The Sun.
London, England, 1834-02-03 00:00:00

THAMES POLICE.

THE IRISH PAUPER RECEIVING SHIP.—Soon
after the sitting Magistrates, Mr. BRODERIP and
Mr. CONDE, had taken their seats, the former gen-
tleman sent for Mr. Evans, the principal surveyor of
Thames Police, and said he understood all was not
right on board the pauper receiving ship, which is
moored opposite the office of this establishment, and
that he had been given to understand that men,
women, and children were promiscuously inter-
mingled. If such were the case it was highly im-
proper, and he requested Mr. Evans to go on board
and ascertain the state of the vessel.

Mr. Evans immediately proceeded on board and
inspected the vessel, where his presence created no
little astonishment. On his return, late in the af-
ternoon, he said it was quite true that there was no
separation of the sexes. There were about forty
paupers, men, women, and children, on beard, who
all slept in the hold, and Mr. Evans said a great
many had been there for three weeks. They were
prohibited from leaving the ship.
Mr. BRODERIP said it was really too bad. It
was removing the only distance between the pauper
and criminal, and punishing poverty as a crime. He
hitd a strong objection to the new plan of removing
the Scotch and Irish paupers in all its bearings, and
what he had just heard confirmed his objections.
He then inquired what was the cause of the paupers
being kept so long on board ?
. _

.
Mr. Evans said that he understood the contractor
intended to keep them until a certain number had
accumulated, when they would be all sent away
together.
Mr. BRODERIP asked if there was any discontent
among the paupers at being kept on board so long ?
Mr. Evans said that one man was somewhat excited
on the subject, and was violent at being kept on
board for three weeks. The man also complained
that the allowance of food was not sufficient.
Mr. BRODERIP—What is the allowance? Mr.
Evans—One pound of bread and four ounces of
cheese per day. The man said his children could
eat their allowance for breakfast, and were obliged
to abstain from food during the rest of the day.
_

Mr. BRODERIP said a pound of bread and four
ounces of cheese per diem was not sufficient; some-
thing else ought to be allowed. He inquired about
the sleeping accommodations ? Mr. Evans said the
paupers had nothing to sleep upon but straw.
Mr. BRODERIP—And have they no covering ?
Mr. Evans said they had not.

Mr. BRODERIP—Then the fact is they all lie
huddled together in the hold of a ship with no cover-
ing, and nothing but straw to rest upon. Really an
alteration ought to take place.
Mr. Evans said the thing most wanted on board
was ventilation. Besides, the vessel appeared to
be too cold, and he had suggested to the persons in
charge of the ship that a stove ought to be placed
in the hold.

Mr. BRODERIP said the paupers in this ship ap-
peared to be treated much worse than the prisoners
in the House of Correction. No regard seemed to
be paid to the classification, cleanliness, or comfort of
the poor creatures. If an alteration did not take
place the worst of diseases or fever might be engen-
dered by the indiscriminate huddling together of so
many persons in the hold of a ship, with such
meagre sustenance. It was well known that the
swarms of Irish who emigrated to England were
generally in a very filthy condition, and that many
were in a state of disease when they applied to a
Magistrate to be passed. Before they were allowed
to sleep in one common place some purifying process
should be adopted. Was anything of that kind done?
Mr. Evans said he believed not.

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suggested
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would bring the subject before the notice of the
o the
Justices in Quarter Sessions, who had the power of
making regulations for the removal of Scotch and
Irish paupers.
Mr. BRODERIP said he was so much occupied
with his public duties that he had no time to attend
the Sessions. He threw out these hints publicly
as a police magistrate, and those who had the power
of remedying the evil ought to attend to the sub-
ject. He asked Mr. Evans who was the contractor
for shipping and exporting the paupers ? Mr. Evans
said that Mr. Baker, a barrister, of Barnard's Inn,
was the contractor.

Mr. BRODERIP (surprised)—Who, a barrister?
Does a barrister contract for the removal of paupers?
Mr. Evans---Ye, Sir.
Mr. COMAE agreed with his colleague that the
male and female paupers should be separated, except
in cases of man and wife; that a classification ought
to be adopted, and that the paupers ought to be
provided with some clothing.
Mr. BRODERIP again deprecated the new system
of passing the paupers, and gave directions to Mr.
Evans, which terminated the conversation.

A short time since a man who had been at-
tending a dissenting place of worship near this town fell
asleep whilst the sermon was preaching, and in a few mi-
nutes vociferated, with a voice which completely drowned
that of the preacher's,—" Come, landlord, bring us another
'quart !" The shame he felt on being aroused may Le easily
imagined.—,Mvizes Paper.