USEFUL PROJECTS. 



863 



siderable degree, the number of 

 climbing-boys. The committee 

 are therefore decidedly of opinion, 

 that the object which they are 

 endeavouring to reach, can be in 

 no other way effectually obtained 

 than by an act of parliament pro- 

 hibiting chimney-sweepers from 

 taking any more climbing-ap- 

 prentices, and employing any 

 others than apprentices as climb- 

 ing-boys. The committee are of 

 opinion that such an act would 

 effectually produce the desired end, 

 without subjecting either the pub- 

 lic or chimney-sweepers to any 

 very serious loss or inconvenience, 

 because the chimney-sweepers 

 would have an opportunity to get 

 into the practice of using the ma- 

 chines, before the present appren- 

 tices were out of their servitude, 

 and the generality of those chim- 

 neys, which now cannot be swept 

 with the machines, would be easily 

 so altered as to render them ca- 

 pable of being swept with them, 

 and all new chimneys would of 

 course be so constructed. The 

 committee further feel confident, 

 that the attention and ingenuity of 

 able mechanics and others inte- 

 rested, would be so much turned 

 to the completion of the object, 

 that very considerable improve- 

 ments in the machines, and in the 

 manner of working them, would 

 be very soon made. As one of the 

 most likely methods of producing 

 the effect, the committee have 

 thought it right thus candidly to 

 state their sentiments and opinions 

 to the Society, to whom they will 

 be happy to give any further in- 

 formation in their power, which 

 may be thought likely to conduce 

 towards obtaining the object of 

 which they are in pursuit. The 



committee need not attempt to de- 

 scribe the degree of suffering, con- 

 sequent deformity, great depra- 

 vity, painful diseases, and frequent 

 loss of life, which attend the pre- 

 sent practice to so many thousands 

 of helpless and unoffending chil- 

 dren, who might otherwise become 

 happy, useful, and worthy mem- 

 bers of the community, because 

 the Society were fuily satisfied on 

 these points long before the com- 

 mittee who now address them were 

 called upon to assist in the endea- 

 vour to remedy them. That the 

 committee have not been exag- 

 gerating the capability of the ma- 

 chines (imperfect as they must be 

 admitted at present to be), is evi- 

 dent from the list sent herewith of 

 such chimneys as have been swept 

 with them here during the first 

 twelve months, being upwards of 

 twelve hundred, in spite of all the 

 prejudice, opposition, and diflS- 

 culties against which they had to 

 labour, also from the number of 

 respectable signatures approving 

 of, and recommending, after trial, 

 the use of the machine. For it 

 must be recollected, that it is only 

 amongst the more opulent inhabit- 

 ants, and, consequently, in the 

 highest and most difficult chimneys, 

 that it has hitherto been principally 

 used, because, amongst the lower 

 class, the regular chimney-sweep- 

 ers have been accustomed here to 

 sweep for the soot only, a prac- 

 tice not yet adopted with the ma- 

 chine. The man employed here 

 with the machine, states, that if he 

 had tolerable regular employment, 

 at sixpence each chimney, it would 

 pay him very well. The commit- 

 tee were very fortunate in engag- 

 ing a person well qualified and 

 active in the use of the machine, 



who 



