The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-02-18 00:00:00

THE COLONIAL BISHOPRICS

From an ecclesiastical paper the following particulars are
collected relative to the proposed new dioceses :-
1. The first diocese to be formed is for the Mediterranean.
Besides the British possessions and dependencies in the Me-
diterranean, there arc, at nearly every large city on the
immense line of coast from Lisbon to Constantinople, either
congregations or a sufficient number of persons to form con-
gregations of English churchmen. In many of these cities
English churches have been erected, and chaplains appointed;
yet they are altogether without the benefit of episcopal su•
perintendence. To remedy this defect, the declaration pro-
poses that a new see should he established, the bishop of
which should reside chiefly at Valetta, in Malta, as the most
convenient position for exercising superintendence over the
English congregations in the countries of the Mediterranean.
But it is supposed that the bishop should bear the title of
Bishop of Gibraltar, that city being a possession of the Bri-
tish crown, where the established religion is that of the
Church of England. The circumstance of havitig two cathe-
dral churches would be an advantage, rather than otherwise,
in such a scattered and unconnected diocese.
2. The next diocese to be formed is that of New Bruns-
wick. This province at present forms part of the diocese of
Nova Scotia ; but when it is considered that it 3s nearly as
large in extent as Ireland, and that it contains a population
of 156,000, though, unfortunately, with hardly more than 30
clergymen, it will be obvious that this colony is entitled to
the advantage of a resident bishop.
3. The Cape of Good Hope contains an area of 130,000
square miles, that is, more than the whole of England, Ire-
land, and Scotland put together. The population is not yet
a large one, amounting to no more than 156,000 ; but they
are widely scattered. The present number of the clergy is
ten. No bishop of our church has visited this colony for
the last five years, and, consequently, the rights of confirma-
tion and consecration have been altogether omitted during
that period. There is a remarkable activity among the vari-
ous Dissenting bodies, as well as among the Romanists, at
the Cape, and the affairs of our church greatly require the
care and attention of a bishop.
4. Van Dieman's Land at present forms part of the un-
wieldy diocese of Australia. It contains a territory about as
large as ten of our English dioceses, with a population of
50,000. The number of the clergy is 21. It is understood
that the present governor has strongly urged the importance
of founding a bishopric there.
5. The only other place named in the first list is Ceylon. It
is in extent very nearly the same as Van Dieman's Land, both
islands being about 24,000 square miles. Its population,
however, is much greater—viz., one million and a quarter,
the greater part of them heathens. The number of chaplains
and missionaries together is 22. Ceylon is at present in the
diocese of Madras, but it is evident that no very efficient con-
trol can be established under such an arrangement, and it is
hoped that so important a dependency of the crown will, ere
long, be formed into a separate see.

there is reason to believe that it is the intention of the
Bishop of London to recommend the clergy of his diocese to
devote a portion of the collections made at the offertory on
Good Friday, in all churches where the Holy Sacrament of
the Lord's Supper is administered, in aid of the Colonial
Bishoprics Fund. His lordship's example will, doubtless, be
followed by the other diocesans.

STEAM ENGINES IN BELGIUM.-It is estimated that
there are now at work in Belgium 1,300 steam engines, with
a total power of 33,100 horses.
DESTRUCTION OF OKEIIAMPTON CHURCH BY FIRE.—
We are sorry to have to announce the all but total destruc-
tion of this ancient and venerable fabric, on Sunday, the
13th instant. The church is situate on a hill, little more
than half a mile from the town ; and in less than a quarter
of an hour after the congregation had left the church in the
forenoon, it was discoverecrto be in a blaze, near the organ
loft. The roof soon tell in with a tremendous crash. No-
thing but the bare walls and the tower remain. The fire is
attributed to a stove which has lately been erected in the
church, the flue of which passed under and near the organ
gallery. We regret to state that every monument is de-
stroyed ; and although great fears were at one time enter-
tained that the bells would be displaced, and perhaps broken
by the fall among the ruins, b
ytlte exertions of the people
and the application of the engines, the tower was preserved
from the general wreck.—Devonshire Chronicle.