not admit of more being done for this port. It has been suggested that the Merchants and City Companies connected with that port and county might be disposed to render this needed help.

SWANSEA BETHEL AND SAILORS' HOME.

WALES.-Our Missions in four great ports-Holyhead, Milford, Cardiff, and Swansea-have been sustained. It is with peculiar pleasure that the Directors refer to Swansea branch on the present occasion. Its president, H. Hussey Vivian, Esq., M.P., who is present to take part in this Annual Meeting, has, amid all the anxieties of Parliamentary and business life, presided over no less than TWENTYSEVEN annual meetings; while his honoured father before him was president as early as 1839. The beautiful Sailors' Bethel at Swansea was erected chiefly through his munificence; while it is not too much to say the Sailors' Home was an outcome of this Society's work. There is recorded in the Society's General Minute-book for 1839 the following resolution, proposed by the Committee of the Swansea Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society, of whom our worthy Member for the Borough, H. J. Vivian, Esq., has become the president :'We have this day ordered £5 to be paid to the Parent Society."" The parent would only be too glad to receive gifts from all its children in this way! It is a matter for sincere gratitude, after the lapse of nearly half-a-century, to find the Vivian family still practically associated with the sailor's cause. This local Mission has an admirable committee, energetic secretary, a local income of £500, and supports, outside of all other work, two missionaries whose services have been greatly blessed.

The directors aim to justify the title of the Society, and to give a fair proportion of its income to the Foreign fields. To care for foreign sailors and to occupy foreign ports where sailors of all Nationalities are so absolutely exposed and uncared for, is a work of no secondary importance.

MALTA.-Ships of all Nationalities call at this interesting Mediteranean port.

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The Missionary and Colportage Agency to these ships has been sustained in the same high efficiency, which has characterized it in past years. In a climate which is often more trying than that of India the missionary has nobly stuck to his work without a break, for fourteen years.

NAPLES.-Long before the Apostle Paul started on his grain laden ship for Italy, Naples Bay was a great trade centre for the Mediterranean Sea. To day the great City of Naples with many small towns have taken the place of Pompeii, and Herculaneum. Not only are merchant ships as of old pushing into this lovely Bay, but ships of war of many Nationalities, including American and British here find a suitable anchorage. The sailors are on these Foreign Stations for a long time, and during the past year they were delighted to avail themselves of the privilege of this harbour mission.

The

GENOA.-As a great commercial entreport it is very much like its sister port Naples. Last year we reported the necessity of obtaining a new Floating Bethel. Since then the local authorities granted a respite of eight months for the old vessel, in which the missionary might continue his very successful labours. Directors are pleased to report that the excellent Superintendent, the Rev. Donald Miller, has been encouraged by a grant of £1,000 from the New Year's Offerings of the Free Church Sunday-schools, towards this new Floating Bethel, which is to be built at Genoa. The Captain of a small United States war-ship gave cordial testimony of the missionary services on board of his ship, and said that on the last occasion 160 "Mustered to Church." The same was done at Hamburg and Gravesend, where Rear-Admiral Howell gave the same appreciative testimony. The Directors regard with lively interest these services to United States seamen.

ROTTERDAM has during the past year retained its palm, by entirely supporting its English and Scandinavian services, and other departments of mission work, without having to come to the Parent Society for help. The Directors hope that every station may aim at this ideal state, so that with unfettered hands they may deal with other ports where at present no mission exists, but the importance of which cannot be over-estimated. The Association Secretary, the Rev. George Wilkins, visited Rotterdam at its annual meeting and reports that the mission is conducted with great energy and much blessing to the port.

HAMBURG.-The event of the year in the history of this Mission was the inauguration of a large suitable Institute, favourably situated on Sandthor Quai, containing-Captain and sailors' reading rooms, hall for services, missionaries" quarters, etc. Lord Garvagh, who, on behalf of the Earl of Aberdeen, took part in the opening of the Antwerp building in 1876, crossed over to Hamburg in June, accompanied by the Secretary of the Parent Society, to render the same kind service. His Lordship was assisted by the English and American Consuls, the Rev. Dr. Damon (of Honolulu), local ministers and friends. Mr. Chapman not only took a prominent part, but promised £50 on condition that £1,000 of the liability was removed. The anticipations of the blessing of this mission to sailors were more than realised. Surely the time has come when no foreign port should be without its sailors' missionary! It is therefore with great pain that the Directors were unable to respond to repeated appeals which came during the past year from Bordeaux. They trust that a considerable addition will be made to the Society's income, so as to allow of something being done for these unoccupied ports.

ANTWERP.-The necessity of having a strong agency in this metropolitan port of Europe was never more clearly demonstrated. The local society has rendered

ANTWERP MARINERS' CHURCH AND INSTITUTE. valuable services in connection with this mission. The Colporteur, who was previously assisted by the Scotch National Bible Society, has now been taken upon the staff of the British and Foreign Bible Society. As the Rev. C. R. Treat, who has had a very happy year of successful labour in this port, is obliged to retire from the Chaplaincy, the Directors invited the American Seamen's Friend Society to re-appoint the Chaplain on the same conditions as before, and they are pleased to report that the Rev. Arthur Potts, of New York, has cordially accepted the appointment.

Perhaps all that is done in the ports on shore is but auxiliary to what is accomplished afloat. At sea the spell of the mighty attractions of the shore is broken, and the mind is thrown upon itself and its God. Hence a religious sailor or captain, if he is but faithful, is almost sure to see before the voyage is ended blessed fruits to his labours.

For the glorious sea is but an emblem of the more glorious attributes of God. It is the divine school, and there is none like it for educating the soul in the 'higher lessons of confidence and communion with the Father of Spirits. Sacred

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memories and heavenly voices join to enlarge the mind and purify the heart. It is no wonder then that on the sea many trophies are won for the Saviour. The constituency of this Society will be glad to know that its Union of Christian ship-masters, called the “Bethel Union," has numbered upon its roll 848 members, twelve having joined during the past year. Their badge is a flag, their call is the gift of God's Spirit, their fruit, in many cases, the conversion of their sailors from vice to virtue and from wickedness to worship.

"FLOATING LIBRARIES" have now become one of the recognised departments of Christian work at sea. Any ship going to sea without its library for the crew is deficient of an important factor, for the time may come when shipowners will as soon think of sending their ships to sea without the harness cask as without the library. No ship is fitted out for the voyage without this boon for the sailor. One large shipping firm has adopted a plan worthy of imitation, in having a little case fastened to every man's bunk, in which is to be placed, by one of our missionaries, a copy of the Word of God, in the sailor's own language. Several local stations are doing what they can to supply this library demand, while in London the library committee meet monthly, and an agent, with an assistant, are almost exclusively employed for this work. Since they first met in 1865, 2,921 libraries have been shipped. Last year 285 were supplied; 170 of these in cases not unworthy ornaments for any cabin. There were afloat during the year 537 libraries in 535 ships, or what might be termed a circulating library in all seas, of 8,310 bound volumes, with 20,000 periodicals and 20,000 tracts. The demand increases, while the appreciation of the readers is demonstrated by their giving £79 12s. 2d.

THE “CHART AND COMPASS" Sailors' Magazine, has increased in appreciation and usefulness. Since its introduction in January 1879, 57,000 copies have been circulated to the uttermost parts of the earth. It has proved from a temperance and a religious point of view the missing link to the English sailor. While to the different stations throughout the world it is a chain binding all together in sympathy, fellowship and labour. It has had many distinguished contributors, whose services have been generously given.

"OUR SAILORS' HYMN-BOOK," was published in the early part of the year. The Editor was assisted by several hymn writers, while the prayers were written by Bishop Claughton, the Earl of Aberdeen, Miss Marsh, (Hedley Vicars), and Mr. J. W. Janson. Encouraging testimonies of the value of the book have been received from the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Earl of Aberdeen, Admiral Prevost, H. Hussey Vivian, Esq., and many others. The London Institute, Rotterdam, Belfast, Yarmouth, Gravesend, Newcastle, Malta, Gosport, and Marseilles, have already introduced the book, and the Directors invite all the Stations to render the same valuable assistance.

The Swansea Branch has taken 500 copies. Wm. Henderson, Esq., of the firm of George Thompson & Co., the most loyal supporters of the Society, has ordered twelve copies to be placed on board of each ship of their Aberdeen Clipper Line, and gave £5 towards their distribution. The Directors hope that many ship owners will do likewise. They have issued this Edition of ten thousand copies at a cost of nearly £200, believing that it will encourage personal piety as well as religious services afloat. Toward this outlay some £50 in gifts and sales have already been received. Through the kindness of Captain Robert C. Adams, an Edition of 2,500 of his "Religion Off Soundings," has been published. This ably written pamphlet will be of great assistance to religious sailors, particularly officers and those in command. The Society is also indebted to the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Religious Tract Society,

Crystal Palace Bible Stand, the Society for supplying Scriptures to Foreign Seamen. The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, T. B. Smithies, Esq., and J. B. Mead, Esq.

The Directors would again draw attention to the fact that six of their VicePresidents are giving two prizes, the first of £100, and the second of £50, for the two adjudged essays on "How best to improve, afloat and ashore, the Material, Mental, and Moral welfare of our Sailors." The London and Provincial press have given notices of these prizes, but as the Essays have to be finished by Aug. 31st of this year, the Directors hope that publicity will still be given. If the same good should come from this effort as from "Britannia," Dr. Harris' successful Essay in 1836, the sailors' cause will be greatly blessed.

Through the kindness of the Rev. Dr. Clemance and his Deacons, arrangements are made for holding the bazaar in their school-room Camberwell-green, in the last week in September. The Directors hope to receive the practical sympathy of all their friends throughout the country, to make this effort a success.

FINANCE.-The chief sources of the Society's income are from annual subcriptions and donations. During the past year it has not been greatly augmented, either by legacy or any large special gift. Mr. Gladstone in his eleventh Budget speech, spoke of "Those people who bequeathed property to Institutions, which glorify them after they are dead." The Directors would only have been too glad thus to have immortalized some of the departed. For a few years they have received but little help from this source. A Society sixty-three years old has seen the gradual departure of its first friends. Its new friends do not seem so keenly interested in its welfare to remember it by legacy, as those who watched with solicitude its birth and growth. But as our annual income is generally more than balanced by the ordinary annual expenditure, friends would scarcely believe how an opportune legacy or substantial gift will remove painful anxiety from those who have the responsibility, when liabilities which naturally arise in the history of a great Society, are experienced or when some new work has to be accomplished. The Society's labours would be entirely crippled were it not for the generous and persistent services annually rendered by the ladies who collect. From this source there has been an increase during the year, and the Directors tender their deepest gratitude to all those willing and arduous workers. More lady volunteers from towns and counties not yet occupied would be most heartily welcomed.

Mr. W. Lyons who has been the Society's agent for seventeen years has been appointed travelling representative, with the hope that this new arrangement will prove successful in augmenting the Society's funds.

From churches and chapels some help has been received. While it is a recognised rule of Church life to give offerteries and collections to Societies, the Directors see no valid reason for excluding the British and Foreign Sailors' Society. Several collections in Ireland, a few in Scotland, but fewer in England, were received during the year. Two, however, gave peculiar pleasure, and coming as they did from the right and left wing of the army militant, they illustrated the undenominational character of the Society. On Sunday morning, Aug. 1st, 1880, the Very Rev. Dean Stanley kindly lent Westminster Abbey for a special service for the Society. Our honoured Vice-President, Bishop Claughton, preached an eloquent sermon, which afterwards went to all parts of the world in our Magazine. In May, the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon preached one of his characteristic sermons in his own Tabernacle on behalf of the Society. A great number of sailors were present, as also missionaries from many parts. The Society were enabled to distribute, through the gifts of friends, some 15,000 copies. Some 5,000 more are on hand, and as soon as the cost is received, these also can be sent on their mis