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 attendance of members. On
the notion of Sir Moses Montefiora, Lord Stanley,
M.P., 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 :—"
ee
the accounts r
have the honour to acquaint your lordship that her
Majesty's
distress in which the late troubles in Syria have
involved the Christian population, have agreed
otvheartn
hmaevnet ,
reached t aking int o
them considerationofth e
v
to place at the disposal of your lordship,
as chairman of the general committee of the
G
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 kad
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 C lIAIRMAN 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. MONTEPIORE 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
and agreed to.
Dr. HODGSON moved a resolution containing a
vote of thanks to the Queen, the Prince Consort,
and the Duchess of Lent 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., and agreed to.
Mr. BALL moved a resolution, expressive of the
satisfaction of the meeting at the liberal donation
of £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 hope 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 bad 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, tut 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 wpon them.
Tho Ptvaaedings then terminated.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY MORNING.

LETTER FROM THE POPE TO DR. MAC HALE.

The Ultramontane morning journals publish the
following translation of a letter from the Pope, in
reply to an epistle from Dr. Mac Hale, 4‘ enclosing
a sum of £l,OOO, making a total of £3,000 contri-
buted to the Papal fund by the Archdiocess of
Tuam"

" Venerable Brother,—After the receipt of the
£2,000 which you sent us in the name of your
clergy and faithful people, we are now in receipt
of £l,OOO more in the name of the same clergy and
people, accompanied with your most dutifi' And
affectionate letter of the 28th of Octolmr, exhibiting
in the clearest point of.ricr,, your anxious solicitude
as as well as that of the faithful, to relieve the n.ene,_,
bake of the Holy See. But, as we are ttequrele r`"
ver-
with the singular fidelity, attachment, pd
once towards us and this Holy See by
ded that
are distinguished, we are thereforaenpers
waushieh you
ti
siiiietion on
you are overwhelmed with
account of the wicked and ungsthri
itter war upon the
unheard-of attempts by
which enemies, waging
Church, on this
a °Holy. See, and on our-
Catholicau right, human and
selves, and trampling
usurp ours and the Holy
divine, assail, invade,
it
,
Go on, then, venerable
See's civil Princia ,
biesdiech the Almighty God to
brother, pray
own cause, to humble all the
rise and judgeis
His
enz,mies of
tjet Ciurch and of this Holy See, and
back by His :omnipotent power to
to bring truth and justice and of salvation, and
the paths ot
to,
strengthen, and console us all our tribu•
to
And, cousi.d ering the confusion and ini-
lations
quity o.f
the times, the direful hostility to our
divine religion, which they display, and your well-
known piety and episcopal zeal, you will not fail
to defend the causz, of the same religion, to provide
most carefully for the safety of your flock, to refute
the multiplied and destructive errors, to expose the
frauds, and to render harmless the missiles of its
foes. Ile convinced of our special regard towards
you, of which we wish that the Apostolical Bene-
diction should be a pledge, which, from thebottom
of our heart, we very affectionately bestow 2n,tyyaiou,
venerable brother, and all the clergy and laity
committed to your care. ~/oyeniber,
" Given at St. Peter's, the 15th or
1860, in the 15th year of our pontifietteiirs ix.
To our Venerable Brother, John Archbishop.
of Turn."