The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-12-13 00:00:00

THE EARL OF SHAFTZSBURT ON.
CHRISTIAN MISSIONS AND 003061X-
CIAL PROSPECTS IN THE EAST.

On Wednesday evening a meeting was held at the
Collegiate Institution, Liverpool, having for its
the support of the Malta Protestant College for taitt
Education of Missionary Agents for AAA, Africa, Am
Mr. Norden, 11.1,., who presided, said that it was
prole:wed to raise a sum of £lO,OOO for the pnrpoes et
iq Mating the debt incurred by the purchase (fiend and
the building of the college at Malta, and also to increase
the number of free pupils by enlarging the Weeding&
Lord Shaftesbury, in urging the neconity of raising
the soul required, said that the Alert of the ease Was
to afford gratuitously to the natives of the Ewa the
means of education in the college at MALL In this in-
stitution the natives were trained for every deponent
of industry, for every calling they could imagine, sehool-
mestere, commercial traders, interpreters, ph=
&c. It might be asked why the college was not
in England, instead of in Malta? In answer to the in-
quiry, their object was to receive into the college the
orientals, and to give them so much of Nth& habits
and manners, and a knowledge of English principles, as
to qualify them to serve in English interest.; tbeir
ob-
ject was not to un-Anglicise them, but to give them a
knowledge of Asiatic manner., language, and feelings,
so as to enable them to conduct themselves with pro-
priety and vigour in any consular or diplomatic agency.
No less than 215 pupils were under instruction at the
present time. Besides this the college pawned 12 mis-
sionaries actively engaged in different parts of the East.
lie next glanced at the tottering condition of the Turk-
ish empire, and hoped that by the introduction of
Christianity they niight give the natives a spirit of
order, without which no liberty was safe for an hour.
On; Friday a special meeting was held in the Phila-
delphia Chamben, Liverpool, Mr. A. Hodgson in the
chair, when the Elrl of Shaftesbury explained the
great importance of the Malta l'notestant College in a
commercial as well as • religious point of view. With
r..gar.l ti the political circumstances of the Turkish em-
pire, his lordship odd that it lutist be clear to all that
the millions of inhabitants of that empire would either
he the victims of anarchy and confusion, of the greatest
iiiiinhief to themselves and the greatest loss to others,
or Cisc in the course of time they must rise into the dig-
nity of free and independent states, with all the indus-
t..y, energy, and capability that characterised the exer-
cise and poeses•iou of civil and religious liberty. It was
of the greatest intermit to patriotic Englishmen engaged
iii unninercial affaire, in what way they could fairly
:old legitimately advance the great mow of religion and
progrias in those mighty regions. He believed that
iii no one way would they so contribute to the advance-
ment of that cause as by the training of a large body
of native agents, men coming, from the various nations
of the Ezut, and giving them that education which was
hest qualified to form them into perfect meti of business
to whom could be entrusted with confidence situations,
if omumercial and political importance and responsibi-
bility. With regard to the more strictly commercial
part of the question his lordship pointed out the neces-
sity that thine who represented commercial interests in
the regions which he had described should be conversant
with the habits and language of the native, not in the
general way acquired by reading, but colloquially, soci-
ally, and morally. In no other way would British in-
terests be thoroughly well represented. Many of the
mercantile agents who went out from England must ne-
cessarily be resident, and would doubtless marry Levan-
tine or Eastern women. In these CASCO the college would
afford an excellent means of training children who other-
wise would be left almost entirely in the hands of be
mother, whereas in the college they would receive •
sound education at the fountain of light and life. There
was no reason to believe that when the change took
place in the Turkish empire, it might not, were the
right means employed, be • change in the direction of
coniplete civilisation and religious liberty. The christian
population of those countries exceed fourteen millions,
and in intellect and moral power were already far supe-
rior to the Mahomedans. Under these circumstances,
VMS it not reasonable to anticipate an immense develop-
ment of cunimerce with the East? Indeed, with regard
to cotton alone, he (Lord Shaftebury) was informed by
persons who had made the subject their study that the
shores of the .Sleiliterranean would of themselves supply
more cotton than could be consumed by Manchester,
were Manchester twice its present sire. The advantages
of having an independent supply of cotton were obvious,
miserably depeedent as we were at present upon the
l'aited States. In conclusion, his lordship pointed out
that the governments of France and Russia were making
very greet efforts, both political and commercial, in the
East. Ile did not blame them for this; on the con-
trary, he gave them full praise, but he wished to stimu-
late the
_people of Enyland to do the same.

Mr. e Ilitshell (of.Lieerpool) moved. and the Rev. C.
I.awn nce seconded, a vote of thanks to the Earl of Shaf-
t...hwy.._ _

The Hon. A. Kinnaird (who with Dr. Crawford, ano-
ther rueinher of the committee of the college, accompa-
nied Lord Shaftesbury) stated that the French govern-
ment paid annually large sums of money is the Duca-
t' 4 young Orientals, who were sent back afterwards
to their own country thoroughly imbued, of course, with
French ideas and interests. Work of this kind in &g-
-land, however, had to be done by voluntary effort—hence
the necessity for vigorous exertion.
Mr. S. Gregson drew attention to the fact that the col-
lege would afford an excellent opportunity for young
Englishmen to study Ilehrew, Arabic, and other langua-
ges --facilities for which were very imperfect at home.
In responding to the vote of thanks, which Mr. Kin-
naird and Dr. Crawford were associated,
Lord Shaftssihury showed what important aid the col-
lege was calculated to afford in !securing good and !eh'
able interpreters. He also eulogised the service* of Dr-
Crawford, who in fact originated the idea of the institut
thin, and had throughout been its warmest and mos
disinterested friend.

RF.NEWAL OF TIM POOR-LAW BOARD.—At the Man-
chester Board of Guardians, on Friday, Mr. W. Bors-
tal! gave notice of the following iuotion for considers-
tiqn on the 22nd instant:—" That, as the time is ap-
proaching when the Power,, of the Poor-law Board will
require to he renewed by parliament, this board is of
opinion that it is now a Ilttmg opportunity for taking
into consideration the question of the present constitu-
tion of the Poor-law Board, as compared with that of the
Pour-law Commission, existing froui the passing of the
Poor-law Amendment Act in the year ULU to the year
1181: ; and whether some alteration in the poor laws
c input he made whereby the powers of the Poor-law
Roard may be so modified as to do away with the many
rooting 711111.1yallOPS attendant upon the office of poor-
low guardian, annoyances to which no other honorary
public office is subjected; and also to do away with
many inconsistencies in the administration of the poor
laws, as regulated by the Poor-law Board."

COSDECT oF THE RETURN= SOLDIERS
ruou Dinie.--At the Thames' Police Court on mars'
lay last William Hamilton, one of the soldiers who
were discharged in India, and Patrick Cunningham,
wi re charged before Mr. Yardley with the following
riotoue conduct at the Pier Hotel, Brunswick Pier,
Blackwell: Sergeant Hodgson, B 28, stated that about
10 o'clock lot night he was railed to • disturbance which
took place at the Pier Hotel. He got there with four
other constables. where he found a most dreadful scene
of confusion. There were nearly 100 soldiers in varioua
parts of the house, and there were about 30 laying
down speechlessly drunk. Several of the men had pos-
.C.Sioll of the bar end were helping themselves, while
others were figlitim: with each other. Mr. Yardley in-
quired where the prisoners came from. Roach, the
gaoler, said that about 500 had on Wednesday
arrived in the East India Docks from India, 250 of whom
were paid off. Ur. Yardiey—Are these the men who
discharged themselves in India? Roach—They are, sir.
The sergeant added, the prisoner Hamilton broke a
table, and with the leg of it he smashed glasses and
everything he came near. He also mulled several
persons, and struck the landlord. Witness, and the
constables with him, succeeded in clearing the home of
the men, who again entered. Witness was eventually
compelled to send for assistance, on the arrival of which
they succeeded in keeping order. As soon as • reinforce-
ment of pollee arrived, the prisoner was taken into
custody. The prisoner said that he was drunk, and did
not know what he was doing. Yr. Yardley observed
that this was a bad commencement after their arrival ia
London. He was fined 305., or 14 days. Nearly similar
evidence was given against the other prisoner, who wee
tined th. fid., or 4 days. There ware above a down
who were charged with being drunk and incapable.