naming the Clergyman whom the Society would recommend for the appointment.
It appears from your Lordship's letter that the proposed seat of the Bishop's residence is Ningpo, in the dominions of the Emperor of China; and that being the case, Lord Stanley thinks it right, before proceeding further in the matter, to communicate with Her Majesty's Minister at Pekin, with the view of ascertaining whether there is any political difficulty which would render the residence of an Anglican Bishop in those dominions undesirable.
I am however to point out to your Lordship in the mean-while, that according to the 3d section of the Act 5 Vict. cap. 6, the application for the Queen's Licence to consecrate a Bishop under that Act, the nomination of the candidate, and the certificate of his fitness, must proceed from one or other of the Archbishops.
If there is no objection to the establishment of the proposed Bishopric, Lord Stanley apprehends there would be none to a modification in the Order in Council of the 1st of May 1848; but on that point he must reserve to himself to communicate, when the time arrives for a decision, with the Secretary of State for the Colonial Department, and to consult with the Law Officers of the Crown.
I have the honour to be,
MY LORD,
Your Lordship's most obedient humble Servant,
E. HAMMOND.
The Earl of Chichester.
It had been intended that both Bishops should be consecrated at the same time; but in consequence of the delay of communicating with Pekin, the consecration of Dr. Alford took place before the answer from Pekin arrived.
MY LORD,
Copy of a Letter from Lord Stanley.
FOREIGN OFFICE, May, 16, 1867.
With reference to my letters of the 8th and 18th of December last, I am directed by Lord Stanley to acquaint you that he has received a despatch from Her Majesty's Minister in China, from which it would appear that no political difficulty is anticipated from the residence of an Anglican Bishop in the Chinese dominions, unless he interfered with Chinese subjects by attempting to withdraw them from the jurisdiction of their own authorities, under a plea of protecting them, as converts, from persecution. And I am to acquaint your Lordship, for the information of the Church Missionary Society, that on this understanding Lord Stanley will have no objection to submit to the Queen an application from the Archbishop of Canterbury, in the usual form, for a Licence for the consecration of a Bishop for the benefit of Missionaries and Native Clergymen of the Church of England in the northern parts of China, to reside at Ningpo.
MY LORD, Your Lordship's
I am,
The Earl of Chichester,
10, Whitehall Place.
Most obedient, humble servant,
(Signed) E. HAMMOND.
The proposed division will give to each Bishop the superintendence of twelve hundred miles of coast line. The Bishop of Victoria would also have in his division three out of the five first Consular Ports, namely, Canton, Amoy, and Foo-Chau. At the latter port there is an extensive and very promising Mission of the Society, and also the British Colony of Hong-Kong, containing 160,000 inhabitants, who, being under British law and protection, present a strong claim and a promising field for Missionary action. The Society has
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