The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-04 00:00:00

Mr. R. L. JONES said he was sure the Court would
upon the present occasion maintain the high character it
had acquired for rendering all the assistance they could
give for the promotion of the education of the poorer
classess. For thirty-three years the institution had
been caried on with zeal and energy, and had succeded
in betowing instruction upon multitudes. As to the ad-
mission of children there was no distinction in a religious
point of view. The children of all denominations were
received, and there was to be found no sectarian divi-
sions in the system upon which the principles of educa-
tion were inculcated.—(Hear, hear.) The Court had
so-ne time ago granted a sum as large as that at present
recommended by the committee, in aid of the erection of
ten churches, and the committee were unanimous in
agreeing to the report which was just submitted.
Deputy CORNEY seconded the motion.
Mr. HOOLE said 1,0001. was a very large sum for the
Court to vote.—(Hear.) He did not see how the extra-
vagance of a vote in one instance could justify the ex-
travagance of a vote in another. On the contrary, it
ought to operate as a warning and a lesson. He con-
sidered that the grant of 1001. to each of the six new
school-houses when they should be completed would be
quite sufficient.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. EDRINS was for the grant of the larger sum. The
Corporation had exercised great liberality towards the
institution of the British and Foreign Schools, for the
general education, and he could not see why there
should be any check in the vote for the assistance of an
establishment which applied particularly to the city of
London.

(Mr. W. LAWRENCE said the British and Foreign
Schools extended over all England, while the National
Schools were limited to a district. He expected that a
general change of an important kind would take place
before long in this country.—(Hear, hear.) He con-
sidered the grant of 1,0001. towards the erection of the
ten churches in Spitalfields exceedingly objectionable
indeed. That ought to influence them in the disposal of
the Corporation money. He believed that in the next
session of Parliament the question of education would
assume a very altered shape, and be much better adapted
to the circumstances of the times. More infidels, he
believed, were made by turning the Bible into a class
book and a task book than by any other course.—
(Cries of " Hear, hear," and "No, no.")
Mr. LOTT hoped the Bible would be taught in schools
as well as elsewhere.

Mr. ANDERTON said the expenditure of money on
charities by the Corporation was enormous.
Alderman GIBBS said the National Schools had a
stronger claim upon the Corporation, inasmuch as they,
in a particular manner, benefited the poor children of
the city of London.
MT. PRENDERGAST expressed a doubt as to the wisdom
of some of the grants made by the Corporation. For
instance, he did not consider it wise to vote 5001. to a
poor man to go out to the South Seas to be eaten alive.—
(Hear, hear, and strong expressions of dissent.)
Mr. BENNOCH considered the allusion just made an
outrage to humanity, and that it ought to be treated
with the indignation of the Court. The man who had
lost his life, in his anxiety to do good, was a person of
the highest integrity and complete fearlessness of
nature.

Mr. PRENDERGAST said he had no doubt of the good
qualities of the individual, but those good qualities did
not prevent the savages he was sent to instruct from
eating him, and that ceremony they certainly did per.
form.—(Laughter.) Now he could not see why the
Court of Common Council should send out a man to a
savage country to be devoured.
Mr. R. TAYLOR defended Mr. Prendergast from the
imputation of being desirous to do wrong to the character
of the excellent missionary whose calamity all deplored.
The speech just delivered by Mr. Bennoch might do for
Exeter Hall, but would not answer that Court, as ap-
plied to a gentleman who disputed the wisdom of voting
!coney upon a point of religious quixotism.—(Hear,
hear.) He thought the grant of 1001. to each of the six
schools would be quite sufficient.
Mr. NORRIS would prefer a grant of 1501. for each
school.

Mr. ASBURST said he remembered that a petition was
sent into the Court recently from the clergyman of the
parish of St. Andrew's, Holborn, praying that the Court
would not grant any money for the education of the
poor, except that education was to be under the control
of the clergy. There was a pleasing contrast supplied
in the application for aid in the present case, ali sec-
tarian feeling being expressly disavowed.—(Hear, hear.)
He should vote for the sum recommended by the com-
mittee.

The Court then determined to pay the 1,0001. in aid
of the schools, when they should be respectively co-
vered in.

THE ELIZABETH FRY REFUGE.
The report of the committee recommended the grant
of 500/. in aid of the Elizabeth Fry Refuge for affording
relief to penitent females discharged from prison in a
state of destitution.
Mr. LAWRENCE objected to the recommendation. There
were, he said, several institutions of the kind which
proved to be great failures, and it would be found that
the present one would be as great a failure as any of
those of a more ancient date. He had the highest re •
sptct for Mrs. Fry's character, but she and the ladies
who assisted her were constantly imposed upon by the
clever pretenders to piety, who had early imbibed the
principles of hypocrisy, and acted upon them to per-
fection. He moved the previous question.
Mr. Town seconded the amendment.

Alderman SIDNEY said the committee had unani-
monsly adopted the report, and he hoped it would be
carried in the Court. The association had existed for
several years, and had done immense good. Seven hun-
dred females were relieved annually through the
exertions of the ladies who constituted the philanthropic
body, and the adoption of the system was most ad-
visable, for economical as well as for other reasons, in-
asmuch as the metropolis was saved a large amount of
expenses which would have been incurred by the addi-
tional trials arising from the repetition of offences, if it
were not for the charitable interposition of those of whom
Mrs. Fry had been so long the head.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. R. TAYLOR passed a warm eulogium upon the
character of Mrs. Fry, and advocated the report of the
Committee.

Mr. ASHURST wished the Court to consider the sex of
the parties they wished to serve. He had officially wit-
nessed the extreme misery into which poor women had
fallen, and from which they had been raised by means of
the ladies who so deeply interested themselves for the
services of the unfortunate creatures. The guilt of the
offending parties was in a great measure attributable to
society, for their poverty and ignorance were the crime
of that society.—(Hear, hear.) -Until .
Government
should produce some large measure of reliet, was the
duty of the Corporation to pity and relieve the distress
which exhibited itself in such painful forms.—(Hear,
hear.) He should vote for the report.
Mr. ANDERTON said it was doubtful whether there
would be any policy in taking up a question which the
Government alone could be thought capable of grasping
The good which could be effected by the Corporation
without such aid would be like a drop of water in the
ocean.

Alderman WOOD said there was considerable difficulty
with re'erence to the principle of the institution. There
were infinite cases of necessity, which made it quite ap-
parent that there should be some institution for the re-
lief and assistance of destitute females. A private insti-
tution, it seemed to him, wanted the necessary control.
To some it might be successfully used as a means of
restoration to society, but there would be many, he ap-
prehended, who would seek it as a means of mere sup-
port, and make it a constant scene of disorder.—(Hear,
hear.) He considered it to be the duty of all who had
opportunities of witnessing the effect of crime to speak
their minds freely upon the subject of prison discipline.
Government ought to take in hand the great question ;
and how was Government to be compelled to take it in
hand? By the energy of the people in taking the lead,
and showing the Government what they ought to do.
—(llear, hear.) An evidence of what he meant
was to be seen in the existing operation of the
poor-law. If that law were properly carried
out by the people, there would necessarily be
an asylum for the unfortunate females who had such un-
questionable claims upon public compassion. At pre-
sent a person in distress was hunted like a wild beast.—
(Hear, hear.) In such a state of things something
ought to be done by the public. Here was a plan which
appeared to be founded upon common sense and com-
mon humanity. Let it be tried, and let the Govern-
ment know what the effect proved to be. Of Mrs. Fry's
virtues, zeal, and piety nobody could speak too highly.
She had made a c mninencernent : would not the Court,
who knew her great qualities, follow the example ?
(Hear.) There was attached to Bethlehem Hospital an
asylum which, in his opinion, presented an instance of
mostjudicious discipline. The inmates were kept in con-
stant employment, and still those who had the liberty to
go begged leave to stay. The success of that institution
was an additional reason for trying the experiment, the
merits of which they were discussing.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. J. H. HALL said, he could not help saying that
some check must be given to the disposition of the
,Cor-
i poration to dip their fingers deeply in the public purse.
He hoped the amendment would be adopted.
Mr. CASH hoped the original motion would be carried.
Mr. WILLIAMS feared the institution projected would
not meet the wants and necessities of the case. He
heard that it was the intention to give the females
accommodati‘ni for no more than a few hours.—(Cries
of " No, no.")
Mr PENDERGAST said, the institution appeared to
him to be calculated to do both good and harm. There
was no doubt at all as to the fact that some honest people
obtained relief by managing to get into prison.
Mr. WIRE, in a long and able speech, supported the
rt-p.)rt. The darkest day a poor girl now saw was not
the day in which she was taken to prison, bnt the day on
which she left it ; for her departure was without the
hope of bread, or the chance of sympathy.
The previous questions was then put and lost, and
finatly, the grant of 200
guineas was carried, and after
the transaction of some less important business, the
Court adjourned at a. late hour.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.
Regulation to be observed by all ships entering Brest Road
s.
British Consulate, Brest, July 24.
A vessel was recently fired at three times, in consequence
of neglecting to heave-to when hailed by the guard-ship. To
prevent this recurring, it is necessary that the following regu-
lation, common to all French military ports, should be strictly
attended to ; _

Regulation referred to.
'• All ships entering Lire,t Roads are to steer for the guard-
.thip, which is the outermost anchored ship, and is known by
her having a white and blue broad pennant at her fore, and
by her having jury topmasts.
" The ship coming in is hailed from the guard-ship, and
told where to anchor. A yellow flag is sent on board, and
must be kept flying until the vessel is releasadfrom quaran-
ine by an officer of the Board of Health, whose boat comes
sfr from Brest as soon as possible."

Captain J. %V. Stevens, 1-toyai Marine Artillery, had
an interview yesterday with th© Chancellor of the
Exchequer.