, no doubt, as soon
as they had left, would resume their purposes in another dis-
trict. The gentleman who demolished such a number of ar-
ticles is about five feet high, light-coloured hair; takes snuff,
and speaks with a mincing accent.
The town of Hull seems to be effectually rousing
itself from its lethargy " like a giant refreshed with sleep and
(pardon the pun in pursuing the quotation) shaking its mighty
lochs." The meeting of the Hull and Selby railway proprie-
tors on Wednesday, speak volumes as to the awakening spirit
of this town. Our streets arc already crowded with strangers,
which the cheapness of steam conveyance brings from all
quarters ; but what may we not expect to see when, with in-
creased docks and international communications, we shall po-
ssess the means of enjoying the whole of the export trade to
the various ports of the continent, from Holland to the
northermost point of Europe. By uniting the local advantages
we enjoy to the projected communication with our iron, woollen,
earthenware, lace, and hosiery districts, we shall offer to the
countries bordering on the Baltic and the German Ocean the
most direct and most commodious port for the transit of raw
and manufactured produce in the united kingdom.—Hull Ad.
vertizer.
THE PROVINCIAL PRESS.—The following state-
ments relative to the political opinions of the provincial news-
papers in England are the result of a careful inquiry and exa-
mination he total number of provincial journals is 175, of
which 100 are supporters of Liberal opinions, and 75 of the
principles of the Tory party. Sixty provincial newspapers have
an average circulation of 1,000 and upwards per week, viz., 37
Liberals and 23 Tory papers. These 37 Liberal papers have
an aggregate circulation of 1,951 per week, or an aggregate
circulation of 72,193. The average circulation of the 23 Tory
papers is 1,374 per week, and the aggregate circulation is
31,606. Of the journals which have a weekly circulation of—
Liberal. Tory. ,
1,000 and under 1,200 there are 6 ...... 9
1,200 ditto 1,500
1,500 ditto 2,000
2,000 ditto 3,000
Above 3,000 4
The result, therefore, is, that taking the aggregate of the pro-
vincial papers, the proportion per cent. is 100 Liberal, 62 Tory.
Proportion per cent. of the aggregate circulation of papers,
publishing 1,000 copies and upwards per week, 100 Liberal,
431 Tory.—Tyne Mercury.
VALUE OF LAND IN NORTH AMERICA.—
During the last month nearly one million acres of land have
been submitted to public auction in London, but with little
success to the speculators. What is termed good land in the
State of Virginia, near to navigable rivers, produced at the
highest price only five shillings an acre. Last week one thou-
sand acres, on the banks of the Satilla river, in the State of
' Georgia, sold in one lot, for fifty pounds 1 In the territory of
Texas only one shaltg the acre could be obtained. Great
quantities in all the above-named regions remain on hand.

CONSISTORY COURT-TUESDAY.

WALKER V. WALKER.

In this case, which is a suit for divorce by reason of
adultery, and which has frequently been before the Court,
the Judge intimated that the cause must be ready for hear-
ing upon the first day of next term.