The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 27, 1870

and he undertakes various other duties alike im, 1
portant and separate. The old rule touching
jacks of all trades applies to him. Some
of his occupations are neglected alto-
gether, some he does badly, and some
he does spasmodically, though he performs great
feats upon them now and then. How, for instance,
does he deal with gamblers ? Everybody knows
that pitch and toss flourishes triumphantly
in most low districts, and that Sunday
is the day specially devoted to the noble
sport. ' Now and then, however, a great raid is
got up; " the force" stops up all the avenues with
disguised representatives, whilst a detachment of
open and above-board blues seize a number of
offenders and walk them off. The prisoners are
made uncomfortable for the time being. But the
captures are not nearly numerous enough to
act as scarecrows to the general body of
Sunday gamblers, and accordingly the few victims
might as well be allowed to roam in peace. How
does the policeman deal with night-houses ? He is
endowed with the serious privilege of entering
them whenever he likes. As a rule he does not
think it worth his while to trouble himself
on the score of these institutions. At times, how-
ever,. conscience pricks him, and he indulges in
various mad freaks, such as did an inspector and a
sergeant some time ago, when they took a
(for a time) innocent house by storm, in-
sisted upon entering the landlady's bath
room, though they had no reason to think 'that
any prey was inside, and finally remained on the
stairs all night, departing with the dawn as wise as

mand for medical assistance and tl bene-

fits of nursing for Fick children have increased
in far greater proportion than the supply that has
been afforded to them, and those who would wish
to benefit the needy must see that their charitable
donations cannot be more worthily bestowed than in
the support of this hospital. It is one of the most
painful, and at the same time most perplexing sug-
gestions in connection with the relief of the poor
that too much is done for them, and that heavy sums
are spent on undeserving objects. Surely these
strictures cannot apply to the recipients of the
bounty of the institution in Great Ormond-street.
It comes to this if strangers do not help them, who
can, their parents are quite precluded from the
office, and as to the complaint of the money being
wasted, which figures to so great an extent in the
diatribes on other charities that is equally inapplic-
able. In the first place there can be no pretence ;
a child cannot feign suffering ; and there is no
greater service to render to society than to improve
the health of the weakly, and eradicate disease from
the sick and afflicted. There is nothing more sad,
amid the many calamities which are entailed by the
thousand ills that flesh is heir to, than to see young
children pining away for want of care and common
comfort, neglected and ill-used by those who do not
comprehend their sufferin gs, or treated wrongfully
by well-meaning but ignorant attendants. Those
who study the short and simple annals of
the poor know that the sins of the fathers
are visited upon the children b a greater extent than
in the higher ranks of life. A drunken father, or
careless mother, will cause fearful suffering to the
able-bodied, but for the sick one of the family it is
difficultto estimate the misery that is thus endured.
The recipients of this charity cannot plead for them-
selves, but that should be an additional claim on
those who have the means to 'aid them. The

they had come. How does the policeman deal with
public-houses ? He may be above corruption;
but he has not read Austin or Bentham,
and his appreciation of the theory of Utility is
not so nice that he sees the exact need for
closing public houses at precisely the legal time,
especially if he gets a glass of beer as the reward of
indulgence. As a matter of fact, he often does come
in for a little spiritual support by stretching a point
in the way of time. The thing is frequently done ;
nor is it at all likely that the average policeman sees
the evil of it.
It is probable that much might be done to improve

list of subscriptions on Wednesday was a very
considerable one, and those who were prdvented
from joining the entertainment should perform

the efficiency of the police by giving these special
duties to special men, and withdrawing the
policeman proper to his rightful function, the
guardianship of property. It is likely, for instance,
that night-houses would be kept in, much better order
if there was a body of men whose sole business it
was to attend to them. There is no reason, too, why
public-houses should not have their special inspec-
tors, and the same may be said of other
branches of police work. Such a division
of labour exists in all other businesses; why not
in the great business of tracking crime? Its advan-
tages are obvious. At present every policeman has,

their part in aiding the good work, for they may
rest assured that the money thus spent will not be
regretted in after times, since abundant proof bus
been furnished that it is put to a worthy use.

An official statement was made in the House of
Commons yesterday, by Mr. Monsell, in reference
to the Fenian raid in Canada, but it did not add to
the information which had been published by the
press. The statement that the President of the
United States had issued a proclamation warn-
ing the American subjects against a violation
of the neutrality laws was. received with
loud demonstrations of approval. The Irish Land
Bill again occupied the attention of the House for
many hours. There were many amendments on the
paper, and they were rapidly disposed of. The Bill
will probably be read a third time op Monday. The
remaining business which was transacted was un-
important.

in addition to what may be called his pri-
mary duty, to attend to 'various details, which
distract his attention, and which, after all,
are not properly managed. The number of men
required to watch all the night-houses in London
could not be large, and their employment would
-set all the rest of the force free from that
particular task. When a policeman was
wanted to apprehend a burglar, he would not be
found waiting on the stairs of a Haymarket house,
nor would he be found lounging about the door of a
public-house, if it happened to be closing time, as he
often is now. Moreover, it is undeniable that
the work of these separate departments would
be performed much better than it is now. The men
engaged would give their sole attention to the one
duty with which they were entrusted. They would
be less liable to corruption in perambulating a
considerable extent of ground, and pouncing
down unexpectedly here and there, than is the
policeman whose beat is confined within a limited
space. Their failure in one department like-
wise, would be more conspicuous. How Jar
or in what way this subdivision should
be carried out is a matter of detail which cannot be
advantageously discussed here ; but that something
of the kind is needed in large towns is clear.

The Prince of WALES had a gracious task to per-
form on Wednesday evening, in presiding over the
anniversary festival in aid of the Hospital for Sick
Children. Of all the charities which abound in
London, there is none which appeals more power-
fully to the sympathies of the kindly disposed and
benevolent than this one, The children of the poor,
when attacked by sickness, are among the most help-
less
and unfortunate of sufferers, and it seems only
surprising that a work of this sort was not contem-
plated at an earlier period, During the eighteen
years the hospital in Great Ormond-street has
been in existence, it has amply justified the wis-
dom of those who proposed its establishment, and ren-
dered the greatestservices to the young members of the
community for whom it was designed. In proposing
the toast of " Success to the Institution," the Prince
of WALES briefly put the chief facts of the case be-
fore his auditory, and pointed out the duty and pri-
vilege which laid before them of rendering assistance
to so valuable a Society. He took for granted that
they occasionally passed through some of the narrow
alleys and unhealthy streets with which the metropo-

Hs abounds. In these wretched places many sick and
suffering children may be met with struggling into
maturity or pining away from neglect, in either case
a burden to themselves and others. It is an encou-
raging sign in the history of this Hospital that, after
eighteen years have passed away a new building is
required to carry out its purposes. The present
structure is nearly two hundred years old, and
many parts are in a most dilapidated condition.
Those who may be inclined to aid in consolidating so
excellent a charity will feel some interest in dwelling
on some of the details connected with its history. It
was established in 1852 by Dr. WEST and Dr. BENCE
JONES, who felt the urgent necessity that existed for
some such provision for the helpless and suffering
children of the poor. Until this charity was opened
there had been no similar institution in England, al-
though many of the continental cities enjoyed the
advantages of such an institution. However, this
was an illustration of the proverb, " better late than
never," for the example thus tardily set by London
has been followed by other cities in the kingdom.
Edinburgh, Birmingham, Liverpool, and other large
towns having established kindred societies for the relief
of the sick children of the destitute classes.
A great improvement was made last summer by
the Council of the Institution in opening a conva-
lescent home at Highgate which can accommodate
56 children. This is a most useful adjunct to the

original institution, and its utility has been clear]

demons rated. If we take a glance at the progress
which the hospital has made we shall feel surprise as
well as gratification. In 1852 the number of in-
patients was 143, and of out-patients 15,780—
(cheers)—slowing an increase of 566 in-patients,
and of no less than 14,530 out-patients. (Renewed
cheers.) The increase in the income'of the charity
has been proportionately satisfactory. In 1852 the
recen t:3 were only £350 ; last year they were
£2,750, or an increase of £2,410. The de-