The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-14 00:00:00

The London Labouring Classes.

yesterday the Right lion. C. P. Villiers, M.P.,
the President of the Poor-law Board, received a
deputation of members of London Guardian Boards,
who had agreed to confer with him on tin
destruction by railway companies and other
bodies of house properly occupied by the
London labouring classes. There were present
with the President—Lord Enfield, M.P., Mr. H. B.
Farnall, C. 8., Mr. Rawl;nson, C. 8., Mr. Lumley,
and Mr. Fletcher ; and the assistant-secretaries, Mr.
Owen and Mr. Sutton. Many of the chief metro-
politan parishes were represented by the deputation,
among the members of wh;ch were Mr. Wilkinson,
Mr. J. S. Storr, Mr. Bonthorn, and Mr. Hanson.
Mr. Kilner, the clerk to the Strand Union, read the
memorial, which stated that " the memorialists,
having recently *_nvestig,aied the present state of the
house and lodging accommodation for the labouring
and poorer classes within their respective distiicts,
feel it their duty to report that the dwellings or the
poor classes in the city are for the most part unsuit-
able for their requirements, that great overcrowding
prevails, and that owing to recent demolitions the
rentals are very much higher than formerly." These
homes of the people, the memorial went on to state,
caused increased of disease, immorality, and pau-
perism, and checked all progress towards a higher
civilise tion ; thus increasing the poor-rates, while
decreasing the number of those who might be called
ratepayers. The memorial called attention to the
large number of bills for new metropolitan railways
and other schemes to be laid before the Legislature,
and expressed the opinion of the memorialists, that
if any great proportion of these bills were sanc-
tioned without provision being -made on an adequate
scale for the poor who will be dispossessed of their
homes much further suffering would be inflicted on
the poor, and a heavy penalty would fa" upon the
ratepayers and the guardians. It was recommended
that corporations, limited owners, and others, should
have increased powers to sell lands for the erection of
dwellings for labourers, that the Public Loan Com-
missioners should be authorised to lend money at a rate
not exceeding 3i per cent. per annum for building
such dwellings, and that in future railway acts and
acts for local improvements,when housesinhabitedby
the working classes were destroyed under compulsory
powers; such companies should be compelled to pro-
vide within a convenient distance other dwellings in
lieu of those destroyed. In reply to questions put by
the presidentMr.Wilkinson and Mr. Kilner stated that
meetings had been held of the London guardians,
who moved in this matter in the general interests of
the ratepayers, as it was felt that this destruction of
the dwellings of the lower and labouring classes
leads to many evils, as overcrowding, fever-breed-
ing, and such like, which increases pauperism. Mr.
Kilner, in answer to such interrogatories, said it
was within his own knowledge that the dwellings of
the people in the Strand district were in a very bad
condition, and the destruction of dwellings for the
new law ccurts would make the overcrowding in the
houses not to be pulled down very great indeed.
The President asked if large numbers of the people
were not now carried out to the suburbs by the rail-
ways at a very low rate, so giving them opportu-
nities of reaching their work in the morning and
returning in the evening, to which it was replied that
such was the case to some extent, but that it was
imperative on large numbers of people to live near
their work. That large buildings could be erected
in town with advantage was shown in the fact that
Mr. Waterlow's buildings and those erected by the
Peabody Trustees had given a profit on the expen-
diture, besides giving the people healthy and com-
fortable homes ; but this was a speculation which
would not be engaged in by capitalists. The Presi-
dent asked if the guardians contemplated taking
this matter into their own hands, and offer to mort-
gage the rates as security for money advanced, and
some gentlemen replied that they had no idea of
mortgaging the rates. They thought that the land
and building material would be sufficient security
for all money advanced, and instanced the case of
Liverpool, where it was said the corporation had
borrowed money to improve the dwellings of the
poor. Mr. Wilkinson said there were many places
in a very bad condition, which by a comparatively
small expenditure might be madeheaclz gritabelaet;goanodd
taking the subject in its broadest aspect,
ulaAstionitifwgasu,arpdieoapnles
would accrue to the genera piotp.
had this power and exercised l
who worked in the docks and at Billingsgate came
to live in the Strand district, where they had bad
a matter for these connected accommodation and paid veryeted dNevairthly
t;hane
Poor
-lwawas,
as the people's he
underra
rates. The
Tuaihesery
the pauper and they became alth
chargeablebroke
in-
dependent poor and to the
out-door poor were,
he said, very closely connected, and the one class
ran into the other. Mr. Lumley asked if the owners
of the low class property would not themselves, in
self-interest, improve the dwellings so as to make
them
pay better ; and if the guardians proposed to
obtain compulsory powers to become collectively
houseowners, to which it was replied that it was not
contemplated to make the guardians the permanent
owners of lodging-house or other property and
Mr. Bonthorn, one of the guardians of St. James's,
Westminster, gave a description of the shocking
dwellings he and other guardians visited in discharge
of their duties as honorary relieving officers, and
expressed the opinion that if some of the inferior
dwellings in his parish could be cleared away, far
more commodious dwellings could be erected on the
same spaces of ground. The present dwellings were
in the hands of about three persons, the landlord, a
middleman, and then a third sort of middleman,
and the poor people paid a most exorbitant rent for
bad• accommodation. Mr. Hanson urged that all
railway companies should be compelled to erect
dwellings in place of those they destroyed, and said

Tsp
APEH
the Metropolitan Extensions ha Igat.
of all the evils. Mr. Lumley , •what riZ4
they proposed to deal with the Z,i;'pora.ti:;-'4 A 174
h;/-
made new streets, and Mr. Sto rimji.pd t
Vre, corporations did not destroy the homrao' -
ing man so much as the railways, f* theU woal
not propose to come through a place like Whitehall,
but they went round the " slums" and the poor
districts. He answered, in reply to Mr. Farnall, that
he knew the railway companies paid compensation
to the owners and lessees of all house property ; and
in answer to a further question by the same gentle-
man, as to whether he would make the companies,
besides paying this compensation to owners, build
other houses for the working-classes, he said that
that was a matter best considered and set right by
the Legislature. Mr. Storr then addressed the Pre-
sident, and said that though the number of the work-
ing people who would have to be turned out for the
new Law Coui;a was set down as 3,082, yet they were
a much greater number, and said every interest had
been watched over--the parish interest, the landlord.
interest, the Church interest, all except the interest
of the dwellers in the houses, who obtained no com-
pensation, and who ought to be protected by the_
Poor Law Board. He held up a bill containing in-
flammatory language, in which his own name had
been printed without his consent, and this, he said,
had been done by an old Chartist agitator, who was,
trying, and not altogether withoutsuccess, to inflame
the minds of the people against what he called the •
" cruel oppression" to which they were exposed in
being turned out of their homes. He thought there
should be a central power to deal with the metropo-
lis and watch over these railway's, which he owned
did some good, but he said there was such a thing as
doing too much good at once, and London, it was
agreed on all hands, had of late been terribly knocked
about. Mr. Rawlinson said there were many plots of
land about the metropolis in which the guardians were
distributing relief amounting to far more than the •
rents received from the houses, and this was in a
great measure owing to the wretched class of dwell-
ings. He believed that if the London guardians had
appointed counsel to watch over their interest before
the committee of the House of Commons they would
have obtained compensation, as had other places in
the country. He was of opinion that where guardians
expended as much money as the landlords received,
they should have thepower of buying such property,
improving it, and selling it—a course which would
benefit all parties, and especially the landlords, who,
he said, were in some cases only one remove from the
tenant in poverty. After a very long and interest-
in,g conversation, the President said the Government
had had their atten,.:on drawn to the subject, which
was one of great importance, and they proposed to
meet some of the difficulties by lending money for
the purpose of erecting dwelling places for the work-
ing classes. As to the clauses which the deputation
asked should be inserted in reilway bills, and such
like questions, they were questions which must re-
main ..or the Legislature to deal with as it thought
proper. The deputation tl-1--)ked Villiers for
his courtesy, and for the patience with wPch he had
listened to them, and retired.

The Loss of the Steamer London.

The official inquiry, instituted by the Board of
Trade, into the circumstances attending the foun-
dering of the steamer Lon.flen, waz resumed yester-
day at the Greenwich Police-cot—l, before Mr.
Traill, the district stipendiary magistrate, and Cap-
tains Harris and Baker, the nautical assessors.
Mr. Waun, surveyor at Lloyds,was recalled, and
repeated the evidence he had pret:ously given re-
specting the seaworthiness of. the London. He added
that so satisficl was he of the excellence of the
ship's fittings and her capacity for any voyage that
be asked Mr. Wigzain to let his on.a son go is her
as tbird. engiucer.

George Barber, gbipm, 2ight , surveyor of the Board
of Trade, was re-examined by3lr. O'Dowd. He said
he had compared the dhuensions of the London with
those of several transatlantic vessels at Liverpool
and the Clyde, and he had found the comparison
favourable to the London. He had considered the
tonnage under deck in connexion with the di►nen-
sions, and he did not think that the London was
what was called a shall) ship. On looking at the
dimensions of the masts and yards of the London,
he did not consider they were out of propox Lion in
relation to the size of the chip. He objected to box
spurketing on the weather deck of a vessel like tho
London, as it prevented the escape of deck water.
In reply to Mr. Trail],

The witness said if the skylight of the engine-
room had been properly secured by its fastenings
and battened down, he was at a loss to account for
the manner in which it had been unshipped. He
did not think that any sea could have carried it
away, and he was of opinion that the quantity of
water capable of being shipped in the engine-room
could not have swamped the ship.
The witness, in reply to Mr. O'Dowd, said he
had carefully considered the question of fixing a
load :line in ocean-going steamers, and he was of
opinion that the proposed experiment was fraught
with much difficulty, when viewed in connexion
with the interests of owners and passengers.
Sir Samuel Hooper was examined byMr. O'Dowd,
and deposed—He had been speaker of the Legisla-
tive Assembly in Sydney. He had gone on three
voyages to Australia and back, and was a passen-
ger in the London in the year 1864. On leaving
Plymouth he noticed her very deep in the water.
On reaching the Bay of Biscay he observed tho
London very sluggish in the water, and he con-
sidered her a very heavily rigged chip. Captain
Martin always caified all he could of sail, and that
was the reason witness went with him. The Lon-
don was slow as a sailing ship before the wind, and
she did not steer well under sail, and even with the
screw down. He considered that the combings of
the London were too low, and hecomnpgllaisinhesdhiposf
the disadvantages of the generality of E
in this respect when comparedwithforeign steamers.
Mr. O'Dowd asked the witness if his evidence was
not voluntary, and in the interest of the public.
The witness replied that was so. • He wished to
say that, as some aspersions had been cast on the
professional reputation of Capt. Martin, he believed
him to have been a first-rate seaman, and the same
might be said of Mr. Harris, the chief officer.
Mr. Cowley Miller, shipbuilder, of Liverpool,
was examined, and expressed his condemnation of
the system of introducing spurketing in ships, as
was the case in the London. Ho attributed the
foundering of the London to this circumstance, and
he had no doubt that if the ship had been provided
with a cutter way and a sufficient number of port-
holes she would now be on her voyage to Melbourne.
He had never seen it used either at Liverpool. or on
the Clyde in iron ships. In reference to the protec-
tion of the engine-room skylight of the London, he
fastening
not tening
properlyha
had come to the conclusion that
the
been left in an unsecured state. He was of opinion
that hatchway skylightstthen
adjourned until this day. generally Were
protected.
The

A. meeting of the
the purpose of alleviatinge4m Comm
the that was formed for
the relatives of the unhappy
their sad loss held a meotingee distress occasioned to
yreewsteorfdathyeinLtohnedoLnonbgy
Parlour at the Mansion-house, and the Lord Mayor
The object of the meeting was to wind
up presided.t
he
matter, and arrange as to the best mode of
distributing the money that had resulted from the
subscription that was so kindly inaugurated by tbe
comtnitteeraided by the influence of the Lord Mayor,
who, it will be remembered, headed the list with a
subscription of 20 guineas. Among the gentlemen
present were a representative of Wrigram and Co.
(owners of the London), Mr. B. Hume, Mr. Nunn,
Mr. IL R. Foster (hon. secretary), who has been
very active in furthering the object in view, and
several other gentlemen. There has been collected
altogether about £1,200, and
it
twould
cases that the result of a careful inquiry into
cases shows that there are about 49 persons, con,
sisting of fathers and mothers, widows and children,
who are considered proper objects tobereencerivecetvheed
bounty of the public. It appeared to be the opinion
of the
gentlemen present that the sum already re-
ceived is sufficient to afford such relief as is necessary
in all the cases, and arrangements were made
received
for
the distribution of the money that has
in such proportions as may be deemed
advisable for
each case.

'LOUSES.—Messrs. TOPLIS and ROBERTS
have numerous furnished and unfurnished TOWN,
Suburban, and Country RESIDENCES to LET or SELL.
Particulars upon application forwarded for two stamps,
upon stating requirements and rental. Offices, 2, Conduit-
street, Regent-greet, and South Kensington, facing the
Museum.

OUTH KENSINGTON, HYDE-PARK,
Queen's, and Rutland Gates, Queen's-gate and Peters-
ham Terraces, Queen's-gate, Cornwall, Princes and Beaufort
Gardens, Elvaston-place, Cromwell-road, Onslow and T hurloe
Squares, Boltons, &c. Messrs TOPLIS and RO FsE itTS have
RE -if DENCES to SELL and LET in these and surrounding
localities. offices, 2, Conduit-street, Regent-street, and
South Kensington, facing the Museum.

ILIFEI3 OAT SERVICES.—During the storms
ji../ of the past year the National Lifeboat Institution, by
its tile boats and other means, contributed to the savin ; of
707 persons from giffereut wrecks on our coasts. The Isite-
ti-
tution also expended £21,374 in the same
i period on
for le-
its n l
boat estabshme.its, in addition to grantug £4,950
yards for saving Ate and exerz,ising the lifeboats.
The Committee of the Institution e4rnestly A VPICAL to
the public for ASSISTANCE to enable them to meet the
continued heavy demands on the Institution's 150 lifeboat
titration&
Contributions arc received by the London and country
bankers ; and by the Secretary, Itichsrd Lewis, k.e.q., at the
Institution, 14, John-street, Adelphi, London.

METROPOLITAN POLICE.
NOTICE.
CATTE PLAGUE.

1. By an Order in Council, dated 6th February, 1866,
previous orders in Council giving jurisdiction to any local
authority within the Metropolis are revoked, and the Com-
missioner of Police of the Metropolis is appointed to carry
out certain regulations within the Metropolis to prevent
the spreading of a contagious or infectious disorder among
cattle.
" Metropolis" in this notice means any
2. Th© word
parish or place within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan
Board of Works, exclusive of the City of London and the
Liberties thereof, and also exclusive of that part of tho
County of Kent which is included in such jurisdiction and
which is situate to the north of the Thames.

3. The word "Cattle" in this notice means any cow,
heifer, bull, bullock, ox, or calf.

4. No person having in his possession or under his
charge any animal within the Metropolis, whether such
animal has been in the Metropolitan Cattle Market or not,
shall convey or remove, or cause to be conveyed or re-
moved, or attempt to convey or remove, any such animal
out of the Metropolis, except into the City of London or
the Liberties thereof.

5. No person shall bring or send, or cause to be brought
or sent, any animal to any market or fair, or to any place
whatever in tho Metropolis, for the purpose of exhibition
or sale, excepting to the Metropolitan Cattle Market.
6. No person shall bring or send, or cause to be brought
or sent, any animal to the said Metropolitan Cattle Market
except for the purpose of being there exhibited and sold for
immediate slaughtering; and no such animal so brought
or sent shall be allowed to leave the said market unless sold
and marked in the manner in which cattle are ordinarily
marked for slaughter in the said market, viz., by clipping
the hair off the end of the tail.
7. No person shall buy or sell, or cause to be bought or
sold, any animal in the said market except for immediate
slaughtering; and every person buying any such animal in
the said market shall slaughter the same, or cause the same
to be slaughtered, within seven days of such purchase.
8. No person shall remove or cause to be removed any
animal along any highway, thoroughfare, or public place
within the Metropolis without a license from the Commis-
sioner of Police.
9. Every person within the Metropolis having in his
possession or under his custody any animal labouring
under the disorder is forthwith to give notice thereof to
the Clerk of the Privy Council.

_
EXCEPTIONS OP THE NON-ARRIVAL OP CATTLE.
1. Where any person occupies a farm or other contiguous
premises, situated partly within and partly without the
Metropolis, he may, with a license from the Commissioner,
after the cattle has been marked, and within seven days of
the date of such license, move from one part of such pre-
mises to another any animal not affected by the Cattle
Plague, which has been iu his own possession for 14 days
previous to the date of such license.
2. Animals may be removed along any highway,
thoroughfare, or public place for a distance not exceeding
500 yards, from part to part of the same farm or to water,
without a license from the Commissioner.

3. Any person may exhibit or sell on his own land or pre-
mises any animal belonging to him which has been on
such land or premises for not less than 14 days previous
to such exhibition or sale, and is not affected by the Cattle
Plague.
4. Animals intended for immediate slaughtering may be
sent to or from the said Metropolitan Cattle Market with-
out a license from the Commissioner during the hours which
cattle may be driven in the streets of the Metropolis.
These regulations are to come into operation on the 14th
inst.
Every person offending against these regulations is
liable fur every offence to a penalty of £2O.
RICHARD MAYNE,
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.
Metropolitan Police-office, Feb. 13, 1866.

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-
GA ELDEN.

(Opera Company, Limited.)

Re-appearance of 3liss Louisa Pyne and Mr. Henry Haigh.
TO-MORROW EVENING Auber's opera, LE DOMINO
NOIII. M s+ Louisa Pyne, Mesdames Tuirlwall, Leffler, and
A. Cook; Messrs. A. took, C. Lyall, E. Dussek, and _Henry
Haigh,

Conductor, Mr. Alfred Mellon.

After which (terrnnating with the grand transformation
t=e ne the great pantomime ALADDIN AND 'rum WON-
DERFUL _LAMP.

Commence at 7 o'clock.

THEATRE ROYAL, DRU RY-LANE.—
Managers, Messrs. E. Falconer and B. Chatterton.
TO-MORROW EVENING, the Play of TILE JEALOUS
Mr. Phelps ; 7..lessrs. H. Marston, Barrett, Warner,
G. P,elmore, E. Phelps, Harcourt; Mrs. Herman Vezin,
Misses R. Lccicrcq. Seymour, &c.
After which, the Pantomime, LITTLE KING PIPPIN;
or, Harlequin Fortunatus and the Magic Purse and Wishing
Cap.

Commence at 7.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.-
Sole Lessee and Manger, Mr. Buckstone.
TO-MORROW EVENING, A ROMANTIC ATTACH-
MENT. Mr. W. Farren, Mr. Comptin ; Miss Ada Cavendish.
To be followed '.y BROTHER SA M : Messrs. Sothern,
Buckstone, Compton; Mesdames Nelly Mooie, Snowden,

After which, ORPIIEUS IN TIIE ITAYMA.RK ET :
Messrs. W. Farren, Fisher, Bartleman, Weal hersby, Eo. ;
Mesdames hceley, Snowden, Moore, Lindley, Woolgar,
Howard, Wright, Coleman, Lovell, Prevot, &c.
To conclude with MY HUSBAND'S GHOST.
Commence at Seven.

ROYAL LYCEUM T REATRE.-
Under the sole Management of Mr. Fechter.

TO-MORROW EVENING, THE ILLUSTRIOUS
STRANGER. Mr. H. Widdicomb.
After which, THE MASTER OF RAVENSWOOD.
Mr. letehter ; Messrs. Jordan, Emery, WiddicomO, Vezin,
.1. H. Fitzpatrio' , D. Evans ; atesdames Ternan, E sworthy,
Lavenu, and C. Leclercq.
Box Office open daily from Eleven till Five.

NEW THEATRE-ROYAL ADELPIII
Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster.
To-Morrow Eve,ing, at 7, a new farce called PIPKIN'S
RUSTIC BET.ttIiAT. Messrs J. L. Toole and P. Bedford.
After which, at 8, RIP VAN WINKLE. Rip (his 14 th
appearance), Mr. Jefferson, supported by Messrs. Billing ton,
k. Bedford, It Phillips, leelix .Rog,,rs, Ashley, hburne, C. J.
Smith; Mrs. Biliingtcr, &c.
To conclude with e, EILIN D TIME. Messrs. J. L. Toole, R.
Phillips, Eburne, C. J. Smith ; Miss A. seaman, &c.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Sole Lessee and dlanager, Mr. Geo. Vining.

TO-MORROW EVENING, QUIET LODGINGS.
Atter whib, at a quarter to Eight, IT IS NEVER TO()
LATE TO MEND. haracters by Messrs. Vining, T. Mel-
ville, T. Mead, 1). Murray, b. Caihaeni, F. Villiers, J. G.
Shore, U. Murray, 11. Mellon, C. Seyton, R, Cathcart; Mims
L. Moore and Miss Katherine Rodgers.

ROYAL S'IRAND THEATRE.
Sole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs. Swanborough.
To-Morrow Evening, at Seven (9th time), a new and origi •
nal Comedy, THE FLY AND THE WEB. Messrs. rar-
belle and Price; Misses Swanborough and Raynham.
After which will be produced a new Opera Burlesque,
L'AFRICAINE ; or, The Queen of the Cannibtl Islan ,s.
Messrs. Stoyle, James, Thome ; Mesdames Swanborough,
Eaynham, Johnstone, &c.
To conclude with LENDING A HAND. Messis. Belford
and Turner; Misses Simpson and Hughes.

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HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
DAY.-31@rning, Da. 20n1.—Afternoon, 40m.
TJ-MannoW.-Mon)ixAgi 2n. lm
._
Afternoon, 21.1. 25m.

71 At ~
d,
.0 at.
--,, 4
..r.
21 ''''• ,' ' '