The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-06-03 00:00:00

MR. GRAHAM'S AEROSTATIC EXCURSION.

SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF CHRISTIAN
KNOWI.EDGE.

The Anniversary Meeting of this laudable Institution Wits held
on Tuesday, for the purpose of hearing the Report,, *and mak-
ing arrangements for the future year, when a mast numerous and
yespeetable company, consisting of Bishops, Reverend Divines, and
'various Noblemen and Gentlemen of distinction, attended.
The Right Reverend the Bishop of Loam's was called to the
Chair, on whieh the Report of the Society wits read by the Secre-
tory,. Dr. Panizeit, which stated, that the Society, have issued, on
the Society's terms, 1,0.38 packets of books so their member., be-
tween the audit of 1823 and 1821, consiating of 43,807 Bibles,
50,434 New Testaments and Psalters, 121.890 Common-Praxes.
Books, 91,429 other bound books, and nos,:taa small tracts i in
Bibles, 820 Testaments, 1,:i38 t*cimnion-Prayer Books, 713 bound
books, and ti,383 small tracts have been delivered gratuitously, and
a considerable number of religious papers for Sunday schools—
" Stonehouse on Drunkenness," " Invitations to Church," and
other works of a religious tendency, have been circulated by the
Society. The total number of Bibles, Cr. issued to member:on
the terms of the Society, granted gratuitously on special applica-
tions, and delivered to members fun their gratuitous distribution,
amounts to 1,454,1:18, including Bibles, New Testaments and
Psalters, Common-Prayer Books, other bound hooks, small tracts,
Ac. and books and papers of a religious nature.
TLe Report announced several instances in which the Society
had distributed their books, dr. and which had caused a consider-
" Some belie% 'd it ncret would be finished. I able dinsion of knowledge in various pars; it met with much
e Som on the cont-nn', believed it would." applause.
The balloon, however, was in per feet prepatation, as far as After the Report was read, the company repaired to the Free-1
, rates, Lincoln's Inn-fields where a
. 0'
Riling was concern,d, shortly artrr five
4- and Mr. t provided for upwards of 15n per
Graham appeared actively superintentlin• t ..• ltaging I sons, the Hon. and Right Reverend the Bishop of Losnos in the
arrangements. The car was soon &sinew , its vas- !Chair.
eels and pa',:cantri, and attached to the ',I 'i , . Mrs. I Among the company we noticed Lords Kenyon and Rohm, the
Graham appeared on the platform at this period, and she lit,..,i,,,hkopilarr Oxford, pedeterni viZtilerliteri:nadnidEll.ivire a org 7;
tier,
was welcomed by the spectators with cheers, which she a0...i, Jones, anti Cambridge, Joshua W Kul' Arch)
and great
c numbs
;
k lowledged modestly and gracefully. She took her scat in .of clergymen and persons of distinction.
the car with a calmness quite inartificial, and Mg. Graham tin the cloth being removed, grace was said by the Chairman,
followed, but he continued for some time to stand. Pre- ' and •• The King%." with other loyal toasts, followed.
The Rey. CliAll.iMAN roselnt the impose of apologizing for
wious to the removal of the %traps he sat down, and the ',
slow, , the absence or various Noblemen and Gentlemen who were pre.
ascent commenced. Its progress was at first very vented attending the meeting, from unavoidable circumstances:
and apprehensions were entertained that it would rise to I ansongthose from whom he had received nous, deputing; him to
no consid-rable elevation. These fears, however, were loon ' apologise for their non-suendimee, were Karl Talbot, Lord MIL
dissipated. Mr. Graham rose, and by his command a rope I ford, the Bishop of SL Asaph, and the Dean of Cluster ; the two
'fit talter, he r.eg:-..eleetted me f•y, wereji.reizetrillteedhaettdeiLdei:Tigd beyeiiigntai.
di le
was slackened which had restrained the balloon. Then,
indeed, the ascent was steady and obvious, and the superior nrisrlilauirLellaffol afforded them ltCP7intsilruccrable delight and satisfaction, :tfa
management of this able aeronaut excited universal ap- all those individuals who were absent would, he was sure, feel grs-1
plause. He repeatedly bowed to the spectators, and in Wild at hearing of the prosperity of the institution.
courtesy Mrs. Graham was in no respect inferior to him. , The health' of the various Noblemen and rAsbaps being gives
propose i relent
fullest
eeeheten•alethivrotre iottidoor,
She waved the flak assigned to her, and bowed to the pro- I bY the (-
one I`ll !.._
zeal iina'anueal'enc-exheertetl roc to
pie, and they acknowledged her calm intrepidity with Iof tide grand obje.es of the institution. Ile proposed thC'health of':
cheers. Dr. 61194111: which was drank with applause.
Thus the balloon rose, and it continued in view for full Hr. BASKIN rose. He tat overwhelmed by the kind manner in'
a quarter of an hour. iquantity of ballast was flung from which he had been noticed. In etdeavouring to dischirge his duty
it, and it gradually lessened until a cloud obscured it, and ; or" SarderddtaZ ledinetlZstt"ou;igie, Inf sit:iitletitenniotgelyhpad been
zefariu".•
so it passed from our view. It appeared to move in the . d,ipe to sec the Society in the height of prosperity, as he was eon-
direction of Kent. It was a most splendid spectacle, and tident it was in every way calculated to promote the glory of God
the ascent, we are gratified in saying, gave universal satin- and the welfine of mankind.
faction. The Bishop of LowDo• next proposed the toast of " The So-
At a, late hour last night, Mr. and Mrs. Graham arrived eiety fur the Propagation of Christian Knowledge:" whist, was
drankoo wofith great applause. " The Narional Society for the Edu.
at their residence in Poland-street, Oxford-street , Navin g the Poor in the Principles of the EstabliShed Church,"
made a successful descent. They were to have come to seat followed.
White Conduit House, but the lateness of the hour at Several other toasts were drank, and many excellent speeches
which they reached town prevented it. IVe understand were delivered in support of the Institution ; and prior to the coin-
thq alighted near Spawn. pang separating, they subscribed liberally to the funds of the So-
ciety.

Public expectation was yesterday considerably excited
by the announcement of Mr. Graham's intended ascent,
and the gardens of White Conduit House, the scene of en-
terpri.w, were thronged with anxious visitors long before
the hour of one o'clock. The inflation of the balloon corn- I
meuced at a touch earlier hour. Its gradual and grand
extension—the solicitude of the eriffismeos on the stage—l
the gorgeous car and the unshaken coinage of Mrs. Graham,
wlo,a determination to accompany her husband was gene-
rally known, were the fruitful sources of some hours won-
dering and praise. The " minute philosophers" of the
metropolis, armed with all the science of Henry's Chemistry,.
took delight in propounding intricate questions to the peo-
ple who presided over the gas-pip:. Some gentlemen re-
galed themselves with copious libations of cider, which
Cockney connoisseurship termed very fine, while others
smoked cigars, in honour, u a punster observed, of " the
cloud-roving" Graham. The 'Ake were mostly dressed
in white ; they gazed on the lvtlloon with laudable e:stacy ;
but the inflation was tedious in their cy(s, 311(1 never were
the words of Mr. Coleridge's imitator more strictly re-
rifle 1—

FITIVER:II, OF AIR. HARRIS.

Yesterday being appointed for the funeral of the above unfortu-
nate gentleman- every preparation was made to remote his remains
to his last abode, and the interest excited on the occasion was so
excessive, that the hours before the melancholy procession took
place, crowds of persons began to assemble round his late residence
In London-street, Tottenham-court-road, which was rendered com-
pletely impassable until four o'clock, when all the necessary ar-
rangements were completed for the funeral. A feeling of commis-
aeration seemed to diffuse itself among tile spectators, in conse-
quence of the lamentable cause of his dissolution, and the distress-
ing situation of his wife and family.
The mourners, among whom were several of the deceased's rela-
tives, attended during the whole of the day.
At about three o'clock the undertaker arrived, with two mutes
who were in their robes, and stationed themselves at the door while
the undertaker, &e. fastened the coffin and adjusted the mourners.
By four o'clock the coffin was brought bom the house. It was of
a very small description, or that the deceased must have been a
very short man, and was covered with black. and bore an inscrip-
tkm of the name, age, and the day of the deceased's death. it 11.13
covered with a rich pall, and supported by four individuals.
The procession was preceded by the undertaker, and two mutes
with stares. The mourners consisted of 12 persons, headed by
Airs. Harris and her daughter, a fine girl, about 12 or 13 years of
age; they appeared very much affected.
The procession moved slowly on, down Tottenham-court-road.
Hampsteiet-read, and so on until they
.arrived at M. James's
church, Hampstead-road, where die remains of the deceased were
deposited In a deep grave.
The church-yard was excessively crowded, sad during the pro_
erasion the heads of the inhabitants were protruding from their
windows to the extent of the streets to view the ceremony ; end the
throng pressed forward with so much anxiety to gain a glance of
. the-esife 'Add, that they had some diewelsy so proceed.
SOCIETY lb, PROMOTING de SSLARGRMENT on
IBUILDING of CIIURCHES and l'H.l
Yesterday the Annual General 3leeting of this laudable Institu-
don was held at the Freemasons' Tavern. Great Queen-street,
Lincoln's Inn-fields, when a most numerous and respectable coin-
pony attended, among whom we noticed, his Grace the Archbishop
of Canteebury, Archbishop of York, Bishop of London, Bishop
of Worcester. Bishop of Gerold, Lord Kenyon, Archde icon of
Cambridge, Joshua 'Watson, Esq., Dean and Chapter of West-
minster, Dean and Chapter of Exeter, Wm. Cotton, Esq., the
Hon. Mr. Justice Park, the Rev. N. N. Edtvares, the Rev. E.
Rowden, George Bramwell, Esq., the Dean of Ely, Gipps,
Eat. 31. P., and various other persons of distinction.
His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury was called to the Chair
at one o'clock. on which he suggested that the Report be read.
The Rev. Dr. BARRETT read the Report, which stated, that,
du ing the last vear, 11.1 applications had been received for moist-
en, e, some of which were still under the consideration of the Com-
m tie, and grants have been made in ID cases, amounting to
13,7 is 1., and by the aid of that turn additional accommodation will
be obi: ined for 17,b3J persons. The number of free and unappru-
priatid sittings will be 13,11110. The whole number of applications
made since the establishment of the Society is 556 ; that 316 grants
have been made: that in 39 cases, in consequence of offers of in-
creased acconssnodetion, the original sums voted have been increased;
and that the total of grants tunounts to 711,880/., but that 21 grants,
amounting to 4,9551. -have, from different causes, been relinquished,
and that an five instances the works have been completed without
claiming the sums which have been voted, amounting to 5301.
The total amount of grants is 71,3951. At Beddington, Kings-
bury, Cirencester, and Southend, incensed accommodation was
effected, and the grants voted by the Society were not claimed by
the parties, they henry( found their own resources adequate to the
work, leaving the punts to be appropriated to more urgent pur-
poses. The Society hs lent its aid towards procuring additional
accommodation for 50, or 49, or 35 persons. when only that num.
her was required, and contributed to provide church room for much
greater numbers at llath, Wrexham, Walsall, Coventry, and other
places ; and by the grants which have been made additional accom-
modation will be provided for 92,1iXt persons; and that of this
number the free and unappropriated sittings an•mint to 69,295 • but
still there were thousands and tens of thousands for whom church
accommodation remained yet to be
.provided, and the Society, to con-
tiaue their work, must depend entirely upon the public. The whole
amount of the donations received, and which has been invested in
the public tends, is 01,2021. Ills. lUd. and that of annual sub-
scriptions, 3,000/. The amount of money actually paid, and of
mute. the payment of which the Society have pledged themselves,
is 71,3911. and the disposable balance at present is reduced to a
sum less than the expenditure of last year by one-half. The num-
ber of free and unappropriated sittings will be 13,,295, where the
poor may have the Gospel preached to them. The annual star-
meat from March 31, 1221, to 11e24, of donations, subscriptions
received, to dividends on stock in public funds, to sale of consoli-
dated 3 per cent. annuities, to sale of 3 per cent. ditto, and to sale
of furniture, am 'tots to 21,73 W. 7s. 9d. ; and by grans paid, by
charges and disbursements, &c. amounts to the same sum. The
Report stated other circumstances highly interesting, but tea
numerous to detail here. The Secretary concluded by remarking,
that if from this statement the friends of the Institution and the
Established Church should be of cpinion that the Society had
laboured usefully and successfully • that it had been instrumental
in producing much and extensive iood with means comparatively
slender, and that with renovated strength, it would continue to
labour with the same success and usefulness, and in this case the
Committee felt confident that they would relinquish its treasury,
and thus enable the Society to prosecute with effect the object for
which it had been instituted. (Applause.)
His Grace toe Archbishop of CAXTERBILIIIT TOW to propose •
resolution, that the Report be printed and distributed. He ad-
dressed the company in a short but eloquent speech, observing, that
the Report was extremely gratifying. They had three points to
determine-first, whether the Committee had strictly performed
their duty; secondly, whether they had expended the sum of money
mentioned in the Report, with advantage to the Institution ; and,
lastly, whether the Society was deserving the support of the public.
He had no doubt but they would arrive at these conclusions, and, in
that event, their liberal support towards it would, he had no doubt,
be contributed, te enable the I 'omtnittee to continue their exertions.
The Resolution was seconded, and unanimously carried.
Several other Resolutions were carried. one of which was, that
the Report should be abridged, and inserted in the newspapers.
The Rev. Dr. RAXDOLPit suggested, that the abridged Report
should be printed, and circulated among the whole body of Clergy-
men, acetic of whom were not aware of the real nature of the In-
etitutinu ; and it would have the effect of improving the Society,
as small substrip•ions might be received, which, if general, would
contribute inure towards its support than larger sums.
This gave rise to a long discussion, in which his true, 33r. Jus-
tice Park, Gipps, Esq. 31.1'. and other gentlemen, took a part,
wed ultimately the proposition was rejected, upon a principle of
iur-
policy, as it would incur too much expense to the Society.
Thanks were voted to the Chairman, who returned thanks, and a
most munificent subscription was made by the company, &monist-
-Mg to upwards of 2,0001.

.1° ~

at

ALGIERS.

The first design of Louis XIV. when he took the reins
of Government, was to deliver Christian Europe from the
coutinued depredations of the Barbary corsairs. This
'project was an indication of a great mind. Ile wished to
pursue every read to glory. It is somewhat astonishing
that, with the spirit of order which he showed in his
court. in his finances, and in the conduct of state affairs,
he hail a sort of relish for ancient chivalry, which led him
to the performance of generous and brilliant actions, even
approaching to the romantic. It is certain that Louis in-
herited from his mother a deal of that Spanish gallantry,
at once noble and delicate, with mu.,h of that greatness of
soul—that passion for glory—that lofty pride, so conspi-
cuous in the old romances. He talked of fighting the
Emperor Leopold, like a knight seeking adventures. 'l'h•
erection of the pyramid at Rome, the assertion of his right
of precedence, and the idea of having a port near Algiers,
to curb the pirates, were likewise of this class. To this
latter attempt he was moreover excited by Pope Alexander
VII. and by Cardinal Mazarin before his death. He had
for some time debated with himself whether he should go
on this expedition in person like Charles the Fifth ; but
he bad not vessels to execute an great an enterprise, whe-
ther in person or by his generals. The attempt was there-
fore fruitless, and could not be otherwise.
It was, however, of service in exercising the French
marine, and prepared the world to expect soma of those
actions which are out of the ordinary line of policy, such
as the disinterested aid lent to the Venetians besieged in
Candle, and to the Germans pressed by the Ottoman arms
at St. Gothard.•
The details of the African expedition arc lost in the
number of sum ■ il or unsuccesful wars, waged justly or
unjustly, with good or bail policy. We shall merely give
the following letter, which was written some years ago on I
the subject of the Algerine piracies :
" It is to be lamented, Sire, that the proposals of the
Order of Malta were not acceded to, when they offered, on
consideration of a moderate subsidy from each Christian
power, to free the seas from the pirates of Algiers, Morocco,
and Tunis. The Knights of Malta would then have been
truly the defenders of Christianity. The actual force of
the Algerines is but two fifty-gun ships, five of about forty,
and four of thirty guns; the rest are not worth men-
tioning.
It is shameful to see their little barks seizing our trier-

chant vessels every day, throughout the Mediterranean.—
They cyen cruise as far as the Canaries and the Azores.
" Their soldiery, composed of a variety of nations—an-
cient Mauritanians, ancient Numitlians, Arabs, Turks,
and even Negroes, set sail, ahnoat without provisions, in
tight vessels carrying from eighteen to twenty guns, and in-
fest all our seas like vultures seeking their prey. When
they see a man-of-war, they fly ; when they sec a merchant
ship, they seize it. Our friends and our relatives, men
and women, are made slaves; and we must humbly sup-
plicate the barbarians to deign to receive our money for res-
toring to us their captives.
" Some Christian states have had the shameful prudence
to treat with them, and send them arms wherewith to at-
tack others, bargaining with them as merchants, while
they negociate as warriors.
•• Nothing would be more easy than to put down these
marauders ; yet it is not done. But how many other use-
ful and easy things :are entirely neglected ! The nrcessity
of reducing these pirates is acknowledged in every Prince d
cabinet ; yet no one undertakes their reduction. When the
Ministers of different Courts accidentally talk the matter
over, they do but illustrate the fable of lying Mc bell round
Me cat's neck.
" The order of the Redemption of Captives is the finest
of all monastic institutions, but it is a sad reproach to us.
The kingdoms of Fez, Algiers, and Tunis, have no mara-
bous of the Redemption of Captives; because, though they
take many Christians from us, we take scarcely any Mus-
sulmen from them. •
" Nevertheless, they arc more attached to their religion
than we are to ours ; for no Turk or Arab ever turns
Christian, while they have hundreds of renegadoes amongst
them, who even serve in their expeditions. An Italian,
named Pelegini, was, in 17IV, Captain-General of the Al-
gerine galleys. The Miratnolin, the Hey, the Dey, all
have Christian females in their seraglios, but there are only
two Turkish girls who have found lovers at Paris.
" The Algerine land force consists of twelve thousand
regular soldiers only, but all the rest of the men are trained
to arms; and it is this that renders the conquest of the
country so difficult. The Vandals, however, easily subdued
it, yet we dare not attack it.-
• The selli,h vanity of Louis XIV. is now well understood, hut
even selfish vanity ;nay assume a generous and salutary garb.
The offishness of the despots of the present day is utterly unqua-
lified.

Erasmus's far-famed Greek Testament on vellum,
printed at Basil in 1519, in which edition Erasmus omitted
the celebrated verse in St. John's Epistles, respecting the
three heavenly witnesses, was purchased yesterday, at
Evans's, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, for 1401. Sir M.
Sykes bought this book in Holland for 301. ; there is
but one other copy of it known to exist on vellum, and
that is in the Cathedral at York. Sir Mark Sykes ma-
nifested so ardent a disposition to possess this volume,
that previously to his fortunate purchase abroad, he is
said to have offered the Archbishop and the Dean and
Chapter of York, 1,000 guineas for their copy, which they
refused. Mr. Thorpe, the bookseller, was the Archbishop
of Canterbury's powerful competitor.