year satisfaction in being able to announce to the public that, during the last a considerable progress has been made, within the district, in this most important and leading branch of the Society's designs: of the extent of which some judgment may be formed, when it is stated, that the number of schools attached to the establishment amounts to forty-six, making an addition of four to those included in the former Reports; and that a considerable increase, of not less than one thousand six hundred and twentynine, has also taken place in the number of children taught in them; so that, at this present time, nine thousand and sixty-nine of the infant poor are receiving, through the aid of the District Committee, the inestimable benefit of a Christian education, the only sure foundation of future peace and comfort. The customary gift of a Bible and Prayer-Book to each of the children educated in the Blue Coat Hospital, was this year received by 56 boys and 19 girls, who, by their good behaviour, had recommended themselves to the notice of the Governors of that most excellent Charity. In the course of the year, the following grants were made by the Com mittee. In compliance with the request of James Pownall, Esq. as one of the Visitors of the Lunatic Asylum, two copies of "Hall's Contemplations," were granted by the Committee for the use of the inmates of that Establishment. And in consequence of an application made by the Chaplain of the Infirmary, 500 copies of a "Serious Address to Persons recovered from dangerous Illness," were granted to him, for the use of the patients in that Institution. The Secretary of the Mechanics and Apprentices' Library having applied to the Committee for a grant of books; it was resolved, "That books to the amount of ten pounds be granted; the selection of which was left to a Sub-Committee to be appointed for that purpose." Nearly fifteen years have now elapsed since the first establishment of the Liverpool District Committee; and they are happy in being able to state, that each succeeding Report which they have given to the public, has borne ample testimony to its great, extensive, and still increasing utility. At the commencement of its operations in 1816, the number of the Society's publications dispersed by the Committee during that year, was 11,453; in the following year 13,400; and the number has since progressively increased, until at length it amounted, in the year 1828, to 53,135, which exceeds in nearly a fourfold proportion the number dispersed at the first opening of the Depository. A more striking and more gratifying proof of the efficiency of the Institution, cannot well be adduced. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COMMITTEE. -The numbers of children educated in the Sunday, National, and other schools in this district, in the course of being supplied either wholly or in part with books from the depository of the Committee, are as follows: Bilston, 670; Darlaston, 409; Kingswinford, 660; Penn, 76; Sedgley, 600; Tettenhall, 190; Tipton, 1100; Wednesbury, 250. The amount of Bibles, Testaments, and Prayer Books, circulated by this Committee from March to December 1829, are as follows: Prayer Bibles. Test. Books. Received from Parent Society 318 382 528 176 232 197 142 150 331 Sold From the Statement of Account with the Treasurer, we are happy to learn that 1117. 7s. 3d. have been remitted to the Parent Society. The Report is also preceded by a summary statement of the objects of the S. P. C. K. SOCIETIES FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE, AND PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS. Report of the Committee within the Deanery of Newcastle upon Tyne. THE Report, which our limited space compels us to omit, is a neat abridgment of the Societies' Reports; such, we think, as was recommended by a correspondent some two years ago to be published separately as a small tract. We are happy to observe that the sum of 737. 78. has been collected for the two Societies in the past year, after sermons at different churches in the neighbourhood, and that 1157. 4s. 6d. have been remitted to the Parent Societies. WINCHESTER AND SOUTHAMPTON UNITED DEANERIES.-On Wednesday, April 15, a General Meeting of these Committees was held at Winchester, on which occasion a full service was performed at the Cathedral, and an appropriate sermon delivered by the Rev. C. J. Hoare, archdeacon of the diocese, who made a forcible and eloquent appeal to public benevolence in behalf of the institutions. From the Report it appears that the chief alteration in the domestic proceedings of the Society, is the opening a depôt at Winchester, where the poor may purchase books at reduced prices, which formerly they could not obtain but through the instrumentality of members. The amount transmitted to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, since the union of the two deaneries, is upwards of 2817. The business of the meeting being concluded, a collection in aid of the funds was made at the doors, which amounted, with the sum collected at the cathedral, to 641. 4s. THE LATE BISHOP OF EXETER. THE following address to the Rev. Dr. Carey, on his leaving the diocese of Exeter, was unanimously agreed to at a meeting, held at the Royal Hotel, the Rev. W. Oxnam in the chair; at which meeting there were fifteen clergymen belonging to the immediate neighbourhood present, besides other respectable inhabitants: To the Right Reverend Father in God, William, by Divine Permission, Lord Bishop of St. Asaph. The Plymouth District Committee of the Societies for Promoting Christian Knowledge, for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and for Promoting the Building and enlarging Churches and Chapels, cannot contemplate your Lordship's removal from the see of Exeter without acknowledging in the strongest manner their sense of the kind and most efficient patronage with which your Lordship has encouraged and assisted their endeavours.-When first your Lordship was called to the superintendence of the diocese of Exeter, it was a subject of regret to many of the anxious friends of our established church, that so little had been done to engage the interest of the public in behalf of the venerable Societies, which, both at home and in our foreign dependencies, support and promote a pure system of Christian doctrine and Church communion. During the period that your Lordship has been our diocesan, we have not only, in this populous neighbourhood, been successful in advocating the cause of the Societies for Promoting Christian Knowledge and for the Propagation of the Gospel, but the National Society, for the Education of the Poor in the principles of the Established Church, and the more recent, but highly important Incorporated Society for Promoting the Enlargement and Building of Churches and Chapels, have, throughout this extensive diocese, received a new impulse, so that however we may lament occasional disappointment, we must rejoice that the diocese of Exeter has manifested a growing interest in the institutions of the Church; and has stood forward amongst the most zealous contributors to their welfare.-We beg to assure your Lordship, that you will carry with you, into that new sphere of dignity and usefulness in the Church of Christ, to which it has pleased Almighty God to call you, the sincere and affectionate respect of those who have felt the influence of your kindness, and have learned to admire the Christian candour, integrity, and zeal which have marked your superintendance of the see of Exeter, and of which the well-being of our societies will, we trust, continue to manifest the fruits.-With our earnest prayers for your Lordship's welfare and happiness, we remain, Your Lordship's most grateful and respectful servants, ROBERT LAMPEN, Secretary to the Plymouth District Committee of the Societies for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and for Building and Enlarging Churches and Chapels; SAMUEL ROWE, Secretary and Treasurer of the Ply- in the name, and at the unanimous desire of a very numerously attended meeting of the Select District Committees of the respective Societies, held at Plymouth, April 29th, 1830. POLITICAL RETROSPECT. DOMESTIC. The king's illness, which had certainly at one period arisen to an alarming height, has considerably abated towards the end of the month; and it may now be hoped that his Majesty will be speedily restored to convalescence, the unfavourable symptoms having somewhat disappeared, and his disease having assumed a mitigated aspect. Means have been adopted by Parliament to release his Majesty from the arduous duty of fixing his sign manual to public documents. The bill for emancipating the Jews has been thrown out by a majority of sixty-three, not so large a one as the country might wish; but it is thrown out. The constitution is in a manner tacitly declared to be a Christian constitution; for the assertion would doubtless indeed be styled illiberal and bigoted, which should intimate that Popery is an anti-Christian system, and its believers idolaters; and that declaration alone is a great point to have gained in the present day. The other business that has passed through Parliament during the past month has chiefly related to private affairs. The operations of Mexico were brought before the House, but not enlarged upon, all parties agreeing to deprecate any idle interference in the concerns of other nations. The whole of the spring season has been very favourable to the farmer. The impulse which vegetation received from the mild temperature of March, was prevented from bringing it too forward, by the prevalence of cold north-easterly winds during April, which suited the wheats upon the light lands, so that they present a very healthy and promising appearance. The drying effects of these winds upon the strong lands was beginning to be severely felt, when the seasonable occurrence of several warm showery days restored the verdure on these soils, and though the nights have been sometimes cold during the month of May, yet the wheats have continued to thrive abundantly. The spring-corn and the grasses have been equally benefited, and have rarely given a more early promise of abundant crops than at the present moment. The country markets have been well supplied, and the demand has been sufficiently encouraging to the husbandman. We regret to be obliged to state that the home trade in printed goods and silks has been severely injured by the unfortunate illness of our beloved Monarch. The apprehension of a public mourning for several weeks put an entire stop to the consumption of these and some other manufactures. The loss to Manchester alone is computed at one million sterling; what must the amount be when other places are included! FRANCE. The expedition to Algiers has sailed from Toulon, under the command of General Bourmont, who, as minister of war, holds a responsible situation in the Cabinet. The permanent strength of the ministry must depend very much on the success of this expedition. The Chamber of Deputies has been dissolved, and the new elections will no doubt be materially influenced by the tidings which may arrive from Algiers. Should General Bourmont prove victorious, as it is most probable he will, the popularity with which a successful war would invest the Cabinet will prove too powerful for the liberal party to contend with. The character of the French nation is too vain, too strongly imbued with the love of show for them not to delight in that semblance of glory which military success, however useless in its end, affords; besides, they are desirous of colonies, and think Barbary would be the very place for one, as it would give them the command of the southern shores of the Mediterranean. For the same reasons, should General Bourmont fail in his enterprise, it will make the Cabinet totter to its foundation. The event is therefore watched by all parties with more than common anxiety. GREECE.-Prince Leopold has resigned the sovereignty. |