The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-29 00:00:00

been drunk, the next toa Wag gi Commercia' 1 Tra-
?!sellers."
Mr. JAMES HUGHES, in
responding, observed that
there were two classes of
comrriedrlsial travellers oT
which he had to treat—those
who
those who did not. Of the former ibdestsmuibgshctribbee aanld.
oanned unturned
lowed to say that they would leave no
to add to the list of subscribers;
Providence blessed their exertions and e thl at as
their means they would increase their arg
own
r
scriptions, and devote more time to theinterestssu
of
the institution.—(Cheers.) As for those who did
not
subscribe, be could only wish that they had been pre..
sent when the children passed round the room, and had
seen what a sacrifice of happiness and gratification
they made in not doing what they could to assist
these schools.—(Cheers.) He had taken a little pains
to ascertain what were their reasons for not support-
them. One said he could not afford it; but really to
say that a commercial man could not save a guinea a
year must be a joke ?—(Hear.) Why, what was it ?
Half a glass of wine less a week, a cigar less in four
days, travelling three or four short stages in a
second class carriage instead of a first, or in a
third instead of a second. In short, it was the
accomplishment of the desperate feat of saving two-
thirds of a penny a day.—(Loud laughter.) Why,
he had once met one gentleman who might have
saved it in whips, and his horses he none the
worse for it; and another who might have saved it in
pills, and been himself all the better for it.—(Loud
laughter and applause.) A guinea a year would be
a °trial' matter to them. They were not likely to
found
a profitable business with it; they could no t
purchase much reputation, acquire much learning, or
procure
much comfort or enjoyment with it ; but it
might contribute much to the support and education
of the children
of those with whom they might per-
haps have
associated with that extreme intimacy so
peculiar to the
commercial room.—(Hear.) Others
had declined to subscribe on the ground that they
should never marry. But he who could deliberately
make such a declaration in the face of the girls of
this country was a man that w
out of the world with only f his errand—that was
as determined to go
like a boy who having
had a cook'spastry shop left
him, was content to eat all
cruststhe
epas y
and -to leave the
laughter.) sweets untasted.—(Loud In short, he
was a. =etch whom it
were
a tensible' Inan.—(Loud c gross flattery
hT to
erio
Others, again,
call
said they could provide for their own children, but
let none think himself above the reach of adversity.
(Hear, hear.) Their worthy secret could tell
them that there were in their school several children
whose fathers were laid low in the hour of their
prosperity—nay, almost in that of their boasting.—
(Cheers.) A third class declined to subscribe because
they thought the schools would never be of any ser-
vice to themselves. But surely if that spirit" were
general, who would subscribe to asylums for idiots,
to hospitals for accidents, or to institutions for the
blind, but such as expected to lose their senses, to
break a limb, or to be deprived or their sight—en other
words no one, for none anticipated misfortunes for
themselves ? Commercial men ought to remember
that they could not, on the ground of their insignifi-
cance, lay claim to exemption from the duties that
belonged to most other communities. If weighed in
the scale of society by their numbers (about 30,000),
they were no small body to be following one
pursuit. If, again, they were considered with
reference to their distinctions, talents, or
notoriety, they might say that some of the head •
partners of the chief mercantile firms had been com-
mercial travellers in their time—that Michael
Thomas Sadler,. the first powerful friend of the fac-
tory girl—Richard Cobden, and, he believed he
might add, the Right Rom the Lord Mayor, who
had so kindly consented to preside over them, were all
commercial travellers.—(Cheers) Might be not add
that her Majesty's ambassadors abroad were commer-
cial travellers—slightly magnified.-- (Laughter.)
They negotiated commercial treaties—so did they.
They sometimes quarrelled with their customers—so
did they. They attended banquets and ate good din-
ners—so did they. They had many servants to wait
on them—so had they. They were well paid—so
were they. They sometimes got discharged—so did
they.—(Laughter.) Lastly, they obtained knight-
hoods and other titles—so might they.—(Laughter.)
He did not despair, in this age of commercial
" go-a-headisms,' that'they might live to read in a
traveller's circular, an announcement that "our Sir
John Smith will wait upon you on or about" such a
day.—(Loud laughter.) Let him now earnestly ap-
peal to the ladies who had done them the honour to
grace their assembly. If the husband of any mar-
ried lady in the gallery did not subscribe to the
schools he hoped the sight of the children that even-
ing would induce her to excite his zeal in the cause.
Every man had some kindly place in his heart some-
where, and most marrried ladies knew where to find
it.—(Cheers and laughter.) With respect to the un-
married, if any non subscribing commercial swain
should solicit their heart and hand, let them tell him
that there was a lesson of love to learn before he
could count upon their smiles.—(Cries of " Hear,
hear.") Let them forbid him to approach their
presence unless he brought with him the talismanic
' receipt of their worthy secretary for at least a guinea's
subscription ; for let them be assured, the traveller
who cculi let pass such an opportunity of
doing good as these schools afforded was not com-
posed of the right materials to make a good hus-
band.—(Cheers and laughter.) Common prudence,
simple economy and self-defence, ought to make the
commercial body exert themselves to support this in-
stitution. Who, but the men whose childhood had
been neglected, and whose education uncared for,
filled for the most part, our gaols, and made up the
multitude of the disaffected ?—(Cheers.) Many and
many a poor convict ending his days in exile and de-
spair might with justice retort upon society, whose
laws he had outraged, and exclaim, "I was ignorant and
you did not teach me; my path was beset with snares
and quicksands, and you did not help me. Had you •
cared more for my childhood I ban been a better man.
—(Cheers.) There was yet another reason why it
would be well for them to be among the charitable
and benevolent. Let any man look back upon a long
life and ask himself what circumstance he could re-
member tbat afforded him the most genuine happiness.
It would not be any pecuniary success, any fortunate
speculation, any convivial party, or wide-known
distinction ; but it would be the remembrance of
some unselfish benevolent'action by which he has borne
some other's burden, and by which he has conferred
happiness on the unfortunate members of that great
family of which they all formed a part.—(Loud
cheers.) They frequently saw in the newspapers that
some conscientious gentleman has sent a sum of
money to the Chancellor of the Exehequer for " con-
science money." Now, conscience ought to teach
them that it was as much their duty to support their
poor neighbour as to pay their taxes—(Hear, hear,
and laughter)—and if, therefore, any one bad an idea
of sending money to the Chancellor of the Exchequer
he had better alter his mind and forward it to the
treasurer of this institution.— (Laughter.) It would,
probably, do him as much good here and hereafter,
and the immediate results would be much more ap-
parent to his friends.—(Cheers.) He (Mr. Hughes)
could not sit down without thanking, on behalf of the
commercial body, those of their friends (not travellers)
who, by devoting so much of their time, talents, and
money to the institution, had raised it to the height of
prosperity it enjoyed. They had had contributions
both from ladies and gentlemen, of money, of music,
and of verse—contributions, in short, of everything
that kind-heartedness could suggest and able gene-
rosity carry out; and he moat earnestly prayed that
He, the all disposer of events—He " who is a father
to the fatherless and a consolation to the widow"
might bless those contributions, and
make this branch '
of the wide-spreading tree of charity that adorned
our country as prosperous as they could wish, until
every poor traveller's child should be provided for,
and until a traveller's widow in anxiety about the
future of her offspring should not exist but in a tall
that was told as a remembrance of yesterday.—(ll°a"
and long-continued cheering.) " Tne Nation al Mercantile Assurance 011100," " The
Honorary and Medical Officers," and " The Stewards
and Stewards Elect" were also toasted before the
party broke up.

NEW STEAM AA
':----1•101---41 AcTla .—On Wednesday
next the New Steam AVl(?gaistion Act, passed in August last,
Navigation
other Acts on the same sub-
vill come into fog:Victoria, chap. 100, and 11th and 12th
lect (9th aad 81)
Victoria, will be repealed. The laws relating to
navigation are now consolidated, so that they are to
steam oa••4 his an advantage—in one statute. The Act,
d - which is
be fowl
stating the Board
after
rve that the naval department of of
Trade is to assist in the execution of the Act, treats of the
vessels and the number of passengers they
sure to carry; of the build of iron steamers; of safety valves
ofa boats, &c., in sea-going vessels ;of lights, and provisions
survey of steamng .
.
against accidents from collision; of the inspection of steam
vessels, and of legal proceedings, with other miscellaneous
matters. On all these subjects there are various provisions
to render complete steam navigation. The Board of Trade
is to fix the number of passengers for all steamers, and after
the 31st of March steam vessels are required to carry safety
valves, out of the control of the engineer, which valves are
to be deemed a necessary part of the machinery of a vessel
upon which the surveyor-general is to report. This regula-
tion has been ordered for the additional safety of the pas-
sengers.

DARING ROBBERY AT SAFTRON WALD/N.—Oa
Tuesday morning, about four o'clock, the shop
Kent, jeweller and silversmith, iu High-street, was entered
by thieves, who gained an entrance by breakingatdbenlargge
the lath and plaster wall, by which a hole was n 2
ewnaosu
sleepingg h to admit
in a o
room
0 ao
mm man toth
e gamecreep t hi; oo
on
rg, of Mr. Henry
Bt: Kent, who
-hi:leering a noise in
the shop, immediately rushed in, wheng behind him a rope
tinguished and the robber escaped,
lesiviczinntosh, a box of luci-
ladder, large cla.spknife, umbrella,
fers, and a large bag, which
was evidently
and a few articles of
the booty in ; a tray of weddinfLe ..
silver were the only goods alarm,
After the thief had
which speedily brought
the
intended light
wasto place -
escaped, Mr. Kent gave ran it was discovered that the rob-
assistance to the P°
8-
ti;climbing over several high walls in
ber had made his east leading" to the almshouses. At pre-
the rear of the pry,ins' 0 the perpetrator of this daring r*
sent no clue exls 5,,
_iti4/4,
i—iford (ra
ibery.,..Che "v`v