in darkest england and the way out-第77章

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formation　and　training　will　be　continued；　and　unless　employment　is　otherwise　obtained　they　will　then　be　passed　on　to　the　Over…Sea　Colony。

All　in　circumstances　of　destitution；　vice；　or　criminality　will　receive　casual　assistance　or　be　taken　into　the　Colony；　on　the　sole　conditions　of　their　being　anxious　for　deliverance；　and　willing　to　work　for　it；　and　to　conform　to　discipline；　altogether　irrespective　of　character；　ability；　religious　opinions；　or　anything　else。

No　benefit　will　be　conferred　upon　any　individual　except　under　extraordinary　circumstances；　without　some　return　being　made　in　labour。　Even　where　relatives　and　friends　supply　money　to　the　Colonists；　the　latter　must　take　their　share　of　work　with　their　comrades。　We　shall　not　have　room　for　a　single　idler　throughout　all　our　borders。

The　labour　allotted　to　each　individual　will　be　chosen　in　view　of　his　past　employment　or　ability。　　Those　who　have　any　knowledge　of　agriculture　will　naturally　be　put　to　work　on　the　land；　the　shoemaker　will　make　shoes；　the　weaver　cloth；　and　so　on。　　And　when　there　is　no　knowledge　of　any　handicraft；　the　aptitude　of　the　individual　and　the　necessities　of　the　hour　will　suggest　the　sort　of　work　it　would　be　most　profitable　for　such　an　one　to　learn。

Work　of　all　descriptions　will　be　executed　as　far　as　possible　by　hand　labour。　　The　present　rage　for　machinery　has　tended　to　produce　much　destitution　by　supplanting　hand　labour　so　exclusively　that　the　rush　has　been　from　the　human　to　the　machine。　　We　want；　as　far　as　is　practicable；　to　travel　back　from　the　machine　to　the　human。

Each　member　of　the　Colony　would　receive　food；　clothing；　lodging；　medicine；　and　all　necessary　care　in　case　of　sickness。

No　wages　would　be　paid；　except　a　trifle　by　way　of　encouragement　for　good　behaviour　and　industry；　or　to　those　occupying　positions　of　trust；　part　of　which　will　be　saved　in　view　of　exigencies　in　our　Colonial　Bank；　and　the　remainder　used　for　pocket　money。

The　whole　Scheme　of　the　three　Colonies　will　for　all　practical　purposes　be　regarded　as　one；　hence　the　training　will　have　in　view　the　qualification　of　the　Colonists　for　ultimately　earning　their　livelihood　in　the　world　altogether　independently　of　our　assistance；　or；　failing　this；　fit　them　for　taking　some　permanent　work　within　our　borders　either　at　home　or　abroad。

Another　result　of　this　unity　of　the　Town　and　Country　Colonies　will　be　the　removal　of　one　of　the　difficulties　ever　connected　with　the　disposal　of　the　products　of　unemployed　labour。　　The　food　from　the　Farm　would　be　consumed　by　the　City；　while　many　of　the　things　manufactured　in　the　City　would　be　consumed　on　the　Farm。

The　continued　effort　of　all　concerned　in　the　reformation　of　these　people　will　be　to　inspire　and　cultivate　those　habits；　the　want　of　which　has　been　so　largely　the　cause　of　the　destitution　and　vice　of　the　past。

Strict　discipline；　involving　careful　and　continuous　oversight；　would　be　necessary　to　the　maintenance　of　order　amongst　so　large　a　number　of　people；　many　of　whom　had　hitherto　lived　a　wild　and　licentious　life。　Our　chief　reliance　in　this　respect　would　be　upon　the　spirit　of　mutual　interest　that　would　prevail。

The　entire　Colony　would　probably　be　divided　into　sections；　each　under　the　supervision　of　a　sergeantone　of　themselvesworking　side　by　side　with　them；　yet　responsible　for　the　behaviour　of　all。

The　chief　Officers　of　the　Colony　would　be　individuals　who　had　given　themselves　to　the　work；　not　for　a　livelihood；　but　from　a　desire　to　be　useful　to　the　suffering　poor。　　They　would　be　selected　at　the　outset　from　the　Army；　and　that　on　the　ground　of　their　possessing　certain　capabilities　for　the　position；　such　as　knowledge　of　the　particular　kind　of　work　they　had　to　superintend；　or　their　being　good　disciplinarians　and　having　the　faculty　for　controlling　men　and　being　themselves　influenced　by　a　spirit　of　love。　　Ultimately　the　Officers；　we　have　no　doubt；　would　be；　as　is　the　case　in　all　our　other　operations；　men　and　women　raised　up　from　the　Colonists　themselves；　and　who　will　consequently；　possess　some　special　qualifications　for　dealing　with　those　they　have　to　superintend。　　The　Colonists　will　be　divided　into　two　classes：　　the　1st；　the　class　which　receives　no　wages　will　consist　of：　

（a）　The　new　arrivals；　whose　ability；　character；　and　habits　are　as　yet　　　　　unknown。　（b）　The　less　capable　in　strength；　mental　calibre；　or　other　capacity。　（c）　The　indolent；　and　those　whose　conduct　and　character　appeared　　　　　doubtful。　　These　would　remain　in　this　class；　until　sufficiently　　　　　improved　for　advancement；　or　are　pronounced　so　hopeless　as　to　　　　　justify　expulsion。

The　2nd　class　would　have　a　small　extra　allowance；　a　part　of　which　would　be　given　to　the　workers　for　private　use；　and　a　part　reserved　for　future　contingencies；　the　payment　of　travelling　expenses；　etc。　From　this　class　we　should　obtain　our　petty　officers；　send　out　hired　labourers；　emigrants；　etc。；　etc。

Such　is　the　Scheme　as　I　have　conceived　it。　　Intelligently　applied；　and　resolutely　persevered　in；　I　cannot　doubt　that　it　will　produce　a　great　and　salutary　change　in　the　condition　of　many　of　the　most　hopeless　of　our　fellow　countrymen。　　Nor　is　it　only　our　fellow　countrymen　to　whom　it　is　capable　of　application。　　In　its　salient　features；　with　such　alterations　as　are　necessary；　owing　to　differences　of　climate　and　of　race；　it　is　capable　of　adoption　in　every　city　in　the　world；　for　it　is　an　attempt　to　restore　to　the　masses　of　humanity　that　are　crowded　together　in　cities；　the　human　and　natural　elements　of　life　which　they　possessed　when　they　lived　in　the　smaller　unit　of　the　village　or　the　market　town。　　Of　the　extent　of　the　need　there　can　be　no　question。　It　is；　perhaps；　greatest　in　London；　where　the　masses　of　population　are　denser　than　those　of　any　other　city；　but　it　exists　equally　in　the　chief　centres　of　population　in　the　new　Englands　that　have　sprung　up　beyond　the　sea；　as　well　as　in　the　larger　cities　of　Europe。　　It　is　a　remarkable　fact　that　up　to　the　present　moment　the　most　eager　welcome　that　has　been　extended　to　this　Scheme　reaches　us　from　Melbourne；　where　our　officers　have　been　compelled　to　begin　operations　by　the　pressure　of　public　opinion　and　in　compliance　with　the　urgent　entreaties　of　the　Government　on　one　side　and　the　leaders　of　the　working　classes　on　the　other　before　the　plan　had　been　elaborated；　or　instructions　could　be　sent　out　for　their　guidance。

It　is　rather　strange　to　hear　of　distress　reaching　starvation　point　in　a　city　like　Melbourne；　the　capital　of　a　great　new　country　which　teems　with　natural　wealth　of　every　kind。　　But　Melbourne；　too；　has　its　unemployed；　and　in　no　city　in　the　Empire　have　we　been　more　successful　in　dealing　with　the　social　problem　than　in　the　capital　of　Victoria。　The　Australian　papers　for　some　weeks　back　have　been　filled　with　reports　of　the　dealings　of　the　Salvation　Army　with　the　unemployed　of　Melbourne。　This　was　before　the　great　Strike。　　The　Government　of　Victoria　practically　threw　upon　our　officers　the　task　of　dealing　with　the　unemployed。　　The　subject　was　debated　in　the　House　of　Assembly；　and　at　the　close　of　the　debate　a　subscription　was　taken　up　by　one　of　those　who　had　been　our　most　strenuous　opponents；　and　a　sum　of　#400　was　handed　over　to　our　officers　to　dispense　in　keeping　the　starving　from　perishing。　　Our　people　have　found　situations　for　no　fewer　than　1；776　persons；　and　are　dispensing　meals　at　the　rate　of　700　a　day。　The　Government　of　Victoria　has　long　been　taking　the　lead　in　recognising　the　secular　uses　of　the　Salvation　Army。　　The　following　letter　addressed　by　the　Minister　of　the　Interior　to　the　Officer　charged　with　the　oversight　of　this　part　of　our　operations；　indicates　the　estimation　in　which　we　are　held：　

Government　of　Victoria；　Chief　Secretary's　Office；　Melbourne。

July　4th；　1889。

Superintendent　Salvation　Army　Rescue　Work。

Sir；in　compliance　with　your　request　for　a　letter　of　introduction　which　may　be　of　use　to　you　in　England；　I　have　much　pleasure　in　stating　from　reports　furnished　by　Officers　of　my　Department；　I　am　convinced　that　the　work　you　have　been　engaged　on　during　the　past　six　years　has　been　of　material　advantage　to　the　community。　　You　have　rescued　from　crime　some　who；　but　for　the　counsel　and　assistance　rendered　them；　might　have　been　a　permanent　tax　upon　the　State；