The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-13 00:00:00

BRITISH SYRIAN RELIEF FUND.

Yesterday a meeting of the General Committee
for the relief of the suffering Christians in Syria
was held at the Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi, for the
purpose of receiving a report from the executive
committee respecting their operations, and the ap-
plication of the fund placed at their disposal.
There was but a small delkindance of members. On
the motion of Sir Moses Montefiore, Lord Stanley,
MY., was called to the chair. - -
Mr. C. R. EDMONDS, the secretary, read a letter
from Lord Stratford de Redcliffe to the president
explaining that he was prevented from attending
by indisposition, and enclosing a communication
from Lord John Russell announcing a subscription
of £5,000 from the Government in aid of the fund.
The letter from Lord John Russell, which was ad-
dressed to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, said :—" I
have the honour to acquaint your lordship that her
Majesty's Government, taking into consideration
the accounts that have reached them of the severe
distress in which the late troubles in Syria have
involved the Christian population, have agreed
to place 'at the disposal of your lordship,
as chairman of the general committee of the
Syrian Fund, the sum of £5,000, and I have no
doubt that Parliament will approve their decision
in this respect under the special circumstances that
have led to its being adopted."
The report of the executive committee was then
read. It stated that a sum of £23,000 had been
subscribed towards the fund, of which £15,000 had
been transmitted to Beyrout for the relief of the
Syrian sufferers, and £2,500 invested in the Three
per Cents. as a reserved fund. It also detailed the
measures that had been taken to raise subscriptions
and donations of blankets, &c., throughout the
country; stated that Lord John Russell had given
the committee the free use of the Foreign-office
telegraph to Constantinople, and had given two
donations of £5O each to the funds; and concluded
with mentioning the subscription of £5,000 by her
Majesty's Government—a circumstance which had
only come to the knowledge of the committee that
morning.
The CHAIRMAN said it was evident that great
activity had been shown by the committee, and it
was worthy of notice that not a single complaint
had been heard from any quarter of partiality or
neglect of duty on the part of those charged with
the distribution of the funds.
Sir M. MONTEFIORE moved that the report be
received and adopted, and that steps should be
taken, by the formation of sub-committees, to raise
subscriptions in every town in the kingdom.
The motion was seconded by Colonel WALKER
end agreed to.
Dr. HODGSON moved a resolution containing a
vote of thanks to the Queen, the Prince Consort,
and the Duchess of Kent for the interest they had
taken in the fund and the liberal contributions
they had made.
The resolution was seconded by Mr. Alderman
SALOMONS, M.P., end agreed to.
Mr. BALL moved a resolution, expressive of the
satisfaction of the meeting at the liberal donation
o; £5,000 paid by the Government, which was
seconded by Major SCOTT PHILLIPS, and agreed to.
The Rev. J. WADDINGTON proposed a vote of
thanks to Lord John Russell for his contribution
of £lOO towards the funds, and for the facilities he
had invariably afforded the committee in commu-
nicating with Syria.
Sir C. EARDLEY seconded the motion, and ob-
served that no public subscription had ever been
administered with greater fairness and impartiality
than the present. The committee were perfectly
satisfied that all the money sent from England had
been applied in the manner intended by the donors,
and he believed the percentage of expense would
be smaller than had ever been experienced in any
previous subscription. The only
.question was
whether the fund would not prove insufficient for
the end in view. Contributions had no doubt been
sent from America, Germany, and other quarters,
but still the amount of destitution was so great that
they could not help being anxious on that point.
The number of persons relieved was nearer 30,000
than 20,000 per day, and he hoped the effect of the
day's meeting would be to freshen the energies of
all in adding to the fund.
The resolution was agreed to.
A resolution was next moved by Dr. HODGKINS,
acknowledging the assistance received from foreign
countries, and the mover specified particularly those
received from French Protestants and from Den-
mark.
Sir C. EARDLEY explained that the reason why
the French Protestants had sent their subscriptions
through the British Committee was that they knew
the fund would through that channel be distributed
without any reference whatever to distinction of
sects.

The resolution was agreed to, as was also a vote
of thanks to the chairman.
Lord STANLEY, in acknowledging the vote of
thanks, expressed a hops that when the accounts
were made up care would be taken to mark off how
much had been applied to charitable purposes and
how much had gone for expenses. He observed
that no fewer than 27,000 persons had been in the
receipt of aid, but he had not heard it stated
whether any attempt had been made to give em-
ployment as well as relief. Some persons might
consider the sum raised a small one, but it should
be borne in mind- that we were not in any way
responsible for the disasters that had occurred in
Syria, and there were many who in such circum-
stances might consider that claims at home had a
prior claim upon them.
The proceedings then terminated.