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APPENDIX No. XXIV.
The necessity of some organization was one with which many people were impressed, and Ihave been favoured with a communication from Archdeacon .Sinclair, showing the strongfeeling with which he and other zealous clergymen viewed the importance of this subject, whichI am permitted to quote :—
“ It occurred to mo, that much good might be eifected if the clergy of the parishes in the“ neighbourhood of the Exhibition could be prevailed upon to assist in finding lodgings for“ the working classes who might be expected to visit the Metropolis this year. I was appre-“ liensivo that if largo numbers, of either sex and of all ages, should arrive from every quarter“ without having previously secured accommodation, the result both to their health and their“ morals might bo most disastrous. The arrangements by which 1 hoped to lessen or prevent“ thoso evils were,—that Committees in the country should, through the medium of tho London “ clergy, secure respectable lodgings in town at a cheap rate by taking them at once for six“ months : that the lodgings for single men and women should be separato ; and that tho“ artizans should be sent up in relays, each remaining a few days or perhaps a week. A lum-“ drod beds for twenty weeks would thus alibi'd accommodation for at least 2000 visitors. All“ parties, it appeared to mo, would bo gainers by tho plan. Tho visitors, instead of wandering“ about in search of lodgings, would bring billets with them and bo directed where to go ; they“ would not be cheated nor plundered, and at tho samo time they would fool that they were“ not isolated strangers who had no character to maintain,but were connected with each othor,“ and had the credit of their town or parish to uphold. On the other hand, tho lodging keepers“ would be assured of a fair rent for a long period, and would not bo under tho necessity of“ admitting into thoir houses strangers whom they had never heard of, and who brought with“ them no othor recommendation than a portmanteau, but visitors for whose good conduct‘ ‘a Committee of gontlomon in the country was responsible.
“ I communicated my plan to a number of tho neighbouring clergy, and, notwithstanding“ all the trouble and anxiety in which it would have obviously involved them, I had tho gratifi-“ cation to rocoivo from them assurances of support. But on consulting my friends in tho“ manufacturing and mining districts, I was informed, to my regret and disappointment, that“ tho artizans were jealous of interference, and would prefer at all hazards to choose their own“ timo and mode of visiting tho Metropolis.”
Tho establishment called tho “Mechanics’Homo,”which was conducted with great proprietyand liborality, seemed to oiler to the working classes many advantages, but tho abundance andmoderate charge of private lodgings prevented tho appreciation of its utility, for althougharranged with beds for 1000 visitors, there wore rarely more than a quarter occupied.
Thoro aro somo sources from which the statistics of food can bo obtained, but these still arogeneral, and thoro is somo difficulty in applying them to tho exigencies created by the Exhibi-tion ; for instance, tho quantities of tea, of wine, spirits, tobacco, entered for home consump-tion would appear to show the extra quantities consumed, but in fact there are many othercircumstances which govern tho taking of goods out of bond, and these quantities therefore donot provo increase of consumption at a particular date. A statement. is annexed of thoquantities of certain imports from tho Tables of Trade and Navigation ; in most there is anincrease during tho present year, in a few others a decrease, but as these returns arc the bestto bo obtained on this subject, they aro appended in this placo.
Quantities of the undermentioned Imports entered for Home Consumption, during tho
following Periods.
Natube op Import.
Iu the Kight Months, ended the 5
th of September,
1819
1850
1851
30,301
32,750
40,507
(12,877
54,191
82,489
Swine ....
1,027
1,801
5,319
Corn.
Qrs.
2,.T98,8!)2
2,371,944
3,078,975
Flour. .....
Cwts.
3,004,980
1 ,(191,23(1
3,823,134
Butter .
191,809
211,2(15
234,559
Cheese ....
237,141)
20(1,9(11
198,498
Currants & Kaisins .
312,020
277,724
310,598
Tea.
Ills.
33,3112,733
34,334,900
35,889,090
Cocoa ....
» J
2,120,(1(12
1,953,595
2,029,490
Coffee ....
» *
23.387,101
20,957,150
21,789,253
Sugar ....
Cwts.
3,9(1(1,097
4,253,550
4,440,208
Eggs.
No.
73, (105,759
81,081,745
87,345,099
Brandy ....
Galls.
1,31(1,043
1,198,582
1,175,747
Kum.
1,880,590
1,839,954
1,779,585
Geneva ....
17,870
17,783
17,243
Wine.
4,251,382
4,357,894
4,359,517
Tobacco and Snuff .
lbs.
18,182,(172
18,245,351
18,304,537
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