The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-10 00:00:00

CONVOCATION OF THE PROVINCE OF

CANZERBuRY.

Yesterday both Houses of Convocation assembled
at Westminster for the despatch of business.

THE UPPER HOUSE.

The Archbishop of CANTERBURY presided, and
there were present the Bishops of London, Oxford,
St. Asaph, Lincoln, Bangor, Salisbury, Gloucester
and Bristol, Bath and Wells, and Chichester. Their
lordships commenced business at half-past 3.
THE 29TH CANON.
The Bishop of CHICHESTER moved that his grace
the President be requested to communicate to the
President of the Convocation of the Province of
York the form of canon adopted by the Convoca-
tion of the Province of Canterbury.
The Bishop of OXFORD seconded the motion,
which was unanimously agreed to.
THE " ESSAYS AND REVIEWS."
The Bishop of CHICHESTER moved that the re-
port of the Lower House on the subject of the
volume entitled " Essays and Reviews" be read.
Mr. F. H. DYKE, the registrar, read the resolu-
tion which had been proposed by Archdeacon Deni-
son, and seconded by the Rev, Dr. M'Caul, proctor
for the clergy of the Archdeaconry of London, to the
effect that in the opinion of the Lower House there
were sufficient grounds for proceeding to a synodi-
cal judgment upon the book.
The Bishop of CHICHESTER said that upon that
resolution a question would rrise whether the Upper
House would enter upon the subject of adopting
that or any similar resolution with regard to the
"Essays and Reviews." Their lordships were in a
different position from the members of the Lower
House, inasmuch as they were under the presidency
of his Grace the Archbishop, who, with the Bishop
of London, might under certain circumstances be
called upon to act in a judicial capacity, arising out
of a suit which the Bishop of Salisbury had thought
it right to institute against the Rev. Dr. Rowland
Williams, vicar of Broad-Chalk, in the diocese of
Salisbury, one of the authors of " Essays and Re-
views." It was possible that the case might go on
to be heard hereafter before the Judicial Committee
of the Privy Council, and that the Archbishop of
Canterbury and the Bishop of London might be-
called upon to sit as judges on that committee..
Assuming that possibility, the Archbishop and the
Bishop of London might feel some difficulty in dis-
cussing and pronouncing judgment in convocation
upon a volume which they might thereafter have
judicially to consider. If that should be the feel-
iiis a the Archbishop and the Bishop of London,
the other bishops would have to discuss the volume
in their absence, and thus much of the weight.
which would otherwise attach to their decision
would be lost. He would, therefore, propose the
following resolution :^" That his Grace the
President be requested to communicate to the
Lower House that this house having taken
into consideration the communication of the
Lower House, touching a book entitled
Essays and Reviews,' have resolved that,
whereas, since this house formerly considered this
question, a suit has been commenced against one of
the writers for his contribution thereto, and whereas
his grace the President, and the other members of
this synod who are Privy Councillors, may in the
course of the appeal upon it have to decide in the
said suit judicially, and whereas it appears to this
house inexpedient either to proceed with the con-
sideration and discussion in the absence of his grace
the President, and such other bishops as may be
members of the Privy Council, or to embarrass them
hereafter as sitting as judges, by their having joined
in a synodical judgment of the book—it is expedi-
ent to adjourn the further consideration of the sub-
ject pending the course of the suit."

The Bishop of ST. AsAPH said he was fully aware,
that this question was surrounded with difficulties,
but he could not help thinking that the scheme pro-
posed by the Bishop of Chichester was more free
from difficulties than any other ; and feeling this,
he gladly seconded the motion. The difficulties
must be so obvious to all the right rev. prelates pre-
sent that he need not state them. Their lordship
were placed in a totally different position from that
they occupied when the subject was last under dis,-
cussion, in consequence of the proceedings which
had been taken by the Bishop of Salisbury against.
the Rev. Dr. Rowland Williams, a beneficed clergy-
man of his diocese, and the writer of one of the
Essays. Until that matter was settled he, thought,
their lordships ought not in Convocation to proceed
further with the matter.

The Archbishop of CANTERBURY put the resolu-
tion, and it was carried nem. dis.
Their lordships then adjourned.

THE LOWER HOUSE.
The members of the Lower House assembled 10
the Jerusalem Chamber, under the presidency of
the Ven. Edward Bickersteth, M.A., Archdeacon of
Buckingham.

SISTERS OP MERCY.
The Rev. R. SEYMOUR proposed—" That this
house do agree to present to his Grace the Arch-
bishop and to the Upper House a respectful address,
vruying their lordship,' tr, aua agree on:
certain rules by which women whose hearts God has,
moved to devote themselves exclusively to works of
piety and charity may be associated together os
terms and conditions distinctly known as those
which the Church of England has sanctioned and
prescribed." After some lengthened remarks from
Mr. Seymour in support of the motion the debate
was adjourned.
The PROLOCUTOR then announced that he hadt
received from his Grace the Archbishop the schedule
of prorogation, in virtue of which Convocation
would-stand adjourned until the 13th of August.
The house then adjourned at ten minutes past
six o'clock.

ROY.,dL NAVAL VOLUNTBEII RBSERYZ

Yesterday a crowded public meeting of ship
owners and masters and officers connected with the
mercantile marine, was held in the London Tavern,
Bishopsgate-street, for the purpose of considering
the regulations issued by the Government, under
which masters and mates of merchant vessels may,
be enrolled as officers of the Royal Naval Reserve:;
as also to consider how the owners, masters, and
officers of the merchant service can most effectually
assist the Government in procuring the number of
seamen required to complete the Royal Naval
Reserve force.
tseSad.g
toLolatr DIRe so
cAYyhaal, M
irc,o.Pni stated havingi
ss
ohnatwsbaosemene appointedt uwn oa
ar
n
in
three°Mu sriyYWevaor.
to consider the best means of manning the
navy from the mercantile marine, and that
marine, and that commission recommended that
there should be raised from the merchant service a
reserve of 30,000 men, and while in some respects
he differed from the finding of the commission (as
he and others considered that the seamen to be
raised ought to be got at through the channel of
their own officers), he was glad to find that the
Government of the day had taken up that view of
the matter, and were now endeavouring to carry it
out. The regulations of the Government were, that
they proposed to raise 400 masters and mates from
the merchant service, the first class of whom should
rank with, but after, first lieutenants, and the second
class with, but after, second or sub-lieutenants ;
and if he were allowed to offer any opinion on
that subject, he would say, that as officers in the
volunteer land force were permitted to rank 'with
officers in the army, he would have officers in the
naval reserve force, taken from the merchant ser-
vice, to rank with officers of equal rank in the
navy. (Cheers.) Besides the force of 400 officers
which it was proposed to raise from the merchant
service, there was also proposed to be raised 30,000
seamen, and he must say that he felt surprised how,
up to the present time, only five or six thousand of
that number had been raised. He could attribute
it to no other cause than that the great majority of
the seamen were not aware of the terms proposed
by the Government, which he considered most
liberal.

Captain RIGHT then moved the following resolu-
tion :—" That this meeting considers it not only
desirable, but a matter of national importance to
raise a permanent naval reserve, and is of opinion
that 400 competent officers can easily be raised front
the mercantile marine for theßoyal Navy Reserve,
required number of
proper footing in respect to the public service." He
i ly place
them
available,
videdon aprovided that Governmentsp_weiel,dl
seetlhvees lowered as rerded
command large as they could ac-
ceh
effia
pact i
we nni ott
hod:0 doubt
:b
feeling
s butwould t thhe that the
the recmlations were such
chipsMastersothfemirenowwnousledrvnioete.like( Rtoe abre,
considered an inferior officerp
accus-
tomed to n
ianndthleargneavnyu_mbaenrds
placedi under what theywhere was the man
over 500 tons on who had commanded a ship of
.tfotroeihganvevehyiamgeseslffsprlatchedreuenydeearrsa
sub-lieutenant 2 ,
who would subm(Loud cheers.)
Captain PRICE seconded the resolution, which,
on being l
pat from the -chair, was unanimously
adoptd.
Ca •
ptain k, ri
ONGALTON next moved the second re-
solution, which. was—,, That this meeting is of
opinion that the rank of lieutenants and sub-lieute-
nants offered by the Government will be accepted
by the masters and mates of merchant vessels, pro-
vided that rating shall imply equality with the cor-
responding ranks in the Royal Navy, and that the
efacers of the reserve shall not be called upon to
serve under any officers of inferior rank to that of
commanders in the Royal Navy."
The motion was put from the chair and agreed to.
Other resolutions were also agreed to, and the
proceedings terminated with ft cordial vote of thanks
19 lb() chair:au.