The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-03-28 00:00:00

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GASS
OF THE TIAST'ER CHIMNRY-sWEEPERS AND
THEIR APPRENTICES, AND OF CLIMBING
BOYS IN GENERAL. • to;zl,u
If the Masher Chimney-sweepers have defiled
bringing their Casts before Parliament, it must not
be imputed to them that they are therefore conscifius
of the acts of " ilt usage and oppression" with which
they are charged, or that they are indifferent about
the consequences of the Bill now before Parliament.
They have been silent, becalm they felt confident that
the Legislature would not, in their case, depart
from those wise and salutary roles which gevern
their proceedings upon all other occasions, aid
would not, without further enquiry, consign to cer-
taht rain and destruction an infinitely larger amber
of persons for the mere chance of bettering the con-
dition of a few, and for no other reason, than be-
,cause the the Master Chimney-sweepers have been
the instruments through whom the persons said to
'be aggrieved have contribetid to the coodort and
I safety of almost every family in the (hated King!
dons.
The object of this Address is, to point out the in-
jurious tendency of the Bill now before Parliament;
to show the evil consequences that will inevitably
result if the same be passed into. law,and to suggest,
for the consideration of she Legislature, the outline
of a Bill adapted to the necessity of the case, and
consistent with those principles of sound policy
which usually govern its proceedings.
The necessity for eniploj big Chimney-sweepers,
or Climbing Boys, soon followed the construction
of chimney tines ; and as population increased, and
the value of land improved, the contraction of the
flues of chimneys was among other ti.ings resorted to
lie order to give apace to the apartments of private
dwellings. Straight or perpendicular flues were
found the least liable to be choked with soot, and
could be cleaned with little trouble; experience,
however, proved, that such flues had their disad-
vantages. The apartments were not %infrequently
filled with smoko, and the currents of air from the
doors and windows increased the consumption of
fuel : these inconveniences probably gave rise to the
bends in Hues, and which not unfreqoently produced
the desired effect ; iu proportion, however, as the
bends became more numerous, or were more singe.
tar, the difficulty of clestisina them increased, and
the employment of Climbing B.iys was the necessary
consequence. The first business of the Climbing
Boy was, to cleanse the bends from the mortar which
had accumulated whilst the chimney was building,
and which not utifrrquently neatly filled the whale
aperture of the flue: the operation is called cording
and without this process, few chimneys would be of
any use, though frequently attended with great la.
boor and some danger.
Population still increasing, and land continuing
to rise in value, especially in large towns, the em-
ploy ment of small children was the consequence of the
further contraction and crookedness of chimney flues.
Children were every where found ready to be ap-
prenticed, and the offspring of. the illicit intercourse
of the sexes not 'infrequently supplied the demand.
As these children grow up, they outgrow their em-
ployment, and some become Journeymen and others
become Masters. As Journeymen they assist is
carrying the soot, and in teaching the boy how to
perform his work. As Masters, they take Appren-
tices, seed some as itinerants trsr 0! toe country in
pursuit of employment ; those sr Ito have the better
fortune of establishing themselves in great towns, as
in London, generally unite the business of Nightman
with that of Sweeper of Chimneys, and many of
them have risen to respectability And wealth.
In the 28th year of the Reign of his present Ma-
jesty, an Act of Parliament was passed, entitled,
"An Act for the better Regulation of Chimney-
sweepers and their Apprentices ;" and in the last
year the llonoerable the House of Cemmons appoint.
eil a Committee to examine the Petition. which had
been presented against the employment of boys in the
sweeping of chimneys.
The Honourable Committee ezamined four Chim.
ney.sweepers, and a few other persons, and in June
made their Report.
Adverting to that Report, it is to he regretted that
the Honourable Committee had not examined smear
the most respecteble Architects, and some of the re-
tired Mister Sweepers, as Mr. Porter, of Park.
place, Mary-le-bonne; Mr. Beecher, of Dean-
street, Westminster; Mr. Page, of Camden Town ;
and Mr. Goodluck, of Boston ; and such Masters
as Mr. Watson, of Great Portland-street ; seed Mr.
Tyler, of Bridgewater-gerdens, who are now in
business, and employed in sweeping the chimneys of
a large number of the public offices and buildings in
London, as well as of private houses in and about
town. From these persons such information might
have been obtained, as would have given to the Re-
port of the Honourable Committee a very different
feature indeed, from that which it now presents.—
The Honourable Chairman of that Committee fol-
lowed op the Report in the present Session with a
Bill, which has been reed a third time in the House
of Commons, and a second time in the House of
Lords, and now lays upon their Lordships' table
fur confirmation, amendment, or rejection, as to
that Right Honourable Bootle may seem meet.
It will naturally be asked wheth?r any, and what
steps were taken by the Master Chimney-sweepers
respecting the Bill in its progress through the House
of Commons. The Master Chimney-sweepers did
present a Petition to that Honourable House, at the
earliest moment possible after the Bill had passed
through a Committee, and before which they could
not know its contents. The Bill was ordered by the
Honourable house to be printed on the 16th of Feb
bruary ; on the 18th a print of the Bill was pro-
cured, on the Roth the Master Cbimney.sweepers
presented a Petition, and ou the same evening re-
quested the Honourable Mover of the Bill to post.
pone the third reading for a few days, to allow them
an opportunity of being heard by Coansel at the
bar of the Rouse; but that Gentleman espressed his
determination not to delay the Bill one moment ;
and it was accordingly read a third time and passed.
TO THE BILL IN ITS PRESENT FORM
There are many . and very serious objections.—
The Preamble recites the Act of the 28th of his
present Majesty, and declares its provisions to be in-
'efficient to protect the boys who are apprenticed to
Claganey.sneepers against various Acts of "illAsmge