The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-24 00:00:00

Gateshead, the members for the boroughs and county,
the Mayor of Sunderland, a great number of the leading
shipowners, coalowners, and merchants on the Tyne, and
other leading persons connected with the trade of the
district, with a large body of seamen and fishermen,
headed by bands,. banners, &c., marched to the railway
station to meet the duke, who reached Shields about
half-past twelve o'clock, in his carriage, accompanied by
Sir T. Rerbert, M.P., and Mr. Bartlewan, the chair-
man of the committee of the Sailors' Home. His Grace
was received by the large concourse of people with im-
mense cheering, and the rrocession proceeded to the
Sailors' Home amid the ringing of the church bells and
the firing of cannon from a large fleet of merchant ves•
sels in the river, which, from an early hour in the morn-
ing, bad been decorated with flags. The Home is
situated on the New-quay, and commands a very fine
view of Shields harbour. It is admirably located as a
home and place of accommodation for seamen, and is
A truly uubte St/Mature. will ooeb the Duko of
Iforthwnberland between 8,0001. and 9,0001., and,
as has been before stated in The Sun, is a free gift to
the port, the merchants, shipowners, and other inhabi-
tants of the district contributing 3,0001. to its endow-
ment ; thus enabling the managers of the institution to
offer, better accommodation, at a lower rate, to the sea-
men than the crimps and publicans who have heretofore
taken in sailors to lodge, and -in too many instances
"done 7 for them, in the miserable low streets of tE•
town, a"sort of Tyne Wapping. The basement storey of
the building is occupied as a shipping-office, sailors'money-
order-office„ and saving-bank, the two latter established
by the Board of Trade. There are also in the same range
a largekitchen for cooking dinners for 150 seamen, baths,
and an extensive laundry, fitted up in a superior manner.
The other storeys of the building contain large dining
rooms, smoking rooms, a long room for meetings, a
reading room, a hospital for the sick, a navigation school,
a large warehouse for storing seamen's effects, and dor-
mitories for 150 men. It is fitted up with every regard
to 'the comfort and"convenience of the class for whom

it is intended, and the establishment is the result of
the most comprehensive effort that has yet been under-
taken in the north-eastern ports to improve the social
habits of the seafaring population. But for the munifi-
cence of the Duke of Northumberland the erection of
such a building might not have been accomplished for
some yours to c)me.

Shortly after the procession reached the Home the cor•
porate bodies and other leading inhabitants met in the
Long-room by invitation of
_the committee, and several
addresses were presented to his Grace.
The whole of the addresses having been presented,
His GRACE advanced to the front of the platform,
and was saluted with immense cheering. He said—
Gentlemen, when I was invited to take the chair at
this meeting I certainly was prepared for a statement
from the executive committee as to the proceedings of
the Sailors' Honie, and an expression of their satis-
faction at the happy completion of this part of their

labours—(eheers)--but I was not prepared for an ad-

dress from the Mayor and corporation, nor that from

the Mayor and corporation of South Shields, nor
for the address I have just received from Cullercoats. I

can only say to you, gentlemen, collectively and indivi-

dually, that I offer to you my most sincere thanks and
acknowledgments, not only for the honour conferred

upon me, but also for the manner in which yonr appro.
val has been expressed. (Cheers.) As to this building

and the accommodation which it may afford to seamen,

you have an opportunity of examining and judging for

yourselves. It appears that it will bold 150 seamen,
and, although only 60 cabins are now ready, others may
be got ready as required. (Cheers.) I have heard witti
great satisfaction the statement of the executive corn-

mittee as to the rapid increase in the tonnage registered
in the Tyne, amounting :to 406,350 tons within the

yea: 1855, being I.llth of the tonnage of the United

Kingdom, and, as expressed by the Mayor of Tyne-
mouth, nearly equal to half the sailing tonnage of

Scotland, and more than the whole of Ireland.

Loud cheers.) It is also a matter of very great

surprise that there are 216 steam vessels in- the
Tyne. In the year 1814 the first steamvessel was

built upon the Tyne, and I think upon Ascension-

day it was launched in honour of the procession of the
conservators of the river. We must not forget either the
great increase in the foreign trade of this port. In the
year 1855 of our staple commodity, coals and coke, there
were exported foreign 1,577,975 tons, while in 1840, 15
years before, only one-third of that quantity was ex
ported. Besides other advantages there are now between
these important towns of ,North and South Shields three

steam ferries, and railwaycommunication was completed
in 1539 with Newcastle, and thence to the whole king•

dom. Gentlemen, I trust that all tho improvements of
the Tyne will continue—(cheers)—that the improvements

which are now taking place at the mouth of the Tyne
by the formation of piers, the deepening of the channel
of the river, and the proposed docks upon its banks, will
facilitate and increase material advantages to all. (Loud
cheers.) But to revert once more to this institution, and
to its intended inmates, I am sorry to say that the
sailor, who exhibits his skill, perseverance, and daring
on board, and overcomes all the difficulties of the
seafaring life, when he comes on shore falls too often
into tho %ands of those who wish him ill. He is careless
of his earnings, and to him is not inapplicable that line
of Dry den'e,—
" Seved from the sea, but shipwrecked on the shore."
(Applause.) It bas been wisely determined to establish
in connection with this institution a savings-bank, where
the eeaman may deposit his earrings, and remit theta to
his family as he thinks fit. There are also schools ta-
blished under the pa(roeage of the Government, but
there is one thing more. While we look after the sailor's
comfort, his health, and his pecuniary affairs, let us not
forget that which is of more essential importance—bis
religion and morals. (Applause.) I wish to bring that
point particularly under your notice. It is quite certain
that we should leave men not only happier, but better
than they were before ; for this is the only principle of
doing good. In that, by the blessing of God, we shall suc-
ceed, as we have in founding this institution. And now
I have only to declare that the Sailors' Home is open
to the sailors of vessels entering the port of Tyne.
(Loud cheers.)
The meeting concluded with three times three for the
Duke, and one more for the Duchess. The procession
then re-formed and proceeded to the Albion Assembly-
rooms, where a dinner in honour of the event was given.
Precisely at three o'clock his Grace the Duke of
Northumberland entered the rooms, where he was greeted
by vociferous cheering from the 500 gentlemen who sat
down to partake of the repast provided. The rooms were
beautifully decorated with evergreens, feral designs, and
naval emblems ; at one end was stationed the band of
the Northumberland Yeomanry Cavalry, which at inter
vats enlivened the proceedings with numerous martial
airs, while the piper attached to Alnwick Castle paraded
the apartment and excited a good deal of interest. His
Grace presided, supported by Mr. Alderman Bargeman,
Mr. Robert Ingham, M.P.,
and on the left by the
Mr. W. S. Lindsay, M.P.,
Mr. T. E. Headlam, M.P., Sir M. W. Ridley, Bart.,
Mayor of Tynernouth, Mr. H. G.
Liddell,
BMarf.:pt. Hall, of
H.M.S.scaMr-Hu ghTi Blenheim';Walteraylor,Sirand
Riddell,
theß.
vice-chairs were occupied by Mr. Alderman Pow, Mr.
J. Dryden, and Mr. J. Straker.
The cloth having been removed, and the usual loyal
and patriotic toasts having been disposed of,
M. Alderman BARTLEMAN rose and expressed regret
that the railss ay arrangements prevented the noble chair-
man's further stay among them, and returned thanks on
the part of the inhabitants of the town of Shields for the
honour they bad received by his Grace's visit and for his
liberality in coming forward to support an institution
like that they had just oponed for the benefit of the sea-
men entering the port. He concluded by proposing his
grace's health, which was drunk with three times three.
The noble CHAIRMAN, in reply, said—Gentlemen, I
sincerely thank you for the kind reception you have
given me here, in this your town, to-day. Indeed, I will
not waste words t express to you what I feel ; but it
has been a source of great gratification to me to-day to
seethe way in which all classes have met to show their
sympathies with and appreciation of the British sailor,