Star.
London, England, 1826-05-10 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY BIBLE SOCIETY.

Yesterday the Annual Meeting of the Subscribers and
Friends to the above Society was held at the Free-
masons' Tavern, Lord GAMBLER in the Chair.
The CHAIRMAN said, the benefits conferred by the
Society on the deserving class of persons for whom it
had been instituted, were universally acknowledged.
He then requested the attention cf the Meeting to the
Report of the Committee, which was afterwards read
by najor Close, the Secretary, and contained a very
interesting account of the proceedings of the Society
daring the past year.
Major-General OILD said, the British Sailors and Soldiers, who
had fought and bled in defence of their country, had a strong claim
upon the benevolence of the Meeting. He moved that the Report
be printed.
The Hon. Captain NOEL, R.N. said, he felt it his
bounden duty to advocate the cause of his brother
Sailors, who (whatever might be said to the contrary)
were very capable of being informed and enlightened.
From his MA n obser►ation, he knew that religious in-
struction made them not only better men, but better
sailors. They were more attentive to the orders they
rectived, and more effective in executing them. He
seconded the motion, which was put and carried.
Captain MAYNARD, of the Bengal Artillery, said, he
felt deeply impressed with a sense of the importance of
the objects of the Society. It was strange that so im-
portant a class of men as Sailors and Soldiers had been
so long overlooked. He moved a vote of thanks to his
Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, the Patron, and
the Vice. Presidents of the Society, which was seconded
by Captain Walworth, R.N. and carried.

•
General PEACHY ineveti a vote of thanks to the Committee and
other officers of the Society.
Captain PARRY. U.N. rose to second the motion, and
was loudly applauded. He said he felt a deep interest
in the proceedings of the Meeing, and therefore begged
leave to make a few remarks on the interesting and
important object which had called them together. On
the paramount and overwhelming importance of reli-
gious instruction in general, he thought it unnecessary
to make any observations, but he would confine himself
to its effects on s ilors only. It had been asserted that
the religious instruction of seamen was incompatible
with the performance of their temporal duties. He
was prepared to prove the contrary. He had had the
honour of commanding British seamen under circum•
stances of great peculiarity, and which service required
the most rigid attention and strict discipline. 'fire
steady performance of their duty he attributed to the
endeavours made to improve their religions character,
and the result was highly gratifying and satisfactory,
and incited them to the pet formance of their duties
from the highest and most powerful of all motives.—
The best seamen on board the Ilact.A were those who
felt most seriously on religious subjects. Ile, however,
did not measure the importance and utility of the
Society by the mere temporal benefits it conferred; he
looked also at the spiritual. Those two objects far
from clashing were inseparably uniteJ, and by bettering
the spiritual condition of the sailors, they were but
consulting the interests of our beloved country. It was
impossible for rational creatures to be engaged in a
higher or nobler purpose. H. trusted they would not
relax in their exertions until the Bible was placed in
the hands of every British sailor and soldier, and its
important truths deeply impressed on their hearts.—
(Hear.)—He concluded by seconding the motion,
which was put and carried.

Several other Gentlemen then addressed the Meeting at con-
siderable length, and after voting thanks to the Chrirman the
company separated.

The Liverpool subscription for the distressed manu-
factutess exceeds 2(X/01. The Corporation have sub.
scribed five hundred pounds.—Several hundred pounds
have been subscribed at Kingston upon Thames.
During the last week upwards of 100 young trees,
together with a stately cedar, have been destroyed in
the plantations of Lord PAIMICRSTGII, at Broadlands,
near Romsey ; and other depredations have been corn.
mitted on other property in the same neighbourhood.
Monday night, about eleven o'clock, as Mr. SPRING,
the box keeper of Drury-lane Theatre, was convey sing
with s)me Ir.ends at the corner of James street, Covent
garden, a fellow contiivel to rob him of his gold watch
and appendages, with which he got clear og. Imme-
diate application be i ig made to Goddard, an officer, he
pi ocur.d a lantern, and commenced a search under the
market waggoLs in Covent-garden, where, after over-
hauling the s :a terA cabbage leaves, he discovered the
treasure.