yet subsequently a larger number of persons, especially Irish Romanists, assembled than had been anticipated. The lecture proceeded with but little interruption till towards its conclusion, when those at the back part of the room began to manifest strong symptoms of turbulence, moving about, and mounting on the benches, and commenced, as is too often the case with Irish Romanists on such occasions, to clamour and denounce Protestantism. At that moment one of the benches snapped in its centre and threw down several persons, the weight of whom fell upon what proved to be the weakest part of the flooring, causing it to yield to the pressure, and carrying away the remaining joists; the whole party, occupying a space of about 10 feet by 10 feet, sank gradually, amid screams for help, and the crashing of the breaking flooring boards, into the cellar beneath, a depth of, say, seven feet. The alarm was truly very great, nor is it to be wondered at, considering that the awful calamity in the Strand only occurred a few hours previous, which circumstance, no doubt, was impressed on the poor people's minds. Words fail to describe its effects, especially on some who had, only a moment before, been bold and daring in infidelity, sneering and scoffing at God's Word, or bitter in blasphemies. The crowd rushed wildly to the doors and windows, which were violently burst open or broken in their anxiety to escape; while false reports spreading with the rapidity of the Electric Telegraph through the neighbourhood, an immense crowd assembled outside and within the premises; some cried one thing and some another; and the utmost confusion might have prevailed and led to serious consequences, had it not been for the timely arrival of Inspector Wilkinson and a strong body of police. The parish and three other fire engines were speedily on the spot; but in the meantime, with the exception of one gentleman, no one remained to render assistance to the struggling people below, all having decamped at the first alarm. He succeeded in extricating most of them, whom he had dragged up successively, till his strength failing, a man of the name of Peter Taylor courageously entered the room and took his place. I am most happy to add that the newspaper reporter was correct in stating that "most were more frightened than hurt," although I fear that several must have wounded themselves very severely whilst smashing the windows in their attempts to escape. Both you and the friends of Ragged Schools will perceive that our appeal at the last annual meeting for the establishment of a building fund was by no means premature; this accident, however unpleasant to those involved at the time, being a decided confirmation of the appeal. I remain, dear Sir, yours respectfully, RICHARD LETT, Hon. Sec. A single glance at this locality is sufficient to prove the importance of a Ragged School, to snatch some of the thousands of unprotected, untaught, neglected children from the depth of misery and degradation, moral, mental, and physical, in which they are plunged. And not only a school such as has been in progressive and successful operation the last four years, but one of at least double its size. The difficulty at the outset, to obtain suitable premises, is still felt by the Committee. They were in the first instance compelled to commence their operations in the ground-floor room of the first house in Brewer's Court, and this being insufficient, they added an adjoining room of the next house by cutting through the partition wall. And notwithstanding the inconvenience endured, more than two thousand children have partaken more or less of the benefits imparted. The neighbourhood of Great Wild Street has been with great propriety enumerated among the "ROOKERIES OF LONDON," the nucleus for which was formed in the early part of the sixteenth century; for while it is said that "cattle were seen grazing where Great Queen Street now is," and that “ the few houses in the neighbourhood were surrounded by fields," there were 897 houses rated, and as many as twenty courts and alleys adjacent named. These were doubtless built as dwellings for the poor, and the larger houses having been gradually deserted by their wealthy inhabitants as the tide swept northward and westward, have now become entirely tenanted by the most destitute of the population. At the time of the accident, there was a Day School containing 120 scholars, an Evening School with an attendance of about 40 boys and 30 girls, and a Sabath School at which from 60 to 70 scholars attended. The lease of the premises will expire in a little more than two years, and the Committee are anxious to raise funds in order to provide a more substantial and commodious building. And we most cordially and earnestly wish them speedy success, and trust their necessities will meet with a liberal and prompt response. REPORT ON CRIMINAL AND DESTITUTE CHILDREN BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. THE Select Committee appointed by the House of Commons to inquire into "the present treatment of criminal and destitute children, and what changes are desirable in their present treatment in order to supply industrial training and to combine reformation with due correction of juvenile crime," presented their Report with the second volume of evidence to the House of Commons shortly before its prorogation. This second volume is well worthy a careful perusal by all interested in this momentous question. The following are the conclusions arrived at by the Select Committee :1. That it is the opinion of this Committee that a great amount of juvenile destitution, ignorance, vagrancy, and crime, has long existed in this country, for which no adequate remedy has yet been provided. 2. That the existence of similar evils in France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, and the United States, has been met by vigorous efforts in those countries; and, in the opinion of this Committee, sound policy requires that this country should promptly adopt measures for the same purpose. 3. That it appears to this Committee to be established by the evidence, that a large proportion of the present aggregate of crime might be prevented, and thousands of miserable human beings, who have before them under our present system nothing but a hopeless career of wickedness and vice, might be converted into virtuous, honest, and industrious citizens, if due care were taken to rescue destitute, neglected, and criminal children from the dangers and temptations incident to their position. 4. That a great proportion of the criminal children of this country, especially those convicted for their first offences, appear rather to require systematic education, care, and industrial occupation, than mere punishment. 5. That the common jails and houses of correction do not generally provide suitable means for the educational or corrective treatment of young children, who ought, when guilty of crime, to be treated in a manner different from the ordinary punishments of adult criminals. 6. That various private reformatory establishments for young criminals have proved successful, but are not sure of permanent support; and are deficient in legal control over the inmates. 7. That Penal Reformatory Establishments ought to be instituted for the detention and correction of criminal children convicted before magistrates or courts of justice of serious offences. 8. That such Penal Reformatory Establishments ought to be founded and supported entirely at the public cost, and to be under the care and inspection of the Government. 9. That Reformatory Schools should be established for the education and correction of children convicted of minor offences. 10. That such Reformatory Schools should be founded and supported partially by local rates and partially by contributions from the state, and that power should be given for raising the necessary amount of local rates. 11. That power should be given to the Government to contract with the managers of Reformatory Schools, founded and supported by voluntary contributions, for the care and maintenance of criminal children within such institutions. 12. That the delinquency of children, in consequence of which they may become subjects of penal or reformatory discipline, ought not to relieve parents from their liability to maintain them. 13. That in any legislation upon this subject, it is essential that power should be given, under such restrictions as may be necessary to prevent hardship or injustice, to recover from parents the whole or a portion of the cost of the maintenance of their children while detained in reformatory institutions. 14. That it is also essential that power should be given to detain children placed in such institutions so long as may be necessary for their reformation; provided always that no child be so detained after the age of 16. 15. That the summary jurisdiction, with respect to criminal children given to magistrates by 10 & 11 Vic. c. 82, has had a beneficial tendency, as far as it has been exercised. 16. That, in addition to the discretion which is given by that statute to any court before which a child is charged with any minor offence to dismiss such child on sureties being found for its future good behaviour, a power should be given in such cases, in default of such sureties, to send the child to a Reformatory School. 17. That if during any child's detention in a Reformatory School satisfactory sureties should be offered for its future good behaviour, there should be power to release such child from further detention. 18. That, irrespectively of the high moral considerations which are involved in this subject, this Committee desire to express their belief, that whatever may be the cost of such schools and establishments, they would be productive of great pecuniary saving, by the effect which they would have in diminishing the sources from which our criminal population is now constantly recruited, and thereby reducing the great cost of the administration of the criminal law. 19. That the education given in workhouses, although improved of late, has not been sufficiently directed to industrial training, which the Committee deem to be of especial value, as affording the best means of enabling children to provide for themselves the means of independent support upon leaving the work house. 20. That it is essential for the future welfare of children in workhouses that such arrangements should be made as will prevent the possibility of their intermixing with the adult classes, to the moral detriment of the children. 21. That from the expense attending the building of District Schools, under 7 & 8 Vic. c. 101, but few unions have combined for the purpose of establishing such schools; but where such schools have been established, they have effected much good. 22. That it is expedient that greater facilities should be given to the guardians of different unions to combine for the purpose of establishing such district schools, and that the government should be empowered to assist the unions willing to establish them, by partially contributing to the expense of the building. 23. That the Ragged Schools existing in England and Scotland, and recently introduced into Ireland, especially the Ragged Industrial Feeding Schools, at present supported by voluntary subscriptions, or, as in Glasgow, by local rates, have produced beneficial effects on the children of the most destitute classes of society inhabiting large towns. 24. That voluntary contributions have been found inadequate to supply the number of such schools at present required in the metropolis, and other cities and towns; and therefore they should not be excluded from the aid of the National Grant, under the distribution of the Committee of Council for Education; great care being necessary in framing the minutes applicable to this description of schools, so as not to fetter private exertions, or to exclude men eminently qualified to fill the laborious and difficult position of teachers, by the requirement of too high an educational certificate. 25. That in any legislation which may take place on the subjects referred to this Committee, especial attention should be paid to the industrial part of the education of criminal and destitute children. 28th June, 1853. THE CHOLERA. Ir is a painful duty to notify a third visitation to this country of the epidemic cholera. This disease again, first breaking out in Persia, has extended within the present year over a large portion of Russia, stretching as far northwards as Archangel, on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. It has ravaged Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; and then developing itself in the north of Germany, it has attacked Stettin, Berlin, Rotterdam, and Hamburg; and subsequently it has appeared in England, again breaking out on its north-east coast, in the near neighbourhood of the town in which it made its first appearance in this country in 1831. This time the cholera has allowed us but short respite, and although it is possible that we may not feel its full virulence until the cold season shall have passed away, yet here it is, and for the time its devastations appear to be more sweeping than before. For the moment the head-quarters of the disease are at Newcastle, and in that town the terrible fact has been already noted that, whereas in 1831 only 161 persons died of cholera during the first twenty-two days of its appearance, upon the present occasion 995 persons have fallen victims to its power during the corresponding period. It can scarcely, then, be said with propriety that the disease has assumed a milder form since the period of its first appearance. It is far from our wish to give needless alarm to our friends and teachers, but we are anxious to call their attention to the subject, with a view to the adoption of such plans as may be within their power in connexion with Ragged Schools; so that, by timely precaution, the chances of attack among the scholars and their friends may be reduced to the lowest possible degree. We do not, of course, pretend to enter into scientific inquiries as to the peculiar causes which may facilitate the devastations of the cholera. It is not our province to determine whether it be infectious, or contagious, or both. We simply know as a fact, that when the cholera does come upon a country, multitudes of people are attacked by it simultaneously, or in rapid succession. That is clear enough. It is also clear that persons in a particular condition of body, and persons living in peculiar situations, are most frequently attacked, and most frequently perish. And as undrained neighbourhoods, and filthy localities and houses are the most dangerous, we therefore recommend that immediate steps. be taken thoroughly to cleanse and limewash every school building. Increase the means for ventilating the rooms to the fullest extent, let the windows be open and the ventilators have full play during the interim of school hours. Ascertain the exact number of X scholars the room is capable of accommodating_without detriment to health, and on no occasion allow more to be present. Let there be no accumulation of dirt or filth of any description either on or near the school premises. Require all sinks, water courses, and closets, to be thoroughly washed at the close of every day. Have traps put to all drain openings, also to the closets. Keep a supply of approved cholera medicine, with full directions for use, to be supplied to any scholar needing it. Put up in a conspicuous part of the room a list of the medical gentlemen in the neighbourhood, to whom the poor can apply for assistance when needed. And let the most needy of the children be supplied with coarse warm clothing. The carrying out of these suggestions will incur some extra expenditure, and in some cases beyond the means of the school Committee to supply. But we have the fullest confidence in the public, and believe it is only needful to make known a clear statement of the object in view, and a liberal response will be the result. If, however, there should be any difficulty in providing local funds for the above purposes, we recommend an immediate application to the Committee of the Ragged School Union, who, we doubt not, will willingly and liberally assist their local friends. "WHIP ME, BUT DON'T CRY." A PIOUS father had devoted great attention to the education of his son, who had maintained an unblemished reputation until the age of fourteen, when he was detected in a deliberate falsehood. The father's grief was great, and he determined to punish the offender severely. He made the subject one of prayer; for it was too important, in his esteem, to be passed over as a common occurrence of the day. He then called his son, and prepared to inflict the punishment. But the fountain of the father's heart was A He saw broken up. He wept aloud. For a mo- The point was gained. The father saw that the lad was sensibly affected by this incident. He grew up, and became one of the most distinguished Christian ministers in America. IN a narrow room, and hot, A lover of children sat:- She labour'd the bad t' improve; I pitied, and pass'd away; Through different parts I rang'd; In a spacious room, and high, With a ceiling broad and large, I saw the same gentle one's anxious eye But her look was no longer sad,— And her strength it had ceas'd to fail! I wonder'd; and sought to know, Who have manag'd their plans so well! And follow their noble lead; That HEALTH may its triumphs o'er SICK- And LIFE against DEATH succeed! J. P. |