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the foregoing causes becomes the greater. These are obvious truths, on which it is not necessary to dilate. But there is another subject, allied to this, which the author thinks it a solemn duty to bring before the public.

Not only are our troops denied suitable religious instruction, when they arrive in India, but they are destitute of it, during their long voyage to that country. The voyage is, on an average, six months. Now provision ought certainly to be made for divine worship, and for spiritual consolation to the soldiers, during that period: for it is sometimes a period of great sickness, and of frequent death. There ought to be a Chaplain appointed to every India ship containing one hundred souls.*

* The East-India company require the Commander or Purser of every ship to read Prayers on Sunday, when the weather permits. This service is performed, in many cases, in a serious and truly impressive manner; and the acknowledged good effects in such cases convey the strongest recommendation of the measure which has been proposed. One important duty of a Chaplain of an Indiaman might be to superintend the studies of the young writers and Cadets proceeding to India, who, for want of some direction of this kind, generally pass the long voyage in idleness, lounging on the quarter deck, or gambling in the cuddy. So important has this subject been considered, that, during the administration of Marquis Wellesley, a detailed plan for carrying the proposed measure into

They who believe in the Christian Religion, profess also to believe in the superintending providence of God; and are taught to hope that the divine blessing will accompany those designs which are undertaken in his name, and conducted in his fear. If we were "a heathen nation," then might we send forth our fleets without a prayer, and commit them, for a safe voyage "to goddess Fortune and fair winds." But we are a Christian nation, though not a superstitious one; and, however individuals may consider it, it is certain that our countrymen in general view the performance of the offices of religion with great respect; and that, in particular circumstances on board ship, no duty is more acceptable, none more interesting, none more salutary and consoling. Such scenes the Author himself has witnessed, and from those persons who have witnessed such scenes, he has

effect was actually transmitted to a Member of the Court of Directors to lay before the Court. If it were made an indispensable qualification of the Chaplain, that he should understand the rudiments of the Persian and Hindostanee Languages, and the common elements of geometry and navigation, for the instruction of the Midshipmen, his services would be truly important, merely in his secular character. Every truly respectable commander in the Company's service must be happy to have an exemplary Clergyman on board his ship.

never heard but one opinion as to the propriety of having a Clergyman to form one of the great family in a ship, in these long, sickly, and perilous voyages. When the news arrived in England last year of the loss of the seven Indiamen in a distant ocean, how gratifying would it have been to surviving friends, if they could have been assured that the offices of religion, and the consolation of its ministers, had been afforded to those who perished. These events have a warning voice; and it is not unbecoming a great and respectable body of men, like the East India Company, to attend to it. The Legislature has not neglected a subject of this importance. It is required that every ship of the line should have a Chaplain; and we have lately seen some of our most renowned Admirals, both before and after the battle, causing prayers and thanksgivings of the fleet to ascend to the God of heaven.

There still remains one topic more, to which the Author would advert. It may be presumed to be the wish of the major part of this nation, that whenever a Missionary of exemplary character, and of respectable recommendation, applies to the East-India Company for a passage to our Eastern shores, his request might be

treated with indulgence. In him we export a blessing (as he may prove to be) to thousands of our fellow-creatures; and his example, and instructions and prayers, will do no harm to the ship in which he sails. While the East India Company retain the sole privilege of conveyance to India, the nation would be pleased to see this condescension shewn to persons in humble circumstances, whose designs are of a public character, and acknowledged by all men to be pious and praiseworthy. The Au

thor will conclude these observations with a paragraph which he has found in a manuscript of the Rev. Mr. Kolhoff, of Tanjore, the successor of Mr. Swartz, which has been just transmitted for publication:

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"It is a remarkable fact, that since the foun

dation of our Mission, which is now one "hundred years, and during which period up"wards of fifty Missionaries have arrived from

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Europe; among the many ships that have "been lost, there never perished one vessel,

WHICH HAD A MISSIONARY ON BOARD.

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The following Letter, written by Dr. WATSON, Bishop of LLANDAFF, on the subject of

**M. S. materials for the Life of Swartz.

an Ecclesiastical Establishment for British India, was published in Calcutta, in the year 1807.

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Calgarth-Park, Kendal, 14th May, 1806.

"REVEREND SIR,

"Some weeks ago I received your MEMOIR of the expediency of an Ecclesiastical Establishment for British India; for which obliging attention I now return you my best thanks. I hesitated for some time whether I ought to interrupt your speculations with my acknowledgments for so valuable a present; but on being informed of the noble premium, by which you purpose to exercise the talents of Graduates in the University of Cambridge, I determined to express to you my admiration of your disinterestedness, and zeal in the cause of Christianity.

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Twenty years and more have now elapsed since, in a Sermon, before the House of Lords, I hinted to the then government, the propriety of paying regard to the propagation of Christianity in India; and I have since then, as fit occasions offered, privately, but unsuccessfully, pressed the matter on the consideration of those in power. If my voice or opinion can, in future, be of any weight with the King's Ministers, I shall be most ready to exert myself in forwarding any prudent measure for promoting a liberal Ecclesiastical Establishment in British. India; it is not without consideration that I say a liberal Establishment, because I heartily wish that every Christian should be at liberty to worship God according to his conscience, and be assisted therein by a teacher, at the public expense, of his own persuasion.

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