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ITO TIE liEADEB. {Sattopay, ^
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THE MEDICAL COMMISSION TOR THE CRIMEA. D...
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SIR CHARLES NAPIER AND THE BALTIC. FLEET...
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DEATH OF JOSEPH HUME, ESQ., M.P. The liv...
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GREAT FIRE NEAR BL ACKFRIARS-BRIDGE, We ...
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BREAD RIOTS IN LONDON. DuRiwa W ednesday...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Taxes On Knowledge. The Annual Meeting O...
three ftwthifigs bad ; ab « ady been taxed one farthing , or 38 per ©* nt . A taxrof one penny , or 1 * 8 per cent ., was then added , so that by the time it was ready for prating the ta & OB the original cost was not less than 166 per cent . UntH last session , and then in consequence of tjbe exertions of * 6 * t association , if the editor happened to infiwm-tfee world that some respectable woman was anxious to be engaged as a cook where a footman was kept—<& Hi $ ** r)—or tha * * P °° ^ t s wm " ^* nt ed a situation as errand-boy , every insertion of every such paragraph would have been laid hold of by tlw Chancellor of the Exchequer , and eighteenpeuce exacted for each of them . They could not , howeverregard it entirely as a branch of industry .
, He dift not pretend to advantage tie interests of the existing pressv If they derived any benefit he would be glad of it ; but there were thousand *©* s « ppresaed newspaper editors whom he- wished to call from their failure , their obscurity , and , perhaps , their ruin . There were many young men even then studying in-college endowed with brain and heart to instruct and teach their countrymen . These he would call from some narrow and badly paid portion of industry , and place them on a high and broad platform , where men could hear and follow them , and -where no Chancellor of the Exchequer or Board of
Tulmfl Revenue should suppress their efforts to benefit their fellow men . ( Loud cheers . ') There was a mueh higher question than one of trade ; they could not look on a newspaper as a mere matter of trade ; it exercised an enormous power for the public weal or harm . A very large portion-of tie- population were in a state of gross and painful ignorance . ( CAeers . ) There were such a number of Sunday and other schools , that there was no child , even of the humblest classes , that did hot at some time or other attend some kind of school ; but it appeared to him that the number of men and women who ¦ were able to read and write did not bear a fair proportion
to the number of boys and girls at school . How was that to be accounted for ? Let the boy attend school till he was ten or eleven years of age ; suppose he read then even imperfectly ; take him away , and put him to the plough , or to labour in a mine or factory , for eight or ten hours a day ; let him come to a home where books were scarcely to ~ "be seen- —consider the disadvantages of his position , and it was not wonderful that a large proportion of the children who left school almost entirely lost , as they . grew up , the art they had learned to some extent at school . ( Cheers . * ) They wished that this great and useful instrument of education should be turned on to every house , like the water or gas—it would be life and aliment to the souls of the -working
people ; things would be different from what they -were ; and it would be a greater glory for them than those present and historical ones about which they sometimes boasted .- If it was proposed that every child who went to school should pay a penny , would not every man and woman revolt against such a hideous proposition ? Yet a weekly or daily paper would come in , if the penny was not there as a bar as complete to the gradual education of the family as a penny tax would be if imposed on the child at school . ( Cheers . " ) There was the Manchester Daily Times ; it was not half the size of the Times , yet it-had to pay the saine tax ; that was contrary to any just rule of taxation . Take even the War Fly Sheet ; that would be taxed a penny , although it was not worth
a halfpenny ; it could not be sold at all if it paid the tax , as no one would give twopence for such a paper ; those who could afford that would get a better paper . The tax was most unjust and prejudicial to the public interest . An article against them had lately appeared in a paper of a high , literary character , the Examiner . He wished the writer was here , for he spoke of Mr . Gladstone as " yielding to a limited but active agitation , in which we do not believe that any considerable number ot the intelligent working men throughout the country , or of the educated in any class , has sympathised . Mr . Gladstone made up his mind , in consequence of the importunities of Mr . Milner Gibson , Mr . Bright , and Mr . Cobden , to put an end to the unrestricted free
transmission through the post granted in this country to all newspapers . But this was to be done in the form of a popular concession—as a repeal ,, in short , of an existing tax . " The writer dwells on the fact that the Government will « not allow the papers to pass free , but he conceals the fact that Government would enable the paper to reach thousands that it could not now on account of the tax . The same paper was a great advocate for the removal of the stamp some years ago , when it was fourpence instead of a penny . In consequence of an agitation , the then Chancellor of the Exchequer , the present Lord Monteagle , reduced it to a penny . What did tho Examiner Bay of tho penny ? " This
inconsiderable remnant of the most impolitic impost ever devised . The restriction was one against principle . " He believed the Examiner was still in the same hands and under the same influence as then . If the measure was carried , to Mr . Gladstone would belong the same credit as Lord Motcalfe had acquired In the establishment of a free , press in India . To Mr . Gladstone would belong the credit that , at a time when the public difficulties were thickening around , and the public voice was making itself heard in no very hormoniou * tones , he hod dared to come forward with a meannta to make die press of this country as free as the platform , and to admit the public intelligence , the public reason , and the public voice to dictate with increased
power to Cabinets and to PatBaraents . ( Loud cheers . He begged to second the resolution . _ Mr . George Bawson supported the resolution . He was connected with the newspaper press , and wished to say a few words on its behalf . It was very pleasant for a noble lord to te supported by a paper , thenhe praised the press ; but if a paper said the noble lord had made Mmself excessively small ; then he calls it a " ribald press . " A successful tribune said it was a " venal press . " He believed it was neither venal nor ribald ; if he thought it was either , he would not support the agitation to increase it . We should have newspapers as universal as they were in America . The press at present could keep down the big wigs in London , but they wanted
the big wigs in every little village to be kept down too . Tffl the press had spread to every corner , they could not hope to put down Humdrum tapery and routine . They should educate the working classes in politics—a branch of education they could not get in the mechanics * institutions . There was nothing fogydom dreaded so much as that the working classes should acquire a knowledge of politics . In all these institutions the rule was , " all politics are to be excluded . " Take even the rules of a Young Men ' s Christian Association—( uproar—great confuswn ensued , and it was some time before the speaker could make himself heard amidst the storm of cheers and hisses }—if the reference did not please , he would withdraw it . He hoped they would not cease until they had
made every working man a . politician . The resolution was then put from the chair , and carried .
Ito Tie Lieadeb. {Sattopay, ^
ITO TIE liEADEB . { Sattopay ,
The Medical Commission Tor The Crimea. D...
THE MEDICAL COMMISSION TOR THE CRIMEA . Dr . Sutherland and Dr . Gavin proceed on Thursday next , vid Marseilles , to the East , the former to superintend the sanitary ^ arrangements , at Balaklava , the latter at Scutari . They will be accompanied by the third commissioner , Mr . Robert Rawlinson , civil engineer , long associated with the late Board of Health , and favourably known by his elaborate reports on the hygienic condition of many of the principal towns in England . Mr . Rawlinson takes with him , as secretary , Mr . Taylor , younger brother of Mr . _ - Tom Taylor , secretary to the Board of Health .
Sir Charles Napier And The Baltic. Fleet...
SIR CHARLES NAPIER AND THE BALTIC . FLEET . Sir C ^ ables Napier has addressed the following letter to a contemporary : — " I think it would lave been only common justice to publish my reply to Captain Elliott ' s remarks on my saying , in my speech at the Mansion House , that 'the Baltic fleet was very badly manned , and worse disciplined . ' Everybody but Captain Elliott knew very well the Baltic fleet was badly manned . I never wish to see a fleet sent to sea in such a state again . When we first sailed half the men could hardly go aloft , and every sailor knows the meaning of want of discipline , which is , simply , that men got hastily together cannot be in a stateof-discipline ,-and-every officer- is not possessed of the transcendent abilities of Captain Elliott , who can discipline his ship by simply hoisting his pennant . So much use has been made of that expression , that . I beg at once to say , no reflection was intended on the officers ; 09 the contrary , fe there had not been the greatest exertion on the part of the captains and officers , and willing obedience on the part of the men , the fleet never could have returned to England in tho state it was ; ' and , had that fleet had an opportunity , I will answer for it that it would have given a good account of its opponents . Depending on the gunnery of that fleet , I had no fear of leaving Admiral Martin at Nargen with a third of tho force of the Russian fleet when I was at Bomarsund , nor did I fear to lie in Baro Sound with a third of their force , or at Nargen with half ; and there was nothing to hinder the Russians . landing at Sweaborg , had they chosen . "
Death Of Joseph Hume, Esq., M.P. The Liv...
DEATH OF JOSEPH HUME , ESQ ., M . P . The living political reformers of Great Britain have lost the oldest of their leaders—Joseph Hume is dead ! Mr . Hume had been visibly declining in health for a year past . During the last few weeks a disease of the heart gradually reduced his strength , and gave warning that his end was drawing near . He expired at six o ' clock on Tuesday night at his seat , Burnley Hall , Norfolk . Mr . Hume- was born in January , 1777 , at Montrose , his father being the master of a coasting vessel trading from that town . After some elementary education he was apprenticed to a surgeon , and following that profession , he entered the East India Company ' s service . His good sense and sagacity enabled him to detect the faults of tho system , more particularly the neglect of study of the native languages . Turning his attention par . ticularly to these , during the Mahratta war of 1803 , he was of great use to himself and to his country as interpreter ns well as surgeon . After travelling in Spain and Portugal , Mr . Hume returned to England in 1811 , and was elected for Weymonth , which seat , however , he soon lost . He devoted his next few
years , with some effect , to the Terena of the East Indian system , and in 1818 , was again in Parliament , this time for Mbntrose , which he retained till
1830 . Immediately oh entering Parliament he commenced those vigorous protests against national ex . travagance for which he has "become so celebrated . Commencing single-handed , he was soon at the head of a real minority , which subsequently developed into an undoubted majority , and besides that , gave a key-note to various new styles of reform . From 1880 to 1842 Mr . Hume represented Middlesex , after which period he was again returned , for the remainder of his We . for Montrose ,
His long , independent , and disinterested career ; his untiring advocacy of the extension and improvement of the Education of the people ; his unflinching exposure of , and opposition to , official abuses and extravagance of every kind ; his pams-taHng exertions for the preservation of the rights of tl \ e people , as well as his unceasing efforts for their moral and intellectual improvement and amusement , we too well known and too generally appreciated to render either precise description or comment necessary . Mr . Hume ' s private worth , his unswerving integrity , unselfishness , gentleness , and consideration for others , endeared him to a large eirele of friends .
Great Fire Near Bl Ackfriars-Bridge, We ...
GREAT FIRE NEAR BL ACKFRIARS-BRIDGE , We gave last week Some account of a great fire -which was raging when we went to press on Saturday morning . This fire was scarcely extinguished on Sunday night , and may be considered one of the most devastating which have occurred for many years . The loss of property is computed at about 100 , 0007 . The fire originated on the premises Of Messrs . Routledge , timber merchants , whose yard extended from Holland-street almost to the water-side , -the granaries of Messrs . Water and Steel , flour factors , almost abutting on them , and forming the wharf . In addition to the large timber-yard , ¦ which at the time contained many hundreds ^ of loads of timber , piled in stacks to a considerable height , there were spacious steam saw-mills , engine and boiler house , with workshops and other buildings . The steam-mills-were
at work tra Friday , and the workpeople assert that when they left off work at 8 o ' clock the place was apparently safe . No one appears to have had charge of the place after the doors were locked , and the keys given-over to a party in . the neighbourhood . Nothing happened to excite alarm until about 20 minutes , after 10 o ' clock , when the wife of one of the labouring- men in the employment of Messrs . Water and Steel-saw a glimmering light in the timber-yard , soon after which the flames burst forth . The man then took steps to save his master ' s horses , some ten or twelve in number , in the stables adjoining the steam-mills . He had just succeeded in lashing the last horse up , and was returning to wheel out a light chaise of his master ' s , when one of Jthe blazing stacks of timber toppled over into the gateway and shut him in . But clambering through a window , however , he managed to escape .
The arrival of the brigade force and other engines was mTfsTpromptr * The ~ engineers ^ howeveT , "weTe unable to get their engines into play for a long time after . The plugs of the water mains were frozen up , and even when thawed the supply of water was so scanty that not a third of the engines present could be put into motion . The large steam floating-engine of the brigade was brought up the river , and got into immediate play , but , in the mean time , the flames had overwhelmed the whole of the property in tho vicinity of the Albion Wharf including the warehouses and granaries of Me ' ssrs . Water and Steel ; those of Messrs . Rosher and Co .,
limemerchants , and their dwelling-houses ; the warehouses of Messrs . Rickman and Co ., bottle-merchants ; of Messrs . Radley and Co . ; and the main building of the extensive engineering works of Sir John Rennie . For hours after it raged tremendously . The brigade , who were under tho personal direction of their chief officer , Mr . Braidwoocf , exerted themselves zealously , It was the coldest night that probably had been experienced for years ( mnch resembling that on which the Royal Exchange -was destroyed ) . The frost was intense ( upwards of 16 degrees below the freezing point ) . Many of the firemen were coated in ice , with icicles hanging from their uniforms
and helmets . The most melancholy incident was tho fato of poor Mr . Thomas Jackson , the step-son of Mr . Braidwood . This gentleman was energetically , directing tho men when a blazing stack of timber fell upon him . His remains , when got out , presented a shocking spectacle , and could only be identified by the iron of his axe , a knife , and the metal work of his helmet . All that remained of the unfortunate man was a portion of tno trunk of his body . He was" a young man of great promise , aged 26 , and held tho office of surveyor in the Hun Fire-office . He had only been married two years , out has left no family . A very large number of workmen are'thrown out of work by this occurrence .
Bread Riots In London. Duriwa W Ednesday...
BREAD RIOTS IN LONDON . DuRiwa W ednesday and Thursday the inhabitants of the east end of London were kept in a state 01 continual excitement , in consequence of the alarm-
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 24, 1855, page 10, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_24021855/page/10/
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