in darkest england and the way out- 第62部分

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；　and　you　have　restrained　from　further　criminal　courses　others　who　had　already　suffered　legal　punishment　for　their　misdeeds。　　It　has　given　me　pleasure　to　obtain　from　the　Executive　Council　authority　for　you　to　apprehend　children　found　in　Brothels；　and　to　take　charge　of　such　children　after　formal　committal。　Of　the　great　value　of　this　branch　of　your　work　there　can　be　no　question。　　It　is　evident　that　the　attendance　of　yourself　and　your　Officers　at　the　police…courts　and　lock…ups　has　been　attended　with　beneficial　results；　and　your　invitation　to　our　largest　jails　has　been　highly　approved　by　the　head　of　the　Department。　　Generally　speaking；　I　may　say　that　your　policy　and　procedure　have　been　commended　by　the　Chief　Officers　of　the　Government　of　this　Colony；　who　have　observed　your　work。

I　have　the　honour　to　be；　Sir；　Your　obedient　Servant；

（Signed）　　ALFRED　DEAKIN。

The　Victorian　Parliament　has　voted　an　annual　grant　to　our　funds；　not　as　a　religious　endowment；　but　in　recognition　of　the　service　which　we　render　in　the　reclamation　of　criminals；　and　what　may　be　called；　if　I　may　use　a　word　which　has　been　so　depraved　by　Continental　abuse；　the　moral　police　of　the　city。　　Our　Officer　in　Melbourne　has　an　official　position　which　opens　to　him　almost　every　State　institution　and　all　the　haunts　of　vice　where　it　may　be　necessary　for　him　to　make　his　way　in　the　search　for　girls　that　have　been　decoyed　from　home　or　who　have　fallen　into　evil　courses。

It　is　in　Victoria　also　that　a　system　prevails　of　handing　over　first　offenders　to　the　care　of　the　Salvation　Army　Officers；　placing　them　in　recognizance　to　come　up　when　called　for。　　An　Officer　of　the　Army　attends　at　every　Police　Court；　and　the　Prison　Brigade　is　always　on　guard　at　the　gaol　doors　when　the　prisoners　are　discharged。　Our　Officers　also　have　free　access　to　the　prisons；　where　they　can　conduct　services　and　labour　with　the　inmates　for　their　Salvation。　As　Victoria　is　probably　the　most　democratic　of　our　colonies；　and　the　one　in　which　the　working…class　has　supreme　control；　the　extent　to　which　it　has　by　its　government　recognised　the　value　of　our　operations　is　sufficient　to　indicate　that　we　have　nothing　to　fear　from　the　opposition　of　the　democracy。　　In　the　neighbouring　colony　of　New　South　Wales　a　lady　has　already　given　us　a　farm　of　three　hundred　acres　fully　stocked；　on　which　to　begin　operations　with　a　Farm　Colony；　and　there　seems　some　prospect　that　the　Scheme　will　get　itself　into　active　shape　at　the　other　end　of　the　world　before　it　is　set　agoing　in　London。　　The　eager　welcome　which　has　thus　forced　the　initiative　upon　our　Officers　in　Melbourne　tends　to　encourage　the　expectation　that　the　Scheme　will　be　regarded　as　no　quack　application；　but　will　be　generally　taken　up　and　quickly　set　in　operation　all　round　the　world。


CHAPTER　8。　　A　PRACTICAL　CONCLUSION。

Throughout　this　book　I　have　more　constantly　used　the　first　personal　pronoun　than　ever　before　in　anything　I　have　written。　　I　have　done　this　deliberately；　not　from　egotism；　but　in　order　to　make　it　more　clearly　manifest　that　here　is　a　definite　proposal　made　by　an　individual　who　is　prepared；　if　the　means　are　furnished　him；　to　carry　it　out。　　At　the　same　time　I　want　it　to　be　clearly　understood　that　it　is　not　in　my　own　strength；　nor　at　my　own　charge；　that　I　purpose　to　embark　upon　this　great　undertaking。　　Unless　God　wills　that　I　should　work　out　the　idea　of　which　I　believe　He　has　given　me　the　conception；　nothing　can　come　of　any　attempt　at　its　execution　but　confusion；　disaster；　and　disappointment。　But　if　it　be　His　willand　whether　it　is　or　not；　visible　and　manifest　tokens　will　soon　be　forthcomingwho　is　there　that　can　stand　against　it？　Trusting　in　Him　for　guidance；　encouragement；　and　support；　I　propose　at　once　to　enter　upon　this　formidable　campaign。

I　do　not　run　without　being　called。　　I　do　not　press　forward　to　fill　this　breach　without　being　urgently　pushed　from　behind。　　Whether　or　not；　I　am　called　of　God；　as　well　as　by　the　agonising　cries　of　suffering　men　and　wo