ABSTRACT
There is some reason to apprehend that in many parts of the country, and especially in garrison towns, the wives and families of soldiers who have embarked for service in India are in many cases suffering great privation. The Rev. Daniel Cooke, a clergyman residing at Chatham, has recently written a touching letter, which appears in a local newspaper, to Mr. Alfred B. Sheppard, of 18, Lincoln’sinn-fields, describing the misery which has come under his own eye among the wives and families of soldiers left behind in this country, and soliciting his aid in procuring subscriptions from the charitable and humane towards its alleviation. Mr. Cooke asks:—“Would it not be possible for you to do something for my poor soldiers’ wives and families among the good people of Torquay?” (Mr. Sheppard was then staying there.) “The distress experienced by these poor creatures is dreadful. These who have been imprudent enough to marry without military leave get nothing; this, I am sorry to say, constitutes a large class. Those who are married with leave are allowed 6d. a day, but many have to wait two months before they get a farthing; and however many in a family they get no more than the 6d. per day. My payments now to the poor families of those brave fellows who have gone forth to India amount to 10l. per week, and in no case do I give more than 3s. a week to one family. At this rate my little stock will soon be exhausted. If only kind friends at a distance could hear the tales of woe which I am obliged to hear, the soldier’s wife and child would not want. It is bad enough that they should be suddenly deprived of their husbands, whom in many instances they may never see again in this world, but when poverty in addition comes on it is bad indeed. Many of these poor women have filled respectable situations as servants, and never knew what want was, and would rather suffer than make it known. A young woman came to me last Tuesday with a child at her breast, with scarcely a shoe to her foot and no shawl to cover her or her infant. She had lived upon her clothes after her husband left, and appeared too broken hearted to look or ask for relief. A soldier called upon me last week, bringing a fine little boy, telling me his comrade had just unexpectedly been sent to India with the draught, and had left his child in his care, the poor boy’s mother having died some six months ago. Among other plans I purpose adopting for helping these poor women is the establishing a nursery and infant home for their children. Some of the military contractors have kindly promised me work, and if I have a safe place where the infant children could be taken care of the mothers might do much to help support themselves but none of these things can be done without money. During the last war I drew on 200l, for soldiers’ wives from the Central Association, and from the beginning of the embarcations to the present time I have only received 86l. Surely a grateful country will not stand by and see the wives and families of men who have gone to fight their battles in a distant land, at a great crisis in the national history, struggle against poverty and want without stretching forth a hand to relieve and comfort them! How much will it nerve the arm and inflame the courage of the brave soldier in the din and conflict of war to know that the dear ones he has left behind him are cared for and protected by a generous nation; but how, on the other hand, will his heart sink within him if he finds that they are given over to want and misery!"
