In this section

by Jon Malings

UNFORTUNATE SUFFERERS IN THE BRUTUS—We last week published a letter addressed to us by Messrs. Beckett, Byrne, and Co., intimating their intention to forward to us £10 for the use of the unfortunate sufferers on board the Brutus, in order to aid their necessities, and to provide them with the necessary outfit, if they should prosecute the voyage.  We take this opportunity of informing these gentlemen that the commission which they have intrusted to our management is of such a nature that we must decline acting at all, and we shall return the £10 to them.  It is impossible for us to ascertain whether the applicants are the persons whom they describe themselves to be.  We have no means even of knowing whether they ever were on board at all, and in one or two instances we have had applications for relief from persons who are impostors. Under these circumstances, after procuring some aid to the applicants from the District Provident Society, we have referred them to the persons from whom we received the £10, and who, as they are connected with the Brutus, can best identify the sufferers, and distribute the relief. We greatly regret that the public has not been more alive to the sufferings and privations of these miserable individuals and their families. We think their case ought to have been taken into immediate consideration at a public meeting.  We have done our duty in the affair, and as we have much more of our own business than we can well attend to, we must decline further interference beyond recommending those of the sufferers, who choose to avail themselves of such an accommodation, a temporary refuge in the Night Asylum.