The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-04 00:00:00

THE ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION.—It will be
recollected that a select committee was appointed by the
House of Commons in March to inquire whether the ecclesi-
astical revenues cannot be more advantageously adminis-
tered for the interests of the Church than they are at pre-
sent. The committee sat more than 20 times, and examined
many witnesses, but at the close of July were obliged to
report that they had not acquired sufficient information to
enable them to pronounce a decisive opinion upon all the
questions brought under their notice, and that there are also
some other questions which may require further investiga-
tion. They therefore recommend the re-appointment of
the committee next cession. Mr. Newdegate proposed,
but did not press, a resolution to the following effect :
That the Ecclesiastical Commissioners do not appear to
have any established system for ascertaining the locality
and condition of the worst cases of spiritual destitution in
Populous districts, nor any definite principle of action, by
which priority of assistance shall be afforded to such cases
out of the large and rapidly increasing funds entrusted to
the commissioners for distribution; the committee therefore
recommend that, if it be the intention of the House that the
Ecclesiastical Commission shall continue in its present
form, some legislative directions should be given for pro-
curing, through the intervention of the commissioners, au-
thentic information with respect to these cases, that the
isnufeohrmpaotwioenrsbbe erred epeeorinoi upon the commissioners as will
periodically laid before Parliament, and that
enable arid induce them
to
that ingive exceptional priority to the
claims thus established, in a manner somewhat analogous to
has been granted inwhich a legally
areoc°Plised and established priority
what are termed " v
local clurof parishes and places having
:irams" upon the property, at the
disposal of the commission

SHIPBUILDING ON Tilt WEAR.
Oct. building on the
EAL—SUNDERLAND,
Oct. I.—The quarterly returns of
number of vessels
Wear have been compiled to-day.
on the stocks yesterday was 85, representingThean aggregate
44 have already
hasevereturns for the
of 31,242 tons. Of tho 85 ships in progro
vessels, or 4,955
found purchasers. As compared with t
yearrnceotein mind
30th of June last, there are at present 144 be
17)
tons, fewer on the stocks; but it must
is more activ-
that, as Lloyd's classification for the new
on the Ist of July, vessels were pressed forward for lreaunen:hes
ing on that day. The market for new ships
now than it has been for some time past, the high freights
ruling in China, and the expectation that very considerable
Importations of grain will have to take place, being the
main influences at work in stimulating the demands. Prices
are firm, and may be quoted at £ll per ton (builders' mea-
surement) for a ship of 400 tons, with Baltic outfit, and
classed for 10 years. Shipwrights' wages are ss. per day,
and, what is very rare in the building yards of the Wear,
thero has not been a single strike on the river side for more
than twelve months on end. The increase of iron ship-
building on the Wear is now so considerable that there are
at present nearly 5,000 tons of the stocks.