dence of Greece. For this purpose he made a voyage to the Island of Zante, where he had a long conference with Sir Thomas Maitland, the Governor of the Ionian Isles; and on his return to the Morea he despatched a vessel, bearing an Envoy to the English Government and Parliament. Other envoys have been despatched to the Courts of Vienna, Paris, Petersburgh, and Berlin, earnestly entreating the united Sovereigns to nominate an independent King for Greece, to liberate them from the yoke of the Turks.

The Morea is free, with the exception of Patrass and Coran, where the Turks remain blockaded. Crete is also free, after a bloody battle, in which Hassan Pascha, and several thousand Turks, were slain. The remainder retired to the fortresses of Candia and Canee, and were on the point of surrendering; after which event they will be transported to Anatolia, in the same manner as the Turks of the Morea have been.

All the islands of the Archipelago have shaken off the yoke of oppression, except Lemnos, Mitylene, Scio, Rhodes, and Cyprus. An expedition was on the point of sailing to re-take Scio, and to liberate the rest.

Athens, Thebes, Livadia, Missolongi, Salona, Tricala, Olumbo, Sagori, and Caterina, are in the power of the Greeks; and 40,000 soldiers under the command of Generals Colcotroni, Nikitas, Odyssius, and Bosari, proceeded in the month of July to attack Larissa, which contains 52,000 Turks, the best troops of Rosemelia. The Cimariate Greeks have seized the forts of Valona and Barat; and Durazzo, Dulzina, and Autivari in the Adriatic, are blockaded by Greek vessels.

Albania has taken arms, and a vast number of the Albanians make common cause with the Greeks.

The fortresses of Modon, Auavaria, Monovasia, Corinth, and Napoli di Romania, are defended by Europeans in the service of Greece.

The Armenian nation have, at their own expense, organized a militia consisting of about 2,500 men. Its commanders are Dosoglo, whose three brothers were beheaded at Constantinople; Kircor, the son of Gaspar, a rich banker, who was hanged at Constantinople; and Manos, the son of Stephanaki, a native of Adrianople, whom the Sultan ordered to be strangled in order to get possession of his riches. Antonachi Lazarus, a merchant of Cairo, the family of Serpos, and many other families of distinction, fled from Constantinople, Smyrna, and Cyprus, to the Morea, and after having assisted the Greek troops at the siege of Napoli di Romania, they obtained from the Greeks a mosque, which they converted into an Armenian church.

Greece is abundantly supplied with provisions by the great number of European vessels that arrive daily from Egypt and the Black Sea.

There have arrived at Tripolizza commissioners from two London bankers, to treat with the Greek Government for a loan of fifty millions, at 7 per cent. per annum, on a mortgage of all the salt-pits. in the Morea and in the territory of Argos.

A Turkish fleet from the Dardanelles, consisting of ninety-six ships of war, large and small, was beaten by the Greek feet in the month of July 1823, near the Island of Cerigo. The greater part hav ing fled to Patrass, the Greeks have pursued them thither.

The Pacha of Scoutra, whom the Sultan had ordered to march against the Greeks, excused himself under the pretext that he was afraid of the Montenegriens.

The Sultan, by the mediation of the new Patriarch appointed by himself, proposed to the Greeks to lay down their arms and only to receive from him their Princes, tributary to the Porte, like those of Wallachia and Moldavia; but they rejected with disdain such a proposition, giving for reply, that they wished a Christian king, and one independent of the Turks.

The Sultan has published a Firman, which has been read in all the mosques of his empire, by which he expressly requires that Greeks, and all other Christians subjected to him, should not be molested. He, at the same time, declares that he is at war with the Greeks. It is to be observed, however, that he does not give them any more the name of insurgents.

The Greek Government has transported the inhabitants of the small and barren islands of the Archipelago to re-people the Morea and Crete.

Having thus succinctly related the present situation of affairs in Greece, it remains only further to state, that the object of my mission to this country is to solicit such pecuniary or other aid as the friends of liberty, of learning, and of religion, may be disposed to afford to the Greek cause; and that I shall feel very highly obliged by any suggestions respecting the best mode in which the object may be accomplished.

NICOLO CHIEFALA.

At the Greek Convent, Nov. 10, 1823.

Provisional Government of Greece. Circular to our pious and honourable brethren who are members of the Eastern Church, and to all those in the East-Indies who are friendly to the cause of the Greeks.

Brethren: That Divine Grace which has hitherto protected and supported the oppressed, has been pleased, at last, to liberate us from bondage to the implacable enemy of our holy religion, and of

surrounded on all sides by extensive colonades and verandah, and at the end opposite the entrance is the place appropriated to the penates or family idols, which seemed to have increased for the occasion. A range of octagon pillars, with double columns to each angle, supported the verandah at that end, and had a very fine effect. In the centre were dancing girls and musicians, and by them Rouplaul himself was conversing with several Europeans. Around the square were couches, upon which the higher class of natives and several Europeans were reclined.

The amusements of the evening consisted of numerous bands of dancing girls, and an attempt at a pantomine below. The latter afforded another example of how much more nimble the natives are with their fingers than with their feet. Harlequin must have struck himself and his party with the enchanted wand, and thus turned all into lifeless statues, for they never once cut a caper or gave a tumble the whole evening. The nautch girls seemed as if their bodies turned on a pivot fixed into the lower half, the arms being only stretched out. It was almost painful to look upon the inanimate countenances of the poor creatures.

On the whole, the scene was magnificent and brilliant in the extreme; but the prevailing idea excited was astonishment at the variety of the attempt, and the amazing sums of money thrown away.

The luxury of the Romans required sumptuary laws to restrain the expense of their entertainments; and their extravagance in the purchase of certain articles for their tables was unbounded; but it may be doubted if their expense on the whole surpassed, or equalled, that of the natives of India at the present day. It is no uncommon thing for one of these Baboos to expend several lacs of rupees in the course of a few nights. Among the Romans it was either the great, or those who had accumulated vast riches, and were in the habit of living at all times in a magnificent state, who gave those great entertainments, and their guests were the rich and great. Here the host is a man who has accumulated sums, the greater part of which he expends in amusing and feeding persons with whom he has not the least acquaintance, and who honour him and his Champaigue alike. It was evident the party was for Europeans, not natives-the upper rooms were almost entirely frequented by the former. The order and quietness which prevailed was highly creditable, and with the exception of the disappointed suitors for simpkin shurab, all seemed highly gratified. 1Beng. Hurk., Nov. 20.

CONSECRATION OF CHURCHES.

St. James's Church.-On Tuesday morn

ing, the 11th Nov., the Right Rev. Lord Bishop of the diocese, attended by the Venerable Archdeacon Corrie, the Rev. J. Parson, Senior Chaplain, and all the clergymen at the Presidency, consecrated St. James's Church in the Boitconnah. The congregation was numerous, and highly respectable.

The proceedings were conducted with the solemnity due to the occasion, and appeared to make a corresponding impression on the congregation. The service closed with a highly appropriate sermon by the Rev. J. Hawtayne, the minister of the church, from Genesis chap. 21, ver. 17.

"And he was afraid, and said-How dreadful is this place. This is none other than the House of God, and this is the Gate of Heaven."

We understand, his Lordship, the Bishop of Calcutta, will preach on the ensuing Sunday at St. James's Church.[Cal. John Bull, Nov. 12.

Dum Dum Church.-We understand the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Calcutta consecrated the Church at Dum Dum under the name of Saint Stephen, on Tuesday the 4th Nov. His Lorship was attended by the Venerable Archdeacon Corrie, and the principal part of the clergy from Calcutta.

The church service was read by the Rev. T. Thomason, A.M.; and a very appropriate and impressive sermon was given by the Senior Presidency Chaplain, the Rev. J. Parson, A.M., from 1st Book of Kings, 8th chap. verse 36.

"Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance."

The whole service was most gratifying; and after the administration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the Lord Bishop consecrated the burial - ground. His Lordship and a large party breakfasted and dined with General Hardwick on the occasion.

On last Sunday (the 9th instant), the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop preached at Dum Dum from the 15th chapter of Luke, 10th verse

"Likewise I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."

The sermon was one not easily to be forgotten. The mercies of the Gospel were so happily blended with faithful exhortations to do good unto all men as there is opportunity, and especially with relation to their eternal interests, that it could hardly fail of a happy and influential impression.

The service on this last occasion was read by the Venerable the Archdeacon,— [Ibid. Nov. 13.

SUTTEES.

On the 16th July, a Baboo by the name of Ram Chunder Day, of the Danish Settlement, Serampore, departed this life. A report was made to the Darogah in the night about ten o'clock, that his widow intended to sacrifice herself with her deceased husband, and insisted upon being burnt the very same night; but the Darogah not having authority to grant permission to that effect without the sanction of the Judge and Magistrate, apprized this gentleman of the circumstance, who immediately proceeded to the dwelling house of the Baboo, and requested an interview with the widow, which, however, was declined, by her desiring the Judge to meet her upon the spot where the funeral pile was erected, and where she appeared about one o'clock in the morning. The magistrate, G. Hohlenberg, Esq., in the most praiseworthy manner remonstrated with this unfortunate woman on the shock ing impropriety of thus sacrificing herself, but was at last obliged to grant permission in the usual manner.-Cal. John Bull, July 1823.

A Suttee took place about eight o'clock on Friday morning, at Koonaghur Ghaut, where FOUR women, from the age of thirty to fifty, sacrificed themselves on the same pile with the corpse of their dead husband, Kummall Chattiyer, a Coolin Bramin of Koonaghur, who was not only permitted, but paid for marrying thirty-two wives, whilst living' in this world, and who departed this life on the evening of the 5th instant. Directly information was sent to his different wives, who were in general living at their fathers' houses (only two of his wives lived with him), four of these determined on eating fire, as the natives call it; two were living near, one at Calcutta, and the fourth at Bosborrah, above Hoogly; however, they were soon brought together, and the necessary permission having been obtained from the magistrate of the district (at least so the police people said who attended the suttee), they surrounded the funeral pile, which they enclosed all around with a paling of bamboos, so as to prevent the escape of any who might be so inclined after having once entered it; in less than one minute after the fire was lighted the whole of them must have been suffocated, and in less than ten minutes their bodies burnt to a coal, so excessively hot was the fire. So common is the sight in this neighbourhood, that only a few hundred people collected together to see it, and nearly all of them women. It is said that twenty-two of his wives were living at his death, and it was expected more of them would have joined the four.-[Ibid. Nov. 10.

Asiatic Journ.-No. 102.

FORMATION OF THE CALCUTTA AUXILIARY

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

On Monday the 1st of Dec. a meeting of the friends and supporters of the Church Missionary Society was held in the Old Church Room, for the purpose of forming an Auxiliary Church Missionary Society,

The Lord Bishop of Calcutta in the Chair.

G. Udney, Esq. opened the business of the meeting by adverting to the operations of the Church Missionary Society at this Presidency. He stated, that in 1807, the Society voted £250 for the furtherance of Missionary objects, and constituted him, together with the late Rev. David Brown and the Rev. Dr. Buchanan, a corresponding Committee; that in 1809 the grant was increased to £500; and the Society had gone on increasing their contributions as circumstances called for them, and that they now remit annually £3,000.

With the assistance thus afforded, and further contributions raised in this country, the Corresponding Committee had established schools in various parts of the country; had supported Missionaries, and had been enabled to extend their operations much beyond their expectation. That in consequence of the increased importance of the labours of the Committee, and of the enlarged measures of the Society, which required additional patronage and support, the Corresponding Committee had, with the advice and concurrence of the Lord Bishop, agreeably also, as they conceived, to the wishes of the Parent Society, called the present meeting with a view to form an Auxiliary Society, to which the labours of the Committee might be devolved, and which might be able to promote the measures of the Parent Society in a more extensive and efficient manner than had hitherto been done.

The following resolutions were then proposed and unanimously adopted:

Resolved 1st. That, with a view to the more efficient and extensive prosecution of the highly important objects of the Church Missionary Society, the Meeting accept of the powers heretofore vested in the Corresponding Committee of the Church Missionary Society at Calcutta which have been tendered to them, and that a Society be now formed which shall be designated "The Calcutta Church Missionary Society, Auxiliary to the Church Missionary Society for Africa and the East."

2d. That, the labours and functions of the Corresponding Committee, comprehending the superintendance of the Society's Missions, correspondence with the Missionaries and with the Parent Society, and all matters connected with the maVOL. XVII. 4 R