The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-04 00:00:00

LEVANT MAIL

MALTA, APRIL 25.—The P. and 0. Comp. steamer Royal Tar ar-
rived here on Friday last, and transferred her passengers and mails
to the Iberia, which vessel proceeded to Alexandria, and the Royal
Tar to the Levant and Black Sea on the same day. The French
steamers Telemaque and Louqsor, left port on Friday last ; the
fbrmer for the Levant, and the latter for Alexandria and Beyrout.
We hear that the French Government will shortly break up the line
of steamers between this island and the Levant. The French
steamer Leonidas, from the Levant, arrived here yesterday. The
French steamer Lycurgue, from Beyrout and Alexandria, was ex-
pected on the 24th. She would proceed to Marseilles direct with
little delay. The P. and 0. Comp. steamer Iberia, with the malls and
passengers from India, may be expected to arrive here to-morrow.
The P. and 0. Comp. steamer Tagus arrived here at mid-
night, and will carry forward the mails and passengers
from India, rid Gibraltar, to Southampton. She reports
having seen her Majesty's steamer Virago in the sea
aclsoackt olia.sligOhnt WshedeeGaliptkiesedf aeyserThegnineateatwaasqfuelarbeyr be
of Marmora, with Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker on board. The
t
flloribeenrahliae ow'
se-
veral inhabitants of the island. It was also severely felt at the same
time in Sicily.

MARITIME INTELLIGEECE.—The Brig Chariot, Captain Lash, from
Marseilles, bound to Girgenti, in ballast, on the 17th instant, off
Sardinia, experienced very heavy weather, and shipped a sea, which
caused considerable damage to the vessel, which put into this port
for repairs.

PRESENTS TO FIER MATESTY.—A private letter from Tunis of the
19th Inst. says :—ln five or six days more, the Tunisian frigate,
Hsinia, will leave this place for Malta. Seven beautiful horses, a
lion, and other animals will be put on board, as a present from 11. H.
the Bey, to her Majesty Queen Victoria. General Sidy limit Mired,
of his Highness's Cavalry, will embark as ambassador. We sup-
pose that a steamer will be sent to England from this island to con-
vey the Bey's munificent present to her Majesty.

BIBLE MONOPOLY.
COPY OF A LETTER FROM JOSEPH HUME, ESQ., M.P.,
TO MR. BRAMBRIDGE DANIEL, BIBLE SOCIETY.
Dear Sir,—l have this day received a printed letter requesting my
contribution to the funds of the North-West London Bible Society,
and regretting that the funds have been restricted in this district.
I request you will submit to the committee of the Association the
following facts :
First—That by my exertions in Committees of the House of Com-
mons, the monopoly of the Bibles and Psalms held by the King's
printers in Scotland was withdrawn, and the results have been,
Secondly—That all Bibles and Psalm books used by the Church of
Scotland, have been published and are now sold at about one-third
of the price at which they were sold before the monopoly was
withdrawn.

Thirdly—That at this time 1/. subscription will purchase as many
Bibles for distribution amongst those who really aro in want of the
Word of Clod in their houses, and at their private hours, as 31. would
formerly hays done.

Fourthly—That the effects of lowering the price of Bibles in Scot-
land, has been to reduce the price of Bibles in England by about one-
third of the price at which the Bibles and Prayer-books were sold
before the monopoly in Scotland was withdrawn.

Fifthly—That2/.will now purchase as many Bibles for distribution
in England as 3/. would formerly have done, and thereby the utility
of Bible Societies has been greatly facilitated in Scotland and in
England.

Sixthly—That I am preparing again to urge on Parliament the
abolition of the monopoly of Bibles and Prayer-books, enjoyed by
the Queen's printer and by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge,
with the conviction in my mind that the prices of the Bibles and
Prayer-books will be further reduced another third of their former
price, thereby enabling your Association and other associations to ex-
tend the benefits from their labour and benevolence.

Seventhly—That I desire an interview with your committee, in
order that I may point out to them in what manner they can, by
petitions to the Houses of Parliament, and to her Majesty's Minis-
ters, facilitate that most desirable object.
I request the favour of an answer, and remain
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) JOSEPH HUME.
Eryanstons-square, March 21, 1846.

RESOLUTION OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE NORTH-WEST

LONDON AUXILIARY BIBLE SOCIETY,

A letter was read from Joseph Hume, Esq., M.P., Calling the at-
tention of the committee to the privilege enjoyed by the two Uni-
versities, and the Queen's printer, of printing Bibles, &c., stating that
he is pteparing to urge on Parliament the abolition of this privilege,
and requesting the North-West London Auxiliary Bible Committee
to grant him an interview, in order that he may point out to them in
what manner by petitions to the Houses of Parliament, and to her
Majesty's Ministers, they may facilitate the object; and also re-
questing the committee will adopt measures for ascertaining the in-
tention of other Bible Societies in the metropolis on the question,
Resolved—That the thanks of this committee be presented to J.
Hume, Esq., M.P., for the kindness which led him to address them
at such length on the important subject of obtaining cheap Bibles
and Testaments, but the committee would most respectfully inform
Mr. Hume, that by reason of the constitution of the Society, con-
sisting as it does of all parties in politics and religion, they are un-
willing to connect themselves with any active movements or peti-
tions in regard to the privilege enjoyed by the Universities and
Queen's printer, believing that they cannot act as Mr. Hums kindly
proposes, without giving offence to some of their supporters and
friends. SAMUEL EGLAND, Chairman.
March 30, 1846.

TO SAMUEL EGLAND ESQ., CHAIRMAN, N. W. L. AUX-.
ILIARY BIBLE SOCIETY.
_

have been favoured with a resolution, signed by you, in
answer to a letter from me to the North-West London Auxiliary
Bible Society, to which I beg to offer the following observations for
the consideration of the committee.

If your society had not applied to me for my contribution towards
the good work in which your committee are engaged, I should net
have troubled you as I did, and at such length. Being anxious for
your support and assistanee to procure the abolition of the existing
monopoly of the Word of God—a monopoly as unchristian as any act
I can point out—must be my excuse.

Allow me to say, that the Bible Society is one whose distinctive
quality is, that it has no knowledge of sect or party, but looks to
the whole community as children of one all-wise and benevolent• God,
to wkom the distribution of the Scriptures would be extended as ge-
nerally as possible ; and therefore I cannot admit the excuse you
make for not giving me your assistance to abolish the restrictions
now existing to the spread of the word of God.

It would be a reflection on the good sense and Christian feeling of
the members of your Society to suppose that they would hold their
hand of usefulness under any such pretence.
I think there may be some persons who may regard any exertions
in the way I suggest as savouring somewhat of politics, but I am
confident that a simple resolution of the committee, clearing the
question of all party politics, and affirming it to be the duty of the
Society to do whatever lies in their power to unfetter the Bible,
would commend itself to the understanding of such half-informed
persons, to whom your resolution must necessarily apply—fer a well-
informed and truly benevolent Christian would not offer any such
excuse. But even if I were mistaken, and that such persons as you
allude to do exist, I cannot conceive that a Society like yours, pro-
fessing to do good service, is at liberty to decline its duty, and reject
the most efficient mode of increasing its own usefulness, out of de-
ference to ignorance, or to the misconstruction whether of friends or
of opponents. -

I scarcely see, after the knowledge which the last ten years' ex-
perience has imparted, and with the exam/Nit! of Scotland before you,
how your Society can relieve their consciences, and silently assent
to the monopoly of God's Word, by a patent from his most religious
Majesty, George IV. ; or how you can, as'honest and conscientious
stewards of the funds placed at your disposal by pious and religious
persons, continue to pay for two Itiblos of the Queen's printer, and of
the Universities, as much money as would enable yeu to procure
three Bibles if the monopoly was removed from other printers.
I have a great desire to see the Bible Societies prove themselves
sincere in their views and zealous in their exertions to spread the
Gospel to the poor of all sects, without distinction, by giving me
their best support, by petitions, &c., &c., to free the Bible from ;its
present restrictions.

- We are told that the man who, by industry and skill, can make
three blades of grass grow where two blades formerly grew, is a be-
nefactor to his fellow-man. How touch more worthy of the Bible
Society to distribute three Bibles where two were formerly distri-
buted to the poor, and those who stand in need of spiritual funds I
I trust that a candid consideration of all the facts which I have
now troubled' you with, may be given by the Society at its next meet-
ing, and that its resolution will be to aid in the good cause which,
through good and through evil report, I have been engaged in. viz.,
the abolition of the Bible Monopoly in England as has been effected
in Scotland. I remain your obedient servant,
Bryanstone-square, April 16, 1846.

FALKIRK BURGHS.

RETURN OF LORD LINCOLN.