SECOND REPORT OF THE Association FOR THE RELIEF OF THE MANUFACTURING AND LABORING POOR, RELATIVE CHIEFLY TO THE GENERAL SUPPLY OF FISH IN THE METROPOLIS AND THE INTERIOR. Established in May, 1812. REPORT, &c. &c. FREEMASONS' TAVERN, At a Meeting of the Committee of the Association, HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF RUTLAND, K. G. In the Chair; The following Report was adopted, and ordered to be printed and circulated :— THE Committee of the ASSOCIATION for the Relief of the MANUFACTURING AND LABORING POOR, proceed to lay before the Subscribers and the Public, a statement of the measures which have engaged their attention since the last appeal to their liberality. The Committee having renewed their inquiries, and further circulated the intelligence of the relief they were enabled to afford, proceeded to a due examination of the numerous cases of distress still calling for assistance in the manufacturing districts. Continuing to act on the principles which had regulated their former gifts, they afforded help to local charities for the relief of the places, and to the extent subjoined These donations were received with the most grateful feelings, and afforded timely and important relief. In the statements of distress forwarded to the Committee from the manufacturing districts, the leading subject of complaint was the scarcity and exorbitant prices of all the necessaries of life. From the commencement of their labors, the Committee had, therefore, endeavoured so to administer the bounty of the Subscribers as to increase and economise the general stock of food. To promote the consumption of fish among the poor of the interior was thus suggested; and supplies of corned and salted fish were obtained, on moderate terms, by offers to the fishermen to take their surplus quantities of cod and herrings in good condition. The fish procured through this expedient, would, without the encouragement afforded by it, have been thrown overboard. As soon as these cheap supplies were furnished, the Committee substituted grants of fish for those of money; and the readiness with which the poor received this diet in parts where it was before generally unknown, encouraged the Committee to increase their attention to a sphere of labor connected with so many important objects of general good. By fully promulgating the bounty of the Subscribers, the Committee had obtained the most ample information as to the wants and sufferings of the manufacturing districts at the time of the last General Meeting, and lost no time in affording the assistance intended by the liberality of the contributors. The number relieved, very shortly after that period, was thus considerable, and the means of furnishing that relief were greatly augmented by collections, kindly made on the Fast-day following the Meeting, by clergymen and ministers of religion of various denominations, which the Committee avail themselves of this opportunity thankfully to acknowledge. The "Fish Association," formed about the same time, considering that this Committee were efficiently pursuing its own object, has more recently, in the most liberal manner, transferred the whole of its remaining stock, being 5841. 2s. 2d. in further augmentation of their funds. Happier times for all classes of manufacturers were, however, from that period fast approaching. Trade had begun to revive, the necessaries of life were soon afforded to the manufacturing poor, through the usual channels, and the circumstances, which, in the first instance, had called forth the benevolence of the public, ceased to exist.-The Committee have, however, been gratified to observe, that although the measures originally adopted, were intended merely to furnish a particular relief, and to surmount a temporary evil, they were found to be such as were connected with general interests of uniform value and importance. The Committee have been happy to reflect, that the Association approved of the extension of the original objects of the institution to so important a measure of public welfare, as an increase of the consumption of fish, and the encouragement of the British Fisheries. An extension of the original object of relief of the industrious poor it certainly must be considered; but it is one which well provides for them, while it opens a source of benefits to all. The re-instatement of the laboring classes of society, together with the tendency which the efforts of the Committee had, nearly from their outset taken towards assisting and obtaining assistance from the fisheries, are circumstances which thus have necessarily directed their late operations almost exclusively to that important purpose. It would scem on a cursory view to be a fact, for which no adequate or satisfactory reason could be given, that while so many of the inhabitants of this country are commendably employed in toiling hard for the cultivation of the earth, in the laborious exertions necessary from opening and enriching the soil, gathering in the harvest, and attending to all the detail of labor, even to the ultimate distribution to the consumer, with an ample deduction of expense from their hard-earned profits-an ample supply of ex cellent nutritious food surrounding our shores, and in a state always ready for our use, should be left comparatively untouched, or left for strangers to possess, and sometimes to collect for us to purchase from them; and that this should be the case when the taking of it secures to us collateral benefits of inestimable importance, and forms a main support of that national dignity and preeminence which is derived from the excellence and bravery of our sailors; initiated to maritime toils by early employment in the fisheries. The Committee repeat that these resources are comparatively untouched; for it is a fact that, with the exception of a small proportion of the country, there is no supply of fish which merits the name of a supply, or it is such a supply as would readily be considered a famine, were it applied to any other article of food in general use among us. Although no reason can be assigned which can sufficiently account for so little having been effectually done to supply the country with fish, it will not be difficult to point out what has been, and in a measure continues to be, the sources of this evil, as it now presents itself; and we may notice, I. The unskilful interference which from the earliest times has been practised with the fisheries, in order to promote their interests, and the want of encouragements suited to their nature, and the character of the persons engaged in them. Were we to judge of the condition of the fisheries from the number of attempts which have been made for their regulation and improvement, we must certainly conclude that nothing could be wanting to render their prosperity complete the statute book abounds with enactments, intended to give them every sort of encouragement; repeated ordinances, even under Protestant governments, for the eating of fish on particular days; compulsory regulations for entering into the service of the fisheries, and for not deserting them; prohibitions against taking fish, except of proper sizes, and at suitable periods of the year, companies almost innumerable established with capitals, varying in amount up to the extent of half a million, which for the most part have adopted the measure of becoming themselves concerned in the trade, and engaging in fishing adventures, and which also for the most part have thus completely failed in their purpose, and broken up their establishments. For in this case little of that superintendance can be exercised, which in other cases must serve to promote attention and so quicken industry. Here, there is no inviting spot where the owner of the soil may survey the progress of cultivation, and daily ascertain the sloth or diligence of those who labor in it. The scene of operation is in this instance remote from observation. The produce of these toils is such as baffles |