86 BRITAIN FOR THE BRITON 



It is impossible to arrive at anything like accuracy in 

 respect to the value of this indirect aid, because of the lack of 

 statistical information on the subject, and also because those who 

 give do not care to talk of their charities ; we must, therefore, 

 fall back upon a process of deduction which will enable us to 

 form some general idea of the immense importance of the well- 

 to-do classes as the most valuable asset in the national life. 



Let us take Hospitals first, for in this branch of philanthropy 

 we have Burdett's " Hospitals and Charities " to guide us. 



The Extent of HosriTAL Charities 



In 1903 the income of our Hospitals amounted to £2,500,000 



annually. 



This vast income, with the exception of "Contributions 

 from Work-people " and " Patients' Payments," which represent 

 six per cent, of the income, comes annually from the philan- 

 thropic well-to-do, either from annual subscriptions, donations, 

 legacies, or investments of moneys originally left to hospitals 

 by charitable persons. 



Capitalise this annual income, and we shall find that at 

 four per cent, it comes to about £62,500,000. The well-to-do 

 classes of this country have, therefore, set aside the stupendous 

 sum of over sixty-two millions sterling out of their wealth, so 

 that the poor and needy, the side and suffering among their 

 fellow-countrymen, may have the same benefits of medical and 

 surgical skill, and be as tenderly cared for under their bodily 

 afflictions, as they are themselves. 



Other Organised Charities 



Then there is a large number of charities, apart from 

 Hospitals, such as — 



Churcli Organisation Societies. 



Ambulance Associations. 



The Salvation Army. 



Church Extension Association. 



Aged Pilgrims' Friend Society. 



Hundreds of Societies of various kinds for benefiting the 



poor. 



Orphanages by the score. 



Industrial Homes of various kinds. 



Asylums for all sorts and conditions of poverty, and Bene- 

 volent Associations of every imaginable description. 



After dealing with one hundred and eighty-six of these 



