Merchant Seamen's Society...
The Times, 1824-12-15T00:00:00

Yesterday a special m eti;goftheGovernors and Members of this incorporated institution for thc relief of merchant seamen, was held tor the purpose of taking into consideration the numerous applications for relief which wrer likely to be made in consequence of the late storms. A number of respectable merchants and ship. owners attended. Mr. POWVEL L, on taking the chair, stated, that in consequence of the late disastrous gales, a great nuinber of additional applications ; "'^i' n n c altion to ;tcet; attSe question wg whlat course was the most eligible to be adopted with respect to the applicants. This institution had been long established and diffused verv extensive benefits amongst the great fnd important class whose wd- fare It made its obect. The welfare of their sailors was, indeed, whether we looked to their services in war, or their industly in commerce, an object of the verV highest national importanee. Sea. men wrere proverbially improvi ent,and it was incumbent upon those who beneatted by their services (and who did not ?) to watch over and promote their interests. This institution was supported by a contribution of 6d. per month from the wages of seamen who were in service, and though its funds had increased in proportion to the in- crease of trade, yetthat increase was not proportionate to the incicased demands which were made upon thein. sHe suggested, that efforts should be made to render the Institution more extensively hkown, and to procure a greater number of active members. The present quialification of a governor for life was 50 guineas. lIe submitted to the meeting the propriety of making a qualification upon a smaUer aum. It had been hinted,' that an application to Parliament would be advisable, and likelv to be attended with considerable advantage. He expressed his hopes that the imerchants and ship-owners, and those who more immediately profited by the exertions of this class, would take some immediate steps for tite relief of the great number of cases of destitution and miserr which might soon be expected to pourin upon them. The Chairmian concluded by moving, that bcoks should be opened to receive subncriptions for the relief of those cases of distress which had arisen durinig the late storins. AIr. sMARsrHALL, in support of the motion, made some observa. tions which we could not distinctly hear. lVe understood hin to say, that he considered that the evil could not be met by inidividual subscriptions alone, but that they ought to go t'urther, and apply I to public bodiee. The motion was agreed to nen. cotnI Mr. MArNxNIN, D1.P., thought, that as gentlemen aiid merchants, they were bound to come forward in behalf of this invaluable class of men, who were entitled also, in his opinion, to the aid of Govern. ment. He was not aware that the institution received only 6d. per month from the wages of seamen, and he thiought that an appeal to Government for ;ad would be most liberally answered. Several sharities had applied for assistance to that soarce, and the applica- tions were always received, as he had reason to suppose a simlar one from this institution would. The institution of the Rlfuge for the Destitute, for instanic, had applied, and were received with liber. ality. He concluded by moving, that a committee should be formed to consider the best means of increasing the funds of the institution. Air. BLANCIZARD said, that an institution upoti principles similar to those ef the Ilerchant Seamen'sSociety liad been formed recer.tly, the members of which ewerted themselves by going round from house to housc, reqesting contributions with success. Similar exertions would, on tne part of this institution, no doubt be crowned with Similar succesf. M1r. URQU}ART said, that when he recollected that aii institu- tion was formed for the purpose of relieving this mexitorious class of men, and that that institution had means adequate to the object, though they were not made use of, he could not help difaering from the respectable gentleman wrho had preceded bihh. iHe felt no hesi- tation in saving that he considered these little temporary exertions of no avail. I e had thought long aiid deeply upon the welfare of this class of uen, and he was of oplhion that there were great abuses with respect to them te be rectiried. He considered that all the laws as app.icable to seamen ought to be revised. With respect te the re- mark about the inprovidence of the sailors, there were, he a pr- hended, but few who had the means, even if they had the inc ina. tion, to accumulate. He enforced the necessity ot a general change of system with respect to those men. Dlr. BLANCHARD Said, h'e by no means agreed with his ftiend Mr. Urquliart in the view that gentleman had taken of the questioni. Immediate relief was needed, and the question was, whether those poor men werre to be relieved at all by means of individual exertions; tor no relief would they obtain, if they were to wait the accomplish. meat of the general plan aUudedi to. The motion for forming the committee was then igreed to unani- mously._Thanks having been voted to the chairman, and the re- solutions ordered to be adverrised, the meeting separated. I AVERCHAN 2' SRAMEN'A SOCIETY.