CHAPTER II.

TO THE RESCUE !— THE CITY COLONY.

The first.section of my Scheme is the establishment of a Receiving House for the Destitute in every great centre of population. We start, let us remember, from the individual, the ragged, hungry, penniless man who confronts us with despairing demands for food, shelter, and work. Now, I have had some two or three years' ■experience in dealing with this class. I believe, at the present moment, the Salvation Army supplies more food and shelter to the destitute than any other organisation in London, and it is the expéri­ence and encouragement which I have gained in the working of these Food and Shelter Dépôts which has largely encouraged me to propound this scheme.

Section i.— FOOD AND SHELTER FOR EVERY MAN.

As I rode through Canada and the United States some three years ago, I was greatly impressed with the superabundance of food which I saw at every turn. Oh, how I longed that the poor starving people, and the hungry children of the East of London and of •other centres of our destitute populations, should come into the midst of this abundance, but as it appeared impossible for me to take them to it, I secretly resolved that I would endeavour to bring some of it to them. I am thankful to say that I have already been able to do so on a small scale, and hope to accomplish it ere long on a much vaster one.

With this view, the first Cheap Food Depot was opened in the East of London two and a half years ago. This has been fol­lowed by others, and we have now three establishments : others are being arranged for.

Since the commencement in 1888, we have supplied over three and a half million meals.

Some idea can be formed of the extent to which these Food and Shelter Dépôts have already struck their roots into the strata of