3dly. That it is a business to which children ought not to be put, as it affords no support after a boy has reached 15 or 16 years of age, at the latest. 4thly. That employing children in this trade, subjects them in after-life to the disease lectured upon separately in the hospitals as chimney-sweepers’ cancer, and which disease only befals those who are thus employed. These grounds led to the formation of the Society. It was at first supposed that it would only be necessary to offer a premium for the production of a machine capable of sweeping, and that it would be instantly adopted by the existing race of chimney-sweepers. With this impression, machines were given away on a large scale in all directions, and everything avoided that could seem to interfere with the members of the trade. This act of ill-directed liberality was met by the most virulent hostility, and every machine thus put into the hand of a common chimney-sweeper, was employed, as far as in him lay, to destroy the object of the bestower: these heartless men, having at once discovered that chimneys were so much better cleansed by this means, that the sweeping would be wanted less frequently than if boys were continued; and further, that if children were given up, men would be required to work the machines, and this would break in upon the masters’ profits. These assertions are proved by the fact of the chimney-sweepers having combined to resist every attempt that has been made to introduce the machines; and in the year 1834, when a Bill was sought for, they are said to have expended 1,200_l._ upon counsel, Parliamentary agent, and witnesses; and these witnesses evinced but little regard to truth. This outlay of money was severely felt, and it was an expense the trade would not have incurred to “protect their customers” alone. If their object had been a straightforward one, they would have protested against the adoption of the plan promoted by the Fire-offices; they would have declared that, in THEIR opinion, it was the abandonment of a safe method, and the adoption of a fanciful and dangerous substitute; but they would not have _taxed themselves_ for a headstrong public. People are beginning to see this in its right light, and having ascertained that the trade of the common chimney-sweeper is upheld by deceit, these men are now met at every point with distrust and suspicion. Necessity compelled your Committee to set up honest men to work the machine fairly, and by this means a way is opened for the total abolition of the revolting practice of employing children in this business. The determination of the common chimney-sweepers above alluded to, continues to the present hour in full force (see page 9); and no man, during the last twenty years, has ever been found to use the machine faithfully, if he retains a single child in his service for the purpose of sweeping chimneys.