The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-21 00:00:00

THE

ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PRO

TECTION. OF LIFE FROM FIRE.

On Wednesday a general meeting of this society was
held in the Council Chamber, Guildhall, for the purpose
of hearing the report of the committee for the past year,
and distributing medals arid rewards.
The chair was occupied by the Right Hon. the Lord
Mayor, who opened the proceedings by pointing out the
strong claims which the society had on the general sup•
port of the community.
The SECRETARY then read the report, from which it
appeared that during the past year three new stations for
the " fire escapes " had been established, thus making
in all twenty-five, at distances varying from half to
three-quarters of a mile from each other, all main-
tained solely by the society, with a conductor
at each throughout the night. The number of
fires attended since the re-establishment of the
society in. 1843 was 548, and the number of lives
saved by means of the society'c escapes, was 48. The
report further stated that the funds were less than the
xpenditure by about 2001., and urged the friends of the
society to increased exertions so as to place the machi-
nery tied operations in such a state of efficiency as the
committee de( med essential to the proper development
e
option of the
of
Dthe AvolhDj e
wc t s.
vtih::,n slit
si tqu. ion
moved—(C. ht
he:r s.ad)
report. He said he perfectly agreed in the judicious
remark of the Lord Mayor, that it was a sacred duty
that devolved on every man to do everything in his
power for the preservation of human life under the
sudden calamities of fire.—(Hear, hear.) Clustered as
they were altogether in a large city, with narrow and
aaa momentain
hardlys t
neighbouren
c thatee
st destructionaa
rb or the
envelop
nh ve
e o p twhichh e
m slightest.
confined thoroughfares, no human foresight or pru-
dencey
t—h inadvertence
t a,
carelessness
rc
,ehear.)
gi
gu
halo:
tfdi
wasn
that those who devised a means of escape
frthoemn,eutocharhor-
rible calamities deserved well of their country, and were
entitled to the cordial and unanimous support of the
community--(Cheers,) He did think, however, that
such an institution should not be dependent on the casual
bOunty of the public, but that it should be made a branch
of their social economy, and attached either to the
police or some other public establishment, by which the
facilities of its application and increased usefulness
might be obtained.--(Hear, hear.) Until, however, the
public were fully impressed with a sense of its advan-
tages, and that a law was passed to compel parochial
authorities to adopt it, it was highly necessary that
this society should be maintained in a state of effi-
ciency. There was this difference between this
society and the Royal Humane Society, that in the
latter the accidents occurred generally when the parties
were awake and vigilant, and means of rescue were
ready and at hand, whereas in cases of fire the calamity
almost always took place in the stillness of the night,
when all were asleep and unprotected. He trusted that
an appeal would be made to the Corporation to take up
this subject, and that the Corporation would go to the
Legislature and ask them to make it compulsory on
parochial authorities and other public bodies to adopt
means of escape from fire.—(Cheers.)
Mr. BACON seconded the motion which was adopted
unanimously.
The LORD MAYOR then proceeded to the distribution
of silver medals, c nificates, and small rewards to
various I.arties who had been instrumental in rescuing
human beings from destruction.
Mr. Luke Prettyman, of 49, Poultry, was presented
with a silver medal for rescuing the life of his servant
at the risk of his own.

A poor girl, named Mary Cromer, was presented with
a certificate and 1/, for heroic and intrepid conduct, in
bringing a child out of a room on fire. Her own night-
dress and hair were burnt in the endeavour, and she had
suffered very considerably by her humanity.
Mr. HoLT drew the attention of the Lord Mayor and
the meeting to the case of this poor girl, -who was at
present out of a situation. He Loped that something
might be done for her.

The other parties presented with rewards and certi-
ficates coßsisted chiefly of police constables and the
company's servants, each of whom was addressed in a
fechvg and complimentary manner by the Lord Mayor,
and encouraged to further acts of courage and hu-
manity.

George Abbot, sen., and George Abbot, jun., were
presented each with a silver medal, fur saving the life of
Mrs. Haan, at Enfield.
SAMUEL UNWIN, Esq., then moved a resolution to the
effect that the meeting, deeply impressed with the in-
creased usefulness of the institution, was desirous of re-
cording its opinion that it merited general support both
from individuals and from parochial and other public
bodies, in order to increase its efficiency for the preser-
vation of human life.

Mr. Deputy BEDFORD seconded this resolution, which
was adopted unantmuu,ly.
Mr. RICHARD TAILOR proposed the next resolution,
recommending the adoption of a respectful application
to the parochial authorities in each parish of the City
for subscriptions, to be continued annually at the vote
of each vestry.
Mr. HoLT seconded the resolution, which was agreed
to, as was also a vote of thanks to the Vice-Presidents
and Committee for the past year, with a respectful soli-
citation to continue their services.

Thanks were then ♦oted by acclamation to the Lord
Mayor, and the mePting separated.

BRITISH ORPHANS FROM PARIS.
On Thursday a general meeting of the subscribers
was 11,-ld at the Female Orphan Asylum, in Westmin-
ster-bridge-road, fur the purpose of taking into conside-
ration a communication which had been received from
Lcrd Ashley,. under these circumstances :—lt appeared
that, previous to the late revolution in France, there
was an asylum in Paris for orphan children born
of English parents, in connexion with the Episcopal
Church, of w hich the Reverend Mr. Lovat was
the pastor. The asylum was entirely supported by
the British residents at Paris ; but the greater number
of the English having left that capital in consequence
of the late events, the resources of the asylum were
altogether cut off, and the orphan children, fifteen
boys and nine girls, were compelled to leave.
The Society for the Assistance of Distressed
Workmen sent from France, of which Lord Ashley
is chairman, defrayed the expense of bringing the
children to England, alai on Thursday last a letteri WAS
addressed by Lord Ashley to the committee of the
asylum, requesting that the orphans removed from France,
under the circumstances stated, should be provided for
in the asylum. As, according to the rules, all orphan
children are admitted by election at stated periods, as
is usual in such institutions, a general court was ape•
cially called tor this day, to take the case communicated
by Lord Ashley into consideration.
The chair having been taken by his Royal Highness
the Duke of Cambridge, and the circumstances under
which the meeting was called having been mentioned, it
was communicated that upon inquiry, it had been ascer-
tained that the children had for the present been pro-
vided for, some of them having been received into other
charitable Institutions, and that therefore it was unne-
cessary to take the letter of Lord Ashley into consider-
ation.

ills Royal Highness expressed his gratification at the
communication which had been made. Under the pe-
culiar circumstances of these poor orphan children, he
should certainly, had it been necessary, have rendered
every assistance towards obtaining their admission into
the Asylum. As he understood, however, that the
claims of the destitute children of their own poor were
very pressing, he was glad that the necessity had not
arisen.

After some con►ersation on the subject which the
meeting had been called to consider, it was mo►ed and
unanimously agreed to, that the cordial thanks of the
meeting should be given to his Royal Highness the
Duke of Cambridge fur his kindness in attending to
tike the chair, and for the interest he bad expressed in
the object which had called them together.
The Duke of Cambridge having returned thanks, the
meeting separated.

__
ECONOMICAL GOVERNMENT.
FREEDOM OF INDUSTRY—JUST TAXATION.
(From the Liverpool Mercury.)
Whatever other effects the recent extraordinary
movements on the continent, and the "demonstra-
tions" nearer home may have upon the minds of our
ministers and legislators, we trust this conviction
will take root, that the time is arrived when the
enforcement of economy, the liberation of industry
from her shackles, and the reduction and equitable
adjustment of our fiscal burdens must be set about in
an earnest and most determined spirit; and that atten-
tion to these subjects must not at all slacken the zeal
of those who can add, for the public advantage, all
the good to be derived from an improved monetary
and banking s 3 stem.
The people appear to us to be bent upon cheaper
government. On all hands, amongst tax-;sayers. re-
trenchment, amounting to painful frugality, is obliged
to be submitted to ; and the nation will not tolerate
much longer, a continually increasing, but on the
contrary, will demand, and insist upon, a perceptibly
diminishing scale of Government expenditure. An
impoverished community and a prodigal state ought
never to coexist in the same country—at all events,
such a condition of things cannot be made endurable
in this country.
- 'We rejoice, therefore, that an increased amount of
attention to matters vitally affecting the commerce of
our merchants, the wellbeing of the landed interest,
the trade of the manufacturer, and the labour of the
working classes, is from day to day manifested by
influential and energetic men.
At a preliminary meeting, held in this town on
Friday last, at which Mr. Robertson Gladstone pre-
sided, a nuniber of gentlemen laid down the following
basis, upon which to establish an institution to be
called

" THE FINANCIAL REFORM ASSOCIATION."
The objects of the association will consist in directing
public opinion to the to!lowing principles:—
Ist. A General Ri trenelitnent in the National Expen-
diture.
2d. The Revision.of the Assessed Taxes—of the Malt
Tax, and of the Excise'and Stamp Duties.
3d. The Transfer to Direct Taxation of those Imposts
which interfere with the industry and limit the subsist-
ence of the people.. .„

4th. The Equitable Apportionment of all Needful
TaxatiGn.

Already the names of many gentlemen have been
received to be enrolled in the list of members of the
association ; there is no party object to serve; " FOR
THE GOOD or ALL" might be the motto; and we trust
that all will unite in giving vigour and efficiency tL,
its operations.

ME. MACREADY.—This eminent tragedian will, on
Easter Monday, commence a series of performances at
the Marylebone Theatre.