1807.] 
ef 72 feet, by 52, 5 inches; ‘the height 
from the foundation to the vane is about 
4100 feet, and it contains fix working floors, 
befides the obfervatory on the top, in which 
Mr, 8. was accuftomed, at times, to give 
éntertainments te public bodies, fuch as the 
chief officers of the diftritt, &c. As the 
returns have been computed at 40,0001. per 
annum, he was enabled to keep down the 
price of meal, and the affize of bread. To 
achieve this, le cheerfully ailited the ma- 
giftrates in adjufting the value of the quar- 
tern loaf, and in 1800, publifhed an adver- 
tifement, by which he invited the induftrious 
poor to come in perfon for a fupply of their 
neceflities*. In 1804, Mr. Alderman Sim- 
mons acted as Pretident of the Guardians of 
nice, and the whole roof covered with flates. 
The wheel thoroughs are accurately curved, 
and lined with jointed Portland ftone. The 
two water wheels, which put the whele 
machinery in motion, are fixteen feet dia- 
meter, and feven feet wide. The fpur 
wheels, whofe nuts, arms, and fhafts, are 
iron, carry eight pair of ftones. From the 
{pur wheels, by a contmuation of upright 
iron thafts, motion is given to the complicat- 
ed machinery forclearing the corn, drefling the 
fiour, and lattly to the lifting tackle upon the 
upper floor. The mill-works, which are diftinét 
for each water wheel, are of iron, where it 
would be properly fubftituted for wood, 
and the whole finifhed with a mechanical 
accuracy, fo much to the credit of the feveral 
artifts employed in their conftru@ion, that 
though the greateft fall of wate: here never 
exceeds five feet three inches, this mill is fo 
powerful, as to be capable of grinding and 
drefling into flour 500 quarters of corn 
weekly. 
* Yhere the vaft mill-fone with inebriate 
whirl, 
On trembling floors his forceful fingers twirl; 
Whofe flinty teeth the golden harvetts grind, 
Feaft without blood! and nourifh human 
kind.” a 
The bridge over the mill ftream, the ad- 
joining {winery, {pacious lodges and ftabling, 
and a {pacious thop fer retailing meal and 
flour in fimall quantities, befides a number 
of dwellings in Brown’s-lane, and Jing’s- 
ftreet, are additional and recent improve- 
ments by Mr. Alderman Simmons, now the 
fole leflee of Abbot’s mill’ —-Gofling’s Walk, 
nute to pe 12. 
* “© To the induftrious poor. of the City and 
Suburbs of Canterbury.——1 laft week informed 
you, that on account of the very high price 
of bread and meat, I had direéted, that 
meal fhould be fold to you at Abbot’s mill, 
at the reduced price of one fhilling and fix- 
pence per gallon. I was extremely cons 
cerned, that you lof fo much time at the 
mill on Saturday laft, before you could be 
ferved ; but the plan I have now adopted, 
will, I trutt, prevent any fuch delay in fu- 
ture. I with to make this relief to you as 
acceptable, as I truft it is featoueble, and 
- 
Account of the late James Simmons, Esq. 
189 
the ‘Poor. On this occafion he introduced @ 
weaving manufactory, and employeu the 
‘children of: diftreifed perfons, within the 
liberties of the city, tothe number of 150, 
who received’ the whole of their wages with- 
out deductions; fome of the girls of only 
twelve years old, earned three. fhillings and 
fixpence a week by tpinning alone. Dur- 
ing his adminiftration, the arrears were col- 
lected, the accounts fettled, and a large 
debt liquidated. The next undertaking 
we flall mention, is the proje& of a cana 
from Canterbury to the fea, by means of © 
which, and proper pliers, wharfs, &c. that 
ancient city would haye been enabled to 
enjoy all the advantages of aport. ‘To ac- 
complifl this, Mr. Whitworth, a celebrated 
engineer repaired thither, at the requeft 
and at the fole expence of Mr. Simmons; 
with as little inconvenience to you as poffi- 
ble. Iam fure you will excule your being 
fo long detained Jaft week, when I tell you, . 
that eight hundred and twelve poor families 
were ferved with two thoufaud four hundred 
and fifty-three gallons of meal; and if the 
benefit which yourfelves and your children 
received, was equal to your expectations, Tam 
amply rewarded by your grateful acceptance 
of it. The fecond diftribution of meal, at 
one fhilling and fixpence per gallon, at Ab- 
bot’s mill, will be as under: On Saturday 
morning, May 24, 1800 ;—Vhe poor families 
from the parithes of Northgate and St, 
Alphage, froin 6 till 95 from the parifhes of 
St. Paul and St. Martin, from 9 till 115; from 
the parifhes of St. Andrew and St. Mary 
Bredman, from 11 tull 12; from the precincts 
of Chrift Church and Staplegate, from 12 till 
1 ——On Monday morning, May 26, 1800; 
—The poor families from the parifhes of 
St. Mildred and All Saints, from 6 till 8; 
from the parifhes of St. George and Burgate, 
from 8 till 9; from the parifhes of St. Mar- 
garet and St. Mary Bredin, from 9 till 10; 
from the parifhes of St. Peter and Wefgate, 
from 10 till 12; from the parith of St. Dun- 
ftan, from 12 till 1. : 
Some unfavourable reports, I underitand, 
have been propagated re{pecting the quality 
of the meal; butyou may believe me, good peo- 
ple, that fooner than have oifered you fo grofs 
an affront, or fo fhamefully have infulted your 
feelings, as to fell you bad meal, or dirty 
mixtures,. under the pretence of relieving 
your diftrefs; 1 would have burnt the millto 
the water’s edge,—From what quarter fuch 
reports have arifen, I do not pretend to fay, 
but if the bakers of this city or fubarbs, or 
any of them will have the goodnefs to walk 
down to the mill, during the diftribution of 
the meal, it will be a very great fatisfaction 
to me; and knowing your diftreifes as they 
do, there can be no doubt, but that they 
will moft readily give every affiftance in 
their power to render this charity as effeétual 
as they can,towards your relict. 
St. George’s. ‘Jamrs Simmons. 
May 22, 1800. 
: and 
