The Sun. — London, England, 1830-05-04 00:00:00

84, in ix pe A' the h the coffee in ty ad nple,) 165 , on of is in 1 the be, in dwts., s. ;--- r than, rerage 1829 lg 79 years !ss of S the —that )any old at corn- )f . test 1r the iption ed in id the n the ars of ;ump• venue crass • editor or te* )tir of ;071., a due stock► V. ; S COW stance em of rhicb, would m ;,••• ed 011 [ndieg , and it. ;-- much m 71 1 that cent.; • On ; tines , and :st the trade, riated. Mr. P klet fined," pub etned- 'ar, to uar" Inter- some •ation• 1 that ysteT free o the . le ab e that o pay a tax at the their ice of iztils e its of its every lark et, keti o f ey are 'ported vh*t is al ra nt UP, teCting ;uished is pro ,rk has ne re' nearly 2441., trade. 31 11r. sum value, •chase, nstead bs. It exceed open, not be whole ,ion of en its 2 l'us. is per 'union and n hos- cation on the being r than tion. Experience might teach us to expect that such atipp4, might be worse, but in the fiscal history of nations there is not a shadow of precedent to warrant us in ima lining it should he better. The salt of France was dear and execrable under the gabelle, and immediately improved ja quality as it did in cheapness, when the trade was thrown open, and moderate duties only levied upon it. There is at present a monopoly of tobacco in France ; and hence French tobacco is the dearest and worst in Europe. The Company itself exercises a monopoly of salt in its Indian possessions : their salt is exorbitant in price, and the qua lity such that a respectable farmer in this country would hardly give it to his hogs. These, to be sure, are royal or sovereign monopolies; and I admit at once, that the monopoly of the East India Company in tea, which is not ", does not labour under equal disadvantages. The Com- Pany has the fear of public opinion before its eyes, in a country where public opinion is sometimes pret'y loudly e xpressed ; an d i t has before its eyes, above all, the fear of loan= its monopoly. These are some checks upon the quality of th e supply, but, as experience has su ffi ciently P ro ved, none at all upon the price exacted. Our tea is ant se had as if it had been a royal monopoly ; but this is altogether a very different matter from claiming for it a superiority over what is furnished in conformity to the tastes, habits, and wealth of the consumer, in an unfet tered commerce. " The superiority claimed for the Company's teas seems Modestly to have been kept in the back-ground for more than a hundred years, and was first loudly insisted upon about the year 1824, shortly after the appearance of an able and convincing article in a celebrated journal, and in which the writer made it appear, on a calculation for the year 1823, when the average price of the Company's teas Was 2s. 10d., that the nation was taxed by the Com pany .2,218,C001. per annum. It was impossible to resist the array of figures, chiefly derived front the Com pany's own records, by which this mortifying result was proved. The advocates of the Company, wholly unable to combat such a statement on fair grounds, were com pelled to shift their position, and take refuge on the de bateable ground of quality. The hundreds of travellers who have visited the continent of Europe, since the year 1 817, can attest the utter groundlessness of the assertion of superiority claimed for the Company's teas. I myself earl testify to the equality always, and to the superiority generally, o f the teas of France, the Netherlands, Idol land, and Switzerland. " The modest and reasonable pretext of the advocates of the monopoly amounts to this, that, lay some indescribable magic in the Company's system, that system contrives, somehow or other, to secure every ounce of good exportable tea in the Chinese empire, leaving to the rations of the earth at large little better than mere refuse. The expor tation of tea from China has been increasing, year after year, for more than a century back ; and still the produc tion of tea in that country has steadily kept pace with the demand in foreign countries. In short, there seems no visible limit to it, but the limit of demand ; and it may be had of any quality, or of any description, that suits the taste or the means of the purchaser. The East India Company could not, if it had the means or the desire, monopolise all the goad teas in the Chinese market. Upon 4 point so obvious, it is hardly requisite to insist at length ; yet, considering the boldness of the allegations Which have been made, a few facts may be necessary, in torroborat;on of what is here stated. " Tea is produced throughout the whole empire of China from the 20th to the 45th degree of latitude. It is spread, and not very thinly spread either, over an area of 1,372,450 square miles. It is not a delicate but a hardy plant, easily and cheaply reared : like the vine in tem perate regions, or the pepper and coffee plants in tropical ones, it prefers the acclivities of hil's where food fur man cannot be grown, or where, if grown, it would be cheaper to import it. The English, Americans, and others, receive their supply from one portion of the empire; the Russians from a second, and the Asiatic neighbours of China from a third. Two centuries ago, the use—hardly the name of tea, was known in Europe and America. All that is now consumed, therefore, by the European race, good and bad, is produced by the soil of China beyond what the soil of Cbira produced pre vious to that era. Five-and-forty years ago the Consumption of all Europe and all America (Russia included) did not exceed 19,948,665115. weight. On ohe average of the three years, ending with 1826-27, the nglish an d A mericans alone exportel teas from Canton ththe amount of 43,940,6691b5, indicating an increase in e consumpti on of Europe an d A mer i ca, exclus i ve of the PPly furnished by Dutch, Danes, French, and Swedes, 'tud of the supply to European possess i ons in the East, of abnve 130 per cent. In 1784 the actual consumption of iGtreir now and Ireland was short of 13,000,0001b5. ; ow near 2 8,000,0 001b 5. O n t h e average of the t ib he ur ti ye ni r ed ending with 1793, the actual consumpti on o f States was but 2,164,1891b 5 . Five-and -thirty it sited States or on the average of the years 1827 and 1828, W as 6 ,141,2681br., or had increased by 183 per cent." THE FUNDS.--(THIS DAT.) CITY, TWELTE O'CLOCK. The Hamburg steamer has arrived, by which we have re ceived the Hamburg Reporter of the 30th April, which is void of political information. THE FENDS. We have had quite an idle morning in the city, and it is the same in the Consol Market, owing to there being but few arrivals, and those not of importance. Consols opened at the same price they left off yesterday, 92% % for the Account, and 92% hi for money, with scarce a bargain doing. Great anxiety is ex_ Pressed for the next bulletin of the King's health, as the last is considered to be very discouraging. In .the Foreign Market, Greek Bonds receded to 50, since Which a re -action has taken place, and they have been done at 51, Spanish Bonds are also lower. In other Foreign Securities nothing doing at Present. Bank Sto c k E NGLISH Stock, 414},i 15 India 239 ' 40 1 i per Cent. Cons. 92% % Ditto Do. for A ccount, 92% Reduced, 91% % FUNDS. 314 per Cent. 99 1 4 4 per Cent. 101 2 4 4 per Cent. 1896, 104 1 4 India Bonds, 83 84 Exchequer Bills, 78 79 FUNDS Greek, 50!4 M Mexican, 361 37 Peruvian, 9414 5 1 4 Portuguese, 61 62 Prussian, Russian ill Spanish, 9014 % 'CLOCK. It TWO said that the D u k e of Wellington has O been sent for this Morning, to proceed to Windsor with the greatest speed. Consols, which continued the most part of the morning at 7,lgoney 92% % 1 i % for the Account, have improved to 92% N, and for . Up to the present time we have no authentic Inf ormation of his Majesty's health. In the Eoreign Market Greek and Spanish Bonds are the only ztocks in which any thing is doing, which have somewhat un- P r oved. Since the early part o f th e morn i ng we are quite desti bite of political information. Console, 921 1. Brazilian, 74% 75 Buenos Ayres, 38 40 Chaim Colombian, Wl l 4 Danish, 75 34 Ditto 3 French 5 per Cent. 108 7 per Cent. 83% 7 lIRKIS 0' CL 0 CS. PRESBYTERY OF THE SCOTS CHURCH, LON DON.-The next meeting of this Presbytery will be held on Tuesday the 1I th of May, at 5, v. M., in the National Scotch Church, Regent-square, for the further discussion of the sinfulness of Christ's humanity, as tnaiLtained by Messrs. SCOTT and IRVING. A correspon dent states his conviction that the Church will be crammed almost to suffocation, to witness the effect of a contest that Must terminate in the recantation of those gentlemen, or in the dissolution of their connection with the Church of Scotland. He moreover states, that it will be moved and seconded in the Presbytery that the discussion shall be open to the public, in conformity with the Act of Tolera tion. Other parties state to us that the discussion will be private, and that the Act of Toleration does not require that such meeting should be public. The question, how ever, will probably be set at rest by a notification from the pulpits of the Scotch churches on Sunday next, conform ably to the practice in Scotland.— World. In consequence of the Jew Bill and the Beer Rill standing for a second reading last night, the gallery of the House of Commons was amazingly crowded with Persons interested in both those measures. In the early Part of the evening there were two divisions on a private in consequence of which, by an absurd practice still continued, the gallery was cleared of " strangers." That created immense noise and confusion, and in the struggle to get out several shoes, gloves, a stocking, a hat, &c. Wer e left behind in the gallery. They were afterwards exhibited on the candle-branches at the sides of the gal lery ; but the owners, on returning to their seats, would Out quit them to collect their property. M. D'HAUSSEZ, the Minister of the Navy, s opped two hours on his passe e through Never.. He visited the iron cable manufactory of RAFFIN and Co. ex amined every tiding, and praised the incenious new pro cesses employed to lessen the expense of their construc tions and buildings, wher ' e show has been disregarded. He declared ttiit it` was his intention to encourage private in dustry to supply the wants of the navy. The , ship Jean Jaques, C apta i n D ELATRE , left loint.a-Petre (Gattdaloupe) on the 23d of March. She experienc e d very b ad weutl er off the bank of New lcundlands and in soundings. Sh e left 46 ships in th, oads of Point -a. Pet re. —Journa/ du Commerce. FORSIG RYE ELECTION-(THIS DAY). The Committee met this morning at eleven o'clock, and were engaged with hearing evidence respecting former elec tions for the borough, the principal part of which was do cumentary. The voters in the election of 1701, which election was afterwards confirmed by a Committee of the House of Commons, consisted of the mayor, two jurats, and fifty-two freemen of the borough. It did not appear at that election that any of the resident inhabitants, not being admitted freemen, voted. There is an ancient privi lege granted to the Cinque Ports and the two ancient towns (..f Rye and Winchester, that they shall elect a certain num ber of Barons from each port and town to carry the canopy over the Kings and Queens of England at their coronation. Evidence was given of the manner in which the right was exercised, and the mode of electing the Barons to perform the office. It appeared they had always been Jurats of the Borough, and no instance of an in habitant not being free of the Corporation had been elected. Mr. Proctor, the Town Clerk of Rye, was then called and examined. He read a great many extracts from the Records of the Borough, from the year 1448 down to a late period. _ _ . The examination of this witness was not concluded when our Reporter left. It is expected the Committee will not come to a decision for several (lays. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.) FROM LLOYD'S. DEAL, MAY 3.—Wind E.N.E.—Sailed the outward bound. Prxmourtr, MAY 2.—Wind \V.—Arrived the New Eagle, Rose, from Sierra Leone. FALmourit, MAY 2.—Wind variable and high breezes—Arrived the Nightingale packet, and his Majesty's steamer Mellon, from Plymouth. CORK, APRIL 30.—Arrived the Amphitrite transport, from Deptford, LIVERPOOL, MAY 2.—Arrived the Coral, Dickinson, from Sa vannah ; Majestic, Maxwell, from Mobile ; Shebboleth, Andrews, from Welmington ; Providence, Miller, from Lisbon, and the Sandback, Bisphain, from Demerara. HOLYHEAD, MAY 2.—Off port the Horne, from New Orleans, and the Rankin, from St. John's, New Brunswick. Off the Start the Burrell, Metcalf, from the Mauritius. The Rambler, Sanders, fiom New Castle to Kiel, was on shore in the Slater Hook, near Elsinore, on the 27th ult., and it was feared would not be got off. The Nile, Miller, from Hamburg, bound to London, was on Hasbro' Sand, and obliged to throw overboard 100 quarters of wheat. THE MARKETS.-(THIS DAY) HAY MARKETS.—(At per Load of 36 Trusses.) ST. JAMES'S. Coarse heavy Lo land Meadow Hay £2 5 to £2 15 vew Meadow Hay Useful Old Ditto Fine Upland Meadow and Rye-grass Hay 4 0 5 0 Clover Hay 3 10 5 5 Oat Straw £2 4to £2 8 I Wheat Straw... 28 _ 212 Supply of middling and inferint Flay great, of that of the first quality, as also of Straw, limited ; trade very dull throughout, and prices stationary. SMITHFIELD. Coarse heavy Lowland Meadow Hay £2 5 to £2 15 New Meadow Hay 0 0 0 0 Useful Old Ditto 3 8 3 15 Fine Upland Meadow and Rye-grass Hay 4 0 5 0 Cl , ,ver Hay (extra fine)...45 10... Generally OAt Straw /2 sto £2 101 Wheat Straw 2 10 2 14 Straw from 3s. to Os. per load higher than last quoted ; in prices of Hay no alteration. Supply short, and trade very dull. LONDON HIBERNIAN SOCIETY. The twenty-fourth anniversary of this Society was held at Free masons', Hall yesterday. The Chair was taken by Viscount Loarox at twelve o'clock. The Noble CHAIRMAN commenced the proceedings by a few appropriate observations. He stated that there never was a period when the efforts of this and similar Societies in Ireland were called for as at present. Unless good systems of education, together with employment for the peasantry of that country, were continued with unabated energy, it must remain in a state of moral and physical deterioration, and, in fact, of unparalleled misery. He would not detain the meeting by any lengthened remarks, but would call upon the Rev. Secretary to read the Report. The Rev. THOMAS WEBSTER, M.A., one of the Secreta ries, then read the Report, from which we present the following extracts : It will be recollected that, at the close of the former year, the balance against the Society exceeded 11,0001. ; and that serious apprehensions were entertained by your agents that it might be come necessary to relinquish some of the existing schools, or, at least, entirely to disregard the numerous and pressing applica tions made for new schools. By the kind exertions, however, of Christian friends, and the liberal support of a benevolent public, these painful alternatives have been, to a considerable degree, avoided. Toe restrictions on opening new schools have been re laxed, though not entirely removed ; and though your Committee are not able to report that the Society is free from debt, they are happy to state that, at the close of the current year, the balance against the Society was somewhat less than 4001., a debt which they cannot but hope that your contributions this day will enable them to discharge. FUNDS. The receipts from various sources, during the last year, amounted to 9,224. 4s. 5d., being an increase, as compared with the receipts of the former year, of 1,6391. 19s. The expen diture of the year has amounted to 8,5181. 13s. '7%c1., or, including the balance due last year, to 9,627/. ss. 3d. ; and, as the debts now due to your Treasurer and Irish agent only amount to 339/. Os. 10d., it appears that, in addition to the provision for the current expenses of the year, the outstanding engagements of the Soc.ety as compared with those of the former year have been reduced by the sum of ?091. 10s. 9yid. PATRONAGE. In adverting to the accession of patronage, your Committee would observe that the most noble the Marquis of Cholmondeley has kindly accepted the office of President of your Institution ; that his Grace the Duke of Wellington has transmitted, through her Grace the Duchess of. Beaufort, the sumof 501. to your Society, and has directed that its correspondence should pass through the Post-office free of expense; and that his Grace the Arch bishop of Dublin has condescended to become one of your Vice- Presidents, and subscribed to your Dublin Auxiliary ; that his Grace the Lord Primate of Ireland has expressed; himself most favourably to your Institution; and that many other distin guished characters, both in this country and in Ireland, have come forward in its support, while a very considerable increase has taken place in the numbers of the Irish Clergy, and Minis ters of other denominations, who evince their interest in your cause by patronising, visiting, and superintending your several schools. SCHOOLS. The number of day, Sunday, and adult schools, in connection with the Society, , during the last year, amounts to 1,373, in which 80,513 boys, girls, or adult persons have been enrolled. Some slight deduction may be made from this number, in con sequence of a few of the day scholars being also enrolled in the Sunday schools ; after every deduction which can, on any legi timate account be made, the number of scholars instructed by your Society, during the last year, must have exceeded 75,000. As, however, the adult schools are only taught in, the winter nt mohs, and as, during that inclement season, therc l is usually a diminished attendance of the day scholars, the average number of those under instruction, at any one period of the year, would, perhaps, scarcely amount to 60,000. ever, still adhere to their original plan of giving extra pay to the teachers for those scholars who evirce, on inspection, an ade quate proficiency in the Irish language; and only advert to the subject in consequence of a very unexpected attack made 11P011 the Society by a highly respectable publication, The able ob,er vations of the Dublin Committee on this attack are appended as a note to this report.* • INSPECTORS, SCRIPTURE READERS. While, however, the number of children instructed by this Society, in the Irish language, has, from causes which your Com mittee cannot control, been in the • last year somewhat dimi nished, the importance of instructing adults in, and employing Scripture readers conversant with that tongue, is increasingly manifest. Instances continually occur, where persons who could not be induced for one moment, to listen to the Holy Scriptures in English, evince the most marked attention when those Scrip_ tures are read to them in the Irish language, often detaining the readers for a considerable time, earnestly desiring to be sup_ plied with copies of this blessed book, and frequently determin ing to send their children to schools where they may be taught to read, and commit to memory, the inspired volume. Sixty four persons are at present employed, either as inspectors or Scripture readers, almost all of whom are intimately conversant with the Irish tongue. HOLY SCRIPTURES. By means of the inspectors and Scripture readers, and through your various schools, 26,356 bibles or testaments, in English or Irish, have been distributed during the last year, making, with those circulated through the instrumentality of this Society in former years, a grand total of 235,781 copies of the word of CUD. Of the Scriptures distributed in the last year, 6,302 bibles and 19,939 testaments were in the English language, and fifty-three bibles and ninety-two testaments in Irish. This increased dis tribution of the Holy Scriptures arises partly from the extension of the Society's schools, but principally from the ardent desire of the Irish peasantry for the sacred volume. It has ever been an object of the Society to gratify this desire in all cases where a reasonable prospect appeared that the copies lent or given would be properly used. Fewer Irish Scriptures, indeed, have been circulated - than your Committee had previously been led to ex pect; they are, however, fully convinced that this scanty distri bution has not been owing to any neglect oftheir several agents, but partly to the very small proportion of those persons who speak Irish, who are able to read so as adequately to comprehend Bishop Bedel's Version; and partly to other institutions having recently entered the field once exclusively occupied by your Society. PROVINCIAL VIEW. These 1,373 schools have been distributed in the several pre• vinces of Ireland as follciws Ulster. Total. blur_ Lein- Con ster. ster. naught. —— _ Day 5ch01ar5......... 57 83 164 371 675 Scholars 2,357 4,519 12,316 31,856 51,018 Roman Catholics 1,209 2,070 7,641 10,410 21,330 Protestants Adult Scholars Scholars 382 537 944 9,119 10,982 Sunday Schools Scholars 973 1,923 2,343 12,602 17,811 Irish Classes 3 25 4 32 Scholars Total Schools Scholars 3,781 7,1109 16,04.6 53,677 80,513 DAY SCHOOLS. The day schools of the Society have, this year, amounted t( DAY SCHOOLS. The day schools of the Society have, this year, amounted to 675, containing 51,078 scholars ; of whom 21,330 have been Ro man Catholics, and 29,748 Protestants. On comparing these numbers with those inserted in the last report, it appears that while the gross increase of the day scholars has amounted to 3,162, nearly one-half have been Roman Catholics; and that this Society has thus, in its day schools alone, been instructing, on its Scriptural system, 1,537 more Roman Catholics than dur ing the preceding year ; and as the Irish classes, and the adult scholars, are almost exclusively of the Romish persuasion, the whole amount of Roman Catholics under instruction in your schools, during the last year, must have considerably exceeded 30,000. This increase is the more remarkable, since it has taken place notwithstanding the continued opposition of the Romish Hierarchy in general; an opposition which has prevailed so far as to diminish the numbers of that persuasion in some of your schools, and to reduce the whole amount under instruction in some other societies. On this subject, the Committee deem it important to call your attention to the following extract from the Report of your Dublin Auxiliary :—" Your Committee have received many pressing applications for the establishment of schools, directly from the Roman Catholic peasantry themselves, and, in some instances, on their behalf, from Roman Catholic Clergymen. It is highly gratifying to observe, at the present moment, so general an anxiety prevailing amongst the poor to secure for their children the blessing of Scriptural instruction." SUPERINTENDENCE. Of the 675 day schools in connection with your Society, 331 are under the superintendence of Clergymen of the Established Church ; 44 under that of Ministers of other denominations ; '.263 in connection with Noblemen, Ladies, and Gentlemen ' • and 37 have no regular patrons or visiters, in consequence of their local situation. ADULT AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS. The adult schools have, this year, amounted to 274, contain ing 10,982 scholars, being a small increase on the returns of last year. The number of Sunday schools has somewhat diminished, being 392 ; but an increase of above 1,100 has taken place in the number of the scholars, as compared with those of the preceding year. The whole number of the Sunday school scholars amounts this year to 17,841.—A1l these. it will be recollected, are instruct ed by gratuitous teachers; so that the only expense occasioned to the Society by the tuition of near 18,000 persons arises from the books distributed, from the small sums occasionally paid for the use of rooms, or the supply of fuel, candles, and some other trifling articles. IRISH CLASSES. The Irish classes in the Society's schools have, this year, been reduced to 32, containing only 6l scholars • whereas, in the Preceding year, the Irish classes were 53, and the Irish scholars 324. This diminution has not been occasioned by any alteration in the Society's plan and proceedings, or any diminution of that encouragement which, for the last '2O years, your Committees have held out to Irish teachers; it has arisen, in some degree, from the Irish teachers having discovered that they can obtain more liberal remuneration by reporting their Irish scholars to other institutions, but principally from an idea commonly enter tained by the lower classes in Ireland that the temporal interests of their children will be more certainly promoted by a faniliarity with the English rather than with the Irish language; hence, many parents, who themselves usually speak Irish, discourage their children from learning to read that tongue. Preaching and leading the Holy Scriptures in Irish are most powerful instru ments of good, but little real effect has hitherto been produced )y teaching children to read in Irish. Most of those who learn o read in Irish with advantage to themselves are adults. There re now few schools in Ireland supported by any Society in which ;he children are taught to read only Irish ; and such instruction necessarily of an expensive nature ; nor is it, in all cases, easy to guard against deception or collusion. Your Committee, how ... * Your Committee have now the unpleasant task of replying to the sentiments of a writer in a late number of the Christian Examiner ; a periodical deservedly popular on account of the ability with which it is conducted, and tne sound piety of its cha racter. The London Hibernian Society has, perhaps, encoun tered more virulent hostility and misrepresentation from its sys tematic opposers than any other education society in this coun. try ; but its managers did not expect an attempt " to wound" its reputation "in the house of its friends." The writer in question, in a " Review of the Life of the Rev. T. Charles," ac cuses the Society of a deviation from the principles of this ex cellent person (one of its founders) in " not pressing their I..sh instruction upon them (the children), even though the desire of their parents is, that they should rather learn English." (Vide page 380.) Now, what were the principles of Mr. Charles with respect to a system for the reformation of benighted Ireland ? Your Committee will let the anonymous reviewer himself an swer the question. He states (page ES) that the Rev. Mr. C.'s observations on the state of this country " led him more espe cially to desire that schools might be established in every part of that country, in which such as required it should be taught in their native language!" This is precisely the very principle upon which the Society has undeviating!)' acted; it always met the required demand for Irish instruction where a voluntary feeling in its favour existed. Your Committee would have no difficulty in demonstrating -that the circumstances which affect a system of popular education in Ireland do not exist in Wales ; and that the adoption of a compulsory course would, in its re sults, afford little ground for congratulation ; but they will not alone rest the Society's justification on these grounds, to show that the London Hibernian system does not gratify" what the writer has designated " a mistaken wish on the part of the pa rents," but, on the contrary, yields to a natural and rational de sire; it need only be remarked, that the Irishipeasant, requiring much of the assistance of his children in field occupation, is anxious that the short time which they can afford to instruction should be devoted to the acquisition of that knowledge which will prove most useful, and remove the disadvantage and inconveni ence to which he is himself subject by only speaking his verna cular tongue; this deficiency comes home to him, when lie is compelled to employ an interpreter in his communication with his landlord—with the Magistrate, when seeking judicial redress —with the trader, in the sale of his commodities, and in his or dinary marketings. Thus, the powerful impulse of self-interest is added to other motives, to induce him to prefer the instruc tion of his children in the English language." The writer, in another place, from his own premises, seems desirous to draw conclusions unfavourable to the efficiency of the system of in struction pursued by the Society. He states (pages 380 and 390), " We ourselves know the fact, of schools under the Hibernian Society, kept in the Irish country by competent Irish scholars, in which the children are taught to read English, of which many of them understand very little, and not to read Irish, with which they are familiar. We have known the fact of a child taught to repeat 20 chapters in the English Testament, who did not understand one word of English." Your Committee earnestly wish the place had been more specifically noted, as they are not a are of any part of Ireland being known under the peculiar denomination of the " Irish Country ;" but they cannot consider such a case within the range of possibility as that of a child, under a master teaching English, surrounded by children in structed in that language, occupied a whole year in the process of learning the alphabet, and to spell and read in English after wards, employed fifteen months in committing to memory twenty chapters of the English Testament, and all this time subjected to the quarterly examination of inspectors, as to the meaning of the instruction conveyed, yet not understanding " one word of English !!" "It is admitted (page 379) by the writer, that the public are indebted to the Hibernian Society for the first re print of the Irish Scriptures since the time of Robert Boyle, in 1685. Your Committee will add that, so far back as the year 1809, it printed an elementary book in the Irish language ; in the same year it opened a class for the instruction of Irish masters, and immediately afterwards employed persons to read the Scrip tures in Irish to the poor; and they believe thatup:to this period no schools existed in which the Irish language was taught. " In the Society's printed directions, the Inspectors are re quired, If no Irish class exists in the schools, to encourage the formation of one, if desired by the pupils, and the master be qualified.'" Surely all these exertions ought to have shielded the Society from the charge of indifference or unfriendliness to in struction in the Irish language. Your Committee are sensible of the importance of imparting the Scriptures through its me dium to those who do not understand English ; and none are more rejoiced than they to observe the dawnings of that period, when a Gospel Ministry will convey to them, in tneir own tongue, " the glad tidings of salvation." Your Committee dis miss this painful subject, declaring, in truth and sincerity, that they cordially extend to every fellow labourer the right hand of fellowship and , heartily bid them " GOD speed." ' of these spoke' understood nothing but the Irish language.. Ever since the coAciii,st England had endeavoured to extirpate that language, but in vain. They established schools where no thing but English was taught ;—they prohibited books in the Irish language —and even enacted that no ecclesiastical prefer-• meet should be held by persons who spoke the Irish language. There was a law to this effect in the reign of Henry the Eighth. The ch of attempts to enlighten the people in scriptural truth were owing to Bishop Bedell, who translated the bible into Irish. His translation was afterwards printed by Mr, notle, in 1680 ; but it was not until 1817 that the bible was fully prinied for circulation in that country. In fact the Hibernian Society first re vived the attempt to instruct the native Irish, by preparing elemen tary books in that language. The Rev. Gentleman then alluded to the advantages that England, in early times, derived from Ireland. That island Was at one time, as Dr. Johnson said, " the school of the West, the quiet seat of sanctity and learn ing." There Alfred gleaned his religious knowledge, Thence proceeded the first Missionaries to this country, England.— Thither, as Bede said, " did the Anglo-Saxons resort for learn ing, and there they received it gratuitously." Hence England owed a double debt of education to Ireland ; for, while she ex tended the blessings of truth to all other countries, she not only neglected Ireland, but endeavonred to quench the light of knowledge there. The ignorance of the people even at the pre sent day was proved by authentic testimonies, collected by the Commissioners of Education Inquiry; and was admitted by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy in a petition to the Govern ment, which Lord Fingal also signed, ascribing the miseries of that country to the want of religious education. The present aspect, however, of Ireland was far more favour able. The Papists do not now dread the bible, but come to it as the stardard of orthodoxy. In proof of their at tachment to it, lie mentioned several interesting and affecting anecdotes (which we regret our limits do not allow us to re cord) ; and which:strongly corroborated the.statements respecting the Society's suitability and usefulness. The Rev. ARCHIBOLD BOYD, of Londonderry (Ireland), spoke at some length, and excited a very lively interest. He described the present condition of the friends of Scriptural in struction in Ireland as one of peculiar difficulty. They were like Nehemiah when rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. But yet they had much encouragement, because every where the people were eager for instruction. They had to regret the ab sence of many landed proprietors, and the Consequent neglect of their tenantry; and he earnestly wished the appeal from Ire land's poverty might sound in the cars of the many, who were wasting time and wealth in frivolous pursuits in London ; and who, perhaps, were ignorant at this moment that such a meet ing as the present one was new convened, to discharge a duty from which they (the absentee proprietors) had most unmanfully and unchristianly shrunk. He admitted that Ireland herself had not done as much in this work as she ought; but lie pal liated that apparent neglect, by showing that Ireland's present attitude was rather that of confiding dependence, while Eng land's was that of dignified protection ; and he made a beautiful allusion to the national wreath, in which the shamrock, the rose, and the thistle, combined to reflect mutual grace and support to each other., He asserted, from ocular testimony, that there was rapidly springing up a spirit of religious independence, a break , ing off of the superstitious thraldom to an apostate Church, under whose yoke the people had too long groaned, and a determination to appeal to the written standard of Goo's word, rather than to the dictates of feeble and fallible man. He mentioned some cases in proof of the Society's bene ficial effects. In one case a man in the adjoining parish to his own had persevered in sending his child to the Society's school, in despite of the Priest's denunciations ; and, when publicly re prehended by the Priest, he said—" \Vhv, your Reverence, till my child went to that school she knew nothing, but now she can make up my linen, and mend my stockings; and after all her work is done, she can repeat a Gospel and a half in a manner that it would do your Reverence's heart good only to listen to her." The Hibernian Society was very cautious and prudent in giving its assistance to the establishment of schools ; it required evi dence on the part of those who sought them that there was a real desire for, and determination to pi on with, the work of educa tion. Hence, perhaps, some found fault with it for net doing more. But he had frequent op, ortunities for knowing that its plans were the wisest and the best. He then described (with beautiful simplicity and pathos) a visit which he had paid to a famed scene of Popish superstition, Lough Derg, where penances and ceremonies were annually practised, of a nature only con ceivable by those who had heard of or witnessed the austerities and abominations of Hindoo idolatry ; and contrasted them with a little school of the Hibernian Society within a few miles of that abode of superstition. In that little school he found a rustic circle of sixty children, taught by a venerable old man, and ex hibiting the most delightful evidence of Scriptural knowledge. 'l'o such institutions did he confidently look forward as the most effective combatants of Papal and anti-Christian error in that in teresting country. The Rev. H. T. NEWMAN, of Bandon (Ireland), expressed his gratitude, as an Irishman, for the benefits conferred on his country by the labours of this Society. He mentioned two very curious facts, illustrative of the altered spirit of the Popish Priest hood in the south of Ireland. A circular letter had been issued by them about six weeks ago, recommending their people to read the Douay version of the Bible. " It must, however," said the Rev. Gentleman, " be taken as a drawback from the value of this recommendation, that the price of the Donay Bible is 18s., so that the poor peasantry are little likely to avail themselves of it." And so lately as Easter Sunday last an order was publicly promulgated from the Popish Chapel at Brandon that in future all holydays, except four, in the year, were to be abolished. He also mentioned having strictly scrutinized some of the Society's schools at Kinsale, and having invited the Popish Priest of that town to come forward, and publicly show why he,disapproved of the Bible used in those schools. The Priest alleged in excuse for his non-compliance that. he was fond of peace and quetness, and could not attend controversial meetings." However, a vast number of Roman Catholics did attend the meeting, and the fal lacy of all the charges against the Society's schools was fully established. The Rev. THOMAS MORTIMER, of St. Mark's, Clerken well, said, My Lord, as it is now getting very late, 1 promised my friend who gave me this resolution to propose that I would not speak longer than three hours ! I shall not say much about the resolution itself which I have to second. (Here the Rev. Gentleman made some remarks on the vote of thanks to Princes, Nobles, &c., reminding them of one, the head of the Royal Family, now dangeronsly ill, and calling on the meeting to join in the prayer, " God save the King.") But, proceeded he, as I have lately been in Ireland, I shall relate to you somewhat of my visit. My Lord, for an Englishman to visit Ireland is rather a formidable undertaking, Oh, that Channel, that Channel ! I will not attempt to describe msensation in crossing it. They were, indeed, indescribable. When I arrived at Dublin, and was lifted up half dead by the steward of the packet, I moved as quickly as my feebleness permitted, to attend the meeting of the Hibernian Society at the Rotunda. (Here he described the de lightful spectacle, and the harmony that pervaded the meeting.) I told them, however, that they must not expect all the money to come from England. They must do more for themselves, I then paid a visit to the Society's house of business. I know not how better to call it than the monastery of St. Dominic.—(N.B. The Society's house in Dublin is in Dominic-street)—and there I met an aged and venerable saint, styled Albert Blest.—(N.B. The Society's agent in Dublin.) In him I had a pure specimen of primitive Apostolical Christianity. I spent with him three hours, and found him, though nearly fourscore years of age, yet rejoicing in all the vigour of a youthful mind, and looking forward to death with hope and serenity. He took down a violin, and played a tune, which he accompanied with these words of a favourite hymn— When I tread the verge of Jordan, Bid my anxious fears subside, Dread of death, and hell's destruction— Land me safe on Canaan's side. But yet I must honestly tell you that, great a saint as he is, he knows very well the management of matters of business. I'll engage he can tell whether the funds of the Society decrease or increase ;—he knows all the detail of the schools; is acquainted with the character and proceedings of every schoolmaster ; nay, I'm sure he will soon know the exact sum which may be collected here to-day. I only hope we may all be as well and actively em— ployed as he is, and I am sure we shall never regret our time so spent, when we come to be as old as he is. The Rev. ROBERT STEWART, of Brougshane, Ireland. addressed the meeting in a very energetic speech, and stated some interesting facts, indicative of the decrease of Papal domina tion, and the advantage of the Society's schools in Ireland. The Rev. I'. HATCHARD, Vicar of St. Andrew's, Plymouth, after some sensible observations on the Society's plans and pro ceedings, warmly and eloquently recommended that all meetings like the present should commence with prayer to Acmicaiv; GOD for his blessing. He also hoped that the contributions of the meeting to-day would fully clear the debts of the'Society. The Hon. Captain Noel, N., the Hon. a.'d Rev. Baptist Noel, the Rev. I). Wilson, Vicar of St. Mary's, Islington, and the Rev. John Morrison, Chelsea, then severally addressed the meeting in brief and energetic appeals, after which, Lord Lor ton being compelled to retire, the Chair was taken by Lord Mountsandford ; and a vote of thanks being unanimously passed to their Lordships respectively, for occupying that situation, the meeting was closed by an appropriate prayer, offered up by the Rev. Thomas Webster, and a collection was made, which, with donations from several individuals, amounted to about 1501. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S. The Little Red Rover was backed this day to a very large amount, and it is evident that his friends are pretty confident that he will not be far off winning. One gen tleman laid 10 to I to nearly a thousand pounds, but was stopped by the avidity with which the odds were taken.— There were several bets between Brunswicker and the Mummer, the former having the call ; neither of them were backed outright to any amount, although Scott gives most flattering accounts of Brunswicker. Cetus and Mahmoud were backed at 16 to I, but did not show any symptoms of improvement. Lady Blanche sprung two or three points for the Oaks, and this was the only change,. almost the only offer. The Emily colt who ran so good a race with Augustus on Friday is likely to become a favourite for the St. Leger, the utmost offers against him being 25 to 1. The (Lys business closed a little after six o'clock as follows : bEREY. 3 to 2 apt Mr. Chifney's Priave 7 to 1 apt Lord Exeter's Augustus 9 to 1 apt Mr. Petre's Brunswieker 9 to 1 apt Mr. Ridsdale's Little Red ROM (10 to 1 taken freely) 10 to 1 apt Sir M. Wood's The Mummer (taken) 16 to 1 apt dir Mark Weed's Cetus (taken) 16 to 1 apt Lard Exeter's Mahmou (taken) 25 to 1 agst Lord Sefton's Cap'ain Arthur (taken) 25 to 1 apt Lord Cleveland's Wat Tyler (taken) 25 to 1 apt Mr. Rarnsbottom's Zucharelli 25 to 1 agst Lord Cavendish's Mouse colt 3000 to 25agst Mr. L. Charlton's Discord colt (taken) Okla. 3 to 1 apt Lord Sefton's Menthe 6 to 1 apt Lord Queensberry's Melia 8 to 1 apt Lord Jersey's Charlotte West 10 to 1 apt Mr. Benson's Lady Blanske 18 to 1 apt Lord Ansea's Zillak IT. LIGE!". 17 to 2 agst Lord Cleveland's Raby 17 to 2 agst Mr. Chifney's Priam 25 to 1 agst Duke of Portland's Emily colt ---------- - A complete printing establishment has been embarked on board a ship f orm i ng part o f t h e expe di t i on to Algiers. It is destined for the publication of a Journal, which is to appear twice a week during the campaign to Algiers. It is to be called L'Africaiue (the African.) The ship Pauline, from Rio Janeiro, enter ing the port of Havre, on the 28th April, was lost, on account of contrary winds, just before the bridge of the basin, which is thus blocked up by the wreck, and pre vents all ships from entering the port. Letters from Alexandria of the Bth of March, received by way of Leghorn, state that the British Consul has proceeded to Cairo, after the arrival of despatches from Corfu, in order to solicit from the Viceroy the passage o f English passengers and merchandize coming from the British possessions in India by way of the Red Sea. The same letters speak of an approaching departure of an E g yptian expedition against Tripoli. THE XING'S MILALTN. (Fret► the Court Ciroular.) The following Bulletin of the state of his AfAJESTY'S health was issued yesterday:— . _ " Windsor Castle, May 3. " The KING has suffered much by a want of steep ; nevertheless his MAJESTY'S sytyptoms ate mitigated this morning. (Signed) " HENRY HALFORD. " MATTHEW J. TIERNEY." The Duke of CEMBERLA ND, after having an interview with his MAJESTY on Sunday afternoon, left the Palace between six and seven o'clock in the evening, and returned to his residence at Kew. Viscount COMBERMERE (late Commander-in-Chief of he Forces in India) arrived at the Palace yesterday after noon, and made his personal inquiries after the health of he Kma. The Physicians remained as usual in waiting on the KING during the day. Sir HENRY has now been in at tendance during nine days. The Bulletin was shown at the King's Palace, St. James's, to the nobility and gentry. Lord CLINTON was the Lord in Waiting; Sir IHO3IAS HAMMOND, the Equerry in Waiting ; and General Fnicx, the Groom in Waiting. Among the company were—Mr. ADAMS, the late Pre sident of America; the Loan CHIEF BARON; the LORD PROVOST Of GLASGOW; the KING'S ADVOCATE; the AT TORNEY-GENERAL ; and the PRESIDENT of the ROYAL ACADEMY. Ambassadors and Ministers.—French, Prussian, Nether lands, Neapolitan, Sardinian, Mexican, Hanae Towns. Charge d'Affaires.—Swedish. Dultes.—LEEDS, BEDFORD, ARGYLL. Duchesses.-110IBURGH, Dowager of RICHMOND. 11Iarquises.—W1NCHESTER 7 ANGLESEA, WESTMEATH. Marchionesses.—WlNCHESTEß, Dowager SALISBURY, CHANDOS. Earls--SHAFTESBURY, HA REWOOD, ALBEMARLE, MA C- C LESFIEL D, BELFAST, UXBRIDGE, HOWE, EUSTON, HA R-• RINGTON, HA RCOURT, FORTESCUE, COWPER, SCARBO. , Rotrair, FORESTER, BRANDON. Countesse9.—ATHlONE, SCARBOROUGH, BELFAST, AN.• TRIM, DARTMOUTH, Dowager SHEFFIELD. ViSCOUDI.--CASTLEREAG H. Viscountess.—MELvlLLE. LOllB.--IZOLLE, DUCIE, CORREY, AUCKLAND, HARRIS, BRIDPORT, CHURCHILL, ELIOT, PRUDHOE, MAHON, A. HILL, G. FITZROY, G. BENTINCK, C. W 7 ELLESLEY, G. CAVENDISH. Ladies. --SIC ELMERSDALE, KINLOCH, RIVERS, KERRI SON, M. STANLEY, F. FITZ ROY, MILDMAY, LUBBOCK, AC LA ND, HULSE, E. RE PTON, DAVY, W. Go aDON, DRAKE, GOMM, R. KERB, IMHOFF, FR EAIA NTLE, C. ASHLEY, ROSE, J. ELIOT, CLAYTON, SULLIVAN, C. BERESFORD, A. BERESFORD, NAYLER. Bishops.—BßlSTOL, CARLISLE. Baron. UGHAN. Baroness.—BuLow. Right Honourables.—CßOKE H. Ettox. Judges. —PAßK, G A SELEE, BOSA NQUET. _ _ Honourables.—Rev. J. BLACKWOOD, BASTARD. Sirs.—E. KERRISON, G. NAY LER, E. STANLEY, C. FORBES, W. ROWLEY, R. CHESTER, A. DICKSON, E. CODRINGTON, W. FREMANTLE, C. FLOWER, H. ASTON, C. IMHOF F, D. KlNLocir, DRAKE, H. CAMPBELL, C. HULSE, T. ACLA ND, F. PAUL, J. COCKBURN, R. GA R. DI NE R. Seijeant.—WlLnE. Rev. Doctors--BLomBERG, DAEIN. Rev. Messieurs.—A. COOPER, W. STRONG, C. W. CARWARDIN, IL 11111'cl!Er., J. 1114Evor. AdmiraI—TOLLEMACHE. Generals.—D. WEMYSS, BLUNDEN, SALTOWN, PAGE, FINCH. CO)•DCIS.-CHArux, E. STANHOPE, 0. RILEY, Lo- GA N, WOOD, GARDINER, REEVES, GREENWELL, GIBBS, HUGHES, Alajor.—LSwcH. Captains.--APLEon, CADOC AN, DANIEL, R.N. Chevalier.—BA RBACENA. Alderm'an. H. Messieurs.—WATSON TAYLOR, Musc RAVI, WELLS, BOUTERIE, HARRISON, CURTIS, HOPE, WYNNE, W. E. GOULD, ASIITON SMITH, W. BACOT, BRANDY, FLOWER, DURANT, WOOD, M.P., H. PARKER, L. PARKER, KEMP, PUSEY, EYTON, BALFOUR, WILKIE, BULLER, SHERIDAN, F. BOOTH. MistreSSeli.—BLACK WOOD, HOPE, GROSVENOR, CADO GAN, COLQUHOUN, NOWELL, FLOWER, LLOYD, DURANT, BLOMBERG, HUSKISSON, G. LEIGH. Misses.--BRODERICK, PITT, HARVEY, FLOWER, CAL. CRAFT, LLOYD, TOLLEMACHE. The Duke and Duchess of CLARENCE enter tained the Duke and Duchess of CUMBERLAND and a select party to dinner on Friday, at their residence in Bushy Park. A Cabinet Council was held yesterday after noon at three o'clock, at the Foreign-office, which had been summoned the preceding evening. The Council was attended by the LORD CHANCELLOR, the Duke of WEL LINGTON, Earls BATHURST, ROSSLYN, and ABERDEEN, Viscount MELVILLE, Lord ELLENBOROUGH, Sir G. MURRAY, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, and Mr. HEitatis. The LOAD CHANCELLOR left the Cabinet soon after it had assent' led. Mr. PEEL was absent, hav ing left town in the morning for the seat of bis father (Sir R. PEEL) at Drayton Park, Staffordshire. Sir ROBERT has suffered a relapse. The Ministers remained in delibe ration till half-past four o'clock. Viscount COMB ERM ER E arrived in town yesterday morning. His Lordship visited the Duke of \VELLINGTON at the Treasury, and transacted business at the office of the Board of Controul. The French Ambassador had a conference with the Earl of ABERDEEN yesterday at the Foreign office. Sir G. MURRAY, besides the Financial Re gulations' Bill, has another measure for Canada on the tapis—narnely, a Bill for amending the Statute 31 Geo. 111. c. 31, so far as respects the admissibility of aliens, na turalized in the province of Lower Canada, to sit in the Council and Assembly of that province. It will be moved for in a day or two, if business before the House afford the opportunity. Nothing of any public interest took place in any of the Law Courts, this morning, up to the time of our going to press. It is said that a new range of buildings, on a most extensive scale, is to be erected in Chandos-street, in the course of the summer. The buildings are to comprise a public police-office (in lieu of that which is now in Bow street), offices and accommodation for the Commissioners of police, and an extensive barrack for the men. Mr. SAIIRKE, it is said, is the architect, and orders, we under stand, have already been issued to commence the excava tions which are necessary to form the foundations. The buildings are to be erected on the south side of the street, and will occupy a space of ground extending from the well known house of reception, called the Key, to near St. Mar ti n's-lane. DUBLIN, MAY 1.-A NEW AGITATION ASSOCIATION.—No sooner was it known throughout the country that the " Society of the Friends of Ireland" was put down by Proclamation, than a prospectus for a new Society has been put forward, under the name of the " Anti-Wellington Association." This Society is to be composed of persons of all religious creeds, with the ex clusion, however, of " professional agitators." The in tention of getting up such a Society has originated with the discontented Brunswickers of the North, whose call has been responded to by their brethren in the city. Their professed object is to oppose all the measures of the WaLLINGToN Aihninistraton. It is at present difficult to say whether the projectors of the scheme will be able to establish it on anything like an extensive footing; but there can be little doubt that the Government will endea vour to crush it in its birth. The vote for another 100,0001. on account of Windsor Castle, was last night strongly opposed by Mr. BROUGHAM and others, who called for inquiry as to the probable expence still to he incurred. The CHAN CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER eventually withdrew the u • tint), saying that, out of deference to the House, he would acquiesce in inquiry. Mr. BROUGHAM said the deference to the House and country was very proper; but, as to carrying the vote, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had stood as good a chance of getting ten millions as 100,000/. ! The Opposition benches were very fully attended. The defeat was much cheered.—Morn. Her. A highly disgraceful scene took place in St. Cuthbert's Ch urc h on S un d a y morning last just befor e the congr ega ti on assem bl e d f o r the morning service. A woman, a notorious drunkard, was seen to enter one of th e p ew s, an d t a ke her seat, in a state of sho c ki ng intoxication. her to T The quitclerk; se eing her situation, endeavo ure d to persuade he place, but she swore at him, And said she had come to hear th e wor d o f God, and by i s he would hear t ! On removing her it was found that she bad no clothes on except her chemise and cloak ! Carlisle Journal. BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. The disinterested labours, however, of these valuable agents, must have speedily terminated, in consequence of your funds being utterly inadequate to supply the increasing demand for the Holy Scriptures, had not the British and Foreign Bible So. ciety again and again most kindly and liberally supplied your wants. That valuable institution has most readily and promptly attended to the renewed request of your Committee, and has just placed at your disposal another munificent grant of 10,000 Bibles and 20,000 Testaments. LADIES' SOCIETY. The arrangement made with the Ladies' Society, as stated in the last report, ha, this year been uniformly acted upon : and, in consequence, 190 schools of that Society, containing 8,000 scholars, have been visited and inspected by your agents, of whom 4,880 have passed inspection, and their teachers been re munerated accordingly. Your Committee regret that the funds of the Ladies' Society have, like their own, proved very inade quate to meet the increasing applications incessantly made for addtional schools. AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. The following is the list of Auxiliaries formed during the pre sent year :—ln England—Poole, Blandford, Salisbury, Winches ter, Trowbridge, Holt, Melksham, Swansea, Tenby, Haverford west, Boston, Lincoln, Scarborough, Sunderland, Durham, Lancaster, Newark, Guildford, Chichester, Bognor, Worthing, Brighton, Hastings, Tonbridge Wells, Dover, Margate, Spalding, Peterborough, Whitby, Darlington, North Shields, Harrogate, Bath, Newcastle, Sherborne, Dorchester, and Stamford. In Ire land—Newry, Bandon, Kinsale, Youghall, Moneymore, Dungan non, Restrevor, Belfast, Antrim, and Watertord. DEPUTATIONS, &c. It was unanimattiy resolved by the Synod of Ulster, .‘ That it be most earnestly recommended to all Ministers and Elders connected with the General Synod of Ulster, to omit no oppor tunity of promoting the views and seconding the exertions of the London Hibernian Society." DONATIONS. The Society has been favoured, during the year, with donations to an unusual amount. The liberal donation of his Grace the Duke of Wellington has already been adverted to. Your Com mittee have also received 100 guineas, in addition to former liberal donations, from their valuable friend Alexander Gordon, Esq. ; 1001. from an Irishman ; 501. from a Foe to Popery ; 501. from M. 0., with several donations of similar and smaller sums from anonymous contributors; 50 guineas from the Hon. Society of the Governors and Assistants of London of the New Plantations in Ulster, within the realm of Ireland, usually called the Irish society of London ; 251. from the Worshipfill the Skinners' Com pany, and 501. from the Missionary Society of Van Diemen's Land, transmitted by the Rev. Archibald M'Arthur, Presby terian Minister of Hobart's Town, a donatioa which your Com mittee record with peculiar gratification, as affording a most de cided pledge of the warm and vigorous Christian feelings existing in that far-distant land. LEGAC I ES. The legacies received during the last year have been as fol. low:-10U1. late Mr. John Page; 45/. Mrs. Priscilla Knight, of Kennington; and 25/. Mr. James Gairn, of Calton. An open door is presented to your Society, and an extensive field is already white unto the harvest. At this moment, appli cations for 80 schools, which would affbrd Scriptural instruction to 3,400 scholars, are suspended, for want of funds ; while num bers of similar applications have been withheld, in consequence of its being generally known that your Society is unable to comply with those already made. The experience of 24 years demon strates the excellence of your system ; the voices of unnumbered witnesses declare its efficiency ; the blessing of that GOD, who has declared that his word shall not return unto him void, has crowned your labours with unlooked-for success. " Arise, then, and build the temple of the LORD." Bring ye all the gold into the treasury, and "prove me now herewith, saith the Loan of Howl's, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it." After reading the report, Mr. Webster then read the statement of accounts ' and remarked upon one item—that a legacy had been bequeathed by a Scottish gentleman to the " Society for esta blishing Protestant Schools in Ireland." Now there was no doubt that the testator's intention was to benefit the Hibernian So ciety; but the technicalities of law interfered, and the Society, after attempting to establish its claim, was foiled. The judicature of Scotland decided that the bequest should go to the Protestant Charter Schools. Lord MOUNTSANDFORD moved the first resolution, and bore testimony, as an eye-witness, to the beneficial effects of the Hibernian Society. He had many of its schools on his estates, in Ireland, and was rejoiced to hear that daily applications were being made for new schools in that country. He mentioned some interesting particulars respecting a deaf and dumb child who had been educated by benevolent individuals there, and at.. tamed considerable proficiency, not merely in the ordinary ele. ments of learning, but in the best of all knowledge—namely, the knowledge of spiritual religion. The Rev. G. V. SAMPSON, of Glemella, in Ireland, had en joyed many opportunities of witn ess i ng this Society's operations, having superintended some of its schools, and seen it from its in fancy to its present state of adolescence. He fully felt that the chief thing they wanted for Ireland was scriptural education; and he thought the system of this Society best suited to promote it, because, in its arrangements, the masters were only remu nerated in just proportion to the actual work done, i e. the pro ficiency of the pupils. The Society was enabled to extend its be nefits to the most remote and desolate parts of Ireland, and had succeeded where others had totally failed. He earnestly ex horted them not to relax their efforts, nor be seduced from the straightforward path ; and only regretted that the suddenness of his be , ng called on to address them had left him little more than the ability to bear testimony to their efficiency, as an eye-witness Rev. Mr. SMYLEY, Rector of Aghanloo, Ireland, addressed the meeting in a speech of some length and considerable interest, of which we regret our limits prohibit us giving more than a faint outline. He drew a distinction between the mere capability of reading and the actual possession of knowledge. The Irish popu lation were known to possess the former, but still to be destitute of the latter. The schools in use there, until these few years past, were, of the worst description, — familiarly known under the name of hedge-schools, where nothing was inculcated but a spirit of lawless adventure and profligacy. The books were a wretched farrago of licentiousness and folly, and the masters of them the most immoral of men. The population of Ireland was estimated at seven and a half millions, and at least two millions SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNAL We have received from several correspondents, under the signature of " Planters," or " Friends of the West India Interest," letters on the compara tive charges of producing rum and home-made spirits, the relative increase of their consumption since the last arrangement in 1825 to the present year, and the injustice of closing, by exorbitant duties, the Scotch and the Irish markets against the spirits supplied by our colonies. On the two first tvies we have nothing to add to our former remarks. We gave the statements and calculations of the British distillers and of the West India planters, as we found them quoted from official re turns, and we see no reason to modify the opinion which they led us to express—that so far as Eng land is concerned, any increase of the existing duty on gin, without a corresponding increase of the duty on rum, would amount to a transference of the business of distilling from this country to the West India islands. With respect to the privilege enjoyed by the inhabitants of Scotland and Ireland of drinking their own whisky, at a duty of 2s. 10d. the gallon, and the inhospitable exclusion of ruin at any duty short of Bs. 6d., we do not feel our selves called upon, at present, to make any observations, as the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposes no increased rate of taxation of the slightest consequence, in altering the relative prices of these articles. "By a Parliamentary return" (says' one of our correspondents) " published this morn ing, the consumption of rum in Scotland has de creased in the last year from 168,089 to 152,401 g,dlons, and in Ireland from 24,708 to 21,262 gal lons. The whole quantity of I; ish spirits consumed in Ireland was 9,212,223 gallons, and the whole quantity of spirits consumed in Scotland was 5,777,280 (see p. 272.) Surely your sense of im partiality will induce you to notice this striking proof of the injustice of the present arrangement." It seems quite natural that the people of the " sis ter kingdoms" should prefer an article taxed only 2s. 10d. to one taxed Bs. 6d., if the former suits -their taste as well as the latter. But what has that to do with the question at present litigated between the English distillers, who pay 7s. of duty, and the We,t India planters, who pay only is. 6d. more ? The protection afforded to whisky in its native land is evidently sufficient, because it has nearly excluded its rival; but the relative consumption of rum and gin in England during the last and some previous years, shows that the latter enjoys no such protect tion, and that the proposed increase of duty svotdd effectually turn the scale against it in the market Times. The discussion of several important subjects— particularly the Beer Bill and the Jews' Relief Bill —was last night postponed, in consequence of the absence of Mr. Peel, whose father is said to be dan gerously ill. We observe, however, with pleasure, in Mr. Dawson's reply to Mr. Portman, that Go vernment are not going to stultify themselves, by adopting the suggestion of the Country Gentlemen, to prevent beer sold under the new Bill from being drunk on the premises of the retailer. Such a re striction would destroy the very principle and object of the measure. The fears expressed by publicans on this head are natural, though groundless; but the apprehensions of our rural magistracy are at once childish and unintelligible. In the Committee on the Miscellaneous Estimates last night, in the House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, having proposed that the sum of 100,0001. should be granted to defray the expense which might pro bably be incurred for the alterations and repairs at Windsor Castle in the year 1830, Mr. R. Gordon objected to the vote, and moved, as an amendment, that 10,0001. should be taken on account, and the estimate postponed, with a view to having it referred for consideration to a select committee. Mr. Brougham, Sir J. Sebright, Mr. Hobhouse, and several other Hon. Members supported the amend ' ment, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer finally consented to withdraw the estimate for the present, in order to have it referred to a select committee, which the Right Hon. Gentleman stated he should move for at a future opportunity.— Times. The important and extraordinary trial of Messrs. de Potter, Tielmans, Barthels, Coche Stamens, Van derstraeten, and Neve, for a conspiracy against the Government of the Netherlands, which has been going on at Brussels for the last fortnight, has now been brought to a conclusion. The first has been condemned to eight years of banishment, the second and third to seven, the last to five, and the two others have been acquitted. We call the trial im portant and extraordinary, not on account of the persons implicated, though one of them is a well known ecclesiastical writer, and two of them are zealous and powerful agitators,—nor on account of the excitement which the proceeding has occasioned, though probably no political trial in that country ever created so strong a sensation—but on account of the principle involved in the prosecution, and the consequences to be expected from the verdict. It is not only M. de Potter who has been alternately the enemy of the Jesuits, and the chief promoter of the union between the Jesuits and the Belgic liberals,—it is not M. Tielmans, an advocate of talent, and a few newspaper editors, who were either promoted by the zeal of the former, or lent themselves to assist their labours, who have been condemned, but it is the cause of Belgic agitation itself,—it is the strange coalition between religious bigotry arid political liberalism,—between the Catholic priesthood and the enemies of the Catholic faith, to obtain political objects which neither could command separately,—it is the manoeuvres so effectually employed during the last eighteen months to disunite the Belgic and the Deteh provinces,—it is, in fine, the Belgic press and Belgic associations, which have been brought before the Brussels Court of Assize, and received their sentence. The in• fluence employed against the Government to get up petitions—the exertions made to secure an anti. ministerial majority in the second Chamber of the States-General—the organized plan of attack on every measure of the Ministry—have all been dis closed in the course of the correspondence which the law-officers of the Crown seized in possession of the defendants. The public has been let behind the scenes; they have seen the rehearsal of the piece in the green-room before the audience had collected in the theatre; they have heard the private opinions of the actors on their parts before they appeared on the public stage in the characters assigned them ; every whisper of an aside has been recorded and ex plained; the grounds on which the plot was con structed have been discussed in the presence of the whole nation ; the strings which moved the puppets have been shown, and all the dramatic artifices by which popular excitement and political reforms were to be represented or produced, have been exposed to the eyes of the dupes or partisans who believed in the sincerity of their agitators. The means which the Government employed to obtain these results, and the principles of judicial proceeding which the tribunal has sanctioned in the course of the prosecution, are as extraordinary and alarming as the issue of the trial is important. The law officers of the Crown in the Netherlands converted the simple project of a doubtful association where no association had been formed, into a conspiracy to overturn the Royal authority, elevated an article of a journal into an overt act of treason, charged an alleged abuse of the press as an offence amounting to actual rebellion, and reversed the whole code of criminal jurisprudence, as far as relates to the distinction between the expression of mis chievous opinions and the commencement of se ditious action. The only ground on which the public prosecutor had to go in instituting pro ceedings against M. de Potter, was an article in the Courier du Pays Bas, of February 3, in which he proposed, from his prison, the formation of a so ciety similar in its object to the Catholic Association of Ireland as it existed about two years ago. This might be dangerous, or it might be innocent,—it might be founded on bad principles, or defensible on reasons of general freedom; but at any rate it was a mere letter in a journal—a mere abuse of the press, I not calculated to produce tumult, and followed by