The Sun.
London, England, 1818-01-03 00:00:00

171 S ESStD S4Thal.S.

I Meeting took place yesterdayat
_the King's
licad,•Poultrro with the* object of proposing and
adopting sonic speedy lineal's of relieving the nu-.
nterinis distres'sed Seamen with whom- the streets
of London are daily ctowtted.
No other notice having been given of the Meet-
ing than that by placardU, it was not inmerottsly
attended. There were, however, certain plans
proposed, which promise that much will be. done
on Mondaynext, when they are to be subniitted
to the consideration of the public.
It appeared from the statement. Of the Chair-
man, Mr. M'AttLEr, that the subject had pre-
viously undergone sonic investigation, and that a
Committee had been formed with the view of fix-
ing 'Ton the most eligible mode of facilitating the
views of tlidse who proposed the Meeting.;—
Amongst the names of the Committee, those of
the late and the present Lord Mayor appeared.
The LORD MAYOR declined taking the Chair,
and begged to be understood, in doing so, as not
acting from any other feelings tban those of hu-
manity. He was apprehensive of the conse-
quences of.giving his public sanction to a meeting,
the result of which might be a prodigious influx
of the, distressed, and those pretending to be so,
to the City of London ; an event that would
add to the exhibitions of misery that daily took
_ _

His Lordship was informed by the Chairman
that the Members of the Committee had consi-
dered the probability just alluded to, and there-
fore acted with the delicacy so necessary upon a
subject which might have Met with premature
publicat ion.
Mr: PAINe, Clerk to the Magistrates at the
Guildhall Police Office, begged to be allowed to
say a few words. kle was in the habit of witnets'-
ing scenes of great distress, and he thisted there
would be a co-operation between the Meeting and
the Magistrates of Police upon a subject so itro;.
portant. Ile then read the petition which he bad
presented
to the Conti of Common. Council
on the nth of December, and expressed a
hope that, as the Committee on City Lands,
to which it was referred, could not recom-
mence • their functions for some tithe, the
interval would -be occupied in providing- some
means of -relict. The London Workhouse, esta-
blished in the reign of Charles 11., -in his Opi-
nion, presented an asylum in which starvation, at
least, could be prevented, and at a future period
the expellees might be defrayed, by a regulation
directing that the different parishes should pay in
proportion to their extent and ability. In answer
to the observation of the Lord Milor with-respect
to the probable influx of strange vagrants, he had
to say, that the City of London cotild only act as
it was in the habit of doing when the Hospitals
were full ; there being no more room, those ‘vlio
could not be accommodated were obliged to wait,
till there was, anti the City of London wotOti, by
art exertion hi this cause, shew that an example
to other parts of the country. was not wanting.
The CDAIRMAN said, the attention of those as-
sembled was to be directed to the object of dis-
tinguishing between-worthy and unworthy oh,
jeers ; that the former might. he, provided. with
employment in ships,- and that onpostors might
be treeed wit h the wholesome seyerity'prot itled by
Act of Parliament. There were tnittilleis of seamen
about the streets in a state of disease.
.and naked-
ness in consequence of their own vices, and such,
men could not be taken into service until these
two very revolting objections were removed. Th,e
doubt whether good or harm was to arise
from- what the Meeting might determine upon,
was itself dis:ressing, but something tiviSt be at
tempted, and the concurrence of the Magistrates
would render great facilities to the investigation.
The LORD MAYOR saw plainly that thelnotive
was excellent ; but he regretted ..to say, that by
far the greater nuMber of those who claimed cha-
rity as seamen were impostors. There were, be,..
sides, many foreign seamen about the streets,
whom he had sent to the different Consuls in vain,
for they bad rather beg than go home, and ac-
cordingly betook themselves to the accustomed
demand upon the compassion of Englishmen. His
Lordship again expressed his fear of accumulating
distresses.

A long conversation then took place upOn the
probable Means of distinguishnig between de-
serving and undeserving objects.
'One of the .111 embers observed, that the distress
they had to relieve was merely of a temporary na-
ture, and that next Spring would present the most
grateful mode of disposing of the poor seamen,
in the departure of the East and West India fleets',
in which they could find instant employment. It
was suggested that a house, 'or a ship, should
be hired immediately. for the purpose of. accom-
modating those who should. upon examina-'
don be deemed worthy. objects ; that public
notice should be given of the place %vhere Captains
of ships could be supplied with men, and that
the Police officers should take all persons of
the description alluded to, Who were found beg-
ging, to an office hired by the 'Con-mince, two or
three of whom should attend daily, assisted by a
per Son of sea-faring intelligence, for the purpose
of examining into Ilse cases of those brought be-
fore them. A doubt having been entertained of
the power to compel those who were unwilling to
attend the office, •

The Loan MAyou said lie should give directions
ter the Police Oilice.rs of the City to act according,
to these suggestions.

It was agreed upon all silts that it was indis-
pensibly necessary to the ship-owners„ and all
others employed in commerce, to have the strrets
cl those begging sailors; for many of them
contracted,(cte4l, from the necessity of begging, a fond-
Hess for it, and it might be found diaicult to
induce thenyto work after haVing had a sneetss.
ful experiment of a lazy life: At an early pe.
riod of the - Meeting it was mentionsd 01;14
application to the Admiralty. ‘votild be ad-
visable ; but that hint was soon tyjected,:npon
the ground that the observance of official forms.
would make starvation inevitable by eelay:—
With respect to those whine chararterS were had,
act as able-bodied
and who were not qoalified to
seamen, it seemed to be undeistood thlt thetCom-
mittee should endeavour to proente employment
for them of a different kind, And, that there should
be a recommendation to ',occupy them, atnougst.

• . . •
ntli'e-i thinks-, in ciel.riii!".Ctil'e 'n'firtgq'ti•,'ll ,-,! th'f:
Tharnes, and repais 'tog. the .roati.s abmit the ~:e.
too,?!;-s. .

One.Of dye Members said, he wl,cont;inrcd
able-todird seain.,in would beg. .11..; noble pi At,
%route. prevent Anothet tlec larrtl that sopli
a decla.ration was completely erroneous.. IL: knew
it to be a fact, that there were many :n-tty offirl.r.s
who served "tong 'and well, and who,. being ec-
titiced to the akernatire- 'Of begging or dying,
adopted the for Mer.

The Captain of a merchantrnan said, tie prailice
followed by West indiamen, cc discharging their
Men upon goi-o into :dock, wis the cause of a
;;teat deal of the wisely that existed... When at
Hull and other docks the men_ were tetained ; acid
he could flat see u hy the West et dia Docks shotdd
nut adopt such a s.y.tent. It he had a SOD, awl
was it) poor 61.volt:stances) he never would put
him on board a Wust Indiaman,,for that rest on.
The Meeting then, amongst others, voted the
following reconimendations, which are to be sub-
mitted at the General A
leeting :
" That a Committee be appointed to engage a
vessel, in which poor seamen shall be lodged and
stuitained until provided with a situation.
" That the Members of the Committee shall
attend to the cases brought before them daily at
an (ace chosen for [hut purpose ; and that the
Magistrates be solicited to,give their as-
sistance in having all vagrant seamen brought be-
fore the Committee, and that temporary suste-
nance be H 11.0! dVd."

Thanks having been- given to the Imrd Mayor
For his promptitude in offering; his assisrince, anti
to the Chairman for his conduct in the Choir, the
Meeting broke up.,