39
PROOF is not wanting of the utter contempt into which the Catholics of the empire are fallen, and of the inability of the Protestants to do justice. But if anybody has a lingering doubt still in his mind, he must lose it if he gives a moment's consideration to the acts and sayings of the Royal Commissioners of the Patriotic Fund. There we have his Royal Highness the Prince Consort, noblemen and gentlemen of diverse degrees, ratifying the iniquities ot their secretary. The public approves of their proceedings, and apparently there is no possibility of obtaining redress.
A grand fraud has been perpetrated on the Catholic soldiers and sailors, an irreparable injury of simple souls; but the British public is stolidly indifferent when it does not applaud these grand marauders. The medieval barons, who lived by plunder and the muscles of their right hand, were never more shameless than the noble lords and gentlemen who have quietly determined to rob souls, and consign helpless orphans to everlasting ruin. It is mere wantonness of power, the very insolence of brute force, for the Commissioners propose no benefit to themselves. They are doing their work tranquilly and legally, and probably without thinking of its issues. It is their cool indifference and lofty contempt that most strike the observer, for they do not even know what mischief they have done. Some have attempted to justify the proceedings of the Royal Commissioners by maintaining that the money they received is for the most part Protestant money, and that it ought, for that reason, to be spent for Protestant purposes. Even if it were truewhich it is not—that the money is all Protestant, that would not clear the Commission of a fraud, for the money was subscribed for the use of the soldiers and sailors indifferently, without reference to their religion. It was given for the purpose of educating the children of all, and it never was understood—still less expressed—that the education to be paid for by the public was to be Protestant. Catholics subscribed their money, but they would not have done so had they been told that the commission would make use of it to bring up Catholic children in heresy. The truth is this: the moneyphas been diverted from its lawful use, the Commission has misapplied the funds entrusted to its administration, money given abundantly for the succour of the poor soldier has been withheld from its lawful owner, and spent upon:those who had no claim to the whole of it. The share of the Catholic soldier has been taken from him and given to the Protestant. During the war the 'Catholics were encouraged to enlist and fight, by the promise that their children, should they fall, would be taken care of, and when the children applied for their portion it was withheld from them, and the Protestants benefit by the robbery. This is what the Commissioners have done. They accepted the contributions of the public upon one set of terms, and they spend them upon others. What was given for the advantage of the whole army is now confined to a part of it, and those excluded from the grant are the poorest and the most helpless and friendless in it. This is regarded with satisfaction by the perpetrators of the wrong, and it will be difficult to convince the nation that a grand fraud has not been committed. If the question did not lie between Catholic and Protestant, there would be no difference of opinion about it, for the case is analogous to that of the Royal British Bank, which received moneys for one purpose and spent them for another. The Commissioners have given away upwards of thirty thousand pounds, so that it shall be inaccessible to Catholics. The Wellington College is as useless to them as the benefices of the Established Church. That institution cannot educate Catholics, and, if Catholics were unhappy enough to enter it, it would be at the expense of their souls. All the money given in that direction is so much stolen from the Catholic soldier, and, as the gift is made and irrevocable, it is useless to cry about it. We are so far defrauded, and there is no possibility of redress. The Commissioners might as well have given the money to the Royal Bank, so far as Catholics are concerned; it is irretrievably lost to us, though it was given originally for our benefit in common with the Protestant soldiers, who did nct fight better than we did, and for whom it was never said that a better provision was to be made. The Commissioners are about to appropriate also another sum for the use of Protestants, for they are building and endowing the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum for the education of three hundred children. The education to be given in that asylum will be such as should deter every Catholic from entering it. The plan of the Commissioners is perfectly open. They make no disguise of their intentions. They will pay here and there over the country for the education of a few Catholic orphans. That expense will not be heavy; neither will it continue long. By degrees the last Catholic orphan will leave school, and be enabled to support itself; then the Commission rill be free. Its funds will not be touched by the Catholic child, but the great bulk of the subscription, the million of money, will be intact, a perpetual fund for the education of Protestants, though originally granted for Catholic purposes as well. The mixed school which the Commission establishes will be for the benefit of Protestants only, who will thus, by the adroit management now carried on, profit by funds which were not intended for them, to the exclusion of their fellow-subjects. This may be thought Inge- Mons, as, no doubt, it is, hut it is the ingenuity of men w ho, in a lower condition of life, form an unp!easant acquaintance with the police.
[column 2]
Here now we have the Royal Commission of the Patriotic Fund founding an institution of a permanent character out of money never given for such a purpose. That money was subscribed by the public for the benefit of the whole army, and the Commission spends it upon a part. Catholics were to have their just share of the subscription; but Catholics are shut out. The orphans of the soldiers who fell in the wars are defrauded; but that is not all—a permanent provision is made for Protestant children, but none for Catholic. In future wars there will be a provision for Protestants, but none for Catholics. We are as effectually cut off from all the advantages of the fund as if it had never been collected at all. It is not worth while discussing individual cases of hardship in the face of this enormous job. If every Catholic orphan had been put in a convent school at the expense of the Commission, and no tampering with religion allowed, the wrong and the robbery would be none the less, for a temporary provision only is made for us, while the Protestants have secured for themselves, out of money belonging to us, a permanent asylum for future generations. The fund has been taken from its lawful destination, and unjustly applied either to purposes of corruption or to the propagation of heresy. According to the report of the Commission the fund is improperly expended, for it is not spent upon all those entitled to it. The Catholics were promised their just portion, and the whole is given to Protestants.
[Source: BNA: Link.]
[Seems to be same txt as above]
[Source: BNA: Link.]
DREADFUL SUICIDE. On Tuesday morning the police authorities at Scotland yard received information of a dreadful suicide committed near the Patriotic Asylum, Wandsworth common. It appears that on Monday William Cades, a postmaster carrying on business as a baker, in York-road Battersea, was seen by two platelayers watching near the West end and Crystal Palace Railway at Wandsworth common, and on the approach of the Brighton express train he ran down the embankment and placed his head upon the metals. The train immediately passed over it, smashing it in a most dreadful manner. To such an extent was the poor man's head crushed that he could only be 'identified by his clothes. His remains were carried to the workhouse of the Wandsworth and Clapham Union, to await an inquest. From the inquiries made of the friends, it appears that the deceased had been in a desponding state for some time.
[Source: BNA: Link.
38
The Patriotic Fund
Volume 170: debated on Thursday 28 May 1863
Question
MR. J. A. SMITH
said, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention has been drawn to the Report of the Patriotic Fund, and the causes of the resignation of the majority of the members of the Ladies' Committee of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, appointed in January 1862; also to notice the admission of the late Sir George Cornewall Lewis, that a girl of sixteen years of age had been flogged in that establishment; and further, that the conduct of the officials who had committed this act was condoned by the Executive Committee; and to inquire what steps have been taken to prevent the recurrence of such practices. As he understood the right hon. Baronet the Member for Droitwich (Sir John Pakington) wished to make some observations on this subject, which he could not do that night, according to the forms of the House, he (Mr. J. A. Smith) would repeat the Question on Monday, on going into Committee of Supply?
SIR JOHN PAKINGTON
said, the statement of the hon. Member for Chichester, which, coming as it did ten days after notice, he had now heard with great surprise and regret, induced him (Sir J. Pakington) to ask the hon. Member a question. Having himself had the honour of being a Member of the Royal Commission on the Patriotic Fund, and also a Member of the Executive Committee, he that morning attended a meeting of the Committee. That Committee felt that the hon. Gentleman had so shaped his Question as to convey an insinuation against the Royal Commission and the Executive Committee. They therefore wished to meet those insinuated charges as soon as possible, and he (Sir John Pakington) asked the hon. Member whether he would bring forward his Question not later than Monday next, in order that explanations might be given on the subject.
MR. J. A. SMITH
said, he would put the Question as early as the forms of the House would permit.
[Hansard: Link.]
37
HOUSE OF LORDS
Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum
Volume 171: debated on Friday 5 June 1863
Question
LORD ST. LEONARDS
rose to put a Question to the noble Duke the Secretary of State for the Colonies, relative to the Royal Victoria Asylum, Wandsworth. His chief object was, to make a personal explanation in consequence of some observations which had fallen from a right hon. Friend of his (Sir John Pakington) in another place.
For some time considerable difference of opinion had existed with reference to the conduct of the Asylum, and particularly as related to the competency of the lady superintendent and the chaplain. The Ladies' Committee investigated the matter, and elicited certain facts, the result being, that they came to a resolution, declaring that they could not continue to act beneficially to the institution if the lady superintendent and chaplain remained at the head of the establishment. The Executive Committee declined to remove those persons, and in consequence of this decision four of the seven ladies who formed the Ladies' Committee at once resigned. The other three did not resign at the moment, but waited to see whether the Royal Commission would approve of the decision of the Executive Committee; and on finding that they did approve of it, these three ladies, one of whom was his own daughter, also sent in their resignation. At the meeting of the Royal Commissioners, at which it was determined to retain the officials objected to, his noble Friend (Earl Grey) moved a Resolution for their removal; and he (Lord St. Leonards), in supporting that Resolution, expressed himself very warmly on the subject. From the report of his observations, in another place, it would seem as if his right hon. Friend (Sir John Pakington) imputed to him that he had taken that course, and warmly supported his noble Friend's Resolution, because his own daughter was a member of the Ladies' Committee; but if his right hon. Friend had looked into the facts, he would have found that there was no reason for imputing motives to him. He might observe, that of the four ladies who first resigned, three were wives of members of the Executive Committee, and two were also wives of members of the Royal Commission. The husbands of those ladies voted for retaining the officials to whom he had alluded, whereas the ladies themselves resigned because they were retained; so that affection was not allowed to get the better of a sense of duty.
It was only recently his daughter had become a member of the Ladies' Committee; but from the first he had been a Royal Commissioner. He had also been a member of the Executive Committee; and that body having done him the honour of electing him their first Chairman, he had worked for the institution day by day and hour by hour during a period of two years. He had not resigned till every shilling of the vast sums contributed towards the establishment and maintenance of the asylum had been secured and appropriated to its proper purpose. It might interest their Lordships and the public to hear that of the vast sums which had come to the hands of the Royal Commissioners by driblets and in sums of all amounts, from all quarters of the globe, every single shilling had passed through the hands of the Royal Commissioners, without any sum whatever having been spent in entertainments, or in anything that might be called personal expenditure on the part of the Commissioners. The contributions had been advertised as they were received; the money, as it was received, was duly paid into the Bank of England every day; no one was allowed to retain any money whatever, and none was drawn out of the Bank except by cheque signed by the Chairman and two other members of the Committee. He had employed a competent person to trace the various subscriptions: that person found that every shilling that had ever been advertised had passed into the fund, and that there was in the fund a considerable sum over and above the amount that had been advertised as received from subscribers. Great precaution had been used with respect to the opening of letters containing inclosures, and also in respect to the drawing of cheques, so that the Royal Commissioners might confidently assert that their management had been a disinterested one. But their Lordships would remember those painful occurrences in the school which had attracted so large a share of public attention.
After the institution was fully established, it was superintended by a Ladies' Committee, and in the course of their supervision they discovered certain proceedings of which they could not approve. A girl died in a solitary room in which she was confined; and another girl was sent to London to be mesmerized; and altogether there was a bad moral tone in the school.
These were the circumstances which weighed on his mind, and led him to support the Motion of the noble Earl (Earl Grey), and not his affection for the lady who had been, as he thought unnecessarily, alluded to in another place. His right hon. Friend (Sir John Pakington) said that at a late meeting of the Royal Commissioners he (Lord St. Leonards), in the most frank spirit, declared that having passed several hours of the previous day in looking over the establishment, he felt bound to state that he had never seen an institution in a more satisfactory condition. That implied that he intended to retract what he said previously, which was certainly not the case. He had never changed his own opinion, though he was willing to yield to that of the majority; In visiting the establishment he found all persons at their posts; the lady superintendent, the chaplain, the schoolmistress, the pupil teachers, and the children, were all busily occupied, and he admired what he saw there as he had done before. His objection was, in fact, not to the routine of the school— that was free from all objection; it was that the heads of the Asylum Had permitted certain acts which had demoralized in some degree the school, and had led to the death of a girl. He was happy to say that in consequence of the course pursued by the Ladies' Committee steps had been taken recently which tended to remove all such objections to the establishment as he had referred to. As the Royal Commissioners had decided on retaining the lady superintendent and the chaplain, he did not desire to say a single word against them. There was one thing, however, of which he thought the Commissioners could not approve; he referred to the fact that a girl sixteen years and seven months old was, for petty theft, aggravated by lying, sent to a private reformatory. He thought no individual had a right to send her to such a place. It appeared that she had borne a good character up to the time of 400committing the offence in question, and that on leaving the reformatory she went to service. In his opinion, it would have been far better had she been punished at the school instead of being stigmatized by being sent to a reformatory.
The Ladies' Committee, of which he had spoken, had now ceased to exist; and believing that the institution could not work well without such a Committee, he wished to ask the noble Duke, Whether any steps were being taken for the formation of a new Ladies' Committee?
THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE
said, he was sure his noble and learned Friend would not expect him to enter into the misunderstanding which seemed to have existed between him and the right hon. Gentleman who spoke upon the subject in the other House of Parliament. But taking an interest in the Commission to which his noble and learned Friend had referred, he had gone very carefully through the speech of the right hon. Gentleman, and it did not seem to him that there was intended to be or was any aspersion cast upon the motives or the conduct of his noble and learned Friend. He (the Duke of Newcastle) was not a member of the Executive Committee, upon whom devolved all the internal regulations of the Victoria Asylum, but filled the office of chairman of the Patriotic Fund, a post which he had occupied since the death of the lamented Prince Consort. He could not therefore reply authoritatively to the questions addressed to him, but would give such information as had reached him. His noble and learned Friend's Question inferred that no steps had been taken to re-constitute the Committee of Ladies. The phrase used by the noble and learned Lord was likely to mislead. The Committee of Ladies had consisted of twelve ladies—seven of whom had resigned and five remained. He believed that those five ladies had not since met as a committee, but an arrangement was made among themselves individually to visit the asylum, and he believed they had done so. His noble and learned Friend shook his head, but that showed the mistake in putting the Question to himself, as it was clear the noble and learned Lord knew better than he did. He was informed that one of the five ladies had recently been compelled to leave this country in consequence of her husband being ordered on service abroad, and a proposal had been made to nominate another lady in her place, and he also understood that the Executive 401Committee at their next meeting on Tuesday intended to consider what steps should be taken with a view to increase the Ladies Committee. He hoped his noble and learned Friend would be satisfied to learn, that if not technically, at least practically, the Committee had continued to exist, and that steps would be taken to increase the number of its members.
House adjourned at half past Seven o'clock, to Monday next, Eleven o'clock.
[Hansard: Link.]
40
ROYAL VICTORIA PATRIOTIC ASYLUM. Mr. TORRENS asaod Colonel Wilson Patten whether there were any vacancies in the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum at Wandsworth;if so, what number; and further, could he state whether it was the rule or intention to fill up any vacancies in the asylum solely with children of soldiers who dies in the Crimea, to the exclusion of the children of soldiers those who, having served in the Crimea, have since died on service with their regiments in India or elsewhere.
Colonel W. PATTEN said the vacancies were gradually being filled up, and the number would very soon amount to 300. The commission was originated for benefit of the children of soldiers who had been wounded or who had died from disease during the Russian war, and they would have the first claim upon attention.
[Source: BNA: Link.
41
NB See also
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/record?catid=61857&catln=3
https://www.lamas.org.uk/images/documents/Transactions61/Pg_205-220_Royal_Victoria_Patriotic_Asylum.pdf
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13000655
Often called simply the "Patriotic Asylum" not the RVPA
e.g. "London Evening Standard - Monday 11 March 1861"
"The Queen and Prince visited the Patriotic Asylum for the Orphan Daughters of Soldiers, Seamen, Wandsworth, and Marines, at Wandsworth."
[Source: BNA: Link.]
NB Catholics appalled
[Source: BNA: Link.
42
THE PATRIOTIC FUND
In the House of Commons on Monday evening, Mr. J. A. Smith asked the Under Secretary for War whether his attention had been drawn to the report of the Patriotic Fund, and the causes of the resignation of the majority of the members of the ladies’ committee of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum appointed in January, 1862; and also drew attention to an admission of the late Sir George Lewis, that a girl of sixteen years of age had been flogged in that establishment by the lady superintendent by direction of the chaplain; that the conduct of the officials who had committed this act was condoned by the executive committee; and inquired what steps had been taken to prevent the recurrence of such practices.
The Marquis of Hartington said that the management of the Patriotic Fund was in no way under the control of the War Department; but he could say that the proceedings in question had been inquired into by the Commissioners of the Patriotic Fund.—Sir J. Pakington, as one of the commissioners, explained that they did not approve of some of the proceedings in the school in question, but they were of opinion that anything which had occurred was attributable to other persons than the lady superintendent and the chaplain.
The executive committee, on a report from the ladies’ committee, had corrected most of the objections which had been brought before them, but some of the ladies refused to act unless the lady superintendent and chaplain were dismissed, and that course was declined, although «# full investigation was made, and the punishment of the girl in question condemned by the committee. The executive government of the asylum had been remodelled, and a careful system of inspection established.
[Source: BNA: Link.
43
THE VICTORIA PATRIOTIC ASYLUM.
On Monday evening the House of Commons discussed at some length the affairs of the "Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum." Mr. JOHN ABEL SMITH, by whom the question was brought forward, is a man most honourably distinguished for his personal and individual exertions in every matter of humanity. Not content with merely taking the lead where popularity may be gained, he is in the habit of personally seeking out and visiting the poor and suffering, and devoting to their relief his time, his money, and his exertions. Any charitable question brought forward by such a man deserves attention. The substance of his complaint is that this institution (built as a place of education for the orphan daughters of soldiers who died in the Crimean war, out of the funds freely contributed by the public) has been very grossly and shamefully mismanaged. When attention was first directed to this mismanagement, a committee of thirteen ladies was appointed to examine into the facts. These ladies, after a very careful examination, reported that the "Lady Superintendent" and the Chaplain wets responsible for the abuses existing, and should immediately be removed. This the Executive Committee refused. The ground of their refusal is important. They do not deny the gross and scandalous abuses which had systematically prevailed in the institution; but they say that the Chaplain and "Lady Superintendent" were not fairly responsible for them, because, to quote the words of Mr. J. A. SMITH, "They had in all cases acted under the authority or with the sanction of the senior honorary secretary, Captain Fishbourne, to whom, as stated in writing by the Chaplain, 'everything that happened or was done of the most trivial description was made known, as their only means of communicating with their rulers, and whose decision was considered by them to be final and his arrangements indisputable, whether according to their views or not.' From that he inferred that the Executive Committee were of opinion that the real responsibility for all the acts to which he had alluded rested with Captain Fishbourne, and therefore declined to dismiss the subordinate officers. That, he must confess, he thought a very excellent reason, at events, why the conduct of Captain Fishbourne should not paw unnoticed. That gentleman occupied a very singular and anomalous position. He was called honorary secretary, but be, nevertheless, received, he believed, no less a sum than £7OO a year in the shape of salary." Nothing, surely, can be simpler than this. Moreover, on this very ground of the sole responsibility of Captain FISHBOURNE, the a Executive Committee" of the Patriotic Fund refused to dismiss the Chaplain and the Lady Superintendent. Now, who constituted this Executive Committee Their names ac given by Sir PAKINGTON. They are: Lord COLCHESTER, in the chair, General LINDSAY, Sir J. PAKINGTON, Colonel ADAIR, Rey. F. C. and Captain Fishbourne. It appears, then, that the sole responsibility of Captain is accepted as the just and sufficient defence of his subordinate authorities by a committee of six highly respectable persons, one of whom is Captain FISHBOURNE himself. The next step was that a report to this effect was made by the "Executive Committee" to the "Royal Commissioners of the Patriotic Fund." These " Commissioners " are some fifty or sixty of the first men in the State; and, in order to secure just and fair treatment to the children of Catholic soldiers, one of them, Mr. JOHN BALI., is a Catholic; care being taken, however, that that one Catholic member of the Commission should not be a member of the "Executive Committee," by whom alone, ifj by any body at ail, the real superintendence of the management was to be executed. Accordingly, when the report of the "Executive Committee" came to be considered by the great body of the " Commissioners," there were present exactly ten Commissioners. Of these ten, three—that is, Earl GREY, Earl NELSON, and Lord St. LEONARDS—voted for a resolution setting aside the determination of the committee, and declaring that the Chaplain and the Lady Superintendent ought to have been dismissed. Seven Commissioners (whose names are not given by Sir JOHN PAKINGTON) voted the other way. The only question seems to have been, not whether the conduct of the parties inculpated had been scandalous—so far, there appears to have been no difference of opinion among any of those who have ever inquired into the case—but only whether the responsibility of Captain FISHBOURNE (which no one questions) ought to relieve them of any responsibility in the case. Before ending our statement, we have only to add two facts—first, that out of the thirteen ladies who inquired into the case, seven resigned, avowedly on the ground that they were hopeless of being able to do any good, without the dismissal of the Chaplain and the Lady Superintendent; the other that Sir JOHN PAKINGTON states that great reforms have since been introduced into the institution, and that "ten days • or a fortnight ago Lord St. LEONARDS visited "it, and in the most frank spirit declared that, "after the part he took a year ago, he felt bound "to state that he had never seen greater provements effected in the time, or a public "institution in a more satisfactory state." As far as appears, the matter rests thus. Now, there is only one point to which we desire to call attention. The managers of this institution go unpunished for abuses of the most monstrous nature, avowedly on the ground that the responsibility lies, not upon them, but upon Captain Mr. JOHN ABEL SMITH says:—" That is a very excellent reason, at all "events, why the conduct of Captain "should not pass unnoticed." He goes on to point out that Captain FISHBOURNE, though calling himself "Honorary Secretary," receives out of the subscriptions given by men of all classes and all religions (that is by us) towards the relief of the Crimean orphans, no less than seven hundred pounds a-year. Yet, so far as appears, no "inquiry into the "conduct of Captain FISHBOURNE " has ever taken place. His subordinates are left unpunished, for the most flagitious conduct, solely on the ground that the whole responsibility lies upon him, not upon them; and then he is allowed to retain not merely his "Honorary Secretaryship," with its salary of £7OO per annum; but (what is of far greater consequence), the management (practically uncontrolled and without responsibility) of the immense sum of money which we gave for the relief of the Crimean widows and orphans; and (what is far more important still) the influence and power which the management of that money gives him over hundreds of unprotected widows and thousands of children.
One thing has been proved: fully half of the men who sacrificed their lives in the Crimea were Catholics. The absolute and uncontrolled management of the fund for the relief of their widows and orphans was entrusted to Captain FISHBOURNE, an Irish Protestant of that extreme school to which (lot us say in passing) not a few of our Catholic brethren are just now amiably desirous of committing the whole Government of Ireland. Even so, however, there will be some check in publicity, and what these men do will be more or less revised by the electors of Ireland, at least when the next general election takes place. But over Captain FISHBOURNE, as the case before us proves, there is practically no check at all. Some years ago we devoted a great deal of attention to his conduct, and we take it upon us to say that the facts which we then published clearly prove that Captain FISHBOURNE habitually and systematically used his influence for proselytism. In most cases this was only too easy. He had to do with a large number of poor, frightened, half-starving widows, and the degree of relief to be given to each must necessarily depend in a very great degree upon the discretion of those by whom it was administered—that is, practically on his own discretion. He had to settle also in each case whether their character deprived them of all right to relief. We can say, from our own personal examination, that one impression universally prevailed among all the Soldiers'
widows, whether Catholic or Protestant. That impression was, that if any widow would allow Captain to educate her children as Protestants, she would meet with all possible favour, and that if any widow insisted, on whatever grounds, on her child being educated a Catholic, one excuse or other would be found for depriving her of the benefit of the Fund. Of course it wa-s quite enough that such an impression should exist among the people concerned. It would equally effect the desired object, whether it were well founded or not. We are bound to add, however, that we believe the opinion was practically well founded, and also that, although, as a general rule, it was perfectly easy to use the Fund for proselytising purposes without ostensibly breaking any rule, yet there were cases in which, by his own showing, Captain FISHBOURNE did violate for that purpose rules which he acknowledged to be binding. For instance, at a time (before the case of RACE) when he professed to believe that he was bound by law to see that every child was educated in the religion of its deceased father, even if the wishes of its surviving mother were the other way, he gave directions to his agents in the neighbourhood of Dublin to educate as a Protestant a child named NORRIS immediately after those very subordinates had reported to him that both its parents were Catholics. It may be said that this was a single case. No doubt it was, and so in the nature of things must each:case be. The question is whether a man who (on his own showing) had thus flagrantly violated the rules by which he acknowledged himself to be bound, in order to proselytise one child, is fit to be trusted with unchecked power over thousands of other cases, the particulars of which will never be known. Be it remembered it was only by accident, in consequence of the publication (for another purpose) of the whole correspondence relating to the NORRIS family, that this flagrant case came out. We have no doubt that there were hundreds of similar cases, and that this case differed from the rest only in that the particulars accidentally came out on Captain FISHBOURNE'S own authority. _ One thing is clear, that if there was any real desire to do justice to the families of Catholic soldiers, the only way to manage it would have been to have, at least, two men constantly on the spot, to one of whom the management of Catholic children should be left, to the other the management of Protestant children. Instead of this, the whole management of all, Catholic and Protestant alike, was committed, virtually without any control, to Captain FISHBOURNE—a Protestant of the extreme proselytising school. We sincerely believe that he was desirous of the good of the children • but we equally believe that, in his opinion, the good of a Catholic child is to be effected solely by making it a Protestant; and that he is utterly unscrupulous about the means employed to effect so good an end. We are far from thinking that this subject unconnected with the abuses pointed out by Mr. J. A. SMITH, and of which the whole practical responsibility fell confessedly upon Captain FISHBOURNE. No man can divert his attention equally to all points at once; and we believe that Captain FISHBOURNE was too eagerly intent on the great and fundamental object of proselytism, to attend much to minor points of the morals and discipline of the school. For example, we should like to ask what care was taken to provide for the religious education of the children of Catholic soldiers in this same "Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum I"
We have good reason to believe that at least one-half of the children at this moment in that asylum are the children of Catholic soldiers, and we also believe that the means nominally intended for their religious education in their own religion are merely nugatory. It appears, among other things, that the Protestant chaplain has been allowed to have them flogged, even between 15 and 16, at his own discretion. We much more than suspect that this very state of things would, in Captain FISHBOURNE'S opinion, "cover a "multitude of sine' in the institution and its governors. It is worth mention that one young person, whose treatment is admitted to have been scandalous, was named BENNETT. Now, the family of Sergeant BENNETT was one of those which Captain was accused of proselytising by very shameful means, and whose case was brought before the House of Lords by the late Duke of Was this poor girl one of his children I We therefore repeat the demand made by Mr. J. ABEL The Chaplain and the "Lady Superintendent" are acquitted, not because the flagrant nature of their conduct is denied, but solely because the responsibility of it lies not with them, but with Captain FISHBOURNE. That he is chiefly responsible all parties agree; although the Earls GREY and NELSON, and Lord ST. LEONARDS, and seven out of the thirteen ladies who examined into the case, are of that his admitted responsibility did not avail to justify them. We say then, with Mr. J. A. SMITH, "let us have an investigation into the conduct "of Captain FISHBOURNE."
[Source: BNA: Link.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Abel_Smith
John Abel Smith (2 June 1802 – 7 January 1871) was a British Member of Parliament (MP) for Chichester and Midhurst.
...Smith was a founding partner of the Hong Kong-based trading company Jardine, Matheson and Co.[1] and in 1835 became a partner in the merchant banking firm of Magniac, Smith & Co.
...In 1847, Smith sat on the Committee of the British Association for the Relief of Distress in Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland, which had been founded by his friend Lionel de Rothschild.
On 26 July 1858 Abel Smith and Lord John Russell, presented Lionel de Rothschild to the House of Commons. The Commons then voted to allow Rothschild, as a Jew, to take the oath on the Old Testament only.
Abel Smith Street, in central Wellington, New Zealand, was named after him in 1840: he was a Director of the New Zealand Company.
CAPTAIN (LATER REAR-ADMIRAL) FISHBOURNE
Edmund Gardiner Fishbourne R.N.
https://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=882
NA: Biography of Edmund Gardiner Fishbourne R.N_.pdf
Online Books:
[X-Info] Fishbourne, E. Gardiner (Edmund Gardiner), 1811-1887: Impressions of China, and the present revolution: its progress and prospects. (and Halliday, 1855) (page images at HathiTrust)
[X-Info] Fishbourne, E. Gardiner (Edmund Gardiner), 1811-1887: Lectures on naval architecture; being the substance of those delivered at the United Service Institution. (Smith, 1846) (page images at HathiTrust)
[X-Info] Fishbourne, E. Gardiner (Edmund Gardiner), 1811-1887: The loss of H.M.S. 'Captain'. Illustrating a new principle of naval architecture for the first time emunciated. (E. & F.N. Spon, 1870) (page images at HathiTrust)
https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupname?key=Fishbourne%2C%20E.%20Gardiner%20(Edmund%20Gardiner)%2C%201811-1887
Sue Young Histories
[PB: Who she? Her website is devoted to the biographies of people enthusiastic about homeopathy - a remarkable number, it seems, in including Trollope.]
Edmund Gardiner Fishbourne 1811 - 1887
December 31, 2009
Admiral Edmund Gardiner Fishbourne 1811 - 1887, RN, CNB, Commander of HMS Hermes in 1851, was a Patron of the London Homeopathic Hospital, and of the homeopathic hospital in Smyrna, Fishbourne was a Steward at the 1858 Annual Festival in aid of the London Homeopathic Hospital.
Edmund Gardiner Fishbourne was a close friend of William Francis Cowper Temple and Georgiana Tollemache Mount Temple (James Gregory, Reformers, Patrons and Philanthropists, (Taurus Academic Studies, 2010). Page 218), who were close friends of James John Garth Wilkinson.
The supporters of homeopathy are now striving to establish a large metropolitan hospital, which shall be conducted according to the principles inculcated by Samuel Hahnemann, which will be a school for homeopathic students, and which will afford to allopathic physicians the means of inquiring into the merits of the new doctrine and practice.
A public dinner in aid of the building fund of this charity took place on Wednesday, April 21 at Willis’s Rooms, when the Duke of Beaufort, George Ponsonby O’Callaghan 2nd Viscount Lismore, Arthur de Vere Capell Viscount Malden, Henry Robinson Montagu 6th Baron Rokeby, Lord Grey de Wilton, Lord Cosmo Russell, Robert Grosvenor, Mr Truman MP, Major Blake, Captain Fishbourne RN, Mr Pritchard [High Bailiff of Southwark], Mr Sheriff Rutherford, Frederick Hervey Foster Quin, John Rutherford Russell, and about 150 other gentlemen, known as supporters and practitioners of homeopathy in the metropolis and in the provinces.
The usual toasts were given, viz– “The Queen;” “The Prince Consort and the Royal Family;” and “The Army and Navy,” responded to by Henry Robinson Montagu 6th Baron Rokeby and Captain Fishbourne RN, who alluded to their experience of the benefits personally derived by them from homeopathy during their service in the Niger expedition and in the Crimea. The Chairman then proposed “Success to the London Homeopathic Hospital,” which was enthusiastically received.
The homeopathic hospital in Smyrna, was also supported by: Arthur Algernon Capell 6th Earl of Essex, Lord Lovaine MP (Algernon George Percy 6th Duke of Northumberland), James Gambier 1st Baron Gambier, George Wyndham 1st Baron Leconfield, Colonel Taylor, Captain Fishbourne, Robert Grosvenor 1st Baron Ebury, Richard Whately Archbishop of Dublin, Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset 8th Duke of Beaufort, Arthur Wellesley 1st Duke of Wellington, James Hamilton 1st Duke of Abercorn, and 18 other members of the House of Lords, 43 Peer’s sons, Baronets and Members of Parliament, 17 Generals, 33 Field Officers, 43 other Officers of the Army, 2 Admirals, 15 Captains of the navy, 65 Clergymen, 45 Justices of the Peace, Barristers and Solicitors, and 314 Bankers, Merchants and others.
Fishbourne entered the Royal Navy in 1824, becomming a Lieutenant in 1835, a Commander in 1841, a Captain in 1853, he retired as an Admiral in 1879. Between 1835 and 1850, he saw active duty across Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, and the East Indies,
In 1847, Fishbourne was reported in a debate in Hansard,
In 1852-3, Fishbourne was the Second in Command under Commodore Lambert in the 2nd Anglo Burmese war,
In 1854, the newly promoted ‘Captain’ Fishbourne and the HMS Hermes were paid off in Woolwich after steaming 75,000 miles.
In 1857, Fishbourne was involved with an attempt to lay the North Atlantic Cable,
In 1858, Captain Fishbourne gave a lecture On Floating Batteries (reported in the United Services Institute Journal Vol II, 1858), and he was a prodigeous author of articles on shipping techniques, on various military campaigns, he also wrote What is Sin?, The Injustice of Free Trade Policy, Entire Sanctification; or, a clean heart is the doctrine of Scripture, The Irish Plundered, Manufacturers enriched, and Foreigners protected, Means employed to raise the Condition of British Seamen, Protection for her people and her industries the cure for Irish discontent, Romans vii. 14-25 represents unconverted experience!, Wholeness, or holiness and health through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
<[>[PB: Why nothing on his time at the RVPA?THE PATRIOTIC ASYLUM AT WANDSWORTH
—AL- of England to exclude their Roman Catholic fellow-subjects from the educational advantages which they derived from the LEGED MISCONDUCT OF THE OFFIC IALS. —Mr. J. A. SMITH asked the Under-Secretary of St ate for War whether his e ffi c i e nt maintenance of the College of blaynooth. attention had been drawn to the report of the Patriotic Fund, NEWDEGATE supported the motion, and urged that the win. College of Maynooth become a mere monastic institution; and the causes of resignation of ma n y members of the ladies' and, seeing that even in Roman Catholic countries like Spahr it mittee of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, appointed in had been found necessary to reduce such establishments, it was January, 1862. He also called attention to admission of the an anemia), to give them Parliament ar y su pp ort in a Protestant late Sir G. C. Lewis, that a girl of 1 6 years of age had been flogged in that establishment, and further that the conduct of the utuult r Y• orficials who had committed this act was condoned by the execu- After a brief reply from Mr. WHALLEY the House divided, tive committee; and to inquire what steps had been token to when the motion was negatived by to 100.
[Source: BNA: Link.]
PARLIAMENlT'ARY BUSINESS. HOUSE OF COMMONS.
THIS DAY.
NOTICES OF MOTIONS
W. FORSTER - To ask Sir John Pakington whether, s of the six ladies now forming the Ladies' Committee of the a Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, one is the wife of the chaplain of the asylum, two are the wives of the two secretaries of the Patriotic Fund, and one is at presentin Canada.
[Source: BNA: Link.
Mr. J. A. Smith asked the Under Inettretary for War whether his ettentlen had been drawn to the report et the Patriotic Fund, and the causes of the resignation of the mijortv of the members of of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, appointed In January, 1842; also drew attention to an Minim.% of the late flir flenrge Lewis. that a of sixteen years of age bad been finned in that eatabliahment by the lady superintendent by direltion of the chaplain: that the conduct of the who bad committed thia act was condoned b? the executive committer: and inquired what steps had been taken to prevent the reearrchee of serh practices. Sir J. Paklngton, as one of the commissioners, explained that they did not approve of some of the pmeeedinge in the In question. but they were of opinion that anything which had occurred was strtilintable to other persons than the lady superintendent and the chaplain. The executive committee, on a report from the bullet' committee, hid corrected most of the ehjectione Mitch hail been brought before them. bat sows or the ladle, refused to act unless the lady 'oriel-intendant and the chaplain were dlemtmed, aid that corm &WWI& although a full investigation was made and the punishment of the girl in question condemmil lw the committee. The executive government of the asylum bad been remodelled, and a careful system of mitablishod. Home then went Into committee of snooty on the civil service eitlmatet commencing with CiA/14 1. Public Worka and " several veto, were taken, and the Rouse resumed. T
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004077/18630609/024/0003" target="_blank">Link.
EX-PUGILIST NOW REVIVALIST?
"Who prevented the ex-pugilist and now revivalist, from entering the doors of the asylum?"WHO HE?
THE VICTORIA PATRIOTIC ASYLUM.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE Daily News.
SiR,-After your strictures on the lady superintendent of the Victoria Patriotic Asylum, in your editorial article of to-day, I must appeal to you for the insertion of the following remarks: I would ask what succinct charge has the ladies' committee to bring against the lady superintendent! It is easy to bring a general charge of incapacity, but it is particulars that are required.
It is stated that she allowed the girls to go out without proper supervision, and that she carried out orders she herself disapproved of. The first is completely answered in the minute of the executive committee of July 1862, in which it is noted that "it appears e the ladies have been misinformed," and with reference to the second, if obedience to orders received from those set over one is a crime, it is one to which not only the lady superintendent but many others must plead guilty. The statement you make of a "spinster lady superintendent without irs grain of self-reliance, or decision of character" is one not borne out by facts.
Who, might I ask, stopped the prayer meetings at the asylum? Who prevented the ex-pugilist and now revivalist, from entering the doors of the asylum? Who discovered the petty thefts 2 and who is beloved throughout the whole building by high and low? Go to the asylum yourself, and inquire.
The assertions made the girls leaving the asylum are uneducated and immoral cannot be sustained. Out of the last 70, only six come under that category, and the services of girls leaving the asylum are engaged up to August next.
The members of the executive committee having known the lady superintendent for five years were not prepared to endorse the hastily-formed opinion of the ladies' committee - that she was a person of no self-reliance or strength of character. I do not deny that the institution has been mismanaged, but I must protest against the lady superintendent being offered up as the victim,
I am, &c.,
AN OFFICER.
June 9.
THE VICTORIA PATRIOTIC, Asmt M.-Tise following notices have been given iii the House of Commons:- For June 11 (this eveiniog), Mr. Wm. Forster - To ask Sir John Pakington whether, of the six lndies who were left on the ladies committee of the Royal Victoriw Patriotic Asvluni, after the resignations of the majority, one is the wife of the chaplain of the isyhlui, tro are the wives of the two secretaries of the Patriotic Fund, one is at present in V'sailsa, and a fifth has been prevented by illness in her family from ever attending; and also whether any ladies havetbeen adrled to the committee, and if so when, and how many. For Tuesdav, June 1(t, Mr. John A. Smith- To mrove, that an hurirbie address be presented to her Majesty, praying that she will be graciously pleased to alter the existing constitution of the Patriotic Fund Commission, and to substitute some responsible authority for itsl ple'ent nundetnel and irresponsible management; al-o, that sie will be pleased to direct that the commissioners or otilier iransagers of the Patriotic Fund shall report alouually, and that such report shall be laid upon the table of the house.
[Source: BNA: Link.
Can we find the names of the 7 women who resigned?
Yes, I think so: Denis Blomfield-Smith, Heritage of Help, says (p.38, footnote 1)The Members of the Ladies' Committee were: Mrs Adair*, Mrs Brown, The Lady Colchester*, Mrs Cook*, Miss Burdett Coutts, Mrs Fishbourne*, Mrs Kirkby*, Mrs Lefroy*, Lady Sarah Lindsay*, Mrs Frank Morrison, Mrs William Prescott, The Hon. Miss Sugden, The Hon. Mrs Wellesley. *Wives of Executive Committee Members.
ROYAL VICTORIA PATRIOTIC ASYLUM.
Mr. W.E. FORSTER asked Sir J. Pakington whether, d the six ladies who were left on the ladies' committee of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum rater the resignation of the majority, one was the wife the ohaplain of the asylum, two were the wives of the two secretaries of the Patriotic Fund, one was at present in Canada, and a fifth had been prevented by illness in her family from ever attending; and also whether any ladies had been added to the committee, and if so when and bow many?
Sir J. PAKINOTON said the right hon. member for the county of Tyrone having succeeded him as chairman of the executive committee of the Victoria Patriotic Asylum, questions of this kind would be more properly addressed to him. He presumed from the questions of the bon. member that he desired fall information as to the ladies committee, sad perhaps he should state who formed the committee latter the disruptioe. The committee consisted originally of thirteen ladies, and seven of thew ladies intimated their intention to resign on • given event. That event occurred, and they did resign. After the disruption the committee of Lady Sarah Lindsay, Hon. Mrs. Wellesley, Mrs. Wray, Mrs. Fishbourne, Mrs. Morrison, and Mrs. Kirby. These ladies regularly visited the establishment. Lady Sarah Lindsay, however, bad recently gone to Canada to join her husband, so that the asylum had lost her efficient services, as well as those of her husband, who had been one of the royal commissioners. Mrs. Kirby was the wife of the chaplain, and was appointed a member of the committee. Mrs. Morrison was the lady referred to who was prevented by illness from attending. That impediment still existed, and consequently that lady bad resigned. There were too ladies referred to who were the wives of the two secretaries, and he had been asked whether they were still on the ladies committee.
He presumed the boo. member meant to infer that those ladies were not independent in their action. He could only tell the hon. member that experithoe in that committee showed that wives and husbands were not always exactly of the same opinion with regard to the details of school management any more thee they were in other matters (laughter) — and therefore he for one earnestly hoped those two ladies, of whose independent action there could be so doubt, would be retained upon the committee.
In answer to the latter part of the question be had to inform the bon. gentleman that when the committee mot last Tuesday they had received permission to add the following ladies to the committee, via., the Hon. Mrs. Slade Linda'', Lady Pollock, Mrs. Johnson, and Mrs. Lawrence. The executive committee, however, being of opinion that seven was too small a number for the ladies' committee, decided upon increasing the number to Dina. Lady Radstock bad then cooseated to act, and Lady Havelock having been applied to, it was hoped that she would also consent to be a member of the committee. Her ladyship, however, had not yet replied to the application made to her, but if she should refuse another lady would be named.
[Source: BNA: Link.
THE ROYAL VICTORIA PATRIOTIC ASYLUM. + were porfect (hear, hear). In reply to Mr, W. FORSTER, Sir J. PAKINGTON said as the hon. gentleman had put the question to him he was ready to answer it; but inas- much as the right hon. member for the county of 4 ne had succeeded to the chairmanship of the committee of the Royal Patriotic Fund such a question could more properly have been addressed to that hon, gentleman than to him (Sir J. Pakingtou), As the hon. member for Bradford no doubt wished to have full information in regard to the state of the ladies’ committee he (Sir J. Pakington) thought he should best answer his question by making the following statement:—‘The ladies’ committee consisted originally of thirteen ladies, Seven of them had, however, resigned, upon the occurrence of a certain grave event. There remained six ladies upon the committee—namely, Lady Sarah Lindsay, the Hon. Mrs, Wellesley, Mrs, Lefroy, Mrs, Fishbourne, Mrs. Morrison, and Mrs, Kirby. Those ladies to pay regular visits to the establishment all through. Lady Sarah_ Lindsay had, however, recently gone to Canada to join her hus' a nd, who was placed in command of the Guards there; so that the asylum had lost herladyship’s efficient services, as well as those of her hus- band, who had been one of the Royal commissioners. Mrs, Kirby was the wife of the chaplain, and was appointed a memter of the committee, Mrs. Morrison was the lady to whom the hon, gentleman referred who was prevented by illness from attending the committee. That cause still ting the lady had resigued. There were two ladies to who were the wives of the two secretaries, and he had been asked whether they were still on the ladies’ committee, Their experience in the society had not tended to show that husbands and wives were of the same opinions with regard to the details school manage- ment any more than upon other matters (laughter). He, however, earnestly hoped that the services of those two ladies, of whose independent action he had no doubt, would be retained upon the In answer to the latter part of the question, he had to inform the honourable gentleman that when the committee met last Tuesday the; had received permission to add the names of the following to the committee—viz., the Hon, Mrs. Lloyd Lindsay, Lady Pollock, Mrs, Jenkin: son, rs, Laurence, The executive committee being, however, of opinion that seven was too small a number for the committee, decided upon increasing the number to nine. Lady Radstock had then consented to act, and Lady Havelock having becn applied to, it was hoped that she would alse assent to be a member of the ladies’ committee, cation made to her. Her ladyship, however, had not as yet replied to the appli- If Lad: should refuse . another lady would he named
[Source: BNA: Link.
TILE ROYAL VICTORIA PATRIOTIC ASYLUM. If to any of our readers the analogy drawn last week between War Office and Horse Guards administration during the Crimean war, and the administration of th., Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, may have seemed farfetched or fancifully malignant, we can only recommend to them the careful perusal of the " Third Report of the Royal Commissioners of the Patriotic Fund," just presented to Parliament. So far from being far fetched or fanciful, the analogy deserves rather to be called a likeness—as painful as the likeness of a sick child to a dead father. The Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, of which Her Majesty laid the first stone in July, 1857, was opened for the reception of orphan girls in July, 1859, when 150 were admitted. This number gradually increasd to 268. It was not until January, 1862, that the domestic management of the Asylum appears to have become the subject of inquiry, after one of the inmates, a poor orphan girl, a servant, but not receiving wages, had been burnt to death while under solitary confinement. This poor girl had evidently perished by an accident, but her solitary for two days was a punishment inflicted by order of the Chaplain for the heinous offence of "rudeness to the laundress." The Lady Superintendent, it afterwards appeared, was opposed in principle to the penalty of solitary confinement, but had not the courage to differ from the Chaplain. It was the scandal of an inquest that provoked the Executive Committee of the Royal Commission to appoint a Visiting Committee of Ladies. For two years and a-half the poor orphan girls had been left to the discretion of the Chaplain, the Lady Superintendent, and a distinguished naval captain, acting as . "Honorary " Secretary of the Royal Commission. The Chaplain and the Captain together had (among other peculiarities) devised a scheme of corporal punishments for the female orphans, the Lady Superintendent tacitly disapproving (as she afterwards avowed), but consenting. The Ladies' Committee, appointed at the end of January, 1862, met on the 11th of February, and again on the 11th of March, and adopted resolutions with which the Executive Committee only partially complied. On the 27th of March eight of the 'Julies' Committee of thirteen drew up a statement of the circumstances under which they could not consent to continue the exercise of their functions, unless the Executive Committee, at their meeting on the following day, should dismiss the persona to whom they had hitherto entrusted the local management of the
Instituion. These ladies had been made aware, by close personal inquiries, that the Institution had been entirely mismanaged, and that the Executive Committee had been kept in ignorance of many important details of its internal administration. Thus they found that the Chaplain had assumed unauthorised powers, and administered punishments totally unsuitable and revolting—especially in a girlie school; that the Lady Superintendent was unequal to the control of such an establishment, "as not possessing sufficient judgment of her own, and bad consented to follow out unauthorised orders, which she knew to be ob. jectionable." This statement was politely set aside on a point of form by the Executive Committee, as it had not been drawn up at a meeting of the Ladies' Committee, regularly summoned; but the Executive Committee promised to inform the ladies of the result of their own deliberations on the whole question of the future government of the Asylum. And now mark the contrast between the Executive and the Ladies' Committee. The latter would not allow the vital interests of the Institution to be sacrificed to a technical informality. They had twice visited the Asylum, and there had seen with their own eyes, and heard with their own ears, what they reported to the Executive Committee. They had found an absence of moral control, a religious instruction having no relation to practical duties, a system of revolting punishments, a discipline opposed to all notions of delicacy and propriety, and betraying a general incompetence in the Chaplain and the Lady Superintendent for the responsible charge of female orphans. And what was the reply of the Executive Committee? That they disapprove and regret the conduct of the Lady Superintendent and the Chaplain in some instances; but, "considering the peculiar circumstances under which the Schools had been carried on "—that is, the absence of all supervision on the part of the responsible Royal Commissioners, and the want of previous experience on the part of the Lady Superintendent and the Chaplain—they were of opinion that a recurrence of those faults might be prevented, and that therefore it was not necessary to proceed to the extreme measure of calling upon the Lady Superintendent and the Chaplain to resign. Can we be surprised that seven of the ladies should have entirely dissented from this decision, which is nothing more or less than an aggravation of the original fault of appointing to the care of three hundred poor orphans officials without previous experience, and destitute of the commonest qualifications; a Chaplain who substitutes for moral control hysterical religious excitements; a spinster Lady Superintendent, without a grain of self-reliance or decision of character; and an honorary naval Secretary, whose notion of the fit and proper training for orphan girls is mesmerism (without the medical officer's sanction) when they are faint, and corporal punishment when they are " rude"? Can we wonder if the seven ladies were not satisfied with the assurance of the Executive Committee, that a new set of rules and regulations for the domestic management of the Asylum had been drawn up, and that in future the Asylum would be periodically inspected by two Bishops? They fear a relapse into the former mismanagement and indifference, and this fear will be understood and shared by all who have not yet forgotten the war in which many of the fathers of these poor orphan girls were sacrificed to "the unpleasantness of the task of dismissing incompetent officials "—a task which the independent section of the Ladies' Committee of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum deem quite a secondary consideration to the claims of common sense and common feeling, to the benevolent intentions of the founders of the Asylum, and to the 'satisfaction of a noble national purpose.— Daily News.
[Source: BNA: Link.
THE PATRIOTIC FUND.
The third report the Royal Commissioners of the Patriotic Fund states that the total number of widows of non commissioned and petty officers, privates, and seamen placed on the lists for relief is 3 and of children 4,513 (including 172 who have lost both parents), being an addition of 299 widows and 507 children since the date of last report; 173 widows and 419 children have died since the commencement of the adminstration of the of whom 129 widows and 224 children have died since the date last report.
Allowances to children have been discontinued under the following circumstances:—Apprenticed to trades, 139; entered service, 110; entered the army, 11; entered the navy, 38; pupil t.achers, 11; government schools, 90; above age, 210. Total, 609. 1,302 widows have re-married. Some of these have lost their second husbands, and have returned to their position the fund. There are 130 officers' widows, and 225 officers' children in receipt of allowances according to the scale sanctioned by the Royal commissioners (30th April, 1856). Additional allowances are given for the education of 30 of these children, and there also 21 in the following institutions:—s, Royal Naval Female School; 6, New Cross; 10, Wellington College; total, 21. The receipts of the Patriotic Fund 31st December, 1861, were as follows:
Amount of contributions received, £1,459,687; received as annuities and interest on securities purchased and profits on changes of investments, £516,295; received from Amateur Artists' Fund (Burlington House) for widows and orphans of officers, £4,607. —tetal, £1,980,589. The expenditure is stated thus as allowances to widows and orphans, £3*42.421; per-centage on payments to staff officers and others, £7,095; for purchase of nominations to Wellington College £25,000, Royal Naval School at New Cross £8,OOO, Royal Naval Female School £5,000, Cambridge Asylum £3,000, and Naval and Military Schools at Portsmouth and Plymouth, £2,500 each, £5,000; as allowances to widows and orphans of officers, £46,060; to widows and orphans of officers from Amateur Artists' Fund (Burlington House), £4,590; for advertisments, £1,853;to Senior Honorary Secretary, per resolutions of Boyal Commissioners, £2,235 as salaries, £9,108; for stationery and printing, £1,614; postage, £457; fuel and lighting, £7O travelling expenses, £300; miscellaneous, £362, foreign bill stamps, £109; together, £502,329. By balance:—Cost of securities, £1,239,853; cash at Bank of England, £5,562; cash in the office, £23 - y cash at the War Office, and in the hands of local authorities for payment of allowances, £1,029;
amount carried to separate account of Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum on 30th June, 1860, viz.: Securities of endowment, £140,100; sums granted for purchase of land, building, &e, £63,173; cost of securities set aside for boys' school, together with interest duo at the time of transfer to separate account on 30th June, 1860, £25,517; total, £1,980,589.
[Source: BNA: Link.
THE PATRIOTIC FUND. TO THE EDITOR OF THE Daily News.
SIR,
In the debate in the House of Commons on the 1st inst. on the burning to death of one girl and flogging of another in the Royal Victoria Patriotic School, i and other matters relating to the management of the asylum, Mr, J. A. Smith informed the house that both the chaplain and "lady superintendent " should say:-" That they had in all cases acted under the authority and with the sanction of the senior honorary secretary, Captain Fishbourne, to whom, as stated by the chaplain, everything which happened or was done, even of the most trivial description, was made known, as their only means of communicating with their rulers, and whose decision was considered by them to he final, and his arrangements indisputable, whether according to their views or not." As this statement is not denied it is only fair to assume that the responsibility of the Patriotic Fund proper (about a million and a half sterling) is also committed to the "indisputable rule of Capt. Fishbourne; a state of things which, I venture to assert, was never contemplated by the subscribers to this splendid charity, and the sooner some proof be given to the public that this great charitable fund is free from abuses, common to charities in the present day, and is conducted and dispensed in a manner befitting its national importance, and in strict accordance with the letter of the royal commission under which the subscriptions were raised, the better pleased will the public be after se the recent ventilation in the House of Commons of the cl management?? of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum. That the admissions of " the chaplain," and " lady super.intendent" imperatively demand further attention is evident from the management of the following case, which G came under my notice some little time since, and was laid Vi before the honorary secretary of the Patriotic Fund. GI I content myself with giving you an epitome of the correspondence; the crowded state of your columns precluding RI its publication in extenso. RI A Irs. W-, the widow of a Crimean hero, in receipt In of an allowance for the loss of husband, had two boys at the Rev. W. Pennefather's school at Barnet, at the expense of L, the fund. When the boys were home for holidays in July, 1861, the mother was dissatisfied with their appearance and condition, but to avoid trouble requested the honorary secretary to allow the boys to remain at home, as she thought they were losing affection for their mother. B The office replied that the reason given was not sufficient, and the request could not be complied with.
Mrs. W-- wrote w again, giving full statement of reasons for wishing to remove the boys from Barnet, viz., that the children had £1 ringbone; eldest, a gathered thumb; the younger, a splinter GI in finger, which had been there for two or three weeks. K Doctor's certificate enclosed, which said they were very jt weak from poor diet. Youngest child fainted, system reduced, food not as good as that given to union children, and f eldest boy's clothes much inferior to those worn by that DI class. Not improved in education. Eldest boy, who had GI been at Barnet five years, could not tell the iA time of day; employed tending fowls and gardening. a Captain Fishbourne replied:-That rule is that all com-. plaints are to be made at school, face to face with those against whom complaint is made; examined into complaints made for which there was no ground; saw the clothes worn I1 by boys, and in his (Captain Fishbourne's) opinion, they Si were far superior to those worn by boys in their station of D life. In his opinion the fault is, that boys have not enough C) to do at Barnet, and it would be better if they were more C employed in gardening, &c.; that Mrs. W- had told un- 0 truths,;would not allow slander, and would send her Cl letter to Rev. W. Pennefather, and opportunity would be Co given her of proving her charges; failing which she would be punished. Mrs. W-?? aseistant-secretary ol told her, rule was to send particulars of complaints to II office, which she had done; that eldest boy had come home jc with such a dirty coat, that even after being washed it al was not fit for him to attend a place of worship; that the flogging was excessive and disgusting; that her statements 9g were true, and that she was ready to prove them. t0 Mrs. W-'a readiness to substantiate her statements tl was met with thefollowing epistle: t7, 1861 r Mrs. W-,-I am directed to draw your attention to the b note on your warrant, which is to the effect that allowances w are subject to withdrawal, as circumstances may require; d that they are granted only during good conduct; that the threatening and abusive language which you have used on Si several occasions has been so very improper, that your P allowance is suspended till you have given ample evidence t, of regret and satisfactory promises that you wi l not again c indulge in such conduct. I am also to inform you this fund J is intended for the necessitous; your letter of the 6th inst. a raises the question as to whether that is your condition at present, and therefore as to whether you are an object for this fund. On the 8th August Mrs. W- applied for particulars of ' the threatening and abusive language, &c., and for a fair ii trial. No reply to this letter was ever sent. Mrs. W- has laid the whole of her case before Lord Colchester, by I whose gracioneess her allowancewas restored, her two boys I were placed in another school, where they are well treatcd I ani happy, &c., so much so that she has made application I for theedmission of a third boy into the same school. I l abstain from offering any comment on this ease; I leave it to 'j you and your readers to form an opinion on its merits. Sir John Pakington, at the conclusion of his seech, said, on behalf of the Executive Committee, that they (the I committee) did not shrink from the responsibility of what I they had done, and were perfectly willing to submit to any d inquiry which parliament might think it necessary to in- c stitute." Would it not be well sir, if the country availed ( itself of Sir John Pakington's invitation? for who knows, but that many widows and orphans may be still experien- I r tinhjustice, oppression, and tyranny of this ina- potable" rule; for it is hard to believe that Sir John Peking- l1ton, or any other high-minded Engalsh gentlemen, wou icountenance such management as this.-1 am, &c, Slough, June, 8s6s.
[Source: BNA: Link.
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THE PATRIOTIC FUND.—The third report of the Royal Commissioners of the Patriotic Fund has been issued. The total amount received on behalf of the fund was £1,459,687, of which £32,000 has been set apart for the purpose of establishing a school for boys, and £B,OOO for the purchase of seven nominations in the Royal Navy school at New Cross for the sons of officers in the navy. The total number •of widows of non-commissioned and petty officers, privates, and seamen, placed on the list for relief is 3,455, and of children 4,513 (including 172 who have lost both parents, being an addition of 299 widows and 507 children, since the date of last report. 173 widows and 419 children have died since the Commencement of the administration of relief, of whom 129' widows and 224 children have died since the date of last report. Allowances to children have been discontinued in the cases of 609 children now otherwise provided for. 1,302 widows have re-married. Some of these have lost their second husbands, and have returned to their position on the fund. There are 130 officers' widows, and 225 officers' children in receipt of allowances according to the scale sanctioned by the Royal Commissioners (30th April, 1856). Additional allowances are given for the education of thirty of these children, and there are also twenty-one in the following institutions:—Five, Royal Navy Female School, six, New Cross; ten, Wellington College. The Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, of which Her Majesty was pleased to lay the first stone on the 11th of July, 1857, was opened for the reception of the girls of the fund on the first of July, 1859, when l o g h w a e u re admitted; the number has gradually increased to 268, and as soon as the infirmary is finished, the full number of 300 will be completed.
[Source: BNA: Link.
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The condition of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylam has attracted a good deal of attention ever since the melancholy death of one of its inmates by fre, in 1862, and the report of the Royal Commissioners of the Patriotic Fund and some short debates in Parliament within the last few days give us sufficient information oa the subject. The Asylum, intended for the reception of the orphan girls having a claim on the Patriotic Fund, was built and endowed bys grant from the Royal Commissioners of 203,273., and was opened on the Ist of July, 1859, It was under the control of the Executive Committee of the Royal Commissioners, and its management was intrusted to a chaplain and a lady superintendent, The whole control, however, seems to have practically rested in Captain Secretary of the Patriotic Fund and a paid member of the Executive Com. mittee, Nothing particular seems to have known of it, even by the Executire Committee, until the death of the girl Brmrett, by fire, while under solitary confinement, in January 1863. That event, however, and the circum- stances attending it, as disclosed at the inquest, alarmed, as well they might, the Executive Com- mittee; and a few days after a committee of 13 ladies was appointed to visit the institution and report on the condition of the children, These ladies commenced their labours at once, and their first visit seems to have revealed the most startling mismanagement. At all events, at their second monthly meeting, they reported set of resolutions to the Executive which formed the ground of all the subsequent They represented that solitary con- finement was practised as s to an extent they could not approve; that the Ledy Suparinton lent and Senior Mistress were often absent together; that system of petty theft had grown up in the institution; that some of the girs had beon allowed to go oat with- out proper attendance; that had been inflicted on a girl of nearly 16 by ‘direction of the Chaplain; and that other irregu- larities of the same sort had been constantly committed. A few days after the mecting at which these resolutions were sdopted a portion of the Committese—eight out of thirteen—eddressed a letter to the Executive Committes, requesting the removal of the Lady Superintendent and the ‘Chaplain. We must confees that, if they were satisfied of the truth of their remarks, they could hardly have acted otherwise. They felt “ that the “Chaplain hed powers not suthorised “ by the Executive;” that “ his punish- “ments had been severe snd totally unsait- “able and revolting, especially in girls’ “ school;” and that “the Ledy Superintendent “ was unequal to the control of such an esta- blishment, as not possessing sufficient judg- “ ment of her own.” The Executive Committee, however, did not see fit to carry out the recommend- and, in consequence, four of the ladies re- signed at once, and the functions of the Ladies’ except so far as writing Minutes, in which they continued very industrious, seem to have almost ceased. Three others resigned on the decision of the Executive Committee being ap- proved by the Royal Commissioners, Three more have since resigned from private reasons, and of the remaining three, as was stated in the House of Commons on Thursday night by Sir two are the wives of the honorary secre- taries to the Patriotic Fund. The exception is very for though Sir main- tained the entire independence of these ladies it will be difficult to imagine them free from a very natural We must own, in tho first instance, to a sense of & touch of absurdity in the whole business, There is such hopeless confusion from one end of the affair to the other. The Chaplain “ the “ emall book” of which he kept “ for “his own satisfaction;” the Lady herself inflicting punishment on a girl of nearly 16, because no one else in the institution would do it; the Honorary Secretary ordering a girl ap to London to be mesmerized because she had fainted; the same individual, as it getting as sort of miniature revi- val “ among the girls,”—these things combine to make up s picture of almost extravagant At too, the Ladies’ Committee only heightens the scene of confusion, It appears in a state of chronic It disintegrates in large fragments; first four, then three, then one, and another, and another drop off, and lesve things to take care of themselves. It keeps up a perpetual fire with the Executive and we certainly do not envy the Chaplain and Lady under the constant visitation of these justly indignant ladies, Nothing seems to have combined,—aothing but a repulsive force ap- | pears to have acted upon theconstituent parts of this body. Add to this that everybody threw the blame om somebody else, The fault of the Lady Super. imtendent is said to have been that she al- lowed herself to be guided, against her better jedgment, by the Chaplain. The Chaplain acted under the authority of Captain Fisrpourwe, or, in the sarcastic language of the Ladies’ Minute, “ under “the orders of the gentleman to whom alone he “seems to have considered responsible.” Captain is invisible in the report; we supposes his personality and authority are in the official of the Executive Committee. Lastly, to complete this chaotic con- fusion, many of the members of the Ladies’ Committee were the wives or near relations of of the Executive Committee or of the and, as the two Committees were perpetually at imagination is led on to picture « series of domestic complications of opinion. Fact, it is said, is stranger than Fiction. We certainly think this pemes any imaginary “ Comedy of If this were a private institution, we should have nothing more to say on the subject. We should wish the Executive Committees more decision, the Ladies’ Committee, perhaps, a little more patience, the Chaplain and Lady Superintendent more com- mon sense, and we should hope for their own sakes that they would manage things better, and so we should leave them. But we need not say this is & public concern, Every one is more or less inte- rested im the right employment of the munificent donations to the Patriotic Fund, and though Lord may have Tight in declining to have anything to do with the matter, tion of Parliament. The state of the institution it is subject which deserved to the atten- demanded public animadversion. It would be difficult to imagine more gross mismanage- ment than is implied in the facts we have stated. | Any private institution would have sunk under it | irretrievably. It was wrong from the beginning. was said by Bir The Ledy to be “ the daughter of a very distin- “ naval officer,” not unacquainted, we pre- sume, with the use of the cat, “and a lady of the character,” and the Chaplain te be “a * most clergyman of the Church “of England.” Bat the admit, in their correspondence with the ladies, “a want “of previous experience on the both “ those officers,” and if such a want was not con- sidered fatal to their election, it ought to have induced the most careful Yet foe nearly three yeare—that is, from July, 1858, to May, 1963—the schools were carried on, as the Excou. tive Committee state in their final “ in + the absence of regular supervision, excepting that “ of the senior honorary secretary of the Royal Com- “ mission.” 80 far as one can make out, in short, the and the Chaplain seem to have had mo idea whatever of managing girls, and to have shown little capacity for learning. Yet they were left entirely to themselves, and only the hor- rible death of a girl under solitary confinement roused the slumbering Committee. Lastly, when in the Ladies’ was appointed, there scems to hare been no clear ing of the extent of their duties or their powers, Everybody, of course, had the best intentions. The correspondence laid before Parliament is full of muteal complimenta, We must except the letters of the ladies, who write with a charming and uncom- directness, and with a delightful disre- gard of official forms, But the ladies have common sense on their side when they protest against the interests of so great an institution being intrusted to nothing bat good intentions, It is, however, the misfortane of all such public endowments to be administered with nothing better than this barren and useless quality. In private institutions men are quickly reminded if they neglect their duties, or are to carry them on. But public institutions are not dependent on private exertions, and, as in this case seems to have been the fact, they become the scene of a number of well-intentioned hobbies, Mr. Giaperows preached an excellent sermon the other day on the text, “ Charity covereth multitude of sins.” The truth of his interpretation is evident from the consideration of such cases as this, Im the affairs of the world, however, the words are too often true in another sense, and abuses in charitable institutions are left covered up which ought to be exposed and reMmedied at once, In this case the Executive Committees have tempted a remedy in the shape of a set of new rules. We hope there will be no need for any sharper measures, and that, with the help of the new Committee of Ladies, the institution will soon deserve its magnificent title of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum,
[Source: BNA: Link.
1863-12-26-rvpa-new-lady-superintendent-sought-ArmyandNavyGazette.png
LADY SUPERINTENDENT.—WANTED,
for the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, on
Wandsworth Common,a LADY SUPERINTENDENT
who will be responsible for the domestic order and
discipline of the Institution, the object of which is to
educate and train, chiefiy for domestic service, 300
orphan daughters of soldiers, sailors, and marines,
Salary, £100 per annum, rising to £130., with residence,
board, washing, &c.
Applications, stating age, qualifications, &c, and accompanied by testimonials, to be sent in beofre the 15th of Januray, 1864, addrsssed to the Secretary, 19, New Street, Spring Gardens, S.W., from
from whom any further partioglars may be obtained,
[Source: BNA: Link.]
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PATRIOTIC FUND.—The fourth report of the Royal Commissioners for the administration of the Patriotic Fund was issued on Saturday. The commissioners state that the total numbel of widows of non-cornmisiiioned and petty officers, of privates, and seamen placed on th, lists for relief, is 3508, and of childrer 4581, including 170 who have lost both parents; being an addition of 53 widows and 70 children since the date of the last report. 42 widows and 23 children have died since the date of the last report, making a total of deaths of 215 widows and 442 children since the commencement of relief. It has been found necessary to discontinue 25 widows' allowance. Allowances to 685 children have been. discontinued. 325 of these have entered service, or have been apprenticed, 13 have entered the army, the navy, and 296 are now above the age. 141 widows have remained since the last repolt was made, making a total of 1441. There are 135 officers' widows, and 230 officers' children, in receipt of allowances. 12 of the latter are in the Wellington College, three in the Royal Naval School, Newcross, and five in the Royal Naval Female School. Allowances are given for the education of 34 more. One officer's widow, and three children have died since last year, making 4 widows and 13 children since the commencement of relief. Allowances have been discontinued to 47 officers' children who have attained the age at which the allowance ceases. Seven of them have entered the navy, two the army, and one the merchant service. Assistance has been given for " outfits " and apprentice fees to six children of officers. The total amount expended in relief up to the 31st of December, 1862, was 551,0911. Application having been made for grants to certain public institutions, and an impression having obtained currency that there was a much larger balance unappropriated than is the case, the commissioners state that the balance of assets in excess of liabilities, as estimated by Mr. Finlaison, at present amounts to 190,7431., of which surplus he considers at least £90.000, to be safely disposable. The commissioners have authorised an addition to the allowance to widows of 6d. per week for each child dependent upon the mother.
They have also set apart a sum not exceeding £3000. for the building of a chapel for the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum; and a sum of £1200. for making an extension of the boundary wall of the saylum.
[Source: BNA: Link.
It must be exceedingly mortifying for those who contribute liberally in the cause of benevolence to learn that their offerings have been wastefully squandered by mismanagement or nullified through incapacity. But it must be heartbreaking to those who labour personally in the good work, when they find their services ignored, and their exertions rendered of no avail, by the cold obstruction of incompetent authority. There are in thia charitable realm hundreds of benevolent institutions which are little heard of save in their local sphere, or by the objects of their care. That many of these are admirably organised, there can be no doubt; but that there are many of which the very reverse may be cited, must also be admitted. One of the last established is one of the most vivid examples. When the Patriotic Fund, commenced under the wars of Napoleon", had swollen in 1857, owing to the Crimean campaign, to the enormous amount of nearly £2,000,000, it waa wisely decided to devote a portion of it to the maintenance and education of orphan girls who came within the sphere of its intent. Rather more than £200,000 was so set apart, aud the " Royal Victoria Patri- otic Asylum" has been in existence for three years, and numbers nearly three hundred inmates. The world presumed that it was prospering. The executive committee — that is, a certain number of the commissioners of the Patriotic Fund, especially — thought it was "all right," for they seemed to delegate all control ovtr it to one of tlieir honorary secretaries, Captain Fishbourne, and he reported nothing to the con- trary. But one cold day in January of last year, one of the inmates, a girl, who had been placed in?? confinement for some offence or other, was found burnt to death. It was clearly a case of accident, but the investigation that ensued not only necessitated the dismissal of two of the school-mistresses who were " on duty" at the time, but dis- closed a atate of things generally which the exe- cutive committee found themselves urgently?? upon to meet, but with which they were totally incompetent to grapple. They at once ap- pointed a committee of thirteen ladies "to pro- " vide in future for the better supervision of the "domestic arrangements of the establishment," and requested them " to visit the asylum monthly " and to report their recommendations to the executive committee. " They followed up their sensible resolution by making an admirable selection in their committee, and especially in securing as a prominent member a lady whose experience is most j extended in such matters, and whose pure philanthropy has earned her the blessinga of the poor from one end of the land to the other. Miss Burdett Coutts — for it would be mere affectation to withhold her honoured name— anel ' her committee set to work with """-% energy from?? many a committee of the House of Commons might have taken a lesson struck at the evil they were called?? ' come with a moral courage seldom k Stephen's. They reported the school^] state of utter disorganisation. T1.,- -tendent was totally wantiug ia discre*i " ment. The chaplain had assumed iinw- powers, and had ordered punishnieuts " unsuitable, and revolthi" iv _?? • discipline was most lax; personal cleanlii sufficiently attended to; petty thefts habitual, and were apparently regarded w' bythe authorities; a girl of uearlv beea flogged by the lady superintendent' oa the refusal of her subordinates -, repulsive operation. Too much licens h** ' ' evidently allowed to the elder »irl cant sentence of the report stated that •• • ' " had brought to light a variety of " tending to prove the total want of " discretion of the chaplain and sun?? " some of these being of a nature of" target="_blank">Link.
"notions of delicacy and propriety " their general unfitness fur the respoii '1 "of female orphans." The committee reported that girls hitherto take-.: iv the asylum had so misconducted theou . give the institution au ill name T i j. r J » short, found an Augean stable - and they recommended the ex • v -c???? . mittee to turn the Aipheu* throu once, and to sweep away, as a tirst and vit- ment, the chaplain and the lady sn- Vr,. The executive committee, thus boldlvi, neutralised all their previous *ood positively declined compliance with the They could not even be logical in Every word belied their acr. They vi-, - truth of the disclosures; they deplore ! • rences cited; but they thought thes mj - vented by improved regulations, dered it unnecessary to proceed to tli; sure of?? upon either the chaplain or t intendent to resign their situations. X ! " under great obligations to the " valuable services," but they tri as so much waste paper. They ackc: the waut of discretion, judgment, and -xi (want of experience after three yeai of their protigtis, but they prefer Lookin-r future rather than the past, aud the j them. Hopeful committee?? The ladies at once; J their labours in vain, and, after an ineffeetu,, • strance, perceiving they could bu of c resigned their function.s. Out of tl nally nominated, ouly three remained,, three one was the wife of the chaplain, others were the wives of the honorary secrc! of the Patriotic Fund. It adds not a litt anomaly of all this that though Capta bourne, with this absolute power, and - capacity to deal with it, is styled hon »rary?? to the Patriotic Fund, he ais receive-;i?? £600 or £"00 a year, and, as a member executive committee, he sits in judgim owu acts. Thus is a noble institution left to drift i « sluggish tide of mismanagement, w.r in all probability, a worthless wreck, i of girls will be left to the mercy of ii.i:u • guides and apathetic superintendence.?? assuredly be not trained in the way they sii and, when they leave their ill-starred it a path is little likely to be straight. Tb " Victoria Patriotic Asylum " wili be nounced a failure; and some £6,000 or LT ' year will be thrown away, all for the v. a Uttle sensible organisation. Where, to look for a remedy / The Government, it consider that any interference doo not come •» * their province; but surely that of Par competent to deal with the question? More w is there no civil power in the laud with tut to investigate not only whether charitab are duly administered, but also whether t strictly obeyed within those wails ! We - imagine it to be a nice question whether ' adult flogging does not bring the iuflicter * the cognisance of the Wandsworth Police-c Sure are we that it is revolting to i and that it is absolutely forbidden in metropolitan workhouses aud pauper - It is understood that the executive committee have drawn up new rules ami pointed some uew ladies. Sir Joh.n Paxi> ton holds that the wives of the chaplain honorary secretaries are likely to make members of the ladies' committee. It ** tend this wondrous leniency of jndgniea' the rest, and, in his capacity of conuiu- will abide by and uphold its majority, ti Victoria Patriotic Asylum may yet prove i ing to the country as well as to the young and the fatherless.
[Source: BNA: Link.
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PATRIOTIC FUND.
A report has been presented to Parliament showing that the Patriotic Fund collected for the benefit of the widows and orphans of our men who lost their lives in the Crimean war reached £1,459,697, and that up to the end of 1862, £551,091 had been expended in relief. The number of widows of non-commissioned officers and men placed on the list was 3,508, and of children 4,581; and 135 officers' widows and 230 officers' children were also put in receipt of allowances. Mr. Finlaison has estimated that the assets exceed the liabilities for the continuance of relief by £190,743, of which surplus he considered at least £90,000 to be safely disposable.
The Commissioners have authorized an addition to the allowances to widows with children, the erection of a chapel for the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, and the appointment of a clerical inspector to examine periodically the children in that Asylum, and in the various institutions and temporary homes throughout the . country in which children have been placed.
The Commissioners received last year £1,766 on account, from the executive trustee of the will of F. Rodriguez, a Philippine Spaniard, who in 1857, having no wife or family, left his property for the succour of the families of English subjects wounded or dying in the wars.
[Source: BNA: Link.
TENDERS. For new chapel at Patriotic Asylum, Wandsworth. 3rMansfield, Rhode Hawki ns, s,44o;o Ie m architect x 5,3: 8 - 0; w C uhi h t i t t, e, £5,496; I £5,263. Longrnire and Burge, £5,240; Myers:and Sons, £5,135.
[Source: BNA: Link.
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The Royal Commiasionera of the Patriotic Fund have just published their fifth report, which shews that surplus of the fund is now reduced to ti'k.QU, of which only £3t,500 are safely disposable. Tho estimated aurplua waa more than double the former amount, and the diminution is due partly rho additional allowances granted to widows and children, and an increase in charges for education, outfits, Ac., and partly to diminution in the value tho assets. commissioners regret that the state the funds will not permit them endow Roman Catholic orphanages as they bad been requested to do, but they notify that the regulations of Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum afi'ord facilities for the religions education children of all creeds.
[Source: BNA: Link.
The question whether the " Patriotic Asylum on Wandsworth-common," built out of the Royal Patriotic Fund, for the education of 300 daughters of non-commissioned officers, soldiers, sailors, and marines, is liable to landtax or not, came before the Court of Exchequer last Monday. The inquiry was adjourned in order to ascertain whether land tax was generally charged against the London hospitals.—
[Source: BNA: Link.
target="_blank">Link.MEDICAL REPORT. medical officer for the Wandsworth sub- district re rted that the deaths in his district durin the fortnight ended June numbered males ands females. Three occurred in the County Lunatic Asylum, and 1 in the Royal Patriotic Asylum for Girls. The causes of death were disease of the heart, 3; consumption, 9 2; jaundice, 1; diptheria, 1; and typhus fever, 2 Whe mortality during the above period was below the average, and the sickness prevalent amongst the poor was of moderate amount. It is not satisfactory to find, however, that 3 of the 10 deaths recorded as having resulted from epidemic disease; 2 from cases. typhus, of which disease there are seen to be 3 fresh The rooms in which they occurred are entered in the complaint-book to undergo the usual purification. The house in which the measles occurred is one of a block situated at the bottom of Field’s-elley. A privy adjoins it. It has no back door, or other back means of ventiletion, and the stench on entering it is intolerable. No one could live in it with eafety to health. The deaths were 10, the births 14. PuTNEY AND officer of this district reported that the mortalit of the last fortnight was below the average of the correspond- ing week for 10 years. Four deaths only from all causes and amongst all classes were recorded during the above riod. One of these deaths was the result of ep psy in a child; 1 of disease of heart, of long stan: 1 of hemetimisis of a chronic character; and 1 of natural decay of age. There was, he was pleased to report, an entire absence of death in epidemic disease, and there was any sickness prevailing amongst the union poor of the parish. The fresh cases of actual sickness amongst thisclass of the population treated since his last return had been only 3 in number. The district he ronounced unusually for the season. Deaths, 4. medical officer reported that éral health of the locality had improved durin the past forta bt. There is very little illness of the zymotic c clase In consequence of the high tem re, t debility prevails es the aged poor. The births were 7, the CLAPHAM.—The officer for this district stated that in the week ending June 10th, there were 7 deaths, one of which was a woman, aged 41, who died of consumption; an infant, of convulsion; 2 deaths due to old age, the ns being 94 and 88 years respectively; a chil of scarlatina, an in- fant of bronchitis, and one child expired suddenly, on whom an inquest was held. In the week ending June lit 7 deaths occurred—males 4, females 3, of whom 3 infants died of debility, under 8 months old, 2 deaths were due to consumption, and a child died of disease of the brain. During the last two weeks the health of the district was good, not- withstanding several cases ha of ic disease. Amongst the parish poor there were 27 cases of illness, but the medical officer was y to report that no death was registered. He bel? visited the Panonia, or artificial leather fac- tory, in compliance with the order of the board, and begged to forward his report on it.
[Source: BNA: Link.
Morning Herald (London) - Wednesday 27 June 1866
[Source: BNA: Link.
Homeward Mail from India, China and the East - Tuesday 30 October 1866 A Young Person educated in an Orphan Asylum, wishing to join her friends in India, would be glad to accompany a Lady ( as NURSE [caps!]) going to Bombay. Her Passage Money, via the Cape, will be paid, or the amount allowed towards overland passage. She can be well recommended by the Lady Superintendent, Patriotic Asylum, Wandsworth. 1866-10-30-HomewardMail-from-India-China-and-the East.png https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0001712/18661030/052/0018?browse=trueOn the 5th inst., at the Royal Patriotic Asylum, Wandsworthcommon, Nancy Fayrer, the beloved child of the Rev. Wm. and Kate Kirkby, aged 14 months.
[Source: BNA: Link.
MEDICAL REPORTS. Ths medical clEcere reported for the past fortnight as follows:—Putney and Roehampton. Births, si males and 3 fiesselea The S deaths registered in tits fortnight ended the 11th of rebruaty, although above the average, do not denote the opiretioa of any special causes within tb• sub district Deducting three of these deaths as being due to natural decay, .1 10. respective ages of Itt, 81, and SO, the rmord is reduced to 5 deaths from actual disease, which is below the Th• deaths of 2 persons are iscluded in the at the Meowed see of both of which ace oertilied as being dos to of the brain. Of very young children 3 deaths are re°sided, 2 1.4 which resulted front whooping-dough and 1 from coneublons. One or two mars of smallpox ham lately been meted In private practkv, colllng for increased exertions In the;emotion of it,. practice of vasciestion asionpt all lisopladsottgh still continues, sod Ind ueou has end bet slight abatemen —Battersea. Births, 41 males:r s ill t. Deaths, IS males sad 21 females. The health of the sub-district has much impound. The salutary effect of a blew temperature,• felt by a decrease in of the respiratory sessile. No of mual, rais or death from that deems hos been recorded. Your deaths from diseases hay* bete regurts el, 2 from whooping cough and 2 front duurhise.—ClapLase. Nal% 20 lb female,. Deaths, 6 maim sod S female... The cameo of Math wee.: Bronchitis.; hem. I; deems of the 1; of the howt, 2; of liver, 2; wathieg, I; of the loop, 2; omsumpti,o, 1; indammation ..f the brain, I; Nifty, I; and typlins fever. 1. In the Let two weeks a greet Mal of idnem preve,ited typhus sod otb, r fevers were pre. 'sleet, wale., was smallpox. Ase, Jagst tl • pariah poor there were 421 mew of 11;iscm and 1 death. on which an laquest was helJ.—iitteattam, Tooting. and ar. Birth., 9 maes and 7 females. 4w... sod 4 frena:m. TM health of the local; y in common with of rug sod haa been alerted by tba low temperature ruling in Jaguar), and then followed by tai:d weather. Broochiti• and lung have Ogee imusualiy prevalent, is ezetoplifkid by the reports from the anion t facers. 1 regret to is that x los again mole its is the se 2 beim reported. Meelas sad ...me are met with.—Wandaworth. Births, II Melee and 10 D eats, ft and 14 Of the rot is the County Lunatic Asylum. ths Hospital for Incurable., 1 in that Patriotic Asylum. TM of death were, deem., of the bests sad is eel. 7: if reserstory organs, 6; obstrestim of Um bowels.. I 2, assess of heart, 1; a, 1; eateries, I; apbthm, 1; deasy. 2; awl mallpoz. 1. mortality deem/ the Mom ported prosily in execom of the average; but the to have s mainly tri•ar • • fatality Waal is the public astillaticas. &rally*: Is irmaleet in pails of the lowa, has fatally in out bentanes at ths wat.rs de; but Vie SUMO& of ie 100 1 1 14 1 telableenagiared with I. sow most parts of of • low type is won seeking its . S.silpan. fume. and iseishe have prevailsd szteesimly the at U.S.O taarepeasst by the Md. of the Alma'read. minio the earlitst If not the mrlient, emeteof esiall-per ocerrrsd the.., I need geared; Lew great • necessity ex sta for later. with the great coils and ilegal oceditime pe 0- timed by of of thwes toned the Local C..mmlttse.
The MEDICAL OFFICER for Wandsworth also fotivmdfd • of •intary operatimemrmed from Fahriaary to 161 h, as follows: —B4 holism sad premises 4 aoloes served. 2 oregano's and filled sp. 1 emptied with water, it drains c.matraeted sad comsectot with the mete lewer, 2 deem netaird mid ebstroatiges Meeting preened, 1 pig nuisance removed, I segesedsum of removed, 1 whitewashed anal clement PINVICIL MT N'ws drswie for 11att Pr aerosols passed by the Thience Comoottes, and for grel. WI. for napes, les,* ao available balance of 3s. IN. also ft. be retained Lad7-487)101 else* As for be, The real of ate was air.) to. as of se the eseerai of Battorew for tile of dstrsyesg she if teem( worts st Mins. • Metropolitan Board of Works a amy of thelr order 114 I f N 4 A, Misie OAP for it-Boyle: the espouses cf sew o wf•rks for tee is Agree ham sal Toottog. • IVILIANG APPLIcAtio, 4. A Wier?mei the etrop B o' W. rke stated sleet had eadrr eo•Mourstkon an app horn Mr. E. Outer. in to forming a saw street (411 fist) torn westward out of OssesSeAies. Weedswertb. lefter from the aim Board Mated that they had destined to Bamboo Mr. Daahre plea for farming a square sod two ways on the earth aide of WaadevrortkormiL 111ATT&WA. The Battersea Local tbisewottes '• that had o.uaideration lb. of U per atomgi. which ow grautell tu Mr. Beckham for the toe mare 2.lth bscol, next, tu M the espendltare 1111••
[Source: BNA: Link.
The Earl Longford, on behalf of the War Office, has laid before the House of Lords Bill for the Administration of the Patriotic Fund. The bill confirms tbe existing appropriation part of the fund to girls? school (the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum) and the endowment of a boys? school, and payments for the admission of soldiers? and sailors? widows and children into various asylums and schools; but it is estimated that tbe fund will more than suffice for the objects designated in the original Commission. The bill, therefore, provides that her Majesty may authorise supplementary Commission to apply any surplus in relief of widows, and maintenance, education, and advancement of children of soldiers, seamen, and marines who lost their lives in, or in consequence of casualties the Crimean war; and next, in maintenance, education, and advancement of children of soldiers, seamen, and marines losing their lives in, or in consequence of, any other war; and, lastly, in maintenance, education, and advancement of children soldiers, seaman, and marines losing their lives in the service of the Crown or by disease contracted in such service. The Rodriguez Fund is to be applied to the same purposes.
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THE ROYAL PATRIOTIC FUND. MR. LcCKE KING has given notice in the House of Commons of his intention to ask the Secretary of State for War-" Whether there have been any defalcations on the part of a clerk in the Royal Patriotic Fund O.'fice; and, if so, what is the amount of the defalcations and the period over which they have extended; when they were first discovered; whether any steps have been taken to bring the delinquent to justice; and the date of the last audit, and the period for which the accounits were then audited." Without anticipating Mr. Cardwell's answer to this inquiry we shall only express a hope that these defalcations, if any have occurred, may be the means of directing attention generally to the condition of this fund and the manner in which it is administered. We need hardly remind our readers that the Patriotic Fund was started in 1854, with the object of making some provision for the families of soldiers and sailors who perished during the Crimean war. From first to last, about a million and a, half of money has been placed in the hands of the Royal Commis- sion for these purposes. Of this sum the greater part has now' either been actually spent or at least assigned to various specific pur- poses. Among other grants, the Commissioners in IS86 voted r6o,ooo for the erection and endowment of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, " as an enduring memorial of the loyalty, patriotism, and sympathy mani- fested by all classes during the Russian war." The first stone was laid by the Queen in 1857, and exactly two years later it was opened for the reception of orphan girls. Travellers on the South Western Railway cank hardly fail to observe at a short distance from town a stately edifice in a conspicuous situation on the brow of an embankment which slopes towards the line. This is the asylum. It was purposely placed in this position, as we learn from one of the official reports, in order that it might gratify the public eye as a national monument. Unfor- tunately, less pains were taken to keep the public informed of the internal condition of the institution. The Royal Commissioners report at intervals to the Queen, but as they can communicate only what they know, and as they know nothing except what the Executive Committee choose to tell then, it is not, perhaps, surprising that their reports consist of little else than stereotyped phrases of general satisfaction with everything and every- bcdy. The Commissioners, however, are very useful in screening the Executive Committee; the Committee, in turn, do the same service for the resident officials to whose hands the management of the asylum is Practically confided. Utterly incapable, as far as we can judge, of preserving order either in the discipline or finances of the institution, the Committee have for the last few years been chiefly occupied in stifling all complaints, and concealing as far as possible the unhappy condition of the noble charity entrusted to their care. Almost from the very beginning its history has been, to say the least, unfortunate. Before it had been open three years a variety of scandals forced themselves into notice-corporal punishment applied to big girls against the rules, mesmerising, revivals, and all sorts of vagaries. These scandals seemed to reach a climax in i862, wshen one of the girls was burned to death through gross neglect. The disclosures which followed showed that, apart from the circumstances of this horrible incident, the condition of the asylum was extremely unsatisfactory. The management, which had hitherto been left pretty much to the honorary secretary, chaplain, and lady superin- tendenzt, was now placed under the general supervision of a committee of ladics, including Lady Colchester, the Hon. Miss Sugden, and Miss Burdett Coutts. A few visits to the school and the inquiries which they instituted quickly convinced this committee that there was something radically wrong in the system then in force, and that it was hopeless to expect any improvement as long as the chaplain and lady superintendent retained their positions. They therefore recommended that these two officials should at once be removed. Upon the Executive Committee declining to take this step the ladies' committee resigned and since then the important security of independent womanly supervision has been lost to the asylum. Although the committee supported the accused officials, they could not deny that grave irregularities had been committed, and there- fore adopted an amended code for the management of the institution. One of the suggestions of the ladies' committee was that the lady superintendent should be a widow and mother and not a spinster. The Executive Corn- mittee on the 6th of May, i862, also adopted a resolution depreeating the choice of a spinster on any future vacancy; but two appointments to the place have since been made, and in each case the successful candidate has been unmarried. From whatever cause, the managemlcent of the asylum continues to be marked by much looseness and irregularity. Even the meagre and mysterious memoranda which the Executive Corn- *-iittee call minutes disclose enough not merely to justify but to render imperative a searching investigation. We find repeated complaints from the medical officer of low dietary, in violation of the prescribed scale. There are hints of some strange kind of torture with cotton-reels applied to refractory girls. The lady superintendent seems to have been in the habit of lodging her friends and relatives in the asylum till one of therm intro- duced the scarlet fever, and the committee were then obliged to pass a rule restricting these hospitalities. We gather also that this lady assumed the right of taking holidays at her own pleasure, and the general carelessness and disregard of duty of the staff may be inferred from the committee having specially to interfere to prevent the lady superintendent and. chap- lain, the two responsible officials, going away at the same time. As a training school for domestic servants, its main object, the asylum has proved an utter failure. The incapacity and low moral tone of the girls have acquired such notoriety that it is impossible to find places for them in respectable households; and in their desperation to get them off their hands the officials have been sending them to such wretched situations that even the mild and much-forgiving committee have had to enter a protest on their minutes. Jf, however, the asvlum has failed in other respects, it has been eminently successful in accumulating expenditure. While the expenses have risen enormously, the number of children has actually been reduced on account of the avowed insufficiency of the funds to keep up the full establishment. 'i'he annual outlay rose from 4,C6i in i86o to 9,338 in i864; since then it has been somewhat lowered, and now stands at 7,029, but then a smaller number of children is maintained for that sum. The average cost of the children per head has risen in seven years fromn i9 to 3X . Nothing could be more characteristic of the management than the happy thought of cutting down the number of children rather than the number and emoluments of the officials, when it was found that the treasury was sinking. In addition to the original grant of i6o,ooo, the Commissioners have since given further sums amounting to 37,950; and only lately they advanced another 2,000 nominally on loan. The desperate impecuniosity of the institution may be imagined from such entries in the committee's minutes as, " The grocer is to be informed that his bill will in future be regularly paid;" " That it is necessary to pay the tradesmen regularly; and there being no money in hand to do so, &c." The last device has been to take in girls as special boarders, for whom the Commissioners pay extra. For sixty girls of this class the asylum now obtains an additional grant of gr,ooo a year from the Patriotic Fund, and the amount which may thus be paid has no limit, except the discretion of the Commissioners. Quite apart, therefore, from the defalcations to which Mr. Locke King's notice refers, it ivill be seen that there are abundant grounds for demanding a stringent inquiry into the condition of this national charity.
[Source: BNA: Link.
[Source: BNA: Link.
OCCASIONAL NOTES.
A few days ago we called attention to the fact that the annual expen- diture of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum had, as compared with the number of children maintained therein, almost been doubled in seven years;, that the institution was deep in debt and so straitened in funds that it could hardly pay the tradesmen's current bills; and that the number of children -was gradually being reduced, although the outlay was thus increasing. In reply to Mr. Locke King, Mr. Cardwell last night admitted that the accounts of the Royal Patriotic Fund were in such a condition that it could not be ascertained till "the middle of next month" whether extensive defalcations had or had not been committed, and that there had not been even a pretence of audit since the end of i866 ! It is to be hoped that Mr. Locke King will not allow the subject to be shelved by mere official answers, but will insist upon a searching inquiry into the whole condition of the fund and the schools connected with it, by a Select Committee of the House of Commons.
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CARRY ON FROM HERE
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THE ROYAL PATRIOTIC FUND. ALLEGED SCANDAL 3 IN THE VICTORIA ASYLUM. It is believed that some startling revelations will be made shortly concerning the management of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum. Our readers will remember that the Patriotic Fund was started in 1854, and that its primary object was to make provision for the families of soldiers and sailors who perished in the Crimean war. It amounted to about a million and a-half of money. Of this sum, £160,000 were devoted to the erection and endowment of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum. This asylum is under the inspection of a Royal Corn. mission, which report what it knows to the Queen. It is actualy managed by an executive committee. The Pa4l.nsoll (Amide insinuates that the chief business of the commissioners is to screen the committee, and that the main business of the committee is to screen the officials. Thus, the main efforts of the whole adminis• tuition are directed to the stilling of complaints. At this point we must quote history :—
" Almost from the beginning," says our contemporary, "it has been, to say the least, unfortunate. Beifore it had been open three years a variety of scandals forced themselves into notice—corporal punishment applied to big girl,' against the rules, mesmerising, revivals, and all sorts of vagaries. These scandals seemed to reach a climax in 186 . 2, when one of the girls was burned to death through gross neglect. The disclosures which followed shawal that, apart from the circumstances of this horrible incident, the condition of the opium was extremely unsatisfactory. The management, which had hitherto been left pretty much to the honorary secretary, chaplain, and lady superintendent, was now placed under the general supervision of a committee of ladies, including Lady Colchester, the Hon. Miss Sugden, and Miss Burdett Coutts. A few visite to the school and the inquiries which they instituted quickly convinced this committee that there was something radically wrong in the system then iu f-rce, and that it was hopeless ta expect any improvement as long as the chaplain and lady superintendent retained their positions. They theretore recommended that these two officials should at once be removed. Upon the executive committee declining to take this step the ladies committee resigned ; and since then the important security of independent womanly supervision has been lost to the asylum. . . . From whatever cause, the management of the asylum continues to be marked by much lomeness and irregularity. Even the meagre and my sterions memoranda which the executive committee call minutes disclose enough not merely to justify but to render imperative a searching investigation. We find repeated complaints from the medical officer of low dietary, in violation of the prescribed scale. There are hints of some strange kind of torture with cotton. reels applied to refractory girls. The lady superintendent seems to have been in the habit of lodging her friends and relatives in the asylum till one of them introduced the scarlet fever, and the committee were then obliged to pass a rule restricting these hospitalities. We gather also that thin lady assumed the right of taking holidays at her own pleasure, and the general carelessness and disregard of duty of the staff may be inferred from the committee having specially to interfere to prevent the lady superintendent and chaplain, the two responsible officials, going away at the same time.
As a training school for domestic servants, its main object, the asylum has proved an utter failure. The incapacity and low moral tone of the girls have acquired such notoriety that it is impossible to had places for them in respectable households ; and in their desperation to get them off their hands the officials have been sending them to such wretched situations that even the mild and much•forgivlug committee have had to enter a protest on their minutes."
[Source: BNA: Link.
Similarly e.g.
Sydenham Times - Tuesday 23 March 1869
[Source: BNA: Link.
From the report of the Royal Albert Orphan Asylum, wihich was read at the meeting yesterday, it appears that there are 167 children in the asylum; thle girls are trained for servants and needlewomen, while the boys ane taught farming, carpeiiternng, tailoring, and shoemaking T"he average a] dual cost per child is /I,. In the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum (Nlhcre there are only girls, who are generally considered less expensive than boys), the cost per child has risen to 3 I 4S. pd., and in Spite of loans and tin increased subsidy from the Patriotic Fund, the officials are year by year reducing the numher of children supported by the chanity.
Ar other well meant endeavour to provide decent houmes jor the irdlustijous poor is being made at Brixton, and its progress will be watched. with interest. The undertaking is in the hands of a company, and of cacse?? main principle is to render it not only?? lg but reprcd uctive. This is the object which has been expressly aimed at by Mlr. IFcabody's trustees and by Sir Sydrey Waterlow. WhV'hen once builders and otheis vnderstand that good and comfortable?? catn be 1uilt for the workling classes, and a substantial pro t be left q1cn the entcrprisc, we may hope to see the numerotis rookeries F which now cover the suburbs of London deserted. It would probably be impossible to exaggerate the benefits which the poorv would deoive from being enabled to live in clean and tidy homDes. The- e(perience of Mlr. Peabody's trustees is that when even the poorest of thle cocr are withdraw n from filthy courts and alleys, and placed an'cog peoule w'l:o take some sort of pleasure in their homes, they ti gin to spend a few shillings upon clothcs for their children instead of squandering every spare penny in the public-house. These new ccrpanies and associations will do luore good than hundreds of " eifcm Leagues.' At Brixton a garden and separate house will be furnished to every tenant, and he will have the option of bhying his dwelling either at once or in a certain number of years. This plan is anr inlproyen-cut upon the idea hitherto followed by Mir. Peabody's trustees. They, too, have bought some land at Lrixton, and their neighbouring competitcrs may. we hope, induce them to make some variation in their original design. Decidedly every man prefers to live in his own house rather?? in a la-rack. With such a fund as Mr. Peabody's it seemus to be a nzistal.e to follow year after year the counsels of one architect. 'hle volunteer review unfortunately did not afford a very satisfactory opportunity for practically testing the new system of mnilitary signalling and telegitiphy, but it is to be hoped the attempt to introduce it as a regular feature of our reviews and field days will not be abandoned. The recently established signalling school at Chatham ought to have every opportunity of experimentally applying its syst
[Source: BNA: Link.
Our attention has been called to an article in the Wandsworth Mercury, containing very grave charges against the management of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum at Wandsworth. Very similar charges were, some time since, advanced in the Pall Mall Gazette, which, a little before, had contained a letter from a gentleman describing how the com- mittee cast the boys which they had educated on the world; and we know that from the provinces very serious complaints have been made of the manner in which applicants for relief of different kinds have been treated. From these different statements we are forced to the conclusion that the Executive Com- mittee have, by mismanagement, spent more than they ought, and, by way of retrenchment, have been cutting off, or refusing, certain allowances which the Royal Commissioners had heretofore sanctioned. We could cite many individual cases of hard- ship, but these we reserve for a future notice should we find it necessary to bring them forward We wish now rather to direct attention to one or two points to which we attach great importance. The children of those men who perished in the Russian war must now have been all educated, or nearly so, and the annuitants will be falling off year after year. Some definite rule must, therefore, be made as to who shall in future be benefited by this fund. It must not be left to the caprice of a few individuals. This fund was raised, by voluntary contributions, for a specific purpose, and those who subscribed it had a clear right to be informed as to its expenditure, whereas no report has ever been made except to the Queen. The Royal Commissioners may be assured that now, since so much mismanagement has been spoken of, the public will no longer be content to be kept in the dark, and will demand constant information. The Wandsworth Mercury states that the committee are making investigation; but we ask who are to blame for all these irregularities but the committee themselves? It is said that the lady superinten- dent is thoroughly unfitted for her position, that a bad tone exists in the school itself, and that the chil- dren are ill-trained both in mind and habits, and that the Executive Committee have patiently per- mitted this state of things, till driven by outsiders to make inquiry. It appears, therefore, that there is no remedy but a clean sweep; the worst pupils must be removed, and a new state of feeling engendered under a new,a more vigilant,a more conscientious and painstaking committee, who will attend to the duties they undertake from a due appreciation ofthe responsi- bility attending so high a trust. We should be glad to believe that the description is exaggerated, but it is clear the matter cannot be suffered to rest as it is.
[Source: BNA: Link.
We hope Mr. Locke King will not allow himself to be baffled in the arduous endeavour to obtain a plain answer to a plain question in regard to the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum. The desperate official efforts which are now being made to hush up the scandals of that insti- tution are in themselves convincing proof of its discreditable condition. If everything were right there would be no reason for withholding the infoamation asked for. Mr. Cardwell acknowledged that 30 had been embezzled by a clerk, but the significance of that fact as a proof of lax administration is greatly increased by the more important circumstance which he concealed, that other defalcations have been detected in the case of one of the superior officials and condoned by restitution. The Secretary of State also ignores the flagrant fact that the expenditure of the asylum has nearly doubled, while the number of children maintained in it is continually being reduced. The cost of each child per head, officially reckoned, has risen from 19 iis. iId. in i86o to 31 4s. 9d in i867. It is probably more now. Another test of the expenditure is still more conclusive. Besides supporting the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, the Commissioners pay for the admission of a certain number of children into other institutions. In most of these the charge, we believe, varies from 15 to -7 a year for each child; in no case does it exceed 2X. The obvious conclusion is that it would be well to shut up the asylum at Wandsworth, and board out the children. We do not say that Mr. Cardwell is to blame for this. The source of all the mischief may be traced to the want of official responsibility. The resident officials practically manage matters to suit themselves. They are supposed to be controlled by a committee, who report to a Commission, who report to the Queen, who communicates the document to the Secretary for War, whose chief business in the affair is to do what he can to keep Parliament from looking into the case. It cannot be presumed, however, that her Majesty is aware of the things which are done under the august shelter of her name.
[Source: BNA: Link.
[In spite of notoriety, people continued to leave money...]
ROLLS COURT— May 28.
Cardwell V THE SEAMAN'S HOSPITAL
This was a suit for the administration of the estate of the late Dowager Lady Truro, and a question arose as to the objects intended to be benefited by a gift of a share of her residuary estate to the Orphan Asylum at Wandsworth. It appeared that there is no Orphan Asylum at Wandsworth, whilst there is one at Wanstead, but that at Wandsworth there is the Koyal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, founded for the support and education of the orphans of soldiers and sailors out of the residue of the Patriotic; Fund.
His Lordship decided that as this latter is the only orphan asylum at Wandsworth it must take the gift.
Sir R. Palmer, Mr. Jessel, Q.C., Mr. Swanton, Q.C., Mr. Vickers, .Mr. Ellis, Mr. Watson, and Mr. Badswell, appeared.
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[Source: BNA: Link.
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