him in the social scale, that the excellent
institutions called Sailors' Homes have been projected. Their object
is to insure a respectable and truly comfortable 'home' to seamen, at
an exceedingly moderate rate of payment; together with other
advantages to be hereafter alluded to. An able pamphlet on the
subject, by Mr Montague Gore, has recently been published, and we are
indebted to him for the statistical information we are about to lay
before the reader.

It appears that Captain Elliott, R.N., was the first who conceived the
idea of founding Sailors' Homes. This was in 1828. In 1833, one was
established at Charleston, in South Carolina; but the first in England
was under the auspices of Mr Green, the great shipbuilder and
ship-owner of Blackwall, near London, and he originally designed it
only for his own numerous seamen, although by a recent regulation
others are admitted. Captain Hall, R.N., deserves worthy mention as
one of the first promoters of Sailors' Homes, and he has for years
indefatigably devoted himself to their formation. He recently visited
the chief ports in the kingdom, to observe personally the condition of
seamen ashore, and to advocate the establishment of Homes.

The first public Sailors' Home was that of Wells Street, London. It
was opened in May 1835; and Mr Gore informs us, that from that time up
to December 31, 1851, no less than '54,026 seamen were received into
the institution, of which number 15,055 were old or returned boarders.
Last year the inmates amounted to 4633, and L.25,160 passed through
the secretary's hand of money left in his charge, L.2500 of which was
deposited in the savings-bank. The building in Wells Street is capable
of holding 320 men, each of whom has a separate berth. The terms of
admission are 14s. per week for full-grown men; 12s. per week for
lads; and 10s. 6d. per week for apprentices. For this sum they are
entitled to lodging [washing also], and four excellent meals daily;
the dietary is admirable.... The terms and regulations of Mr Green's
establishment are nearly the same as those in Wells Street. It is
capable of holding 200 men; and here, too, are to be found equally
gratifying proofs of provident habits, instances having occurred of
men having as much as L.100 in the Poplar Bank.'

Good libraries are provided at these Sailors' Homes, and the
morning-prayers of the Church of England are duly read; but the
attendance of the inmates is perfectly voluntary, a