Archdeacon Farrar on Temper ance Among Sailors.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 20902, 23 May 1887, Page 3

Archdeacon Farrar on Temper ance Among Sailors.

On February 21 there was a large gathering of ladies and gentlemen in the 'Westminster Hall to hear an address from Miss Agnes E. Weston “On the Progress of Temperance in the Royal Navy.” The chair was taken by Archdeacon Farrar, who, in a few opening words, dwelt upon the immense influence for good that was exercised by the various temperance organisations that concentrated their energies upon ameliorating the condition of distinct classes of the community, such as sailors, soldiers, cabmen, and railway servants. Nowhere was the work so useful and interesting as among the sailors — tho bulwarks of England’s greatness. Thanks to Mr Plimsoll, our sailors are no longer sent, to sea in “ floating coffins,” and, thanks to Miss 'Weston and kindred workers, our sailors were now encircled by religions, temperance, and other healthy influences. Still the grogshops continued to be instruments of evil, and, what with these and the crimps, the lot of the British far, like that of the policeman, was not altogether a happy one. As the flying-fish, when lie left the water for the air, only exchanged tinny for winged foes, so the sailor, when he came on shore, only left behind Jii 111 the perils of the sea to encounter those of the drinking bar. The venerable speaker proceeded to dwell upon the humiliating circumstance that tho British sailor, Lecauso he was encircled by the trammels of drink, was frequently ousted from his post by tho foreigner. Thus an important industry was heing distressed by a British curso. Turning to another phase of his subject, the Archdeacon delied anyone to estimate the multitude of collisions, wrecks, conflagrations, and other catastrophes at sea that had been occasioned by the drunkenness of sailors. Miss Weston then gave her address, and quoted many facts and figures to show the rapid strides that temperance had of late years made in the naval, marine, and mercantile services, strengthening her assertions with the account of many personal experiences. There were, she said, 10,000 teetotallers in the navy, and about 200 temperance organisations on hoard tho vessels, which did not include the large number in barracks and naval stations.