The Express.
London, England, 1851-07-14 00:00:00

Omiasa—may "WOO lba. at 2a. (4.
YaypaM_aays,ooo bat..

J, 125
1,500
—l3,ess

Total value of the produce rabed ibis tenon dole. 80,1314
We (Bermudian) copy the following account of an earth-
quake in Guadaloupe —This day, 16th of May, 1851,
Point-a-Pitre has had to undergo a severe trial. At sixteen
minutes after 9 in the morning a violent shock of earth-
quake was felt, its oscillations being from S.E. to N.W. It
was preceded by a rumbling noise like that of thunder. Its
duration was of about one second. It were impossible to
describe the impression made on the population by this
shock, recalling, as it did, that of the Bth of February, 1843.
Fortunately, at Point-a. Pitre we have no serious damage to
deplore from it ; our wooden buildings having withstood the
shock, not one having fallen. At two o'clock iu the morn-
ing there was a slight shock ; and at Si min, past 9 another
was felt; and then at 1.5 min. past 10 a fourth shock, ac-
companied with a noise strong enough to create deep anx-
iety. In a moment the whole town was on the alert; and
after the principal shock, at 4.5 minutes past nine the cry
of fire was heard, the shops were immediately closed, and
the people thronged m the direction of the alarm.
Fortunately there was nothing of consequence. A coal-pot,
overturned by the shock, had communicated fire to some
pieces of wood in a house in the Rue d'Arbaud, near the
Tabanon wharf, but it was discovered iii time, and extin-
guished. We repeat, then, ;that, for this time, Point-i-
Pitre has escaped free. heaven grant that we may not have
to record some heavy disaster as having befallen either our
wretched plantations, now in the height of crop, or our sister
colony of 3lurtinique, or some of our neighbours, the Bri-
tish, Danish, and Spanish colonies.—P.S. Since the fore-
going was written (1 p.m.) some fresh shocks, of considerable
violence, have succeeded—one at 59 min. past I, another at
J 8 min. past 2. We learn that several estates at l'etit Bourg,
Goyanc, St. Marie, and Capsterre, have incurred a good
deal of damage. It is added, that the new bridge at
Capsterre has suffered much injury, and a house at the
Abymes has been thrown down. The following additional
particulars are extracted from a private letter:—" Point-a-
Pitre, May 20.—The earth continued to quake, though
with less violence, up to half-past seven o'clock, a.m., of
' the 17th inst. It is unnecessary for me to paint the con-
sternation into which they were plunged—you may more
easily imagine it. Some families had to take refuge on

Nod al the ski where they paned the day .Dd night.
wadi the beam ht,. visisat sag owe distant
lam MO sombar. We Or* Trovikusi edit oar town
hes bees quirsi. Mrs base lam limmer, sum walls
melted, partieulasty 116•9 1108111."

CATHEDRAL TRUSTS.

Silk—The importance of the subject of Cathedral
Trusts, as brought before the House of Commons by
Mr. Mowatt, and the intention which the honour-
able member has expressed of renewing his motion
next sessioa, induce me to beg the insertion of a few
remarks which will, I trust, clear up some misap-
prehensions and prevent possible misconceptions on
the matter. The object which I have is view is to
show that it was not the design, and has not been the
decision of the legislature in passing the Ecclesiastical
Duties and Revenues Act (3 & 4 Vic. e. 113) to in-
terfere with the funds which Henry VIII. left for
educational purposes, or to give to the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners the power of preventing the fulfil-
ment of the founder's intention with regard to the
schools which he established and the scholars for
whose maintenance and liberal education he pro-
vided. The proof of this is very simple ; for even
the commissioners themselves declared (Re-
port 11..1t4.36) that they"recommended such measures
as would leave a sufficient provision for the scrvicesof
the churches, the maintenance of the fabrics, and the
other objects contemplated by the founder." So the
late Lord Melbourne (in 1810) asserted in the House
of Lords, that the scheme " would leave to the cathe-
drals sufficient means for all the objects and purposes
for which they were ever founded." Lord John
Russell also remarked, that in adopting it the House
of Commons would " not depart from the intention of
the founders." The design, then, of the legislature
in passing the act of 1840 was clearly such as I have
stated, and to it I contend that due effect was given
by the following clause in the act itself:—" Provided
always, that nothing herein contained shall be con-
strued to affect the right of auv chapter, according
to the statutes or customs of such chapter in force at
the passing of this act, to make due provision, out of
the divisible corporate revenues, for the maintenance
of the fabric, the support of the grammar school, if
any, and all other necessary and proper expendi-
ture." Now, it seems to me that nothing can be
clearer than the objects and consequences of this
clause. It declares that whatever may be required to
be done, either by the statutes or by the customs of any
cathedral, may lawfully and rightfully be done, and
that the cost of satisfying such requirements may be
defrayed out of the corporate divisible revenues with-
out the interference of the commissioners. The
phrase, " according to the statutes or customs in
force in 1840" is important. It means that in order
to perpetuate the right as above defined, it is not ne-
cessary that the requirements of an old statute, and
the actualities of a modern custom, should be identi-
cal, but that each of itself, and either one or the
other, may be pleiided to estop the commissioners
from appropriating funds originally provided fur
currying out the intuitions of a founder, or subse-
quently applied in keeping up any good and laudable
custom. In other words, if the cathedral statutes
require (though custom may not) any expenditure not
specially prohibited by the act, or if custom prescribe
any such expenditure, though the statutes may not, the
commissioners cannot 1:, either case except to or dis-
allow the outlay. All, then, that the act of 1840 pro-
vides is, that in certain cases the number ofesnons and of
minor canons shall be reduced. That the income of
certain deans (originally 100/.) shall be 1,0001., and
that of certain canons 5400/. instead of the old 201.,
and that the surplus left after paying these stipends
and providing fur all other statutable or customary
liabilities shall be applied for the relief of spiritual
destitution. Under these circumstances it cannot
fairly be maintained that the object of Mr. Mowatt's
motion was, as Lord John Russell would seem to
have apprehended, the "reversal of the present or
past policy of parliament," but rather its harmonious
and equitable development, on the principle of sawn
crique, and of doing justice to all parties from the
dean to the schoolboy. At any rate, lam sure it
was not the object of the hon. member to " attend to
the wants of cathedral cities by providing a large
body of canons," fur it so happens that although we
have a dean und five canons left fur Rochester, and
although they have about 5,0000. a year from the
cathedral, nevertheless the cathedral is shut up, the
deanery is well bolted and burred, the five prebendal
houses are unoccupied by any canon, and the wants
of the cathedral city and of the church have for the
last six weeks been left to the minor canons (two of
whom get 30/. a-year each), under the superintend-
ence of the chapter clerk, who took Itts. each out of
the U. 10s. Ilkl. of the six poor old men.
But to return to my object. I will illustrate my
views of the effects ot the act of 1810 by the judg-
mint of the late Lord Langdale in the matter of the
Grammar-school attached to Wimborne Minster, in
the surplus revenues of which the t'umtnissioners
have a distinct interest, given them by, n special
clause in the act, and nut affected or limited by any
such proviso as that which protects the cathedral
grammar-schools. Notwithstanding this, Lord
Lang-
dale said, " I think that the question, how much iiss
legally applicable to the purviews mentioned in the
act r., felt spiritual destitution), and how much is
applicable to the other purposes of the charity, doss
not depend on any judgment, act, report, or orioles
of the Commissioners, but on the determination of
this court, founded upon a due coosideration of the
true effect and meaning of the instrument cooH
stituting the foundation and endowment of the cha-1
rity." There is nothing in this act to entitle the
Commissioners to prepare and ratify a scheme incon-
sistent with the true meaning and effect of the
foundation and endowment.
I trust the learned Solicitor-General will allow me
to call his attention to this case, and I am earn he
will take it in good part if I add that I have not sup-
pressed the passage in which I originally gave " doe
credit" to the Chapter of Westminster for augment-
ing the 163/. 6s. Md. appropriated for the school to
1.600 L, although 1 have added that the 281.35. Od.
of a prebendary has been raised to 1,214/. 14s. 9d.,
and that it has recently become a mat-
ter of doubt whether they really do de-
serve the credit which I gladly gave them.
l'ermit me further to explain another matter, upon
which it is important there should be no misconcep-
tion : I mean the nature and result of the proceedings
in Chancery two years ago. I wish to observe that
the decision of Vice-Chancellor Wigram did not
touch the question how fur the chapter of Rochester
arc legally trustees for the twenty scholars, four
students, and six poor men. It only determined that
the relative position of the chapter and the school-
master was not that of trustee and erste/ pie trust,
aad that the master ought to be considered only as
an officer of the cathedral church, appointed for the
purpose of performing a duty. This decision does
not then affect the rights of the scholars, and justice
to my legal advisers warrants me in adding that
Vice-Chancellor Wigram said expressly, " I need
not determine whether the Bishop of Rochester has
such an interest in the matter of dispute as to occa-
sion, pro hit rice, a suspension of his visitatorial
powers."
Beyond this I will not, pendente enter upon
the merely personal dispute between the chapter
and myself. As the Solicitor-General observed, "the
case is in good hands to decide the grave lepl ques-
tions involved in it;" and I may add, that his con-
muding remarks exonerate me from any charge of
precipitancy. If, as the learned gentleman observed,
all the chapters will soon come under the act of 1840,
and all the funds soon come under the control of the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners, manifestly I had no time
to lose in advocating the claims of the cathedral
students and scholars.
1 have the honour to remain, sir, your very obedient
servant, ROBERT WHISTON.
Rochester, July 12.

WEATMINSTER INTRoceMENTs.—Dnring the pre-
sent week a considerable number of workmen have been
employed in taking down the workhouse of the pariah of
St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster. The removal of
this old structure will do away with the hat impediment to
the completion of the fine new street called after her present
Majesty, and which, having Westminster-abbey at one ex-
tremity, and Buckingham Palace at the other, opens •
direct and worthy communication between tho courts of
law and houses of parli.tment and the West-end. The
course of the new street, which is of considetable width, has
through the district that formerly constituted the Almonry
and the Old Mint. The houses now building are of a tint-
class character. The churches of St. Mark, the Holy
Trinity, and Christ Church, are in the line of the street;
and the council of the National Society are said to have
secured a site near Lady MITICS' Almshouses, for the erec-
tion of their training school, to accommodate two hundred
teachers.