measure was not proven, and that its use in future would, if exercised upon the counties, only be vexatious and not extensive, while the loans so borrowed, charged upon the unions, would be equally effective over their area with a less oppressive incidence.

CHAPTER XIV.

JUNE JULY 1863.

FROM January to June the distress was lightened with a steadily progressive improvement. All the hopeless estimates of local expenditure made upon the cost of relief in December 1862, had happily proved worthless. At Midsummer, the number of paupers had decreased by as much as 41 per cent.; and though the returns of the relief committees did not exhibit anything like an equal reduction, yet their expenditure had fallen from a maximum of 90,000l. to 53,000l. per month. Forty-seven local committees were enabled to suspend operations. The number of persons relieved solely by the committees had fallen from the maximum of 26th December, when it was 234,078, to 104,792, showing a decrease of 129,286 persons, while the reduction in the number of those relieved by the guardians was equally reassuring. On the 6th

December, 1862, Mr. Farnall had reported that there were 271,983 persons relieved by the boards of guardians. On the 27th June, the number was 159,222, showing a decrease of 112,761. In the winter of 1862, the numbers relieved by the guardians and the committees had amounted to 506,061, they were now reduced to 264,014, having become less by 48 per cent.

The Central Executive Committee estimated that the resumption of employment in the cotton manufacture amounted to half-time; but there can be little doubt that it must have exceeded this estimate. The returns of their honorary secretary always had reference to a larger number of persons than had ever been employed in the manufacturing establishments of this districts; indeed, the numbers given in these returns as now working full time,

which were 234,642, very considerably exceeded one-half the cotton-working population of the locality. But, besides this number, there were 125,097 working short time. A return obtained in the previous month by Mr. Maclure, showed the existence of this error in his general classification. The dependents of the relief committees had included joiners, mechanics, shopkeepers, colliers, agricultural labourers, domestic servants, and others unconnected with the cotton manufacture to the extent of about 22 per cent. And as the boards of guardians in the bestowal of their relief were in no way limited to one particular industry, it is probable that during the highest rates of pauperism in the winter of 1862, there were but 70 per cent. of the paupers, who were really factory operatives or their dependent families.

It was but slowly the committee realized that that which had been called a Famine was over, and that a milder stage of the severe local disorder, consequent upon the American war, had now been entered upon. They looked back upon the sums they had spent with so much care, supervision, and economy,-they looked on their balances and then forward upon the coming winter, and expressed a belief that their funds would be absorbed before the spring brought the cotton crop of 1863 to their relief. The opinion was not without foundation, for the relief expenditure during the past twelve months had been prodigious. The committees had spent 1,330,310l. during the past year, every shilling of which had been made up by voluntary contributions. In the face of this fact, it seems hardly strange that they feared to meet the winter and the future with balances amounting to less than half this sum. Within the last thirteen months charity had provided nearly 2,000,000l. for the relief of distress. No single fact in our national history is more honourable than this. It is true that England voted 20,000,000l. to abolish the slave trade, and that Lancashire has since paid 20,000,000l. to support it; and it is certain that England spent 100,000,000l. to prop the Turkish Empire. But it is one thing for Parliament to vote money, and quite another for individuals to take it voluntarily from their own pockets. It may be safely affirmed that such a practical expression of sympathy was unprecedented, and

is a very legitimate subject of proud congratulation. The boast of Englishmen has been, that the sun never sets on the dominions of their Queen.. Shall we be less proud of the more modern conquest? shall we be less thankful for this convincing evidence that the world itself is at length crowned with a circlet of international union, and bound with the divine girdle of charity? Surely the latter is the better boast. The relief for Lancashire distress came from everywhere. Altogether it amounted, on the 30th June, to 1,974,2031., which had been contributed to the funds of the following organisations:

To the Cotton Districts and Liverpool Relief Funds 254,380 0 0

The Central Executive Committee issued a statement, exposing their financial affairs from the commencement of their operations to the end of June-a document every way as well worthy of commendation as its predecessor of December 1862.

Not the least useful portion of the expenditure is that from the employment and school fund; but those items which are most honourable to the management of the committee are included in the list of the general expenses. Revenues exceeding those of many a European ruler, had been administered with a charge for salaries and wages equal to about one-tenth per cent. ; nor should it be forgotten that the expenses of the Central Executive Committee were largely increased by the cost of distributing heavy donations in kind.

Of the relief funds, amounting to £1,974,203, the cotton districts had given no less than £626,433, and the

Y

sums expended in private unrecorded charity would considerably have increased this large contribution. The balance of £643,893 yet remaining available was thus deposited :

With the Central Relief Committee

£ 8. d. 371,246 0 0

75,066 0

The funds of the Cotton Districts and Liverpool Relief Committees were administered by the Central Executive Committee, and the balances remaining to the local relief committees were mainly composed of grants from the great committees and of promised, but as yet unpaid, local subscriptions.

The expenses of the Mansion House Committee had continued to be very light. This Committee had received 503,131. They had remitted to the cotton districts 419,3421. Five thousand pounds had been voted for an emigration fund; and all this had been accomplished at a cost of only 3,7221., of which a very large portion was for advertisements.

But what had been the expenditure in poor-law relief? That the period had been one of much anxiety to the boards of guardians cannot be doubted; they had endured great labour, and, at times, no little obloquy. Yet through all this tribulation and trial they had been victorious in the matter of expenditure, and the great year of the Famine had been passed with an extraordinary outlay for relief of about 500,000l. However, this is no mean sum, and could only be raised by a charge of 18. 8d. in the pound on the rateable value of the property within the twenty-seven unions in which the distress was centred. The disbursements of these unions for the relief of the poor, during the year from Lady Day 1860, to Lady Day 1861, had been 305,2967.; while the same charges for the corresponding period, ending Lady Day 1863, amounted to 813,444%. Of this unusual cost of 500,000l., a sum amounting to not less than 30,000l. had been paid by those unions of Lancashire, Chester, and Derbyshire, which