The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-09-28 00:00:00

The CHAIRMAN said that the resolution before the meeting
involved no question of funds to be raised, or of the regula-
tion of the charity. He read the resolution, and enquired
whether Dr. B. proposed to conclude with an amendment.

Dr. BANNER said that lie concurred in the sentiment ex-
pressed in the resolution, and should not propose an amend-
ment to it. He had, however, one question to ask, and that
was, whether the parish authorities were not bound by law to
administer medical as well as general relief to their destitute.
If so, and the dispensaries were not in existence, the poor-
rates would be considerably higher. He had understood that
they gave annually to the charity only £6OO. _ _

MULLENEUX remarked that the sum was now reduced
to £4OO.
The CHAIRMAN here interposed, stating that it was not
requisite nor competent for the meeting to enter into the
legal question as regards the purity. It was a charity that
was supported by private bounty and affluence, and their
present object was to increase their funds.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER BUSHELL said, the present was not
the proper tune, nor the occasion a fitting or a judicious one,
for the remarks which had been offered, no doubt with an
excellent object, by Dr. Banner. Anything which might
tend to throw a slur on the committee of the dispensaries
would do an injury to the institutions in question, and he
was sure that Dr. Banner had not come to the meeting with
any such intent. (Hear.) They were assembled that day
to forward the charity and to increase its usefulness ; and, to
do both those things, and also to do away with such meet-
ings as the present, which would constantly occur unless
they had some permanent fund to rely upon, it was necessary
that their subscription should be increased. Those important
objects could only be accomplished by means of additional
subscriptions. He regretted to know that there were in the
town of Liverpool hundreds of men of immense wealth, who
had derived that wealth from their business, and who, if
they subscribed at all to any of the charities of the town,
(lid not subscribe in proportion to their means. (Hear,
hear, hear.) Mr. Mulleneux had put the case forcibly when
he said, that if such persons desired to keep disease from
their own doors, they ought to contribute with that view to
the necessities of the poor. But he (Mr. Bushell) would
put it more forcibly still, for he would ask them by what
means or by what machinery had their wealth been earned
and increased? \Vas it not by means of the lower classes
for whom the present institutions were intended? 'Were not
these classes the machinery by which they had acquired
their wealth ? (Hear, hear.) Surely, then, if they had any
regard for themselves, they ought to say that the machinery
of an institution of the present benevolent kind should he
kept in perfect repair. (Cheers.) He would suggest that
the subscriptions of those in the list, so far as they extended,
be increased. He had been looking through the list of guinea
subscriptions. He had been loking at those who ought to be
ashamed to see a guinea opposite to their names. (Hear,
hear.) He called upon the:a to double and treble their
subscriptions. He called upon them to revise their incomes
annually, to revise their subscriptions also, and to see then
if they could do the latter without a blush. (Hear, hear.)
Though it might suit them at present to keep their money in
their pockets, there would be a time when sickness and sick-
ness unto death would come upon them, when, though they
might leave the world giving large sums in legacies, they
• would have reason to regret that they had not gained respect
during life, outwardly by the world, and inwardly by their
own consciences, for charitable emotions and good inten-

tions. (Cheers.)
The resolution was nut and carried nem. con
Mr. THOMAS CASE rose to move the second resolution
He regretted the necessity of this appeal, but he trusted It
only needed the necessity to be known to obtain for it a
favourable answer, and that this excellent charity should be
put on a solid basis, and the same necessity not occur for
many years again. He thought the best plan would be to
appoint an active committee to canvass the whole town for
donations, and to increase their subscriptions. Mr. C. con-
cluded by moving a resolution to that effect.
Mr. JOHN CROPPER seconded the resolution. He hoped
gentlemen would not be satisfied with increased donations,
but the subscriptions must be increased if the institution was
to be conducted as it ought It had never properly been
supported by subscriptions, but had depended casually on
legacies and collections. It was a painful thing to state, but
gentlemen, unless called on, did not feel it their duty to give
monerto it.
A GENTLEMAN, whose name we could not learn, observed
that the average cost of a patient was ls. Bd., of which 9d.
went to the cost of management, medicine, and surgical in-
struments. By a different system, he thought the 93. might
be saved, namely, by dividing the town into districts of 2000
each, to he under the care of a separate medical man, with
or with Out salary. By this arrangement the poor would have
the advantage of the advice of men of standing in the pro-
fession, instead of young men fresh from the schools. He
earnestly entreated the attention of the meeting to this pro-
position.
The MAYOR was obliged for the suggestion, but it was one
that would be much better laid before the annual meeting of
the subscribers. (Applause.) It was impossible for them
to take into consideration here the question of alterations in
the management.
Mr. J. H. SMITH said the great difficulty under which
they laboured was to collect an annual meeting. He had ac-
tually to go upon 'Change and canvass for an attendance.
These subjects had been very frequently discussed before the
committee, which had come to the best decision in its power,
and if gentlemen would come to the annual meeting, and
make their proposals, they would give them the best consi-
deration in their power ; but the present meeting was only
called to consider how they could get on until the next an-
nual meeting.
The resolution was then carried nem. con.
Rector CAMPBELL proposed the third resolution, and as,
he said, he did not foresee any reasonable objection, he
hoped he might be permitted to spare his own strength and
the patience of the auditors, by offering a very brief recom-
mendation of it. It would hardly be necessary for him to
preach a long sermon on the necessity of Christian duty,
more particularly after the admirable remarks which had been
made by others, who said more than he could with respect to
the strange inconsistency of those who, with large incomes,
had given very small subscriptions. He had heard that day
that the board of guardians, or parish authorities, had dimi-
nished their subscriptions. He confessed that he was always
anxious to get as much out of the poor-rate as he could ; for,
by so doing, he got money out of the pockets of those who
would not give it otherwise. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.)
He believed that all now present were professed Christians.
Whatever differences, therefore, they might have on purely
theological subjects, on this they ought to be, at least, theo-
retically united ; that, as Christians, they should live in the
practice of Christian charity—that, as disciples of a master
who had done everything for them, they were bound to do
something for Him, and that it was their duty to manifest as
much mercy as possible for others. He would not press this
subject any further, because it was admitted that they ought
to live in the practice of Christian charity and alms-giving ;
but then it, came to be asked how were their alms to be
given ? He conceived that the worst mode was to give them
to unknown beggars at the doors ; and here he begged to
express his regret that the District Provident Society bad
received such little support as it had done. Nevertheless,
the charity now before the meeting answered the same pur-
pose in some degree. If people were unable to look into
the necessities of the poor themselves, they ought to employ
those who were able to do so ; and this the dispensaries did.
(Hear.) By the intervention of its professional gentlemen,
whose labours in the cause of charity were little known, the
wants of the poor were searched into; they knew when a
man came to them whether he was in want; they felt that
poverty with sickness had a double claim ; and for the relief
of that the dispensaries had been instituted. He hoped
something would be done to rescue the institution from the
penury in which it appeared to labour. With regard to its
future management he also hoped that something would be
done, but he felt with the mayor that the present was not a
fitting time to take the subject into consideration. If by
any change the dispensaries could be rescued from their
present and future necessities, great good would be done, the
utility of the institution would be benefitted, and the public
would be satisfied. But what Mr. Cropper had suggested
was the best thing that could be done under the circum-
stances, namely, to get an active committee to go round, for
nothing could be done without pressing solicitations. With
regard to the clergy, he hoped they would not be called on to
make versonal solicitations in this instance, as they had so
much to do in that way for other objects. He would be glad
to preach a sermon in behalf of the said society, and he
hoped his brethren in the ministry would do the same, and
that all the ministers of religion in the town would, so far as
they could, preach, some time this year, most convenient to
themselves, in behalf of the charity. The rector concluded
by observing that he had great pleasure in moving the reso-
lution, and sat down amid applause.
Mr. BATESON, jun. seconded the third resolution. He
said he did so with confidence, knowing that the appeals
made on behalf of the most valuable charities in Liverpool
had always been successful. When they reflected that about
this period last year the sum of £4,000 was raised by an
effort for the charities of the town, it augured well for their
success on the present occasion. As they were met to con-
sider the most effective means for supporting the charity, he
thought it right to inquire in what way that could best be
done, particularly as it had been remarked that it was neces-
sary for some change to be made. The committee of the
dispensary was now placed in the situation of the financier
of another department, and should either keep down his ex-
penditure, or raise the income to meet the expenditure, or,
by a combination of both, effect the object in view. He
thought that, by proper attention being paid to the different
items of expenditure, a great deal might be done in the mat-
ter of economy. He believed that the ministers of the dif-
ferent churches had not preached so regularly of late on be-
half of the charities of the town as they had done formerly.
It bad been said, some years ago, that all the charities should
have the benefit of an annual sermon, but last year only £4O
had been collected in the churches for the institution, while
large sums had been raised for more questionable purposes.
£BOO, for instance, had been raised for the conversion of the
Jews, although only 21 of them had been baptised during the
whole year. (Cries of Question.") There was a degree
3f zeal exerted by parties for other objects, and he thought
it would be more valuable if it were exerted on behalf of the
medical charities of the town.
Rector CAMPBELL said it had been just observed that the
clergy of late had diminished the number of their sermons on
behalf of the dispensaries. He was not aware of that being
the case, but, if it were, it should be recollected that they
had to preach charity sermons every two months. Letters
were received occasionally from her majesty commanding
them to preach. They had schools in every district also
which were to be supported; and, in short, the claims on
their congregations was such that they really could not preach
for secular charities as often as they used to do ; and there-
fore he hoped no reflection would be cast on them on that
account. (Hear.) It would be advisable to abstain from
such topics, because whenever the clergy were solicited they
did their best. (Cheers.)
Mr. MULLENEUX said that some remarks had been made
to the effect that some of the funds had not been carefully
applied, he begged to read the following extract of the cost
of each patient in different places, from which it would be
seen that Liverpool was lower in amount than any or all the
rest :—At Bristol, the average was 10s. 6d. ; at Hull, 3s. ; al
Leeds, 3s. ; at London, 2s. 4d. ; at Birmingham, 6s. 3d.
at Manchester, 2s. 10d. ; at Sheffield, 4s. sd. ; and at Liver.
pool, only ls. Bd. (Cheers.) From this statement he con.
eluded that they could not make much improvement in Li.
verpool, so far as regarded the reduction of their expenses
(Hear, hear.)
Upon the proposition of Dr. VOSE, seconded by Mr
Councillor PARKER, thanks were returned to the mayor for
his promptness in convening the meeting, and his kindness
in presiding thereat, and the assembly separated at twenty
minutes after three o'clock.

The total proceeds of Lady Londonderys' splendid Bazaar
at Sunderland, in behalf of the new church at Seaham Har-
bour, amounted to the handsome sum of £l2OO.
CIIIYESE CANNONS.—In the Parrock-hall, which arrived
in St. Katharine's Docks a few days since from China, were
two splendid cannons, which were taken from the Chinese
by the English at the Bogue Forts. They have been sent to
this country as a present to her Majesty's government, and
are to be placed, it is believed, in the Tower of London as
curiosities. They are of Spanish manufacture, about eleven
feet in length ; the touchholes have been spiked, which ren-
ders them quite useless ; they weigh about two tons each.
One of them bears the following inscription :—" Por vida
do Capitao-Geral de Macao, Manoel y Tavares Bocarao,
Afez, 1651." On the other is the Spanish crown, and " Don
Felipe I. Rey d'Espana."—" Don Miguel Tavares Rocae-
roze y San Geral v Mor, ecaptiad de Ari Aean Macao, A.
1652." They are looked upon as great curiosities, and num-
bers of persons are daily drawn to the wharf of the docks
where they now lie. A large bullet of Chinese manufacture
was also sent by the same ship ; it is exceedingly rough and
ill shaped, and seems to have been cast in two pieces, and
rivetted together afterwards ; this also, it is supposed, will
be deposited in the tower.