The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-13 00:00:00

PRICE.... . . ld.
STAMPED sd.

Arrangements have been made under which the Borough
goods traffic of the Great Northern will be carried on at
the Blackfriars station ; goods and coal trains 'have com-
menced running this month. A few of the London,
Chatham, and Dover main line trains now run also to and
from King's-cross, and in a few months similar facilities
will be enjoyed by the Metropolitan Extension trains. The
London and South-Western intends to commence running
trains via Clapham Junction to Ludgate next month. The
share of the London, Chatham, and Dover in the Conti-
nental traffic arrangement concluded with the South-
Eastern will also this year (if continued) prove more ad-
vantageous to the former; and, considering, apparently,
that they have now surmounted their chief difficulties, the
directors of the London, Chatham, and Dover haVe de-
Dover, it is iamnpciosspoibslseibiayt
also
tBtho
posited bills this session jfor a new line in the district
lying between the Elephant and Castle, Kennington„
Clapham, Streatheam, and Brixton-hill ; a line between
Bromley, West Wickham, and Farnborough ; and a new
line direct from Beckenham, via Lewes, to Brighton. What
lotbe arbelseert
ovefdermf for
nthe
definite Lon d London, eCa hoaf tthhaemt,raanffide
powers of the undertaking. That the concern has been
maylt
hBat6,lbveelBs6thi:al I not unti
coursel
developed with unprecedented recklessness, few will ven-
ture to deny. Without a shilling of dividend being avail-
asavey'runlithiseir
able for their Ordinary or Preference shareholders, the di-
rectors have plunged during the last live years into Metro-
politan 'Extensions involving an outlay of £6,000,000.
Such a proceeding is unparalleled, we believe, in our rail-
way annals. It can only be hoped, as was observed a
month or so since, that matters will " shake down some-
how," and that the enormous ebb and flow of life in Lon-
don will save the directors from a reputation for irretriev-
albilkinShAer.S and the shareholders, Ordinary and Pre-
ferential, from bitter disappointment.:

Refuges for Homeless and Destitute
Children.

-+~~

this Theinsatintnuuttaoln mweaesting heldoyf
etshteerdsauybsuctri
subscribers and friends
of
Willis's
Rooms—the
Earl of Shaftesbury in the chair. The large room was well
filled, and among those on the platform were the Marquis
Townshend, the Earl of Duck, Lord Henry G. Lennox,
Lieutenant-General Thurburn, Dr. Cross, Dr. Phillips, the
Rev. Mr. Stone, Mr. R. Trotter, Mr. Joseph Payne (de-
puty judge), Mr. John M‘Gregor, Mr. James Monteith, and
a large number of other gentlemen.
The proceedings commenced with prayer, and the sing-
ing of hymns by the children from the refuges, 200 of
whom were present. Their appearance and conduct were
highly creditable to the managers of the schools.
From the report read by Mr. WILLIAms, it appeared that
there had been in the boys' refuge at the end of 1864, 109
boys, and that 102 had been admitted during the year 1865.
Of these 53 had emigrated and 26 had obtained situa-
tions ; and there were on the 31st Decembei, 1865, 104
in the refuge. It had been found, by tracing the careers of
those who had left the institution, that they had generally
turned out well, failures being very exceptional. The boys
in the refuge were warmly clad, and had three meals daily.
They were taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, cooked
their own food, and made their own beds ; cleaned their
rooms, &c., and were taught carpentering, fire wood-chopping,
shoemaking, and tailoring. T hey made their own clothes an d
boots, as well as the boots tor the girls' refuge. The staff
employed consisted of the superintendent, Mr. Wood, and
the matron, besides four shoemakers, one tailor, and one
carpenter. The work done for the year 1865, including
£366 the value of work for the institution, amounted to
£937 ; 2,115 pairs of new boots had been made, 1,790 pairs
had been mended, and 859 new garments had also been
turned out, while the firewood split had amounted to
23,995 bundles. Each of the girls' refuges would contain
40 inmates, and there the girls were provided for, and in-
structed in household work, and in washing. They made
and mended their own clothes, and the shirts, &c., of the
boys, and washed about 100 dozen of clothes weekly. There

had been 71 girls in the refuges at the end of 1864, and 54
had been admitted during the year 1865 ; 29 of these had
gone to service during that year, and 16 had returned to
their friends, and there were in the institution on Dec. 31

last 73 inmates. A very interesting circumstance had oc-

curred during the year. Several of the girls who had ob-
tained situations, having been invited to tea by Miss Dick-
son, the matron, expressed a wish to do something to tes-
tify their appreciation of the benefits they had received
from the committee. They purchased, by subscription, a
black marble timepiece for the board-room, on which they
placed a suitable inscription, and presented it to the cons-
mittnp 10CA 1.-11 •

leaving a balance on Dec. 31, 1865, of £2lB 2s. 6d.

The noble CHAIRMAN said this was not an ordinary an-
niversary meeting. There was a new proposition to come
before the meeting for a scheme which he believed would
be really efficient for the purpose which it was desired to
carry out. The attempt to improve those children was
more than hopeful. Experience sl owed that failures and
disappointments wore so few that they might say every far-
thing expended was productive of rich fruit. The secretary
had read the report, and referred to the gratifying results ;
but he had not told thorn what was the fact, that for

these good results they were really under God indebted to
the zeal, intelligence, and activity of Mr. Williams. They
had probably most of them heard of the supper which was
given last February to a number of homeless boys. Only
about 150 of them came ; and when he asked some of them

why more had not come, one said " they thought it was a
trap some had come to the window and looked in, but
went away. again." Another said " they thought they
should have had lots of jaw and nothing to eat." They
had plenty to eat and very little jaw, and when
he questioned them after supper—for nothing could be
done before—they answered his questions freely and truth-
fully. They all expressed a desire to learn and improve.
On the next day about 50 of these boys presented them-
selves, and were admitted to the refuge, and these 50 had
been in the refuge since the 16th February last. He could
speak from his own observation, for he had been there two
cr three times a week, and he could say that their conduct
was so remarkable that he would not have believed that
such a condition of things could have taken place. Some
of these boys had not lain in a bed for four years, and had

ived about the streets how they could, yet there was no

. _
foul language to be hoard, and there was no quarrelling
among them. Three days after their admission Mr. Wood,
the superintendent, was confined to his bed by pleurisy,
and 180 boys were left to their own management and con-
trol. He found the greatest order prevailing—the boys re-
gularly working, and going by turns to the schoolmaster,
not a single disturbance occurring. He put them upon
their honour to do their duty, and they did it. This was
an indication of the hopeful character of the class. They
had all read the story of the night in the casual ward, and
about a boy called Punch who figured in it. Punch was
in the refuge—a boy of remarkable ability and remarkable
diligence. Ho said to him, " Punch, my boy"— (laughter)
—" set a good example." He had promised to do so, and
so far kept his word.• Mr. Williams would corroborate his
account of the conduct of these boys. Now they wanted
to take in a larger number of the homeless boys. Some
persons thought the certified schools might be used, but
they did not like to go to a magistrate in order to have
the boys committed to the schools. One important feature
in the homes was that the boys went there of their own
free will, and the great secret of their obedience was its
voluntary character. The Marine Society had been
spoken of, but their conditions were unsuited to these
boys. One of them was the production of a certificate
of the death of the father. Many of these boys did not
know where or when they had lost their fathers. They
scarcely had time, and certainly had not money, to pro-
cure such certificates. The Government was willing to
give a ship to be moored in the Thames, but they must find
the money to fit her up. The employment of a ship pre-
sented many advantages. They could better secure isola-
tion than in the city. The boys would be in a better
atmosphere than that of some of the fetid localities where
they should seek accommodation ashore. The boys could
be trained for the royal navy or the merchant service, and
it was a curious fact that five sixths of these boys hadlda
desire for the sea. To fit up the ship, about £3,000 would
be required, and he calculated that by its aied
turn out about 200 boys annually, and relieve
of 400 of those who might otherwise helput
indi fil
vidual, but
The sum required might seem largo
htoolne country it was a
when considered in reference to the
thwieves what would be
lt hothei ercyo gu an ot lr sy.
the result of getting hold olfliet
mere nothing. He had askedhleobOoy
would quite knock up the
s and teaching them,
and they all said such ant
hnoble earl concluded by a power_
than X500,000,000,e
system of prigging• n„er gave money for charity to
ful appeal to thos©
as
au
moons
of
protecting their property.
do so now, if only. a
surely what was needed thesemorepurposes ought to b
moved the adoption of the report and
and
The income of this countrywfears
• tment of the committee. Tie had known the re-
fugesthe appoln
could testify for many years, and to the amount of
readilyi,fr.so. b3itaAiZerl
good done by them.
Judge PAYNE seconded the motion.
After the resolution had been duly put and carried,
Mr. FITZWILLIAII moved the second resolution to the
effect that further efforts were needed in order to reclaim
a larger number of the homeless children.
Mr. FORDHAM, in seconding the resolution, observed that
the plan was no longer an experiment, but they might
fairly calculate on as good results from future efforts as had
been hitherto obtained.
• The Marquis TOWNSIIEND said he had not as yet desired
, anything so good as the proposal brought forward, but he