The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-08 00:00:00

forth any particular observations from 14e Iknch. The
visiting Justiees of Horsemonger-lane prison recom-
mend a classification of debtors confined in that gaol,
and that those of them who are confined as fraudulent
debtors be put on a certain dietary, provided by the
county, and not allowed any extra food or indulgences,
procured either by themselves or their friends.

THE COUNTY LUNATIC ASYLUM AND THE RECENT ACT OF

PARLIAMENT.

Mr. FRESHFIELD brought forward a motion relative
to the necessity of providing an additional building and
necessary accommodation for the pauper lunatics of the
county. From the statement of the Learned Magistrate
it appeared that the present County Lunatic Asylum,
which was erected at an expense of 90,0001, was only
capable of affording accommodation for 400 patients ;
while by the returns made there were nearly 300 pauper
lunatics in addition to those of the Asylum, and which
were obliged to be supported at Bethlehem and private
asylums, at an expense of Bs. a week, which was much
more than they could be maintained at in the asylum.
By the Act of Parliament, the Bth and 9th of Victoria,
c. 126, the Secretary of State had the power to compel
them to provide accommodation for those additional lu-
natics, and in ord r to prevent such necessity, he (
Freshfield) moved that the Committee of Visiting Jus-
tices of the County Lunatic Asylum be requested to
pursue their inquiries and investigation into the matter,
with a view of complyial:, with the provisions of the re-
cent Act, and that they make their report to the next
session.

Mr. lIA.wEs observed that by the report presented
relative to the asylum, it appeared that only thirteen
individuals had been sent out cured, and that there was
but little hope held out of the ultimate restoration to
sanity of the others. In his (Mr. Hawes's) opinion
th. re were a great number of chronic cases in the asy-
lum, and these the Magistrates had the power, under
the Act of Parliament before adverted to, to place:in
private asylums, or other places, and by making the
asylum that which it ought to be, a place for the cure of
insanity, and not the place of safety for confirmed idiots
there might, ho thought, be found in the present build
ing accommodation, if not for the whole, at least a great
number of those county lunatic paupers, who were at
present at Bethlehem and elsewhere.
Mr. BRISCOE spoke at some length on the question,
and thought that as the subject was one of considerable
interest to the county, and involving the outlay of a
considerable sum of money, that a greater length of time
should be given for its consideration than the period
from the present to the next quarter-sessions.
Mr. Hurrort, in order to meet the objection of the
Hon. Magistrate who had last addressed the Court,
moved, as an amendment, that the words " next session"
be omitted in the resolution of Mr. Freshfield.

Colonel Chaloner, Mr. Austin, and other magistrates
having addressed the Court on the subject, and it being
remarked that if the Committee were not perfectly
ready with their report at the next quarter-sessions, it
would not be compulsory on them to present it, the re-
solutien was put in its original form and carried.
The discussion on the question of applying, the various
prisons in the county to a particular classification of
offences was postponed to the next quarter-sessions, upo❑
which Mr. Denison rose to request that due notice should
be giTen to the magistrates, so that they might attend
on so important an occasion as that of considering the
question of expending the enormous sum of 200,0001. to
be raised on the county.—(Cries of " No, no.") Mr.
Denison contended that the original estimate for
building the county lunatic asylum was 55,0001., and
this only to accommodate 350 pauper lunatics. The
buildings have cost 90,000/., and as there were nearly
300 lunatics unprovided with accommodation, it was not
too much to say, in the present times, when the actual
cost of a building was at least donble the amount of the
original estimate, that the money required for the addi-
tional building would be nearly as much as that already
expended. Then, added to this, there would be a large
sum required for additional prison-room, to enable the
magistrates to carry out the classification they intended,
and therefore he would repeat it was necessary that the
magistracy of the county should be in attendance.
After a few words in explanation from Mr. Freshfield,
and one or two other magistrates, some further routine
business was disposed of, and the Court adjourned to this
day.

POLICE INTELLIGENT CE.
MANS lON-11 OUSE.
THE G HARDIANS OP THE POOR.—Three young women,
' named Ann Carter, Joanna Smith, and Jane Tam ner,
' were brought before the Lord Mayor, charged with
having broken a lamp, opposite to the City of London
Union, Cannon-street.
The policeman who took the women into custody
stated, that at half-past eight o'clock on the preceding
night, he saw them throw stones at a lamp, and break it.
The defendants, upon being severally questioned by
the LORD MAYOR, said they had long been in the habit
of working bard with a laundress, who had lately left
that business, and whose retirement put them completely
out of work, and took from them the means of support.
They declared that they were well able to earn their own
bread, and all they requested was the employment; that
they had walked about Ole streets exhausted and hungry,
and had, after having in vain attempted to obtain assist-
ance at the West London Union, applied to the house in
Cannon-street, but were told by the person who at-
tended at the door that they could not see the superin-
tendent or overseer, by whom their necessities might be
relieved ; and that, despairing of help of any kind, they
committed the offence in order that they might get food,
although they knew that they would get punishment
along with it.
The LORD NIAYou asked whether the defendants had
made application more than once at the West London
Union for relief, and to what parishes they belonged:
One of the defendants said that she had been born in
the very neighbourhood of the City of London Union,
and that her parents were dead ; and the other two stated
that they came from Ireland, but had no friends there,
and if they were sent back to that country they would be
just as destitute as they were here, with the additional
evil of having much smaller chance of being employed.
One of the girls said they had been told, upon calling
yesterday morning at the West London Union to beg
relief, that they must call again at three o'clock; and
upon calling at three, they were told they must call again
at five ; and upon calling at five, they were told they
must call again at ten in the morning.
The LORD MAYOR—And you are willing to work?
The defendants—Certainly ; we are well, able, and
willing; but what are we to do? We can't perish in
the streets, ,gentlemen.
The LORD MAYOR said to Alderman Farebrother,
who sat with him, and who has often in the same place
expressed his hearty condemnation of the treatment to
which persons who had no vice but poverty to be up•
braided with were subjected, that it was most difficult
for a magistrate with any heart at all to restrain his
indignation at hearing such statements, for which he
believed there was unquestionable foundation. It was
quite evident that the three young women before him
were not such persons as should be sent either to a prison
or a workhouse. He believed they were able to work,
and lie had no reason to doubt their willingness, but all
signified nothing. At the places appointed for dis
pensing relief to those who were sinking under want and
fatigue there were kept porters, who, like bull-clogs,
growled and snarled at their appearance, and whose
principal recommendation was doubtless their capa-
bility of terrifying the deserving objects of public
sympathy.
Alderman FAREBROTHER said he fully agreed with the
Lord Mayor in his Lordship's observations upon the
hard treatment to which the poor were exposed, and he
reprobated the palpable neglect by which their well-
founded claims and demands upon parochial bounty were
met. The case before the Lord Mayor seemed io be
calculated to impress upon any humane officer the ne-
cessity of making inquiry into its merits in a peculiar
manner, and of affording protection and refuge until the
result of such inquiry should be ascertained. He (Al-
derman Farebrother) thought it would be advisable to issue
a summons to the superintendent or overseer of the \Vest
London Union to attend Guildhall Police-court, in which
district the house was situated, to answer to the coin.

plaint.
The LORD MAYOR-1 shall Fend a summons to him to
attend here, for I have no idea of transferring a case of
this kind to an office in which a magistrate with views
wholly at variance with mine upon so important a sub-
ject may sit to adjudicate. I found occasion the other
day to make some observations upon the manner in
which the affairs of the City of London Union have been
transacted; to the utter carelessness and contempt which
seemed to prevail amongst those in power when investi-
gations should take place into the alleged condition and
claims of applicants. I have received a letter from the
board of guardians professing to be an answer to these
observations, but it is no answer at all. Of that, how-
ever, hereafter. I have now only to declare that
nothing whstever shall either coax or intimidate me
from the performance of such a duty as the conduct I.
every day see proofs of in the treatment of the poor
imposes upon me in my capacity as chief magistrate of
this City.
Alderman FAREBROTUER.—I fully agree with you in
the expression of these sentiments. We unfortunately
see in our experience as magistrates afflicting instances
of the punishment of poverty as a crime. These three
girls appear to me to be strongly entitled to our com-
passion, and the keeper of the Giltspur-street Compter
will receive instructions to take care of them until the
necessary inquiries shall have been made.
THE RULES AND BYE-LAWS FOR THE REGULATION
OF THE WATERDIEN AND LIGHTERMEN OF THE RIVER
THAMES.—The LORD MAYOR said he considered it to
be necessary, in order to give mutter of so much im-
portance to the community the greatest publicity, and
to do away with the possibility of excuse upon the
part of those whom the new steam-vessel regulations
were particularly to affect, that he should read the most
essential rules and bye-laws which had been pissed by
the Court of Aldermen, and allowed by Baron Platt.
His Lordship then read the regulations which im-
posed penalties upon over-crowding steamers, and upon
dangerously rapid transit through the river. The sub-
stance is as follows :

" That no steam or sailing boat, navigated for hire or
gain between Yantlet Creek and Windsor, shall be
licensed to carry more than one passenger, except
children under the age of seven years, and the crew, for
every four superficial feet of the deck, to be measured
within the gunwales, deducting from the gross admea-
surement one-tenth part thereof for the companions,
skylights, steam-chests, &c., upon the deck. And if any
violation of this rule take place, the person in command
shall forfeit and pay, for every passenger exceeding such
number, any sum not exceeding forty shillings.
" That if any person act as master or captain without
being licensed, he shall forfeit and pay any sum not ex-
ceeding 51. for each trip."
" That no steam-boat of 200 tons burthen or upwards,
registered tonnage, shall be navigated westward of
George's-stairs, Deptford, at a greater speed than at the
rate of six miles in an hour with the tide, nor more than
four miles in an hour against the tide. And that no
steam-boat of less than 200 tons burthen, registered